BELLEVUE, WA, Jan 09, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) --
Home sales may be lackluster and home foreclosure and vacancy rates
alarming, but leading real estate firms are still investing in both
marketing and technology to help their agents build market share as
competition has intensified.
In fact, the U.S. real estate industry was projected to spend nearly
$22 billion in 2011 on total advertising, with $8.9 billion spent
online, according to a study by research firm Borrell Associates.
That puts spending up 8.1 percent from 2010, placing the real estate
industry second only in advertising to general merchandising
retailers. That trend continues to benefit Bellevue, Washington-based
Imprev, a leading provider of marketing technologies for real estate
brokerages.
Imprev recently signed long-term contracts totaling millions of
dollars with real estate leaders RE/MAX and Brookfield's Royal LePage
Real Estate Services to deliver more products and services to help
their agents and brokers stay ahead of competitors.
While most segments of the residential real estate industry have been
contracting, the 11-year-old, privately-held Imprev has been
expanding. The corporation recently moved into 50% larger space --
architecturally designed and configured to maximize collaboration
between its Engineering, Quality Assurance and Creative teams to
increase efficiency and creativity.
Imprev also added two proven real estate marketing veterans to its
roster. Kevin Hawkins, well-known in the real estate industry as a
top marketing communications professional, joined the company as
Senior Director of Corporate Communications and Marketing. He will
assist Imprev's clients with additional public relations and
marketing opportunities -- a new service provided by Imprev.
Carolyn Holmberg joined as Marketing Director to develop new,
integrated marketing programs for real estate agents and brokers
designed to streamline their marketing efforts and help them increase
their conversion rate of turning prospects into customers.
These moves give Imprev customers more tools and services and will
provide additional support to existing clients as well as to other
major franchises, Multiple Listings Service firms, independent
brokerage firms and through its technology partner channel.
Last year, Imprev delivered several innovations, including "one click
to Facebook and Twitter" features for agent marketing materials, an
instant Craigslist display ad tool, and the first "Listings
Presentation" iPad app available in Apple's iTunes store, the "RE/MAX
Presenter."
Imprev's growth over the last five years has been significant,
growing four-fold from the 50,000 agents and brokers it served in
2006 to serving more than 200,000 agents today.
"We've found that in a challenging market, it's as important where
you spend money as it is where you don't," said Renwick Congdon, CEO
and Founder of Imprev. "Most people will say cut quickly and deep. We
learned that by being focused with our investments, we could grow and
come out on top."
Congdon plans to expand his employee base through key hires and
strategic acquisitions to deliver the most value for Imprev's
clients. He points to his new marketing team as an example. "Imprev
will grow, but we must measure new growth not just by the number of
customers we serve, but how deeply and broadly we meet current client
needs."
Hawkins has spent more than 20 years in Corporate Communications and
Marketing, developing an array of successful real estate agent
communications and marketing programs in his positions at HomeGain,
Inman News, Great Western Bank (now CHASE) and Fannie Mae. Hawkins
co-created Great Western's nationally renowned "Realtor Program," and
at Fannie he helped launch and implement the firm's "$1 Trillion
Commitment" program, which expanded homeownership nationally.
Holmberg is a proven expert in developing marketing solutions for the
real estate industry, both as Marketing Director at Windermere
Service Company and as a Vice President at Washington Mutual.
Holmberg created a direct marketing platform enabling Windermere
agents to design personalized, cohesive, and targeted brand marketing
collateral. She also developed marketing and training programs for
WaMu's 5,700 home loan consultants.
About Imprev
Imprev, Inc. is the leading provider of private-label
Marketing Centers for real estate leaders RE/MAX, Brookfield's Royal
LePage, Better Homes and Gardens(R) Real Estate, and Keller Williams
Realty, Inc. and serves ever over 200,000 real estate agents
worldwide. Imprev-powered Marketing Centers provide brokers and
agents with a single source for digital flyers (which can be
printed), postcards, video, virtual tours, iPad presentations, and
e-marketing (Facebook/Twitter/email) material. Imprev helps agents
simply and cost-effectively enhance their own personal image while
harnessing the influence of their company's brand. Established in
2001, Imprev is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. Visit Imprev
at
www.imprev.com .
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