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# Real Estate Digital Marketing Agency |  Cotton & Company

Bringing your ideas to life.

## Posts

### [Google Meeting Reveals How the Old Search Model Is Being Rebuilt for AI Discovery](https://cottonco.com/google-meeting-reveals-how-the-old-search-model-is-being-rebuilt-for-ai-discovery/)

**Published:** June 30, 2026
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

Cotton & Company leaders joined Google’s by-invitation-only executive meeting in San Diego, where discussions revealed how AI is reshaping search, websites and digital discovery.

Last week at Google’s San Diego campus, a select group of executives gathered at a critical point in the industry’s evolution. The by-invitation-only meeting brought together Google executives, LocalIQ representatives, and key executives from across the country, including Cotton & Company’s President Laurie Andrews and AI Integration Director Dennis Von Aldenbruck. This forward-looking conversation focused on how search, advertising technology, website infrastructure, content, data, YouTube, voice tools, and AI discovery are being rebuilt around a new model of digital behavior.

This was a high-level discussion about where discovery is going, how quickly AI is being embedded into the way people request and receive information, and why the website has become one of the most important structural assets in the next phase of strategic marketing.

For Cotton & Company’s clients including developers, capital partners, country club leaders, and sales-driven real estate organizations, the implications are significant. The question is no longer whether keyword optimization alone creates online visibility. The question is whether the website is structured to be understood, trusted, surfaced, and recognized by the new AI-driven discovery environment.

Cotton & Company’s participation in the meeting matters because the firm was not entering the conversation lightly. The firm has been at the forefront of advancing AI visibility, website restructuring, first-party data thinking, search evolution, and digital discovery strategy across its real estate marketing network. The meeting reinforced that many of the [strategic changes](https://cottonco.com/ "strategic changes") Cotton & Company has been implementing for months anticipated Google’s evolving AI direction.

“The Google discussions reinforced something we’ve been seeing for months. AI isn’t changing how people discover information in the future—it’s already changing how they discover it today. Our responsibility is making sure our clients are prepared before the rest of the market catches up,” said Laurie Andrews, President of Cotton & Company.

## **The Search Model Is Moving Beyond Keywords**

For years, real estate digital strategy was built around familiar search behavior. A prospect entered a search phrase, and the platform returned results. A campaign captured interest. A website served as the destination. That model is being rebuilt based on evolving consumer behavior.

One of the takeaways from the Google meeting was the confirmation that people are expanding their use of online search tools, asking for information in a different way. They are using deeper prompts. They are searching by situation. They are giving platforms more context about who they are, what they need, and what type of outcome they are trying to evaluate.

That matters because AI discovery does not interpret interest the same way traditional keyword search did. It is looking for meaning, relationships, authority, usefulness, and context. A prospect is no longer searching only for a defined real estate community type in a specific geographic location. The questions are broader, more human, and more specific at the same time. They require a different kind of digital foundation.

![Googlemeeting](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2-google-meeting.webp)One statistic magnified the pace of the shift in technology. During the meeting, Google underscored the pace of change: 99% of people interacting online used AI technology, while only 36% realized they were doing so.

Dennis Von Aldenbruck, Cotton & Company’s AI Integration Director, said the shift requires organizations to rethink how every digital asset works together. “We’re well beyond optimizing websites for search engines. Today we’re building digital ecosystems that AI can understand, trust, and recommend. That requires a completely different way of thinking about websites, content, authority and data,” Von Aldenbruck explained.

That is the new reality executives need to understand. AI discovery is already influencing how people move through information, even when they do not call it AI.

## **The Website Is Becoming the Fuel Source**

The most important takeaway for real estate leaders may be this: the website is no longer just the place a prospect lands after a search. It is becoming one of the primary sources AI uses to understand whether a company, community, club, or development should be discovered. That reframes the role of the website completely and instills a sense of urgency in updating the current structure.

A website can still present a highly branded and compelling marketing presentation. It can still contain strong photography, clear calls to action, and inspiring copy. But if its structure is still built around older search assumptions, it is not prepared for the new discovery environment.

AI discovery requires a deeper foundation. It depends on content that answers the way prospects now ask questions, a structure that helps platforms understand relationships between location, lifestyle and buyer intent, and page architecture that reduces friction while supporting discovery.

For many organizations, this may require structural redirects, structural rebuilds, and a new approach to content development. It may also require a competitive gap analysis to understand whether the [existing website is meeting the needs of AI-influenced discovery](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/why-serious-real-estate-marketing-treats-ai-quietly-not-loudly/ "existing website is meeting the needs of AI-influenced discovery"). That analysis should look beyond surface-level SEO. It should evaluate whether the site is structured to support search, AI discovery, voice tools, audio search, customer usability, and the changing way people request information.

The website now supports nearly every component of modern digital strategy—from visibility and paid media to first-party data and AI interpretation. In the new environment, the website is fuel.

## **Discovery Is Expanding Across Voice, Audio, and YouTube**

The search bar is no longer the only doorway into discovery. Voice tools and audio search are changing the way people request information. Customers are no longer trained only to type fragmented phrases into a search field. They ask fuller questions. They speak in natural language. They expect information to be easy to access, easy to understand, and relevant to the situation they have described.

That change affects how websites are evaluated. If the content is thin, disconnected, overly generic, or difficult to navigate, it may not provide the clarity these systems need. If the structure does not reflect the way real prospects ask questions, the brand may be less visible in the moments that matter.

YouTube is also taking on a larger role.

Once viewed primarily as a video hosting platform, YouTube has become a major streaming television mechanism across households. Its role inside Google’s ecosystem makes it increasingly important as both a content platform and a source of behavioral understanding.

For real estate organizations, this changes the strategic value of video. A community overview, executive interview, club lifestyle feature, model residence tour, market explanation, or development update may do more than support a campaign. It may become part of a broader discovery framework that helps platforms understand relevance, authority, and audience intent.

That does not mean every organization needs more video for the sake of more video. It means video, website content, search strategy, metadata, paid media, and audience signals need to work together with more discipline.

The same principle applies to audio and voice. As information requests become more conversational, content must be prepared to answer real questions with structure, clarity, and authority.

## **Ad Technology Is Being Rebuilt Around Better Signals**

The Google meeting also addressed one of the most important challenges in modern digital marketing: the loss of tracking visibility caused by cookie restrictions, pixel limitations, and reduced third-party data.

Google discussed server-side platform gateway concepts designed to help place pixels on individual project websites and capture activity as first-party data. For real estate organizations, this is a critical shift. Development marketing depends on understanding long buyer journeys, complex decision paths, and the difference between casual traffic and meaningful intent.

First-party data matters because it helps reopen the door to understanding and tracking in a more privacy-conscious environment. It also reinforces why website infrastructure has become so important. If the website is the place where meaningful behavior occurs, then the way that behavior is captured, structured, protected, and interpreted affects the performance of the entire marketing program.

LocalIQ’s XMO platform added another layer to the conversation. The platform was introduced as a cross-media optimization technology designed to help executives better understand performance across multiple channels, deploy advertising budgets more effectively, diversify audience reach, and take advantage of look-alike audiences and deeper content signals.

This is where the restructuring of ad technology becomes part of the larger AI discovery conversation.

Search, paid media, YouTube, website behavior, first-party data, voice signals, audio search, and audience modeling are becoming more connected. Campaigns cannot be treated as isolated tactics. Content cannot be developed separately from media strategy. Websites cannot be viewed as static destinations.

The organizations that will benefit are the ones that understand the system.

![Cotton Website Design Development Real Estate](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/3-cotton-website-design-development-real-estate.webp)## **The Executive Challenge Has Changed**

Can AI understand what the website is about? Does the content answer the way prospects now ask questions? Is the site structured around authority, context, and usability? Are redirects, page hierarchy, and content pathways helping discovery or creating friction?

Does the organization have a first-party data strategy? Is YouTube treated as part of the discovery system? Are voice and audio search changing what information should be easier to access? Has the competitive set been evaluated for AI discovery readiness?

The organizations that prepare their digital infrastructure today will be far better positioned as AI increasingly becomes the first point of discovery. For [Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/ "Cotton & Company"), that transition is already underway.

Cotton & Company is already helping real estate organizations adapt to this transition, working directly with the platforms, technologies and strategies shaping AI discovery. For developers, capital partners and club leaders, the next step is evaluating whether their own digital infrastructure is ready.

“The companies that wait until AI discovery becomes obvious to everyone else will already be behind,” Andrews said. “The organizations that prepare today will be the ones AI recognizes tomorrow.

To begin that conversation, contact Cotton & Company at CottonCo.com, or reach out to Laurie Andrews directly at [Laurie.Andrews@Cottonco.com](mailto:Laurie.Andrews@Cottonco.com "Laurie.Andrews@Cottonco.com")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [The Preseason Strategic Reset: What Developers Need to Challenge Before Fall](https://cottonco.com/the-preseason-strategic-reset-what-developers-need-to-challenge-before-fall/)

**Published:** July 21, 2026
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

Luxury buyers who delayed decisions earlier this year may return to the market ahead of the traditional fall season. That creates a narrow planning window for developers. Before another campaign is approved, however, every leadership team should answer one question: What is actually preventing the sale?

As [Laurie Andrews](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/laurie-andrews/ "Laurie Andrews"), President of [Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/ "Cotton & Company"), puts it, “Strategic planning begins with an honest assessment of the realities at the project level, not with refining the message the team identified at the launch, but assessing where we stand today. Developers need those answers while there is still time to act. The calendar waits for no one.”

## **Start with the Evidence**

A productive preseason review begins with evidence from the people closest to the buyer. Sales teams hear the objections. Brokers see how prospects compare one opportunity with another. Developers understand the decisions that shaped the offering. Marketing and digital teams can identify which subjects attract attention, which pages lose visitors, and which inquiries fail to progress.

Bringing those perspectives together creates a feedback loop that can reveal the actual barriers between interest and commitment. The discussion should focus on recurring points of friction: where qualified prospects hesitate and what prompts a potential owner to request more information. The purpose is not to defend prior decisions or reach comfortable consensus. It is to establish a reliable view of the market challenge. A team that fully understands sales resistance is better aligned with driving future success.

![Elyse Buckhead Atlanta Estate 3 Interior](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2-elyse-buckhead-atlanta-estate-3-interior.webp)## **Pressure-Test the Team, Not Only the Plan**

A strategy is only as strong as the people willing to question it. Developers should incorporate both their [internal and external teams](https://cottonco.com/faq/ "internal and external teams") to bring forward uncomfortable evidence, not simply have them complete assigned tasks. Are they testing assumptions formed over decades? Are they connecting sales feedback to product, positioning and buyer experience? Are they identifying market changes early enough to influence the outcome?

A strategically engaged team should be able to explain how the competitive set has changed, whether prospects are evaluating the category differently, and where the current sales journey breaks down. It should also recognize the dramatic shift in real estate discovery that impacts every aspect of the plan.

This is not an argument against execution. It is an argument for [informed execution](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "informed execution") that delivers relevant, differentiated, and strategically sound direction. Websites, CRM platforms, digital campaigns, sales presentations and content programs are infrastructure. They can accelerate a sound idea, but they cannot compensate for a weak one.

## **Separate the Marketing Story from the Market Reality**

All developments are designed with unique selling propositions. They may center on architecture, amenities, location, privacy, service, scarcity or a particular lifestyle proposition. The more important question is [whether the market perceives those differentiations](https://cottonco.com/todays-real-estate-market-requires-more-than-a-strong-brand/ "whether the market perceives those differentiations") and what attributes the competition is delivering as well.

In many strategy sessions, the assumptions sound familiar. Buyers understand the value proposition. Brokers are presenting the project consistently. Pricing is the primary obstacle. More advertising will generate more sales. Every one of those assumptions deserves to be challenged before another dollar is invested in execution.

A selling point can be accurate without being persuasive. An amenity may be impressive without influencing preference. A desirable location can still fail to create urgency. Recurring objections should therefore be treated as strategic intelligence rather than isolated sales issues. The response should not automatically focus on reaching a wide audience with more advertising. The more effective solution should involve evaluating how the opportunity is packaged, presented, structured or experienced.

![Nelson 20251211 0001 33](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/3-nelson-20251211-0001-33.webp)## **Where Competitive Advantage Begins**

Meaningful differentiation is rarely created by adding another adjective to the campaign. It comes from identifying a credible advantage that matters to the future homeowner and is difficult for the competitive set to duplicate.

That advantage may be rooted in the product itself, such as residence design, privacy, customization, views, inventory strategy or delivery timing. It may come from the level of services planned or even the structure of the transaction or the confidence created by a particular ownership model.

Timing is always an important consideration. Service can become decisive when it removes friction from ownership. Digital visibility and strategic storytelling can build confidence when prospects can easily find, understand and verify the information they need.

## **Include the Discovery Environment in the Review**

Every strategic review should now include the discovery environment. Buyers are [no longer discovering projects through traditional search alone](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/how-ai-is-changing-real-estate-discovery/ "no longer discovering projects through traditional search alone"). Prospects are still researching online, through brokerage connections, social content, traditional and digital advertising. Yet, upon request, AI tools within all search engines are providing recommendations and supporting detail from numerous sources.

That means accurate information must be [easy for both people and search systems to find, interpret, and connect](https://cottonco.com/what-is-ai-visibility-in-real-estate-development/ "easy for both people and search systems to find, interpret, and connect"). Creating a plan to build measurable authority is key to ensuring visibility and accuracy. For developers, the implication is practical. A visually impressive website may still underperform if critical information is buried, fragmented, inaccessible, or communicated only through imagery. Content must be reorganized around the questions homebuyers are trying to resolve, including ownership, availability, location, design, amenities, team credentials, timing and the distinctions that separate the property from alternatives.

Measurement architecture also requires attention. Cookie restrictions have restricted reporting, yet server-side tagging can create a stronger foundation for collecting and managing interaction data. This practical implementation is now critical to the [analytics infrastructure](https://cottonco.com/why-luxury-real-estate-analytics-need-new-benchmarks-in-the-age-of-ai/ "analytics infrastructure").

These technical changes require an audit of your information architecture, analytics configuration, content development, testing and deployment. They should be identified early enough to influence the season, not discovered after campaigns are already underway.

![Glynlea Aerials 4 Ret](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/4-glynlea-aerials-4-ret.webp)## **A Six-Week Starting Plan**

A strategic reset cannot remain in discussion for an entire quarter. Discovery may continue across a 90-day window, but meaningful implementation should begin much sooner.

**Week 1: Gather the evidence.**Develop a research plan to collect sales notes, broker feedback, recurring objections, competitive comparisons, website behavior and campaign performance. The objective is to identify patterns, gaps and assumptions that need to be tested.

**Week 2: Conduct the conversations and audit the website.**Bring sales, development, design, marketing and digital leaders together to determine where buyer confidence weakens. At the same time, review website structure, crawlability, internal linking, textual content, structured data, analytics and the clarity of the buyer journey.

**Week 3: Mobilize the strategic plan.**Translate the strongest findings into action. Define the preliminary message hierarchy, assign content development, activate the media team, prepare budgets, establish approval paths and scope the most urgent technical work. Fall publication and production deadlines may already be tight.

**Week 4: Confirm priorities and approve the roadmap.**Rank the initiatives most likely to influence buyer preference and sales momentum. Confirm the positioning, media direction, content needs, website programming requirements, owners, dependencies and timelines.

**Week 5: Move into production.**Begin content creation, media execution, sales-material revisions and website programming. Priority work may include navigation, internal linking, page structure, structured data, analytics, server-side tagging support and clearer textual access to essential property information.

**Week 6: Launch, test and refine.**Deploy the highest-priority changes, verify technical performance and evaluate whether the revised direction is addressing the obstacles identified at the outset.

As Sonya Periera, Cotton & Company’s, Director of Web Development explains, “Effective discovery takes time. LLMs need an opportunity to gather trusted evidence, while teams need time to improve website structure, publish new content and implement technical changes. Starting early gives those improvements time to influence discovery before the season begins.”

![Nav Interior Best One Ret](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/5-nav-interior-best-one-ret.webp)## **The Final Objective is Effective Integration**

Sales feedback should influence the positioning. The positioning should guide the content. The product, amenity story and transaction structure should support the same central advantage. Website architecture should make that advantage easy to discover and understand, while measurement should reveal whether buyers are engaging with the information that matters. Each discipline has a different responsibility, but all should advance one coherent market case. That is the difference between preseason activity and preseason strategy.

Activity prepares the tools. Strategy determines whether those tools are aimed at the right problem.

Before fall begins, every developer should be able to answer a small set of consequential questions. What is preventing the sale? Does the team agree on the facts? What creates genuine buyer preference? Which assumptions no longer hold? What needs to change, and can those changes be implemented with enough time to matter?

The final question may be the most revealing: Is the current team asking these questions with the rigor the opportunity demands? The strongest developments will not necessarily be the ones spending the most. They will be the ones willing to challenge their assumptions before everyone else does.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Inside the New Kempinski Residences Miami Design District Sales Gallery](https://cottonco.com/inside-the-new-kempinski-residences-miami-design-district-sales-gallery/)

**Published:** July 21, 2026
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

Few residential developments invest at this level before construction is complete. [Kempinski Residences Miami Design District](https://kempinskidesigndistrict.com/ "Kempinski Residences Miami Design District") has done exactly that, unveiling a $7 million sales gallery designed to immerse prospective owners in every aspect of the future residential experience.

[Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/ "Cotton & Company") attended as a member of the [strategic marketing implementation team](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "strategic marketing implementation team"), joining the developer, sales representatives, public relations partners and other contributors behind one of Miami’s most anticipated [branded residential offerings](https://kempinskidesigndistrict.com/ "branded residential offerings").

The evening highlighted participation of the [Rolls-Royce Club of Miami](https://rollsroyce.miami/ "Rolls-Royce Club of Miami"), adding another dimension to a celebration shaped by design, hospitality and the energy of [The Miami Design District™](https://www.miamidesigndistrict.com/ "The Miami Design District™"). [Levy Public Relations](https://www.levypublicrelations.com/ "Levy Public Relations") supported the opening and helped bring the project team and invited guests together for the milestone.

![A luxury high-rise development event featuring a detailed architectural scale model, champagne service, and guests mingling in an elegant model residence.](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2-miami-design-district-sales-gallery-072226.webp)

## **Where Vision Becomes Tangible**

The gallery was conceived to do more than display renderings and floor plans. Its purpose is to transform architectural vision into something buyers can experience [long before construction is complete](https://kempinskidesigndistrict.com/news/ "long before construction is complete").

Guests can move through a full-scale kitchen, living room, bedroom and bathroom designed to convey the proportions, materials and atmosphere [planned for the residences](https://kempinskidesigndistrict.com/residences/ "planned for the residences"). An immersive video room expands that experience, surrounding visitors with a more complete visual introduction to the property and its setting.

Among the gallery’s most memorable features are the light-box views positioned within the bedroom and bathroom environments. The displays can be adjusted according to the residence under consideration, allowing a prospective buyer to see the unique view from each of the individual residences.

That level of customization changes the conversation from imagining a future home to [experiencing one](https://cottonco.com/todays-real-estate-market-requires-more-than-a-strong-brand/ "experiencing one"). Buyers can begin to understand how a residence may feel at different elevations and orientations, while connecting interior design decisions with views across Biscayne Bay and the surrounding Miami landscape.

## **Bringing the Residential Vision Into Focus**

The gallery introduces a residential program of substantial scale. Kempinski Residences Miami Design District will comprise two 23-story towers with 64 residences in each, along with six private townhomes and 20 guest suites. Approximately 70,000 square feet of amenities will extend across the North and South Towers, connected by a signature fourth-floor amenity bridge.

The residences will range from two to four bedrooms, with many including dens, deep terraces and private elevator lobbies. [Rockwell Group](https://kempinskidesigndistrict.com/team/ "Rockwell Group") is leading interior design, with [Arquitectonica](https://kempinskidesigndistrict.com/team/ "Arquitectonica") responsible for architecture and [ENEA](https://kempinskidesigndistrict.com/team/ "ENEA") for landscape architecture.

Positioned adjacent to The Miami Design District™ and overlooking Biscayne Bay, the residences combine one of Miami’s most influential design neighborhoods with expansive waterfront views. Kempinski’s hospitality platform adds a service-led approach intended to support full-time residents, seasonal owners and internationally mobile buyers.

The sales gallery gives those ideas a physical form. Rather than asking buyers to imagine the experience from plans alone, it offers a more direct connection to the scale, setting and design language of the future homes.

![Kempinski Residences Miami Cotton Company](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/3-kempinski-residences-miami-cotton-company.webp)## **A Team Effort Behind a Major Miami Launch**

Projects of this scale are rarely the work of a single organization. They require architects, designers, hospitality brands, development leaders, sales professionals and marketing specialists working toward a shared vision.

[DaGrosa Capital Development Partners](https://kempinskidesigndistrict.com/team/ "DaGrosa Capital Development Partners") is guiding the development vision, with [Kempinski](https://kempinskidesigndistrict.com/team/ "Kempinski") serving as the hospitality brand partner and [ISG World](https://kempinskidesigndistrict.com/team/ "ISG World") leading sales and marketing representation. Arquitectonica, Rockwell Group and ENEA contribute specialized expertise across architecture, interiors and landscape design.

Levy Public Relations supported the grand-opening event and its communications, while the Rolls-Royce Club of Miami helped create a distinctive experience for attendees. Cotton & Company values its working relationship with DaGrosa Capital Development Partners and its role as part of the broader implementation team.

That role is collaborative by design. A development of this scope requires ownership, sales, communications, design, hospitality, and marketing partners to work toward a shared vision while maintaining clear responsibilities and expertise.

## **Celebrating the Next Stage**

The opening of the sales gallery marks an important transition for Kempinski Residences Miami Design District. The property’s architecture, interiors, views and hospitality vision can now be experienced in a setting created specifically to help prospective owners understand what is taking shape.

*“What DaGrosa Capital Development Partners has created in this sales gallery is genuinely impressive,” said* [Laurie Andrews](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/laurie-andrews/ "Laurie Andrews") *of Cotton & Company. “Seth Goldman and the entire team have brought extraordinary care, ambition and investment to every detail of the experience. It was a privilege to celebrate the opening with them, and we’re proud to support the continued introduction as this remarkable residential community moves into this important stage.”*

More than a sales environment, the gallery represents the developer’s commitment to presenting the future of Kempinski Residences Miami Design District with the same level of care, craftsmanship and attention to detail that will ultimately define the homes themselves. Learn more about [Kempinski Residences Miami Design District](https://kempinskidesigndistrict.com/ "Kempinski Residences Miami Design District").

**Categories:** Press

---

### [7 Things to Consider When Building a Country Club Website for Lead Generation](https://cottonco.com/7-things-to-consider-when-building-a-country-club-website-for-lead-generation/)

**Published:** June 20, 2018
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

It’s that time again – time to update the country club website to keep up with the times. Refreshing the website is always a good thing, but there are several things you should consider before getting started.

For most private residential country club communities, new members come from new real estate sales, and new real estate sales are coming from a totally new generation of homebuyers. To add to the challenges, many real estate brokers are unfamiliar with the details of club membership and avoid selling in Club Communities. With the community sold out and real estate agents scarce, Country Club membership directors find themselves with a new set of challenges. They now need to play a stronger role in promoting the value of the Club lifestyle from a real estate perspective.

Membership vs. Real Estate — Your public website is your primary marketing tool for both. While the website is still the lifeblood of your club operations, you now have two masters to serve with very different objectives.

## 1. Objectives Don’t Match
Appeasing your current members with operational support vs. gaining interest from a new generation of homeowners who may not be familiar with the location, the community, the real estate…and yes, the Club offerings: REAL ESTATE:

- New users and new traffic
- Location sell important
- Easy to access real estate listings
- SEO critical to drive organic traffic
- More visual presentation of lifestyle
- Strong call-to-action for registration

VS

MEMBERSHIP:

- Repeat member use
- No need for location support
- Minimal promotion of real estate
- Not focused on SEO or organic traffic
- Reservation & event focus
- Communicating with established database

### 2. Organic Traffic Growth Leads to Quality Interest for Real Estate Sales

Your public-facing website is the most critical component to your real estate sales success. Search Engine Optimization is a major priority so that new potential homebuyers and members can find the website in the most popular search engines. Organic traffic, visitors that find you because they are looking, spend more time on the website and has a higher conversion rate to registration. Fresh keyword-rich content on a consistent basis along with a proper website development foundation is important to maximize your results. None of these tactics are important or necessary for membership websites since your web traffic is repeat visits from already existing members.

### 3. Relevancy is King

The most efficient use of your advertising dollars is in online advertising campaigns, through search engines, display networks and social media. All of these platforms set their pricing based on the relevancy of the keywords you are buying vs. the keyword content in your website, social programs and blogs. The higher the relevancy score, the lower your costs. Google search rankings are also impacted by all of your keywords and their relevance to your prospects’ searches.

### 4. Measurement and Tracking

Existing member demographics may skew your analytical approach to reviewing your website’s performance and potential audience for future homeowners. In order to optimize campaigns and marketing approaches, you must be able to separately analyze the traffic coming from new prospective members to understand the emerging market. Your marketing plan must be continually fine-tuned based on these results and you don’t want inflated numbers from member traffic to depict an inaccurate picture.

### 5. Conversions Are the Most Important Goal

Digital marketing experts recognize the importance of setting up conversion goals with strong call-to-action for data capture on a marketing website. Traffic alone doesn’t represent qualified leads which can be converted into real estate sales. Cotton & Company recommends using Google Tag Manager to track all results from SEM, PPC & Content Marketing programs to gauge performance.

### 6. Lack of Structure Will Negatively Impact Search Results

If you don’t put effort into building the appropriate SEO foundation for your site, it will be negatively impacted in the search results. Without a proper breadcrumb trail for the spiders to follow, much of your site content will not be crawled. Make sure a comprehensive sitemap and meta tags are utilized and take full advantage of all tags, descriptions and backend SEO programs to leverage every aspect of your website.

### 7. Integrated Day-to-Day Administration

Best case scenario, a lead generation agency has control and access to update and refine the program daily. Ongoing evaluation of success and updates when necessary is the best way to utilize your web presence. Building one site and being “done” is not enough. Website content and social media marketing should also be managed on a daily basis, in direct alignment with your objectives for your digital advertising plan. The focus should be on attracting the emerging market who will support your Club into the future.

Yes, it’s a complex puzzle, but one Cotton & Company navigates on a daily basis. We can assist you in putting together a program that meets the needs of everyone involved. If you’d like to speak with us about your current marketing challenges, contact Laurie.Andrews@cottonco.com for more information.

**Categories:** Advertising, Press, Real Estate, SEO

**Tags:** Country Club Marketing, Lead Generation, marketing

---

### [Boomers Prefer Suburbs and Cul de Sacs](https://cottonco.com/boomers-prefer-suburbs-and-cul-de-sacs/)

**Published:** February 15, 2016
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) recently published *Housing Preferences of the Boomer Generation* shows that homebuyers in the baby boom generation want a suburban neighborhood consisting of all single-family detached homes more often than any other of the 19 listed community features, and nearly 80 percent prefer a cul-de-sac over efficient traffic flow when given the choice.

These results are based on a survey conducted by NAHB in September 2015 that collected data from 4,326 recent and prospective homebuyers, stratified and weighted to be representative of the age, geography, income, and race and ethnicity of homeowners in the United States. Although the published study emphasizes housing preferences of boomers (those born from 1946 to 1964), for comparison purposes the survey also captured buyers in other generations (including millennials born in 1980 or later, Gen X’ers born 1965 to 1979, and seniors born in 1945 or earlier).

Among other things, the survey asked buyers to rate 19 different community features on the following four-tier scale:

- ***Do Not Want*** – not likely to buy a home in a community with this feature.
- ***Indifferent***– wouldn’t influence decision.
- ***Desirable*** – would be seriously influenced to purchase a home because this design or feature was included.
- ***Essential/Must have*** – unlikely to purchase a home in a community unless it has this feature.

For home buyers in the boomer generation, the most desired of these features is a “typically suburban” community (defined as consisting of all single-family detached homes) rated desirable or essential by 70 percent of boomer respondents. After that comes a group of three community features rated essential or desirable by 61 to 64 percent of boomers: being near retail space, a park area, and walking/jogging trails.

![Boomers Prefer Suburbs](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Boomer-Pref-Fig-01A-700x525.jpg)

At the other end of the scale, tennis courts, high density (defined as smaller lots and attached/ or multifamily buildings), other mixed use (homes near office or other commercial buildings, to distinguish it from homes near retail space like grocery or drug stores), a golf course, baseball or soccer fields, and daycare center are relatively unpopular, each being rated essential or desirable by fewer than one-fifth of boomers.

Compared to buyers in other generations there are many similarities in the way boomers rank the top community features. Seven community features (typically suburban, park area, near retail space, walking/jogging trails, a lake, swimming pool, and exercise room) make the top eight irrespective of the home buyer’s age.

![Top 8 Amenities By Generation](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Top-8-by-Gen-700x326.jpg)

The main generational differences in the rankings are 1) playgrounds are particularly important for buyers in the millennial generation, but fall entirely out of the top eight for boomers and seniors; and 2) an outdoor maintenance service becomes relatively more important for older buyers, moving all the way up to number five on the list for seniors.

Another section of the NAHB survey asked home buyers about street design trade-offs, which can be useful in helping inform land planning decisions. A number of advocacy groups (e.g., the [National Complete Streets Coalition](http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets "Learn more about the National Complete Streets Coalition.")) recommend interconnected streets for efficient traffic flow, implying that designs like cul-de-sacs that seek to limit through traffic should be avoided. But homebuyers in the Boomer generation have the opposite opinion: 78 percent prefer the cul-de-sac or other street design with limited traffic flow—more than triple the 22 percent who prefer the alternative of a home on a continuous street with more efficient traffic flow.

![Baby Boomers](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Boomer-Pref-Fig-02A-700x525.jpg)

In addition to street design trade-offs and preferences for community features, the survey covered many other items, including preferences for general home size, price & layout, detail on dozens of specific home features, price/amenity trade-offs, attitudes about environmental impacts and technology. Complete results are available in the full study.

To stay up to date on real estate news and trends sign up for the Cotton & Company e-newsletter,[ The Compendium here.](https://cottonco.com/compendium-landing/ "Sign up for The Cotton Compendium.")

Written By Paul Emrath

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2022 Report Shows Optimism](https://cottonco.com/emerging-trends-in-real-estate-2022-report-shows-optimism/)

**Published:** October 27, 2021
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

*Emerging Trends in Real Estate*® *2022* Report, produced by both the [Urban Land Institute](https://uli.org/ "Click here to learn more about the Urban Land Institute - opens in a new tab") (ULI) and [PricewaterhouseCoopers](https://www.pwc.com/ "Click here to learn more about PricewaterhouseCoopers - opens in a new tab") (PwC), demonstrates strong optimism for the industry into the next decade. National real estate trends for buyers, sellers, and industry professionals have been disrupted at a never-before-seen level over the past 24 months by unprecedented demand, urban migration, supply chain interruptions, an extraordinary increase in residential home prices, and an unknown future for office space. In spite of these emerging trends, the outlook is even more positive than it was in 2019 prior to the Pandemic.

## **2022 Sentiment**

Real Estate Industry professionals did better than they expected this past year. People expected there would be an economic downturn fueled by COVID-19, but the results of the Emerging Trends 2022 Report prove otherwise. Furthermore, 84% of survey respondents expect 2022 to be even better than last year’s 79%. This is the highest level of optimism about the coming year since 2016. A speaker at the Chicago Real Estate Summit, Andrew Warren, PwC Director of Real Estate Research, said “It remains to be seen whether that buoyancy is a “sugar high” bounce-back fueled by the massive federal stimulus pumped into the U.S. economy. There are still some storm clouds on the horizon including inflation, labor, supply-chain disruption, geopolitics, and potential tax changes” still looming in the distance.

## **A Brief Real Estate Downturn**

The overall economy has seen a rebound far exceeding expectations. Not only has the economy already recovered to pre-pandemic levels, but growth is forecasted to be at its highest rate in decades through 2022. In fact, [Stephann Cotton](/the-agency/stephann-cotton/ "Click here to get Stephann Cotton's Bio"), CEO and Founder of Cotton & Company agrees, “based on the anticipation of low-interest rates and the lack of inventory we expect to see a strong market over the next few years.”

## **Flexibility and Change** 

It is clear the “next normal,” will not be the same. The length of the pandemic is changing fundamental thinking around many issues. Over 50% of survey respondents don’t believe that we will revert to pre-pandemic activity. Individuals have accepted that things are going to change. It has become predominantly clear that the desire for flexibility and convenience will drive change in real estate over the next decade.

The potential to work and live anywhere trend identified in the [Emerging Trends 2022 Report](https://www.pwc.com/us/en/industries/asset-wealth-management/real-estate/emerging-trends-in-real-estate.html "Click here to learn more about the 2022 Emerging Trends Report - opens in a new tab") will inspire office building tenants to transform the space they have. It will also encourage building transformations, entire markets, and investment decisions. Industry leaders predict office space needs may possibly decrease 15% within the next few years.

## **The Housing Affordability Crisis**

A recession accompanied the housing boom and affordability worsened during the pandemic. There is a sharp contrast between demographic groups, but problems are now highlighted by increased regulation. Things like eviction moratoriums impact the landlords negatively and unfairly. Housing problems do not get solved when the government offers financial assistance to those in need when there is simply not enough housing supply for that audience. Developers cannot build enough due to supply shortages, and highest historic labor, lumber, and land costs. Real estate professionals must shift their focus to alternative ways to build supply.

## **The Great Migration**

The number of highly paid office workers making the move away from their workplace has been limited to date. But potential employee moves could rise as firms delay the return to work or formally make remote work a permanent option. States like Florida, which saw the largest influx of any state, experienced large population migrations from northern urban centers as the remote work option remains a constant. From April 2020 through April 2021, nearly 330,000 people moved to Florida.

## **Investment in Alternative Sectors**

Everybody wants in on the real estate industry. Cheap debt and plentiful equity support real estate values due to mortgage interest rates. Property values have returned to pre-pandemic levels. With the supply and demand factor driving cap rates low, there is a search for higher yields. This all translates to increases in alternative asset investments. Real estate investment trusts (REITs) and private investors are embracing a broader variety of “alternative” sectors including niche real estate sectors like student housing, life sciences, data centers, and self- storage.

## **The Maturation of Proptech**

The pandemic lent itself to the aggressive adoption of property technology. The need to better assess and allocate investments, as well as manage properties, accelerated sharply and this will cause permanent change. Platforms like [Opendoor](https://www.opendoor.com/ "Click here to learn more about Opendoor.com - opens in a new tab"), Redfin, and [Zillow](https://www.zillow.com/ "Click here to learn more about Zillow.com - opens in a new tab") ease home transactions through the “instant buying” business model. Shared workspace providers have become some of the biggest commercial landlords globally. Finally, smart platforms assist in the management of residential developments helping run physical systems, tracking performance, and improving wellness with “touchless smart technology.”

## **Environmental, Social, Governance Factors** 

Developers and builders are looking for ways to cut their carbon footprint and invest in and social factors, post Pandemic. There is a real acknowledgment on where they buy, how they underwrite, or how they think about assets with more change ahead for 2022 with 82% of respondents stating they are now making decisions taking into consideration the climate and social governance issues.

## **A New Age of Uncertainty**

Confidence in the market still feels volatile despite the prevailing optimism created by the current market. To that point, 70% of respondents feel much more confident about making decisions going into 2022 than they did a year ago but we are still going to be dealing with a little more uncertainty.

Cotton & Company continues to lead the way in navigating through the ever-changing real estate landscape and empowering sales success for a growing portfolio of over 1,700 real estate developer clients throughout the US, and the Caribbean. To learn more visit [cottonco.com](/ "Click here to learn more about cottonco.com")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** emerging trends, real estate, real estate developers

---

### [Boca West Country Club Reports Many Want to "Live the Lifestyle" with an Increase in Membership Numbers, Home Sales and Low Real Estate Inventory](https://cottonco.com/boca-west-country-club-reports-many-want-to-live-the-lifestyle-with-an-increase-in-membership-numbers-home-sales-and-low-real-estate-inventory/)

**Published:** January 28, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

BOCA RATON, Fla., Jan. 21, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — [Boca West Country Club](https://www.bocawestcc.org/ "Click here to learn more about Boca West Country Club.") has reported a 15% increase in new members over the last five years, welcoming 127 new families in 2018. The Club also reported an increase in home sales with only 5-6% of the community currently on the market out of 3,500 total homes.

“We are very pleased with our home sales and are excited about an annual average of 125 new memberships which is actually an average of 250 new residents ” said Matthew Linderman, CCM, President, COO and General Manager of Boca West Country Club. “The interest we continue to see in living the Boca West lifestyle is stronger than ever. We attribute our growth to our adaptation of what our members and future members are seeking: an amenity-driven, program driven, generational community approach. In addition to world-class golf and tennis, we offer our members state of the art fitness, a spectacular luxury spa, an array of restaurants, and programming for nearly everyone. As a result of these initiatives the average age of our members is younger than it was 10 years ago.”

Over the past 12 years, Boca West Country Club has invested $160 million on renovations with no assessment to members and without incurring debt. The most recent being its $50 million, 153,000 square foot Golf and Activities Center, that includes two restaurants, Grand Central, a retro-themed deli, sports bar and grill and Prime Cut, featuring an 1,800 bottle wine cellar.

Boca West Country Club has been ranked #15 of the [Top 100 Platinum Golf & Country Clubs](https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimdobson/2018/11/29/the-top-25-most-exclusive-golf-and-country-clubs-in-the-world-honored-with-platinum-status/#50a497c166c0 "Click here for the Forbes article.") in the world by the [Club Leaders Forum](http://www.clubleadersforum.com/ "Click here for the Club Leaders Forum."). Boca West was the highest ranked in South Florida’s Tri-County area, and number four in the U.S. Platinum Club status is the pinnacle of recognition for private clubs around the world and acknowledgement as a Platinum Club is the most revered in the private club industry.

“Boca West is in a unique situation with available home sales in a wide price range. There are deals to be had in Boca West, while there are also multi-million dollar single family homes,” said Stephann Cotton, CEO and Founder of Cotton & Company, a renowned real estate marketing firm. “Boca Raton and Palm Beach County are strong brands, and the Club’s stellar reputation and location are strong selling points, particularly to buyers from the Northeast, Canada and Europe.”

Boca West Country Club features 55 unique residential villages bordered by waterways and four celebrated championship golf courses by famed golf legends and course architects Pete Dye, Jim Fazio and Arnold Palmer. Boca West also offers an outstanding tennis facility of 30 Har-Tru Hydro tennis courts, a U.S. Open Cushion Court with eight Pickleball courts and Tennis Center. The Club facilities also include a world-class European-styled spa, a fitness and aquatics center, and numerous restaurants offering everything from casual to gourmet fare.

About Boca West Country Club
An award-winning private, gated, resident-only luxury country club community is home to 6,000 residents (3,400 families), with magnificent residences including a new luxury high rise with units ranging from $1 to $4 million, townhomes, patio homes, villas, garden apartments and single-family homes. Boca West is a Platinum Club of America, 5-Star Private Club since 1997, and is proudly recognized as a Distinguished World Club by BoardRoom Magazine since 2013, a 2013 USTA Outstanding Facility Award winner, and has been named a 2019 AGM Platinum Award winner by the Association of Golf Merchandisers. Boca West’s Top Platinum Golf & Country Club designation was featured recently in Forbes.

For more information, visit [https://www.bocawestcc.org/](https://www.bocawestcc.org/ "Click here for additional information of Boca West Country Club."). To inquire about membership, please call 561.488.6934.

To view the original article please [click here. ](https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/01/21/1703030/0/en/Boca-West-Country-Club-Reports-Many-Want-to-Live-the-Lifestyle-with-an-Increase-in-Membership-Numbers-Home-Sales-and-Low-Real-Estate-Inventory.html "Click here for source content.")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** boca raton club sales, boca raton country club sales, country club market, country club membership sales, country club real estate sales, marketing country clubs

---

### [Today's Real Estate Market Requires More Than a Strong Brand](https://cottonco.com/todays-real-estate-market-requires-more-than-a-strong-brand/)

**Published:** June 18, 2026
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

For years, brand development was the highest priority in [real estate marketing](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "real estate marketing"). A compelling brand identity, memorable logo, stylish photography, and polished creative materials formed the foundation of most project marketing plans. Those elements remain important today, but lead generation has changed, and technology has accelerated that change.

Real estate marketing is no longer built around a single message delivered through a single brand experience. Today’s buyers gather information from multiple sources, engage across multiple platforms, and move through the decision process in highly individual ways. The execution of the strategy must be as dynamic and diverse as the buyers considering a [luxury real estate purchase](https://cottonco.com/faq/ "luxury real estate purchase").

While a strong brand still establishes credibility and creates an initial sense of value, what happens next often has a greater impact on the success of the program. Marketing must now respond proactively to buyer behavior in real time, adapt to emerging questions, and deliver relevant information across [new technologies](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/ "new technologies") throughout a longer and more complex decision journey. Today, success depends on both the strength of the brand at launch and the diligence of the execution that sustains momentum afterward.

“We’re not living in a static environment. Information is being released continuously, whether it’s market news, competitive activity, economic developments, social media conversations, or new details about the project itself,” explains [Laurie Andrews](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/laurie-andrews/ "Laurie Andrews"), President of Cotton & Company. “Sales teams have to respond in real time to information being discovered through AI search tools. Success is no longer about creating a single moment of awareness. It’s about managing a consistent and meaningful presence throughout the entire sales cycle.”

That reality extends well beyond the marketing department. Sales teams are navigating a constantly evolving environment where new information emerges daily. Market conditions shift, competitive announcements occur, media coverage influences perception, and social conversations create new opportunities to engage prospective buyers.

Since 1983, [Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/ "Cotton & Company") has been trusted for the quality of execution across the luxury real estate, resort, and private club communities. The firm’s reputation has been hard-earned through its with more than 1,700 properties across the United States and international markets, delivering results through several generations of marketing evolution—from print-driven campaigns and traditional advertising to today’s environment of AI search, social influence, digital discovery, and real-time buyer engagement.

![Naples Auto Vault Interior](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/2-naples-auto-vault-interior.webp)## **The Shift from Presentation to Performance**

The real estate market has become increasingly competitive. Economic uncertainty has resulted in [longer decision cycles](https://cottonco.com/why-luxury-real-estate-analytics-need-new-benchmarks-in-the-age-of-ai/ "longer decision cycles"), and informed buyers are analyzing their decision through deeper insights. Marketing is now judged by the level of detail delivered, not the visual presentation alone.

Launch brand assets create attention and establish credibility, but the market ultimately asks more practical questions. Is the marketing providing the information buyers need to move forward with confidence? Is it answering new questions as they arise? Is it addressing objections before they become barriers? Is it helping the sales team capitalize on opportunities while maintaining momentum throughout the decision process?

Buying decisions are rarely based on a single impression. As a result, marketing can no longer function as a fixed presentation. It must constantly evolve into an active business function that adapts as new information becomes available.

As [AI-powered search and answer engines](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/how-ai-is-changing-real-estate-discovery/ "AI-powered search and answer engines") become part of the discovery process, maintaining accurate, authoritative information across trusted sources has become another critical component of execution. The projects that perform best are often those that can respond quickly while maintaining [strategic consistency](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "strategic consistency"). They remain relevant, informative, and visible throughout the buyer journey, ensuring that every interaction contributes to building confidence in the decision.

![Marketing Focus Real Estate](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/3-marketing-focus-real-estate.webp)## **What Modern Real Estate Marketing Execution Requires**

Execution today involves far more than producing collateral or [launching a website](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "launching a website"). It requires active management of the many places where buyers gather information, form impressions, compare options, and look for validation before making contact with the sales team. That includes maintaining accurate and compelling [Google Business Profiles](https://cottonco.com/faq/ "Google Business Profiles"), monitoring reviews, developing [content that answers buyer](https://cottonco.com/faq/ "content that answers buyer") questions, distributing that content across multiple channels, and staying aware of the conversations taking place in search, social media, news coverage, and community discussions.

For luxury real estate developments, a buyer may first encounter a property through a paid campaign, then search the address, read reviews, visit the website, view social content, compare nearby competitors, read a blog post, notice outdoor media, and return weeks later through a completely different channel. Each interaction either builds confidence or creates friction.

## **The Top Places to Focus Your Attention**

**Search visibility and Google Business Profiles.**

The [information buyers find in search](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "information buyers find in search") must be current, complete, and consistently enhanced. Hours, location details, photography, website links, phone numbers, project descriptions, and map placement all influence whether a prospect continues forward or moves on.

**Reviews, testimonials, and reputation signals.**

Buyers look for third-party validation. Reviews, resident testimonials, broker feedback, and community sentiment can support credibility when managed thoughtfully. These signals should be monitored, evaluated, and incorporated into the broader marketing strategy when appropriate.

**Content that answers real buyer questions.**

Blog articles, FAQs, market updates, lifestyle stories, neighborhood guides, and comparison content can help address the questions buyers are already asking. Strong content gives the sales team useful support and gives prospects a reason to remain engaged over time.

**Distribution beyond the website.**

Content should not sit passively on a website. It can be extended through email campaigns, social media, digital advertising, sponsored content, public relations, broker communications, and sales follow-up. Execution means making sure the right message reaches the right audience in more than one place.

**Social media awareness and engagement.**

Luxury real estate conversations often happen across social channels before a prospect ever completes a form. Monitoring and engaging in those discussions helps marketing teams understand buyer sentiment, respond to timely opportunities, and keep the property present in the stream of awareness.

**Real-time coordination with sales.**

Sales teams are often the first to hear what buyers are questioning, comparing, or resisting. Those insights should inform content, advertising, messaging, and follow-up strategy. Execution improves [when marketing and sales operate as one connected system](https://cottonco.com/what-developers-should-fix-this-off-season-to-improve-sales-performance/ "when marketing and sales operate as one connected system").

These are not secondary considerations. They are now central to how buyers evaluate a property. In an industry where prospective buyers are more informed and decision paths take time to evolve, execution is the discipline of managing every meaningful touchpoint with purpose and timeliness.

## **Why Execution Requires an Integrated Approach**

The challenge is not understanding what needs to be done. Most seasoned developers and sales organizations recognize the importance of search visibility, reputation management, content development, social engagement, and ongoing communication. The challenge is coordination.

When execution responsibilities are divided across [multiple firms, departments, and vendors](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "multiple firms, departments, and vendors"), valuable information often moves more slowly than the market itself. The handoff is inefficient, and the priorities become blurred. As marketing becomes more dynamic, the distance between information and action becomes increasingly important.

The organizations that perform best are often those that shorten that distance. They create systems where sales intelligence, buyer feedback, media performance, content development, and market activity continuously inform one another. That level of coordination allows marketing to evolve without losing strategic consistency. Adjustments can be made deliberately rather than reactively, helping projects remain relevant while preserving the integrity of the original positioning.

“Launch is not the end of the strategy,” says Laurie Andrews. “It is the beginning of the market’s response. That’s when buyers and brokers start telling you what matters most, where they need more information, and what is influencing their decision.”

The market still rewards strong brands. It always will. In luxury real estate, branding remains one of the most important tools for establishing value, creating differentiation, and shaping first impressions. The challenge is that branding alone can no longer carry the full weight of the sales effort.

Today’s buyers expect ongoing engagement, timely information, credible validation, and meaningful interaction throughout the decision process. That is where execution becomes essential. The most successful projects do not choose between brand and execution. They are combining both. A strong brand creates interest and confidence. Effective execution sustains that confidence, adapts to changing conditions, and keeps the property relevant throughout the buyer journey.

“Ultimately, buyers do not experience marketing as separate disciplines,” adds Andrews. “They experience a series of interactions that either increase confidence or create hesitation. The speed at which confidence is built often influences the speed at which decisions are made.”

For more than four decades, [Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/ "Cotton & Company") has built its approach around that connection, helping [luxury real estate, resort, and private club communities](https://cottonco.com/the-work/ "luxury real estate, resort, and private club communities") align strategy, branding, sales, and execution to achieve stronger results.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Why Graduation Season Is a Reminder to Keep Looking Forward](https://cottonco.com/why-graduation-season-is-a-reminder-to-keep-looking-forward/)

**Published:** May 26, 2026
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

*Insights from Laurie Andrews, President, Cotton & Company*

Graduation season has a way of pulling our attention toward the future. For students, it marks a visible turning point: a walk across a stage, a new beginning, a moment when ambition feels both exciting and uncertain. It is easy to associate that feeling with youth, first jobs, and the beginning of a career. But the truth is that meaningful new beginnings are not limited to the start of professional life.

At different points in a career, a company, or an industry, we are asked to look forward again. Sometimes the shift is expected. Other times, it arrives after decades of experience, success, and established ways of working.

That is what makes this moment so interesting for marketing, real estate, and technology. Artificial intelligence has introduced a new learning curve, but the larger story is not about AI alone. It is about the willingness to keep evolving when the next horizon looks different from the one we expected. For Cotton & Company, that mindset is not new. It has been part of the company’s culture since 1983.

## A Different Kind of Commencement Moment

Graduation is powerful because it combines achievement with anticipation. It honors what has been learned, while asking the graduate to step into something unfamiliar.

That same tension exists in business today. Many professionals have spent years building expertise, refining instincts, and developing the judgment that only comes from experience. Now, new tools are changing how information is organized, how audiences search, how teams work, and how marketing decisions are shaped.

For some, that creates excitement. For others, it creates hesitation. There is understandable concern about what AI means for creativity, for roles, for client relationships, and for the value of human experience. But the most useful way to think about this moment may not be fear. It may be commencement.

Not a beginning from zero, but a new beginning from a place of knowledge. A chance to take what experience has already taught us and apply it with a fresh outlook.

“Graduation season reminds us that there are moments in life when we are asked to look ahead with fresh eyes,” said Laurie Andrews, President of Cotton & Company. “I think this is one of those moments for our industry. AI may feel unfamiliar, especially for those of us who have built careers through experience and instinct, but it also gives us an opportunity to keep learning and keep improving how we think on behalf of our clients.”

## Why Innovation Has Always Been Part of Marketing

Marketing has never been a static industry. The tools change. The channels change. Buyer behavior changes. The way people discover, compare, trust, and act has changed repeatedly across print, digital, social, search, mobile, data, automation, and now AI-assisted environments.

In luxury real estate, resort, and country club marketing, those shifts matter because the decisions are significant. Buyers, developers, capital partners, and sales teams are not responding to technology in the abstract. They are responding to how technology changes attention, confidence, timing, and trust.

That is why innovation cannot be treated as a separate department or a passing trend. It has to be part of [how a company thinks](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/ "how a company thinks").

For Cotton & Company, staying ahead has never meant chasing every new tool. It has meant understanding which [changes are meaningful](https://cottonco.com/what-developers-should-fix-this-off-season-to-improve-sales-performance/ "changes are meaningful"), which are distractions, and how emerging technology can support stronger strategy, clearer communication, and better decision-making. AI belongs within that same context. It is part of the current horizon, not the entire landscape.

![Cotton And Company Team](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2-cotton-and-company-team.webp)## Cotton & Company’s Forward-Looking Culture Since 1983

Last week we celebrated our 43rd anniversary together. Since our founding in 1983, Cotton & Company has grown in an industry defined by change. The company’s work has always required an understanding of markets, audiences, timing, positioning, sales behavior, and communication channels. That kind of work depends on more than production. It depends on perspective.

Technology has become more sophisticated, but the underlying responsibility remains the same: to help clients make decisions with transparency, confidence, and strategic discipline.

That is why Cotton’s approach to AI is grounded in judgment, reflecting [how Cotton & Company integrates AI into sales-driven marketing](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/how-cotton-company-integrates-ai-into-sales-driven-marketing/ "how Cotton & Company integrates AI into sales-driven marketing"). AI can help organize thinking, accelerate analysis, identify structure, and support efficiency. It can help teams explore possibilities, test ideas, and better understand patterns. But it does not replace the thinking that gives those outputs meaning.

The value is not in using AI for its own sake. The value is in knowing how to ask better questions, interpret information, and apply insight in a way that serves the client’s business objective. That distinction matters. It is what keeps innovation from becoming noise.

![Boca West Cotton Website](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/3-boca-west-cotton-website.webp)## Replacing Fear With Curiosity and Judgment

There is trepidation in the market around AI, and it is not limited to one group. Clients are asking [why it matters](https://cottonco.com/how-is-ai-shaping-buyer-perception-in-real-estate-development/ "why it matters") so much to their businesses. Staff members are concerned about how it is actively changing their roles. Future graduates are entering the workforce at a time when the expectations of marketing, communication, and technology are shifting quickly.

Avoidance is understandable. But avoidance rarely creates confidence. A more productive response is curiosity guided by judgment. That means learning enough to understand what is changing, experimenting with purpose, and keeping people at the center of the work.

AI should not be positioned as a replacement for creativity, experience, strategy, or relationships, which is why [serious real estate marketing treats AI quietly, not loudly](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/why-serious-real-estate-marketing-treats-ai-quietly-not-loudly/ "serious real estate marketing treats AI quietly"). In the right hands, it becomes a tool that helps experienced people think more clearly, move more efficiently, and focus their judgment where it matters most. That is the difference between adopting technology and being led by it.

## How Teams Learn Forward Together

The most meaningful innovation is not only philosophical. It shows up inside the work.

For Cotton & Company’s web development team, that evolution is especially visible. Websites are no longer simply digital presentations for remote audiences. They are search environments, storytelling platforms, data-informed tools, and increasingly important sources of credibility for both human audiences and AI-assisted discovery.

