With two kids in college, the budget is tight to say the least.  That's why I love grocery shopping at Wal-Mart for the budget-friendly pricing and convenience of being able to get everything I need in just one trip.  Their marketing campaigns are always changing and often ahead of the times to meet the current economic trends.  From the 2007 slogan change from "Always Low Prices" to "Save Money . . . Live Better", which was just ahead of the starting point of the recession, to the recent commercials that point out the "feature-benefits" of shopping at Wal-Mart:

• Breakfast: Instead of going out to breakfast for $5 you could eat at home for $2. By eating at home just 1x per week you could save $650/year. Save Money . . . Live Better. Wal-Mart.

 

• Parties: You're having a party and you could drive all over town getting supplies or you could get them all in one stop - at Wal-Mart. Saving Money, Time, and Gas? Now That's something to celebrate! Save Money . . . Live Better. Wal-Mart.

 

• Grocery Shopping: Let's say you spend $100/Week at the supermarket on these kinds of items. If you bought these kinds of groceries at Wal-Mart, you could save on average over $700/year. What could you do with all that money? Save Money . . . Live Better. Wal-Mart.

 

• Lunch: By bringing your lunch 2x per week, you can save an average of $500 per year. Save Money . . . Live Better. Wal-Mart.

 

• In-Store Benefits: Woman clerk in Wal-Mart goes around greeting individual customers and pointing out feature-benefit items they could purchase in the store to make their life/activities even better. Save Money . . . Live Better. Wal-Mart.

 

On Wal-Mart's http://www.savemoneylivebetter.com/ website:

 

• They also have an ongoing $ counter which shows how much money Wal-Mart has saved American families since January 1st, 2009.

 

• Customers can add their own savings stories of what they could do with the money they save by shopping at Wal-Mart.

 

• Customers can add why they love shopping at Wal-Mart.

 

• Describes Sam Walton's statement "There's Only One Boss. The Customer." and his belief in saving the customers money so that they can live better.

This is a great training example for this economy and how we need to point out the money savings benefit that we provide our customers when they choose our communities for their new Home:

• How much gas can your residents save by living in your community? It's not enough to say "If you lived here you'd be home now". They need to see a $ sign associated with a location. How close is the nearest grocery store, gym, school, library, pet vet/groomer, pharmacy, etc.? You could calculate an "average" $ saved/year by not having to drive too far for these places (especially if some of your competitors are farther away and less convenient). If you have larger employers in the area, maybe put together a cost savings sheet by location for employees of those companies "If You Relocate From "x" Area, You'd Save $/Year in Gas Just Going To/From Work".

 

• Don't have a fireplace? - Calculate an average $/year saved by not having their heating and a/c leaking through the chimney.

 

• Fitness Center? - Calculate the $ saved/year in fitness center club dues and possibly add in the savings in overall improved health. Find a study that shows the average medical costs associated with poor health -vs- being healthier, here is just a couple of examples:
  
  http://www.dartmouthatlas.org/
  
  http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=8184975&page=1&page=1

 

• Accept packages? - Calculate the $ saved/year in not having to go to the post office, Fed-Ex, UPS, etc. to pick up a missed package.

 

• Food - Of course, everyone has a kitchen, but we need to explain this like Wal-Mart, point out the $/year they could save by cooking meals in their new apartment home. Maybe even include a new cookware set to start them off and a cookbook (which you can get very inexpensive at Wal-Mart)

 

• Utilities - It's not enough any more to say "Energy-Efficient" because everyone says that. Check out the energy-savings listed on the side of your HVAC, water heaters, heat pumps, etc. and calculate a $/year savings for the customer. Also calculate out a $/year if you have those 5% electric company discounts so they can see what that really means to the budget.

 

• Car Wash - Calculate $/year saved compared to going to the local do-it-yourself car wash, as well as the full service car wash areas. Customers might be surprised how much money they can save on alone.

 

• Coffee Bar - Just like Wal-Mart, calculate $/year they could save -vs- going out to StarBucks, McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, etc.

Let's help our customers to believe they can "Save Money . . . Live Better" when they choose our communities as their new Home.

Anne Marie Stephenson