1. Who'll Be There When I Need Them?

Develop a working relationship with an experienced marketing communications specialist, who can provide you with dynamic writing and design services -- WHEN you need them. Last-minute thumbing through a phone book and interviewing the wrong people when you're in a hurry are terrific time-wasters.

2. A Memorable Image

Invest in a professionally-designed logo incorporating the name of your company, and/or manufactured home community. Make sure it works in black & white as well as color, for use in newspaper ads. You'll use it time and again in your marketing efforts.

3. Customer Feedback

Keep a file for any information related to your client's/customer's wants, desires, needs, praises and problems. Draw from this information in making customer service improvements in your business and share this information with your marketing consultant for targeted marketing communications.

4. Work From A Plan

Work from a written marketing plan. It will crystallize and organize your promotional efforts.

5. Daily Tickler System

Develop a marketing communications tickler system -- and complete at least one task a day. There's room in a senior size Daytimer calendar to write a brief reminder -- use colored ink for emphasis. Or program a daily reminder(to-do list item) into your computer program regarding marketing your products and services on a daily basis.

6. Get Started!

The biggest time-waster is procrastination. Call your marketing communications consultant and ask for that brochure estimate. Supply your writer with that key information she needs to finalize your advertisement. Jot down your thoughts for that speech you're giving.

7. In Plain Sight

Keep major trade show dates, town meetings, and grand opening dates on a wall calendar in easy view. Start a clipboard list of marketing materials needed to make that event a success. Do you need brochures? Press kits? Handouts? Slides? Posters? More business cards?

8. Sales Letter

Develop a professionally written sales and introduction letter for your business, manufactured home community, or manufactured housing product -- BEFORE you need it. Invest in a professional writer who can interview you and provide a polished letter. When you actually need to send one, you can always change a few words to update it. At least you won't be starting from scratch.

9. Resume Phobia

Keep a professionally-written Resume, Profile/Biography, and glossy black & white, head & shoulders photo of yourself on file. Notice how many times it comes in handy, and the many positive opportunities you no longer have to miss out on, because you were unprepared.

10. Nothing in Writing?

Whether you're marketing a manufactured home community, a new development in manufactured housing production,or a new retail sales location, chances are you may not have all the facts neatly written down. Don't panic. Call a professional writer who's experienced at interviewing you and asking the right questions. One or two phone conversations and your writer will have compiled an excellent fact sheet and synopsis from which marketing materials can be developed.

11. Is Your Marketing Person the Last to Know?

Keep your marketing communications team member on your mailing list. Send them copies of anything related to the promotional projects they are working on. News articles, newsletters, internal memos on the latest news, help them do a better job for you. If you use a written strategic plan, share it with them for better results.

12. Proofreading Mistakes Consider using a professional writer to proofread ALL your communications. Arrange to fax them to her for corrections; she can fax them back promptly -- for a "per-page" fee.

13. Triple your Profits

Has your manufactured home community, retail location, service company, etc. received media attention? Perhaps your daily newspaper or trade magazine has written about your successes. If you threw the story away, or filed it in a back room, you're throwing away your profits. Get quality copies made of the article and send them out to prospects. Build a press kit, and include this story. Or have a professionally designed mailer created, with a page devoted to a reprint of the article. Don't assume people have seen your positive story. Recycle it for profit.

14. Stepping up to the Podium

Are you a public speaker? Are you frequently asked to address audiences in your industry? Have a professional PR writer develop a story based on your remarks. You can use it for pre-event and post-event publicizing of your talk, but even more valuable, make it part of a handy file you can pull from when you need background material on yourself.