As user expectations shift and [AI-enhanced search becomes the new gatekeeper of visibility](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/how-ai-is-changing-real-estate-discovery/ "AI changes real estate discovery"), development teams are being asked to think differently about structure, speed, content organization, accessibility, technical performance, and how information is understood across platforms.

That requires learning. It also requires standards. “Web development is evolving quickly because the way people find and experience information is evolving,” said Sonya Pereira, Director of Web Development at Cotton & Company. “Our team is embracing AI-assisted tools as a way to work smarter, test ideas, strengthen structure, and improve efficiency, but the standards still come from people. Strategy, usability, quality control, and the client’s objective remain at the center of every decision.”

That kind of departmental evolution is important because it makes the larger point tangible. Innovation is not a slogan. It is a daily practice of staying open, testing thoughtfully, and improving how the work gets done.

![Ai Authority Cotton Company](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/4-ai-authority-cotton-company.webp)## What This Means for Clients, Teams, and Future Talent

For clients and decision-makers, this approach offers reassurance. They do not need to become AI experts overnight to benefit from a partner that is paying attention. What they need is confidence that their marketing team understands where the industry is moving, is actively learning, and can separate practical value from hype.

For current teams, the message is equally important. New tools do not erase experience. They create new ways to apply it.

For future graduates and career-minded talent, this moment should be energizing. The marketing industry remains a place for curiosity, creativity, analysis, communication, and ambition. The professionals who will thrive are not necessarily those who know every tool, but those willing to keep learning as the tools evolve.

Graduation season reminds us that looking forward takes courage. It asks us to honor what we have learned without becoming limited by it. That is a useful message for graduates, and it is just as useful for companies that want to keep growing. At Cotton & Company, the future of marketing is not about replacing people with technology. It is about building teams that are [curious enough to explore](https://cottonco.com/faq/ "curious enough to explore"), experienced enough to judge, and ambitious enough to keep moving forward.

To discuss how forward-thinking marketing, technology, and strategy can support real estate growth, connect with Cotton & Company at [CottonCo.com](https://cottonco.com/ "CottonCo.com") or contact me directly at Laurie.Andrews@cottonco.com. For those beginning or reimagining a career in this industry, Cotton & Company welcomes conversations with people who are ready to keep learning.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Why Luxury Real Estate Analytics Need New Benchmarks in the Age of AI](https://cottonco.com/why-luxury-real-estate-analytics-need-new-benchmarks-in-the-age-of-ai/)

**Published:** May 20, 2026
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

Website analytics have always required interpretation, but the margin for misunderstanding is widening. As artificial intelligence changes how consumers search, research, and interact online, familiar metrics no longer tell the full story. Average time on site, page views, session duration, and registration volume still matter, but without context, they can easily lead teams toward the wrong conclusions.

For luxury real estate developers, this shift creates a more complex measurement environment. The question is no longer whether website traffic is increasing or whether visitors are spending enough time online. The more important question is whether the right prospects are finding the right information, engaging with it meaningfully, and moving closer to a qualified inquiry.

## Why Traditional Website Analytics Are Failing Luxury Real Estate

Broad website averages can be misleading in luxury real estate. If analytics show that visitors are spending less time on a site, the instinct may be to simplify the experience, shorten content, or reduce detail. On the surface, that appears logical. In practice, it can undermine the sales process.

Luxury buyers rarely make impulsive decisions. Before contacting a sales team, they often conduct extensive online research. They compare location, lifestyle, service standards, amenities, ownership structures, long-term value, and cultural fit. Increasingly, that research is also [influenced by AI-powered search tools](https://cottonco.com/how-is-ai-shaping-buyer-perception-in-real-estate-development/ "Learn how AI-powered search tools are influencing buyer perception in real estate") that summarize, interpret, and surface information differently than traditional search engines.

This means luxury websites must serve three audiences simultaneously: the consumer, Google, and the AI systems helping consumers evaluate their options. Averages alone cannot capture that complexity. When AI traffic, casual visitors, early-stage researchers, and highly qualified prospects are blended into one benchmark, the behavior of the most valuable audience becomes diluted. A decline in average engagement may not indicate weaker buyer interest at all. Without segmentation and interpretation, leadership risks reacting to the wrong signal.

![1000 Arts Sarasota Kolter Urban](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2-1000-arts-sarasota-kolter-urban.webp)## Why Luxury Buyer Behavior Requires a Different Benchmark

Luxury real estate has never been a volume business. In many cases, fewer highly qualified leads are far more valuable than larger quantities of low-intent registrations.

Traditional marketing benchmarks often prioritize traffic growth and conversion volume. Luxury real estate requires a different lens. The objective is not to reach everyone. The objective is to reach the right audience with a compelling story, meaningful substance, and enough confidence-building information to support action.

“In the real estate development business, analytics are only meaningful when they are interpreted against the sales objective,” said Laurie Andrews, President of Cotton & Company. “Through years of analyzing the online behavior of qualified prospects over multiple projects, we have garnered a deep understanding of the buyer’s digital journey.”

Qualified buyers often move through a longer research cycle before making themselves known. They may revisit the website repeatedly, compare floor plans, evaluate club structures, study amenities, review pricing strategy, or assess whether the opportunity aligns with their broader lifestyle goals. That behavior should not be interpreted the same way as casual website traffic.

## How AI Is Changing Luxury Real Estate Analytics

Luxury buyers are intelligent, discerning, and highly capable of identifying opportunity when it is presented clearly. They do not need websites to oversell. They need clarity, confidence, and access to meaningful information.

A luxury real estate website should not be designed around the assumption that every visitor wants less content because the average session duration appears lower. It should be designed around the understanding that qualified buyers often require deeper information, stronger storytelling, and more intentional sequencing. This is where analytics interpretation becomes critical.

A decline in average time on site does not automatically mean visitors are disengaged. It may indicate changing traffic composition. It may reflect the influence of AI systems interacting differently with website content. It may suggest that broader campaigns are increasing awareness beyond the highest-intent audience. Or it may reveal a legitimate content issue. The data can identify the question. Judgment is required to determine the answer.

[Cotton & Company’s approach](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "Learn more about Cotton & Company's approach to luxury real estate marketing") has always centered on that distinction. Marketing exists to support sales objectives, not generate activity for its own sake. Clicks, impressions, and raw traffic volume may provide useful context, but they are not the finish line. In luxury real estate, the more meaningful measure is whether marketing is producing qualified opportunity.

![Orchid Island Club Real Estate Aerial](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/3-orchid-island-club-real-estate-aerial.webp)## What Orchid Island Reveals About Lead Quality

[The Orchid Island Club](https://orchidislandfl.com/ "Learn more about The Orchid Island Club in Vero Beach") provides a useful example of why luxury analytics need a different lens. The community is highly selective, with approximately 350 homes and a country club membership exceeding $250,000. For a property with that profile, generating hundreds of unqualified leads is not the objective. The strategy is designed to identify prospects with the financial capacity, lifestyle alignment, and genuine interest necessary to engage meaningfully.

Through monthly reporting, Cotton & Company’s analysis revealed that buyers with homes valued above $4 million represented only three online registrations, approximately 4 percent of the total lead volume. Yet those same prospects averaged 21.6 page visits and returned to the website multiple times throughout their evaluation process.

Lower-value home segments generated greater registration volume, but they did not demonstrate the same depth of engagement. The insight did not lead to reducing website content. It led to strengthening the online experience with more meaningful information and better resources for qualified buyers.

“Cotton’s digital focus is not simply about producing more traffic,” said Amanda Hope of Orchid Island. “They have efficiently targeted an audience that aligns with our community mindset. It is about reaching a highly affluent audience seeking a more secluded coastal club address, and then giving that audience confidence to take the next step.”

## Why Website Decisions Should Not Be Made from Blended Metrics

One of the greatest risks in analytics interpretation is making structural website decisions based on blended averages. If average engagement appears low, teams may conclude that visitors want shorter pages, less detail, or a simplified experience. In luxury real estate, that assumption can work against the sales objective.

Qualified buyers are often the very audience seeking deeper information. They want to understand the ownership experience, community culture, club structure, lifestyle positioning, location advantages, and long-term value proposition. Removing that information may create a more efficient experience for casual traffic while simultaneously weakening the experience for serious buyers.

Additional insights from CRM systems, social engagement patterns, audience profiling, and first-party data often reveal a more complete picture of buyer intent than website averages alone. Historic benchmarks also require reevaluation. AI systems are changing how information is discovered, summarized, and consumed. Buyer research patterns are evolving. Traffic composition is shifting. Traditional benchmarks cannot remain static while the digital environment fundamentally changes around them.

![Cotton Real Estate Insights](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/4-cotton-real-estate-insights.webp)## Cotton Insights and the Future of Real Estate Intelligence

To address this evolving landscape, Cotton & Company is developing the Cotton Insights Engine, an intelligence framework designed specifically for luxury real estate analytics.

The platform will aggregate performance data across dozens of real estate-focused clients while combining AI-supported interpretation with senior-level strategic oversight. The objective is not automation for its own sake. The objective is faster pattern recognition, stronger interpretation, and more informed decision-making.

By [analyzing trends across multiple luxury communities](https://cottonco.com/sales-performance-is-not-even-what-q1-revealed-across-three-markets/ "Read about analyzing trends across multiple luxury communities"), resort properties, private clubs, and new development programs, Cotton Insights is designed to identify shifts in buyer behavior, emerging audience trends, evolving engagement patterns, and market opportunities that may not be visible within a single project dashboard alone.

## Why First-Party Data Matters in Luxury Real Estate Marketing

First-party intelligence has become increasingly valuable in luxury real estate marketing. Cotton & Company’s position inside the development environment every day, across multiple luxury market segments, provides a broader and more relevant data foundation than historic marketing benchmarks alone.

When deep industry experience is paired with AI-supported analysis, data becomes more than reporting. It becomes strategic intelligence.

That intelligence can help development teams better understand timing, budget allocation, content strategy, buyer sentiment, and sales absorption trends with greater confidence and clarity.

[Cotton & Company’s approach](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/ "Learn more about Cotton & Company's experience-driven approach") has always been experience-driven and data-informed. Today, AI serves as an intelligence amplifier rather than a replacement for human judgment. Cotton Insights is being developed around that core principle.

## How AI Search Is Changing Luxury Real Estate Websites

AI search is changing how luxury real estate content is discovered, summarized, and evaluated. Buyers may no longer arrive at a website through a traditional keyword search alone. They may first encounter a community, residence, or development through an AI-generated summary, conversational search result, or comparison-style response that draws from available online content.

That shift makes website depth more important, not less important. AI systems need clear, credible, and specific information to understand what a property offers, who it serves, where it is located, and why it is distinct. A luxury real estate website with thin or overly general content may be easier to skim, but it gives both buyers and AI systems less substance to work with.

[For developers, this changes the role of the website](https://cottonco.com/what-developers-should-fix-this-off-season-to-improve-sales-performance/ "Learn what developers should fix this off-season to improve sales performance"). It must still inspire the buyer, but it must also provide enough structured information to support discovery, interpretation, and confidence. Location details, lifestyle positioning, amenity descriptions, ownership information, FAQs, editorial content, and market context all help strengthen the digital foundation.

AI search also reinforces the importance of authority. First-party insight, original market perspective, project-specific expertise, and clear answers to buyer questions make a website more useful to both consumers and search systems. In luxury real estate, where decisions are complex and highly personal, the strongest websites will be those that combine emotional appeal with meaningful, well-organized information.

## The Future of AI in Luxury Real Estate Marketing

The future of luxury real estate marketing will depend on better intelligence, not broader assumptions. AI will continue to reshape how buyers research properties and how websites are accessed, summarized, and measured. Analytics platforms will continue to evolve. Traditional benchmarks will need to be reconsidered.

But the [underlying discipline remains the same](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/ "Explore Cotton & Company's point of view on luxury real estate marketing"): understand the sales objective, identify the right audience, interpret the data in context, and use those insights to support qualified opportunity. For Cotton & Company, that is where analytics become most valuable. Not as a scoreboard. Not as vanity metrics. As a guide to making better marketing and sales decisions.

To learn more about Cotton & Company’s approach to luxury real estate marketing, explore our portfolio of past projects, and follow the evolving role of AI-driven strategy in the industry, visit [CottonCo.com](https://cottonco.com/ "Visit CottonCo.com to learn more about Cotton & Company").

## Frequently Asked Questions About Luxury Real Estate Analytics

### **Why are luxury real estate analytics different from traditional website analytics?**

Luxury real estate analytics require deeper interpretation because the audience behaves differently than traditional consumer markets. Highly qualified buyers often spend more time researching, revisit websites multiple times, and engage with detailed content before contacting a sales team. In luxury real estate, a smaller number of highly engaged prospects can be more valuable than large volumes of low-intent traffic.

### **How is AI changing luxury real estate marketing?**

AI is changing how buyers discover, research, and evaluate luxury real estate online. AI-powered search tools now summarize content, recommend properties, and surface information differently than traditional search engines. This makes high-quality website content, structured information, and authoritative market insight increasingly important for visibility and buyer engagement.

### **What website metrics matter most in luxury real estate marketing?**

While traffic volume and registrations still matter, luxury real estate marketing requires a stronger focus on engagement quality. Metrics such as return visits, page depth, time spent reviewing key content, audience segmentation, and behavioral patterns often provide more meaningful insight into buyer intent than broad averages alone.

### **Why can average website engagement metrics be misleading?**

Blended website averages combine many different audience types, including casual visitors, AI traffic, early-stage researchers, and highly qualified buyers. In luxury real estate, this can dilute the behavior of the most valuable audience. A lower average session duration does not always indicate weaker engagement. Qualified buyers may still be engaging deeply with specific content while overall traffic patterns evolve.

### **Why is first-party data becoming more important in luxury real estate marketing?**

First-party data provides direct insight into how buyers interact with a website, content, and digital campaigns. As AI reshapes search behavior and third-party tracking becomes less reliable, first-party intelligence helps developers better understand audience intent, engagement patterns, and the effectiveness of their marketing strategy.

### **How should luxury real estate websites adapt to AI-driven search?**

Luxury real estate websites should focus on depth, clarity, authority, and structured information. Buyers and AI systems both benefit from detailed content about lifestyle, amenities, ownership experience, location advantages, and market positioning. Websites that provide meaningful information and answer buyer questions clearly are more likely to perform well in AI-driven search environments.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Luxury Real Estate Launches Have Changed—Visibility Now Begins at Entitlement Approvals](https://cottonco.com/luxury-real-estate-launches-have-changed-visibility-now-begins-at-entitlement-approvals/)

**Published:** April 6, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

For decades, [luxury real estate](https://cottonco.com/private-club-marketing-guide/real-estate-private-club-integration/ "learn more about private club integration") launches followed a defined sequence. Entitlements were secured, architectural plans advanced, brand and digital assets were developed, and lead generation followed. Marketing entered the process once a project was considered ready for sales. Today, that sequence leaves leverage on the table at the most critical stage of a project’s introduction.

In an AI-influenced environment, [visibility](https://cottonco.com/private-club-marketing-guide/ai-visibility-digital-authority/ "Learn more about AI Visibility") is no longer something that develops after a project is ready. It is established at the point a project becomes viable—often at entitlement approvals—because the market is already forming opinions before traditional marketing has time to take hold. Early press can shape perception, but without a coordinated structure to support it, that narrative often fragments rather than compounds.

![Woman at desk in a modern office with a waterfront view and real estate search prompts on a desktop screen.](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/luxury-real-estate-visibility-blog040626-office.webp)

## Early Visibility Now Shapes Buyer Confidence Before Market Entry

Buyers, brokers, and investors are no longer learning about the project through a controlled release of information narrated by the marketing team. AI-driven systems are interpreting and presenting information early, often before a formal launch sequence is traditionally developed.

A project lacking strategic guidance is encountered in fragments, assembled from multiple sources, and interpreted in real time. That interpretation becomes the foundation of how the project is understood—before a [sales team](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/how-cotton-company-integrates-ai-into-sales-driven-marketing/ "More about the sales driven marketing") has the opportunity to guide the conversation.

Shaping that narrative is no longer optional. It requires an integrated, upstream approach to visibility that aligns how the project is introduced with how it will ultimately be sold. This compresses the formation of buyer confidence. The project is either seen as credible and aligned, or it requires additional effort to establish trust and clarity.

When early visibility is structured with purpose, the project enters the market with alignment already in place. Buyers engage with a clearer understanding of the project, and the sales process advances with less friction. When it is not, the market defines the project instead. Inconsistent signals create hesitation, and confidence must be established under pressure rather than reinforced from the outset.

## Performance Is Set Earlier Than Most Assume

In [luxury development](https://cottonco.com/the-work/condominiums/ "condo projects"), visibility is often treated as a downstream marketing outcome. In practice, it functions as an early performance driver. How a project is understood at entry directly influences pricing strategy, absorption velocity, and capital exposure—long before those metrics are formally measured.

Projects that enter the market with aligned visibility establish stronger initial conditions. Buyer confidence forms earlier, and sales teams are able to advance conversations rather than recalibrate them. When visibility is delayed or inconsistently structured, the opposite occurs. Momentum slows, pricing becomes more reactive, and capital remains exposed longer than anticipated. Time is spent correcting perception rather than building on it.

These outcomes are often attributed to market conditions. More often, they are determined by how the project was understood at the outset.

![Infographic comparing a traditional development timeline with a modern visibility timeline across project stages.](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/luxury-real-estate-visibility-blog040626-chart.webp)

## The Gap Between Entitlement and Sales Launch

Between entitlement approvals and the formal launch of sales, there is a period that is often underutilized. Traditionally, this time has been treated as internal—focused on design completion, resource planning, sales center coordination, and preparation for a future introduction to the market. In practice, it is one of the most consequential phases of a project’s marketing lifecycle.

This is when a project begins to take shape publicly, whether intentionally or not. Information enters the market through fragmented, third-party interpretation. Without structure, those signals remain disconnected, yet they begin to form the foundation of how the project is interpreted in AI-driven environments.

The role of this phase is not to accelerate exposure, but to establish a clear and durable foundation for how the project will be understood. Narrative content must be introduced in a way that reflects how the project is meant to perform over time. The architect’s perspective, the rationale behind the plan, and the attributes that define the project’s place in the market are not supporting details. They are core signals.

Early visibility and [controlled distribution of information](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/ "more about the way we think") allow those signals to take hold with consistency, building recognition and anticipation with consistency.

## An Integrated Approach to Early-Stage Visibility

“The industry still treats visibility as something that happens at launch,” said Laurie Andrews, President of [Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/ "Cotton and Company Homepage"). “In reality, it needs to begin at entitlement—when the project first becomes viable. From that point forward, the market is already forming a narrative, whether it’s structured intentionally or not.”

That distinction is where most developers are falling behind. Early-stage visibility is often reduced to earlier exposure—press releases, announcements, or isolated media moments. In practice, those are only individual inputs. What matters is how they connect, reinforce one another, and contribute to a broader understanding of the project.

This phase is defined by a window of attention. There is a natural curiosity around what is emerging in the market, particularly in competitive regions where buyers, brokers, and observers are looking to understand what is coming next.

PR alone is not the strategy. Visibility at this stage requires a layered approach—one that builds authority across multiple sources and formats. Long-form interviews, structured digital presence, and coordinated insights from the [development, design, and sales teams](https://cottonco.com/private-club-marketing-guide/private-club-marketing-strategy/ "More about private marketing strategy.") all contribute to how the project is interpreted. These inputs, when aligned, begin to form a cohesive narrative that extends beyond a single announcement.

The objective is not simply to be first, but to ensure that what is encountered first is reinforced consistently. Cotton & Company approaches this phase with a level of precision shaped by experience. This is not achieved through surface-level application of AI, but through a depth of subject matter expertise that allows these opportunities to be recognized, structured, and applied within the development timeline.

In Buckhead Atlanta, Kolter Urban’s Elyse Buckhead reflects how this approach can take shape within a competitive and highly visible market.

![Modern high-rise condo tower with balconies at sunset above a wooded horizon.](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/luxury-real-estate-visibility-blog040626-elyse.webp)

## Early Visibility Drives Strong Sales Performance in Atlanta

In one of Atlanta’s most competitive and closely watched submarkets, [Kolter Urban’s](https://www.kolterurban.com/ "Kolter Urban Homepage - Opens in new tab") Elyse Buckhead provides a current example of how early visibility and structured market entry can influence initial performance. Positioned adjacent to the St. Regis and entering a supply-constrained environment, the project began establishing its presence well before traditional sales momentum would typically be expected.

Rather than relying on a single point of introduction, the project was presented through a coordinated set of signals—digital presence, narrative development, and early market-facing content—allowing buyers and brokers to form a clearer understanding ahead of direct engagement.

With the Sales Gallery just opening in February, [Elyse Buckhead](https://elysebuckhead.com/ "Elyse Buckhead homepage - opens in new tab") is already approaching $60 million in initial sales and construction is now advancing. This outcome reflects a combination of factors, including project design, market timing, premier location, and an impressive developer track record. It also reflects how those attributes have been introduced and understood from the outset.

## What This Means for Future Development Launches

Visibility and project marketing can no longer be treated as a phase that follows planning. It must be aligned with the earliest stages of development, when positioning, narrative, and market perception are first taking shape. Projects that proactively enhance visibility at this stage will benefit from greater exposure in AI search tools, resulting in a preferred project positioning, stronger buyer confidence, and more consistent absorption.

Projects that do not are forced to build both awareness and understanding at the same time. Momentum becomes less predictable, pricing becomes more reactive, and capital remains exposed longer than anticipated. This is not just a change in consumer search tools. It is a change in sequence.

## Where Experience and Foresight Drive Performance

Most development teams are still adapting to how quickly [AI visibility](https://cottonco.com/what-is-ai-visibility-in-real-estate-development/ "More about AI visibility in real estate development.") is influencing the sales landscape. The challenge is not simply understanding new tools. It is reducing the learning curve while the market continues to move forward. This requires more than technical execution. It requires a combination of deep industry experience, a clear understanding of digital visibility, and a forward-looking perspective on how consumer search behavior is evolving.

“Those disciplines rarely exist together,” said Andrews. “But when they do, it changes how a project performs from the outset. You’re able to recognize opportunities earlier, structure visibility with intention, and establish a position before the market defines it for you.”

That difference has a measurable impact. This is where experience and foresight converge. And for projects entering the market today, that convergence is will likely define early success.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [What Is AI Visibility in Real Estate Development?](https://cottonco.com/what-is-ai-visibility-in-real-estate-development/)

**Published:** April 6, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Luxury real estate marketing is undergoing a structural shift. Projects are no longer discovered solely through search results, broker outreach, or traditional media resources. Increasingly, they are encountered through AI-driven systems that pre-determine the viable options and present information to the consumer from available resources. But what happens when those resources are underdeveloped? They have been limited due to the private nature of the offering? Or it’s too early in the marketing cycle to be discovered?

This has introduced a new layer of visibility, one that shaped by timing and how AI recognizes a new offering across a boarder digital environment. That layer is what we refer to as [AI visibility](https://cottonco.com/private-club-marketing-guide/ai-visibility-digital-authority/ "AI Visibility Marketing Guide.").

## Defining AI Visibility

AI visibility is the degree to which a real estate development or [private club community](https://cottonco.com/private-club-marketing-guide/real-estate-private-club-integration/ "Private Club Marketing Guide") is accurately represented, interpreted, and surfaced across AI-driven discovery environments.

It is not limited to rankings or placement. It reflects how consistently a project’s narrative, positioning, and attributes appear across multiple sources—and how those signals are synthesized into a coherent understanding. In practice, AI visibility determines:

![3D tower model above layered panels for design, location, property, AI integration, and lifestyle.](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/cotton-ai-visibility-real-estate-blog-040626-real-estate-dev.webp)

- what information is surfaced first
- how a project is described
- how it is compared to others
- and whether it is perceived as credible

This occurs before a buyer visits a community website, engages a broker, or enters a sales gallery.

## How AI Visibility Differs from Traditional SEO

Traditional SEO focuses on optimizing individual assets—websites, pages, and content—to rank within search results over time. AI visibility operates differently. Rather than prioritizing individual pages, AI systems evaluate patterns across multiple sources. They identify consistency, authority, and clarity of information, and use those signals to generate summaries and recommendations.

A project may have a well-designed website and still lack visibility if its broader digital presence is fragmented or incomplete. Conversely, a project with a structured and consistent presence across multiple sources is more likely to be surfaced, summarized, and trusted.

## Where AI Visibility Is Formed

AI visibility is not created in a single place. It is formed through a combination of signals, including:

- Third party editorial content and interviews
- Structured project information across digital profiles
- References from development, design, and market sources
- Consistency of narrative across platforms

These inputs are interpreted collectively. No single piece defines visibility, but each contributes to how the project is understood.

## Why AI Visibility Matters in Development

In luxury real estate, perception forms early and influences performance. AI visibility accelerates that process. Projects are now evaluated based on how they are presented across aggregated sources, not just through direct marketing. Buyers, brokers, and investors are forming opinions before engaging with a [sales team](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/how-cotton-company-integrates-ai-into-sales-driven-marketing/ "How AI integrates to sales").

That early perception impacts pricing confidence, absorption velocity and capital exposure. If a project is not clearly represented at that stage, the market will fill in the gaps—often inconsistently.

![Waterfront condo tower beside a marina with a large chat interface overlay showing condo recommendations.](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/cotton-ai-visibility-real-estate-blog-040626-marina-pointe.webp)

## When AI Visibility Begins

AI visibility does not begin at sales launch. It begins at the point a project becomes viable—often at entitlement approvals. At that stage, information starts to enter the public domain through various channels. Without structure, those signals are fragmented. With structure, they begin to form a consistent and credible narrative.

This is why early-stage visibility has become a critical component of [development strategy](https://cottonco.com/private-club-marketing-guide/private-club-marketing-strategy/ "more about development strategy").

## A Structured Approach to AI Visibility

AI visibility is not achieved through isolated tactics. It requires coordination across multiple inputs that collectively shape how a project is interpreted. That includes:

- aligning narrative with development intent
- introducing information in a deliberate sequence
- reinforcing signals across channels
- maintaining consistency over time

This approach ensures that what is surfaced reflects how the project is intended to be understood.

## The Role of Experience

AI visibility is often framed as a technical challenge. In practice, it is equally an experiential one. Understanding how to structure visibility requires knowledge of how developments are brought to market, insight into buyer behavior and awareness of how information is interpreted across channels. Technology influences how quickly information is processed. Experience determines how it is structured.

## Looking Forward

AI visibility is not a replacement for traditional marketing. It is an evolution of how projects are discovered and evaluated. As AI continues to influence search and discovery, the projects that establish clear, consistent visibility early will enter the market with stronger positioning and greater confidence.

Those that do not will be required to build clarity while simultaneously generating momentum.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Your Website Is Now an AI-Powered Decision Engine—Not a Digital Presentation](https://cottonco.com/your-website-is-now-an-ai-powered-decision-engine-not-a-digital-presentation/)

**Published:** January 4, 2026
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

Why answer architecture, [FAQ strategy](https://cottonco.com/faq/ "Cotton FAQs"), and buyer psychology now determine which projects AI surfaces—and which it ignores

![Laurie Andrews - President of Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/laurie-andrews-president-cotton-company.webp)

By [Laurie Andrews](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/laurie-andrews/ "learn more about Laurie"),
President, Cotton & Company

For decades, luxury real estate websites have functioned as digital presentations—beautifully designed, carefully branded, and measured largely by traffic and engagement. Visual storytelling, paired with SEO keywords, was used to drive exposure and awareness. But with the emergence of AI-driven search and answer platforms, that model is rapidly becoming outdated.

Today, your website is being read, interpreted, and summarized by AI systems long before a buyer ever reaches out to a sales team. Search engines, generative AI platforms, and answer engines are actively deciding which projects to recommend, which details to highlight, and which developments to exclude entirely from consideration. And AI is making those decisions based not on aesthetics, but on structure, clarity, and the quality of answers your website provides.

AI has quietly become the first decision-maker in the luxury buyer journey. This is the shift many development teams haven’t fully reckoned with yet. It determines which projects appear credible, which feel understandable, and which are surfaced when a buyer asks a high-intent question like *“Which new developments fit my lifestyle?”* or *“What should I know before buying pre-construction?”*

If your website cannot answer those questions in a way AI can clearly extract, trust, and contextualize, your project may never enter the buyer’s consideration set—no matter how strong the product is.

## This Isn’t a Website Redesign Problem—It’s an Implementation Problem

This moment does not call for a full website overhaul. What real estate communities need is a strategic implementation plan that reorders, prioritizes, and structures existing content based on how AI systems actually read and interpret information. AI does not reward novelty or visual complexity; it rewards clarity, consistency, and well-architected answers. When content is organized around real buyer questions, supported by clean internal structure, and [deployed with technical discipline](https://cottonco.com/reading-the-market-data-between-the-lines-how-ai-is-already-influencing-luxury-buyers-in-florida/ "Learn more about the luxury buyers and data"), a website can become AI-visible without being rebuilt. The competitive advantage comes from understanding what content matters most, where it lives, and how it connects—so both buyers and answer engines can move through it with confidence.

![Person standing barefoot on luxury terrace overlooking trees and Atlanta skyline at sunrise](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ai_website_visibility_luxury_terrace_view-blog123025webp.webp)

At [Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/ "Cotton and Company Homepage"), we approach this not as a technical exercise, but as a sales and psychology problem—one that sits at the intersection of buyer intent, conversion behavior, and modern search mechanics. [Our work](https://cottonco.com/the-work/ "Cotton Portfolio") begins by understanding the questions buyers are actually asking, the objections that slow decisions, and the information thresholds required before a buyer is ready to engage with a sales representative.

## How Question-and-Answer Content Became AI’s Primary Signal of Authority

AI systems are not looking for marketing language—they are looking for answers. Question-and-answer content provides the clearest possible signal of expertise because it mirrors how both buyers and machines process information. When a website explicitly states the questions buyers ask and pairs them with concise, well-structured answers, AI can confidently extract, contextualize, and surface that information in response to high-intent queries.

In luxury real estate, where purchase decisions are complex and highly considered, this structure becomes especially powerful. Buyers are not searching for slogans; they are searching for clarity—about process, timing, risk, lifestyle fit, and value. FAQ architecture allows those answers to exist in a form AI can trust, while still guiding human readers toward deeper exploration and engagement.

When question-and-answer content is treated strategically—connected through internal links, written with buyer psychology in mind, and supported by clean technical implementation—it becomes more than informational. It becomes authoritative. And in an AI-driven discovery environment, authority is what determines which projects are referenced, summarized, and recommended before a buyer ever fills out a form or speaks to a sales representative.

## Where Most Teams Get This Wrong

Most teams don’t miss this because they lack ambition. They miss it because [marketing and sales](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "learn more about Cotton's Capabilities") are still treated as separate functions instead of a single system. Marketing is often measured on visibility—traffic, impressions, reach. Sales is measured on readiness, lead quality, and conversion. Both are valid. The mistake is assuming one can succeed without the other working in context.

I often hear some version of: *“We just need sales—get people in the door and we’ll take it from there.”*

That mindset focuses on the harvest without investing in the field. Sales outcomes are the fruit. Website structure, content, and answer architecture are the work of planting, watering, and cultivating the right prospects before they ever speak to a salesperson. When that work is overlooked, what arrives at the sales table is inconsistent and harder to convert.

In an AI-driven environment, these decisions matter even more. They influence not only buyer readiness, but whether your project is surfaced at all. When marketing and sales align around how buyers actually learn and decide, the result is fewer wasted conversations, higher-quality inquiries, and a website that does the early work long before the first call is made.

This is exactly where execution breaks down—and why a disciplined, cross-functional playbook is required to turn buyer questions into qualified demand rather than noise.

![Bright luxury living room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking marina and water](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/ai_website_visibility_gemini_generated-residence-blog123025.webp)

## The Cotton Playbook: Turning Buyer Questions into Qualified Demand

At Cotton & Company, we approach AI-forward marketing as an execution discipline. It’s not theoretical, it’s operational. Our playbook aligns buyer psychology, sales reality, and technical implementation so websites function as decision engines, not digital presentations.

The work follows four clear steps:

1. Start with understanding buyer needs
    Identify the real questions, objections, and decision thresholds that determine whether a buyer moves forward.
2. Structure answers for AI and human decision-making
    Turn those questions into clear, authoritative answers—architected so AI can extract and trust them, while guiding buyers to the next step.
3. Reorder the website around priority, not volume
    Prioritize what matters most, determine where it lives, and connect it through clean internal pathways that mirror how buyers actually decide.
4. Implement with visible technical discipline
    Don’t assume this is happening behind the scenes. Structure, schema, and internal logic must be intentionally deployed and validated—because what isn’t explicitly implemented is rarely recognized by AI, no matter how good the content is.

AI is already shaping how luxury buyers discover, evaluate, and eliminate options—often before a sales team ever enters the picture. The question is no longer whether this shift matters, but whether your website is structured to participate in it.

For developers and marketing leaders, the next step isn’t a redesign or more content. It’s alignment, prioritization, and [disciplined execution](https://cottonco.com/behavior-intelligence-how-ai-is-changing-the-psychology-of-the-luxury-buyer/ "Learn more about AI") built around how buyers actually decide—and how AI interprets those decisions at scale.

That is the work Cotton & Company is doing now: helping real estate teams turn buyer questions into clarity, clarity into confidence, and confidence into qualified demand—before the first conversation ever takes place. If you’re ready to discuss your AI visibility, contact [Laurie.Andrews@cottonco.com](mail:Laurie.Andrews@cottonco.com "email Laurie"), Cotton & Company’s president, to discuss your sales objectives and marketing challenges.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [How Private Clubs Are Generating Members in the AI Visibility Era](https://cottonco.com/how-private-clubs-are-generating-members-in-the-ai-visibility-era/)

**Published:** March 26, 2026
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

The way [private clubs](https://cottonco.com/the-work/private-clubs/ "private club works of cotton") attract and convert members is changing. Historically, growth relied on referrals, reputation, and localized exposure. Those elements still matter, but they no longer define the outcome.

Today, discovery happens earlier and differently. Prospective members are forming opinions through search, digital content, and increasingly, AI-driven platforms. This shift introduces a new layer of competition—one that occurs before a prospect ever visits a club or speaks with a membership director.

Clubs that understand how to operate within this environment are gaining an advantage. Those that do not are becoming less visible at the exact moment interest is forming.

## AI Visibility Is Now Part of the Competitive Landscape

AI visibility refers to how frequently and how accurately a club appears in AI-generated responses across platforms such as ChatGPT and Google’s AI-integrated search.

This is not a theoretical shift. It is already influencing how prospects identify options, compare alternatives, and form shortlists. Unlike traditional search, where multiple results are reviewed, AI-driven responses often consolidate information into a single answer. That compression increases the importance of being recognized as a credible source.

For [private clubs](https://cottonco.com/private-club-marketing-guide/ "Marketing Guide to Private Clubs"), the implication is straightforward. Visibility is no longer limited to search rankings. It is determined by whether your club is considered a reliable reference point within the broader digital ecosystem.

![Two women in podcast interview with branded backdrop](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/cotton-ai-visibility-blog-032626-voice-authority.webp)

## Authority Has Replaced Exposure

Traditional marketing often focused on reach. The current environment rewards authority. Authority is established through consistency, clarity, and depth. It is reinforced when a club demonstrates ownership of its category—whether that is golf, lifestyle, or broader community positioning.

This requires more than a static website. It requires a structured presence that reflects clear positioning, consistent messaging and ongoing content that answers relevant questions. Clubs that approach digital presence as infrastructure rather than promotion are better positioned to be surfaced, referenced, and trusted.

This aligns directly with [how Cotton & Company approaches AI visibility](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/ "Point of View")—as a structural requirement tied to discovery and credibility, not a tactical layer applied after the fact. This shift is not theoretical. It is being observed across some of the most respected private clubs in the country, including long-standing institutions such as Boca West Country Club, Quail Ridge, Sailfish Point, BallenIsles, and Orchid Island Club, where expectations around visibility, presentation, and member acquisition continue to evolve.

## How Membership Is Being Generated Today

Clubs that are consistently growing membership are operating with greater discipline in three areas.
First, they are building visibility in both search and AI environments. This is done through content that directly addresses the questions prospective members are already asking. It is not promotional. It is informative, structured, and aligned with real decision-making behavior.

Second, they are managing their digital presence as the first impression. Before a visit is scheduled, a prospect has already evaluated the club online. Visual quality, clarity of positioning, and overall presentation influence whether interest moves forward or stops.

Third, they are treating membership as a managed pipeline. Interest is captured, tracked, and nurtured. Follow-up is structured. Communication is intentional. Growth becomes more predictable because it is no longer dependent on passive demand.

![Photographer capturing golf practice on green](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/cotton-ai-visibility-blog-032626-golf.webp)

## Content Is the Foundation of Visibility

Content is not an add-on. It is the mechanism through which visibility is established.

Private clubs that are gaining traction are developing content that reflects how prospects think direct answers to common questions, clear explanations of value and ongoing communication that reflects activity and relevance.

This type of content serves two purposes. It improves discoverability and reinforces credibility. AI systems, like prospective members, prioritize sources that demonstrate clarity and consistency over time.

A structured resource such as a [private club industry guide or FAQ](https://cottonco.com/private-club-marketing-guide/ "Get the guide") is one of the most effective ways to establish this foundation.

![people on the pickleball courts](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/cotton-ai-visibility-blog-032626-court.webp)

## Video as a Differentiation Tool

While written content supports discovery, video supports decision-making.

Private clubs are experiential by nature. That experience is difficult to communicate through text alone. Video provides a more accurate representation of atmosphere, culture, and lifestyle.

When executed properly, it shortens the gap between initial interest and meaningful engagement. It allows prospects to better understand what membership represents before they ever step on property.

## Implications for Club Leadership

This shift is not about adopting new tactics. It is about recognizing a change in how decisions are being made.

Leadership teams should be evaluating:

- How their club appears during early-stage research
- Whether their digital presence reflects authority and clarity
- How effectively interest is being captured and advanced

Clubs that remain reliant on legacy approaches will continue to generate some level of demand. However, they will increasingly compete against organizations that are more visible, more accessible, and more aligned with current behavior.

## A More Disciplined Approach Moving Forward

The clubs that perform best in this environment are not doing more. They are operating with greater alignment, brand positioning, membership strategy, and digital visibility are not treated as separate initiatives. They are managed as a coordinated system, with each element reinforcing the others.

This requires experience, judgment, and a clear understanding of how private clubs operate across different stages of growth. It also requires the ability to apply new tools—such as AI—without allowing them to dictate strategy.

The objective is not to follow change. It is to interpret it early and respond with discipline.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [How Is AI Shaping Buyer Perception in Real Estate Development?](https://cottonco.com/how-is-ai-shaping-buyer-perception-in-real-estate-development/)

**Published:** April 21, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Buyer perception is beginning to form earlier in the development cycle than most teams account for. By the time a buyer engages, a baseline view is already in place.

In many cases, that understanding is no longer built through direct interaction with a sales team or traditional research channels. It is increasingly shaped by AI-driven systems that aggregate, interpret, and present a narrow set of opportunities before a project is formally introduced.

This represents a shift in [how visibility is constructed](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/how-cotton-company-integrates-ai-into-sales-driven-marketing/ "Integrating AI into sales"). A project is now interpreted and summarized across the broader digital environment, often before it is ever actively discovered.

That layer is already influencing outcomes.

## Defining AI Visibility in Development

AI visibility is the degree to which a real estate development is accurately represented and surfaced across AI-driven discovery environments.

It is not simply a function of whether a project appears in those environments. It is a function of how it is interpreted. That interpretation may reflect the intended narrative—or it may reflect fragmented inputs shaped by entitlement challenges, public sentiment, or incomplete information already present in the digital landscape.

As a [project approaches sales launch](https://cottonco.com/luxury-real-estate-launches-have-changed-visibility-now-begins-at-entitlement-approvals/ "AI Visibility starts"), the need to audit and structure that narrative becomes critical. The objective is not to introduce new messaging, but to ensure that the project’s positioning and unique attributes are consistently and accurately represented across all sources.

AI visibility reflects how those signals are synthesized into a coherent understanding.

In practice, it determines what information is surfaced first, how a project is described, how it is compared within the market, and whether it is perceived as credible. This occurs before a buyer visits a website, engages a broker, or enters a sales gallery.

The project is not introduced gradually. It is interpreted on entry.

![Aerial view of a curved beachfront tower beside turquoise ocean water and an inland waterway.](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/seaglass-jupiter-island-cotton-marketing-042026.webp)

## How AI Visibility Differs from Traditional Marketing

Traditional marketing in real estate development has been structured around sequence. A project is designed, branded, and then introduced to the market through a controlled sales rollout. That structure has evolved over decades alongside changes in how consumers engage with the market.

Through multiple market cycles—periods of expansion and contraction—the fundamentals of how projects are brought to market have remained largely consistent.

AI visibility does not follow that sequence.

It is not dependent on a single point of introduction, nor is it shaped by a single source. Instead, it is formed through the accumulation of signals that exist across the digital environment—each contributing to how the project is interpreted. This fundamentally changes the role of marketing.

Rather than introducing a project to the market, marketing must now ensure that the project is represented consistently before that introduction occurs. The focus shifts from timing to structure—how information is organized, how narrative is reinforced, and how signals align across sources.

At Cotton & Company, this shift reflects a broader evolution we have seen across the industry. After four decades focused exclusively on real estate development, the pattern is clear: each advancement in technology changes how buyers access information, but it does not replace the need for strategic messaging. It increases the importance of getting that structure right at the outset.

“A project may have a well-executed brand, a strong website, and a coordinated launch plan, yet still lack visibility if the project is not aligned within the broader digital context,” says [Laurie Andrews, President of Cotton & Company](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-andrews-7949307/ "Laurie Andrews LinkedIn opens in a new tab."). “Conversely, a project that establishes consistent signals early can dominate the market by laying the correct groundwork for visibility.”

Andrews captured the distinction. [Traditional marketing builds awareness over time. AI visibility establishes understanding at the point of entitlement.](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/ai-visibility-vs-traditional-seo/ "Read our point of view on AI visibility vs traditional SEO")

![Modern oceanfront residence with glass balconies overlooking a sandy beach and calm blue water.](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/olana-naples-kolter-urban-marketing-042026.webp)

## Where AI Visibility Is Established

The structure of a project’s digital presence must now account for three distinct audiences: the consumer, traditional search, and AI-driven systems. Most development teams are highly familiar with the first two. The third is where the gap exists.

[AI systems do not engage with content in the same way as a user or a search engine.](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/how-ai-is-changing-real-estate-discovery/ "Read our point of view on how AI is changing real estate discovery") They interpret, compare, and synthesize information across multiple sources. That means the way content is organized, the way narratives are layered, and the way signals are reinforced must be built with that interpretation in mind.

A website that is visually compelling and optimized for search may still fall short if it is not structured to align with how AI evaluates information. The foundation must reflect not just how a project is presented, but how it is understood.

This requires a different approach to how digital platforms are built.

“At Cotton & Company, this has led to a [re-evaluation of how digital platforms](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/ "how cotton thinks") are built from the outset,” says Sonya Pereria, Full Stack Web Developer and AI Team Lead. “The objective is not simply to create a destination for buyers to evaluate the project’s merits, but to establish a structured source of information that will be visible and interpreted consistently across AI-driven environments.”

Once that structure is established, visibility is reinforced through the coordinated introduction of supporting signals—editorial content, design narrative, and market-facing context—all aligned to the same positioning. Without that core structure, those signals remain disconnected. With it, they compound.

## Why AI Visibility Matters in Development

In luxury real estate, perception forms early and influences performance.

AI visibility accelerates that process.

Projects are now evaluated based on how they are represented across aggregated sources, not just through direct marketing. Buyers, brokers, and investors are forming opinions before engaging with a sales team, and those opinions influence how confidently they move forward.

That early perception impacts pricing, absorption, and capital exposure in ways that are not easily corrected later.

When a project is not clearly represented, the market fills in the gaps. That often results in hesitation, inconsistent understanding, and a longer path to momentum. These outcomes are often attributed to market conditions. More often, they are determined by how the project was understood at entry.

## How This Is Taking Shape in the Market

While AI visibility is a new concept, the need for early, structured visibility is not.

In projects like [SeaGlass on Jupiter Island](https://cottonco.com/works/seaglass-jupiter-island/ "Learn more about SeaGlass on Jupiter Island"), broad visibility was established early through traditional channels such as regional media, social strategy, and television, creating a level of awareness and recognition before traditional sales efforts were fully underway. The mechanism has evolved, but the objective remains the same—establishing a clear market presence before the project must rely on it.

Today, that same principle is being applied through more targeted, structured digital environments.

In Naples, projects like [Olana by Kolter Urban](https://olananaples.com/ "Learn more about Olana by Kolter Urban in Naples") are entering the market with a different challenge. While technically positioned as a condominium, the product is competing with estate-scale single-family homes along the Gulf. Visibility must be structured to align with how buyers are actually searching and evaluating options, not simply how the product is categorized.

That requires a different approach to how the project is presented, positioned, and understood across AI-driven environments.

## Where Experience and Visibility Converge

The challenge for developers is not simply adopting new tools. It is adapting to a different sequence—one where perception is formed earlier and performance is influenced sooner.

That requires a combination of deep industry experience, a clear understanding of the digital landscape, and AI-forward awareness of how consumer search behavior is evolving.

“Those disciplines rarely exist together,” said Laurie Andrews, President of Cotton & Company. “But when they do, it changes how a project performs from the outset. You’re able to recognize opportunities earlier, structure visibility with intention, and establish a position before the market defines it for you.”

That difference has a measurable impact on how a project is positioned, perceived, and ultimately performs.

To learn more about how Cotton & Company approaches AI visibility and digital strategy for real estate development, [contact our team](https://cottonco.com/contact/ "Contact Cotton and Company to learn more about AI visibility strategy").

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Why Member Perception Will Define the Success of AI in Private Clubs](https://cottonco.com/why-member-perception-will-define-the-success-of-ai-in-private-clubs/)

**Published:** April 1, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The private club industry is no stranger to evolution. From tee time systems to mobile apps and digital communications, technology has steadily improved operational efficiency and member convenience. Today, artificial intelligence is the next wave—arriving quickly and with significant promise.

From AI-powered concierge services to automated member communications, clubs are being presented with tools designed to streamline operations, reduce workload, and elevate service delivery. In many cases, they will. But there is a critical factor being underestimated in this transition—one that will ultimately determine whether AI enhances or erodes the club experience:

Member perception.

## The Acceleration of AI—and the Pressure to Act

Across the industry, AI is quickly moving from concept to consideration. Boards are asking questions. Leadership teams are evaluating platforms. Vendors are presenting solutions positioned to improve efficiency and modernize operations.

“In board-level discussions across several [top-tier clubs](https://cottonco.com/the-work/private-clubs/ "Club Projects"), AI is no longer theoretical—it’s framed as an inevitable next step,” says Laurie Andrews, President of Cotton & Company. “The question isn’t if we need to look at it, but how quickly we’ll be using it at the club. When it comes to [membership and real estate marketing](https://cottonco.com//private-club-marketing-guide/private-club-marketing-strategy/ "Private Club Marketing Strategy"), we’re on the fast track, but operationally it’s a different challenge.”

That urgency is understandable. Clubs are looking for ways to support staff, improve workflows, and keep pace with broader shifts in hospitality and luxury service. But speed introduces its own risk.

While AI can be implemented quickly, member perception evolves much more slowly—and far less predictably.

![Instructor leads four adults in a seated meditation class on mats in a bright studio.](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/cotton-ai-private-clubs-blog-040126-yoga.webp)

## The Overlooked Variable: Emotional Response

AI is typically evaluated through a functional lens—what it can automate, improve, or optimize. Members, however, experience it emotionally. For many, the introduction of AI into a high-touch environment raises a fundamental question: What happens to the personal connection?

This concern is not always explicitly stated, but it is increasingly present in conversations with both leadership and membership.

“There’s a difference between improving operations and changing the experience,” says Rob Tench, General Manager of the [Orchid Island Club](https://cottonco.com/works/orchid-island/ "Cotton project Orchid Island"). “Members may accept the first, but they are far more cautious about the second.”

That distinction is subtle—but critical.

Members are not opposed to progress. They understand the need for efficiency. But they are highly sensitive to anything that feels like a shift away from personal service.

![Four golfers practice putting on a green near a building with large windows.](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/cotton-ai-private-clubs-blog-040126-golf.webp)

## Efficiency vs. Personalized Experience: A Growing Gap

AI has the potential to dramatically improve back-end operations—scheduling, communications, [data management](https://cottonco.com/private-club-marketing-guide/ai-visibility-digital-authority/ "AI Visibility & Digital Authority"), and more. But private clubs are not evaluated on operational efficiency alone. They are judged on how members feel. A faster response time does not automatically translate to a better experience if it feels impersonal. An automated recommendation may be accurate but still lack the authenticity of a personal interaction.

“Using AI as a tool is fine, but if you lose the human touch, you lose the member,” says William Langley, founding partner of Elevated Club & Community Partners. “When that happens, what’s the difference between your club and anywhere USA?”

That question captures the core risk.

[The implementation of AI](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/ "Learn more about how we think") may be technically successful, but if it alters the perception of personal service—even subtly—it can begin to impact satisfaction in ways that are difficult to quantify.

## The New Luxury: Personalization as a Premium

As AI becomes more integrated into everyday life, true personalization will not diminish—it will become more valuable. When automation becomes standard, intentional human interaction becomes exceptional.

Knowing a member’s preferences without being prompted. Greeting them by name. Anticipating needs through genuine familiarity—these are not inefficiencies. They are the experience itself.

Clubs that recognize this will have an opportunity to elevate their positioning, not dilute it.

![Two women browse bottles in a bright beverage shop with shelves and refrigerated cases.](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/cotton-ai-private-clubs-blog-040126-shop.webp)

## A More Strategic Approach to AI Integration

The path forward is not to slow adoption, nor to resist it. AI will play an important role in the future of club operations. It can—and should—be used to [improve internal workflows](https://cottonco.com/private-club-marketing-guide/content-media-strategy-for-private-clubs/ "Content & Media Strategy for Private Clubs"), support staff, and enhance decision-making.

But how it is introduced matters.

Rather than rushing to implement highly visible, member-facing tools, many clubs are beginning to take a more measured approach:

- Starting behind the scenes, where AI can improve efficiency without altering the member experience
- Evaluating perception alongside performance, recognizing that success is not purely operational
- Communicating thoughtfully, framing AI as a support system—not a replacement for personal service
- Observing and listening, understanding how members respond over time

The goal is not simply adoption. It is alignment—between what is implemented and what is valued.

## What Lies Ahead

As AI continues to evolve, so too will expectations around how it is used within private clubs. The conversation is beginning to shift—from what these tools can do, to [how they should be introduced](https://cottonco.com/private-club-development-launch-strategy/ "Private Club Development & Launch Strategy").

Clubs that approach this transition thoughtfully will be better positioned to preserve what defines their value: relationships, familiarity, and trust. Because in the end, the success of AI in private clubs will not be defined by its capabilities—but by how it is experienced.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [What Developers Should Fix This Off-Season to Improve Sales Performance](https://cottonco.com/what-developers-should-fix-this-off-season-to-improve-sales-performance/)

**Published:** May 4, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

As the high season in Florida comes to a close, many developers are reviewing results that did not meet [expectations for Q1 2026](https://cottonco.com/sales-performance-is-not-even-what-q1-revealed-across-three-markets/ "Read Cotton & Company's Q1 2026 sales performance report across three markets"). Website traffic held relatively steady. Registrations declined. Absorption did not follow.

The default response has been to point to global uncertainty or increased competition. Those factors are real, but they do not explain performance on their own. Every developer should be asking a more direct question: what are we doing differently to reach our goals before year-end?

This is the point where most teams look to increase exposure, refine messaging, or adjust how budget is being deployed. The off-season is not simply a time to make adjustments. It is the time to evaluate what is actually happening within the sales program.

The issue is not about the creative quality of the website or branding. It is whether the current approach is aligned with where the market and technology are going.

![Six Marina Pointe smartphone mockups on a wide white background.](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/marina-pointe-mobile-website-development-blog050426.webp)

## Performance Gaps Are Being Misdiagnosed

When conversion performance softens, the instinct is to generate more leads to reach the sales objective. That assumption avoids a more important question. Why aren’t we getting more leads from the website traffic?

If a website is not converting interest into engagement, increasing traffic only increases frustration. It does not improve performance. Most teams recognize that something is off but cannot isolate it. The website appears complete. The messaging feels appropriate. The traditional tools are in place. The results suggest otherwise.

Developers are asking: what should we fix right now to improve performance before the next sales cycle? If there is uncertainty, that is the starting point, and it should be addressed now, not when the next sales cycle begins.

## Buyer Behavior Has Already Shifted

The environment has changed. Search is no longer the only driver of discovery. Buyers are engaging with information differently, often through [AI-influenced systems](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/how-ai-is-changing-real-estate-discovery/ "Learn how AI is changing real estate discovery") that shape what they see and how they evaluate options before ever reaching a website.

![Desktop monitor and tablet showing responsive luxury real estate website pages.](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/island-west-bay-digital-blog050426.webp)

At the same time, buyers are more selective in how they engage. They are less inclined to register as the information that they are seeking is often provided for them through AI. In many cases, buyers are forming opinions before ever engaging directly. The risk is not just reduced registration, it is whether the information shaping those decisions is accurate, complete, or aligned with the project.

Websites built for a different cycle are now underperforming in both AI discovery and lead conversion.

