Marketplace Opportunities
How do we use the power of the marketplace to grow the cohousing movement and industry?
Many cohousers get money... We know how to make it, how to spend it, and how to invest in creating for ourselves, our families, and our communities. We are more than simple consumers who's only "choice" is what to buy.
What we do with the Marketplace section of this website is up to us. What you see here now reflects the vision of past and current cohousers - their thoughts about what would best serve us and the association... It also reflects our ability to implement this vision in the here and now. In the past, much of it was created and managed by volunteers. Over recent years, we've begun professionalizing and work has been done by paid, managed staff and vendors. Do you have new ideas for what we can do? Do you have resources to help us make it real? Please consider jumping in to help us create useful new marketplace features. Right now, marketplace content is limited to the Marketplace Section. In the future, it will spread throughout the site to help cohousers reach each other.
After these brief notes on the here and now, read on to learn about what lies immediately ahead...
Classified Ads
the most cost-effective way to reach people looking for what you offer - NOW
The Cohousing Website Classified Ads are a very heavily used feature - and they have led to many cohousing units sold and rented, a great many new members joining Forming Groups, Short-term exchanges, and more.
Cohousing homes are sought by many people - there is strong demand from both buyers and renters - and, today, a very limited supply. Listing a cohousing home in our classified ads is the single best way to get the word out about its availability to people who understand what is actually being offered. Many more people who discover your listing here will already understand that your private unit is just a small part of the total value you offer.
Our Classified ads have proven effective for a variety of purposes - that's why we have the different categories. Perhaps the greatest challenge we've had is not having enough Classified Ads to be attractive when people come to view them. We're changing this and you'll see this section grow dramatically in the coming months as we promote the feature. We will make some special offers to encourage more listings and will help more cohousers learn about their value.
Display Ads
We have discontinued Display Ads and are no longer accepting them.
Professional Directory
the place to find a cohousing professional
Directories are another form of Directive Advertising. Where do you go to find a professional? You use a directory! For many years, the Cohousing website has had a very short list of cohousing professionals. This was managed editorially and very few companies ever managed to "get on the list" - and once on, the listings were not kept up-to-date. It was about asking the right person at the right time. Now it is easy for any professional that can demonstrate cohousing experience to get a Professional Directory listing. The cost is $250/year, which includes a simple Classified Ad (with a normal cost of $300) to help people find you.
"Cohousing Store"
some pointers to useful books offered by our friends
At present, we directly selling one product, the Webinar CD ROM. We are providing links to the best cohousing books currently available. When you click these, you leave the Coho/US website and visit the websites of other organizations that are actually selling the books.
In 2008, we are growing your advertising choices. Our new Classified Ad system, and Professional Directory. Soon, a variety of new advertising packages will be available. The first example is the Professional Directory listing, which bundles a "free classified ad."
Cohousing Marketing Council
One thing we're doing to help us get this right is forming a Cohousing Marketing Council. This new advisory group will work with our staff to define the future of Cohousing Marketing. While our initial focus is advertising on this website, our longer-term interest is to use Marketing Communications, Advertising, and PR beyond this website to grow the movement and industry.
New Database Manager
In Feb-08, Coho/US hired Lisa Biskup of RoseWind Cohousing (WA) as our Database Manager. She has taken responsibility for our outbound email work. With Lisa's leadership, we'll be getting very smart about using outbound emails to communicate with interested folks - so advertisers and communities doing "outreach" will actually be able to reach out.
More to come...
Craig Ragland
Executive Director
April 26, 2008
Related pages: Marketplace