## Where Websites Are Breaking Down

This is not a design issue. It is a structural issue. Most real estate websites contain the right information, but it is not organized in a way that supports how buyers make decisions today. [Questions](https://cottonco.com/faq/ "View frequently asked questions about Cotton & Company's services and approach") are implied rather than answered directly. Content tells a story, but it often reads as sales-driven rather than authority-driven. Pages exist, but they do not work together as a system.

The result is a platform that looks complete but does not perform well with today’s AI tools. These gaps are difficult to identify internally. They are not obvious, and they are rarely flagged through surface-level review. They show up in performance.

## The Off-Season Is the Ideal Window to Fix It

The slower months create a narrow opportunity to address these issues with discipline. It is the only time where adjustments can be made without the pressure of an active sales cycle. Waiting until the market returns in the fall removes that opportunity. At that point, the structure is fixed, and teams are forced to work around it.

![Collage of a woman thinking beside a large teal question mark.](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/cotton-website-ai-visibility-decision-blog050426.webp)

A real estate website audit today is a structured evaluation of how a website supports buyer decision-making, AI visibility, and lead conversion. A meaningful evaluation goes well beyond a visual review. It requires an understanding of how the website functions across the full buyer journey and whether it aligns with current discovery behavior.

This includes how information is organized, how clearly questions are answered, how content connects across the site, and how easily both users and AI systems can interpret what is being presented.

At Cotton & Company, this evaluation is formalized through a structured audit framework developed through decades of work across active communities. The objective is not to critique individual elements, but to determine whether the system is aligned with how buyers evaluate and convert today, and where that alignment breaks down on AI visibility for developers.

## What We’re Seeing Across the Market

Across multiple developments, a familiar pattern is emerging. Teams assume their digital foundation is sound because it was built correctly at the time. When evaluated against current conditions, gaps become clear, often in areas that were not previously considered critical.

In some cases, the most valuable outcome is not the identification of known issues, but the discovery of problems that were not visible internally.

From the sales perspective, the connection between structure and performance is becoming more evident. Projects that have invested in foundational clarity are outperforming those that continue to rely on incremental marketing adjustments.

This is not a reflection of effort. It is a reflection of alignment.

What developers should fix this off-season: the most common issues identified in high-performing audits are straightforward.

- Website structure must align with buyer decision stages.
- Key questions must be answered directly, not implied.
- Content must support both [human understanding](https://cottonco.com/my-day-with-jim-furyk-just-hours-after-the-ryder-cup-call/ "Read about Cotton & Company's perspective on human understanding and real estate storytelling") and AI interpretation.
- Conversion pathways must match modern buyer behavior.

## Experience Must Lead the Technology

It is important to separate the role of technology from the role of real estate marketing experience. [AI is influencing how buyers discover and evaluate projects](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/why-serious-real-estate-marketing-treats-ai-quietly-not-loudly/ "Learn why serious real estate marketing treats AI quietly, not loudly"). It is accelerating the process, but it is not replacing strategy. The real advantage comes from how experience is applied within this environment.

Laurie Andrews, President of Cotton & Company, explains, “Over the past year, we’ve built AI-powered resource tools that integrate more than [40 years of real estate experience](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/ "Learn more about Cotton & Company's 40 years of real estate marketing experience") with today’s technology. This is not about generating content faster. It’s about understanding how information is interpreted, how credibility is established, and how visibility is earned within these systems. If our clients are not visible within AI-driven environments, they will not be visible to the consumer.”

![1000 Boulevard of the Arts website homepage with waterfront aerial hero image.](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/1000-blvd-of-the-arts-website-blog050426.webp)

Technology supports that process. It does not define it.

A comprehensive evaluation is required and a fresh perspective is valuable. It requires an honest assessment of whether the website is functioning as a sales tool or simply presenting information. If that answer is unclear, it is worth examining more closely.

The off-season will pass quickly. The market will return, and with it, increased competition and renewed buyer activity. The projects that perform best will be those that used this period to address structural issues before that pressure returns.

For developers evaluating their position, the next step is straightforward. Review the website with a critical lens. Determine whether it is aligned with how buyers discover and make decisions today. If there is uncertainty, that is the starting point.

Visit Cotton & Company to understand the [scope of work](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "Learn about Cotton & Company's scope of work and capabilities for real estate developers"), the types of projects supported, and how digital infrastructure is being approached across active developments. From there, determine whether a structured audit of your website would provide clarity on what is working, what is not, and what needs to be addressed before the next sales cycle begins.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Time Inc.’s Sports Illustrated to present Muhammad Ali Legacy Award to Jack Nicklaus](https://cottonco.com/time-inc-s-sports-illustrated-to-present-muhammad-ali-legacy-award-to-jack-nicklaus/)

**Published:** November 11, 2015
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

*Golf legend, philanthropist, businessman and global ambassador of the sport will be first to receive renamed Ali Legacy Award*

[Nicklaus.com,](https://nicklaus.com/ "Click here to learn more about Nicklaus.") November 10, 2015

Today, Time Inc.’s *Sports Illustrated* announced that Jack Nicklaus has been chosen to receive the Muhammad Ali Legacy Award. The award was created in 2008 to honor athletes and sports figures that have embodied the ideals of sportsmanship, leadership and philanthropy as vehicles for changing the world over their lifetime. Earlier this year the award was renamed the*Sports Illustrated* Muhammad Ali Legacy Award in tribute to the iconic boxer and humanitarian.

“It gives me great pleasure to know the first *Sports Illustrated* Muhammad Ali Legacy Award will be given to one of sports’ biggest living legends, Jack Nicklaus,” said Muhammad Ali. “Jack’s passion for excellence on the golf course is only surpassed by his love and passion for children and their well being. For decades, he has used his celebrity to bring awareness and support for children’s health. I can not think of a more deserving person for this special inaugural award than the Golden Bear, himself.”

Nicklaus, who this year became just the seventh athlete in history to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, is being honored for a lifetime of success and influence as one of the greatest golfers of all time. He is a record-setting champion of the sport who has also made philanthropy a central part of his legacy. He joins Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder and driving force behind the Special Olympics, and Earvin Magic Johnson, renowned entrepreneur, philanthropist and social and political activist, as Legacy Award honorees.

“There are very few in the sporting world who are more synonymous with the word ‘legacy’ than Muhammad Ali, so to have his name attached to the prestigious Legacy Award is so fitting,” said Jack Nicklaus. “He is not only known universally as the ‘Champ,’ but he has been a wonderful global ambassador for sports and our country. This is a marvelous way to honor his contributions past and present, and to ensure that generations going forward will have the opportunity to learn, respect and admire all Muhammad Ali has done for the sporting world. That is why to be the first recipient of the Ali Legacy Award is both humbling and an honor.”

The award presentation will take place during *SI’*s annual Sportsman of the Year celebration on Tuesday, December 15, in New York City. During this evening *SI* will also recognize the 2015 Sportsman of the Year and *SI Kids’* SportsKid of the Year along with other transcendent individuals from the 2015 year in sports.

Jack Nicklaus is a true champion in the world of golf and is one of the most iconic sports figures of our time. He has appeared on the cover of *Sports Illustrated* 22 times — more than any golfer — and was named *SI’*s Sportsman of the Year in 1978. In 1999 he was selected as *SI’*s Individual Male Athlete of the 20th Century.

“Jack is the ultimate ambassador for golf and the sporting world,” said *Sports Illustrated* Group Editor Paul Fichtenbaum. “From his play, which set the standard in golf for decades and is still held up as the benchmark today, to his successful business pursuits and tireless efforts to support a range of charitable causes, Jack is one of a kind. Having spent a lifetime using his celebrity and influence for philanthropic endeavors and goodwill missions while serving as an inspiration for so many people around the world, Jack represents the ideals of the Legacy Award and stands up perfectly next to the award’s namesake, Muhammad Ali.”

Nicklaus’s competitive golf career spanned five decades and includes 120 professional tournament victories worldwide and a record 18 professional major-championship titles (six Masters, five PGA Championships, four U.S. Opens, three British Opens), as well as being a five-time winner of the PGA Player of the Year Award. He has won recognition and praise for his dedication to excellence and his stewardship of the game, from personally designing close to 300 courses worldwide to his leadership in restoring golf to the 2016 Olympic Games.

Nicklaus, known as the “Golden Bear,” has used his platform over the decades to support myriad charities, most of which have focused on pediatric health care. He and his wife, Barbara, created the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, which provides pediatric services in various communities nationwide. It has raised tens of millions of dollars over the last decade, and reached a significant milestone this year when Miami Children’s Health System renamed its flagship hospital, as well as eight outpatient centers, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. He also supports a number of other pediatric care organizations, including Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. As co-chairman of the Nicklaus Companies, he has integrated give-back components benefitting these and other children’s charities in a number of products—from golf balls to wine to ice cream.

In addition to being recognized by almost every major publication in the world as the greatest golfer of the last century, other accolades and awards for Nicklaus over his lifetime include being only the 17th person in history to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal (the highest honors given to any U.S. civilian); the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award; the Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship; and being inducted, along with his wife, into the Ambassador David M. Walter International Pediatric Hall of Fame.

Nicklaus, Shriver and Johnson are the only people to be selected by *SI* to receive the Legacy Award. Shriver was the inaugural honoree in 2008, with her son Bobby accepting the award in her honor. In 2014, Johnson accepted the honor and was praised by President Bill Clinton and NBA commissioner Adam Silver. On October 1, the award was dedicated to Muhammad Ali during a ceremony that took place at the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Ky., which was attended by Ali, his wife, Lonnie, and other notable figures in the community and sports world, including George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Shaquille O’Neal and Louisville mayor Greg Fischer.

*Cotton & Company is proud to support the Nicklaus-family owned Golden Bear Realty through our strategic marketing alliance. Congratulations to Jack, Mike and the entire Nicklaus family on this well-deserved award for a lifetime of achievement.*

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus, Marketing Alliance

---

### [How Global Uncertainty Is Reshaping Real Estate Decision-Making](https://cottonco.com/how-global-uncertainty-is-reshaping-real-estate-decision-making/)

**Published:** March 20, 2026
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

As geopolitical uncertainty rises, real estate activity isn’t disappearing, it’s shifting. Developers, buyers, and capital sources are recalibrating timing, risk, and decision-making in response to a less predictable global environment.

Periods of global uncertainty tend to produce a familiar conclusion: the market is slowing. Activity softens and transactions take longer to materialize. But that interpretation is often incomplete. What appears to be a slowdown is more accurately a shift in behavior.

“Real estate demand does not disappear in uncertain environments, it becomes more deliberate,” says Laurie Andrews, President of [Cotton & Company](/faq/#what-is-cotton-and-company "Learn what Cotton & Company is"), a leading real estate marketing firm with experience across multiple cycles. “Buyers hesitate, and decisions that once moved quickly are reassessed through a lens of timing and risk.” For the Cotton team, what’s changed is not just caution—it’s optionality. Buyers no longer feel pressure to act immediately, extending decision timelines without reducing underlying demand.

The current environment has created an “urgency gap”—a widening separation between buyer interest and buyer action. In moments like this, the underlying drivers of real estate—lifestyle needs, long-term investment strategy, and demographic trends—remain largely intact. What changes is confidence.

Uncertainty introduces questions without immediate answers. How will global events impact economic stability? Will financing conditions shift? Is now the right moment to commit capital? As a result, decision-making slows—not because interest has faded, but because conviction requires more clarity.

This pattern is already visible in real-time buyer behavior. “Across the dozens of communities we represent, website activity indicates interest levels remain strong,” notes Andrews. “We continue to see consistent traffic and engagement across our digital platforms. What’s changed is urgency. Buyers are taking more time to do their homework and are less likely to enter a sales office until they feel ready to make a decision.”

This disconnect between interest and action is where many developers misread the market. Traditional indicators—contracts, conversions, and sales velocity—suggest weakening conditions. But upstream signals tell a different story. Sustained web traffic, consistent inquiry volume, and repeat engagement from qualified buyers indicate that interest remains, even as conviction is deferred. For a deeper look at how these early signals are evolving, see [how AI is already influencing luxury buyers in Florida](/reading-the-market-data-between-the-lines-how-ai-is-already-influencing-luxury-buyers-in-florida/ "Read how AI is already influencing luxury buyers in Florida").

Not all buyers respond to uncertainty the same way. Needs-based buyers continue to move forward, driven by life events and necessity. Discretionary buyers—often the majority in higher-end or second-home markets—step back and wait for clarity. This shift disproportionately impacts absorption timelines, even when overall demand remains intact.

For developers, this is where misinterpretation can create real consequences. The assumption of a softer market often leads developers to react to short-term conditions—through pricing adjustments, incentives, or delayed launches.

In reality, the buyer hasn’t exited—they’ve delayed.

Adjusting pricing too early converts a timing issue into a value issue. These reactions can erode long-term pricing integrity, particularly when they are driven by short-term perception rather than underlying fundamentals. In many cases, the issue is not demand—it is timing. And timing, unlike demand, tends to correct itself.

Periods of uncertainty do not require inactivity. They require discipline. The developers best positioned in these environments are not those who retreat entirely, but those who recalibrate their approach with clarity.

That begins with separating structural demand from temporary hesitation. If the fundamentals of a project remain sound—location, product-market fit, and target buyer profile—then strategy should reflect patience, not panic.

In uncertain markets, headline indicators—slower sales, longer timelines, fewer contracts—can suggest weakening demand. But underlying signals often tell a different story: interest remains, but conviction is delayed.

Maintaining pricing discipline is equally critical. Once pricing integrity is compromised, it is difficult to recover—even when conditions improve. At the same time, readiness becomes a strategic advantage. When uncertainty begins to resolve—as it inevitably does—activity does not gradually return. It accelerates. Buyers who delayed decisions re-enter the market, capital moves more quickly, and momentum rebuilds.

Global uncertainty does not stop real estate markets. It changes how participants behave within them. Decisions take longer. Risk is evaluated more carefully. Timing becomes less predictable. But interest remains. Demand persists. Capital stays engaged.

What appears to be a slowdown is, more accurately, a period of recalibration.

When clarity returns—and it will—the market does not restart from zero. It moves forward from where it paused. The market does not reward those who react to uncertainty. It rewards those who interpret it correctly.

## About Cotton & Company

Cotton & Company is a real estate advisory and marketing firm focused on helping developers navigate complex market conditions with clarity and precision. Through a combination of [strategic positioning, digital marketing, AI-driven visibility, and sales execution](/cotton-capabilities/ "Explore Cotton & Company capabilities and services"), the firm works with residential communities across the Southeast and nationally to drive performance while protecting long-term value. Known for its disciplined, insight-led approach, Cotton & Company leverages real-time data and buyer behavior to inform decisions that impact absorption, pricing, and overall project success. [Cotton & Company](/faq/#what-services-does-cotton-and-company-provide "Read what services Cotton & Company provides") [leverages real-time data and buyer behavior](/faq/#how-does-cotton-and-company-use-ai "Learn how Cotton uses AI") to inform decisions that impact absorption, pricing, and overall project success. [Known for its disciplined, insight-led approach](/faq/#how-does-cotton-and-company-approach-budgets "Learn how Cotton approaches budgets").

**Categories:** Press

---

### [My Day with Jim Furyk—Just Hours After the Ryder Cup Call](https://cottonco.com/my-day-with-jim-furyk-just-hours-after-the-ryder-cup-call/)

**Published:** April 28, 2026
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

There are moments in this business where timing is simply part of the job. And then there are moments where timing creates perspective you don’t plan for.

On Saturday, I spent the day with Jim Furyk at [Glynlea Country Club](https://glynleacountryclub.com/golf-course/ "Learn more about Glynlea Country Club's signature golf course"). As President of Cotton & Company, and through our work alongside the GreenPointe team, I’ve had the opportunity to engage with Jim throughout the development of the community—making the timing of this moment especially unique.

Less than 24 hours earlier, the news leaked that he had been named U.S. Ryder Cup Captain—a role that carries weight not just within golf, but across the broader landscape of leadership in the game. By the time we sat down, the news had begun to circulate. The formal press cycle had not.

In fact, as we started our conversation, he acknowledged it directly—this would be his first interview since the announcement. But the setting didn’t reflect the headline. We weren’t in a press room. We were on the course.

## Jim Furyk at Glynlea Country Club: Leadership Beyond the Announcement

Glynlea was active that day. Carts moving. Groups on the fairways. A charitable event underway in support of Cooper’s Cure, a foundation created by a local family to help support the fight against childhood cancer. The course had life to it, with passionate players supporting an amazing cause—exactly the way it was intended to.

And that contrast was immediate.

What stood out most about Jim throughout the day wasn’t the title he had just stepped into. It was how little that title changed the way he showed up. He spent time speaking to Cooper’s dad, the man behind the foundation. He engaged naturally with golfers participating in the event. He walked the course with the same focus and curiosity that has defined his involvement in the project from the beginning.

There was no shift in posture. No sense of occasion overtaking the moment. Just consistency.

## The Vision Behind Glynlea: Jim Furyk’s First Signature Golf Course

Glynlea was his first signature design. What was once a conversation between us two years ago, when it existed only as a concept, is now something tangible. Walkable. Playable. And yet challenging all at the same time.

Back then, the discussion centered around intent—what the course should feel like, who it was being designed for, and how it would fit within the broader vision of the community. Standing there now, that intent is evident.

Jim described the process as a “labor of love,” shaped over time through collaboration, iteration, and time on the ground. “We spent so much time down here… turning a two-dimensional vision into something real and working closely with the team to create something people would enjoy.”

His focus was never on creating something intimidating or overly engineered. It was about playability. Enjoyment.

That philosophy is visible in how the course is being used. As he put it, the objective was never to create something overly difficult or exclusive—it was to create something people would genuinely enjoy coming back to.

“I want folks to enjoy themselves and come out here and have a great time… The best compliment any designer can receive is that people had a great time playing the course.”

![aerial of the Glynlea Country Club Golf COurse](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/jim-furyk-conversation-blog-042726-golf-aerial.webp)

## Jim Furyk on Leading the U.S. Ryder Cup Team

The conversation inevitably turned, briefly, to the Ryder Cup. He spoke about it the way you would expect from someone who has spent decades in and around that environment—not in terms of recognition, but responsibility. Process. Preparation. The discipline required to lead a team at that level. “It’s truly an honor… my job now is to prepare, to look at every detail, and put our players in position to be successful.”

It was measured. Thoughtful. Forward-looking.

And then, just as quickly, the focus returned to the ground in front of us.

![Andrew Visual Media and Cotton and Company interview Jim Furyk on Glynlea Country CLub golf course](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/behind-the-scenes-jim-furyk-cotton-and-company-042826.webp)

## GreenPointe Developers and the Long-Term Vision Behind Glynlea

What makes that dynamic meaningful is the alignment behind it.

Glynlea is not a standalone moment. It is part of a broader, long-term vision led by GreenPointe Developers and Ed Burr—one that prioritizes thoughtful planning, disciplined execution, and communities designed to evolve over time. Jim’s involvement is not incidental to that vision. It is integrated into it.

## What’s Next: Treasure Cay and the Future of Golf Course Design

We spoke about Treasure Cay in the Bahamas, another GreenPointe project where Jim is leading the course design. Like Glynlea, it represents an opportunity to build something from the ground up—this time within a landscape that carries its own history and challenges. “We’ve already laid out the design… and I’m excited to get started.”

Having walked that property previously myself and knowing what lies ahead, we shared an understanding of what that process requires. And an appreciation for the fact that these projects are not defined by launch moments, but by how they are shaped over time.

![Collage of images of Jim Furyk Visit](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/jim-furyk-visits-glynlea-042726.webp)

## A Leadership Lesson from the Course

At some point, the broader golf world will fully catch up to the announcement.

There will be press conferences. Commentary. Analysis of what this means for the U.S. team and the road ahead. All of that is part of the role.

But what I experienced that day wasn’t about any of that. It was a look at how someone operates in the space between the headline and the work. How they engage with people when there’s no expectation attached. How they move through an environment they’ve helped create.

If there’s one takeaway from the day, it’s this: leadership doesn’t begin when the title is announced. It’s already in place long before anyone is paying attention.

It’s a reminder I’ve carried with me for years—something I see every day on a plaque in my office: *Team captains never wait to be named captain before they start leading.*

On that day, it wasn’t a concept. It was visible.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Sales Performance Is Not Even: What Q1 Revealed Across Three Markets](https://cottonco.com/sales-performance-is-not-even-what-q1-revealed-across-three-markets/)

**Published:** April 15, 2026
**Author:** Lisandra

**Content:**

As the first quarter comes to a close, much of the industry conversation has centered on uncertainty—often translating into slower absorption, extended timelines, and increased internal pressure across development teams. A closer look at active markets, however, reveals something more precise. Performance has not disappeared. It has become uneven.

Across multiple regions and product types, certain communities continue to generate meaningful sales activity—while others have slowed significantly. The difference is not geography alone, nor is it product category. It is the alignment of strategy, AI visibility, positioning, and diligent execution with what the market is responding to right now.

Three Cotton & Company managed communities, each operating in very different conditions, illustrate this pattern clearly.

![Modern residential high-rise with glass balconies, pool courtyard, cabanas, landscaped lawn, and pickleball court.](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/cotton-elyse-buckhead-kolter-urban-04152026.webp)

## Elyse Buckhead | Atlanta, Georgia

### Pre-Construction Momentum Without Physical Proof

In Buckhead, [Elyse](https://elysebuckhead.com/ "Elysée Buckhead | Luxury Residences in Atlanta") entered the market as a pre-construction offering in February, without the benefit of vertical construction or on-site visibility.

This is a challenging position under any conditions. In a market where buyers have access to a meaningful level of existing inventory, pre-construction sales activity requires a higher level of confidence—confidence in the developer, the product, and the timing of the opportunity.

Despite those dynamics, Kolter Urban’s Elyse generated strong early pre-sales, with more than $60 million in residences under contract prior to the start of construction. Groundbreaking has now commenced, reinforcing that early momentum and validating buyer conviction.

What is notable here is not just the volume, but the sequence. Demand was established before physical progress, not in response to it. This reflects a level of alignment that allowed buyers to make decisions based on clarity and confidence rather than visual confirmation.

## Boca West | Boca Raton, Florida

### Resale Market Strength Within a Controlled Environment

In Boca Raton, Boca West presents a different set of conditions altogether.

As a mature, gated community operating within the resale market, performance is not driven by new product introduction, but by sustained demand, pricing confidence, and consistency of execution over time.

Within this environment, Boca West Realty—managed by Cotton & Company—has maintained approximately 80% market share. While the broader Palm Beach County market has shown signs of softening, pricing and absorption within Boca West has continued to escalate, with record pricing recorded for several neighborhoods within the community occurring during the first quarter. This is particularly evident at the upper end of the market, including Akoya at Boca West, the newest luxury mid-rise condominiums now trading on the resale market.

 ![Aerial evening view of Boca West Country Club’s aquatics center](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/cotton-boca-west-country-club-aquatics-center-04152026.webp)

 Boca West Country Club’s Aquatics Center at dusk, featuring resort-style pools and luxury amenities.

As [Stephan Cotton](/the-agency/stephann-cotton/ "Stephan Cotton"), Managing Broker of [Boca West Realty](https://bocawest.com/ "Boca West Realty | Luxury Homes in Boca West Country Club"), notes: “What we’re seeing at Boca West is not just strong demand—it’s highly informed demand. Buyers are arriving with a clear understanding of the lifestyle, the depth of the amenities, and the overall experience before they ever step inside the community. That doesn’t happen organically at this scale. It’s the result of a sustained effort to present the lifestyle clearly and consistently—through video, editorial, and a structured approach to visibility.”

Cotton adds, “When buyers understand what makes a community different before they engage, it changes both the pace and the level of confidence behind their decisions.”

For Boca West, performance is not tied to newness, but to the deliberate creation of visibility and understanding—where the lifestyle, the experience, and the ongoing investment in the community are clearly communicated before the buyer ever engages. That level of recognition has shifted the dynamic, allowing demand, pricing, and momentum to build with greater consistency inside a defined community structure.

## Sarasota | The Quay Waterfront District

### Sustained Velocity Across Multiple Offerings

In Sarasota, performance is occurring at scale across multiple developments within The Quay Waterfront District. Recent sale[](/the-agency/laurie-andrews/ "Laurie Andrews")s activity across Kolter Urban’s two residential offerings has exceeded $80 million, with more than $46 million in sales at [The Ritz-Carlton Residences](https://www.theresidencessarasotabay.com/ "Ritz-Carlton Residences Sarasota Bay Luxury Condos"), Sarasota Bay since the start of the year, and over $37 million generated at [1000 Boulevard of the Arts](https://live1000.com/ "1000M Residences Miami Beach | Luxury Waterfront Condos") within approximately 45 days of its latest release.

![Aerial harbor view with waterfront towers, cranes, marina channels, parkland, and a long bridge over blue water.](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/cotton-sarasota-the-quay-harbor-04152026.webp)

This level of activity is outpacing a highly competitive luxury market within the same geographic environment.

According to Adam Kaufman, Senior Vice President of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty: “Buyers aren’t responding to location alone—they’re responding to momentum that’s clearly demonstrated. At The Quay, that momentum is being made visible—through how the lifestyle is presented, how construction progress is communicated, and how the ownership experience is positioned. Cotton & Company has been very deliberate in how that story is brought forward. The consistency in messaging and visual presentation is allowing buyers to understand the opportunity before they engage, which is driving both confidence and activity.”

## What This Actually Indicates

These three examples are fundamentally different:

- A pre-construction launch without physical visibility
- A mature resale community with controlled inventory
- A multi-project waterfront district generating volume across product types

Yet the outcome is consistent. Each is outperforming relative to broader market conditions. This is not coincidental. It reflects a broader pattern where performance is concentrating around communities that are aligned with how buyers are making decisions today.

As [Laurie Andrews](/the-agency/laurie-andrews/ "Laurie Andrews"), President of Cotton & Company, explains, “Buyers aren’t moving faster right now—they’re moving more deliberately. They’re taking the time to understand the community, the lifestyle, and the overall experience before they ever engage. What’s changed is how that understanding is being formed. The information they’re finding, the platforms they’re engaging with, and the consistency of what’s presented to them are all shaping their confidence.”

Andrews adds, “We’re approaching [AI visibility](/point-of-view/ "AI Perspectives That Drive Results") as a structural part of how buyers now form their understanding of a property. The information they’re seeing, the sources being surfaced, and the consistency of that presence across AI-influenced platforms are all shaping their confidence before they ever engage. Our focus is on ensuring our clients are clearly positioned within that environment. When that alignment is in place, it has a direct impact on how quickly and confidently decisions are made.”

## A More Accurate View of the Market

The current environment is not defined by uniform slowdown. It is defined by separation. Some communities are experiencing meaningful deceleration. Others are continuing to generate momentum. Understanding that distinction—and what drives it—is where strategy becomes critical.

For developers and capital partners evaluating current performance, the question is no longer simply about market conditions. It is about positioning within those conditions. This is an important moment to step back and assess what the market is actually signaling.

For developers and capital partners evaluating performance in today’s environment, understanding where momentum is occurring—and why—offers more value than broad assumptions about market conditions. Cotton & Company continues to monitor these patterns across active communities, applying that insight to positioning and execution in real time.

To explore a [portfolio](/the-work/ "Portfolio work") of current and past engagements, or to stay informed through [Cotton & Company’s ](/faq/ "Frequently Asked Questions")weekly Compendium, visit [CottonCo.com](/ "Cotton & Company Real Estate Marketing")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [INAUGURAL ISSUE OF SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE PUBLISHED](https://cottonco.com/solutions-magazine-published/)

**Published:** August 5, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

STUART, Fla. (August 1, 2019) Cotton & Company today announced the inaugural issue of its industry publication, *Solutions* magazine, hot off the press. Available to request online, the magazine gives readers and professionals an inside look at the real estate marketing industry through a unique editorial perspective.

This newly designed publication is filled with industry insights garnered by one of the top real estate marketing firms in the country. It provides educational support for digital marketing, real estate sales and more.

“Through more than 40 years of experience, Cotton & Company has continuously evolved to become the industry leader in luxury real estate marketing,” says Stephann Cotton, Founder & CEO of Cotton & Company. “The market is constantly changing, with new technologies, strategies and innovations expanding every day.”

The magazine itself will feature stories relevant to the real estate marketing world. Included are topics such as: real estate economic outlook, what the future holds for 5G, the new realm of streaming TV, how to drive sales during the construction process, the country club crisis and much more.

“We’ve learned a lot through years of working with Clients all over the world,” says Laurie Andrews, Cotton & Company’s CMO and Principal. “We’re appreciative of the opportunities we’ve been given to work on some of the top projects from around the world. Solutions magazine reveals many of the lessons we’ve learned from overcoming these challenges.”

Custom produced in Cotton’s Stuart, Florida headquarters, the publication showcases real-life examples of industry successes and developments. Hard copies are available as well as an electronic version.

\###

**Get a complimentary copy of [ *Solutions* magazine](/request-solutions-magazine/ "Click to request the magazine"), hot off the press, by filling out the form on this page.**

ABOUT COTTON & COMPANY
Cotton & Company, a luxury real estate marketing firm founded in 1983 is headquartered on Florida’s east coast. Over the past four decades, Cotton & Company has marketed more than 1,700 properties around the globe, empowering real estate sales success worldwide. The firm integrates today’s most innovative digital strategies with award-winning creative, strategic thinking and unmatched industry expertise to drive sales results.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Cotton and Company, Cotton Solutions Magazine, Solutions Magazine

---

### [5G - What does the future hold?](https://cottonco.com/5g-future/)

**Published:** August 9, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

## **So you’ve been hearing about 5G.**

You may be thinking that 5G is going to be a little faster, a little more reliable, and a little newer, but it’s actually more than that. It’s a massive innovation that’s going to change the way devices connect to the internet, and more importantly, to each other. As 5G rolls out over the next two years, it’s going to change everything that uses a wireless connection; at this point, that is pretty much everything.

So, what’s so special about a 5G future?

First of all, it’s fast. Unbelievably fast — 20 gigabits per second over wireless fast. That’s 100 to 250 times faster than 4G. By comparison, 4G provides average speeds of about 10 to 20 megabits a second. So, it’s like going from streaming one Netflix movie in HD to streaming 400 films in 8K at the same time.

But what’s more impressive is 5G’s low latency rate, or the amount of delay between the sending and receiving of information. Now, 4G tends to average about 100–200 milliseconds. To be fair, 100 milliseconds is fast; human reaction time is about 200–300 milliseconds. But 5G will get it down to 1 millisecond or less, which is almost real time.

For marketers, 5G opens the doors to exciting new opportunities. Video is the future. Consumers will become accustomed to a much more advanced website experience. No more worries about load time or the ability to stream video — the marketer’s focus will revert to creative ingenuity and strategic implementation. In the real estate industry, understanding how to combine traditional sales techniques with the new technological breakthroughs will require a team that operates in both worlds simultaneously.

Let your imagination soar.

We are.

Cotton & Company is an industry leader in the marketing, advertising, and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate. Our amazing team of digital marketing experts, creative designers, copywriters, and website developers utilize today’s technology and new media channels to stay ahead of the curve and continue to drive sales success for our real estate clients throughout the world.

**Get a complimentary copy of [ Solutions Magazine](/request-solutions-magazine/ "Click to request the magazine"), hot off the press, by filling out the form on this page.**

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** 5g future, 5G roll out, future of 5g

---

### [THE SCIENCE OF STORYTELLING](https://cottonco.com/the-science-of-storytelling/)

**Published:** August 17, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Today’s homebuyers don’t want to be “sold.” They are tech savvy people who do their homework to find the community that best meets their needs and personality. Every individual has a unique perspective, and their priorities are as varied as their personal style. The challenge is to deliver a sales message through less aggressive editorial stories that highlight the unique selling propositions of your community.

There are hundreds of engaging stories about homeowners enjoying life in exceptional ways: A new love for gardening that’s putting fresh vegetables on the table. “Bella” the cocker spaniel they met at the dog park that is now a best friends with “Barley” their rescue dog. Or perhaps a passion for photography that inspired fabulous sunrise shots over the lake. Each demonstrates happy homeowner finding inspiration in their address of choice, and each story inspires others with similar interests to consider taking a look at your community.

Internet storytelling is today’s online referral program. It’s an opportunity to create your public message and deliver it to your target market without having to engage a third party media outlet to publish your message. As with many online programs, your success is directly tied to your commitment to creating quality content.

“Many of our communities have a wide range of on-site amenities,” says Angelene McCullough, Digital Marketing Strategist at Cotton & Company. “The facilities and activities cater to diverse interests and age groups. Our marketing approach, must incorporate the same level of thoughtful planning.”

The science of storytelling goes far beyond identifying the stories and putting them on paper. In addition to reaching potential homebuyers, these stories have significant value to the search engines. Fresh content with a focused key word strategy has been given higher priority in the search algorithm. Every social media post and blog story line represents an opportunity to enhance your position on the world-wide web. The methodology requires diligent planning, consistent delivery a diverse array of topics, and a thorough understanding of today’s social a targeting tools.

Our writers integrate a keyword strategy into the story development to ensure our content is in alignment with our digital marketing foundation. These desirable keywords are repeated and imbedded into the web development code, meta tags and social marketing posts to increase the relevance of our website to search inquiries online.

According to SeachEngineLand.com, 88% of Consumers trust online reviewed as much as personal recommendations. Taking a proactive approach to engage your residents in your marketing program will pay off in the long run. Be interesting, intriguing and informative with your content, but resist the temptation to sell. You’ll build a trust with consumers and a strong internet foundation.

Cotton & Company is an industry leader in the marketing and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate. From navigating programmatic advertising to crafting an ergonomic website design, [the team at Cotton & Company](/the-agency/) does it all. Our real estate industry magazine, *Solutions*, showcases our industry insights. Sign up for a [complimentary copy of *Solutions*](/request-solutions-magazine/) magazine and see how [Cotton & Company’s experience](/the-work/) can help you solve your real estate marketing problems.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** content marketing, Digital Marketing, real estate marketing, Social Marketing

---

### [In House In Control](https://cottonco.com/in-house-in-control/)

**Published:** September 10, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

## Strategic planning between web developers, writers, media buyers, SEO specialists and social marketing teams is critical to the success of a digital program.

Today’s ever-changing digital world has made it easy for agencies to outsource services rather than stay current with the fast-paced evolution of technology. Many agencies are merely becoming marketing coordinators for programmatic media buying, website development, blog writing, search engine optimization, responsive advertising, video development and social media. But does the lack of integration impact the effectiveness of the overall program? In a word — absolutely.

Artificial intelligence has been integrated into every aspect of the digital environment. Each platform has an algorithm that is taking into account the user’s activities and engagement on other platforms. It’s when all of these elements are working together in concert that a digital program can really take off. At Cotton & Company, there is constant integration among all marketing efforts. Every component has a multipurpose use, to meet the needs of both the consumer and search engines. Under one roof, face-to-face discussions create energy and ideas. Technical solutions are found faster, cost effectiveness is monitored more closely, projects flow more fluidly, and the results are more tangible with in-depth analytics to validate our success or guide our redirection.

Cotton & Company is well known for its high standard of execution and implementation. We are responsible for the quality, timing and budget — recognizing that everything must work together to drive greater results. The only way to ensure the consistency of these efforts and to fulfill our commitments to our clients is to keep things in-house and in our control. One team marching to the beat of the same drum.

At Cotton & Company, there is constant integration among all marketing efforts.

Cotton & Company is an industry leader in the marketing, advertising, and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate. Our amazing team of digital marketing experts, creative designers, copywriters, and website developers utilize today’s technology and new media channels to stay ahead of the curve and continue to drive sales success for our real estate clients throughout the world.

**Get a complimentary copy of [Solutions Magazine](/request-solutions-magazine/), hot off the press, by filling out the form on this page.**

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** in-house marketing, marketing integration

---

### [Destination Resort Sales: The Pitfalls To Avoid](https://cottonco.com/destination-resort-sales/)

**Published:** October 1, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Resort residential real estate sold in beautiful international and island destinations sounds like a glamorous business, but it often becomes the most complicated of all real estate transactions. Understanding the laws and taxes of the destination country is only part of the battle. Understanding the reach of American law, and how it can affect your sales success, is even more important.

Developers often celebrate when they secure the best hospitality brand for their property, and later learn the limitations and restrictions that surface due to the brand affiliation. Most of the world’s premiere hospitality firms are based in the United States and will require strict compliance with SEC and HUD regulations. Access to databases and cross-marketing tools is often limited unless it has been addressed as a part of the initial negotiations. Individual states also have stringent protections in place, and liability can shift from the developer to the sales team or hospitality company if it has ties to the United States.

If you’re heading overseas to do business, take someone with you who has been there before. Those picturesque beaches have mesmerized more than a few developers into difficult business situations. Cotton & Company will help you, and your buyers, navigate to paradise.

Cotton & Company has worked with many of the world’s top hospitality brands such as Hyatt®, Westin, Rosewood, Canyon Ranch, The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, Noble House Hotels & Resorts, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, and Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts.

An industry leader in the marketing and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate, the team at Cotton & Company does it all. Our real estate industry magazine, *Solutions*, showcases our industry insights. Sign up for a [complimentary copy of *Solutions* magazine](/request-solutions-magazine/ "Request a copy of Solutions magazine") and see how Cotton & Company’s experience can help you solve your real estate marketing problems.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** destination resort sales, real estate sales, resort sales

---

### [Boca West CC Opens New Realty Company, Renews Tennis Partnership](https://cottonco.com/boca-west-opens-new-realty-company/)

**Published:** October 8, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

From: Club and Resort Business
By Joe Barks | October 3, 2019

Boca West Country Club in Boca Raton, Fla. has opened Boca West Realty, a new company that will focus exclusively on the private residential club community, and be located on site within the club’s new Golf & Activities Center.

Boca West Realty will also work with outside brokers to facilitate the demand for the wide range of luxury properties in 55 distinct villages.Managing Broker Stephann Cotton and Director of Sales Glen Trotta will oversee daily operations and the expanded services.

The company will be supported by an advanced digital and traditional marketing campaign showcasing the club lifestyle and maintenance-free properties at Boca West. The program will target the influx of buyers to South Florida from the northeastern United States, Canada, and Europe.

“Buyers are flocking to Boca Raton to enjoy the luxurious lifestyle and weather while escaping high taxes in the Northeast and overseas,” said Cotton. “We are also seeing a demand from buyers from Miami-Dade and Broward \[counties\] who are looking for great schools, lower property taxes, and a higher quality of life.

“With homes ranging from under $300,000 to more than $2 million, there is something for nearly every buyer,” Cotton added. “It’s a matter of personal preference between single family homes, villas, townhomes, condominiums, and the new ultra-luxe residences at Akoya.”

Boca West Realty’s sales team will market the properties through a comprehensive digital and lead generation program. A new Boca West Realty website and a custom-published lifestyle magazine will ensure the Boca West story is appropriately conveyed to buyers, outside brokers and realtors.

“We are the first club in the area to benefit from a marketing initiative of this magnitude,” said Matthew Linderman, CCM, Boca West CC’s President and COO. “Boca West Realty is a great asset for buyers from around the world, as well as for sellers within the club and Boca West Realty is being led by two of the most recognized names in South Florida realty.”

Cotton has more than 40 years of industry experience and established Cotton & Company in Stuart, Fla. in 1983 as a sales and marketing firm, specializing in residential and resort real estate. Over the past 30 years, the firm has represented over 1,700 prestigious communities throughout the United States and the Caribbean.

Trotta has more than 20 years of experience in executive roles as the driver of sales/marketing and managing real estate broker for leading national and Florida real estate developers and homebuilders. Throughout his career, he has generated $4 billion in sales with more than 20,000 closed properties.

Cotton and Trotta will be supported by associates Simone Talaia, who joins Boca West Realty from Signature International Realty in Delray Beach, Fla. and Debra Segal, previously with Toll Brothers and SOBELCO, Residences at Banyan Cay in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Boca West CC also announced that it has renewed its long-time partnership with the Evert Tennis Academy, through which the academy’s rising tennis stars and scholars are able to train at Boca West, which has 30 Har-Tru Hydro courts, a U.S. Open Cushion Court, a Tennis Center with stadium seating and eight pickleball courts.

Throughout the year, the two organizations plan joint events, including exhibitions and luncheons with tennis legend Chris Evert.

“We admire the Evert Academy and its commitment to not only tennis but academics,” said Linderman. “Boca West Tennis Director John Joyce has been instrumental in building this collaboration, and we are so proud of his work and our help in fostering these rising tennis stars.”

Added John Evert, the academy’s Director: “We are delighted to renew our partnership with Boca West Country Club. Our students are thrilled to train at such a world-class facility \[and\] the incredible team at Boca West shares our commitment to excellence.”

Evert Academy alums include Andy Roddick, Madison Keys, Jesse Levine, Peng Shuai, and many more.

\###

You can read the original article by Club and Resort Business here: http://bit.ly/2IkGVFM

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Boca West, Boca West Country Club Realty, Boca West Realty

---

### [From Dublin With Love: Barry Kinsella, Master Photographer](https://cottonco.com/barry-kinsella-photographer/)

**Published:** October 10, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

For over four decades, Cotton & Company has worked with top industry professionals to capture unforgettable images that tell a story without ever speaking a single word, images that transport viewers to a place they can only imagine, a place they aspire to be. Team Cotton wouldn’t be who we are without these talented industry professionals.

It’s with deep appreciation and gratitude that we celebrate the legendary career of a colleague who is one of a kind. Barry Kinsella, born in Dublin, Ireland, has been a cherished partner of Team Cotton almost from the beginning. His avid interest in the Soviet Union, along with his personal enthusiasm for travel, allowed him to photograph the sites of some of the world’s most historic events. Having won the Ilford (UK) prize for black-and-white photography, he often longs for the aroma of developer, stop bath and fixer — the requisite darkroom chemicals — and long nights creating beautiful silver gelatin prints while imbibing a great Cognac.

For those who have had the privilege to work alongside this true artisan, we say “Thank you, Barry Kinsella.” You’ve been a true friend and mentor and will always be a member of the Cotton & Company family. Cheers!

Cotton & Company is a real estate and destination resort industry leader in the marketing and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate. From navigating programmatic advertising to crafting an ergonomic website design, [the team at Cotton & Company](/the-agency/ "Learn more about Cotton & Company") does it all. Our real estate industry magazine, *Solutions*, showcases our industry insights. Sign up for a [complimentary copy of *Solutions*](/request-solutions-magazine/ "Request a copy of Solutions magazine") magazine and see how [Cotton & Company’s experience](/the-work/ "See Cotton & Company's Work") can help you solve your real estate marketing problems.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Barry Kinsella, Team Cotton

---

### [The Country Club Conundrum](https://cottonco.com/the-country-club-conundrum/)

**Published:** October 10, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

After decades of land developers creating gated Country Club communities, a new phenomenon turned the Country Club world upside down. In the 1970s and ‘80s, when these communities were created, no one could foresee a future when living in a highly amenitized community could be detrimental to the value of your home. Fast-forward the post–economic downturn to find a similar scenario facing Clubs across the country:

- Consumers are much more sensitive to the carrying costs of real estate assets
- Club amenities are dated or not up to the high standards of the emerging market
- Realtors are selling houses, avoiding the costly extras of Country Club communities
- The gates are locked, keeping potential homebuyers away
- Baby Boomers have replaced the Silent Generation, playing less golf, focusing on health and fitness, seeking fewer rules and more diverse experiences
- Home values are depressed as aging members unload their assets late in life
- The homes are outdated, requiring major renovations homebuyers are reluctant to make
- The Developer is long gone and no one is promoting the value of the Club lifestyle

All of these adjustments in County Club fundamentals are having a major impact on these Clubs’ view of the future. Long-term solutions must be enacted to fund new marketing programs and to ensure the future financial viability of Country Clubs. The difficult task of pivoting the focus to the needs of the emerging market must be balanced with the needs of the existing membership. The Clubs must take control of their destiny by completely auditing their membership documents, amenity plans, product design, renovation programs, marketing strategies and real estate sales operations.

Since its inception in 1983, [Cotton & Company](/the-agency/ "Learn more about Cotton & Company") has established itself as a leader in the advertising and sales of luxury real estate, including Country Club communities. In the firm’s 40 years, they’ve encouraged the real estate success of their clients worldwide. By engineering digital strategies with creative insight and unmatched industry expertise, they’ve been able to drive the sales results of some of the biggest names in luxury real estate. [Request a complimentary copy of Solutions magazine](/request-solutions-magazine/ "Request a copy of Solutions magazine") here and see how they’ve been empowering the sales success of more than 1,700 properties.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Country Club communities, luxury real estate

---

### [The Making of Kolter.com - Documenting Decades of Achievement](https://cottonco.com/the-making-of-kolter-com/)

**Published:** December 10, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

The Kolter Group is among the most accomplished private real estate investors in the Southeast, with many high-profile projects from the Carolinas to South Florida. Having quietly sold more than $14 billion in real estate, the powerhouse firm is well known in industry circles, yet widely underestimated by the general public. Recently, Kolter’s humble CEO, Bobby Julien, decided it was time to showcase the company’s substantial accomplishments by developing a new online presence at Kolter.com.

The Kolter Group wanted to showcase its work on one website, ensuring that its five affiliate entities were united in execution of the overall brand positioning. These five affiliate businesses, Kolter Urban, Kolter Homes, Kolter Financial Services, Kolter Hospitality and Kolter Land, allow the company to adapt to market changes and choose investments on a selective basis.

As a long-term marketing partner for the firm, Cotton & Company was enlisted to develop and redesign Kolter.com. The new website provides a visual experience through the use of video and photography that creates an easy-to-navigate user interface and showcases some of Kolter’s best work. A custom-built portfolio houses projects from four different divisions and has two layers of filter options. It was also important to highlight the Kolter leadership team. Cotton & Company facilitated professional headshots for each division in order to have a cohesive and clean leadership page design.

Since its inception in 1983, [Cotton & Company](/the-agency/ "Learn more about Cotton & Company") has established itself as a leader in the advertising and sales of luxury real estate, including Country Club communities. In the firm’s 40 years, they’ve encouraged the real estate success of their clients worldwide. By engineering digital strategies with creative insight and unmatched industry expertise, they’ve been able to drive the sales results of some of the biggest names in luxury real estate. [Request a complimentary copy of Solutions magazine](/request-solutions-magazine/ "Request a copy of Solutions magazine") here and see how they’ve been empowering the sales success of more than 1,700 properties.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** kolter group, luxury real estate

---

### [Private Clubs Scramble to Address Emerging Market Demands for Spa & Wellness Lifestyle](https://cottonco.com/private-clubs-address-demands-for-spa-wellness-lifestyle/)

**Published:** January 8, 2020
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

One of the most important amenity expansions the Club could undertake as wellness continues to be a key driving factor for our market. You’ll see below, that technology often leads to lifestyle changes. In the case of health and wellness, it’s been a game-changer. The emerging market ranks this among its top priorities when selecting a home. Here are a few insights we wanted to share:

## **Trends that Make Wellness a Top Priority**

PSYCHOGRAPHIC SHIFT: Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials are ALL focused on wellness: nutrition, longevity, disease prevention, stress reduction, and alternative medicines. They are dedicated to wellness, devoting time and money to exercising, and eating right. This is a long-term shift in psychographics, not a short-term fade.

STAY COMPETITIVE: Competition for market share among Clubs is increasing with a smaller audience. Competitors are updating constantly, and spa/fitness are among the top priorities. It’s necessary to evolve to remain competitive.

TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES WELLNESS FOCUS: Technology is driving the Wellness Focus: When the Apple Watch was first announced in late 2014, the public’s reaction was, “Why?” Why do I need a mini phone on my wrist when my phone is in my pocket? Now, five years later, the answer is clear: Thanks to rapid advances in technology, the Apple Watch and other wearable fitness trackers aren’t so much mini smartphones as they are personalized health-care devices, arming users with easy-to-digest snapshots of their activity and recovery data in order to optimize their health and wellness. And in 2020, new gadgets, features, and health-care applications for this tech will reach more people than ever before.

TOTAL LIFESTYLE IMMERSION: Total lifestyle immersion is trending in both Clubs and hospitality. Wellness extends to the food and beverage program, integrating specialty diets and nutritional value into the menus. Spa, fitness, events and dining staff should work hand-in-hand to create a total lifestyle approach at private clubs.

WELLNESS REAL ESTATE: According to The Global Wellness Institute, more and more of us are considering proximity to wellness facilities when looking for a place to live. This has sparked an emerging trend of ‘wellness real estate’: private clubs focused around ensuring optimal health among residents

WELLNESS TRAVEL: Wellness will continue to dominate the travel industry, with retreats due to become even more niche. Health and Fitness Travel predict there will be an increase in things like “pain moons” (anti-honeymoons following a bad experience), divorce retreats, and sugar detox holidays. Meanwhile airlines and airports will be working to make flying healthier, with new health and wellness programs being implemented to combat long travel times, disrupted sleep and stress, according to The Global Wellness Institute.

NATURE WELLNESS: In its 2019 report, The Global Wellness Summit highlighted the increasing interest surrounding the health benefits of being in nature. This is in part due to shifting demographics: while in 1950 around 30 percent of the world’s population lived in urban areas, by 2018 that figure rose to 55 percent, and it’s predicted that by 2050 68 percent of us will. More people are living in settings with little or no nature, and they have a new appreciation for it. Forest bathing, a Japanese practice which simply means immersing yourself in a forest setting, is one of this year’s biggest buzzwords, with many wellness retreats including it in programs. Interest in surrounding plants, flowers and gardening has surged.

HOLISTIC LIFESTYLE PRACTICES: More people are adopting holistic practices into their everyday lives. New spa trends show a new level of emphasis:
• Wellness is becoming more family-friendly, with children being encouraged to be active from a young age. We’re seeing an increase in digital apps designed to teach children about mindfulness, while family members clubs now offer kindness classes for children.
• IV Drips Americans have long been using IV drips to boost immunity. Wellness and lifestyle clubs have also added IV drips to their repertoire, featuring detoxifying, anti-aging, anti-oxidizing and hydrating therapies alongside booster intramuscular shots – all of which can be enjoyed while watching tranquil scenes via a VR headset. Designed to recharge the system, IV drips can help tackle everything from jet lag to stress to aging to hangovers, or simply to give your body a reboot before a holiday or big event.

GOLF ISN’T ENOUGH ANYMORE: “Our focus is all on the golfing guest,” says Steve Harker, Disney Golf, which offers 81 holes of golf on four 18-hole championship courses and a 9-hole family-play course. “There are so many choices to make when picking a golf course to play on, so we know we have to do things to cultivate a relationship with each golfer.” While convenient for guests, spa services are being integrated with golf resorts to stay on top of the trends to remain competitive, win customers and hold on to them.

For Country Club managers facing real estate and marketing challenges, Cotton & Company’s experienced team is ready to develop a program that resonates with the emerging market. With membership sales and real estate often going hand in hand, the Cotton Solution provides cost-effective methodology to create new interest in aging communities. Additional case studies are showcased in [Solutions](/request-solutions-magazine/ "Click here to get your copy of Solutions Magazine") magazine. Sign up for the Cotton Compendium to stay updated on news relative to the real estate and private club industries.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Cotton & Company, luxury real estate, Private communities, Wellness lifestyle

---

### [Where Creativity Is Recognized](https://cottonco.com/where-creativity-is-recognized/)

**Published:** March 14, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

In Café Cotton, the work is part of the environment. Not positioned as a statement, not introduced with explanation, just present. Integrated into the space the same way conversations, strategy, and daily operations move through it. On one wall, a piece draws attention slowly. Not because it demands it, but because of how it’s built.

![Two women serving food from buffet table with sandwiches and salad](/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/cotton-creativity-recognized-blog-032626-food.webp)

From a distance, it reads as structure. Color, form, composition. As you move closer, the detail reveals itself—thousands of individual marks, placed deliberately. A mosaic of homes, organized within a larger framework, anchored by the Cotton & Company name and mission. Every element intentional. Every section contributing to a larger whole.

The work required more than 100 hours to complete. Each mark created using a pencil eraser. A process defined by repetition, control, and patience. There is no shortcut in that method. It reflects discipline as much as creativity.

What is less obvious—until it is known—is that the artist is part of the team.

![artist posing in front of her artwork](/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/cotton-creative-art-033026.png)

The piece was not sourced externally. It was commissioned from within the company, created by a member of the digital marketing team Natasha Sworldlove. Not as a side project or informal contribution, but as a deliberate decision to invest in a capability that already existed inside the organization.

That decision did not end with a single piece. A second, larger work, focused on Stuart, Florida, was later commissioned. More complex in scale, requiring over 250 hours to complete. The progression was not incidental. It reflected confidence in both the work and the individual behind it.

For the artist, the impact was direct. The opportunity to create under that level of trust changed how the work was viewed, and how it was approached. Confidence followed. So did a clearer sense that creativity was not separate from the role held within the company but supported alongside it. That distinction matters.

In many organizations, creativity is treated as a function. Contained within specific roles, departments, or outputs. Here, it is recognized as part of how people think, solve problems, and contribute, regardless of title.

Leadership does not frame this as a program or initiative. It is a pattern of behavior. When capability is identified, it is supported. When it adds value, it is used. The outcome is not positioned as culture, it becomes evidence of it.

![People dining together in modern café with mosaic wall art](/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/cotton-creativity-recognized-blog-032626-cafe.webp)

The result is visible, but not performative.

The work remains on the wall in Café Cotton. It does not need explanation. It reflects a way of operating—one where creativity is acknowledged, invested in, and given room to develop within the structure of the business.

For those who spend time in the space, it becomes part of the environment. For those encountering it for the first time, it offers a quieter understanding of how the company works.

Not through statement, but through action.

If you’d like to learn more about Cotton & Company and how the firm approaches its work, you can explore further at [CottonCo.com](/faq/ "Cotton and Company Homepage").

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Your Smartphone Knows You Best](https://cottonco.com/your-smartphone-knows-you-best/)

**Published:** December 10, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Your smartphone has become a part of your DNA. You carry it with you wherever you go. It knows where you are headed before you do. How? Your phone is constantly sending out a device ID. That ID is being recorded and matched with your personal profile. That personal profile includes your connection to other devices such as laptops or computers. Together, we can track your spending patterns, your travel habits, what you watch, what you read and who you are connected to. We know your net worth, your age and where you ate dinner last Friday night. It may be scary, but it’s a new world, where data and identity solution companies are in the driver’s seat. It’s changing the way we advertise in every aspect of media, including print, outdoor and broadcast.

A variety of new targeting strategies are now available, and soon some will be taken away. Facebook will be scaling back its targeting for Real Estate Developers due to the Federal Fair Housing laws, while the rest of the open internet is rolling full speed ahead, using artificial intelligence combined with massive databases.

- Location-based geofencing for events, competitors or site-specific locations
- Contextual Targeting using third-party data segments that incorporate the type of content users are browsing online
- Demographic targeting based on specific user profile data, behaviors and interests
- Re-targeting to reengage users through Google Ads, Facebook, broadcast and other programmatic platforms

All of this targeting can be executed using video, native, static or animated banners. Programmatic incorporates data and online targeting methods to serve impressions more accurately, efficiently and at scale, which means better return on investment (ROI) for advertisers.

Since its inception in 1983, [Cotton & Company](/the-agency/ "Learn more about Cotton & Company") has established itself as a leader in the advertising and sales of luxury real estate, including Country Club communities. In the firm’s 40 years, they’ve encouraged the real estate success of their clients worldwide. By engineering digital strategies with creative insight and unmatched industry expertise, they’ve been able to drive the sales results of some of the biggest names in luxury real estate. [Request a complimentary copy of Solutions magazine](/request-solutions-magazine/ "Request a copy of Solutions magazine") here and see how they’ve been empowering the sales success of more than 1,700 properties.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Cotton and Company, Digital Marketing, personal profile, programmatic

---

### [4 Important Trends to Real Estate Buyers Right Now](https://cottonco.com/4-important-trends-to-real-estate-buyers-right-now/)

**Published:** July 29, 2020
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Real estate sales are heating up as buyers’ needs and wants are being forced to adapt to ever changing lifestyles during a time of uncertainty in the nation. Family’s needs have shifted as they place more importance on homes, and there are four priorities that stand out now more than ever.

**SPACE**
All this time families are spending at their homes has brought a new sense of awareness that their current home may not be large enough for all the purposes it’s being asked to serve right now and in the future. Remote work situations have given them the advantage of migrating somewhere they have always wanted to live based on their desires versus proximity to their workplace.

Baby boomers have longed to retire to warmer climates and the current situation is encouraging them to move away from big cities with space restrictions. Studies have been showing shown that more than 1.12 million 23–30-year-olds moved “back home” since February 2020 increasing the need for more space. Additionally, with millennials being the largest growing population in the country and their families expanding larger houses are needed to accommodate kids.

With shared amenity centers being less accessible or a safety concern, homeowners are finding home gyms are essential to house bulky fitness gear like Pelotons, elliptical machines, treadmills, and heavy weights. Balconies, large roof decks, sundecks are not just nice to haves in condominium facilities but priorities as a place to spread out and get some fresh air. Couples are finding they can bring the vacation experience home by expanding their living space to the backyard by building their own tropical resort style oasis with summer kitchens, hot tubs, and more.

**SECURITY**
Your home is one of the biggest investments you will most likely make in your lifetime. On the top of list of priorities feeling safe in your neighborhood is going to be one of the biggest requirements. Buyers will want to make sure that security has been taken into consideration in the neighborhood they choose and that crime rates are low.

This is an incredible opportunity for gated communities and country clubs as their communities are highly attractive for those seeking refuge in the comforts of a calm and safe environment where neighbors are part of their everyday social lives. Industry experts have recently re-imagined suburban country club models with shared amenities for future generations as some homebuyers were losing interest. But as a result of social distancing measures the suburban club model has become all the more appealing to buyers. It offers them everything at their fingertips without having to leave the comfort of their neighborhood, from an active lifestyle to dining. Additionally, private community residents have the peace of mind of being well taken care of with private gates and manned secure entrances.

**TAXES**
There are so many variables to consider when purchasing a home and the cost of living factor is definitely top of mind when making home buying decisions. There are several tax advantages to home ownership which makes buying a home more popular than renting. Mortgage interest and property tax deductions can result in significant refunds to buyers. Income taxes range drastically from state-to-state and property taxes range from city-to-city. With the growing trend of working from home, buyers are not only looking for where they can better their lifestyle, but also where they can spend or save their money. With high taxes in places like New York and California and zero state income taxes in places like Florida, Alaska or Texas, many homebuyers are more interested in the lower cost of living and tax benefits from making these states their primary residences.

**HEALTH & WELLNESS**
Baby Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials are committed to nutrition, exercise, and wellness. And now in response to the rapid rise of remote and freelance work, the sharing economy, and mounting issues of work-life balance ample wellness programming along with amenities that promote an active lifestyle are in high demand. Additionally, this translates to a variety of unique on-site services focused on health and wellness from the standard on-site dining establishments serving take home gourmet organic meals with home grown produce and herbs to personalized nutrition planning, weight loss coaching, IV Therapies, sports medicine, stretching, at home spa therapies and more.

“Shifting buying preferences produces amazing opportunities for builders, realtors and developers right now”, says Karen Cantor, Executive Vice President, Cotton & Company. “They can definitely capitalize on this growing consumer interest in larger residences, more amenities, cost savings, and the desire for healthier living. Whether it’s a first-time homebuyer or a wealthy vacation homebuyer, all buyers are adjusting to this new world as a result of the pandemic, and the real estate industry must evolve to keep up with this ever-changing marketplace.”

Cotton & Company is an industry leader in the marketing, advertising, and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate. Our amazing team of digital marketing experts, creative designers, copywriters, and website developers utilize today’s technology and new media channels to stay ahead of the curve and continue to drive sales success for our real estate clients throughout the world.

To stay up to date with the latest real estate industry news and trends [subscribe to our Weekly Cotton Compendium E-Newsletter](https://cottonco.com/contact/) and [download the latest Cotton Solutions Magazine.](https://cottonco.com/request-solutions-magazine/)

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** baby boomer homebuyers, real estate buyer needs, real estate sales trends, real estate targeting, real estate trends, shifts in homebuyer preferences, trends in real estate

---

### [3 Things Real Estate Marketers Can Learn From Black Friday](https://cottonco.com/3-things-real-estate-marketers-can-learn-from-black-friday/)

**Published:** November 24, 2015
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Black Friday has recently become a tradition during the holiday season. The same approach that so many retailers use when marketing Black Friday can be applied to marketing a home or community.

**AWARENESS**

This is an essential first step that retailers use during Black Friday. Is there a single person who doesn’t know what Black Friday is, or what stores are selling? Real estate marketers need to show their target market that an opportunity exists. Newspaper ads, open houses, and direct mail are all effective ways to get the word out that your product is available.

**ONLINE PRESENCE**

Even a successful event like Black Friday, had to find its online presence. Retailers learned to capitalize on the Internet with online advertising. Since the real estate market has come back from a recent economic slow down, it has also had to find its online presence. Real estate marketers should recognize the importance of the Internet and social media in today’s society. Through channels such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn and digital strategies such as pay per click and paid post engagnment, the reach of your product can triple.

**CALL-TO-ACTION**

During Black Friday, the call to action is very clear and portrays urgency. On the contrary, the real estate industry tends to have a longer lead-time for buyers. Similarly to how retailers market products, real estate marketers need a clear call to action to get people to take that next step whether it is a call, visit or purchase. To do this, Black Friday retailers showcase the products’ unique selling points. Your home or community should present its unique selling points as well. Is it a breathtaking waterfront view? Is it endless entertaining possibilities? Whatever that special feature, it should be showcased.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** baby boomer real estate, baby boomer trends, Black Friday Real Estate, developing real estate for baby boomers, real estate trends

---

### [3 Baby Boomer Real Estate Myths Busted](https://cottonco.com/3-baby-boomer-real-estate-myths-busted/)

**Published:** December 8, 2015
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

The generation born following World War II has had a major impact on the U.S. economy and housing market over the past several decades, and the next decade will be no di­fferent as baby boomers enter their golden years. But don’t expect this generation to stick to the script when it comes to retirement and housing decisions. The new Merrill Lynch/Age Wave survey, Home in Retirement: More Freedom, New Choices, turns conventional wisdom on its head.

- **Living in downsized homes -condos, rental apartments and houses smaller than where they lived before?**

Not every boomer wants to sell their home and move to a condo. “About half of people we surveyed didn’t downsize at all when they moved,” said AgeWave President and CEO Ken Dychtwald. Many Boomers are going larger so their children and grandchildren can visit for extended periods of time.

- **Living around only people their age?**

No thank you. Roughly 67% of people 65 and older said they prefer neighbors of diverse ages and generations. Turns out, only 7% of retirees today live in age-restricted communities. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate President and CEO Sherry Chris said, “Boomers want diversity now; they want to live with people of all ages.”

- **Living in homes they’ve settled for?**

Quite the contrary. Two thirds of retirees surveyed said they’re living in the best homes of their lives. And if they don’t like the homes they’re in, they’ll find a place they like better. When the boomers were younger, they often had to live where they could get their kids to school or commute to work. “Now they’re free from those anchor points and can live where and how they want,” said Dychtwald.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media

**Tags:** digital and social marketing for luxury real estate, real estate marketing

---

### [How Cotton & Company Built a Super Bowl Marketing Campaign in Five Days Using AI](https://cottonco.com/how-cotton-company-built-a-super-bowl-marketing-campaign-in-five-days-using-ai/)

**Published:** February 20, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

When GreenPointe Developers approached Cotton & Company with a last-minute opportunity for Super Bowl exposure, the timeline was immediate and the challenge was clear: promote both Glynlea and Wylder in just five seconds of airtime.

Not a 30-second brand film.
Not a traditional commercial.
Five seconds — during the most competitive advertising event in the world.

The question became: How do you build a Super Bowl-worthy marketing campaign in five days — and make five seconds matter?

The answer required more than a television spot. It required a fully [integrated marketing strategy ](/cotton-capabilities/ "Strategic Marketing Services")accelerated by AI.

![Goldendoodle on leash near Glynlea Country Club sign](/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/cotton_ai_social_media_reel_concepts-02192026.webp)

## Engineering a 15-Second Story Told in Three Chapters

Rather than producing a single five-second ad, we designed a 15-second narrative arc delivered in three separate five-second placements throughout the Super Bowl broadcast.
Each chapter had a purpose:

- The first sparked curiosity.
- The second escalated tension through humor.
- The third delivered resolution and drove action.

This staggered approach transformed short-form video advertising into a cohesive storytelling experience. Instead of repetition, we focused on progression — building audience engagement across multiple touchpoints during the broadcast.

Designing for the Super Bowl requires understanding attention psychology. Viewers expect entertainment. They reward escalation. And they respond to stories that feel intentional.

![Goldendoodle in referee shirt beside football graphic](/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/cotton_superbowl_creative_graphics_ai_visuals.webp)

## Why Character Strategy Was Critical to Campaign Continuity

To create cohesion across fragmented placements, we developed a unifying brand character: Lucie.

Lucie was named after Port St. Lucie — the home of both communities — and was designed to embody the warmth, friendliness, and energy of the region. She became the referee in a playful debate between two people deciding whether to move to [Glynlea Country Club](/works/glynlea-country-club/ "Glynlea Country Club Branding & Campaign by Cotton & Company") or Wylder.

## This character-driven marketing approach solved multiple challenges at once:

- Unified two communities in one narrative
- Allowed humor without negative brand comparison
- Created continuity across broadcast placements
- Built a long-term campaign asset

Lucie was not a temporary mascot. She was strategic narrative infrastructure.

## Building an Integrated Marketing Ecosystem Beyond Broadcast

The Super Bowl placements were only one layer of a broader, multi-channel marketing campaign.

In five days, Cotton & Company executed:

- A dedicated interactive landing page at PickOurHome.com
- A coordinated email marketing rollout introducing Lucie in advance
- A strategic social media campaign positioning Lucie as a rising “sports personality”
- Broadcast creative deployed in three phases
- A long-term character platform designed for future activations

This integrated marketing strategy ensured the campaign extended beyond game day. The broadcast moments generated awareness, while digital channels captured engagement and sustained momentum.

Modern marketing success requires orchestration — not isolated tactics.

## How AI Accelerated the Creative Process

AI did not replace creative thinking in this campaign. It enhanced execution speed and reduced production friction.

Under a five-day deadline, AI-enabled workflows allowed us to:

- Rapidly test narrative directions
- Refine script variations
- Align messaging across broadcast, social, and email simultaneously
- Maintain tone consistency across platforms
- Compress traditional production timelines without sacrificing strategy

AI in marketing is most powerful when used as an accelerator — not a shortcut. By removing mechanical bottlenecks, our team focused on high-level creative decision-making.

This balance between human insight and AI-driven efficiency is increasingly essential in modern brand storytelling.

![Goldendoodle referee promoting Port St. Lucie homes](/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/superbowl_TV_cotton_ai_creative-02192026.webp)

## The Bigger Lesson: What Five Seconds Can Teach About Modern Marketing

What can you accomplish in five seconds?

If treated as an isolated ad placement, very little.

If treated as the entry point into an integrated campaign ecosystem, quite a lot.

In five days, Cotton & Company built:

- A Super Bowl marketing campaign
- A character-based storytelling platform
- A digital engagement hub
- A multi-channel rollout strategy
- A scalable brand asset for future campaigns

The agencies that will lead in the next decade will not be those who use AI the loudest. They will be the ones who integrate it intelligently — preserving human creativity while accelerating execution.

At Cotton & Company, we view this campaign not as a single achievement, but as a model for modern marketing agility.

Because sometimes the most powerful brand stories begin with just five seconds.

![Referee dog beside suitcase and football with QR code](/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/cotton_wylder_ai_character_lucie_superbowl_tv.webp)

## Frequently Asked Questions

**How do you build a Super Bowl marketing campaign in five days?**
Building a Super Bowl campaign under a tight deadline requires rapid creative iteration, integrated cross-channel planning, and AI-assisted workflow acceleration to reduce production friction while maintaining strategic clarity.

**How can AI accelerate marketing campaigns?**

AI accelerates marketing campaigns by enabling faster concept testing, refining messaging variations, aligning multi-channel content, and compressing traditional production timelines without sacrificing creative quality.

**What is an integrated marketing strategy?**

An integrated [AI-powered marketing strategy](/how-cotton-company-integrates-ai-into-sales-driven-marketing/ "AI Integration in Marketing at Cotton & Company") coordinates broadcast, digital, social media, email, and web experiences into a unified campaign ecosystem designed to reinforce messaging and extend audience engagement beyond a single placement.

**Why is short-form video advertising effective?**

Short-form video advertising is effective because it delivers concise, high-impact messaging that captures attention quickly while encouraging follow-up engagement through digital touchpoints.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [AI-Driven Marketing Reshapes Florida Luxury Real Estate Development](https://cottonco.com/ai-driven-marketing-reshapes-florida-luxury-real-estate-development/)

**Published:** February 26, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Published by [Steve Marcinuk, Key Crew Journal](https://keycrew.co/journal/ai-driven-marketing-reshapes-florida-luxury-real-estate-development/ "AI-Driven Marketing Reshapes Florida Luxury Real Estate Development")

Florida’s luxury residential development market is undergoing rapid change as artificial intelligence (AI) alters how buyers search for, evaluate, and select properties. This shift comes as the market moves past the pandemic-driven buying surge into a more stable, measured pace, forcing developers and marketers to adapt quickly or risk losing ground.

Laurie Andrews, President of [Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton & Company – Real Estate Digital Marketing Agency"), a real estate marketing firm specializing in luxury developments across Florida, has seen these changes unfold firsthand. With over four decades in the industry, her firm works with new high-rise towers on both coasts of Florida as well as established country club communities that emerged during the development booms of the 1990s and early 2000s.

## AI Accelerates Change

The most significant force currently shaping luxury real estate development is not construction cost or economic uncertainty, but the rapid adoption of AI-driven search and marketing tools by high-end buyers. According to Andrews, “Marketing is evolving very, very fast in this world, and not everyone in the industry realizes how quickly it’s advancing.”

Luxury buyers, she notes, are typically early adopters of technology. Many follow business and tech trends in publications such as Forbes and The Wall Street Journal and are eager to use new tools when researching potential purchases. “Luxury people adopt technology sooner. They’re reading about it, leaning into what this is all about, and using it to research new properties,” Andrews says.

The impact goes beyond standard search engine optimization. As Google and other platforms introduce more advanced AI agents, developers who have not optimized their digital presence for [AI-driven discovery](/point-of-view/ "Point of View — Cotton & Company Insights") could see their properties overlooked. Andrews cautions that once AI search becomes the norm, “If you’re not positioned correctly with your AI visibility, it’s going to be a lot of catch-up work to get there.”

## Market Conditions

Despite headlines touting Florida’s “red hot” luxury market, the reality is more complex. The ultra-luxury segment, properties priced above $4 million, remains strong, with branded residences setting the pace. For example, the Ritz Carlton Residences in Sarasota Bay recorded over $25 million in sales in January alone.

However, the broader $2-4 million luxury tier is seeing increased competition as more projects launch simultaneously. Andrews observes, “There are more places and more choices, so sales are being spread out a little more.” While overall sales volume has not dropped sharply, the market is no longer absorbing new inventory at the breakneck speed seen in 2020 and 2021.

Developer sentiment reflects this adjustment. Most remain optimistic about long-term fundamentals but are recalibrating their expectations. Instead of rapid sellouts, developers are settling into what Andrews calls “a new normal,” steady but slower absorption. “They’re confident and seeing success, but they’re being very smart about their timelines,” she says.

## Ultra-Luxury Buyers Prioritize Service and Time

One of the clearest trends in the ultra-luxury segment is the growing importance of service and time savings. Wealthy buyers increasingly value turnkey experiences over traditional amenities. “The truest luxury in life is time. There’s one thing money can’t buy, and that’s more time,” Andrews says. For these buyers, properties that offer full-service living, such as branded residences with hotel-style services, command premium pricing and sell faster than comparable unbranded developments.

## Strategic Positioning in a Crowded Market

With more developments launching in proximity, developers must carefully position their projects to stand out. Cotton & Company’s work in Sarasota illustrates this challenge. The firm manages marketing for both the ultra-luxury Ritz Carlton Residences and the neighboring 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, requiring distinct strategies for each.

The Ritz-Carlton targets global entrepreneurs and high-end travelers seeking exclusivity and brand prestige. In contrast, [1000 Boulevard of the Arts](/works/1000-boulevard-of-the-arts/ "1000 Boulevard of the Arts — Cotton & Company Case Study") appeals to buyers seeking vibrant, park-side living with access to cultural amenities. “These properties must be very different but complementary, because they’re side by side, and you want them to validate the decision for both purchasers,” Andrews explains.

## Construction Timing

In today’s market, the ability to start construction without waiting for high pre-sales thresholds is a major differentiator. Buyers are more likely to commit to projects with visible progress and [clear delivery timelines](/faq/ "Frequently Asked Questions – The Island at West Bay"). “The players who can start construction and have a definitive timeline for delivery are going to capture a greater share of the market, because buyers can have confidence that delivery will occur,” Andrews says.

She points to [The Island at West Bay in Naples](/works/the-island-at-west-bay/ "The Island at West Bay — Cotton & Company Case Study"), where developer Kolter Urban began construction well before reaching traditional pre-sale goals. As the building rises—already at the eighth floor—buyer interest and confidence have increased, translating into stronger sales momentum.

## Economic Outlook

Looking ahead, Andrews is optimistic about the long-term fundamentals of Florida’s luxury market. She sees the potential for lower interest rates to unlock more transactions, as buyers who need to sell existing homes before purchasing new ones find it easier to move. “In order to buy something new, many people have to sell what they’re in, and we need to see the general market overall gain energy,” she notes.

Cotton & Company is also monitoring opportunities beyond Florida, particularly in the Caribbean and the Bahamas, where rising Florida prices may prompt luxury buyers to consider alternatives. The firm is involved in a project on Treasure Cay in the Abacos, part of the region’s rebuilding after Hurricane Dorian.

## Changing Buyer Expectations

Today’s luxury buyers approach major purchases differently than in previous cycles. Rather than responding to high-pressure sales tactics, ultra-luxury buyers want to discover properties on their own terms, envision how they will live in them, and assess how a home will make them feel. Andrews notes, “They want to discover it, understand it, and envision how they’re going to live within it.”

As a result, developers and marketers must balance several key factors: location, amenities, lifestyle, product design, and, crucially, timing. Buyers now weigh not only current value but also the future trajectory of a neighborhood, especially during a project’s construction phase.

Article Published by [Steve Marcinuk, Key Crew Journal](https://keycrew.co/journal/ai-driven-marketing-reshapes-florida-luxury-real-estate-development/ "AI-Driven Marketing Reshapes Florida Luxury Real Estate Development")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Why Home Size Is Changing in Today's Housing Market](https://cottonco.com/why-home-size-is-changing-in-todays-housing-market/)

**Published:** March 11, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

For decades, the trajectory of new home development in the United States followed a relatively predictable path: homes became larger as buyer expectations, amenities, and lifestyle programming expanded. Square footage often served as a proxy for value, and larger homes frequently commanded stronger pricing.

Today, however, the equation is changing.

Across multiple markets, developers and sales teams are beginning to observe a shift in how buyers evaluate the relationship between home size, pricing, and overall value. The market itself has not weakened. Demand remains strong in many regions. What is evolving is the structure of that demand — particularly how buyers respond to total purchase price.

Understanding this shift is becoming increasingly important for developers planning future product.

## The Cost Equation Behind Today’s Pricing

One of the primary drivers of this shift is the rising cost structure associated with residential development.

Land prices in desirable markets have continued to escalate, particularly in coastal, resort, and high-growth regions. At the same time, construction costs remain elevated due to labor shortages, material volatility, regulatory complexity, and extended development timelines.

Together, these factors are pushing the price per square foot of new homes higher. Even when developers manage projects efficiently, the structural cost base of development has changed.

The result is that larger homes — while still desirable in theory — increasingly produce total price points that exceed what the market will comfortably absorb.

This is where the conversation around home size begins to shift.

![Modern coastal homes overlooking the ocean illustrating efficient luxury home design trends](/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/downsizing-real-estate-trend-blog031126.webp)

Escalating land and construction costs are pushing price per square foot higher, reshaping how developers and buyers evaluate home size.

## When Total Price Becomes the Constraint

Buyers rarely purchase homes based solely on price per square foot. Their ultimate decision is shaped by the total purchase price and how that price aligns with their financial comfort and perceived value.

As overall pricing rises, the threshold at which buyers begin to hesitate is appearing earlier in the decision process. In some markets, the difference between a 3,500-square-foot home and a 4,500-square-foot home can translate into several hundred thousand dollars of additional cost.

At that point, the conversation is no longer about space. It becomes about affordability, value, and financial comfort.

This does not mean buyers are abandoning quality or lifestyle expectations. It simply means that size alone is no longer the most efficient path to delivering value within today’s pricing environment.

## The Emerging Market Response

What is beginning to emerge in response is not a retreat from luxury, but a refinement of it.

Many buyers continue to prioritize well-designed kitchens, indoor-outdoor living, wellness spaces, and thoughtful architecture. What they may be less willing to pay for is excess square footage that does not meaningfully enhance how the home is experienced.

This is leading to increased interest in more efficient home designs — residences that maintain quality and lifestyle features while controlling overall size and, therefore, total purchase price.

Smaller homes, when intelligently designed, can deliver the same experiential value while allowing developers to maintain pricing within the range the market will support.

## Why This Matters for Developers

For developers, the implications are strategic rather than tactical.

When land and construction costs push price per square foot higher, the natural instinct may be to increase home size to support pricing. In some markets and product categories, that strategy can work.

But when total price begins to exceed buyer tolerance, larger homes may slow absorption rather than accelerate it.

Developers who align product size with buyer affordability often find themselves better positioned to maintain sales velocity, particularly in markets where price escalation has outpaced income growth.

The opportunity is not simply building smaller homes. The opportunity lies in building smarter homes — residences that deliver lifestyle, design quality, and functionality within a price structure the market can sustain.

## A Strategic Perspective from the Market

Laurie Andrews, President of Cotton & Company, notes that these shifts are becoming increasingly visible across active communities.

“Markets rarely disappear,” Andrews explains. “What changes is the structure of the opportunity. As pricing rises, the question developers must ask is not how large a home can be built, but what size home the market will comfortably support. When total price moves beyond that threshold, absorption naturally slows.”

Her observation reflects a pattern seen repeatedly across development cycles. Buyer demand remains present, but the product must align with the market’s evolving definition of value.

![Modern condominium interior with open living and dining space and balcony view](/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/cotton-and-company-home-size-trends-031126-rendering.jpg)

Kolter Urban’s 1000 Boulevard of the Arts in Sarasota reflects the growing emphasis on efficient design and thoughtful floor plans that deliver luxury living while managing total purchase price.

## What Sales Teams Are Seeing

Sales professionals working directly with buyers are seeing similar dynamics.

According to Adam Kaufman of [Premier Sotheby’s International Realty](https://adamkaufman.premiersothebysrealty.com/ "Premier Sotheby’s International Realty website - opens in new tab"), buyer conversations increasingly focus on overall price and value rather than square footage alone.

“Buyers are still looking for quality and thoughtful design,” Kaufman notes. “But many are evaluating homes through the lens of total purchase price. When a home becomes significantly larger than what they need, the additional cost can become difficult to justify.”

These conversations often lead buyers to consider homes that are slightly smaller but designed with greater efficiency and lifestyle functionality.

## The Market Is Evolving — Not Declining

Importantly, none of this suggests a weakening housing market.

Demand for well-located, thoughtfully designed homes remains strong. What is evolving is the relationship between size, price, and perceived value.

[For developers](/the-work/condominiums/ "learn more about the condo portfolio"), recognizing this shift early can create meaningful advantages in product planning and positioning.

Those who understand where the market is moving are often able to design homes that meet buyer expectations while maintaining pricing within a range that supports consistent sales velocity.

## Moving Forward

Home size has long been one of the defining characteristics of residential development. Today, however, the conversation is expanding to include efficiency, design intelligence, and total price sensitivity.

Developers who respond thoughtfully to these changing dynamics will be better positioned to align their product with the realities of today’s market.

[Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") works closely with developers to interpret buyer behavior, evaluate product positioning, and design marketing strategies that align with real market demand. For projects entering planning or repositioning phases, understanding how size, pricing, and buyer psychology interact has never been more important.

If you would like to evaluate how [current buyer trends](/faq/ "frequently asked questions") may influence product sizing, pricing, and positioning for your project, Cotton & Company welcomes the opportunity to discuss your development strategy.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [The Biggest Myth About AI in Creative Agencies and Why It Misses the Point](https://cottonco.com/the-biggest-myth-about-ai-in-creative-agencies-and-why-it-misses-the-point/)

**Published:** January 27, 2026
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

![Laurie Andrews - President of Cotton & Company](/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/laurie-andrews-president-cotton-company.webp)

By [Laurie Andrews](/the-agency/laurie-andrews/ "learn more about Laurie"),
President, Cotton & Company

One of the most common concerns I hear today is that AI is making agencies lazy. There’s a perception that AI is replacing effort. Replacing thinking. Diluting creativity. In many cases, that concern may be justified. We recognize that some agencies are using AI to shortcut strategy, automate content, and speed work out the door with less judgment behind it. But that approach misses the real opportunity of AI inside a serious, results-driven organization.
At [Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton & Company Real Estate Marketing"), AI is not a creative replacement tool. It is not a copywriting engine. And it is not a buzzword layered onto existing processes. It is an operational discipline, being actively designed to deepen thinking, protect strategy, and ensure execution integrity across an increasingly complex marketing and sales environment.

## The Real Divide: Tools vs. Thought Partners

The difference emerging in our industry isn’t between agencies that “use AI” and those that don’t. The real divide is between agencies that treat AI as a tool and those that have comprehensively integrated it as a thought partner—one that actively drives deeper thinking and better decisions. The difference is simple: a tool speeds things up. A thought partner raises the standard and digs deeper.

Most surface-level AI adoption focuses on outputs: image retouching, copy generation, audience targeting tools. These applications may save time, but they can also become a trap. They do little to improve judgment or protect outcomes in high-stakes real estate marketing. We aren’t driven by impressions or clicks. Our focus is upstream. At Cotton & Company, AI is embedded before creative execution begins, and it remains present at every intersection of the process as a governance and validation layer.

## Building the Strategic Foundation First

Every engagement at Cotton & Company begins with an intensive strategic foundation, one that reflects more than four decades of lived experience in real estate development, sales execution, market timing, and buyer behavior. Our strategic marketing briefs are not surface-level documents. They are deep, operational roadmaps that incorporate:

– Market timing and absorption realities
– Design intent and architectural positioning
– Sales strategy and execution sequencing
– Competitive context and differentiation requirements
– Mandatory brand and operational constraints

AI is used to help structure, validate, and pressure-test this foundation, ensuring nothing is overlooked and no assumptions go unchallenged. This is where experience matters most. AI does not replace it—it activates it.

## Institutionalizing Senior-Level Thinking Across the Entire Agency

One of the hardest challenges inside any growing organization is ensuring that senior leadership thinking doesn’t dilute as work moves downstream. Within many agencies, digital teams often include newer professionals who bring an understanding of the latest and greatest digital assets. While that knowledge has value, they lack the subject matter expertise that is gained over decades of navigating complex real estate strategies. Even when a comprehensive plan is clearly defined at the top, execution is often handed off to less experienced team members. As a result, even strong teams are vulnerable to:

– Human error
– Lack of understanding of real estate complexities
– Misinterpretation of priorities
– Drift in standards
– Timing assumptions that no longer apply

[Cotton & Company’s](/faq/ "Learn More about us") AI integration is designed to mitigate this risk. It allows us to institutionalize senior-level thinking, so that a junior associate, regardless of tenure, is executing with the same strategic understanding as leadership with decades of experience. This isn’t about automation. It’s about alignment at scale.

AI functions as a constant cross-check to ensure:

– Strategic intent is preserved
– Brand and positioning standards are maintained
– Client priorities are fully understood
– Execution reflects today’s market reality, not yesterday’s

## Buyer Personas as a Living Intelligence Layer

Another critical component of our process is the development of highly detailed buyer personas for each individual project. These are not generic profiles. They are deeply informed by psychographics, demographics, behavioral patterns, and real-world sales experience. AI allows us to treat these personas as an always-on focus group, used as a secondary checkpoint before anything goes to market. Every message, visual, campaign, and sequencing decision is evaluated against:

– Who this buyer really is
– How they think
– What motivates action
– What introduces friction or hesitation

This ensures relevance without guesswork and creativity grounded in truth, not assumption.

## Execution Integrity Is the Goal

This is the part of the AI conversation that often gets overlooked. The real value isn’t speed. It isn’t volume. And it isn’t automation. The real value is execution integrity. When AI is integrated correctly, it helps ensure that what was intended strategically is what gets delivered, across creative, digital, messaging, media, and sales support. That consistency protects outcomes. It protects brand equity. And, most importantly, it protects client capital.

At [Cotton & Company](/contact/ "Contact us"), we are intentional about how we talk about AI because we don’t want clients to confuse capability with hype. We are not chasing trends. We are not experimenting recklessly. And we are not using AI to replace the hard-earned experience that defines this firm.

We are integrating it into our internal processes so that thinking is deeper, execution is validated by decades of expertise, and standards remain uncompromising, even as scale and complexity increase. That is the difference between using AI and understanding it—and it’s a difference sophisticated clients are beginning to recognize very quickly.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Reading the Market Data Between the Lines: How AI Is Already Influencing Luxury Buyers in Florida](https://cottonco.com/reading-the-market-data-between-the-lines-how-ai-is-already-influencing-luxury-buyers-in-florida/)

**Published:** December 22, 2025
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

![Laurie Andrews - President of Cotton & Company](/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/laurie-andrews-president-cotton-company.webp)

By [Laurie Andrews](/the-agency/laurie-andrews/ "learn more about Laurie"),
President, Cotton & Company

As we close out the year and Florida enters its most important selling season, many luxury developers are taking stock of where they stand. Absorption, traffic, registrations, broker engagement — all the familiar indicators are being reviewed as plans are made for the year ahead. What’s interesting right now is not a lack of demand. Florida continues to attract affluent buyers from the Northeast, California, Texas, and international markets. Lifestyle-driven migration remains strong. Capital is still looking for quality real estate opportunities.

And yet, across the luxury segment, many developers are sensing a disconnect.

- Interest feels present — but harder to measure.
- Buyers seem informed — but less visible earlier in the process.
- Momentum exists — but doesn’t always show up where it used to.

When those signals appear in isolation, they can feel anecdotal. When they appear consistently across markets, price points, and buyer profiles, they start to tell a different story.

## When Familiar Metrics Stop Telling the Full Story

For decades, luxury real estate sales followed a relatively predictable discovery path. Buyers searched online, visited websites, registered for information, engaged with brokers or sales teams, and eventually visited a sales gallery or community. That journey hasn’t disappeared — but it has changed.

What we’re seeing now is a growing gap between buyer readiness and traditional visibility metrics. In some cases, buyers are arriving further along in their decision-making process. In others, they’re bypassing early engagement steps altogether. This doesn’t mean they’re less interested. It means they’re arriving differently. The risk for developers isn’t declining demand — it’s misinterpreting what the data is actually saying.

## Why Scale Changes What You Can See

Because [Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") works exclusively in luxury real estate and across multiple Florida markets — waterfront condominiums, resort residential, country club communities, master-planned developments — we’re able to view the market horizontally rather than project by project. That perspective matters.

When market data is aggregated across diverse communities and buyer types, certain behavioral shifts become easier to identify. Patterns emerge not from any single campaign or development, but from how buyers are behaving collectively. Over the past year, one influence has become increasingly difficult to ignore.

![Luxury condominium interior overlooking Sarasota waterfront](/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/cotton-1000blvdarts-ai-influence-blog122225.webp)

The Bay 1 Residence at 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, a new waterfront offering in Downtown Sarasota by managing developer Kolter Urban.

AI Is Quietly Reshaping Buyer Behavior Artificial intelligence isn’t something luxury buyers are waiting to adopt — many are already using it. Affluent consumers are among the earliest adopters of new technology. They read The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Bloomberg. They understand macro trends, market cycles, and increasingly, the role AI plays in filtering information.

Today’s luxury buyer is more likely to:

- Ask an AI platform for recommendations before visiting multiple websites
- Compare markets, lifestyles, and communities through conversational queries
- Arrive at a short list with a higher level of confidence and clarity
- Spend less time “browsing” and more time validating a decision already forming

In other words, much of the early discovery and education phase is happening before traditional data ever captures it. AI isn’t replacing human decision-making — but it is compressing the path to conviction.

[![Aerial view of sports courts and amenities at Hideaway Beach Club](/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/cotton-hideaway-chatimage-ai-influence-blog122225.webp)](/works/hideaway-beach-club/ "Learn more about the club")

[Hideaway Beach Club in Marco Island, Florida](/works/hideaway-beach-club/ "Learn more about the club"), recently completed its new sports and wellness center.

## Why the Luxury Segment Feels the Shift First

Luxury buyers tend to move earlier than the broader market — both in lifestyle decisions and in technology adoption. They value efficiency, credible information, and trusted guidance. When a tool helps them make sense of complexity faster, they use it. That’s why this shift is more pronounced in the luxury segment. It’s also why Florida developers are feeling it now.

When AI begins influencing where buyers look, what they trust, and how quickly they narrow their options, the first thing to change isn’t demand — it’s where demand becomes visible.

## Reading Between the Lines Going Into the New Year

As developers plan for the year ahead, this is a moment to reconsider which signals matter most.The question isn’t whether AI will impact luxury real estate sales. It already is. The more important questions are:

- Where are buyers forming opinions before they ever engage directly?
- Which data points reflect true readiness versus legacy behavior?
- How do we maintain momentum when visibility no longer follows the same path?

## The Most Important Question
Developers Are Beginning to Ask

### *How do we ensure our project is accurately depicted and discoverable in this new world?*

[The answer starts](/faq/ "Cotton frequently asked questions") with understanding that AI doesn’t “find” projects the way traditional search engines do. It interprets them. AI systems form recommendations based on consistency, credibility, and clarity across a wide ecosystem of information — not just a website or a single campaign. That means discoverability today is influenced by how accurately a project’s story is defined, structured, and reinforced on a consistent basis across every touchpoint where information exists.

For developers, this shifts the focus from generating more visibility to ensuring the right visibility. Projects that are clearly described, contextually positioned, and supported by consistent data are more likely to be surfaced as trusted answers. Those that rely on purely brand messaging or website content structures risk being misunderstood or overlooked by the systems buyers increasingly rely on to narrow their choices.

Ensuring accuracy and discoverability now requires a more intentional approach: aligning brand narrative, market positioning, and data signals so that both human buyers and AI systems interpret the project as it was intended. This isn’t about gaming algorithms. It’s about removing ambiguity — with a diligent and deliberate effort to make sure the story buyers are forming early in their process accurately reflects reality.

[![Oceanfront luxury condominium towers on Fort Lauderdale Beach](/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/cotton-selene-oceanfront-ai-influence-blog122225.webp)](/works/selene/ "Learn more about the Selene condo")[Selene Oceanfront Residences on Fort Lauderdale Beach](/works/selene/ "Learn more about the Selene condo") is now move-in ready with its final inventory.

In the end, deep real estate expertise becomes more valuable when paired with context of today’s evolving technology. Understanding cycles, buyer psychology, and timing has always been critical in luxury real estate. What’s changing is the lens through which early interest is expressed. Those who learn to interpret the new signals early will be better positioned to maintain confidence, pricing power, and sales velocity as the market evolves.

As we enter a new year, the opportunity isn’t just to watch the market — it’s to understand what it’s quietly telling us.

Founded in 1983, Cotton & Company is a full-service marketing and advertising firm focused exclusively on luxury real estate development. The firm works with developers and landowners across multiple markets, specializing in high-rise condominiums, waterfront and marina-front communities, country club and golf communities, master-planned developments, and resort residential projects.

By operating across a diverse portfolio of luxury properties and buyer profiles, Cotton & Company maintains a broad, data-informed view of market behavior, buyer psychology, and emerging trends. The firm integrates strategic planning, branding, creative, digital marketing, and AI-informed insights to help clients maintain momentum and relevance in highly competitive markets.

[Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") is known for blending long-standing industry experience with forward-looking strategy — helping developers interpret market signals, adapt to change, and position their communities effectively as buyer behavior and technology continue to evolve.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Confidence Is the Catalyst: How High-Rise Condominium Developments Build Momentum Before They Rise](https://cottonco.com/confidence-is-the-catalyst-how-high-rise-condominium-developments-build-momentum-before-they-rise/)

**Published:** January 1, 2026
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

![Laurie Andrews - President of Cotton & Company](/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/laurie-andrews-president-cotton-company.webp)

By [Laurie Andrews](/the-agency/laurie-andrews/ "learn more about Laurie"),
President, Cotton & Company

High-rise condominium development is often discussed in terms of location, architecture, and unique selling propositions. Those elements matter — they attract attention and establish desire. But they don’t fully explain what actually moves a high-rise from concept to construction. What ultimately drives progress in high-rise development is momentum. And momentum does not happen naturally.

Momentum is created when buyers, lenders, brokers, and the broader market share a sense of confidence — confidence in the vision, the execution, the timing, and the certainty of delivery. Without that shared confidence, even the most compelling projects can stall.

In [high-rise development](/the-work/condominiums/ "portfolio of condos"), confidence must be built deliberately. It is established through strategic positioning, disciplined messaging, and a [marketing plan designed](/faq/ "learn more about Cotton and Company with our FAQs") to align buyer psychology with the realities of the development cycle. While nearly every high-rise appeals to the broader market on paper, only roughly one-third of buyers are realistically positioned to act during the earliest stages of development. The role of marketing is not simply to highlight features, but to create confidence that activates early demand.

![5000 North Ocean terrace](/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/5000-North-Ocean-with-Caption.jpg)

## Why Design & Location Are Just the Beginning in High-Rise Development

Developers naturally focus on the attributes that differentiate their project. Views, amenities, architecture, brand affiliation, and location are essential — they establish desirability and define the product. But they do not, on their own, unlock demand across every buyer segment at once.

High-rise condominium demand unfolds over time. Buyers move at different speeds, driven by their own financial readiness, lifestyle transitions, and tolerance for risk. As a result, every lead does not instantly become a contract.

Marketing strategies that rely solely on today’s immediate buyers often overlook this reality. They assume readiness where there is only interest. A project can be compelling to the entire market, yet only a portion of that audience is prepared to act at any given phase of development.

This is why building a quality lead generation effort early is so critical. The goal is not immediate conversion, but the creation of a robust, informed database that can be nurtured over time. As the project advances — from pre-construction to vertical construction to delivery — different segments of that database unlock their purchase potential.

Understanding how confidence develops, and aligning communication to each stage of buyer readiness, is one of the most important success factors in high-rise development. Projects that respect this progression are positioned to sustain momentum, secure financing, and capture demand as it matures.

![Marina Pointe Aerial rendering](/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/aerial-marina-pointe-social-091525-min.jpg)

## Pre-Construction: Where Confidence Determines Whether a High-Rise Gets Built

The pre-construction phase is the most critical stage of the high-rise lifecycle. This is where projects either establish forward momentum or fail to generate the sales velocity required to move ahead. Developers are understandably cautious about framing early demand around investment or appreciation. Legal and regulatory realities require discipline. But confidence does not need to be built through promises of return.

It can be built through evidence of momentum.

Activity in the surrounding market, investment and growth within an area’s lifestyle ecosystem, visible commitment from other corporate or institutional players, and early buyer engagement all contribute to a broader sense that purchasing early is a smart and informed decision — even before construction begins.

[Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") worked on two high-rise projects in Fort Lauderdale developed by Kolter Urban — Selene Oceanfront Residences and 100 Las Olas. In both cases, early momentum and disciplined positioning helped establish market credibility well before vertical construction was underway. Pre-construction marketing was not about selling units alone; it was about building the confidence required to propel the projects forward.

Many high-rise developments that never reach construction fail not because of product shortcomings, but because they do not generate enough confidence early in the cycle to secure the commitments necessary to move ahead.

![Aerial view of a high-rise condominium under construction with cranes and concrete structure.](/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/cotton-ai-blog010926-west-bay-construction.webp)

## Construction Milestones Become Visible Signals of Momentum 

Once construction begins, confidence shifts from belief to confirmation. Groundbreaking, site clearing, and vertical progress become powerful psychological signals for buyers who needed certainty before committing. This phase unlocks the second buyer segment — those who were interested early, but required visible proof that a project was advancing. Delivery timelines feel real, risk feels reduced, and momentum accelerates.

In [markets like Sarasota](https://live1000.com/sarasota-waterfront-condos/ "Learn more about the sarasota market - opens link in new tab"), where high-rise development has expanded rapidly, this stage has been especially influential. Buoyed by early sales momentum established through Cotton & Company’s pre-construction marketing efforts, projects such as [The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Sarasota Bay](https://www.theresidencessarasotabay.com/ "Ritz Sarasota Bay Homepage - opens in new tab") and [One Park Sarasota](https://oneparksarasota.com/ "One Park Homepage - Opens in new tab") by Property Markets Group were well positioned to capitalize on construction progress as a confidence amplifier — converting long-nurtured interest into active demand.

At this point in the lifecycle, sustained communication becomes essential. Early prospects must continue to be engaged and reassured so that momentum compounds rather than resets as new competitors enter the market and vie for attention.

## The Luxury Condo Buyer Who Needs Certainty of Delivery

As a high-rise approaches completion, a distinct buyer profile becomes more active — buyers who prioritize certainty above all else. These purchasers are often transitioning from existing residences and want to see, touch, and experience what they are buying before making a commitment or have the need to sell their existing residence to make the move.

For this group, confidence is tied to visibility and immediacy. Construction is complete or nearing completion, delivery timelines are fixed, and the product can be fully evaluated. These buyers may be willing to compromise on ideal floor plans or views, but they are motivated by clarity and reduced risk. Well-positioned projects often sell through multiple buyer segments across the lifecycle, with delivery-stage purchasers representing the final layer of demand rather than a measure of delayed performance.

![High-rise condominium under construction with cranes in an urban waterfront setting](/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/cotton-ai-blog010926-ritz-construction.webp)

## Where AI Is Changing the Confidence Curve

While buyer psychology hasn’t changed, the way confidence is formed has. Today’s high-rise buyers are often forming opinions earlier in the process, using [AI-driven tools](/your-website-is-now-an-ai-powered-decision-engine-not-a-digital-presentation/ "more about AI") to research markets, compare communities, and validate decisions long before engaging directly with a sales team. AI doesn’t replace human judgment — it accelerates the path to conviction.

Projects that are positioned effectively in this environment don’t get there by accident. Establishing early visibility requires a sophisticated understanding of where AI systems gather information, how signals are interpreted, and which sources carry authority at different stages of a project’s lifecycle. When those elements are aligned intentionally, a credible foundation can be built quickly — even for new developments without a long digital history.

This is where experience matters. Navigating AI-driven discovery is less about tools and more about knowing how to orchestrate clarity, consistency, and credibility across a fragmented information landscape. When done well, AI becomes an accelerant — reinforcing confidence and momentum at exactly the pace a high-rise development requires. This orchestration of visibility, credibility, and timing has become a critical part of how Cotton & Company helps early-stage developments build confidence at the pace the market demands.

## Where Boutique and Mid-Rise Developments Operate Differently

Boutique and mid-rise condominium developments follow a fundamentally different momentum model than large-scale high-rises. In these projects, scarcity is not created by timing alone — it is inherent to the property itself. Limited unit counts, irreplaceable locations, and architectural distinction naturally constrain supply, shifting urgency away from development milestones and toward rarity and lifestyle alignment.

Projects such as [SeaGlass Jupiter Island](/works/seaglass-jupiter-island/ "About the project"), [One Thousand Ocean Boca Raton](/works/one-thousand-ocean/ "about the project"), [Ocean Delray](https://cottonco.com/works/ocean-delray/ "details on project"), and [The St. Regis Longboat Key Residences](/works/the-residences-at-the-st-regis-longboat-key-resort/ "about the project") achieved success through Cotton & Company’s scarcity-based positioning, which drove demand without relying on scale. In these cases, confidence is established through exclusivity, location, and product distinction, reinforced by disciplined sales velocity. For developers, the lesson is not about speed, but about alignment.

## Confidence Is Built and It Must Be Managed

At every stage of high-rise condominium development, confidence must be deliberately built and carefully managed. It does not come from a single campaign, a single milestone, or a single moment of market enthusiasm. It is created through strategic sequencing, sustained engagement, and a deep understanding of how buyer psychology, market conditions, and development realities intersect over time.

This is where experience becomes decisive. Building momentum requires knowing which signals matter at each phase, how to activate demand without overexposing risk, and how to carry buyers forward as projects move from concept to construction to completion. It also requires the discipline to adapt strategy as conditions evolve — without losing sight of the end objective.

High-rise development rewards foresight. The projects that succeed are not those that simply generate attention, but those that manage confidence consistently across the entire lifecycle — aligning marketing, sales, and execution to support financing, construction, and long-term value.

In high-rise development, confidence isn’t a byproduct of success. It is a prerequisite for achieving it.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Cotton & Company Web Development Team to Attend POST/CON 25 to Explore the Future of APIs and AI](https://cottonco.com/cotton-company-web-development-team-to-attend-post-con-25-to-explore-the-future-of-apis-and-ai/)

**Published:** June 2, 2025
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

Cotton & Company is proud to announce that [Sonya Pereira](/the-cotton-agency/sonya-pereira/ "learn about Sonya Pereira"), Director of Web Development, will represent the firm at [POST/CON 25](https://postcon.postman.com/2025/ "POST/CON 25 website - opens in new tab"), Postman’s premier API and AI conference. Held June 3–4, 2025, at the JW Marriott L.A. Live in Los Angeles, this event marks another key step in [Cotton & Company’s](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") ongoing commitment to digital innovation and forward-thinking strategy.

![Sonya Pereira, Director of Web Development](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cotton-postcon25-blog-053025-sonya-min.jpg)

[POST/CON 25](https://postcon.postman.com/2025/ "POST/CON 25 website - opens in new tab") brings together more than 2,000 developers, API architects, and tech visionaries to explore the evolving intersection of APIs and generative AI. With 30+ expert-led sessions, immersive workshops, and keynote presentations from industry leaders at [AWS](https://aws.amazon.com/ "AWS Amazon website - opens in new tab"), [Meta](https://www.meta.com/about/ "About Meta - opens in new tab"), and [Postman](https://www.postman.com/ "Postman website for more details - opens in new tab"), the conference is designed to accelerate the development of smarter, faster, and more secure digital solutions. For Cotton & Company, it’s an opportunity to stay ahead of emerging trends—and bring back transformative insights to elevate the agency’s work in luxury real estate marketing.

![coding the future of real estate marketing](/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/cotton-postcon25-blog-053025-computer-min.jpg)

## Coding the Future of Real Estate Marketing

As a leader in her respective discipline, Sonya is attending to deepen her expertise in API-first development and AI integration, ensuring [Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") remains a step ahead in delivering cutting-edge digital marketing solutions for the luxury real estate industry. Her goal is to bring back forward-thinking strategies and innovative tools that can enhance our digital capabilities and drive smarter results for our clients.

Throughout the conference, Sonya will participate in a series of immersive, hands-on workshops, including an 8-hour code writing workshop. Other sessions include mastering collaborative API development using [Postman](https://www.postman.com/ "more about Postman - opens in new tab") workspaces and collections, diving deeper into advanced scripting and API testing, and learning how to automate workflows through Postman Flows by integrating AI agents. In addition to these technical experiences, the event provides powerful networking opportunities with over 2,000 professionals in attendance. This environment will allow them to forge new partnerships, exchange ideas with peers, and stay ahead of the latest trends shaping the future of digital technology.

![Digital Mockups](/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/cotton-postcon25-blog-053025-mockup-digital-min.jpg)

## Bringing Back the Future of Technology

The insights and connections Sonya will gain at [POST/CON 25](https://postcon.postman.com/2025/ "POST/CON 25 website - opens in new tab") will translate directly into smarter, more strategic outcomes for Cotton & Company’s clients. From implementing the latest advancements in API and AI technology to reimagining how we approach client engagement, this experience will fuel fresh thinking across every facet of our digital marketing efforts. By staying ahead of the curve, we’re not just keeping pace with change, we’re helping our clients lead it.

Stay tuned for key takeaways and behind-the-scenes insights. Their participation is more than professional development—it’s a reflection of Cotton & Company’s ongoing commitment to innovation, excellence, and elevating what’s possible in real estate marketing.

## About Cotton & Company

Cotton & Company is a full-service real estate marketing and sales firm with decades of luxury brand expertise. The firm’s portfolio of luxury real estate success includes more than 1,700 communities worldwide. With a staff of 40+ in their South Florida office, Cotton & Company combines proven strategies with innovative technologies and an unmatched level of creativity. Visit [CottonCo.com](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") to learn more about their full scope of services which range from branding and website development to sales support, lead generation, and digital/social marketing.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Disruptive AI Technologies Becomes the Focus of Programmatic IO NYC 2025](https://cottonco.com/day-1-highlights-of-programmatic-io-nyc/)

**Published:** September 30, 2025
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

Day one of the [Programmatic IO Conference in New York](https://www.adexchanger.com/go/programmatic-i-o-2025-new-york/ "Programmatic IO Conference in New York website - opens in new tab") set the tone for an industry at a critical inflection point. With privacy laws reshaping the ecosystem, measurement evolving, and consumer behavior fragmenting across platforms, the recurring theme was clear: artificial intelligence is becoming the engine driving programmatic marketing forward.

![AI Strategy chart](/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cotton-programmatic-blog-093025ai-min.jpg)

## The AI Imperative

[Dave Colford](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-colford-7467096/ "Dave Colford LinkedIN - opens in new tab") of Chief Marketer Network put it best: “The future will be propelled by AI.” But the takeaway wasn’t to be distracted by shiny tools—it was to identify how AI can deliver measurable impact, from campaign optimization to creative personalization. [Nicole Greene](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoledgreene/ "Nicole Greene LinkedIn - opens in new tab") of Gartner reinforced the point, urging marketers to establish a disciplined AI strategy that balances short-term wins with long-term business value. Her message: AI maturity requires readiness, rigor, and a long-range roadmap for every company.

![Case studies, like Dr Pepper’s evolution](/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cotton-programmatic-blog-093025-chart-min.jpg)

## Precision and Personalization at Scale

Case studies, like Dr Pepper’s evolution of its “Fanville” college football focus, showed how brands are using authenticated signals and AI-driven data to reach highly specific audiences. The company identified unique market segmentations with a priority placed on “full sugar switchers” to non-TV watchers—across all marketing channels. Customized creative, often built dynamically with AI, is no longer experimental; it’s expected. The frameworks are shifting from one-size-fits-all messaging to campaigns that reflect who consumers are, where they are, and what they’re reacting to in real time.

![Presentation Patrick Byrne of Amazon Ads](/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cotton-programmatic-blog-093025-tv-min.jpg)

## The Fragmented Landscape

[Patrick Byrne](https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-byrne-3b71771a/ "Patrick Byrn LinkedIn - opens in new tab") of Amazon Ads reminded the audience: “Your customers are everywhere, and they are consuming media on multiple devices.” The challenge is not just reaching them but understanding them. From Amazon’s DSP to [YouTube TV](https://tv.youtube.com/welcome/ "YouTube TV website - opens in new tab"), [Hulu](https://www.hulu.com/welcome "Hulu website - opens in new tab"), and emerging CTV opportunities, the proliferation of platforms underscores the need for better signals, smarter measurement, and streamlined paths between buyers and sellers.

![Event Stage Programmatic](/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cotton-programmatic-blog-093025-stage-min.jpg)

## The Wall Street Lens

Even Wall Street weighed in. [Youssef Squali of Truist Securities](https://www.linkedin.com/in/youssef-squali-h-3b14245/ "Youssef Squali linkedIn - opens in new tab") explained that while internet companies are outperforming the broader market, investor confidence in ad tech companies is mixed. Consolidation may be necessary as too many intermediaries are clouding transparency and profitability. Yet, optimism remains for players who execute AI-driven strategies with precision—[Trade Desk](https://www.thetradedesk.com/ "Trade Desk website - opens in new tab") and [Amazon’s DSP](https://advertising.amazon.com/solutions/products/amazon-dsp "Amazon’s DSP website - opens in new tab") being prime examples.

![President Laurie Andrews at Conference](/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cotton-programmatic-blog-093025-laurie-min.jpg)

## AI Isn’t About Cost Efficiency, It’s About Strategy Efficiency

Industry leaders emphasized that the true power of AI lies not in reducing costs, but in amplifying strategic impact. By enabling teams to move faster and think bigger, AI elevates effectiveness and unlocks more dynamic, responsive campaigns. “At Cotton & Company, we are integrating AI into every dimension of our work and the luxury real estate industry we serve,” says [Laurie Andrews](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-andrews-7949307/ "Laurie Andrews LinkedIn - opens in new tab"), President. “While much of our current focus is on internal tactical tools, our priority is zeroing in on consumer behaviors that will shape research and purchasing decisions in the future.”

## Looking Ahead

Across the sessions, the sentiment was consistent: [AI is not just another tool,](/faq/ "Cotton frequently asked questions") it is redefining the foundations of marketing. From content creation and media buying to measurement and customer experience, marketers who integrate AI thoughtfully—balancing machine efficiency with human curiosity—will be best positioned to thrive.

At [Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage"), the truth playing is out in real estate and lifestyle marketing. Data, signals, and personalized creative—powered by AI—are transforming how we connect with audiences. The [Programmatic IO](https://www.adexchanger.com/go/programmatic-i-o-2025-new-york/ "Programmatic IO Conference in New York website - opens in new tab") conversations reaffirmed that the future belongs to those ready to adapt, re-optimize, and innovate.

Cotton & Company is a full-service digital real estate marketing firm specializing in the luxury segment. With a portfolio of more than 1,700 communities worldwide, Cotton delivers strategy, storytelling, and innovation to help developers and brokers exceed expectations in any market climate. Learn more at [CottonCo.com](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage").

**Categories:** Press

---

### [The Great Luxury Disruption: Why AI Is Already Rewriting the Rules of Real Estate Marketing](https://cottonco.com/the-great-luxury-disruption-why-ai-is-already-rewriting-the-rules-of-real-estate-marketing/)

**Published:** October 27, 2025
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

![Laurie Andrews - President of Cotton & Company](/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/laurie-andrews-president-cotton-company.webp) 

 By Laurie Andrews,
 President, Cotton & Company

## The Next Great Shift Has Arrived

Since Cotton & Company’s founding in 1983, we’ve seen the real estate industry evolve through every market cycle imaginable — economic highs and lows, print to digital transitions, and the rise of social media. But what’s happening right now feels different. It’s not just another evolution; it’s a complete redefinition of how luxury real estate is discovered, marketed, and sold.

Artificial intelligence isn’t a far-off promise — it’s here, and it’s already shifting the landscape. We’re entering a moment of profound change that will reward those who act decisively and leave behind those who hesitate.

## The Biggest Disruption Since the Smartphone

When the iPhone launched in 2007, it redefined how consumers accessed information and made purchasing decisions. Entire industries — from hospitality to retail — had to rebuild their marketing ecosystems to meet buyers in the palm of their hand.

![Speaker presenting AI strategy on the MAICON TRANSFORM stage.](/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/maicon-transform-ai-strategy-speaker.webp)

AI represents the next disruption of that magnitude. It’s transforming how luxury buyers engage with brands, how they search, and even how they make investment decisions. We’re already seeing it: less traffic through traditional Google search, new buyer pathways driven by generative engines like ChatGPT and Gemini, and the emergence of “answer-based discovery” replacing keyword-based visibility.

If your community doesn’t standout inside this AI ecosystem, you’re already being filtered out of the emerging buyer conversations.

## The Advantage of Strategic Intelligence

At Cotton & Company, we’re not chasing trends — we’re leading transformations. We work alongside some of the most respected developers in the industry and many of the leading hospitality brands. Companies like Kolter Urban, Forest Development, PMG, Barron Collier Companies, The Lutgert Companies, Golub and Fontainebleau Development have entrusted us to lead their strategic marketing plans. These developers understand what it takes to lead in competitive markets: strategic intelligence backed by actionable data and creative precision.

Our competitive edge isn’t just access to AI tools — it’s the ability to apply them through the lens of deep industry insight and first-party data. We know what motivates affluent buyers because we’ve analyzed decades of consumer behavior across luxury markets. That experience, paired with next-generation technology, is where true intelligence lives.

![Luxury waterfront living room overlooking Sarasota Bay at The Ritz-Carlton Residences by Kolter Urban.](/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/sarasota-bay-luxury-condo-ritz-carlton-residences-kolter-urban.webp)

## From Search to Answers: The New Visibility Paradigm

For years, marketing success was measured by how easily you could be “found” on Google. That era is ending. Generative AI doesn’t show pages; [it provides answers](/faq/ "Cotton frequently asked questions").

Tomorrow’s visibility will belong to brands that know how to position their message to be recommended by AI engines. It’s no longer about shouting the loudest — it’s about being the most contextually relevant and trusted source when an algorithm formulates a single best answer.

That’s why our team is reengineering how we approach media, content, and digital ecosystems. Every campaign is being built with AI-driven visibility and data alignment in mind — ensuring our clients remain at the forefront of how luxury consumers discover and decide.

## AI Meets Human Psychology

AI is powerful, but it can’t replicate human instinct. It can model behavior, predict timing, and even generate creative variations — but it takes human understanding to craft a message that connects emotionally.

Luxury real estate isn’t sold through automation; it’s sold through aspiration. The ability to interpret lifestyle, design sensibility, and emotional nuance — that’s where Cotton & Company turns data into desire.

![Keynote session at MAICON Transform discussing AI’s impact on marketing, with a full audience in attendance.](/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/maicon-transform-ai-marketing-conference-cotton-and-company.webp)

## This Is the Moment to Move

The disruption isn’t coming — it’s already in motion. As we enter Florida’s winter season and the national market recalibrates, the developers who adapt now will define the next cycle of success.

AI is not just a tool for efficiency; it’s the foundation of competitive differentiation. At Cotton & Company, we’re ensuring our clients’ brands are not only AI-ready, but AI-visible, as the digital landscape transforms around us. Because in this new era, the community that answers first will often be the only one that matters.

## Looking Ahead

This article marks the beginning of an ongoing series where I’ll share insights on how AI is reshaping luxury real estate marketing — from behavioral modeling to creative storytelling, media intelligence, and first-party data strategy.

My goal is to help developers and industry leaders navigate this shift with clarity, confidence, and strategic foresight. The future isn’t waiting — it’s already generating.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Behavior Intelligence: How AI Is Changing the Psychology of the Luxury Buyer](https://cottonco.com/behavior-intelligence-how-ai-is-changing-the-psychology-of-the-luxury-buyer/)

**Published:** October 31, 2025
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

![Laurie Andrews - President of Cotton & Company](/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/laurie-andrews-president-cotton-company.webp)

By [Laurie Andrews](/the-agency/laurie-andrews/ "learn more about Laurie"),
President, Cotton & Company

## A New Type of Buyer — and a New Type of Intelligence

In the luxury real estate market, we’ve always known that the difference between interest and action isn’t price — it’s psychology. The most successful developments understand who their buyer is and what motivates them to make a move. But that psychology is evolving faster than ever before, and artificial intelligence is at the center of it.

Today’s affluent buyer isn’t being introduced to AI — they’re already using it. They’re reading The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Bloomberg for market trends, they’re integrating AI into their home automation and vehicles, and they’re relying on it for intelligent insights in every aspect of their lives.

![Boca West Country Club Aquatics Center](/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/boca-west-country-club-aquatics-center.webp)

Boca West Country Club’s new Lifestyle & Racquet Center, designed by Garcia Stromberg’s G4 Studio.

They don’t want to be sold. They want to be informed. They expect brands — especially luxury real estate brands — to speak their language: smart, confident, and authentic.

That’s where behavior intelligence comes in.

Many of the questions affluent buyers and developers are asking today are addressed in our [Frequently Asked Questions](/faq/ "Frequently Asked Questions").

![Glynlea Country Club Aerial](/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/glynlea-country-club-aerial-by-cotton-and-company.webp)

GreenPointe Developers Glynlea Country Club will officially open its Jim Furyk signature golf course on November 8th.

## Turning Buyer Psychology into a Competitive Advantage

At Cotton & Company, we’ve always built our success on understanding the mindset of the luxury buyer. It’s not about demographics — it’s about desire, timing, and trust. And now, AI is allowing us to analyze and anticipate that psychology in entirely new ways.

By applying behavioral modeling, we can identify the emotional and informational cues that signal readiness to buy. We can create live focus groups using AI data streams that reveal what today’s affluent consumers are curious about, what’s influencing their decisions, and where they’re directing their attention next.

This insight allows us to adjust creative messaging, timing, and media placement in real time — transforming marketing from a reactive process into a predictive one.

![Forte Luxe Exterior Building](/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/forte-luxe-construction.webp)

Marius Fortenelli’s Forté Development celebrated with Kast Construction, the topping off of Forté Luxe in Jupiter, Florida last month.

## The Power of Curiosity and Credibility

Here’s what makes this moment so interesting: affluent buyers trust AI as an information source. When they ask questions — whether through ChatGPT, Gemini, or their own digital concierge — they’re not looking for advertisements. They’re seeking intelligent, unbiased answers.

That’s why we’re engineering our content to perform like third-party recommendations within AI ecosystems. When the right information about a project appears naturally in generative results, it carries the credibility of an expert endorsement. And that credibility converts.

For developers, this means understanding that the next phase of luxury sales isn’t just about being seen — it’s about being cited by the algorithms affluent consumers already trust.

## Working from the Ground Up — and the Cloud Down

Because we work so closely with on-site sales and marketing teams, Cotton & Company has a uniquely intimate view of how buyers behave at every stage of the journey — from initial curiosity to contract.

We pair that firsthand knowledge with AI-driven behavioral data to refine buyer personas for each individual project. That fusion of human intelligence and machine insight gives us a live pulse on what matters most to each audience — and allows us to pivot faster than traditional marketing models ever could.

We’re applying this approach right now for major developments across Florida and beyond — Kolter Urban’s Florida and Georgia communities, Southstar’s Wildcat Ranch in Texas, GreenPointe Holdings communities throughout Florida and the Bahamas, and new landmark communities from The Lutgert Companies and Barron Collier Companies in Naples. These are brands that understand timing, precision, and the power of intelligent adaptation.

![Orchid Island Golf Club on Vero Beach](/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/orchid-island-golf-club-vero-beach.webp)

Orchid Island’s recent renovations to its Golf Club, enhanced the Member’s experience with its new Palmer Pub open-air lounge overlooking the 18th green.

## Why Timing Matters — Right Now

Florida’s winter selling season is beginning. This is the most critical window of the year, and the developers who move quickly to align their marketing with AI-driven buyer behavior will see immediate results.

AI isn’t a replacement for human expertise — it’s the most powerful behavioral insight tool we’ve ever had. It allows us to listen to what the market is asking for and answer intelligently, authentically, and faster than anyone else.

That’s behavior intelligence — and it’s already changing the way the luxury market thinks, feels, and buys.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Winning the AI Visibility Race in Luxury Real Estate Marketing](https://cottonco.com/winning-the-ai-visibility-race-in-luxury-real-estate-marketing/)

**Published:** November 4, 2025
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

![Laurie Andrews - President of Cotton & Company](/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/laurie-andrews-president-cotton-company.webp)

By [Laurie Andrews](/the-agency/laurie-andrews/ "learn more about Laurie"),
President, Cotton & Company

Artificial Intelligence isn’t a trend — it’s an infrastructure shift that’s fundamentally reshaping visibility, trust, and the psychology of discovery in real estate. This evolution is changing the way people search, learn, and connect with the places they ultimately call home.

As an industry leader, Cotton & Company stands at the intersection of innovation and inspiration. From the earliest print campaigns to the first websites and immersive virtual reality experiences, we’ve consistently embraced new tools to help people discover, research, and fall in love with new communities. And now, once again, the landscape is transforming before our eyes. This transformation is not something in the future — it’s here, and it’s accelerating fast.

## The Psychology Hasn’t Changed — But the Path Has

For all the technological evolution, human motivation remains remarkably constant. The buyer psychology that drives real estate’s luxury market has been stable for decades. People reach a point in life where they want to exchange maintenance for pleasure, replace routine with relaxation, and spend more time doing what they enjoy. They golf, boat, dine, and connect. Destination properties represent the promise of more living and less managing.

That psychology hasn’t changed — but how those buyers find the places that match their aspirations has changed dramatically. Discovery often begins with an online search, through Google, Zillow or Realtor.com. Buyers compare coastlines and communities — east coast vs. west coast, Palm Beach vs. Sarasota vs. Naples — and eventually connect with a project sales team or through a broker or real estate agent.

But now, we’ve entered a new stage of the digital discovery — one that’s powered by AI-driven answer engines rather than search engines. Instead of typing “best waterfront condos in Florida” into Google, today’s buyer might talk to their ChatGPT app, asking “Where can I find a new waterfront community in Florida with boating access from around a million?”

The difference is profound. Traditional search delivers links. AI delivers answers with research to support the recommendation. And that shift changes how visibility is earned and how trust is built.

Many of the questions developers are beginning to ask about AI-driven discovery and visibility are addressed in our [Frequently Asked Questions](/faq/ "Frequently Asked Questions").

![Ask ChatGPT—best new Tampa Bay waterfront condo with boating?](/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/marina-pointe-ask-chat-ad-camapign-blog110425.webp)

## The Rise of Answer Engines — and the New Rules of Visibility

In traditional search, visibility was built through Search Engine Optimization–a formula based on keywords, backlinks, and website content structure that aligned to Google’s algorithm.

But AI doesn’t work that way. It’s not a crawler — it’s a thinker. AI language models don’t simply index information; they interpret it. They look for context, credibility, consistency, and clarity across multiple data sources before forming an “answer,” which is also a recommendation. This new world is known as Answer Engine Optimization.

AEO ensures that when a buyer asks an AI system a question about “luxury real estate in Florida,” “golf course communities,” or “new oceanfront condos,” your brand and your property are among the trusted recommendations that AI selects to feature.

And unlike SEO, where a dozen websites might appear on page one, an AI answer engine might only cite two or three sources. The winners get all the attention. That’s why visibility in the AI era is no longer about showing up — it’s about being understood.

![Waterfront terrace at 3300 Gulf Shore in Naples with Gulf views.](/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/3300-gulfshore-naples-kolter-urban-condominium-blog110425.webp)

3300 Gulf Shore by Kolter Urban recently reported $40 million in penthouse sales in this newly released Naples community.

## Why Strategic Storytelling Still Wins

We believe that AI will never replace the emotional connection of storytelling — it will amplify it. A home purchase, especially in the luxury market, will always be an emotional decision. Buyers are moved by vision, not just value. They’re seeking a sense of belonging, a connection to lifestyle, and a feeling that “this is where I’m meant to be.”

But in this new environment, storytelling must now speak to three audiences at once:

1. Human buyers, who are drawn to sensory experiences, emotion, and aspiration.
2. AI systems, which rely on clarity, structure, and contextual cues to interpret and relay that story.
3. Google and Bing search engines that will continue to serve as large segment of the consumer population.

That means the same narrative that connects with the heart must also be written in a way that AI and Google can recognize, validate, and communicate. This is where the intersection of psychology and technology becomes powerful. We’re not changing what stories we tell — we’re learning to tell them in ways that are visible to both humans and machines.

![Couple walking with surfboards along a Florida beach at sunrise.](/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/florida-lifestyle-surfing-storytelling-cotton-blog110425.webp)

![Surfers carrying boards by the shoreline on a sunny Florida morning.](/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/florida-lifestyle-surfing-storytelling-cotton-right-blog110425.webp)

Fontainebleau Development tapped Cotton & Company for the marketing and storytelling for SeaGlass Jupiter Island, a pre-construction sales success at record-setting prices.

## The Expanded Field of Play

This transformation results in the field of play doubling in size. In the past, the competition for visibility happened within search engines, websites, and social platforms. But now, a parallel ecosystem has emerged — one that lives inside AI-driven tools, personal assistants, and agent-based search experiences. Tomorrow’s buyer might ask an AI platform to “find the top three new condos in Sarasota with waterfront views and resort-style amenities.”

If the AI doesn’t know your property exists — or doesn’t trust the data it finds about it — you’re invisible. That’s why our focus today is on re-engineering the marketing framework to ensure that every community we represent is discoverable, credible, and emotionally resonant across both the traditional and AI-powered worlds.

This isn’t just about adding schema markup or writing AI-friendly copy. It’s about crafting a multi-layered visibility strategy where emotional storytelling meets machine-readable precision.

![Aerial of oceanfront golf holes at Sailfish Point on Florida’s east coast.](/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/sailfish-point-real-estate-marketing-golf-country-club-blog110425.webp)

The Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course at Sailfish Point plays a pivotal role in the brand story for this exclusive private oceanfront club on Florida’s east coast.

## Bridging the Human and the Machine

At Cotton & Company, our approach starts with people. We understand what motivates a buyer, how they make decisions, and what emotional cues drive action. But now, we translate that understanding into structured, verified content that AI can interpret accurately. That impacts how we describe lifestyle attributes, how we position location benefits, and how we define community features in ways that AI can identify as “truthful” and “authoritative.”

We’re also focused on how brand consistency across websites, digital advertising, social content, and PR feeds the algorithms that shape AI responses. The more unified and credible the story, the more confidently AI will surface it as an answer. In other words, we’re teaching our clients not just to tell their story — but to make sure it’s acknowledged by the intelligent systems that now stand between the brand and the buyer.

![Marina Pointe residences overlooking a yacht marina on Tampa Bay.](/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/marina-pointe-tampa-bay-luxury-real-estate-marketing-blog110425.webp)

Following the sellout of its first tower, BTI Partners just released presales of Luna at Marina Pointe, its second tower on the west shore of Tampa Bay.

## The Advantage of Industry Insight

Many companies are racing to understand and apply AI technology, but few truly grasp how to harness its potential to influence luxury real estate buyer psychology. That’s where industry experience becomes invaluable. For decades, we’ve translated lifestyle into emotion, emotion into action, and action into measurable results.

That expertise is what allows us to guide developers through this transition with confidence. The AI revolution doesn’t eliminate the need for industry knowledge — it magnifies it. Because if AI is curating the narrative, the accuracy of that narrative depends entirely on how it’s built. Our role is to make sure the right story is being told, in the right way, to the right audiences — both human and artificial.

## Winning the Visibility Race to Amplify Lead Generation

AI isn’t the end of luxury marketing — it’s the evolution of it. The companies that will lead this next chapter are the ones who understand that visibility isn’t just about being found. It’s about being understood, trusted, and chosen — by both people and the intelligent systems they now rely on.

Team Cotton is not just reacting to the AI revolution. We’re leading it — blending the emotional intelligence of human storytelling with the analytical precision of machine learning to redefine what visibility means to amplify lead generation.

The rules of the game have changed, but the goal remains the same: Connect people to places that change their lives. That’s the art — and now, the intelligence — of modern real estate marketing.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [As Waterfront Demand Rises, Marina Investments Surge](https://cottonco.com/as-waterfront-demand-rises-marina-investments-surge/)

**Published:** June 27, 2025
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

Waterfront development is entering a high-growth era, driven by the rising global demand for premium marina infrastructure. With the marina market projected to reach [$19.47 billion by the end of 2025](https://www.researchandmarkets.com/report/marina?srsltid=AfmBOoqxXxrGuGaQPFPte-Mq2iYnLFDh6WlRG2PkcH1oF9es9DZ6XlkJ "get the numbers from the source - opens in new tab"), developers and investors alike are recognizing the value of integrating luxury real estate with recreational boating amenities. This convergence is reshaping coastal markets and positioning marina developments as a strategic asset class within the broader luxury property sector.

The modern marina lifestyle extends far beyond boat storage—it reflects a broader shift toward integrated waterfront living. From sunrise cruises and spontaneous afternoons on the water to resort-style amenities just steps from the dock, marinas are evolving into lifestyle-driven destinations. This seamless fusion of nature, community, and coastal sophistication is redefining the value proposition of premium waterfront developments.

## A Lifestyle Defined by the Water

The surge in recreational boating is transforming more than marina occupancy rates—it’s redefining the strategic value of waterfront real estate. Today’s high-net-worth buyers are no longer just seeking boat storage; they’re demanding an integrated marina lifestyle where residential, recreational, and social experiences converge at the water’s edge.

In response, developers are creating dynamic, marina-centric communities that offer more than scenic views. These environments combine direct water access with walkable, amenity-rich neighborhoods—featuring fine dining, wellness offerings, cultural experiences, and a strong sense of community. The marina itself evolves from a functional asset to a central lifestyle anchor, driving long-term appeal and property value.

![The Ritz Carlton Residences, Sarasota Bay, is an example of luxury waterfront living](/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/cotton-waterfront-demand-blog-062725-ritz-sarasota-min.jpg)

*The Ritz Carlton Residences, Sarasota Bay, is an example of luxury waterfront living currently under construction in The Quay Sarasota.*

[The Quay Sarasota](https://quaysarasota.com/ "more about the Quay Sarasota - opens in new tab") serves as a prime example. Located in the heart of Sarasota’s downtown, it blends luxury residential communities with boutique retail, world-class dining, and a harbor-front setting creating a cohesive lifestyle experience. It’s a modern-day urban design model where the waterfront isn’t just the backdrop—it’s the main event.

Just as country clubs once anchored premier residential communities, marinas are now taking center stage as the new social hubs. Private yacht clubs, concierge services, curated events, and dockside gatherings are redefining what it means to live well on the water. Whether it’s an early morning paddle, a leisurely afternoon sail, or an evening of cocktails by the harbor, marina life offers a rhythm of connection, leisure, and prestige.

## Strong Demand and Smart Investment

Fueled by the surge in recreational boating and an expanding base of high-net-worth buyers, the marina market is on a steady course for sustained growth. In many of the country’s most sought-after coastal destinations, demand for marina-accessible homes is outpacing supply—making marina-focused developments some of the smartest investments on the market today.

![3300 Gulf Shore on Naples Waterfront](/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/cotton-waterfront-demand-blog-062725-3300gulfshore-min.jpg)*3300 Gulf Shore Naples is currently under construction with units starting from $3.7 million.*

Currently under construction on Florida’s west coast, [The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Sarasota Bay](https://www.theresidencessarasotabay.com/?utm_source=cottonblog "The Ritz-Carlton Residences homepage - opens in new tab") and [3300 Gulf Shore Naples](https://3300gulfshore.com/?utm_source=cottonblog "3300 Gulf Shore Naples homepage - opens in new tab") represent prime examples of today’s luxury waterfront living. Developed by Kolter Urban, these exclusive properties feature residences starting from $3.7 million. Both projects launched robust marketing initiatives prior to breaking ground, strategically generating early interest and strong demand. Emphasizing panoramic water views, refined interior design, premier amenities, and prime coastal locations, these developments are thoughtfully positioned to appeal to discerning buyers seeking an elevated lifestyle.

![Treasure Cay Plans in The Bahamas](/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/cotton-waterfront-demand-blog-062725-aerial-min.jpg)

*With plans for development on the horizon, Treasure Cay is expected to be a vibrant part of the North Abacos featuring golf, a marina, hotel, beach access, racquet sports, spa and fitness facilities, as well as essential services, retail, and dining.*

With plans for development on the horizon, the [Treasure Cay](https://greenpointellc.com/news/treasure-cay-revitalization-greenpointe-holdings-progress-in-2025/ "more about Treasure Cay - opens in new tab") redevelopment in the Bahamas is already generating significant buzz. Led by [GreenPointe Holdings](https://greenpointellc.com/ "GreenPointe Holdings website - opens in new tab"), one of Florida’s foremost developers of sustainable, amenity-rich communities—this master-planned, full-service destination aims to restore livelihoods and revitalize North Abaco in the wake of Hurricane Dorian. Designed to serve full-time residents, seasonal families, and day visitors, the community will feature golf, a marina, hotel, beach access, racquet sports, spa and fitness facilities, as well as essential services, retail, and dining—all thoughtfully integrated to support a vibrant and resilient future for the Abacos.

![Nautilis 220 aerial](/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/cotton-waterfront-demand-blog-062725-nautilus-min.jpg)

*Aerial View of Nautilis 220, located in the heart of the up-and-coming Lake Park Waterfront District.*

Developed by [Forest Development](https://forestdevelopment.com/ "Forest Development website - opens in new tab"), [Nautilus 220](https://nautilus220.com/ "Nautilus 220 homepage - opens in new tab") is more than a luxury waterfront address—it’s a cornerstone of transformation along the North Palm Beach coastline. Situated in the heart of the Lake Park Waterfront District, this premier development features 330 residences across two 24-story towers, offering sweeping water views, expansive floorplans, and a curated selection of resort-style amenities, including a private bowling alley, golf simulator, and rooftop terraces with plunge pools.

As interest continues to surge with only a limited number of residences remaining, Nautilus 220 is paving the way for future growth. Adjacent to Nautilus, a new mixed-use development, is poised to expand the district’s momentum with 399 luxury condominiums, office and retail space, and elevated dining—all with views to the Intracoastal Waterway and Atlantic Ocean.

This wave of luxury development is part of a broader vision for the Lake Park Waterfront District, including the expansion of the marina—transforming the area into a vibrant coastal destination where modern living, waterfront recreation, and walkable urban design converge. Together, these projects are redefining the North Palm Beach lifestyle and anchoring long-term economic vitality for the region.

![Fishing in Florida](/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/cotton-waterfront-demand-blog-062725-fishing-min.jpg)

## Looking Ahead: The Future of Marina Living

The evolution of marinas from utilitarian boat storage to lifestyle-defining amenities marks one of the most exciting shifts in luxury real estate today. And it’s only gaining momentum.

As the marina industry continues to grow and buyer preferences trend toward water-oriented living, now is the time for developers and investors to take the helm. Forward-thinking communities are being designed with marinas as their heart—where architectural design, market strategy, and lifestyle branding converge to meet the expectations of today’s affluent buyers.

For luxury homebuyers and investors, the message is clear: marina-front properties and slip ownership offer not only strong returns but also an elevated quality of life. At Cotton & Company, we see this rising tide as more than a trend—it’s an invitation to innovate, invest, and indulge in the possibilities of a waterfront era.

As we chart a course into 2025 and beyond, those who embrace marina-centric living will be uniquely positioned to reap both the joy and the value it brings. Don’t just watch from the shore—climb aboard and make waves in this new frontier of luxury living. The water is fine, and the future is filled with promise.

Cotton & Company is a full-service digital real estate marketing firm specializing in the luxury segment. With a portfolio of more than 1,700 communities worldwide, Cotton delivers strategy, storytelling, and innovation to help developers and brokers exceed expectations in any market climate. Learn more at [CottonCo.com](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage").

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Creative Careers Take Center Stage — "Open Door Ad-Ventures" Job Fair Welcomes Future Innovators](https://cottonco.com/creative-careers-take-center-stage-open-door-ad-ventures-job-fair-welcomes-future-innovators/)

**Published:** July 28, 2025
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

The entire world is in the midst of a dynamic evolution. From digital storytelling and branding to content strategy and experiential design, new opportunities are emerging daily for ambitious minds who blend creativity with precision. If you’re a type-A thinker with a passion for the arts, social media, account service, business operations, writing, or design, Cotton & Company wants to meet you.

![Cotton Open Door Event](/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cotton-building-expo-event-blog-072825-invite-min.png)

As an industry-leading luxury real estate marketing firm, Cotton & Company is gearing up for its growing client base. Whether you’re a seasoned professional, looking for a career change, or just getting started, this event will be perfect for you. The firm is hosting an exclusive Open Door Ad-Venture—an immersive career experience—while also inviting local neighbors and members of the community to tour the creative facilities and get a behind-the-scenes look at Cotton & Company.

Friday & Saturday, August 22–23
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
633 SE 5th St., Stuart, FL 34994

**[RSVP Here](/ad-ventures/ "RSVP to the Career Event")**

## Open House for the Curious & Career Minded Alike

[Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage"), a nationally recognized creative agency specializing in lifestyle and real estate marketing, is inviting the next wave of industry talent to experience life inside one of the most respected names in the business. Headquartered in the heart of Downtown Stuart, the firm is known for blending design, digital strategy, and storytelling into compelling campaigns for luxury destinations around the globe.

During the two-day event, the agency will host its neighbors and prospective staff for its “Open Door Ad-Venture,” an immersive career event where attendees can tour the firm’s dynamic office space, enjoy hot dogs and hamburgers, meet the leadership team, and take a behind-the-scenes look at the creative environment. From administrative and office staff to the social media team and web developers to copywriters, designers, and account strategists, the Cotton & Company crew will be on hand to answer questions and conduct on-the-spot interviews.

With more than 40 years of leadership, an award-winning team, its client roster that spans high-profile real estate communities and destination resorts and marinas. With the evolution of AI and digital marketing trends, Cotton & Company continues to shape the future of luxury marketing—and now they’re looking to meet the minds that will help define what’s next.

Ideal for transplants to the area, recent graduates, freelance creatives, and experienced professionals seeking full time or remote roles in the agency. The event offers a rare opportunity to engage directly with hiring teams, explore potential roles, and even participate in on-the-spot interviews.

In addition to a high-energy work environment, Cotton & Company offers a competitive package with benefits, paid time off, professional development opportunities, and a walkable downtown location that fuels creative thinking. The agency fosters a collaborative culture where strategy meets style—and where passionate people turn bold ideas into measurable impact.

![Cotton Team - Marketing Career](/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cotton-building-expo-event-blog-072825-team-min.jpg)

If you plan to attend, visit **[Cottonco.com/Ad-Ventures to register](/ad-ventures/ "RSVP to the Career Event")**. Follow along on [Instagram @thecottonsolution](https://www.instagram.com/thecottonsolution/ "follow us on Instagram - opens in a new tab") and [LinkedIn @Cotton & Company](https://www.linkedin.com/company/cotton-&-company/posts/?feedView=all "follow us on LinkedIn - opens in a new tab") to stay updated. You’ll have the opportunity to submit your resume in advance of the event. Cotton & Company’s Open Door Ad-Venture takes place August 22–23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 633 SE 5th Street in Stuart, Florida.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Outsmart the Bots — And Everything Else](https://cottonco.com/outsmart-the-bots-and-everything-else/)

**Published:** August 7, 2025
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

In the ever-evolving digital landscape of 2025, marketers aren’t just battling spam—they’re navigating a full-blown data crisis. Between bot interference, cookie deprecation, shifting privacy laws, and misleading attribution models, the traditional digital infrastructure is showing serious cracks. And the consequences are hitting where it hurts: CRMs flooded with junk leads, misaligned ad spend, and analytics that no longer reflect reality.

The problem isn’t just bots. It’s the outdated architecture of browser-based tracking—built for a digital era that no longer exists.

![hands on laptop](/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/cotton-bots-blog-080725-laptop-min.jpg)

## Enter Server-Side Tagging: The New Backbone of Digital Marketing

Server-side tagging (SST) doesn’t just deflect spam; it redefines how marketers capture, store, and protect their data. By moving tracking operations from the user’s browser to a secure cloud-based environment, SST creates a cleaner, faster, and far more accurate data ecosystem.

Here’s why forward-thinking brands are making the switch:

![Form on Website with BOT protection](/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/cotton-bots-blog-080725-adagio-min.png)Cotton Client, Adagio Sarasota, uses Platform Cloudfare
on their website.>

## 1. Data You Can Actually Trust

SST filters traffic at the server level, weeding out bot clicks, scrapers, and false signals before they ever reach your analytic and marketing reports. That means fewer wasted impressions—and a CRM filled with REAL prospects, not digital phantoms.

## 2. Built-In Privacy Compliance

With regulations like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) reshaping the rules of engagement, SST (server-side tagging) provides a smarter way to manage user consent. Paired with Consent Mode and a CMP (consent management platform) like Cookiebot, brands can customize what’s collected and where it’s sent—keeping data collection respectful and compliant.

## 3. Stronger Attribution, Smarter Spend

By leveraging first-party cookies, SST preserves tracking across sessions and platforms, resulting in clearer attribution paths and better-performing campaigns. It’s a win for both your marketing team and your bottom line.

![Laptop Island West Bay Website](/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/cotton-bots-blog-080725-westbay-min.jpg)The Island at Westbay, uses Cotton & Company to design, update and manage the security on their website.

## 4. Faster Sites, Better UX

Offloading tracking to the server trims excess scripts from your site, speeding up load times and improving SEO (search engine optimization) performance. The result? Happier users, lower bounce rates, and a more streamlined path to conversion.

## 5. Future-Proofing for a Cookieless Tomorrow

With Chrome phasing out third-party cookies, the shift to first-party strategies is no longer optional—it’s essential. Server-side tagging is the cornerstone of a future-ready data strategy that’s built to last.

## Your Data Strategy Can’t Afford to Wait

Marketers can no longer afford to rely solely on browser-based logic. Those still clinging to client-side setups are watching data integrity slip through the cracks. The smartest brands of 2025 are those that recognize the stakes—and act before the damage is done.

As Angelene McCullough, Director of Digital Strategy at Cotton & Company, puts it:

“At Cotton & Company, we don’t just plug in pixels. We architect smart, resilient systems that give our clients control of their data and confidence in their results. Whether it’s implementing server-side tagging, refining attribution models, or integrating with platforms like Cloudflare, our job is to cut through the noise and deliver solutions that work. If you’re seeing lead quality issues, or experiencing a disconnect between your analytics and reality, it’s time to move server-side.”

![Angelene McCullough, Director of Digital Strategy](/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/cotton-bots-blog-080725-angie-min.jpg)Angelene McCullough, Director of Digital Strategy

The future of digital marketing isn’t just about collecting data—it’s about collecting the right data, the right way. And server-side tagging is where that future begins.

Cotton & Company is a full-service digital real estate marketing firm specializing in the luxury segment. With a portfolio of more than 1,700 communities worldwide, Cotton delivers strategy, storytelling, and innovation to help developers and brokers exceed expectations in any market climate. Learn more at [CottonCo.com](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage").

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Why Scarcity Sells in Luxury Real Estate Marketing](https://cottonco.com/why-scarcity-sells-in-luxury-real-estate-marketing/)

**Published:** September 4, 2025
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

In luxury real estate marketing, scarcity is far more than a sales tactic—it’s a psychological catalyst. When thoughtfully woven into the strategy, scarcity drives urgency, heightens emotional investment, and enhances perceived value. For affluent buyers, rarity signifies distinction. In a world where luxury is synonymous with personalization and prestige, the notion of limited availability becomes the appeal itself. Luxury real estate marketing teams that intentionally position scarcity can transform it from a product into a coveted lifestyle.

## The Psychology of Scarcity in High-End Property Sales

At the heart of this phenomenon lies the “fear of missing out” (FOMO). Even the most sophisticated buyers are influenced by emotional triggers, and scarcity plays directly to that instinct. When a property, feature, or experience is perceived as exclusive, it gains value in the eyes of the buyer. This emotional response can prompt faster decision-making, increase willingness to pay premium pricing, and create a sense of competition—even in markets where the sales cycle is traditionally more measured.

In Florida’s luxury market, scarcity’s impact is undeniable. In Miami-Dade, sales of homes over $1 million have climbed 147% since 2019, while ultra-luxury properties above $10 million have surged 248%. Palm Beach has seen median home prices rise 89% in five years, with $20 million–plus sales up 500%. These gains are mirrored in other premier markets nationwide, from Manhattan to Aspen, where limited inventory, coveted locations, and specialized designs are driving record-setting prices and faster absorption, proving scarcity remains one of the most reliable catalysts in luxury real estate.

However, today’s luxury buyer seeks subtlety, not pressure. As [Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") advises, the art of leveraging exclusivity lies in restraint and sophistication.

![SeaGlass Jupiter Island Project](/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cotton-scarcity-blog-090425-seaglass-min.jpg)

Pictured above: SeaGlass – Jupiter Island

## How to Leverage Exclusivity in Luxury Real Estate Marketing

Scarcity can be integrated into a property offering in several ways:

- Limited Inventory Communities: Boutique-scale buildings with only a select number of residences feel more exclusive than large-scale projects.
- Unique Residences: One-of-a-kind penthouses, irreplaceable waterfront views, or bespoke interior designs amplify rarity.
- Exclusive Amenities: Marina slips, private beach clubs, and penthouse-level lounges reinforce exclusivity.
- Seasonal Scarcity: Coastal properties marketed with “only a few opportunities left to enjoy this winter” create urgency tied to time.

Projects like [SeaGlass – Jupiter Island](/works/seaglass-jupiter-island/ "SeaGlass - Jupiter Island project") have mastered this approach—positioning limited inventory not as a shortfall, but as a hallmark of luxury.

![Social Networks](/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cotton-scarcity-blog-090425-laptop-min.jpg)

## Strategic Digital Campaigns for Exclusive Developments

Luxury buyers resist pushy sales language. Instead of “last chance” or “act now,” strategic campaigns use phrases such as “select opportunities remain,” “final release,” or “limited offering. Digital campaigns should also:

- Build anticipation through private previews and early interest lists
- Offer by-invitation-only events to create an insider experience
- Use drip emails, gated content, and countdowns to heighten interest

*“At [Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage"), our digital strategy prioritizes the psychology of scarcity without compromising the integrity of the brand. From early content calendars to curated VIP communications, every touchpoint is designed to reflect the sophistication of the project, not the urgency of a transaction,” says Laurie Andrews, President of Cotton & Company.*

![gears](/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cotton-scarcity-blog-090425-gears-min.jpg)

## What Developers and Brokers Need to Know

For developers, scarcity must be incorporated into the product strategy from day one, not added as an afterthought. Authentic scarcity, whether through location constraints, architectural choices, or limited amenity access, supports elevated pricing and faster sales absorption. Aligning marketing, design, and sales teams early ensures the exclusivity message is cohesive across every touchpoint.

As a full-service digital firm specializing in luxury real estate marketing, Cotton & Company guides that process from concept to closing. With a portfolio spanning more than 1,700 communities worldwide, Cotton delivers strategy, storytelling, and innovation that help developers and brokers exceed expectations in any market climate. Learn more at [CottonCo.com](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") or call [772-287-6612](tel:17722876612 "Call").

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Forbes Global Properties Taps Cotton & Company for Brand Development](https://cottonco.com/forbes-global-properties-taps-cotton-company-for-brand-development/)

**Published:** December 29, 2021
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

[Forbes Global Properties,](https://www.forbesglobalproperties.com "Click here to learn more about Forbes Global Properties") the luxury real estate platform, selected [Cotton & Company](/ "Click here to learn more about Cotton & Company"), a full-service marketing and advertising agency, for top-grade brand development. The luxury online consumer marketplace showcases luxury homes and works closely with an invitation-only association of international real estate experts. Established in 2020, Forbes Global Properties capitalizes on the engaged audience of millions of consumers by leveraging the power of the 100-year-old Forbes media company.

Forbes Global Properties chose Cotton & Company as their marketing partner based on the agency’s longstanding history and hyper-focus on the luxury real estate market. Cotton & Company’s group of real estate marketing and advertising specialists produced a brand launch for a variety of property categories showcased on the platform. Additionally, the agency designed the Forbes Global Properties [Inaugural Industry report](https://www.forbesglobalproperties.com/annual-report/ "Click here to learn more about Forbes Global Properties Year End Report") on the state of the market. The 2021 Year-End Market Perspectives detailed year-end report offers valuable insight on the international luxury property market and it is complimentary to readers upon [registration](https://www.forbesglobalproperties.com/annual-report/ "Click here to register for Forbes Global Properties Year End Report"). The report highlights that the number of potential luxury homebuyers grew substantially in 2020 throughout 2021, and illustrates that “the world is experiencing one of the most accelerated periods of wealth creation and capital availability in history.”

![forbes banner ad ](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/forbesad320by320-min.jpg)

Forbes Global Properties supports the [Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/ "Click here to learn more about Forbes.com") mission of “celebrating those who have made it and those who aspire to make it, while convening and curating the most influential leaders and entrepreneurs who are driving change, transforming business, and making a significant impact on the world…” Their goal as a new platform is to educate, inform and engage prospective real estate buyers and sellers by presenting the world’s finest properties available on the market today with timely market data, editorial and expert insights.

“We are honored to lend our real estate expertise to such a prestigious organization like Forbes Global Properties. With our decades of experience on the luxury real estate market we were poised to guide Forbes Global Properties on their branding and marketing initiatives and successfully execute quickly and efficiently” says Laurie Andrews, Cotton & Company President. “We look forward to seeing the platform reach its unsurpassable potential in a market that is surging across the country.”

[Cotton & Company’s](/ "Click here to learn more about Cotton & Company") portfolio of other successful clients includes industry leaders like [The Kolter Group](https://www.kolter.com/ "Click here to learn more about The Kolter Group"), [Fontainebleau Development](https://www.fbdev.com/ "Click here to learn more about Fontainebleau Development"), [St. Regis Residences Longboat Key](https://srresidenceslongboatkey.com "Click here to learn more about The Residences at St. Regis Longboat Key"), [Property Markets Group](https://propertymg.com "Click here to learn more about Property Markets Group"), iStar, and [Blackstone](https://www.blackstone.com "Click here to learn more about Blackstone"). The company publishes [Solutions Magazine](/request-solutions-magazine/ "Click here to receive a complimentary edition of Solutions Magazine") and a weekly e-newsletter, [The Compendium](/compendium-landing/ "Click here to register for Compendium"), to provide ongoing industry news, trends, and updates of interest.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Cotton & Company, Forbes Global Properties, Real Estate Marketing Agency

---

### [Natural Amenities Top Homebuyers' List of Favorites](https://cottonco.com/natural-amenities-top-homebuyers-list-of-favorites/)

**Published:** September 2, 2015
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Being outside doesn’t just mean backyard pools and patios anymore. With the growing focus on health and wellness, today’s homebuyers are drawn to living healthier and nature-based amenities are at the top of their list. While the increased health benefits are important, it’s decreasing cost to manage and operate that makes natural settings more than just a pretty place.

As the largest generation for five decades, baby boomers spending trends continue to drive the economy. They have spent much of their lives in cars and offices and now want fresh air and walkable neighborhoods within easy reach of parks, beaches, shopping, dining, entertainment and culture.

Research shows that outdoor group oriented exercise such as gardening improves social skills and confidence, while even increasing mobility and dexterity. At The Georgia Club in Athens, Georgia, plans are underway to incorporate a community garden to provide fresh produce to the Country Club kitchen in the future. On the Florida panhandle, [NatureWalk at Seagrove](http://www.kolterhomes.com/communities/29/nature-walk/ "Learn more about Kolter Homes."), is already offering a neighborhood horticulture area for growing fresh vegetables and flowers. They also have the NatureWoof neighborhood dog park for friends and man’s best friend to enjoy. Outdoor group activities can be an effective way to exercise and get your daily dose of vitamin D.

It’s no secret that nature reduces stress and increases relaxation. Positive mood, better concentration and more creativity are also added benefits. Buying a home in a community surrounded by tranquil waters, such as The Islands on Manatee River near Sarasota, Florida, can also provide a relaxing sanctuary. Personal docks afford homebuyers the luxury to privately access a boat, launch a kayak or simply witness a colorful sunset.

Today’s retires have turned everything we used to think about the active adult housing market upside down. Gone are the days when the senior niche was the bridge playing older folks moving into their last home. Even more intriguing for the real estate industry is that 41 percent of leading-edge boomers – a group with over $500 billion in spending power, according to Brent Green, author of “Marketing to Leading Edge Baby Boomers” – say they will definitely purchase another home. What’s at the top of their list? You guessed it. Nature- based amenities.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [4 Key Components Needed to Drive Pre-Construction Sales Success from Your Online Sales Presentation](https://cottonco.com/4-key-components-needed-to-drive-pre-construction-sales-success-from-your-online-sales-presentation/)

**Published:** September 14, 2023
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

For many new luxury developments, achieving sales success in the pre-construction phase is a pivotal milestone that paves the way for construction to begin. Yet how does one secure such success when the community remains a vision, with its tangible benefits years away for potential buyers? As the world increasingly prioritizes digital media, the online sales presentation, often in the form of a website, emerges as the crucial initial step in this journey. According to the National Association of Realtors’ 2022 report, 47% of recent homebuyers began their home search by exploring communities online, even before reaching out to real estate representatives. A captivating website not only builds trust and excitement for the community, but also inspires homebuyers to take the next step to request more information. Let’s delve into the core components of a website that will help developers drive pre-construction sales success.

## 1. Intuitive Online Discovery Process

In the realm of real estate websites, the ease with which potential buyers access crucial information is a pivotal factor in shaping their purchasing decisions. A website that seamlessly guides users through well-organized sections not only expedites the search process but also fosters a sense of trust and credibility. As users navigate through amenities, floorplans, and envision life within the community, this insightful navigation maintains engagement and aligns with the psychological aspects of decision-making.

In a world where time is precious and attention spans are short, a user-friendly interface serves as an influential tool. The combination of simplicity, organization, and seamless navigation become powerful drivers in propelling the success of pre-construction sales.

## 2. Build Credibility and Trust 

Pre-construction websites should also be strategic in selling the investment angle without ever having to say the word “invest”. Websites are a vivid reflection of the community’s envisioned lifestyle, building credibility on both the potential of the community and fostering confidence in the developers to bring the project to fruition. By sharing positive news about the surrounding area and its economic future, consumers start to build a foundation of trust that this is where they want to live.

![Kolter Urban purchasers early buy in image](/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/cotton-pre-construction-sales-success-blog-091423-kolter-stats-min.jpg)

Equally as important is the reputation of those that are a part of the construction team, including the developers, architects, and interior designers. Sharing video interviews with the team, emphasizing their track record of successful communities, and those initial sales milestone successes foster trust and confidence in potential buyers.

## 3. Use SEO to Compete with Regional Offerings

![Island West Bay News Page](/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/cotton-pre-construction-sales-success-blog-091423-west-bay-news-min.jpg)

A website’s audience extends far beyond the homebuyers who scroll through its pages. It also includes the search engine algorithms – an important aspect of driving high-quality organic traffic. However, securing a strong search engine ranking, particularly within completive local markets, requires a strategic approach. Pre-sale communities wishing to break through on the rankings need to do research on how homebuyers search differently. For example, employing specific terms about rental programs could attract second home buyers interested in winter living in Florida.

Using key words to generate organic traffic demands a significant investment of time and research but ensures that buyers actively searching for new homes are more likely to stumble upon your website.

## 4. Prompt Buyers to Take the Next Step

While exploring your real estate website, the seamless integration of clear and captivating Call-to-Action (CTA) prompts emerges as a pivotal driver in transforming potential buyers into active leads. These well-crafted CTAs motivate visitors to willingly provide their information, equipping your sales team with the essential tools needed for personalized outreach and successful conversions. Welcoming these potential buyers into your sales funnel marks the initial step of their real estate journey, with the website and registration serving as the cornerstone of their path toward a successful property purchase. CTAs play a diverse role, catering to the varied interests of web visitors. Whether it’s facilitating general registrations for additional information or enticing them to subscribe for lifestyle-oriented insights, these prompts lay the groundwork for an engaging and fruitful real estate sales journey.

## Leading the Way in Real Estate Marketing Innovations

In today’s highly competitive real estate industry, understanding the science behind the presale process is imperative. Real estate developers and capital investors are turning to [Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") to give them a competitive edge in today’s digital marketing environment.

Cotton & Company is a full-service digital real estate marketing firm with decades of luxury brand expertise. With a portfolio of more than 1,700 communities worldwide, the firm recognizes that in every real estate market segment, the most important focus should be developing integrated and targeted marketing programs backed by facts. Cotton & Company’s daily monitoring of website traffic, time spent researching on websites, and the amount of social engagement received are used to generate a highly targeted ad approach.

Combining these strategies with innovative technologies and an unmatched level of creativity has helped Cotton’s clients stand out from their competitors, creating more quality leads and closed sales. Visit [CottonCo.com](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") to learn more about their full scope of services which range from branding and website development to sales support, lead generation, and digital/social marketing.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Is Florida Luxury Real Estate Recession-Proof? What Developers Need to Know in Today’s Economy.](https://cottonco.com/is-florida-luxury-real-estate-recession-proof-what-developers-need-to-know-in-todays-economy/)

**Published:** May 13, 2025
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Featured image: One Park Sarasota, an 18-story high-rise condominium tower located in downtown Sarasota’s Waterfront District, Quay Sarasota currently under construction. The 86-unit property features 3-bedroom + den plans and a dedicated 40,000 sq. ft. amenity level.

While headlines continue to stir concerns over rising interest rates, global uncertainty, and new tariffs, many predicted a cooling of Florida’s luxury real estate market. And for a brief moment in April, it appeared they might be right. Contract activity dipped, and the urgency that once defined buyer behavior seemed to take a pause. But look closer, and the story is far from over.

![Data Analysis ](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cotton-recession-proof-blog-051325-data-min.jpg)

## A Pause in Action—Not in Interest

“The shift wasn’t in buyer interest—it was in buyer action,” says Laurie Andrews, President of Cotton & Company. “We’ve continued to see strong website traffic, qualified leads, and digital engagement across our clients’ campaigns. The demand hasn’t disappeared—buyers are simply taking their time.”

As the peak winter season came to a close, many developers observed a softening of momentum, particularly in the luxury segment. But rather than a sign of decline, this brief pause may reflect a moment of buyer recalibration. With fewer external pressures or competitive urgency, buyers are choosing to wait for the perfect opportunity—leaving it up to developers and marketers to create it.

## A Silver Lining for Developers

For projects still in planning or early construction, this moment offers a unique opportunity. Florida’s migration patterns remain strong, and lifestyle-driven decisions aren’t being canceled—they’re simply delayed. That means pent-up demand is likely just around the corner. The key is being prepared when those buyers are ready to act.

“Extraordinary times create extraordinary opportunities,” says Andrews. “But urgency won’t return on its own. Now is the time to be strategic—refining product offerings, building meaningful messaging, and creating marketing that doesn’t just inform, but inspires.”

![Selene Luxury Residence in Fort Lauderdale](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cotton-recession-proof-blog-051325-selene-min.jpg)

Selene Oceanfront Residences are located along Florida’s Fort Lauderdale Beach. The luxury towers will feature direct ocean, Intracoastal, and skyline views, which will be captured from the expansive private terraces designed to maximize the oceanfront views.

## Luxury Real Estate: The Ultimate Tangible Asset

Even as development costs rise, the top end of the real estate market continues to hold strong. According to [Realtor.com’s 2025 Luxury Housing Outlook](https://www.realtor.com/research/luxury-2025-outlook/ "more details about the housing market - opens in new tab"), demand in the top 5% of the market is expected to grow, outpacing other segments. For many investors, luxury real estate offers a level of stability that stocks and other volatile markets simply can’t.

“People are turning to real estate as a reliable, tangible asset,” notes Danielle Hale, Chief Economist for Realtor.com®. In uncertain times, history has shown luxury properties often become a safe haven for capital, creating new waves of demand.

![Boca West Akoya, Boca Raton, FL](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cotton-recession-proof-blog-051325-bocawest-min.jpg)

View from Akoya in Boca West

The most successful communities are those that combine move-in-ready homes with a compelling lifestyle. Boca West in Boca Raton, for example, continues to attract luxury buyers thanks to its robust amenities and active club culture—even with an aging resale inventory. It’s proof that when the lifestyle is right and marketing hits the mark, sales will follow.

![Aerial of Sailfish Hutchinson Island FL](/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cotton-recession-proof-blog-051325-sailfish-min.jpg)

Located on the southernmost tip of Hutchinson Island, Sailfish Point is a sold-out private club community with 520 distinctive homes that offer an astounding array of naturally beautiful homesites, including oceanfront, river, marina, lake, and estuary settings.

## Global Buyers Return to the U.S. Market

According to [BAM](https://nowbam.com/how-tariffs-stock-market-volatility-are-impacting-luxury-real-estate/ "Learn more about the Tariffs and the Stock Market - opens in new tab"), international interest in U.S. real estate is also heating up. As economic and political turbulence ripple across global markets, affluent buyers are looking to the U.S. as a safe and rewarding investment. From Miami to Manhattan to the California coast, demand is rising—especially in luxury markets with strong education, healthcare, and lifestyle offerings.

International buyers bring yet another layer of competition to already supply-constrained luxury markets, increasing the need for targeted, culturally aware marketing strategies that highlight what matters most: quality, security, and exclusivity.

![Cotton Team](/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/cotton-blog-collision-conference-2024-team-min.jpg)

## Marketing that Matches the Moment

In today’s market, marketing can’t just be pretty—it has to be purposeful. High-net-worth buyers aren’t making emotional decisions; they’re making strategic ones. That’s why every Cotton & Company campaign is rooted in data, elevated with storytelling, and designed to connect on a deeper level.

From immersive digital experiences and robust lead generation to lifestyle-driven content and real-time analytics, we help developers move beyond selling homes—to selling an aspirational way of life. Because in a market where every buyer is waiting for the right moment, your marketing has to be the moment.

[Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") is a full-service digital real estate marketing firm specializing in the luxury segment. With a portfolio of more than 1,700 communities worldwide, Cotton delivers strategy, storytelling, and innovation to help developers and brokers exceed expectations in any market climate. Learn more at [CottonCo.com](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage").

**Categories:** Press

---

### [The Art of the Sale - Luxury Buyers Crave Experiences, Not Specs](https://cottonco.com/the-art-of-the-sale-luxury-buyers-crave-experiences-not-specs/)

**Published:** April 30, 2025
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

For today’s luxury buyer, ‘home’ is more than a property or an address — it’s a reflection of how they live. And in the world of luxury, the greatest indulgence isn’t square footage or finishes; it’s time and how it’s spent. That’s why effective marketing must go beyond features and square feet to capture the essence of the experience.

They aren’t just searching for a house — they’re seeking a feeling, a story, a place where they truly belong. The old formula of selling square footage, designer finishes, or a coveted address isn’t enough on its own. Today’s luxury buyers want an emotional connection. They want to imagine the life they’ll live there: morning light flooding the kitchen, intimate sunset dinners on the terrace, and meaningful moments waiting to unfold.

That’s why the most successful luxury marketing masters the art of storytelling. It’s about curating an experience through imagery, language, and design that taps into aspiration and identity. Details matter, of course—but the magic happens when those details are woven into a larger narrative about what it feels like to live there.

At Cotton & Company, this philosophy shapes every facet of our consumer engagement. We drive success for many of the industry’s leading real estate developers and sales teams by moving beyond selling property to selling emotion. Through strategic branding, visually immersive campaigns, and emotionally resonant messaging, we turn luxury properties into irresistible stories that capture buyers from the very first impression. In the luxury market, specifications spark interest — but it’s the story that makes the connection.

![Sarasota Shortlist Digital piece for Luxury Buyers Experience](/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/cotton-art-of-sale-blog-043025-sarasota-shortlist-min.jpg)

## The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Sarasota Bay

Kolter Urban set out to bring The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Sarasota Bay to market with a strategic plan that extended well beyond the walls of the building. While the global prestige of The Ritz-Carlton brand offered immediate recognition, a key part of the marketing challenge was showcasing Sarasota as a destination worthy of the world’s most discerning buyers.

Marketing efforts leaned into Sarasota’s rare blend of coastal beauty, cultural richness, and relaxed sophistication. From its world-class arts scene and award-winning dining to its walkable waterfront and effortless connection to nature, Sarasota became more than the setting—it became the story.

With 78 waterfront residences scheduled for completion in 2026, every detail of the campaign was crafted to reflect not only the elevated design of the tower itself, but the distinctive lifestyle that defines Florida’s Cultural Coast.

Through the creation of [The Sarasota Short](https://www.theresidencessarasotabay.com/e-brochure/ "Explore Sarasota with the brochure - opens in new tab") List on social media platforms and a curated suite of marketing assets, a world-class brand experience was crafted—one that seamlessly highlighted the beauty of the location, not only for its residents, but the entire family. The result is a launch campaign as captivating and refined as the residences themselves, perfectly positioned to introduce Sarasota’s next iconic address.

## Boca West

At [Boca West](https://bocawest.com/ "Explore Boca West - opens in new tab"), the story was never about the homes in this 35-year-old, sold-out community — it was about the life beyond the private gates. Capturing the energy, connection, and vibrancy of the members’ lifestyle at Boca West was the key to generating demand. A brand was built around the extraordinary lifestyle that continues to thrive, so compelling that buyers are willing to wait, compromise, or renovate to be part of it.

![Boca West Magazine Thumbnail](/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/cotton-art-of-sale-blog-043025bw-mag-min.jpg)

Through a sleek, editorial-style [lifestyle magazine](https://www.bocawestcc.org/member/static/life-magazine/ "Lifestyle Magazine opens in new tab"), dynamic digital marketing campaigns, and immersive photo and video storytelling, the vibrant energy, world-class amenities, and effortless luxury of Boca West came to life. Every touchpoint was thoughtfully designed to spark emotion, aspiration, and connection. By selling the dream club lifestyle first, buyer priorities shifted—turning “dated” into “full of potential” and creating a surge of demand among luxury consumers eager to call Boca West home. The result was an atmosphere where homebuyers were willing to make the move and wait for their forever home to become available in the future.

![Seaglass TV Spot](/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/cotton-art-of-sale-blog-043025seaglass-min.jpg)

## SeaGlass, Jupiter Island

After securing one of the most coveted pieces of land on Florida’s east coast, Fontainebleau Development of Miami set out to achieve the highest price point in Palm Beach County history. SeaGlass, ideally located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway, sits in one of the state’s most low-key, naturally beautiful areas. Capturing the essence of this laid-back lifestyle meant prioritizing serenity, natural surroundings, and the value of time. The marketing strategy required more than showcasing walls and windows—it demanded telling the story of Jupiter’s understated, coastal charm.

Cotton & Company launched a full-scale marketing effort prior to groundbreaking rooted in storytelling and sensory experience. A standout [television spot—set](https://youtu.be/juf6YBMQZHU?si=psaZ2f0jW6yozDfm "Watch the TV Spot - opens in new tab") to original, custom-composed music—captured the laid-back rhythm of Jupiter Island and was widely recognized for its elegance and tone. Cinematic photography and videography highlighted the island’s natural beauty, while high-end lifestyle materials, including a bespoke brochure, helped define the brand’s identity and voice.

The result was more than a strong impression—it was a sell-out success. All 21 residences were sold within three months of project completion, underscoring the power of a marketing strategy built on authenticity, artistry, and emotional resonance.

## How Cotton & Company Turns Vision into Reality

A rarity in today’s world, Cotton & Company can offer something different—a fully integrated team of more than 40 professionals working seamlessly to deliver exceptional results. With expertise across branding, web development, digital marketing, and social media, every element is strategically aligned to create efficient, compelling programs that drive success.

Specializing in emotionally resonant branding and marketing strategies for the world’s finest real estate offerings, Cotton & Company transforms properties into powerful lifestyle brands through a combination of strategic insight, stunning creative, and market-savvy execution.

Developers, investors, sales teams, and private communities choose to partner the Cotton & Company team to elevate their properties beyond the tangible—into the aspirational. Because in luxury real estate, it’s never just about the specs. It’s about the story you tell.

For more information about Cotton & Company or to speak with our marketing experts, please visit [CottonCo.com](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") or call [772-287-6612](tel:17722876612 "Call").

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Laurie Andrews Featured in Latest Luxury Homes Magazine, Hot Off The Press](https://cottonco.com/laurie-andrews-featured-in-latest-luxury-homes-magazine-hot-off-the-press/)

**Published:** February 19, 2025
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Cotton & Company is thrilled to share that our President, Laurie Andrews, has been prominently featured in the latest issue of *Luxury Homes Magazine*. This exclusive feature Women to Watch and highlights Laurie’s deep expertise in luxury real estate marketing and her strategic vision that continues to shape the industry.

With decades of experience, Laurie has been at the forefront of innovative marketing strategies that elevate luxury real estate brands and connect discerning buyers with premier properties world-wide. Her insights into market trends, branding, and digital innovation have solidified her reputation as a leader in the industry.

![Women to watch Laurie Andrews](/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/cotton-luxury-homes-mag-press-woman-to-watch-laurie-021925-page-min.jpg)

The feature in *Luxury Homes Magazine* showcases Laurie’s unique approach to marketing high-end properties, leveraging a mix of cutting-edge digital advertising, immersive storytelling, and data-driven strategies to position luxury developments at the top of the market. Her leadership continues to drive success for our clients.

We invite you to read the full feature in [*Luxury Homes Magazine*](https://issuu.com/luxuryhomemagazine/docs/luxury_home_magazine_the_palm_beaches_surroundin/131 "get the article from the source - opens in new tab") and discover how Laurie’s expertise is redefining luxury real estate marketing.

Congratulations to Laurie Andrews on this well-deserved recognition!

## ABOUT COTTON & COMPANY

Cotton & Company is an industry leader in the marketing and sales of lifestyle driven residential real estate. We are a full-service digital marketing firm grounded in over four decades of experience in the real estate market. The company has driven sales success for over 1,700 communities worldwide, including private country clubs, luxury condominiums, resort residential, marina residences, and master-planned communities.

To learn more about Cotton & Company visit us at [cottonco.com](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") and register for a free issue of [Solutions Magazine](/request-solutions-magazine/ "Register for your magazine") featuring real estate industry tips & insights.

**Categories:** Press

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### [Cotton Digital Team’s 6 Key Takeaways from Toronto's Collision Conference](https://cottonco.com/cotton-digital-teams-6-key-takeaways-from-torontos-collision-conference/)

**Published:** August 6, 2024
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

While the digital landscape has evolved significantly over the years, its recent growth has been exponential. Innovations in AI, robotics, and other leading technologies are continually reshaping the digital marketing arena. Recognizing the importance of staying at the forefront of these changes, [Cotton & Company’s](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") digital team leaders, Director of Web Development Sonya Pereira and Digital Director Angelene McCullough, attended the [2024 Collision Conference](https://vancouver.websummit.com/ "details on the conference - opens in new tab") in Toronto. This annual event is a hub of innovation, attracting over 37,000 industry professionals from 117 countries. With 1,834 companies presenting their cutting-edge advancements, the conference provided a valuable opportunity to explore new technologies and gain insights into the current and future trends of the industry.

![Cotton and Company Team at Collision Conference in Toronto](/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/cotton-collision-conference-blog-080624-cotton-team-min.jpg)

“The Collision Conference was a fantastic immersion into the world of technology, AI and robotics,” shared Director of Web Development Sonya Pereira. “We left the conference feeling inspired and motivated, ready to apply the insights gained to the projects we have at Cotton & Company.” Here are the top takeaways by Cotton & Company’s digital team leaders:

![AI Digital Marketing Speaker](/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/cotton-collision-conference-blog-080624-speaker-min.jpg)

## 1. AI Applications Create Efficiency in Digital Marketing

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming an essential tool in both professional and personal realms. For digital marketing professionals, AI can be used to better optimize their strategies. Angelene attended sessions and workshops that shared how they can not only summarize past analytics, but also forecast future behaviors and provide suggestions on how to better share a message with the right audience. The conference also highlighted other breakthroughs in robotics and AI, including advanced models in natural language processing, autonomous drones, and self-driving delivery trucks. Sessions on industrial automation showcased how AI and robotics are being integrated into manufacturing, logistics, and other sectors.

McCullough looks forward to seeing how AI continues to grow over time. “With the rapid pace of technology’s growth, it’s clear that the future will be shaped by the ideas and collaboration born out of events like this,” she shared. “Next year’s conference is set to be even bigger. I’m looking forward to seeing what new innovations and opportunities it will bring.”

## 2. Website Designs Continue to Evolve

Website design is also evolving with a focus on the synergy between human creativity and AI technologies. In the “Pixels Revolution: Humans vs Machines” session, experts discussed AI’s role in enhancing rather than replacing human artistry. This collaboration aims to push creative boundaries, as seen in AI-generated artwork. Additionally, web design is trending towards minimalist, functional aesthetics, incorporating interactive elements like chat buttons and 3D tours to engage users. The real estate industry is embracing a range of these technological advances that are transforming how properties are marketed and sold online. From immersive AR/VR experiences and AI-driven automation to big-data analytics and enhanced security measures, these trends are set to redefine real estate websites in 2025. Sustainability and user-friendly design will also play a crucial role in meeting the evolving demands of consumers and regulatory bodies.

## 3. Cookies, SEO, and Digital Marketing

Google’s latest business practices were a key focus, emphasizing strategies to improve local search results. Marketer Neil Patel’s session highlighted the importance of cookies for tracking user behavior and adapting to new privacy regulations. He shared advanced SEO strategies, stressing high-quality content, the impact of AI on SEO, and the crucial role of user experience in boosting search rankings. Patel emphasized the need for websites to demonstrate expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness to enhance visibility. Expanding Google My Business profiles with detailed information, including social media links, local keyword-rich FAQs, and recent press stories, can significantly improve visibility. Encouraging visitor reviews also helps build trust and credibility.

![3 speakers at Conference](/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/cotton-collision-conference-blog-080624-3speakers-min.jpg)

## 4. The Future of Coding and Web Development

Attendees also gained a forward-looking perspective on the future of programming. Sessions Sonya joined covered emerging programming languages, frameworks, and tools, providing best practices for staying ahead in the rapidly changing tech landscape. A highlight of the event was the hands-on coding workshops, where participants engaged in real-world projects and collaborated with peers, gaining practical experience in areas like machine learning, web development, and app creation. These sessions were invaluable for developers seeking to integrate their solutions with existing technologies and create seamless user experiences.

![Collision Conference Presentation](/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/cotton-collision-conference-blog-080624-presentation-min.jpg)

## 5. Voice Search & Personalized Content to Become More Prevalent

The Collision Conference highlighted the transformative role of technology in real estate and digital marketing. In real estate, PropTech innovations like AI-powered property management systems and virtual reality tours are making the industry more efficient and accessible. With the rise of voice search, optimizing content for voice queries is becoming crucial for maintaining digital relevance. This entails crafting content that fits natural language and conversational search patterns, while also leveraging the growing prevalence of voice-activated devices to explore new marketing opportunities. Additionally, personalized content and advances in behavioral targeting are enabling more precise marketing campaigns.

## 6. Sustainable Technologies Create a Greener Future

The concept of sustainability has also gained prominence in both the tech and real estate fields. The Collision Conference discussed how there’s been a noticeable trend among real estate platforms to emphasize properties that incorporate sustainable characteristics and utilize renewable energy resources. This movement is fueled by both the increasing demand from consumers and the imposition of legal standards, such as those outlined in the European Accessibility Act (EAA). The EAA stipulates that digital accessibility standards must be met by websites and applications by the year 2025.

## Cotton & Company Stays on the Leading Edge

With three decades of expertise in luxury real estate marketing, Cotton & Company remains committed to staying ahead of emerging trends to facilitate success for its clients. Their experienced team of over 35 professionals work in a collaborate working environment in South Florida, implementing these comprehensive strategies to create tailored programs for a global clientele.

“This industry is changing so fast, and it takes a big commitment to stay updated on the latest tech innovations,” says Laurie Andrews, President of Cotton & Company. “Ensuring our digital team is learning from the best and the brightest is very important. The information they garner in this dynamic setting is shared with our internal team, ensuring we consistently design digital assets and strategies that stay ahead of the curve.”

To learn more about Cotton & Company’s next level digital marketing, and their comprehensive range of marketing and sales services visit [CottonCo.com](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage").

**Categories:** Press

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### [Cotton & Company Digital Team Heads to Global Tech Conference in Toronto](https://cottonco.com/cotton-company-digital-team-heads-to-global-tech-conference-in-toronto/)

**Published:** June 17, 2024
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

This year, Cotton & Company’s Director of Web Development, Sonya Pereira, and Director of Digital Strategy, Angelene McCullough, are attending the 2024 [Collision Conference](https://collisionconf.com/ "Learn more about the conference - opens in new tab") in Toronto. As one of the world’s largest tech conferences, this week-long event gathers the innovators and companies that are redefining the global tech industry. Here’s a closer look at how this conference will not only fuel Cotton & Company’s growth but also enhance our ability to serve our clients.

![Angie and Sonya - cotton digital team](/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/cotton-digital-team-angie-sonya-min.jpg)

## A Confluence of Innovation

Collision is where the leaders of today and tomorrow come together to shape the future of technology. The event is a melting pot of ideas and innovations, where groundbreaking concepts are discussed, and future trends are forecasted. Our presence there means direct access to cutting-edge insights that we can harness to enhance Cotton & Company’s real estate marketing services.

![Collision Conference Center booth](/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/cotton-blog-collision-conference-2024-conference-min-700x407.jpg)

## Networking with Tech Elites

Collision is a place where the world’s tech elites gather to connect and collaborate. Networking here means more than simply exchanging business cards. It’s about forging meaningful partnerships and exploring collaborative opportunities that could lead to smarter, more efficient solutions for our clients.

![Collision Conference speakers](/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/cotton-blog-collision-conference-2024-speakers-min-700x407.jpg)

## Learning from the Best

This year’s Collision conference boasts a stellar lineup of industry leaders, tech pioneers, and visionary thinkers, all converging to share their knowledge. Representatives from some of the world’s most successful companies will take the stage to discuss a diverse range of topics, from technology and digital media to music, politics, and culture. At Cotton & Company, we are committed to delivering the most advanced and effective practices to our clients. That’s why Team Cotton will be there—learning from the best, participating in workshops, and absorbing every bit of expertise available.

![Cotton Team](/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/cotton-blog-collision-conference-2024-team-min-700x407.jpg)

## Bringing it All Back Home

Inspired teams drive innovation for our clients. By immersing themselves in Collision’s vibrant atmosphere and engaging with its rich educational content, our team gains fresh ideas and perspectives. Every session attended, partnership formed, and innovation encountered at Collision will be channeled back into our work with clients. Cotton & Company aims to return equipped with new tools and ideas to drive success and help clients navigate the complexities of the digital world.

Stay tuned for updates, insights, and stories from our time at Collision 2024. Together, we’re not just moving forward; we’re taking the lead.

## About Cotton & Company

Cotton & Company is a full-service real estate marketing and sales firm with decades of luxury brand expertise. The firm’s portfolio of luxury real estate success includes more than 1,700 communities worldwide. With a staff of 35+ in their South Florida office, Cotton & Company combines proven strategies with innovative technologies and an unmatched level of creativity. Cotton & Company is also the recipient of Board Room Magazine’s 2023 “Excellence in Achievement Award” for their work in the private club industry. Visit [CottonCo.com](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") to learn more about their full scope of services which range from branding and website development to sales support, lead generation, and digital/social marketing.

**Categories:** Press

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### [ULI's Real Estate Economic Outlook](https://cottonco.com/ulis-real-estate-economic-outlook/)

**Published:** July 11, 2019
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

If we all could predict the future, everyone would be jumping into real estate investment and development. Although no one has a crystal ball, the Urban Land Institute has an impressive track record when it comes to forecasting for trends in the global real estate industry. ULI’s most recent Real Estate Economic Forecast was presented at its Spring Convention in Nashville. A member of the ULI Recreational Council, [Stephann Cotton](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/stephann-cotton/), sat with us to break down what those predictions mean for the industry.

## **Real Estate Market Stability**

> *“If you look at the different sectors of the real estate market, and you look at the projected growth, virtually all sectors are almost flatlined from 2019 to 2021. Housing inventory has stabilized with between 850,000 and 900,000 new residential units being developed per year for the next three years.”* A stabilized market can go either way for sellers and buyers. Optimists believe that it shows younger buyers catching up and spending on necessities such as homes and 401(k)s. Pessimists believe that buyers remember the ‘08 recession and are spending more cautiously, thus reducing the amount that they spend on large purchases and add-ons. How the market will respond to this stabilization is another story.

For now, ULI’s real estate economic outlook predicts some slight price increases, but for Cotton, what’s worth paying attention to is seeing where the market stops. “If you look at the different sectors of the real estate market, and you look at the projected growth…virtually all sectors are nearly flat. Industrial real estate is slightly improved due to the rebound of US manufacturing and retail is slightly lower due to the continued pressure from online retailers.” So if the market is stable, what is the real takeaway from this information?

## **Real Estate Market Knowledge**

> *“Understanding that one market will stabilize at a lower percentage than another lets both buyers and sellers recognize the true value of a piece of real estate,”* Cotton explained. “*As we reach the peak of pricing, people are wondering, ‘Am I getting ready to buy at the beginning of another cycle?’”*

## **Real Estate Outlook is Good**

> *“The prediction of stability should calm these fears. No one is predicting a drastic cycle, and if everything remains stable, inventories will continue to decline and the cost to build will increase.”*

[Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/home/) is an industry leader in the marketing, advertising, and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate. Our amazing team of [digital marketing experts](https://cottonco.com/digital-marketing-and-its-impact-on-the-real-estate-industry-a-conversation-with-laurie-andrews/), creative designers, copywriters, and website developers utilize today’s technology and new media channels to stay ahead of the curve and continue to drive sales success for our real estate clients throughout the world.

To stay up to date with the latest real estate industry news and trends subscribe to our [Cotton Solution Magazine](https://cottonco.com/request-solutions-magazine/) by clicking here or simply fill out the form on this page.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** real estate, real estate outlook, ULI, urban land institute

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### [Number of Buyers Seeking Vacation Homes Jumps, Survey Shows](https://cottonco.com/number-of-buyers-seeking-vacation-homes-jumps-survey-shows/)

**Published:** March 24, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Consumers apparently are becoming more optimistic about the housing market, a recent study shows. The third annual Cotton Report polled more than 800 participants on housing preferences, motivating factors, pricing levels and timelines for purchase. The survey included participants from 39 states, Canada, Europe and Latin America.

While no direct correlation was made to the harsh temperatures of this winter, the research survey indicated a substantial increase in the number of homebuyers seeking a vacation home purchase, an increase of 800 percent year-over-year. There was also an increase in the number of buyers describing their transition as a geographic relocation, now 40 percent of respondents.

Over the three-year period of the annual study, a continuous trend towards smaller homes has been noted with the most popular size home now being 1,700 to 2,299 square feet. Homes ranging from 1,000 to 1,699 square feet saw an increase of 5 percent in interest levels from 2010 to 2011.

The Cotton Report also shows signs that pricing levels have adjusted to meet consumer expectations. In 2009, respondents indicated the need for a 50 percent reduction in order to re-enter the market. In the 2011 survey, this level of price reduction has changed, with the median response being a 20 percent reduction. This trend was also reflected in the consumer’s timeline to purchase. In 2011, 25 percent of respondents reported they would be purchasing within 6 months, an increase from just 4 percent at the same time last year.

The annual consumer report is compiled by Cotton & Company, a 28-year old firm specializing in the marketing and sales of residential real estate throughout the United States and the Caribbean.

Stephann Cotton, the firm’s president, noted in a prepared statement, “The adjustment of pricing to realistic levels has brought buyers and sellers closer together. These price adjustments combined with the brutal winter up North have resulted in strong sales in many of our resort residential properties.”

While questions remain in the U.S. mortgage market about the future of the 30-year mortgage, the survey indicates that 36 percent of the respondents plan to utilize a 30-year mortgage to make their purchase. An equal 36 percent are cash buyers with 21 percent indicating plans for a 15-year mortgage.

“One of the most dramatic changes in buyer psychology was seen in the responses from those who are uninterested in a real estate purchase,” said Laurie Andrews, Cotton & Company’s chief operating officer. In 2010, 96 percent of these respondents cited economic conditions or political instability as the reason for not purchasing. In 2011, this number was cut in half, with 46 percent of the respondents now indicating that they have no desire to move. “These results show buyers are beginning to separate the home buying process from the economic instability.”

[Click here to view the original online article](https://palmbeach.floridaweekly.com/ "Click here for original article.")

**Categories:** Press

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### [The Future of Real Estate Community Design](https://cottonco.com/the-future-of-real-estate-community-design/)

**Published:** December 14, 2020
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Whether working remotely from home, homeschooling the kids or even getting in a workout at the home gym – Americans are looking at their surroundings in an entirely new way and spending more time in their homes than ever. As we emerge from the pandemic crisis and plan for the future, psychographic priority shifts will be long lasting. As a result, the future of real estate community design has been greatly affected as visionary developers, builders, interior designers, urban planners and architects reimagine their plans to address the new reality.

## **Reimagined Spaces** 

Coronavirus challenges in American cities has provided opportunities and incentives to reimagine all public spaces. Cities like downtown Sarasota are ahead of the curve with construction already underway on The Bay, its new bay front revitalization project that provides open air destinations for public enjoyment. Scenic parks and walking trails are integrated with a new Performing Arts Center and recreational access to the waterfront. Adjacent to the landmark project, insightful developers are creating new residential opportunities.

Next door, [Quay Sarasota](https://quaysarasota.com/ "Click here for more information about Quay Sarasota") is a new 14-acre waterfront district designed to connect downtown Sarasota with all the parks, arts and excitement of the bay front area. GreenPointe Developers, master developer of The Quay, has focused on providing public access to the waterfront in its mixed-use plan that provides ground level boutique dining and shopping with a variety of residential options. Bayso by Kolter Urban is a new 18-level luxury condominium strategically situated within Quay Sarasota and adjacent to the recently completed Ritz-Carlton Residences Sarasota. The community is now accepting sales reservations and is priced from the $800s.

For future residents of Bayso, The Sarasota Multi-Use Recreational Trail (MURT) traverses through The Quay, providing another connection to the Sarasota Bay waterfront for biking, walking and jogging. In turn, the outdoor setting provides a highly sought after amenity—walkable outdoor living.

## **Master Planned Communities Highlight Seclusion**

New master-planned communities are also emphasizing outdoor living and access to natural areas. A strong desire for lower-density has propelled suburban growth especially in warmer climates, a trend that was already happening in the last five years. Developers are shifting their focus from urban in-fill projects to expansive tracts of land where open space can be utilized to provide a unique list of amenities families desire.

In North Florida, Nassau County has opened a new world for families in the Jacksonville DMA. The area is home to several state-protected nature preserves, quaint historic downtowns, and a natural landscape as the backdrop for new development. [Tributary](/works/tributary/ "Click here for more information on Cotton & Company's work forTributary"), one of the first new communities in the area, will be unveiling its Model Home village this Winter. The community is taking full advantage of its natural green space including river access for a kayak launch, a public/private partnership for a regional sports park and miles of walking trails that connect to the neighboring state park.

Tributary’s resort-style amenity center will also include outdoor spaces including a tot lot adventure park, imaginative pool complex and a popular dog park. A significant portion of the community will preserve its natural uplands and wetlands.

## **Floor Plan Design Trends**

With more time being spent at home, architects are incorporating these lifestyle changes into the home design as well. To help balance work and home life, home offices and flex spaces have become an essential addition to any floor plan design. With the transition to online schooling, there is a need for multiple designated workspaces to reduce distractions. Whether it’s a separate home office or a nook with multi-media functionality built in, home buyers need clear workspaces for everyone in the household, not just mom or dad.

There is also a new focus on indoor/outdoor environments. Foyers or mudrooms have become essential for sanitizing hands, receiving packages and removing shoes and other apparel. Patios, terraces, and outdoor decks are new settings for our daily activities. Outdoor entertainment areas featuring pools, outdoor whirlpools, and even fire pits fill the void of missed vacation experiences and enable safer gatherings with friends and neighbors.

## **Experiential Themes**

Developers are finding niche markets for individuals that have a focused way of life and then building around those target audiences’ specific needs and desires. [Coach House ](https://cottonco.com/works/coach-house-wellington/ "Click here for more information on Cotton & Company's work for Coach House") offers the first of its kind equestrian lifestyle focused residences in Wellington, Florida. Every residence in this mid-rise condominium development has been designed for the elite traveler seeking a lock and leave lifestyle and a high level of personal service. Expansive terraces overlook the show grounds of the Equestrian Preserve, creating seamless indoor/outdoor living space with views of the competition. Professional on-site building management, an in-house butler service, 24 hour front desk staff, valet, in house grooming, private dining and a personal concierge, 24/7 security staff are at residents’ disposal for them to enjoy a carefree, worry free lifestyle focused on family and friends versus household maintenance.

While Coach House’s focus is on the equestrian life, Arden an innovative master-planned community in Wellington focuses on farm life. At the center of the community is a five-acre farm and event barn, where community events, seasonal classes, and gatherings are offered in a natural setting referred to as “The Agrihood”. This amenity for all of Arden’s neighborhoods, allows residents to voluntarily work with their two full-time farmers as they plant and tend to the crops, and the entire community gets a share of the harvest.

## **Placemaking at Its Best**

Some communities have had great success using outdoor attraction amenities that are open to the public to lure in homebuyers. The 7.5-acre Crystal Lagoon in the Epperson community is the first-of-its-kind amenity in the United States . Located in Wesley Chapel, Florida, this amenity is also enjoyed by non-residents for a fee for day long adventures at the lagoon or for an event venue use. The attraction amenity model is a great way to take a remote town and put it on the map. Other developers are following suit in their plans, realizing if they take an otherwise unknown area and add a unique attraction people will travel to it. It is a win for all parties involved. The developer gains a lot of interest that attracts people to the homes and that area becomes a popular destination.

Another exciting example of placemaking is Willow Lakes which is described as “America’s biggest artificial surf park” coming to Florida’s east coast. The Willow Lakes development will include 800 residential homes, 600 hotel rooms, 400,000 square feet of retail and 125,000 square feet of office space. Before the news broke about this amazing surf park, there wasn’t much interest in Fort Pierce. Now, the news is spreading like wildfire, and the press has been very positive. This attraction will bring people from all over the country to experience something new. Developers hope they decide to settle nearby on a more permanent basis once they get a feel for the area.

The pandemic’s impact on real estate will be seen for years to come. Even post COVID-19, the effects will impact the next generation of homebuyers . Working remotely has become the new normal and being conscious of cleanliness and sanitation and the reassessment of a home’s functionality has been transformed permanently. Homes are no longer just seen as home base, but rather as the place to live, work and play.

## The Cotton Solution

Over the past four decades, Cotton & Company has focused exclusively on the unique challenges of the real estate industry. Cotton & Company’s experienced team is ready to develop a program to reach today’s emerging markets, taking full advantage of the technological advances in today’s digital marketing environment. To stay up to date with the latest real estate industry news and trends visit [cottonco.com](https://cottonco.com/ "Click here for more information on Cotton and Company") to subscribe to our Weekly Cotton [Compendium E-Newsletter](/compendium-landing/ "Click here to register to receive the weekly compendium") and download the latest [Cotton Solutions Magazine](/cotton-solutions-magazine/ "Click here to download the latest edition of Solutions Magazine").

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Advertising Campaign, Cotton & Company, Cotton and Company, Developer, luxury real estate, real estate, real estate marketing, real estate trends

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### [Real Estate Development Pre-Sales Achieve Astounding Results](https://cottonco.com/real-estate-development-pre-sales-achieve-astounding-results/)

**Published:** October 30, 2020
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

With a shortage of standing inventory in Florida and surging migration to the State, Florida homebuyers face fewer options when searching for that perfect winter or year-round address. Construction materials and labor costs are on an upward trend, resulting in the continued rise of new home pricing in the market. For real estate developments with pre-sale condominiums, this scenario will lead savvy homebuyers getting in early to take advantage of future appreciation.

For homebuyers that settle on what’s available today, waiting for new construction may be necessary to acquire the home of their dreams. Pre-sale offerings in real estate developments can be a win-win for both the buyer and the developer. For the homebuyer, the best selection and pricing are available upon initial release. Developer business plans include price escalations as contracts are secured. For the developer, early sales are necessary to meet construction financing requirements, and having buyers commit early is critical for the project to get off the ground. Often a 50% sales requirement is the trigger to breaking ground.

[Cotton & Company](/ "go back to home page of the Cotton site"), a leading sales and marketing firm specializing in luxury residential real estate, has assisted developers in introducing new offerings to the market for decades. “We have guided our clients through the ups and downs of many real estate market cycles,” says Stephann Cotton, founder and president of Cotton & Company. “As demand increases and inventory shrinks, developers have an opportunity to capture increased market share for pre-sale communities.”

After a lengthy acquisition process, Unicorp National Development received its final approval in April 2020 for [The Residences at the St. Regis Longboat Key](/works/the-residences-at-the-st-regis-longboat-key-resort/ "learn more about The Residences at St. Regis Longboat Key"). With the country on lock-down due to a global pandemic, the timing appeared less than ideal for the developer of this prestigious project. Cotton & Company worked with the sales team from Michael Saunders & Company in Sarasota to present the opportunity through a compelling website and community brochure. The database pipeline was nurtured with details on the caliber of the development team and a glimpse of what the future would hold.

Against all odds, in the middle of the summer off-season, The Residences at the St. Regis Resort Longboat Key launched its pre-sale efforts. The luxury residential offering will encompass three gulf-front condominium buildings adjacent to a stunning St. Regis Hotel. The spacious residences will also provide homebuyers with access to the legendary services and amenities of the St. Regis brand, along with a host of private resident-only amenities. As the only residential offering of this caliber in Longboat Key history, the results astonished veteran industry professionals. The pre-sales launch occurred in late July 2020 and resulted in more than 30 sales totaling nearly $200 million in a matter of weeks.

In nearby downtown Sarasota, Core Developers’ newly completed residential tower, [BLVD Sarasota](/works/blvd-sarasota/ "Learn more about the work by Cotton & Company for BLVD Sarasota"), is nearing sellout. The 18-story tower is located in the bustling Rosemary District overlooking the parks and cultural centers of The Bay, Sarasota’s renaissance of the waterfront district.

Also, in Sarasota, Kolter Urban has owned the condominium market for the past decade. Following sellouts of [VUE Sarasota Bay](/works/vue/ "learn more about VUE Sarasota") and Mark Sarasota, the developer is nearing completion and sellout of the Ritz-Carlton Residences Sarasota as well. Kolter Urban’s newest venture, Bayso is located adjacent to the Ritz-Carlton Residences in [Quay Sarasota](https://quaysarasota.com/ "Click here for more information on Quay Sarasota"), a waterfront multi-use neighborhood being developed by [GreenPointe Developers.](https://greenpointellc.com/ "Click here for more information about Greenpointe Developers")

Bayso will offer 149 luxury condominiums with a walkable lifestyle in one of Florida’s most desirable downtown locations. The newly launched condominium real estate development will feature 11 innovative two- and three-bedroom plus den floor plans ranging from 1,600 to over 2,600 square feet and seven luxurious penthouse floor plans ranging from 2,500 to just under 4,000 square feet. Residences are priced from the $800s to more than $3,000,000. Cotton & Company is working with the team from Premier Sotheby’s on the pre-sale launch, which has already resulted in the sale of more than $22 million in a matter of weeks.

“With shrinking inventory levels and over 1,000 people a day moving to Florida, pre-sales have been gearing up quickly,” says Laurie Andrews, principal and chief marketing officer for Cotton & Company. “In the post-COVID world, individuals are looking for a personal sanctuary where modern amenities and services can provide all the daily conveniences they need, close to home. There is a renewed focus on wellness, fitness, and clean-air systems in new developments as a result of increased buyer interest in healthy living.”

Stephann Cotton sums it all up. “The market is booming, and historically low mortgage rates are providing liquidity across all sectors. The demand is tangible as evidenced by our clients’ astounding pre-sales success. People are willing to commit at a very early stage in development to find a new home, whether it be their first or third home, retirement home or vacation home.”

[Cotton & Company’s](/ "go back to home page of the Cotton site") coordinated branding, lead generation, advertising, internet, web development, digital marketing and public relations efforts create an unmatched marketing advantage for today’s unique real estate challenges.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** bayso, blvd sarasota, cotton, Cotton and Company, cotton solutions, Florida real estate, real estate marketing, sarasota florida, the mark, vue sarasota

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### [Branded Residential Properties Return to Popularity](https://cottonco.com/branded-residential-properties-return-to-popularity/)

**Published:** November 18, 2021
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Branded residential properties have become more desired now than ever. Think about the brands you associate with, the airline you fly, the hotels you select, or the credit card you choose. Successful brands accurately reflect their high-quality standards, corporate culture, historical accomplishments, or social priorities – often all of the above. The power of brand alliances has proven to be an extremely successful strategy for real estate developers in the luxury segment.

The selection of the appropriate brand is not just about reaching a faithful audience but aligning the brand aesthetic to reinforce the credibility and expectations of quality in the development’s final product. The brand also conveys a sense of anticipated style throughout the interior and architectural design, creating a familiar lifestyle appeal for those with discerning tastes.

“Adding a luxury brand affiliation to a residential offering often provides a greater sense of confidence for a buyer during preconstruction offerings,” says [Laurie Andrews,](/the-agency/laurie-andrews/ "to learn more about Laurie Andrews") President of [Cotton & Company](/ "to go back to the home page"), a leading residential real estate marketing firm. “The brand association can generate a higher perceived value for the community by aligning with the brand’s quality standard and demonstrating an enhanced level of service for the end consumer. There is also an assumption of price escalation generated by the brand alignment,” adds Andrews. A variety of hospitality brands have entered into agreements with the world’s top real estate developers. Whether targeted audiences seek an energetic artistic environment, a tropical resort-style retreat, or uber-luxurious Zen living, the brand associations immediately convey the lifestyle appeal.

## The Residences at The St Regis Longboat Key Resort

Alongside the planned 166-room St Regis Hotel Longboat Key, 69 ultra-private condominiums will be split across three six-story buildings. [The Residences at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort](https://srresidenceslongboatkey.com/ "to learn more about St Regis on Longboat Key visit their website - opens in a new tab") will have access to the St. Regis resort services and amenities, as well as a plethora of private residential amenities including a Gulfside pool, spa, sundeck, and wellness center. Homebuyer’s interest was driven by the expectation of the St. Regis refined elegance brand aesthetic, along with its legendary five-star service. Cotton & Company assisted [Unicorp](https://unicorp.com/ "discover Unicorp by visiting the website - opens in a new tab") and the [Michael Saunders and Company](https://www.michaelsaunders.com/ "discover Michael Saunders by visiting the website - opens in a new tab") sales team to launch the community during the summer of 2020. The presale campaign resulted in over $200 Million in sales in a matter of weeks, achieving record pricing for the region.

## 100 Las Olas, A Hyatt Centric with Residences

Living at Kolter Urban’s 100 Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, also means living above the Hyatt Centric® luxury hotel. For homebuyers, visiting friends and family can take advantage of the contemporary designed suites and guest rooms, just an elevator ride away. For residents and their guests, dining at the Harborwood Urban Kitchen and Bar or cocktails at the contemporary Elev8 Rooftop Bar are minutes away without ever leaving home. The mixed-use property contains 121 residences, 238 hotel rooms, and 8,500 square feet of shopping and dining. The Hyatt Centric brand represents a contemporary, urban lifestyle that appeals to real estate buyers seeking a walkable lifestyle surrounded by dining, shopping, and entertainment. Modern open concept floor plans, dynamic city and riverfront views from extra-large terraces, and an exciting downtown lifestyle proved to be a successful combination captured throughout the compelling marketing and advertising campaign developed by [Cotton & Company](/cotton-capabilities/ "Click here for more information on Cotton & Company's capabilities").

## Alteza Residences atop the Grand Hyatt

Located above the Grand Hyatt along the Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas, the 140 private luxury residences at [Alteza Residences Above the Grand Hyatt](/works/alteza/ "get more details on the Alteza project") offered a unique lifestyle appeal. The highly transient urban address in the heart of downtown San Antonio represented an unusual offering for Texas homebuyers. The community’s private rooftop pool, 24/7 concierge, secure underground parking, views of Hemisfair Park, and access to multiple dining establishments set it apart from every other residential offering in San Antonio. The Grand Hyatt brand distinction set the level of expectation for homebuyers.

While assisting Liberty Mutual with the sellout of the final residences, Cotton & Company focused its efforts on educating Texas consumers on the advantages of a lock-n-leave lifestyle in the heart of a vibrant downtown neighborhood. San Antonio was positioned as an Up & Coming destination, supporting the buyer’s decision from both a lifestyle and investment-driven approach. With the marketing of The Alteza, the Grand Hyatt destination became the social centerpiece for the cultural and arts scene, world-class parks, endless dining, and great lifestyle investment.

According to an earlier report by [Knight Frank](https://www.knightfrank.com/ "Click her for more information on Knight Frank"), branded residences command an average uplift of 31% compared to equivalent non-branded properties. Laurie Andrews adds “Brand associations often provide a sense of credibility to real estate launch, resulting in earlier buyer acceptance, higher pricing, and faster absorption – all of which are important to meet presale requirements for financial lenders.”

Since 1983, Cotton & Company has been working with leading real estate developers and luxury hospitality brands. The firm has a unique understanding of the delicate balance between residential sales and the priorities of a brand in protecting its creative standards and legal obligations. With a specialization in luxury resort residential properties and lifestyle-driven communities, Cotton & Company remains hyper-focused on delivering real estate sales success while delivering next-level marketing. To view the company’s deep portfolio of successful properties, spanning from Panama to Poland, visit [cottonco.com](/the-work/ "Click here for more information on Cotton & Company's Experience").

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** brand affiliation, brand names, branded real estate, luxury real estate

---

### [Why Private Clubs Are Embracing On-Site Real Estate Operations to Ensure a Fiscally Healthy Membership Program](https://cottonco.com/why-private-clubs-are-embracing-on-site-real-estate-operations-to-ensure-a-fiscally-healthy-membership-program/)

**Published:** December 7, 2023
**Author:** Cotton

**Content:**

Attracting new Members who appreciate the enhanced value of the Club lifestyle is a core component for any private club to be successful. While many Club’s enjoy beautiful amenities and vibrant social scenes, the marketing of their unique lifestyle is often focused with internal membership only, leaving outside real estate agents focusing on the stick and bricks, without having an understanding of the mindset of the country club buyer.

With sold out communities where the developer is no longer involved, the marketing of the Club lifestyle is falling into a void between the Club staff who is working with current members and the real estate team focusing on new residents. Now, insightful private club managers are strategically shifting their focus as they recognize the critical need to drive real estate sales success. Let’s delve into how this shift will reshape the future landscape of private club real estate.

## Selling the Private Club Lifestyle

The unique lifestyle of a private club is its biggest differentiator. However, with a decentralized network of brokers handling home sales, the focus is on property characteristics and market trends, not lifestyle benefits. Many agents lack knowledge of the Club’s membership structure and do not have the ability to support the added cost of HOA and Membership Fees within the community. It’s a foreign topic that makes it difficult to gain their focus against non-club communities. An on-site real estate team dedicated to the Club community plays a pivotal role in bridging the gap, but can be a complicated task to set up, requiring long-term vision and committee approvals.

![Private Club Bay Harbor's Marina](/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/cotton-blog-private-club-12823-marina-min.jpg)
*Bay Harbor, Petoskey, MI*

## Proactive Advanced Planning is Important

In today’s highly competitive club market, understanding the dynamics of the private club real estate process is imperative. Drawing from past experience is critical to understanding the unexpected pitfalls that may arise when transitioning to a new approach. Many of the country’s top private clubs have turned to [Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton & company homepage") to give them a competitive edge in a world of exclusivity.

“Our work with Ocean Reef Club and Boca West Country Club in Florida are amongst the most dramatic success stories,” says Laurie Andrews, President of Cotton & Company. “Although we have worked with dozens of Clubs in Florida, we have also assisted Bay Harbor Yacht Club in Michigan with their challenges.” Cotton & Company’s specialized team has assisted private clubs to develop marketing programs unique to each club’s respective objectives. Moreover, as an integrated sales and marketing solution, the agency possesses a deep understanding of the Club industry and how to balance the needs of current Members with the changing demographics of future generations.

![Private Club Orchid Island's Club House](/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/cotton-blog-private-club-12823-orchid-island-min.jpg)
*Orchid Island, Vero Beach, FL*

## New Technology at Work

[Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club](https://orchidislandfl.com/) is a private barrier island community in Vero Beach, Florida with a Member-owned on-site real estate team. Owning real estate in Orchid Island is a requirement for Club membership, directly aligning the goals and objectives of both Club and realty operations. With few homes available for sale, the objective shifted to enhancing the current real estate values by driving continued demand for future listings. The digital marketing efforts shifted to a focus on high quality of leads generated and an in-depth analytical review of the most qualified leads. The program included a review of how these consumers were consuming information about the community and they depth of research being completed.

The new marketing campaign focused its messaging on Members enjoying a purpose-filled life and allowing future Members to gain a better understanding of the community culture. Cotton & Company’s campaign – Life on Purpose – demonstrates the Orchid Island lifestyle through interesting Member profiles showcased in an innovative [digital brochure](https://orchidislandfl.com/digital-brochure/life-on-purpose/ "Orchid Island digital brochure-opens in a new tab"). Multimedia marketing tools, storytelling videos, and interactive 3D facilities tours have provided future Members with a glimpse into the private club community.

## Financial Benefits of Real Estate Operations

Funding the ongoing marketing efforts for any Club has always been difficult due to budget considerations. With rising labor and materials costs, dues structures have been impacted significantly. Finding a revenue resource to fund the Club marketing on a long-term basis is a collateral benefit to the Club. Real estate sales commissions can be used to fund the program in perpetuity.

## Outdated Residential Properties Impacting Home Values

With the surge of country club communities developed in the 1980s, many are now dealing with aging properties where interiors have not been updated over time. Now, these outdated homes are being sold “as is”, impacting the comps and property values within the community. Cotton & Company took on this challenge at Boca West in South Florida, and the program became the catalyst for a real estate boom. A robust Renovation Program was developed and implemented at Boca West Realty where Stephann Cotton serves as the managing broker.

Through the Boca West Renovator Program, regional builders were recruited to transform outdated properties. The low-priced “as is” properties didn’t hit the market until the renovations were complete, significantly impacting the values in the community’s 55 villages. Boca West Realty’s 2023 market report demonstrated the astounding results, with overall sales revenue increasing 365% to more than $135 Million in sales in 2023 alone. The average sales price throughout the community rose 235% during the same time period. In just three short years, Boca West Realty now holds a remarkable 70% market share. [Boca West](https://bocawest.com/) has always been an industry leader for forward-thinking innovation, and the results speak for themselves.

## NAR Court Ruling Brings Uncertainty and Opportunity

The financial headlines have focused on big changes forthcoming in the real estate industry, with Buyer’s broker networks at risk. For private club communities, marketing will become even more important to ensure a healthy real estate landscape. Stay tuned for updates as this issue continues to unfold in 2024.

## About Cotton & Company

Cotton & Company is a full-service real estate marketing and sales firm with decades of luxury brand expertise. Recipient of Board Room Magazine’s 2023 “Excellence in Achievement Award,” the firm is uniquely focused on the private club industry. The firm’s portfolio of success includes more than 1,700 communities worldwide. Cotton & Company’s daily monitoring of internet based analytics and consumer behavior through a variety of social media channels are used to generate a highly targeted lead generation approach. With a staff of 35+ in their South Florida offices, Cotton & Company combines proven strategies with innovative technologies and an unmatched level of creativity. Visit [CottonCo.com](/ "Cotton & Company homepage") to learn more about their full scope of services which range from branding and website development to sales support, lead generation, and digital/social marketing.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [How to Judge the Success of Your Social Media Campaigns](https://cottonco.com/how-to-judge-the-success-of-your-social-media-campaigns/)

**Published:** July 26, 2023
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

In today’s digital landscape, social media has undeniably transformed how we interact, communicate, and perceive the world. From connecting individuals across continents to influencing cultural trends, social platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram, have become a part of daily life for every generation. Real estate developers and digital marketers are tapping into the immense potential of social media campaigns as powerful lead generation tool.

A shift towards [niche digital marketin](/the-evolution-of-strategic-marketing-and-how-micromarketing-is-taking-over/ "Learn more about digital marketing")g has enabled developers to understand their target audience on a deeper level and create tailored content that drives engagement and resonates with consumers. What’s often overlooked is the impact social media has on Internet search engine results – a crucial component to increasing your high-quality organic traffic. By catering to both of these audiences, real estate developers can effectively engage and captivate potential homebuyers while maximizing their visibility on Google. Let’s take a closer look.

## Today’s Public Relations Campaign

![mockup of Cotton Social Media Campaigns](/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/cotton-social-media-campaigns-blog-072623-connected-min.jpg)

From first-time homebuyers to seasonal luxury residents, social media has emerged as the premier avenue for real estate developers to engage with homebuyers across various markets. With over 60% of the world’s population using social media and an average daily usage of 2 hours and 24 minutes, they offer an extensive global reach. In this digital landscape, each post provides an opportunity to engage with homebuyers in unique and innovative ways. From floorplan spotlights and construction updates to lifestyle videos and magazine features, digital marketers utilize creative content to captivate and connect with diverse audiences.

While creating compelling posts is a part of the equation, the success of these campaigns shouldn’t be determined solely by the number of likes or comments they receive. The true measure of success lies in driving traffic to the website. Sponsored ads play a pivotal role in achieving these results, using targeted and personalized approaches based on geography, demographics, or user interests. By leveraging the versatility of social media, real estate marketers can forge meaningful connections with potential buyers, tapping into their interests while presenting a compelling vision of a developer’s community.

## Driving Organic Traffic and Boosting Online Presence

A successful social media campaign also caters to internet search engines. Google Analytics views social media channels like any other web page, enabling Facebook and Instagram to boost a website’s ranking. An elevated ranking will assist real estate developers in driving organic traffic, referring to high-quality, unpaid traffic from search engines like Google or Yahoo. While organic traffic is cost-free, it requires time and strategic investments to be successful. Prioritizing relevant and reader-focused content is crucial for both the website and social media pages.

![collage of Social Media Campaigns](/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/cotton-social-media-campaigns-blog-072623-social-min.jpg)

Blog content can play a significant role in search engine rankings, as regular updates and targeted keywords improve visibility. Each social media post and blog story enhances a community’s online presence, requiring diligent planning, consistent delivery, and an understanding of real estate buyers. The symbiotic combination of social media marketing and blogging captures leads and drives organic traffic to the community’s site.

## Stay Engaged with the Local Community

![join the conversation Social Media Campaigns](/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/cotton-social-media-campaigns-blog-072623-conversation-min.jpg)

Building a prominent presence in the digital landscape, however, goes far beyond consistent posting. Active engagement with the local community is vital to create meaningful connections with future homebuyers. Responding to page questions, celebrating the success of a local business, or networking with area realtors are just a few of the ways developers can use the community’s page to establish buyer trust. Additionally, regular social media updates showcasing construction progress, newsworthy articles, or exciting local events seamlessly drive the target audience to the website.

Posts can also tag relevant pages and people to expand the community page’s reach to other people’s networks organically. By immersing their social media pages into the local community, developers can resonate better with their target audience and foster genuine connections based on trust and loyalty.

## Digital Real Estate Marketing is Central to Success

In today’s highly competitive real estate industry, learning the secret formula for how to be found by active homebuyers is a top priority. Real estate developers and builders are turning to [Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") to assist them with today’s latest digital marketing technologies.

Cotton & Company is a full-service digital real estate marketing firm with 40 years of experience in the luxury segment. With a portfolio of more than 1,700 communities worldwide, the firm recognizes that in every real estate market segment, the most important focus should be developing integrated and targeted marketing programs backed by facts. Cotton & Company’s daily monitoring of website traffic, time spent researching on websites, and the amount of social engagement received are used to generate a highly targeted ad approach.

Combining these strategies with innovative technologies and an unmatched level of creativity has helped Cotton’s clients stand out from their competitors, creating more quality leads and closed sales. Visit [CottonCo.com](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") to learn more about their full scope of services which range from branding and website development to sales support, lead generation, and digital/social marketing.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [A Digital Real Estate Marketing Guide to the Google Analytics Update](https://cottonco.com/a-digital-real-estate-marketing-guide-to-the-google-analytics-update/)

**Published:** June 1, 2023
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

From user-generated AI to adaptive web experiences, the rapid pace of technological advancements is continuously evolving in the competitive world of digital real estate marketing. Now, big changes are imminent with Google’s latest edition of its analytics platform, known as [Google Analytics 4](https://developers.google.com/analytics/devguides/collection/ga4 "Learn more about G4 - Opens in new tab") (GA4). Effective July 1, 2023, GA4 will fully replace the Universal Google Analytics (UA) system currently employed. This change requires updates to your website coding, or you could be left in the dark. GA4’s cutting-edge website tracking tools will provide unparalleled insights into consumer website user behavior. Let’s delve deeper into its features and functionalities.

## What is Google Analytics 4?

With its flexible event-driven model, GA4 revolutionizes the tracking of the user’s interactions across devices and platforms. No longer will the site visit be referred to a single source. Analytics will now allow marketers to analyze the customer’s entire digital journey, from which pages on the site they used to what ads they’ve interacted with on social media. GA4 incorporates advanced machine learning, providing accurate predictive analytics and audience segmentation. The new analytics system also aligns with evolving user privacy and data control regulations while capturing more intricate user details. With an abundance of available information, however, it’s important to have someone that can analyze and discern relevant insights.

## Unleashing New Marketing Strategies

With interactive media at the forefront of digital marketing, real estate professionals are using innovative formats on their websites to captivate their audiences in dynamic ways. 360-degree tours for both homes and lifestyle-rich communities have gained popularity, providing potential homebuyers with an immersive glimpse into the community. Multimedia brochures have enhanced the storytelling experience, combining video content with traditional brochure information in an interactive way.

With more interactive options available on websites, the Google Analytics 4 update is a valuable tool for tracking their effectiveness. While previous analytics versions allowed marketers to see pages visited and how long they stayed there, GA4 measures performance in greater detail. The updated version can track user scrolling behavior, monitor user interactions with videos, track downloads, and more. Digital real estate marketers can gather valuable data about attention-grabbing sections, identify potentially overlooked sections, and overall refine the website to deliver more engaging experiences tailored to their audience.

## How Will Google Analytics 4 Benefit Real Estate Developers? 

Upgrading to Google Analytics 4 can help marketing professionals make more informed decisions about strategies and website design. It provides a detailed view of user behavior, allowing in-depth research on how websites should be adjusted for the best results. The enhanced machine learning algorithms can help identify patterns and insights that may not be immediately apparent, aiding in more informed decision-making for marketing strategies and website design. The improved integration with other Google products, such as Google Ads and Google Tag Manager, facilitates seamless tracking of advertising campaign effectiveness and website performance across multiple channels.

## Early Migration for Real Estate Websites is Key

For existing Universal Analytics (UA) users, early migration to this update is crucial to establish a seamless transition of current data and collection structures onto the new platform. Unlike Universal Analytics, GA4 does not automatically populate reporting views. The raw data is linked to Big Query, which needs to be appropriately configured to generate insightful reports. As a Certified Google Partner, [Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") offers G4 migration services for clients to easily navigate the process. Our team of experienced social media and web development professionals possess the knowledge and expertise needed to guide clients through the transition and maximize the benefits of Google Analytics 4.

![Digital Real Estate Marketing Brochure on mobile device](/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/cotton-blog-digital-real-estate-marketing-060123-min.png)

## Digital Real Estate Marketing is Central to Success

![aerial of real estate in florida](/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/cotton-blog-digital-real-estate-marketing-060123-aerial-min.jpg)

Cotton & Company is a full-service digital real estate marketing firm with 40 years of experience in the luxury segment. With a portfolio of more than 1,700 communities worldwide, the firm recognizes that in every real estate market segment, the most important focus should be developing integrated and targeted marketing programs backed by facts. Cotton & Company’s daily monitoring of website traffic, time spent researching on websites, and the amount of social engagement received are used to generate a highly targeted ad approach.

Combining these strategies with innovative technologies and an unmatched level of creativity has helped Cotton’s clients stand out from their competitors, creating more quality leads and closed sales. Visit [CottonCo.com](/ "Cotton Company Homepage") to learn more about their full scope of services which range from branding and website development to sales support, lead generation, and digital/social marketing.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** digital real estate marketing, Google Analytics

---

### [Cotton President Laurie Andrews Shares Industry Insights with Business Leaders as Panelist at Invest Palm Beach Conference](https://cottonco.com/cotton-company-president-laurie-andrews-shares-industry-insights-with-business-leaders-as-panelist-at-invest-palm-beach-conference/)

**Published:** December 12, 2022
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Capital Analytics Associates’ [Invest: Palm Beach](https://www.capitalanalyticsassociates.com/invest-palm-beach/ "Learn more about Invest Palm Beach - Opens in new tab") 2022-2023 Launch Conference was held on December 8, 2022. More than 200 industry leaders and elected officials gathered at The Ben Hotel in West Palm Beach to celebrate the launch of the annual publication with an afternoon of networking and panel discussions.

Cotton & Company President Laurie Andrews was among business leaders gathered for the real estate panel, “Building the Beach.” Moderated by Valerie Neilson, executive director of Palm Beach Transportation and Planning Agency, the panel examined how real estate and construction sectors are responding to unprecedented growth to shape the region’s future. Andrews shared how migration patterns have transitioned the area from a seasonal address to a year-round lifestyle. She highlighted trends in development integrating the use of new technologies to provide a more robust service atmosphere with lower labor costs for delivery.. Other panelists included David Serle, president-elect of Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors® and BeachesMLS, Jones Foster Shareholder James C. Gavigan Jr., and Clinton Forbes, executive director of Palm Tran.

“As we’re developing for the future, we’re finding that it’s not just businesses relocating or retirees, but also working professionals who now have the option of working remotely,” shared Andrews. “To be competitive, many developers are planning both the real estate space and the lifestyle services and amenities. New developments are providing conveniences that allow high net worth individuals to maximize their enjoyment in their downtime.” Andrews also pointed out that the need for affordable housing will need to come from redevelopment of existing neighborhoods with easy access to public transportation, rather than new community development. “If you had a piece of land given to you for free, you could not build affordable housing due to high construction materials and labor costs,” said Andrews. She pointed to the firm’s experience working in Poland, where the most sought-after community amenity was its proximity to public transportation. “Affordability is often tied to the cost of fuel and transportation for working families, and Europe has been dealing with this issue for decades.” Cotton & Company assisted Poland’s JW Construction with the sales and marketing of more than 20 communities throughout the country.

## About Invest: Palm Beach

![Invest Palm Beach 2022-2023](/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/cotton-president-laurie-andrews-invest-palm-beach-blog-121222-invest-min.jpg)

Invest: Palm Beach 2022-2023 is the fourth and latest edition of the business intelligence publication from Capital Analytics Associates. The 140-page publication provides an in-depth review of the growth opportunities and key challenges facing Palm Beach County’s economy through the eyes of prominent business and regional leaders. Fueled by friendly policies and several business relocations and expansions during and after the pandemic, the area has enjoyed continued growth and economic expansion. The Invest: Palm Beach 2022-2023 report focuses on this booming growth through the region’s key industries, including financial services, real estate, technology, transportation, and tourism.

## About Cotton & Company

Cotton & Company is a full-service digital marketing firm grounded in over four decades of experience in the real estate market. The company has driven sales success for over 1,700 communities worldwide, including private country clubs, luxury condominiums, resort residential, marina residences, and master-planned communities. Visit [cottonco.com](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") to learn more about their full scope of services which range from branding and website development to sales support, lead generation, and digital/social marketing.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Invest Palm Beach, Laurie Andrews

---

### [What Does the Future Hold for Offshore Real Estate?](https://cottonco.com/what-does-the-future-hold-for-offshore-real-estate/)

**Published:** September 24, 2021
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Since early 2020, Caribbean real estate demand has steadily increased both in exposure and desirability. There’s no doubt that the onset of COVID 19 sparked a focus on the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, and many homeowners recognized the role their surroundings play in meeting their wellness objectives. In addition, the growing acceptance of remote work has also created geographical flexibility, and offshore properties are the beneficiary of this new dynamic. With the demand for waterfront properties in the USA at an all-time high and available inventory at an all-time low, luxury homebuyers are extending their search to the Caribbean and beyond. With COVID now becoming a reality of everyday life, several factors will continue to drive the rising demand for island locations:

## **Scarcity Driving Prices Higher**

As the market demand continues to rise across the country, home prices have increased by an average of 15%, with the luxury market seeing even higher price escalation. Islands, such as St. Barts, Anguilla, the Turks & Caicos, and Barbados are experiencing significantly increased demand for their luxury properties which already enjoyed premium pricing.

## **They’re Not Making More Oceanfront**

There is a huge demand for newly constructed oceanfront homes. As a result, direct ocean residences are in very limited inventory throughout coastal states like Florida, the Carolinas, and California. While wealthy buyers are willing to pay top dollar for oceanfront property, there is often a lack of contemporary modern architecture combined with high-end services. This is pushing the luxury second home buyer to look past the United States towards new destinations. After being confined to more congested metropolitan areas, wealthy individuals are in search of safe havens where natural social distancing occurs.

## **Safety a Priority**

According to former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, “more people are now dying from gun violence and crime than from COVID.” With reports of crime waves dominating headlines, buyers are seeking a more isolated, tropical island retreat. Across the United States, many of the major metropolitan markets continue to see upward trends in 2021, and there’s no sign of this changing in the foreseeable future.

## **Private Island Investment**

According to a recent article in [Caribbean Journal](https://www.caribjournal.com/ "Click here for more information on Caribbean Journal"), private island investments and raw land acquisitions are trending right now as well with no end in sight. Investors are acquiring many resort properties that were abandoned due to hurricane damage and outdated properties in need of restoration. After the improvements are completed, the surrounding real estate components hold significant profit potential. Empty oceanfront land parcels with a view are also being sought out to build small to medium-sized resorts with residential development. Combine the distressed property pricing with the lack of capital gains and income taxes, and investors find these properties extremely attractive.

## **Convenient Travel Options**

While some Caribbean destinations are more convenient than others, locations like Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, and The Bahamas are more accessible by air or sea than ever.

While the commercial airline industry suffered during the pandemic, the private jet industry gained in popularity. According to [Elite Traveler](https://www.elitetraveler.com/category/cars-jets-and-yachts/aviation "Click here for more information on Elite Traveler"), “private jets allow consumers to travel with minimal interaction with other people on the flight and in the airport. Private jet membership company [Airshare](https://www.flyairshare.com/ "Click here for more information on Airshare") says that a passenger on a commercial flight, with check-in security and boarding, will encounter 700 points of contact on every flight, while a customer on a private jet will only go through 20 touchpoints. Many private jet companies are seeing this translate into an increase in memberships.” Private aviation allows travelers to commute without the fear that comes with commercial aviation, making offshore destinations more accessible than ever.

The yachting and boating industries have also skyrocketed over the past 18 months, showing no signs of slowing any time soon. With a shortage of dockage for megayachts, the marina industry is also exploding with growth throughout the Caribbean.

Offshore properties now represent an excellent opportunity to combine investment with healthy living. While some seek homes offshore to use as a vacation or secondary homes others seek the solitude of remote business, away from the hustle and bustle of city life. For global travelers, several Caribbean islands operate Citizenship by Investment programs which offer eligible applicants the opportunity to apply for full citizenship in exchange for an investment in real estate.

[Stephann Cotton](/the-agency/stephann-cotton/ "Click her for more information on Stephann Cotton"), founder, and CEO of Cotton & Company, the nation’s leading real estate marketing agency, is bullish on the future of Caribbean real estate. “The market dynamics have aligned to create demand for offshore living,” says Cotton. “We believe the current trend will continue as the world accepts the reality that there may be more pandemic threats in our future. Lower density and solitude combined with natural adventures, healthy lifestyles, and a high level of service will continue to be in demand.” Cotton & Company continues to assist real estate developers throughout the region to strategically target wealthy US homebuyers considering offshore investments. For more details on the firm’s strategic advertising, marketing, web development, and sales support services, visit [cottonco.com](/ "Click here for more information on Cotton & Company")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Boomers Rank Their Must-Have Housing Features](https://cottonco.com/boomers-rank-their-must-have-housing-features/)

**Published:** July 28, 2016
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

With the economy continuing to recover, baby boomers are finally feeling confident enough to take action on their plans to purchase retirement homes. A recent survey from AARP shares a wide variety of boomer preferences ranging from homeownership rates, community ratings, the likelihood or reasons for moving during retirement, most-wanted remodeling modifications, to the most desired outdoor space features. As it turns out, a majority of boomers surveyed want a home that helps them live independently as they age, and more than half of boomers are willing to move in order to achieve that goal. In addition, respondents in each market disclosed one community feature with the largest need gap in eight different domains, including transportation, health and wellness, outdoor spaces, housing, job opportunities, social participation, community info, and volunteer or civic engagement.

Successful builders understand their obligation is to not only make sense of what customers want, but also understand how to deliver consumers what they are seeking. This is where Cotton & Company has the expertise to work with real estate developers and community managers to design and implement the most-wanted features. This in turn, ensures a quick sell-out as well as happy consumers.

Compared to buyers in other generations there are many similarities in the way boomers rank their top community features. Seven community features (typically suburban, park area, proximity to retail space, walking/jogging trails, a lake, swimming pool, and exercise room) make the top of the list irrespective of the home buyer’s age. Home repair services and affordable housing are most important to boomers, yet the majority lack those options in their current homes and communities.

Since boomers crave experiences and new adventures, location plays a crucial role in how they feel and what they want. They tend to want dining, shopping and entertainment all within easy reach. They have spent most of their lives in cars and now want the convenience of location and walkability so they can enjoy an evening on the town without having a designated driver.

Boomers expect to sell their old homes to move to new quarters, which may be less expensive, more comfortable, and more appropriate for their new stage of life as retired empty nesters. As home builders continue to prepare for boomer housing needs, it is important to note that these home buyers have more discretionary income than any other generation. [Find out how Cotton & Company can help you](/contact/ "Contact Cotton & Company.") to position your community and target the market that your development was made for.

Research from AARPs Age Friendly Community Survey and BuilderOnline.com

**Categories:** Media, Real Estate

**Tags:** Community Features, Cotton & Company, Generational Trends, Housing development trends, Housing market trends, real estate, real estate advertising

---

### [Could Millennial Homeownership Be on The Rise?](https://cottonco.com/could-millennial-homeownership-be-on-the-rise/)

**Published:** September 27, 2016
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

A [recent Fannie Mae report](http://www.fanniemae.com/resources/file/research/datanotes/pdf/housing-insights-081016.pdf) analyzed U.S. Census data of 20- to 33-year-olds from 2006 to 2014. It followed different age groups through the boom (2006–08), bust (2008–12), and recovery years (2012–14). The fear of commitment of buying a home with a partner could be one of the reasons many younger folks don’t own the roof over their heads—along with rising prices, high student debt, and hard-to-get credit. As a digital marketing agency knowing who to target and when is crucial to campaign success, being able to narrow down and be ultra-specific about demographics and branding is why we are a leading industry agency. Cotton & Company has lived through the down-turn and survived. We understand real estate and how it resonates with age groups.

“It’s true a good share of millennials were missing in action during the early recovery—but not for lack of interest,” says **Javier Vivas**, [realtor.com®](http://www.realtor.com "Click here for realtor.com.")‘s manager of economic research. “Older millennials, ages 25 to 34 in particular, have had a few years of steady income, enough to establish credit and save for a down payment, big impediments that still haunt younger millennials.”

Despite the impediments of student loans, credit accessibility and fewer lower-priced starter homes, millennials are still going to buy homes. They might just do it at a later age. That’s because as individuals get older, they’re getting married and having children, which often leads to the longing for a place to call one’s own—maybe with a backyard! And the economy is faring better than it did during the crisis, he says, so many of these buyers are making more money and have more stable employment than they did in the dark days of the financial crisis.

This long term search and discover is why consistent branding and quality digital marketing is of utmost importance. Hitting your demographic early and often and on multiple fronts will result in brand recognition as well as keeping the younger folks dreams alive with hope of owning in your community when they reach that stage in life. Cotton & Company combines 30 years of luxury real estate marketing experience with the intellect of its digital savvy, forward-thinking real estate advertising professionals. [Contact us](/contact/ "Click here to contact Cotton & Company.") for more information or digital marketing advice.

**Categories:** Advertising

**Tags:** Millenials and Baby Boomers buying homes, Real Estate Marketing Agency

---

### [Here’s What You Need to Know About the Latest Facebook Algorithm Updates](https://cottonco.com/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-latest-facebook-algorithm-updates/)

**Published:** September 26, 2018
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

At the beginning of this year Mark Zuckerberg announced that the Facebook algorithm will prioritize “meaningful interactions” from friends and family over content from brands, and, as a result, it has become trickier than ever to ensure your content gets the screen time it deserves. But, Facebook is still the largest social media network in the world. Making its algorithm work for you is key to a successful Facebook marketing strategy.

**How the Facebook Algorithm Works**

On January 11th, 2018, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook would be changing its News Feed algorithm to prioritize content from “friends, family and groups.”

“As we roll this out,” Zuckerberg wrote, “You’ll see less public content like posts from businesses, brands, and media. And the public content you see more will be held to the same standard—it should encourage meaningful interactions between people.”

Zuckerberg cited “a responsibility to make sure our services aren’t just fun to use, but also good for people’s well-being” as justification for the change, admitting that businesses will have to work harder than ever to gain their customers’ attention on the platform.

Many brands and publishers understandably reacted to the announcement with worry and apprehension. After all, Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world. And though organic reach has been declining for a while, the platform has never publicly admitted it until now.

Luckily, Facebook offered several clues in their announcement and official press release about what brands can do to continue reaching customers on the platform.

**What are “Meaningful Interactions”?**

First things first. Facebook no longer cares how much time users spend on its platform, as long as that time is “quality” time.

This is a big deal as most social networks, including Facebook, have traditionally competed for increasing lengths of “time spent.” The longer users spent on a network, the better. It was a signal of the network-in-question’s popularity.

But no longer. One of the ways Facebook is measuring quality is by defining certain actions as more “meaningful” than others.

The new algorithm prioritizes active interactions like commenting and sharing over likes and click-throughs (passive interactions)—the idea being that actions requiring more effort on the part of the user are of higher quality and thus more meaningful. Rather than passively scrolling through the News Feed and occasionally pausing to “like” a photo or an article, Facebook wants users to be inspired to engage in conversations with each other.

It is these kinds of “meaningful” interactions—the ones that take more effort—that contribute to “quality” time on the platform and (arguably) help Facebook get back to its roots as a network primarily used by friends and family to keep in touch with each other.

Here’s a breakdown of the interactions Facebook says qualify as “meaningful.”

**Top ranking factors for the Facebook algorithm**

1. **Comments**

Pages making posts that people generally don’t react to or comment on will see the biggest decreases in distribution. Pages whose posts prompt conversations between friends will see less of an effect.

This means brands should create quality content focused on sparking conversations between users. Try including questions in your posts, or writing about timely, relevant topics that users are sure to have an opinion on.

The point is, users will be more likely to see your Facebook posts if their friends and family are commenting on it.

2. **Reactions**

If a user takes the time to hit the “love” icon vs. the “like” icon, your content will receive a minor boost in the News Feed. Just as in life, “loving” is a more valued emotional signal than “liking.”

The same goes for all Facebook’s reactions: Haha, Wow, Sad, and Angry. Facebook wants to see those “active” emotions.

3. **Comment replies**

The algorithm not only favors comments, but also replies to comments. These signal that a piece of content is inspiring conversation between users. (Remember, Zuckerberg deems “conversation” the most important outcome of this algorithm update). That means you want to be publishing content that inspires users to tag their friends in comments and start a conversation.

4. **Sharing links over Messenger to a group of friends**

If a user shares a piece of content to their wall, that’s great. But what’s even better is if they take the time to send it to a friend over Facebook messenger.

Of all the “meaningful interactions” listed here, this is the one that makes the most sense to me because—think about it—what’s more meaningful? A friend posting an article to their wall? Or a friend sending an article to you with a note that says, “Hey, just read this and I think you would really enjoy it too?” Yeah. That’s what I thought.

5. **Engagement on shares**

While sharing a post is a pretty “active” interaction compared to most, Facebook is going one step further. Simply getting shares is not enough. Your post must be shared and get engagement on that share to be prioritized in the algorithm.

**Other Facebook News Feed ranking signals**

According to Facebook’s News Feed webinar, the five “meaningful interactions” listed above are priority signals. But that doesn’t mean they’re the only actions the algorithm cares about. The following ranking signals are less important, but still worth noting:

- **Average time spent on content.** This is just what it sounds like—the average amount of time a user spends engaging with or viewing a post. Presumably longer is better, but Facebook hasn’t released any clear info on that since the update.
- **When it’s posted.** This is an indirect signal because it means that your post is more likely to get engagement if you post it at a time that users are likely to be online.
- **Story type.** Is your post a status update, photo, link, video, or live video? (Facebook’s press release specifically mentioned live video as often “leading to discussion among viewers.” But that is the only clue about what story types the algorithm might prioritize.)
- **Completeness of page profile.** The more fields you fill out on your Facebook business page, the better. This is so that Facebook and potential followers can get a clear idea of who you are and the legitimacy of your business.
- **How informative the post is.** Facebook tweaked its algorithm to highlight “informative posts” back in 2016. But, the term “informative” was based on a survey of users’ personal interpretation. For some users “informative” could mean “news,” while for others it could mean recipes or celebrity gossip. It’s not clear whether that definition has changed since the 2018 update.
    There are likely many more signals that contribute to a post’s News Feed ranking, but these are the only ones we have information on at the time of writing.

[Click here to request an audit of your existing digital strategy](/contact/) or to learn more about Cotton & Company’s digital marketing services **call us 772-600-3501.**

*Thank you to Story Contributors Hubspot.com and facebook.com*

**Categories:** Advertising, Social Media

**Tags:** facebook algorithm, facebook marketing strategy, facebook updates, marketing in facebook, social media strategy

---

### [8 Tips to Increase Organic Reach on Facebook](https://cottonco.com/8tipstoincreaseorganicreachonfacebook/)

**Published:** October 4, 2018
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

**1. Focus on video—but especially live video**

As far as we can tell, videos are still favored under the new algorithm, but live videos will be even more important. In his announcement, Zuckerberg wrote that “live videos often lead to discussion among viewers on Facebook—in fact, live videos on average get six times as many interactions as regular videos.”

This means if you haven’t already invested time and energy into posting live videos on Facebook, you 100 percent should do so now. This is one of Facebook’s few concrete examples of content that will perform well under the new algoritham, so we would all do well to pay attention to it.
 **2. Avoid engagement bait**

It might be tempting to try and hack the new algorithm by asking your audience to “COMMENT on this post if you like ice cream!!” or something similar. But don’t be that brand. It’s spammy and users don’t like it.

Plus, Facebook says, “Using ‘engagement-bait’ to goad people into commenting on posts is not a meaningful interaction, and we will continue to demote these posts in News Feed.”

**3. Focus on community building through Facebook groups**

Because Facebook Groups already operate on the basis of audience engagement, this marketing tactic will likely serve you well under the new algorithm. Under “What type of Page posts create meaningful interactions?” in Facebook’s official press release, Adam Mosseri specifically mentioned Facebook Groups. “In Groups, people often interact around public content. Local businesses connect with their communities by posting relevant updates and creating events.”

Businesses should look into new ways to engage customers with Groups, alongside their Page and advertising efforts.

**4. Keep creating quality content that resonates with your audience**

This is the single most important piece of advice in this list. Everything about “meaningful interactions” boils down to creating quality content that people actually want to see. And how do you know what people want to see? By researching your audience, running tests, and regularly checking your analytics.

Quality content should already spark emotion in your followers. But, imagery and captions are important factors in engagement as well.

**5. Invest in your ads budget**

Organic reach has been declining across social media for years. That means you’re probably already a whiz at Facebook ads.

But now that Facebook is deprioritizing content from brands and publishers, these skills will be more important than ever. Businesses must know how to target the right audiences to ensure their advertising dollars go further.

**6. Connect with Facebook influencers**

In the official press release, Adam Mosseri wrote, “Many creators who post videos on Facebook prompt discussion among their followers, as do posts from celebrities.” You could

interpret this literally, but I’m willing to guess that the majority of brands on Facebook don’t have access to celeb product promos.

Enter the influencer—“regular” people like you and me who happen to have large followings on social media and who have worked hard to gain the trust of their followers. Getting an influencer to post to their page on your brand’s behalf could very well lead to increased engagement and followers for you because, if the content is coming from someone people trust, it appears more authentic. Facebook has noted that it will show more posts from “publishers the community finds trustworthy.”

But make sure the content still follows all the guidelines in this list. Just because an influencer is posting it doesn’t mean it doesn’t have to be well-researched, valuable, or “meaningful.” It still has to spark conversation.

Plus, influencer marketing is a whole other ballgame. Make sure you’re prepared with a strategy before diving in.

**7. Localize (shift priority to local news)**

In the “Priorities for News in 2018” section of its News Feed webinar, Facebook noted that local news would be prioritized. This is great for publishers and businesses that already work the local angle. But, it’s harder for larger, global brands. Try changing things up by narrowing in on different geographical areas every so often. Promote an event in a specific city, or publish stories that affect a specific region. There are many ways to interpret and get creative with this ranking signal.

**8. Encourage customers to follow your Page**

One thing that’s not changing about the Facebook news feed is the ability for users to make sure they always see posts from their favorite Pages by choosing “See First” in their news feed preferences.

This means businesses shouldn’t be shy about asking customers to follow their page on Facebook. They could even remind loyal followers about the “See First” option.

These tips are useful for publishing content on all social media platforms—not just Facebook. As always, there’s no reason to fear algorithm changes if you are already dedicated to providing your customers with valuable, quality content. Facebook is working hard to make sure it is showing users content that they care about and that’s from trustworthy sources—so make sure you’re one of them.

The one thing that is constant in the world of digital marketing is change, and Cotton & Company is dedicated to staying on the leading edge as we continue to evolve. An invitation to the developer conference recognizes Team Cotton’s unique position as industry experts in a highly competitive environment.

Foreseeing future technology, allows us to lay the groundwork for these changes in advance of implementation, eliminating the learning curve.

[Click here to request an audit of your existing digital strategy](/contact/) or to learn more about [Cotton & Company’s digital marketing services](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "Click here to learn more about the capabilities of Cotton & Company.") **call us 772-600-3501.**

*Thank you to Story Contributors Hubspot.com and Facebook.com.*

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** encouraging customers to follow your facebook page, facebook influencers, how to use facebook for real estate, ranking organically on facebook

---

### [Digital Marketing and Its Impact on the Real Estate Industry: A Conversation with Laurie Andrews](https://cottonco.com/digital-marketing-and-its-impact-on-the-real-estate-industry-a-conversation-with-laurie-andrews/)

**Published:** December 11, 2018
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Find out how our Chief Marketing Officer, Laurie Andrews, answers some of the most frequently asked questions about digital marketing and its impact on the real estate industry.

1**. What does social media marketing really do for your business? Can you quantify the results?**

Social marketing has become the core of our digital strategy. The advanced targeting tools within the platform allow us to narrow the consumer base to our true potential homebuyers. Of course, the way we use the social channel is very strategic. Much more about educating and informing the consumer, rather than selling. The results are very quantifiable. We have data on every aspect of our engagement, and we also gain terrific exposure from the viral aspect of creating great content.

**2. What type of networking/marketing events work best?**

Taking the pressure of a one-on-one sales encounter off of the client is always more successful. Inviting them to join us in an atmosphere where they are entertained while being presented the homebuying opportunity. The experience needs to be enjoyable, where everyone in the family feels comfortable and “at home.”

**3. Are word of mouth referrals still the most important marketing tool?**

Word of mouth referrals are incredibly important, but it’s not just a verbal referral. Nine times out of 10 this is happening online via recommendation, rating, “shared story” or positive engagement. It’s important to create your own referrals by providing opportunities to share feedback.

**4. What is the best way to capture and follow up on the leads/inquiries from your marketing?**

Always remember what is important to your consumer – not yourself. Provide information or assistance that will solve some challenge that they are facing during this process. Providing an immediate buyer benefit will always help improve your data capture rate. At RiverTown, we’ve created a magazine that we offer to our visitors. It’s filled with stories and editorial content that is more believable and less salesy than a brochure. We’re pulling them in, not pushing a message.

**5. Does old school marketing still work? Direct mail, door knockers, print media advertising?**

Great marketing always includes multiple touch points. That’s true for mixing traditional advertising with digital content. Direct mail that is personalized to the recipient is proving to be very successful these days. Print media is still a useful tool for a transient market who grabs a local magazine or publication to get up to speed.

**6. What’s the best way to focus in on a specific target audience when formulating your marketing strategy?**

Knowing your specific audience is the first and most important step. If you can clearly identify the demographic and psychographic profile, there are incredible data profiling companies out there that will help you narrow in on a digital strategy. Facebook is the largest advertising platform on the planet because it’s so accessible and it’s targeting is so accurate, but new programmatic digital media buying is also using identity matching to serve your advertising to a specific target profile, rather than through a specific media source.

**7. Has technology changed your marketing strategy and how?**

Most definitely. Every marketing meeting we hold starts with analyzing the data from our website, landing pages and digital campaigns. These numbers have a direct correlation to what we see in the Sales Center. We can evaluate the quality of the traffic by the length of time on site, the pages they visit and the actions they take. The real key is putting together a program that takes a consumer from an internet inquiry to a live body in our sales center. That follow up process is critical and it can span quite a length of time. Especially in Florida with our retirement market.

**8. How is your marketing changing in a shifting** **market?**

We keep a constant eye on the data and have a full digital marketing team of professionals in house to ensure we’re up to date on the changing technologies and opportunities. As far as performance, we don’t judge success by “likes” or “followers,” it’s all about conversions and sales. We all understand that we have to be constantly evolving with technology to stay connected to our buyers. Media is also reinventing itself in new ways. We have to be ready to take advantage of those opportunities as they emerge.

To learn more about the digital services offered at Cotton & Company or how to receive a digital audit [click here. ](/contact/ "Click here to contact Cotton & Company.")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** digital marketing for real estate, marketing real estate, real estate advertising, real estate conversions, real estate leads, real estate targeting, real estate website, technology and real estate

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### [The Most Important Real Estate Marketing Trends for 2019](https://cottonco.com/the-most-important-real-estate-marketing-trends-for-2019/)

**Published:** February 25, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

It’s a whole new year and it’s time to refurbish your marketing strategy if you haven’t already. Don’t forget anything on this list.

A bright new 2019 has arrived. With this comes a greater marketing opportunities for your real estate projects and more resources to effectively hone your strategies. Use these real estate marketing strategies to transform and dominate in the coming year.

· Programmatic Advertising

Programmatic advertising is a very new and promising method of marketing. At Cotton & Company, we use location-based geo-fencing combined with demographic profiling to target potential homebuyers and create a custom audience for our message. Next, we target our lead generation digital campaigns at this specific audience rather than wasting money buying keywords that reach everyone, regardless of their quality and potential.

[· Social Media Marketing](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/web-development/ "Click here to learn more about web development at Cotton & Company.")

In today’s modern marketing landscape the question isn’t whether you will use social media in your marketing strategy, but how you will use it. Using social media to market to clients provides many unique benefits, especially when it comes to targeting niche audiences and their networks of friends. This type of marketing provides a seamless connection between the consumer and the business, resulting in them to be more apt to engage with the content that is being distributed. Social media is a critical component to a strong search engine optimization program that drives stronger organic traffic over the long run.

· Demographic and Psychographic Targeting

Effective marketing can only be done if the marketer understands the people he or she is to advertise to. Understanding what type of person your audience is can be described as demographics when identifying someone’s age or occupation. Psychographic targeting incorporates personal interests, brand affinities and habit patterns. Understanding the people can be the perfect ingredient to creating an effective and profitable marketing plan.

· Virtual Reality

Virtual tours help clients visualize themselves in a space. Providing a virtual tour on a website can increase interest by locals and out of the area individuals who cannot travel to a location to see a property. With technology, a pre-construction residence can be rendered into a finished product, allowing prospects to envision what it will look like.

· Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence provides marketers with many advantages. The most accurate predictions of past and present customer behavior can occur as a product of the data gathering power of AI which is now being incorporated into the Walled Garden marketing platforms like Facebook, Google, and Amazon. Marketing efficiencies are improved by the data analysis where AI-driven technology is serving the right ad to the right person.

· [Digital Sales Tools](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/marketing/ "Click here to learn more about the capabilities of Cotton & Company")

Digital magazines and brochures are an excellent tool for real estate marketing. They cost nothing to distribute and once they are designed, they are virtually effortless. They also serve as the perfect giveaway to incentivize user registration online. They provide visuals for a brand that a client can clearly understand, and they can easily access. Digital literature can be sent out via email and be waiting in possible consumers inboxes when they log on.

· [CRM System to Manage Prospects and Fulfillment Campaigns](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/web-development/ "Click here to learn more about the capabilities of Cotton & Company.")

A Customer Relationship Management system allows all customer data to be stored in a place that is easy to access by all members of a team. The CRM helps automat processes to free up sales team time to focus on the most qualified leads. A strong CRM improves team communication, makes social media platforms more targeted, and provides sufficient data to clearly identify your target market.

· [ Top Notch SEO and SEM Strategies](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/web-development/ "Click here to learn more about the capabilities of Cotton & Company.")

SEO is search engine optimization which helps visibility of content in Search Engine results. These prompts cause content to appear at the top of the search for free, making it easier for potential homebuyers to find your community while doing their research. SEM is paid search engine marketing through Google, Bing and the open Internet to reach qualified buyers. Both SEM and SEO strategies work in concert to help drive more traffic to a website and therefore more interaction with your content.

Taking the Internet and its resources by the reigns is the most cutting-edge way to market to your real estate clients. It is the best way to ensure that the hard work you put into your strategies return the most lucrative and productive outcome in this coming year. For a digital marketing analysis, please contact us at [cottonco.com. ](/contact/ "Click here to contact Cotton & Company.")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** programmatic advertising, real estate advertising, real estate advertising agency, real estate advertising company, real estate CRM, real estate digital sales tools, real estate marketing, Real Estate Marketing Agency, real estate targeting, real estate trends, social media marketing for real estate, virtual reality for real estate

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### [The State of The Luxury Residential Real Estate Market in South Florida](https://cottonco.com/the-state-of-the-luxury-residential-real-estate-market-in-south-florida/)

**Published:** April 4, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

South Florida has always held a unique luxury real estate market, affected by a variety of factors including the diversity of locales and the wide spread of buyers. Within the past year, a variety of influences have had a positive trend on the luxury housing market, showing prices, purchasing, and optimism soaring to record heights. Stephann Cotton, founder and CEO of real estate marketing agency Cotton & Company, should know. From his years of work in the home buying and selling market, he’s garnered a few signs that indicate where a market will go throughout the year, including QTL and buyer trust. “I would predict that 2019 will be a medium to medium-good market for the luxury segment…I do believe that the market is still in a good shape with fairly low inventories with the cost of labor, commodities rising rapidly. People are also coming to Florida in search of its tax advantages,” he shares.

While fairly low inventory and high labor prices are to be expected, buyers are feeling more confident in the market. Cotton attributes this to the QTL factor, meaning ‘quality time left’. “When people have money, and feel that their money is appreciating,” Cotton says. “Their real estate is appreciating, their businesses are doing well, they get to a point of saying ‘I want to take some of this wealth and use it for family, fun, and lifestyle.”This suggests a positive route for 2019 to take.

The sunshine state has long been established as the reigning ruler of the luxury housing market-Sarasota’s rapid-fire market is proof of that. Overall, Florida’s luxury housing market is facing record highs in both prices and sales-*Market Insider* reports that Miami’s luxury home sales may break past the $1 million mark by the end of this fall. With sales rising to roughly 2.2% year after year, those numbers add up quickly. Cotton told us that Florida’s many benefits helps in its rise in residents. “Florida has an extreme amount of coastline, lakes. They have warm weather year-round; they have great restaurants, great transportation, many ports that’ll take you to any place in the world, airports that connect with the rest of the world. Most importantly, it is a place that people will save on taxes.” Who could turn all of that down?

While luxury housing markets in different states have been active recently, South Florida’s market has shown some particularly interesting trends. *The Miami Herald* reports on South Florida receiving a population boom and the creation of new households at roughly 1.8 million per year, with the number expected to rise. With the area increasing in technology jobs and c-level positions, along with offering the lure of beautiful beaches and natural areas, luxury homebuyers are feeling especially confident.

So how do real estate developers stand out? Cotton advises these few tips: “The best developers are going to be recognizing who is coming to Florida, where people are moving around in Florida…”. Different people pick different places, but follow certain trends. They’ll also recognize what their area has to offer. Sarasota is recognized as a great cultural city, West Palm Beach is known for being a luxury living town, and North Palm Beach has great beaches.If they want to be near work or far from it, it can be accounted for. If the buyer wants something styled in the Mediterranean designs that dominate Florida’s landscape, that can be arranged. Whether buyers want to be in the city, in the forests, or by the beach, both Florida’s market and Florida’s landscape can accommodate.

The one thing that is constant in the world of digital marketing is change, and Cotton & Company is dedicated to staying on the leading edge as it continues to evolve. An invitation to the developer conference recognizes Team Cotton’s unique position as industry experts in a highly competitive environment.

Foreseeing future technology, allows us to lay the groundwork for these changes in advance of implementation, eliminating the learning curve.

[Click here to request an audit of your existing digital strategy](/contact/ "Click here to contact Cotton & Company.") or to learn more about [Cotton & Company’s digital marketing services](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "Click here to learn more about Cotton & Company."), **call us at 772-600-3501.**

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** luxury real estate, luxury real estate market, marketing luxury real estate, real estate market

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### [Top Strategies for Achieving Your Luxury Condo’s PreSale Goals](https://cottonco.com/top-strategies-for-achieving-your-luxury-condos-presale-goals/)

**Published:** April 4, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

In the recent years, the market for luxury condos has greatly increased. The baby boomers are not scaling down; moreover, they’re buying residences that fulfill their retirement needs, like luxury condominiums. Millennials are in competition to also purchase these as they are gravitating towards multi-family condominiums in vibrant urban areas that are walkable and easy to maintain. Sustainable living is on the rise and condominiums are the perfect place to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle.

The challenge lies in the hands of financing and marketing a project the size of a luxury condominium. For most luxury projects, there needs to be proof in sales to instill confidence in homebuyers that the vision will come to fruition. Today, developer strength and security are key components to any buying decision. Timing is equally as important though. Reaching retirees within the 2-year window that they are researching their new address is paramount. A presale program should market to all three types of condo buyers. Here are four vitally important steps to follow before breaking ground on a new luxury condo project and launching it towards success. The project should meet the needs of the buyer.

Studying the analytics of a market’s buyers is key, especially in micromarkets. The needs of buyers in one neighborhood may be drastically different than those of buyers just a couple of miles away. 100 Las Olas, a Fort Lauderdale luxury condominium project, was marketed eloquently to the “empty nesters” of the area. They were ready to leave their gated communities and head to an urban environment where every day and night can be a new adventure. And the market has responded very favorably to the offering.

1. The sales process should be optimized.
 
The largest issue with pre-selling condos is that the buyer does not understand the vision of the project. Using expert renderings, virtual reality, and beautiful brochures are all critical components to the sales process. Stressing developer creditability is also an important pre-sales strategy. And customization should be highlighted for buyers who are interested in buying new to make it their own.

2\. It is important to articulate the value of buying sooner.

This can help the buyer see themselves living in the property. Although presales are critical to getting a project off the ground, the buyers are provided significant benefits for taking part. The greatest incentive is fiscal. When buying new, it is standard that the sooner you buy, the greater the value you receive. Early buyers get the chance to choose their units and have more input in the result of the project because in the initial phase, changes are easier to implement and once the project is nearing sellout prices can increase.

3\. Presale marketing strategies should tell a compelling story.

They should be aggressive and focus heavily on digital marketing, storytelling, and events that help generate leads and allow the buyer to see the potential of the project. The website should be easy to navigate and optimized for mobile usage, combined with a robust social media campaign.

The best sales and marketing strategies demystify the process of purchasing a luxury condo and simplify the future for the buyer. [Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "Click here to learn more about the capabilities of Cotton & Company.") is dedicated to providing traditional and [digital marketing services](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/web-development/ "Click here to learn more about web development at Cotton & Company.") for residential real estate developers. From branding and project planning to web development and media buying through advanced digital and social advertising and even including collateral creation and branding – Cotton & Company is the perfect partner for any luxury real estate developer. To learn more about our process or [request a quote, please click here. ](/contact/ "Click here to contact Cotton & Company.")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** attracting presale buyers, marketing presale condos, new homebuyers, presale condo, presale marketing, real estate presales

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### [Do I still need a Traditional Real Estate Print Ad?](https://cottonco.com/do-i-still-need-a-traditional-real-estate-print-ad/)

**Published:** April 4, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

A successful marketing strategy includes a mix of traditional media to support a strong digital media campaign. Use this checklist to ensure your print creative is on point.

Traditional media a special way of reaching out to those who may not use the Internet, television, or radio religiously, or helps to keep a client in the consumer’s mind when they’re not engaging with advertisements on other platforms. Print media should be used in a transitional market where there is a seasonal surge of buyers, like in South Florida during the winter months. During that time we have a short window to capture their attention, and we need to utilize every form of marketing available, which is why print media and broadcast television are critical to support a comprehensive digital campaign. A fully successful marketing program will have a healthy mix of both traditional and non-traditional media marketing which complement each other and work together to drive lead generation and sales. Just ask Ken Roscoe, of the creative team at Cotton & Company. “Print is important because you really want to have a complete campaign, one that covers all the bases. You shouldn’t eliminate any tactics or platforms that can help reach your targeted audience” he explains. Additionally, the age of the target consumer should be taken into consideration. Younger people are tied to their devices, while retirees still enjoy relaxing and reading traditional mediums. Print ads should also be used to support special event promotions where you have a limited time to get your message out to an audience you want to invite. Hereare a few tips on how to best use this classic and powerful advertising service to your advantage.

**Grab Attention**

Roscoe puts a lot of emphasis on the power of a print ad, and why they’re so crucial. “I think a print ad has to really work harder, because you have one shot at getting it right, whereas in digital, you can change your ad all the time.” If you have only one chance at grabbing someone’s attention, do it with all of your effort. Identify your major selling point, use your best photo, and push both consistently. It must be intriguing and compel the viewer to take the next step.

**Keep It Simple**

While you may not have a lot of space to work with, some of the most effective print ads utilize minimum space for maximum results. It’s not just an option, but a necessity for success with a print advertisement. “…It’s important to try and tell your story as quickly and as simply as possible, in as few words as possible. The copy is important, but if there’s too much of it, people won’t read it.” Do use your best photos and catchphrases that grab attention, but without lengthy descriptions or cluttered photos. What’s your product’s competitive advantage? Focus on what you want the ad to do and have a clear message. And always make sure that the information that you give is related to what you’re selling and who you’re selling to, and don’t push it too hard.

**Remember Your Basics**

This is a tip that many people tend to pass over, but it’s very important. Just because the form has changed doesn’t mean that the rules haven’t. Make sure that your call to action is clear, concise, and appropriate for the ad, that you provide your contact information, and that you offer any relevant details that your audience will need. This ad is just a piece of the puzzle driving awareness for your brand – be sure to follow your brand guidelines and share your message in a consistent design style. The ad should complement and work with the other marketing you are providing. If a potential homebuyer sees this ad as well as one on Facebook, another in email, as well as a billboard – they should all work together to convey a consistent message with the same goals in mind – lead generation, on-site visits, and sales.

Building a holistic campaign, including a robust print ad campaign, is our specialty at [Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "Click here to learn more about the Cotton capabilities."). [Click here to request an audit ](/contact/ "Click here to contact Cotton & Company.")of your existing digital strategy or to learn more about Cotton & Company’s marketing services call us 772-600-3501.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** direct mail usage for real estate marketing

---

### [Real Estate Marketing By Targeting Life Stages](https://cottonco.com/real-estate-marketing-by-targeting-life-stages/)

**Published:** April 23, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

A home has a million faces to an individual as they travel through life. Your childhood home reminds you of warmth and family, while your first apartment felt like growth and confusion. Quickly your first home felt like accomplishment and exploration as you created a future. Homes become a place where you gather with those you love year after year, harboring memories as the seasons change. Targeting where an audience is in their stage of life has proven to be a highly effective method for marketing. A recent study of more than 23,000 home shoppers by [John Burns](https://www.realestateconsulting.com/our-company/overview/ "Click here to learn more about John Burns.") and his real estate consulting group revealed the most effective ways to market to homebuyers and these results explained exactly why dividing them by life stage is vital. Targeting the right group at the right time can guarantee they become an active prospect.

Local advertising is most effective with the primary home market. The percentage of families shopping within the same area they already live in is 65%. Primary buyers working in the commuter marketplace seek new homes in the area they are already established. Families tend to stay in the area where they live. Between job security and pre-established relationships at schools, families shop for homes in their area, and even in their same zip code. Marketing to young people locally has become an effective method for getting real estate moving. Only 6% of families are currently shopping for homes that are out the state that they already live, leaving luxury discretionary markets for the empty nester segment.

In contrast, empty nesters and retirees are seeking new adventures and moving far distances to find them. 28% of older buyers move from city to city within the same state. The other 73% of buyers come from out of state. Older people tend to want to explore living in other places and years of work afford them the opportunity to move out of the area. Snowbird retirees seek refuge from the cold and focus on healthy and happy new lives in a warm southern destination. 26% of mature non-families are shopping for homes in other states. Empty nesters have a new found freedom that drives them to change their scenery. They are more apt to change home type and lifestyle because they are at a flexible time in their lives. To accurately advertise to this market, it is critical to utilize the internet; older shoppers often look online and are considering to move significantly further than young people. Cotton & Company uses this strategy and many others to achieve the perfect formula for the success of its clients’ properties.

[Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "Click here to learn more about Cotton capabilities.") is dedicated to providing the perfect marketing services for the needs of your company. With leading real estate industry specialists, Cotton and Company delivers a focused and insightful mythology that is sure to encompass a number of media facets. Web development, development consulting, and sales are just a few of the areas where Cotton and Company show they go the extra mile to create truly impactful projects. Paying close attention to life stages and geographic locations is an example of how far the Cotton and Company will go to make sure your properties are shown to the people that need to see them. [Contact Cotton & Company](/contact/ "Click here to contact Cotton & Company.") to begin creating a collaborative project that will give you the most out of your marketing strategy.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** baby boomer marketing, lifestage marketing, marketing to millennials, real estate advertising, real estate marketing

---

### [Facebook Selects Cotton & Company to Participate in New Ad Platform Alpha Test](https://cottonco.com/facebook-selects-cotton-company-to-participate-in-new-ad-platform-alpha-test/)

**Published:** August 4, 2020
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

We are excited to announce our participation in Facebook’s upcoming new product alpha test! Participation is by invitation only, so we are very proud to be considered for this opportunity. Without giving away too many details, we will take part in a beta test with regards to an alternate way to create and build Facebook ads. We will be testing this new product and then working directly with the Facebook Product Development Team, providing valuable feedback to help bring the Beta to market.

Cotton & Company has been utilizing Facebook’s Business Manager platform for years and this experience paired with our expertise in the niche luxury residential real estate industry has made us a perfect candidate for Facebook’s new product experiment. Being part of this test will allow Cotton & Company to remain at the forefront of the ever-changing online advertising marketplace and also allow us to provide valuable insights to the Facebook team about the effectiveness of their tools for our specific clients.

Small businesses don’t have an advertising channel anywhere near as transparent or effective as Facebook at a reachable price. With few other options for effective marketing spend, Facebook’s core business has carried on mostly uninterrupted, allowing us to take advantage of lower costs-per-click and decreased costs-per-registration during the current pandemic. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has been felt by everyone around the world. And as consumer needs and behaviors have changed, this poses new challenges to marketers. Cotton & Company is regularly transforming our strategies utilizing the latest digital trends so our clients can continue to be successful during this unprecedented time.

Beyond a digital transformation to establish a new infrastructure, businesses that are able to quickly identify and adapt to these new substitutions will thrive in the short and long-term and that’s why Cotton & Company is thrilled about the personal invitation we just received.

Cotton & Company is an industry leader in the sales, marketing and advertising of lifestyle-driven residential real estate. Our [amazing team of digital marketing strategists, creative designers, copywriters, and website developers](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/) utilize today’s technology and new media channels to drive sales success for our clients throughout the world. Here at Cotton & Company we are always seeking out the latest technologies and products to help keep our digital campaigns on the forefront for our clients continued success in online lead generation. The Cotton Solution provides a cost-effective methodology to create new interest in both new and existing residential communities. [Additional case studies are showcased in Solutions magazine.](https://cottonco.com/request-solutions-magazine/)

[Sign up for the Cotton Compendium](/contact/) to stay updated on news relative to the real-estate and private-club industries.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Digital Marketing, digital marketing for real estate, Facebook advertising, Facebook alpha test, Facebook beta test, Facebook marketing, Facebook Marketing partner, Facebook partner, real estate marketing

---

### [How Google’s Changes to Real Estate Ad Targeting Will Affect Real Estate Developers](https://cottonco.com/how-googles-changes-to-real-estate-ad-targeting-will-affect-real-estate-developers/)

**Published:** August 24, 2020
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

## Google Ads has officially announced they are joining Facebook in shifting their allowed targeting parameters for real estate advertising.

Google is updating its ad policies, removing certain demographic targeting criteria for advertisers operating in the employment, housing, and credit sectors. This change is not too surprising to us or to other housing, employment, and credit advertisers as Facebook created similar policies a little over a year ago when their ad targeting changed for the financial sector.

## **Google Ads Targeting – The Good News**

Although Google hasn’t released any additional details, they have acknowledged that more information will become available in the coming weeks. #TeamCotton will remain abreast of the situation and continue to provide our clients with up-to-date information on how this affects any current and future campaigns. However, there is still a bright side to this update:

- As previously mentioned, Facebook already implemented very similar changes to its targeting platform over a year ago and The Cotton Solution has successfully continued to take advantage of this unique advertising platform for our clients while remaining in line with all new rules and restrictions. Because of the nature of this medium, innovating our approach to online advertising has become par for the course and we are ready to adjust and adapt.
- Over the past few years, we’ve begun using AI and predictive modeling using our first-party data. This enables our clients to reach potential buyers without relying on targeting options within Google Ads and Facebook. We also complement our digital media buys leveraging third-party data sources. While a change like this may seem daunting, it doesn’t affect the whole of our digital targeting budgets or media plans. The Cotton Solution incorporates multiple online media outlets to all of our programs and each one works in tandem with another to create an overall holistic and cohesive campaign strategy. Because some of our other digital targeting platforms and outlets do still offer geo-location targeting we will continue to use those methods where applicable.
- A portion of new real estate campaigns run on Google’s platform focus primarily on targeting via search as opposed to interests or demographics. When someone searches for a “new home community in Naples, FL” we will still be able to bid for that result, as per usual, without restriction. This type of online advertising tends to result in higher conversion rates because we can capture users who, through their entered search terms, have already indicated a level of interest in what we are selling.

While Google’s announcement is short on overly specific detail, here’s what we know:

## **Google Ads Targeting Categories Affected**

As the world adjusts to a new normal and just more than a year after Facebook removed certain race, gender, and age parameters from their targeting options for real estate promotion, Google is now also planning to update their targeting options to promote fair housing opportunities and address concerns about potential discrimination. Google will now be excluding the following categories: gender, age, parental status, marital status, and zip code. The existing categories that were already globally disallowed from targeting for these industries include (but aren’t limited to): religion, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, and personal hardships. The announcement simply states it will “affect certain types of ads,” but no specifics are named.

## **Timing of Google Ads Policy Change**

The change will be rolling out in the US and Canada “as soon as possible,” with a commitment for full implementation by end of year. Google goes on to say these changes have been in development for some time, in partnership with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). They will also be working to provide advertisers with information about fair housing practices to help them ensure they’re supporting access to housing opportunities.

Technology evolves so fast, so [Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "Capabilities") is always focused on staying ahead of the curve. One rule of thumb is that real estate development media strategies have to encompass a multi-channel approach; you don’t want to place all your eggs in one basket. When Facebook revised their targeting capabilities last year, we assumed it wouldn’t take long for Google to follow suit, but we needed to ensure our lead generation efforts weren’t negatively impacted, so we began experimenting with location-based marketing and dynamic creative. To date, our clients haven’t seen any negative blowback by the lack of targeting available on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and now Google. Let’s look at how our Social Media Conversion Rates change from 2017 to date:

***July 2017–2018***

***July 2018- 2019***

***July 2019– 2020***

***5.20%***

***8.07%***

***12.27%***

This data consists of cumulative clients’ average conversion rates as a result of [Social Media Advertising](https://cottonco.com/why-social-media-marketing-works-for-real-estate/ "Why Social Media Marketing Works for Real Estate"). Conversion rates have steadily increased year-over-year, regardless of targeting rule updates.

For real estate developers, asset managers, and country club marketers facing real estate and marketing challenges, [Cotton & Company’s experienced team](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/) is ready to develop a program that resonates with the emerging market and takes advantage of the cost-effective and efficient online advertising opportunities available today.

**[Sign up for the Cotton Compendium](/contact/)** to stay updated on news relative to the real estate and private club industries.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Google Ads Changes Targeting for real estate, Google Ads for Real estate, Google targeting changes, how to target for real estate advertising in Google, online targeting for real estate, Real Estate Google Ads

---

### [5 Digital Marketing Innovations Impacting Real Estate Homebuyers in 2023](https://cottonco.com/5-digital-marketing-innovations-impacting-real-estate-homebuyers-in-2023/)

**Published:** April 20, 2023
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Technology is constantly changing every aspect of our lives, and digital innovations in the real estate industry are evolving at an accelerated pace. Lifestyle adaptations that were put in place during the pandemic have become the new normal for buying homes. With an increasing number of digital tools available, homebuyers have taken control over the real estate search, most often doing in-depth research before ever reaching out to a Realtor. Let’s take a closer look at some of the latest digital tools driving the industry.

## **1. Artificial Intelligence Chatbots**

The recent developments of AI-driven technology are streamlining the digital marketing process, making it easier than ever to write blogs, code websites, compose ad campaigns, and much more. [OpenAI’s ChatGPT](https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt "Read more about openai") is a website-based model that allows users to have human-like conversations with an AI technology-driven chatbot. With a few simple prompts, these tools are able to pull information from the web to create detailed drafts of the prompts given. Users can also reply with feedback to have it written in a different tone, share more details, or maybe include information that was left out in the initial message. After launching in November 2022, ChatGPT has quickly become the [fastest-growing ‘app’](https://www.zdnet.com/article/chatgpt-just-became-the-fastest-growing-app-of-all-time/ "Learn more about Chatgpt") of all time, attracting more than one million users in its first week. This new technology, however, does have limitations, as ChatGPT can only access information up to 2021 and sometimes lacks the quality or level of refinement needed for marketing campaigns. However, even with a professional creating edits, these technologies can overall create a more productive and highly efficient work environment.

## **2. Giving Creators New Superpowers**

AI technology, however, has not been limited to just chatbots. In March 2023, Adobe announced [Firefly](https://www.adobe.com/sensei/generative-ai/firefly.html "News about Firefly the new AI model"), a new AI model that empowers creatives of all skill levels to generate high-quality imagery. In this beta stage through Adobe Photoshop, the AI is focused on the generation of images and text effects and is designed to use expired Adobe Stock images that are public domain to generate unique content safe for commercial use. In the future, Adobe plans to expand its AI technology into every app, including generating logos in Illustrator, easily editing videos in Premiere Pro, content creation, 3D composition, and more.

![Marketing Innovation - AI Technology Illustration](/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/marketing-innovations-23-04-17-supperpowers-min.jpg)

## **3. Adaptive Website Experiences**

According to [iProperty Management](https://ipropertymanagement.com/research/zillow-statistics "Open Zillow statistics in a new tab"), 89% of people interested in purchasing a home research it online first, and 51% found their homes online. As the digital environment continues to rise in demand, having a website with a unique name, URL, search engine optimization and interactive technologies has become more important than ever. AI-driven tools can analyze user behavior and preferences, enabling businesses to create customized delivery experiences based on the user’s IP address. A home page could have one message that caters to what residents in the local area enjoy, while national visitors can have a completely different layout. Additionally, with mobile devices accounting for an increasing share of web traffic, technologies like Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) and Progressive Web Apps (PWA) will continue to gain prominence. These innovations aim to improve the mobile browsing experience by delivering faster page load times, offline functionality, and app-like features without requiring users to download a separate application.

## **4. Interactive 360-Degree Virtual Community Tours Rise in Popularity**

For those unable to visit in person or who want to do their homework before they schedule an appointment, 360-degree tours of the community itself have become increasingly popular. In addition to focusing on a specific home, interactive tours of the amenities help potential homebuyers gain an appreciation for the lifestyle of the community. For private clubs, 55+ active-adult communities and amenity-rich communities, it’s a great way to showcase amenities allowing homebuyers to see what they’re missing from every angle, and at their own pace. Individual home virtual tours have become crucial for online viewings, and many homebuyers won’t even consider looking at homes unless virtual images are available. According to a [Realtor.com](https://www.realtor.com/research/living-in-the-age-of-social-distancing-sparks-changes/ "Open Realtor studies about virtual tour") study, listings with virtual tours received 87% more views than those without them.

![Marketing Innovations - Orchid Island 360Views](/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/marketing-innovations-23-04-17-orchid-island-360views-min.jpg)

## **5. Digital Multimedia Brochures**

With interactive media at the forefront of digital marketing, businesses are using new formats to engage their audience in dynamic ways. Multimedia brochures have enhanced the delivery of video content in combination with traditional brochure information to enhance the storytelling experience. From current resident testimonials to residence walkthroughs, these brochures can share an authentic point of view that connects with buyers on a personal level while also delivering the necessary information. According to [Forbes](https://www.responsiveinboundmarketing.com/blog/video-marketing-statistics-for-2021 "Forbes MArketing 2021 statistics"), 90% of customers say video helps them make buying decisions, and 65% of customers say that seeing a video of the home or other homeowner’s experience makes them more likely to buy. Combining the consumer’s passion with compelling visuals in a media-rich format has proven to be more relatable, more memorable, and has significant value to both search engines and homebuyers’ decision-making.

## **Leading the Way in Digital Real Estate Marketing**

In every real estate market segment, from primary housing for first-time homebuyers to second and third vacation homes for the seasonal luxury resident, the most important focus should be developing integrated and targeting marketing programs backed up by facts. [Cotton & Company’s](/ "Open main homepage") daily monitoring of website traffic, time spent researching on websites, and the amount of social engagement received are used to generate a highly targeted ads approach. Combining these strategies with innovative technologies and an unmatched level of creativity has helped Cotton’s clients stand out from their competitors, creating more quality leads and closed sales.

Cotton & Company is a full-service digital real estate marketing firm specializing in the luxury segment. The firm boasts a portfolio of more than 1,700 communities, including luxury condominiums, country clubs, marina residences, resort residential, and master-planned communities. Visit [CottonCo.com](/ "Open main homepage") to learn more about their full scope of services that range from branding and website development to sales support, lead generation, and digital/social marketing.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Digital Marketing

---

### [Where Has 35 Years Marketing Real Estate Taken Me?](https://cottonco.com/where-has-35-years-marketing-real-estate-taken-me/)

**Published:** April 20, 2023
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

**A retrospective by Laurie Andrews, President, Cotton & Company**

35 years with one company is a milestone few achieve in any industry. I guess my Dad, Bill Mang, laid the groundwork, having reached 42 years with Grumman Aerospace before retiring over two decades ago. As one of four kids in The Mang Gang, we grew up as a part of the Grumman Family. Commitment and dedication to excellence were instilled in every aspect of our lives—certainly with family, but in work as well. To tell you the truth, it feels like an eternity and a “blink of an eye” at the same time. Although my journey has many more years ahead, I thought this was a great opportunity to reflect on the places I’ve been and the people I’ve met along this journey.

![Bill Mang](/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/cotton-35-years-real-estate-laurie-blog-041023-bill-mang-02-min.jpg)Bill Mang

## **Starting Out Right**

Carol Hogan at Martin County High School introduced me to the world of business. As a student in her Cooperative Business Education program, she lined me up for an interview with a local advertising agency, Southeastern Marketing. The owner, O. Franklin Wolfe introduced me to one of his top account executives, Stephann Cotton– I think I was in a cheerleading uniform when we first met. The rest was history as they say – I nailed the interview and got the job. Who could have ever imagined what the future would bring. We celebrated my 14th birthday together, and after many trips around the sun, we’ll soon be celebrating the 40th anniversary of Cotton & Company.

## **Ups and Downs**

When you work exclusively in the real estate industry, the only thing constant is change. We’ve been through four recessions and crazy market booms. We’ve pulled ping pong balls from a glass cylinder to sell out communities in a single day for Kolter, and we were on a plane together heading to New York to meet with Lehman Brothers on the day they announced the bankruptcy. We survived a real estate meltdown of epic proportion, staying true to our roots and remaining focused on the real estate industry, traveling farther and farther from home to keep the work flowing. We navigated through a global pandemic witnessing a massive shift in lifestyle priorities that created new energy for our Florida and Caribbean communities. Through it all, every day has taught me something new and that’s what makes this journey so incredibly rewarding.

![Real Estate Collage Ups and Downs in Marketing Real Estate](/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/cotton-35-years-real-estate-laurie-blog-041023-collage-min.jpg)

## **Family First**

Anyone I’ve ever worked with knows that my family comes before all else – even the work! St. Julian, my husband, has supported me every step of the way, being on hand to ensure our kids never missed out on anything. He took on night shifts to take care of babies, played chauffer to get them where they needed to be, and has always done his best to eliminate the stress or home life so I can meet the challenge of a demanding career. I’m proud to say my kids are my greatest success in life. They are all achieving their dreams in very diverse careers — military, creative arts, and medicine – yet most importantly, they also place a priority on family. I am incredibly proud and grateful.

![Laurie Andrews Family](/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/cotton-35-years-real-estate-laurie-blog-041023-family-first-min.jpg)

## **Biggest Challenges**

We’ve taken on some major challenges over the years. In 2010, we were hired to sell condos to a 55+ Asian market in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles during the downturn. I brushed up on my feng shui, and we sold out Teramachi! The Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas stole my heart when we were brought in to sell out 10 floors of condos above the Grand Hyatt. My role evolved to becoming the interior designer for 6 model homes, a monthly event planner, and I loved working with Dustin David to manage the frenzy we created to sellout the final 20 units. I’ll never forget being “in the room where it happens” as we knocked it out of the park.

![sun setting over city](/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/cotton-35-years-real-estate-laurie-blog-041023-skyline-min.jpg)

Our six months in Poland created the greatest challenge of my career–anxiety that I had never dealt with before. Thank you to Anne Sullivan who took the reins when I just couldn’t bring myself to get on the trans-Atlantic flight with family so far way. And I’m grateful for Marissa Mastroianni who joined me when I returned to Warsaw on the next trip, and Lauren Anderson who would come into the office in the middle of the night so we could work together on Poland time. Through our interpreters, we taught the internal marketing team everything they needed to know about American marketing and we tripled the sales for JW Construction. I am now blessed to have friends in Poland and a more global perspective.

![Cotton & Company goes to Poland Marketing Real Estate](/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/cotton-35-years-real-estate-laurie-blog-041023-poland-min.jpg)

![Laurie's Photoshoots](/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/cotton-35-years-real-estate-laurie-blog-041023-collage02-min.jpg)

## **Photography Adventures**

Photography has always been a passion, and I’ve had the opportunity to visit and capture amazing places around the world. Barry Kinsella, Steven Martine, Ken Roscoe, and Steve North have been along for the ride throughout the Caribbean and Mexico. I miss my dear friend Dan Refner who was a true creative talent. Oh yes, we fought like cats and dogs, but we were passionate about our work, family and friendship. On my 40th birthday, we were in Costa Rica together for a shoot. I send him out on a tree limb over a cliff to get a shot, and I told him if anything happened, make sure he tossed me the camera. I can still see that final sunset we shared together on the banks of Mobile Bay in Alabama.

![Dan Refner with Camera on ocean rocks](/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/cotton-35-years-real-estate-laurie-blog-041023-dan-refner-min.jpg)Dan Refner

We work hard, but I can’t say enough about how fortunate I am to be working with my son David who is the most talented videographer I know (sorry Steve). I am known to be demanding and shoots can be stressful, but every minute we spend together on a shoot is a gift and one of the best benefits of this crazy life. I can’t help but smile when I think about our photoshoot in Bay Harbor, Michigan when five of us squeezed into the upstairs bedroom of an Air BNB rental when we thought we had the entire house. Danielle Atwood and Erika Wigley – you were troopers on that trip! And anyone who has ever been on a “Laurie shoot” knows there is always room for “just one more thing.”

![Bay Harbor Michigan Photoshoot](/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/cotton-35-years-real-estate-laurie-blog-041023-bay-harbor-photoshoot-min.jpg)

## **Coming Full Circle**

Stephann Cotton has been an amazing mentor and life-long partner. We’ve seen each other through incredible ups and downs. He always knew Julian and I were a rock-solid team in every way, and he once asked me how we could achieve that same partnership. Through open communication and respect, we have accomplished so much and we have so much more to do. From very early on, he shared his wealth of knowledge with me and today, we practically finish each other’s sentences.

With new technology, new media, and generational changes, we’re constantly adapting and evolving. My primary focus now is one I learned from Stephann, to share our experience and knowledge with all of our Cotton staff members. There have been many who have passed through our doors over the past 40 years, and I think most will tell you they were better prepared for the next phase of their career for having worked at Cotton & Company.

Today’s success requires finding the right balance of taking what you’ve learned in the past, applying it to the data and metrics in live time, and taking advantage of new technologies in innovative ways. Together, we will continue to deliver results for our clients.

![Stephann Cotton - Laurie Andrews Mentor](/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/cotton-35-years-real-estate-laurie-blog-041023-mentor-min.jpg)Laurie Andrews, Stephann Cotton

O. Franklin Wolfe has visited our office several times in the last year. The masterful marketer who began my career is now tapping into my experience for his project in middle Tennessee. As we work together on his new project, I’m transported back to where it all began. Thank you to each and every one of you who has played a role in my journey. The future is bright, and I am energized for the new adventures waiting just around the next corner.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Laurie Andrews, marketing real estate

---

### [A 2023 Forecast for Luxury Residential Real Estate](https://cottonco.com/a-2023-forecast-for-luxury-residential-real-estate/)

**Published:** January 26, 2023
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The U.S. real estate market has experienced just about every end of the housing spectrum over the last decade. Driven by lifestyle changes and the remote work revolution, real estate markets across the nation witnessed booming growth during the pandemic. After two years of record numbers, 2022 brought some more challenges, with growing uncertainty and the fear of a looming economic crisis. As we begin another new year, real estate developers nationwide are wondering if another change is on the horizon. Let’s take a deep dive into the future of the luxury real estate market.

## **2022 Brought Uncertainty and Building Headwinds**

After what many consider one of the best markets in history during the pandemic, the 2022 real estate market was a lot less stable. In the opening months of 2022, the U.S. stock market suffered double-digit declines, and S&P finished the year down [19.4%](https://www.axios.com/2022/12/31/stock-market-performance-2022 "Learn more about the stock market performance - Opens in new tab"). 2022 ranked as one of the worst stock market years since 2008 and had a direct impact on wealthy homebuyers. Rapidly rising mortgage rates also drove inflationary trends, putting the brakes on what had been a pandemic-era homebuying frenzy. As interest rates jumped and the stock market declined, the real estate market experienced its first downturn in years.

While many compared this downturn to the 2008 recession, [Cotton & Company’s](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") data-driven methodology provided a detailed look into the key differences between the two markets. “In 2008, we experienced a dramatic drop in interest across the board. It was like a faucet that shut off overnight,” shared Cotton & Company president Laurie Andrews. “Even though there was more uncertainty in 2022, we continued to see interest climbing for new home communities. Florida in particular is benefitting from new lifestyle priorities and the State’s favorable tax climate.”

![Boca West aerial - a luxury real estate community in Boca Raton Florida](/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/cotton-2023-luxury-real-estate-forecast-blog-012623-boca-west-min.jpg)
*Boca West Country Club, Boca Raton, FL*

## **A Return to Normal Transaction Volume**

While 2022 may be remembered as a year of housing uncertainty, real estate will likely return to normalcy in 2023. Mortgage rates are rising but will begin to stabilize, while home sales and prices will moderate after recent highs. With a sustained demand for new homes, inventory is expected to remain tight in 2023, with starts below historical averages. Standing inventory is increasing and returning to more normal levels. Comparisons to 2019 levels should be monitored, rather than year over year projections. Although there will be a flattening of home prices, it’s unlikely that the market will bottom out completely.

“We look forward to seeing the market level out to a healthy volume in 2023,” shared Andrews. “Although we may see a bit of market correction, Florida still has a tremendous influx of luxury buyers from the north due to overall market conditions – lower taxes, less crime, and more freedom. The new challenge is convincing buyers that now is a good time to make that purchase decision.”

## **Global Buyers Make a Return**

Perhaps one of the greater influences on 2023 will be the return of international buyers. For almost three years, restrictions and general caution tied to international travel during the pandemic slowed wealthy foreign buyers from moving to America or investing in new residential offerings. Now, foreign luxury buyers have entered the market once again, boosting home sales nationally. According to the [National Association of Realtors (NAR)](https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/research-reports/international-transactions-in-u-s-residential-real-estate "More information on the Real Estate Transactions - Opens in new tab"), the number of foreign buyers from April 2021 to March 2022 increased by 8.5% from the previous 12-month period, stopping a three-year hiatus on foreign investment in U.S. residential real estate. The NAR also reported the top international buyers in the U.S. are from China, Canada, India, and Mexico. Florida, California, and Texas are the top U.S. destinations for foreign buyers.

![Tennis at Orchid Island - a luxury real estate community in Vero Beach Florida](/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/cotton-2023-luxury-real-estate-forecast-blog-012623-orchid-island-min.jpg)
*Orchid Island Beach & Golf Club, near Vero Beach, FL*

## **Luxury Residential Trends to Look for in 2023**

As more buyers continue to head out into the market in 2023, their perception of new real estate has changed after the pandemic. Today’s homebuyers are looking for a community where they can live, work, and play in style. To be competitive, many developers are integrating a more robust service atmosphere into their amenity plans. New luxury condominiums are being designed with package storage areas, innovative smart home technologies, and communal work-from-home spaces that enhance care and convenience within the private building. There is also an expectation in every development plan, from entry level to luxury, to have easy access to fitness centers, family gathering spaces, outdoor parks, pickleball, and other wellness components.

“It’s no longer just about providing real estate spaces,” shared Andrews. “Today’s developers should look into providing conveniences that allow high net worth individuals to maximize their enjoyment in their downtime. Peace of mind has become the most sought-after amenity of all.”

![Peninsula Sarasota Rendering - a luxury real estate community in Sarasota Florida](/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/cotton-2023-luxury-real-estate-forecast-blog-012623-peninsula-sarasota-min.jpg)
*Peninsula Sarasota, Sarasota, FL*

## **Using Data to Understand Real Estate Market Trends and Evaluate Risk**

The real estate marketing specialists at [Cotton & Company](/compendium-landing/ "Register for weekly newsletter with all real estate updates") are keenly aware of how quickly market trends can shift. The company’s daily monitoring of website traffic, time spent researching on websites, and the number of direct inquiries generated provide a detailed look at real-time consumer trends and are key indicators of the strength of the market.

Cotton & Company is a full-service digital real estate marketing firm specializing in the luxury segment. The firm boasts a portfolio of more than 1,700 communities, including luxury condominiums, country clubs, marina residences, resort residential, and master-planned communities. Visit [cottonco.com](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") to learn more about their full scope of services which range from branding and website development to sales support, lead generation, and digital/social marketing.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** 2023 Forecast, 2023 Real Estate Forecast, luxury real estate

---

### [Why Traditional Marketing is Still Pivotal for Success in the Digital World](https://cottonco.com/why-traditional-marketing-is-still-pivotal-for-success-in-the-digital-world/)

**Published:** November 21, 2022
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

While the marketing industry continues to make great strides toward the digital world, traditional marketing is far from dead. Print, broadcast, and radio advertising are not only alive and well, but continuing to grow. A [recent study](https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/chart/channels-customers-trust-most-when-purchasing "learn more about the study - Opens in new tab") has shown that the top five most trusted and engaging ad forms worldwide are all traditional, with print (82%) and television (80%) ranking the highest. Not only have these ads proven to be more engaging, but they also provide opportunities to reach a large audience in ways digital marketing cannot. Let’s dive deeper into how traditional marketing is still leading to success for real estate developers across the globe.

## **Television is Here to Stay**

Although the internet has become the number-one source of news and information across the generations, television continues to rank as the second-largest advertising medium in the world. Whether streaming or traditional, television has proven to be more effective in reaching and connecting with a broad audience. According to a study by [TV Scientific](https://www.tvscientific.com/ "Learn more about Tv Advertising - Opens in new tab"), audiences claim that they find ads on TV less annoying than on social media, websites, or in mobile games. Additionally, ads on TV garner higher ad recall, with viewers remembering ads more than 46% of the time. This shows that people are not only less likely to skip an ad on tv, but also are more willing to interact and engage with the content they see.

## **Listeners Pay Attention to Audio Ads**

Radio is a powerful advertising medium that not only reaches millions of Americans weekly, but its affordability can lead to a higher return on investment. According to [Audacy](https://audacyinc.com/state-of-audio-digital/ "Learn more about the State of Audio - Opens in new tab"), when compared to screens, audio commands 60% more of listeners’ media time than social media, and 54% more than broadcast tv. Radio is one of the only traditional marketing mediums that truly spans across the generations, reaching people of every age, gender, and ethnicity. Adults 18-49 are the demographic that tunes in the most, with [132.4 million listeners](https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2019/the-steady-reach-of-radio-winning-consumers-attention/#:~:text=Both%20women%20and%20men%2018,of%20the%20U.S.%20population%20monthly. "Where the numbers came from - Opens in new tab") (98% of the population) tuning in every month. Not too far behind, 93% of teens and 91% of people over 50 are also active listeners. Due to the broad range of listeners, advertisers are able to reach a greater number of people every day than any other advertising technique.

In the digital world, podcasts have brought about a new wave of audio advertising. Podcast listeners genuinely trust their host’s endorsements, and [studies](https://audacyinc.com/state-of-audio-digital/ "More about the studies - Opens in new tab") have shown that an astonishing 60% of podcast listeners take action after hearing a product advertised by their favorite host.

Given that the target market matches the podcast ad content, loyal listeners give endorsements from podcast hosts and radio DJs much more weight than they would a website ad.

## Print Boosts the Effectiveness of Digital Ads

![tesoro print ad - Traditional Marketing](/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cotton-traditional-marketing-in-digital-world-blog-112122-ad-tesoro-min.jpg)

While the average attention span on the internet is only 8 seconds, print readers usually spend around [20 minutes](https://localiq.com/blog/marketing/print-ads-stats/ "Read more on Print Ad Stats - Opens in new tab") or more with their publication in hand. Studies have shown that readers not only spend far more time looking at print ads, but they also recalled more information about the ad, and had a stronger emotional connection to the content. Integrating print-to-web features, such as QR codes that link readers to the website for more information, can also [boost the effectiveness](https://localiq.com/blog/marketing/print-ads-stats/ "More information on Effectiveness - Opens in new tab") of other forms of advertising. Newspaper ads have been shown to make television ads twice as effective, and they make digital marketing efforts four times as effective. Additionally, compared to other digital marketing outlets, creative freedom reigns supreme in the newspaper industry. Advertisers can work with publications directly to choose the exact size, location, and design for their ads.

## **A Comprehensive Marketing Approach is Key**

From primary housing for first-time homebuyers to second and third vacation homes for seasonal luxury residents, the most important focus for any real estate developer should be creating a comprehensive program that expands your reach while targeting the proper consumers. While many try to decide whether digital or traditional marketing is the best tool, [Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") utilizes them both to help their clients stand out from their competitors. Combining new technological advances with tried-and-true traditional methods has led to more quality leads and closed sales for their growing portfolio of more than 1,700 communities worldwide.

Cotton & Company is a full-service real estate marketing firm specializing in the luxury segment, with clients including luxury condominiums, country clubs, marina residences, resort residential, and master-planned communities. Visit [cottonco.com](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") to learn more about their full scope of services which range from branding and website development to sales support, lead generation, and digital/social marketing.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Traditional Marketing

---

### [Q&A – A Conversation on The Future of Florida Real Estate with an Industry Leader](https://cottonco.com/qa-a-conversation-on-the-future-of-florida-real-estate-with-an-industry-leader/)

**Published:** December 23, 2022
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Fueled by friendly tax policies and numerous business relocations during the pandemic, Florida has enjoyed booming growth and expansion in 2022. Real estate experts, however, are weighing the strength of the market against growing uncertainty and fears of a looming cooldown. At Cotton & Company, President Laurie Andrews is keenly aware of how quickly market trends can shift. With over 40 years of marketing experience exclusively in real estate, the company’s data-driven approach focuses on how conditions are impacting homebuyers’ decisions in real time. Let’s chat with Laurie Andrews and hear her unique perspective on the future of luxury real estate in Florida as we head into 2023.

**With the pandemic over, where do you see potential opportunities for growth, or the greatest challenges, for Florida’s real estate and construction sectors?**

“Florida is a bright spot for the country for a variety of reasons. We still have great weather which makes for a high quality of life. In the post-pandemic world, we continue to see buyers prioritizing how they spend their time, especially at the upper end. The luxury market is the driving force for the state’s economy, and this segment is less impacted by interest rates. The Florida lifestyle remains their driving factor. Demand for golf has never been higher, and most private clubs have waiting lists for Membership. Most of them have also had significant increases in entry fees and dues.”

“Construction costs continue to rise due to labor and supply chain issues. That will continue to push pricing higher for all real estate segments. Even if the land was free, the cost of building in today’s environment makes it difficult to achieve affordable housing objectives. Renovations or expansions of existing homes are likely to surge due to the shortage of inventory. We are seeing the days on the market lengthen, but still below traditional levels.”

![Florida Real Estate - Tesoro Club Palmer Course, Port St. Lucie, Florida](/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/cotton-florida-real-estate-industry-leader-blog-122322-golf-aerial-min.jpg)

Tesoro Club Palmer Course, Port St. Lucie, Florida

**While there are some preliminary signs that the market may be cooling, what will it take to have truly affordable, accessible housing?**

“The market cooling has largely been a sign of less inventory and lower transaction volume. We still have tremendous influx from the north due to overall market conditions – lower taxes, less crime, more freedom. The luxury segment still has strong indicators. Cotton & Company manages digital marketing programs and websites for a dozen communities, and our website volume has always been an early market indicator. We have seen minimal fall off from traffic this year, largely due to having fewer listings pulling traffic. Our online registrations for information from the traffic we are getting have seen an increased conversion rate, meaning the traffic we are getting are actively ready to make the move.”

“With construction materials and labor costs at an all-time high, it’s difficult to see affordability in any NEW development projects. Affordable housing may need to be addressed by converting existing properties or outdated hospitality into multi-family rentals or for-sale residential. This in-fill approach will provide more affordable housing in closer proximity to commercial centers. Public transportation providing access is a core principle in meeting the affordable housing objective.”

**How has the Palm Beach County’s development specifically highlighted the challenges of increased urban sprawl, even as the market continues to run up against natural barriers – the Atlantic to the east and Everglades to the west – that limit future growth?**

“Geography definitely plays a role. We have traditionally seen homebuyers move north to new markets, and then west. In the past 10 years, the retiree market has been driven to Martin and St. Lucie County to the north to find affordability. We’re now seeing tear downs on the coast to make way for new buildings, which in turn creates new opportunities in the surrounding community. With the population surge, we’ve also seen a tremendous increase in traffic. Homebuyers are definitely focused on having access to airports, retail, medical, and other key services, so our transportation routes are becoming increasingly important.”

![Florida Real Estate - The Island at West Bay Rooftop Amenity Deck, Estero, Florida](/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/cotton-florida-real-estate-industry-leader-blog-122322-pool-min.jpg)

The Island at West Bay Rooftop Amenity Deck, Estero, Florida

**How are the high-net-worth individuals entering the market driving the demand for higher quality homes and development? How is this changing the nature of the market itself in terms of competitiveness and cost?**

“Florida has been the beneficiary of a surge of migration. Not just from businesses relocating or retirees but working professionals who now have the option of working remote. To be competitive, many developers are integrating a more robust service atmosphere into their amenity plan. It’s not just about providing spaces. We are providing conveniences that allow high net worth individuals to maximize their enjoyment in their down time.”

“All of these services also come with a cost, so the challenge is finding a way to use technology to minimize the cost of security. We’re now designing buildings with package storage areas built in. Places with refrigeration or heating for acceptance of groceries or meal delivery. We’re seeing communal work spaces being created to provide business services within the private building. And there is an expectation in every development plan, from entry level to luxury, to have easy access to fitness centers, family gathering spaces, outdoor parks, and other wellness components. And of course, everyone knows – you have to have PICKLEBALL!”

![Florida Real Estate - Boca West Country Club Pickleball Courts, Boca Raton, Florida](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/cotton-florida-real-estate-industry-leader-blog-122322-pickleball-min.jpg)

Boca West Country Club Pickleball Courts, Boca Raton, Florida

**Overall, what do you see as the key opportunities, or challenges, to the Florida real estate market moving forward?**

“Florida is positioned well for the long term, and we look forward to seeing a leveling out of the market to a healthy volume. Although we may see a bit of a market correction, it isn’t like 2010. This past surge has been driven by end users making a lifestyle decision. The past real estate crash was based on speculators who overheated the market. That’s not the same situation we’re seeing today.”

**About Laurie Andrews and Cotton & Company**

Laurie Andrews is the President of Cotton & Company, a full-service digital marketing firm grounded in over four decades of experience in the real estate market. The company has driven sales success for over 1,700 communities worldwide, including private country clubs, luxury condominiums, resort residential, marina residences, and master-planned communities. Visit cottonco.com to learn more about their full scope of services which range from branding and website development to sales support, lead generation, and digital/social marketing.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Florida real estate, Laurie Andrews

---

### [Boca West Opens New Welcome Sales Center](https://cottonco.com/boca-west-opens-new-welcome-sales-center/)

**Published:** November 11, 2022
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

**As Featured in CityBiz**

Boca West officially opened its new Welcome Sales Center on October 31 in a ribbon cutting ceremony and celebration. The new office is located at 7763 Glades Road, Boca Raton, and will be a central source of information for future homebuyers and Members of Boca West Country Club.

[Read the Full Article](https://www.citybiz.co/article/347172/boca-west-opened-new-welcome-sales-center/ "Read the Citz Biz article about Boca West Sales Center - Opens in new tab")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Boca West, Boca West Sales Center, CityBiz, Sales Center

---

### [Cotton & Company's Casually Awesome Concept Sweeps Four Silver Awards](https://cottonco.com/cotton-companys-casually-awesome-concept-sweeps-four-silver-awards/)

**Published:** January 22, 2018
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

***Cotton & Company***, in partnership with developer iStar took home 4 Silver Awards from The Nationals 2018. The National 2018 honor the best in Sales, marketing & design. The Nationals (NAHB’s National Sales and Marketing Council ) salutes and honors the best in the building industry for their determination, integrity, creativity, and resilience. Silver Award Winners are the top vote recipients in each category and are the finalists for the Gold Award. Gold Awards in each category will be presented as part of the International Builders’ Show.

## Naples Reserve & Cotton & Company Win Four Silver Awards From The Nationals Including:

### [**Best Lifestyle Program for a Community**](https://cottonco.com/naples-reserve-sweeps-collier-buildings-industry-associations-2017-sand-dollar-marketing-awards/ "Click here to learn more about Naples Reserve.")

Naples Reserve Naples, FL
**Developer:** iStar Financial
**Marketing Director:** Heather Thompson
**Ad Agency:** [Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/could-millennial-homeownership-be-on-the-rise/ "Click here to learn about millennial homeownership.")

### [**Best Logo Design**](https://cottonco.com/naples-reserve-sweeps-collier-buildings-industry-associations-2017-sand-dollar-marketing-awards/ "Click here to learn more about Naples Reserve.")

Naples Reserve Naples, FL
**Developer:** iStar Financial
**Marketing Director:** Heather Thompson
**Ad Agency:** [Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/naples-reserve-sweeps-collier-buildings-industry-associations-2017-sand-dollar-marketing-awards/ "Click here to learn more about Naples Reserve.")

### [Best Direct Mail Program](https://cottonco.com/naples-reserve-sweeps-collier-buildings-industry-associations-2017-sand-dollar-marketing-awards/ "Click here to learn more about Naples Reserve.")

Naples Reserve Naples, FL
**Developer:** iStar Financial
**Marketing Director:** Heather Thompson
**Ad Agency:** [Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/an-industry-udpate-from-the-fall-uli-conference/ "Click here to learn more about the Cotton Solution.")

### [Best Sales Welcome Center](https://cottonco.com/naples-reserve-sweeps-collier-buildings-industry-associations-2017-sand-dollar-marketing-awards/ "Click here to learn more about Naples Reserve.")

Naples Reserve Naples, FL
**Developer:** iStar Financial
**Marketing Director:** Heather Thompson
**Ad Agency:** [Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/naples-reserve-sweeps-collier-buildings-industry-associations-2017-sand-dollar-marketing-awards/ "Click here to learn more about Cotton & Company.")

> *“The Nationals are the most prestigious awards of their kind, setting the benchmark for innovations in new home design, marketing and sales,” said Kerry Mulcrone, chairperson of the Nationals. “NAHB’s commitment to recognizing originality, imagination and success has been exemplified by its award winners since the competition’s inception.”*

![Naples Reserve Sale Gallery](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/IMG_4844-1400x1050.jpg)

Started in 1982 as the Institute of Residential Marketing Awards, The Nationals award program continues to recognize superior new home sales and marketing achievements. With 57 categories across various disciplines of the new home industry, the awards honor excellence in product and community design, advertising, marketing and sales achievements by individuals and sales teams.

The Nationals are co-sponsored by Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.

To learn more about Naples Reserve, click here. For more information about [Cotton & Company ](https://cottonco.com/naples-reserve-sweeps-collier-buildings-industry-associations-2017-sand-dollar-marketing-awards/)and the services they provide, please click here.

**Categories:** Advertising, Real Estate

---

### [Naples Reserve Wins Big](https://cottonco.com/naples-reserve-wins-big/)

**Published:** May 25, 2018
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Naples Reserve, iStar’s 688-acre community of Southern Coastal-inspired attached villa, single-family, and custom estate homes, has captured Silver Award honors in The Nationals new home sales and marketing awards from the National Association of Home Builders. Naples Reserve secured Silver Awards for both “Best Lifestyle Program for a Community” and “Best Sales/Welcome Center.” Both the Naples Reserve logo and its direct mail program were also recognized with Silver Awards.

The Nationals salutes the best in the building industry for their determination, integrity, creativity, and endurance. With 57 categories across various disciplines of the new home industry, the awards honor excellence in product and community design, advertising, marketing and sales achievements by individuals and sales teams. During a three-day judging process, a panel of seven industry professionals from across the country determined the winners from a field of more than 1,300 entries.

“The Nationals are the most prestigious awards of their kind, setting the benchmark for innovations in new home design, marketing, and sales,” said Meredith Oliver, chairperson of The Nationals. “NAHB’s commitment to recognizing originality, imagination and success have been exemplified by its award winners since the competition’s inception.”

Additionally, Naples Reserve was honored with seven Sand Dollar Awards – including Best Sales Center for its Key West-inspired Island Club – by the Collier Building Industry Association’s Sales and Marketing Council.

The Island Club was also recognized as the Best Clubhouse Exterior and Best Commercial Project over 5,000,000 awards with EECON Construction Services of Naples. The $7 million Island Club social center features a 5,160-square-foot clubhouse and an adjacent 3,500-square-foot fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment and a movement studio for spinning, Zumba and yoga.

Naples Reserve swept up four awards for its marketing campaign, winning the distinctions of Best Brochure, Best Website, Best Direct Mail and Best Social Media Marketing.

The CBIA Sand Dollar Awards honor the area’s top builders, architects, interior designers, and communities.

Naples Reserve was created by iStar, which was named 2015 Developer of the Year by Builder and Developer magazine for its commitment to creating exceptional communities and lifestyles with an emphasis on energy efficiency and environmental stewardship.

Cotton & Company is an industry leader in the marketing and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate. Our amazing team of digital marketing specialists, creative designers, copywriters, and website developers utilize today’s technology and new media channels to drive sales success for our clients throughout the world.

**Categories:** Advertising, Real Estate

**Tags:** Naples Reserve

---

### [See How New Digital Technology Can Transport Homebuyers to Your Sales Office](https://cottonco.com/see-how-new-digital-technology-can-transport-homebuyers-to-your-sales-office/)

**Published:** October 5, 2022
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Now more than ever before, people are consuming media whenever and however they want. Online streaming services such as Netflix, Apple TV, and Hulu have opened the door to hundreds of channels and shifted advertising away from traditional television. Mobile devices have become the leading medium to source news and information across all generations, with social platforms including Facebook TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. These innovative media channels require a fresh approach to reach today’s homebuyers. Digital marketing has transformed into storytelling- creating emotions and visuals that compel buyers to take that first step, and ultimately cultivating a relationship that gets them to your sales office.

![boy jumping into pool with family](/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/cotton-digital-tech-transport-homebuyers-blog-tributary-100522-min.jpg)
*Tributary*

## Creating Engaging Content that Establishes a Connection

As consumers scroll through their newsfeeds, watch the news, or play their favorite video game, businesses only have a limited amount of time to capture their attention. Facebook revealed that the average attention span on the platform for content is just [two seconds](https://www.facebook.com/business/news/insights/capturing-attention-feed-video-creative "Learn more about the science of effective video creative - opens in new tab"). By leveraging storytelling and video marketing, communities can share an authentic point of view that connects on a personal level. Combining the consumer’s voice and passion with compelling visuals has proven to be more relatable, more memorable, and has significant value to both search engines and homebuyers’ decision-making. According to [Forbes](https://www.responsiveinboundmarketing.com/blog/video-marketing-statistics-for-2021 "Discover the Stats from Forbes - Opens in new tab"), 90% of customers say video helps them make buying decisions, and 64% of customers say that seeing a video of the home or homeowner’s experiences makes them more likely to buy.

## A Targeted Approach is Key

On social media channels and connected TV, mass advertising has been replaced with strategic digital marketing to niche audiences. Consumer psychographic and demographic profiling has never been more focused, and developers can use this to their advantage. By collecting and utilizing this information, agencies can create niche audience segments of specific individuals who fit within the outlined parameters of your targeted homebuyer. From there, efforts are aimed at crafting and delivering personalized messages that will best relate to those being targeted, ultimately driving them to engage and learn more. This targeted approach ensures that their message is getting to those who fit their buyer profile, while also not wasting time and resources on people who don’t. As technology continues to evolve, so does the way a niche audience approach. However, these targeted audiences have a proven track record for generating qualified leads, and higher sales success.

![group of friends with drinks at outdoor bar](/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/cotton-digital-tech-transport-homebuyers-blog-naples-reserve-100522-min.jpg)
*Naples Reserve*

## Tapping into the Metaverse

Making that initial impression through video or visuals, however, usually isn’t enough to convert your lead into a visit to the sales office, yet… Today’s homebuyers are tech-savvy individuals that are known for doing in-depth research online before ever reaching out in person. Virtual Reality tours are a great tool developers can use to create an enhanced digital experience. Viewers can explore a new home or community from their computer or phone, providing them with more information and references to make an informed decision about their onsite visit.

As technology within the Metaverse continues to evolve, so will the real estate industry’s capabilities. For communities still in the construction phase, the Metaverse provides a unique opportunity to transform the way we see digital renderings. Homebuyers can walk through residences and explore the amenities in real time, envisioning their future lifestyle before the community is even built.

## Leading the Way in Digital Real Estate Marketing

In every real estate market segment, from primary housing for first-time homebuyers to second and third vacation homes for the seasonal luxury resident, the most important focus should be developing integrated and targeting marketing programs backed up by facts. [Cotton & Company’s](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") daily monitoring of website traffic, time spent researching on websites, and the amount of social engagement received are used to generate a highly targeted ads approach. Combining these strategies with innovative technologies and an unmatched level of creativity has helped Cotton’s clients stand out from their competitors, creating more quality leads and closed sales.

Cotton & Company is a full-service digital real estate marketing firm specializing in the luxury segment. The firm boasts a portfolio of more than 1,700 communities, including luxury condominiums, country clubs, marina residences, resort residential, and master-planned communities. Visit [cottonco.com](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") to learn more about their full scope of services that range from branding and website development to sales support, lead generation, and digital/social marketing.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** digital technology

---

### [Why This Real Estate Cycle is NOT a Repeat of 2008](https://cottonco.com/why-this-real-estate-cycle-is-not-a-repeat-of-2008/)

**Published:** September 6, 2022
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Fueled by low interest rates, easy credit, and insufficient regulation, the Great Recession of 2008 has been considered one of the most significant economic downturns since the Great Depression. This sharp decline in economic activity has taken a long time to recover from, especially when it comes to the housing market. Now, with home prices up nearly [19% nationally](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CSUSHPINSA "Discover the S&P/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index") since last year, people are wondering if another economic crisis is looming. While these concerns are understandable, there are many distinct differences between this downturn and the 2008 recession.

![kayaking at naples reserve](/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/cotton-not-a-repeat-of-2008-blog-naples-reserve-090622-min.jpg)
*Naples Reserve*

## A Market Surge Driven By Lifestyle Priorities

Unlike the last housing boom, one could argue that home price growth since the start of the pandemic is justifiable. The lifestyle change brought on by the pandemic caused many Americans to reassess their living arrangements, and the remote work revolution only increased the desire to move somewhere new. This jump in homebuying demand hit right as the existing supply declined for a variety of reasons. Homebuyers were cautious with how many homes they were bringing into the market, resulting in bidding wars that pushed prices upwards for the limited homes available. Of the contributing factors to rising prices, however, none have been more powerful than the decreased mortgage interest rates driving demand. [Economic research](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MORTGAGE30US "Learn More about the 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the U.S.") has shown that the interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage from 2002 to housing’s peak in 2005 was at 6%, while the rate from April 2020 through today is just 3%.

## Improvements to 2022’s Housing Market

While tensions between supply and demand have fueled the state of the 2022 housing market, the 2008 market was a completely different story. Cheap credit, lax lending standards, and insufficient mortgage regulations led to an overheated market that fueled the housing bubble. The times have changed, however, since that 2008 crash, and various regulations and safety measures have been put in place to prevent such an event from happening again. Mortgage credit availability is starkly tighter than in the mid-2000s, and the often-riskier adjustable-rate mortgages represent less than 5% of the total purchase and refinanced loans compared to over 35% at the peak of 2008.

## A Positive Real Estate Trajectory

Overall, supply and demand will always drive the housing market, and affordability is critical for both new and existing homebuyers. That said, with new safety measures in place, and less risky investments, it is unlikely the housing market will crash the same way it did in 2008. Standing inventory that has been priced right continues to be absorbed quickly, creating a strong market for both buyers and sellers. While other economic and financial challenges could result in a drop or flattening of home prices, it’s unlikely that it will bottom out completely.

## Using Data to Understand Market Trends and Evaluate Risk

![Laurie Andrews on current real estate cycle](/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/cotton-not-a-repeat-of-2008-blog-laurie-headshot-090622-min.jpg)
*Laurie Andrews, President
Cotton & Company*

The real estate marketing specialists at [Cotton & Company](/ "Visit the Cotton and Company Homepage") are keenly aware of how quickly market trends can shift. The company’s data-driven methodology provides a detailed look at real-time consumer trends. “We’re monitoring the online activity for more than three dozen lifestyle communities,” says Laurie Andrews Cotton & Company’s President. Cotton & Company’s daily monitoring of website traffic, time spent researching on websites, and the number of direct inquiries generated are key indicators of the strength of the market. “In 2008, we experienced a dramatic drop in interest across the board. It was like a faucet that shut off overnight. In 2022, we continue to see interest climbing for new home communities. Florida in particular is benefiting from new lifestyle priorities and the State’s favorable tax climate. We’re remaining optimistic for strong sales in 2023.”

Cotton & Company is a full-service digital real estate marketing firm specializing in the luxury segment. The firm boasts a portfolio of more than 1,7000 communities, including luxury condominiums, country clubs, marina residences, resort residential, and master-planned communities. Visit [cottonco.com](/ "Explore the Cotton and Company website") to learn more about their full scope of services that range from branding and website development to sales support, lead generation, and digital/social marketing.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [The Importance of Authenticity in Driving Real Estate Success](https://cottonco.com/the-importance-of-authenticity-in-driving-real-estate-success/)

**Published:** July 7, 2022
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Long before podcasts, tv shows, or even books, people have passed down knowledge through stories. Each story told connected people across time and were a way to entertain, share life lessons, and exchange experiences. As we continue to grow and evolve in the Digital Age, storytelling is still a vital way people communicate. By leveraging storytelling from current residents or Members, communities and clubs can share an authentic point of view. One that helps build trust and forms valuable connections with potential homebuyers.

## The Value of Authenticity

There’s truly no better way to represent a community than hearing from the people who live there. From current residents sharing their experiences and their favorite country club amenity to future homebuyers expressing their excitement for the decision they made to purchase a new condominium, it’s important to connect with residents and find out what they love most about the community. Using the consumer’s voice and passion adds an unmatched sense of authenticity to any message conveyed. It’s relatable, more memorable, and draws in future homebuyers when they recognize that others genuinely enjoy that community.

## Building Trust Through Video

Now that you have happy homeowners, how can you capture their enthusiasm and create something appealing for future homebuyers? The science of video storytelling, however, goes far beyond identifying stories and simply sharing them. Video content has significant value to both search engines and impacts the buyers’ decision-making. According to [Forbes](https://www.responsiveinboundmarketing.com/blog/video-marketing-statistics-for-2021 "More information about visual marketing statistics"), 90% of customers say video helps them make buying decisions, and 64% of customers say that seeing a video of the home or homeowner’s experiences makes them more likely to buy. Video is also an excellent SEO component on any website, making it [50 times](https://seattlewebsearch.com/2016/12/real-estate-listings-with-videos-receive-403-more-inquiries/ "Check out this video on visual marketing") more likely to appear on the first page of a search engine results page, ultimately driving more website traffic. Video storytelling is a perfect way to represent the excellence and experience that homeowners can expect when living in your community.

## Telling Your Community’s Story

At Cotton & Company, our team of marketing professionals recognizes that every community’s marketing program relies on the success generated by quality content. Cotton & Company works with a growing real estate portfolio of more than 1,700 clients worldwide to convey a community’s authentic message through video, social media, blogging, and more. A combination of unmatched creativity, innovative technology, and strategic thinking helps our clients stand out from their competitors and creates more quality leads and closed sales. Visit [cottonco.com](/ "Navigate back to our homepage") to learn more about how the team at Cotton can offer your team a personalized and authentic marketing program.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [The Evolution of Strategic Marketing and How "Micromarketing" is Taking Over](https://cottonco.com/the-evolution-of-strategic-marketing-and-how-micromarketing-is-taking-over/)

**Published:** August 16, 2022
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Long gone are the days where everyone watched three network television channels, listened to their favorite FM radio station, and looked for the paperboy to deliver the daily newspaper with updates on global events. Back then, a captive market was easily targeted. Today, the internet has fundamentally changed the world around us, creating a dynamic environment with endless sources of media being consumed. Streaming services have opened the door to hundreds of channels, YouTube and TikTok provide user-generated video entertainment, and social media has become the new source of news and information across the generations.

With so many options to choose from, mass advertising has been replaced with strategic digital marketing to niche target markets. Consumer psychographic and demographic profiling has never been more in-depth. Technology is allowing for geo-targeting and content delivery in interesting new ways. However, it takes a thorough understanding of the digital landscape, a commitment to staying on the leading edge of technology and an insightful focus on creativity and messaging to compel an audience to take action. Let’s dive deeper into what strategies like micromarketing mean, and how it can be a transformative business strategy.

## What is Micromarketing?

Micromarketing is a strategic digital marketing approach that targets a specific set of consumers who show the highest potential of buying the product or service. Rather than marketing to the masses with a billboard or a radio ad about a new community with homes for sale, advertising agencies can use this niche social media strategy to market to those genuinely interested in buying a home. By collecting specified information, including interests, geographic, and demographic information, agencies can create an in-depth, targeted audience that leads to results. Businesses can also take a more intuitive approach to their creative and messaging, tailoring it for personalized, and ultimately more effective, marketing materials.

![One Park Sales Gallery strategic marketing](/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/cotton-co-evolution-of-strategic-marketing-blog-081622-one-park-sales-gallery-min.jpg)
*One Park Sarasota Sales Gallery*

## Turning a Real Estate Interest into a Sale

Perhaps one of the biggest advantages of micromarketing is the acquisition of high-quality leads and turning those leads into sales. Say, for example, that a client is trying to sell a new luxury condominium that starts at $2 million. The company would need to use a highly targeted approach, focusing on real estate interest, and then narrowing further with geo-targeting and demographic information to find those willing to buy within that price range.

This process can easily turn into a complex, multi-step strategy requiring a greater time investment and a thorough understanding of the digital landscape. Having a group of trained professionals that can assist in creating these strategies leads to true benefits for the company, mainly found through the company’s return on investment. Efforts are aimed at crafting personalized messages to the targeted consumers most likely to request more information on a listing, download the digital brochure, or overall, just respond positively to the call-to-action messaging. This ensures developers don’t waste time on people who ultimately wouldn’t be interested in buying that home to begin with, generating qualified leads that have a proven track record for higher sales success.

![group of employees discussing strategic marketing](/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/cotton-co-evolution-of-strategic-marketing-blog-081622-agency-min.jpg)

## Leading the Way in Technologically Based Marketing

In every real estate market segment, from primary housing for first-time homebuyers to second and third vacation homes for the seasonal luxury resident, Cotton & Company develops integrated and targeted marketing programs focused on generating homebuyer interest that results in high quality sales leads. Staying on the leading edge of technological advances is a top priority as the real estate industry continues to evolve. Cotton utilizes strategies like micromarketing every day to generate sales success for its clients.

![tributary amenity center](/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/cotton-co-evolution-of-strategic-marketing-blog-081622-tributary-amenity-center-min.jpg)
*Tributary Lookout Amenity Center*

With a growing real estate portfolio of more than 1,700 clients worldwide, [Cotton & Company](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage") acquires and handles numerous databases for their clients. The team then utilizes these databases to create a highly targeted approach, using real-time insights and user data to serve ads and relevant information to the proper people. Combining these strategies with innovative technologies and an unmatched level of creativity has helped Cotton’s clients stand out from their competitors, creating more quality leads and closed sales.

For more information on how Cotton & Company can transform your company’s business strategy with a personalized approach, visit [cottonco.com](/ "Cotton and Company Homepage").

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Bay Harbor Celebrates Season Opening with Testimonial Video](https://cottonco.com/bay-harbor-celebrates-season-opening-with-testimonial-video/)

**Published:** May 27, 2022
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Cotton & Company has enjoyed working with the Bay Harbor Marketing Alliance and the Bay Harbor Yacht Club in developing a highly successful campaign over the past five years. As they gear up for another incredible summer season, we’re proud to have produced this new video capturing the Member’s reflections on this incredible Lake Michigan lifestyle and the beautiful surroundings of the community. Enjoy.

**Categories:** Uncategorized

---

### [Cotton & Company Announces Patrick Knabel as New Executive Vice President](https://cottonco.com/cotton-company-announces-patrick-knabel-as-new-executive-vice-president/)

**Published:** February 25, 2022
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

(STUART, FLA) – Cotton & Company, a full-service advertising agency in the luxury real estate development market worldwide, has recently announced [Patrick Knabel](/the-agency/patrick-knabel/ "Learn more about Patrick Knabel") as its new Executive Vice President.

Knabel steps into this new role after spending the last six years working at Cotton & Company as an integral part of the Account Service team. Knabel has grown tremendously over the past six years, successfully handling the strategic planning, day-to-day account management and execution of numerous clients’ marketing plans. In his new position as Executive Vice President, Knabel will become a member of the senior management team, focusing on further developing the firms ongoing marketing strategy efforts and will spearhead Cotton’s new business outreach.

“Patrick has been leading the internal team on strategic plans for communities across the country,” says [Laurie Andrews](/the-agency/laurie-andrews/ "Learn more about Laurie Andrews"), President of Cotton & Company. “His knowledge of the industry, matched with his knowledge of today’s digital marketing platforms, allows him to provide valuable guidance to developers as they enter the market. We are pleased to have Patrick represent the firm in our business development outreach.”

Cotton & Company’s real estate marketing and sales expertise is grounded in over four decades of experience and is driven by intelligence gained from today’s web-based environment. Cotton’s dynamic market research and social media tools provide in-depth consumer profiling that opens new sales channels for its high-profile clientele. It’s a combination of unmatched creativity, innovative technology, and strategic thinking that results in more closed sales for Cotton & Company clients.

Cotton & Company’s exclusive focus on the real estate industry includes navigating through the highs and low market trends. The company has driven sales success from Panama to Poland in virtually every industry category: destination resorts, private country clubs, urban condominiums, master-planned communities, fractional ownership, and single-family builder neighborhoods. Cotton is currently providing marketing services for Forbes Global Properties, One Park Sarasota, Landing at PGA Waterway in Palm Beach Gardens, and a variety of projects for the Kolter Group.
For more information on Cotton & Company, visit [cottonco.com](/ "Cotton and Company's home page") or call (772) 287-6612.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Cotton & Company, Patrick Knabel

---

### [Will the Florida Real Estate Market Keep Growing in 2022?](https://cottonco.com/will-the-florida-real-estate-market-keep-growing-in-2022/)

**Published:** June 1, 2022
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

After a year and a half of record growth, Florida continues to make headlines as the nation’s top destination for new home migration. This sunny and tropical locale has welcomed thousands of new residents, leading the nation in inbound moves by [62%](https://www.unitedvanlines.com/newsroom/movers-study-2021 "See the states people are moving to the most"). Spanning more than 6,000 square miles and three counties – Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach – South Florida has quickly become the 2nd largest metropolitan area in the southeastern U.S. As we enter the “off-season” for the housing market, real estate experts are weighing the strength of the market against growing uncertainty.

![one park balcony view](/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cotton-blog-florida-housing-market-balcony-062322-min.jpg)
*One Park Sarasota*

## The Remote Work Revolution Drives Migration

With the convenience of technology bringing people together, expectations of working in a traditional office environment have become a thing of the past. Both businesses and business professionals can relocate and work from wherever they desire, creating an accelerated migration pattern to Florida’s coast. Over the last 10 years, the population has increased by 10.3% versus the U.S. average of 7.4%. The area is projected to increase by [more than 12%](https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-ne-south-florida-population-growth-lags-census-20210812-aa3pcfra7fa2zlvhjrb7ejvtxy-story.html "The Sun Sentinel's article on the population growth in South Florida") over the next three decades.

## Google Trends Indicate a High Search Volume

According to recent [google trends search volume](https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=today%205-y&geo=US&q=Homes%20For%20Sale%20Boca%20raton "Take a look at some trends for homebuyers") data, people searching for homes in South Florida are at an all-time high. This is especially true of the area’s northern suburbs, including north Broward and West Palm Beach counties. Google trends have also reported that a sizable portion of the people searching these terms are from northeastern states, proving that many are wishing to enjoy sunny days in the sand rather than cold days in the snow.

## Headwinds are Building

While there are many signs that point to continued growth for the South Florida region, there is also some hesitation and concern for the area’s luxury market segment. In the opening months of 2022, the U.S stock market suffered double-digit declines that have had a direct impact on wealthy homebuyers. Rising energy costs and mortgage rates have also been driving inflationary trends and slowing the liquidity of the move-up market. One of the most unpredictable variables the luxury market currently faces is the war in Ukraine. With economic sanctions acting as a primary weapon by western nations, it remains uncertain what the long-term global economic impact could be. Additionally, as we head into the 2022 election season, the political fight for control can create even more uncertainty, and negative news could dominate the summer market.

## Using Data to understand Market Trends and Evaluate Risk

The real estate marketing specialists at Cotton & Company are keenly aware of how quickly market trends can shift. The company is data-driven, with real estate programs for more than three dozen communities across the country that focus on how the market conditions are impacting homebuyers’ decisions in live time. Daily, weekly, and monthly monitoring of website traffic, time spent on the site, and the number of registrations help determine the current strength of the market and can help drive sales success for communities across the nation.

“Currently, we continue to see strong interest in Florida real estate across all sectors,” says Laurie Andrews, President of Cotton & Company. “Standing inventory that has been priced right continues to be absorbed quickly. There have been a few outliers where sellers have been shooting for the moon, and we are seeing some price reductions as the season comes to a close.”

As a predictor of the future, Andrews closely monitors the activity across the man active real estate websites Cotton & Company manages. “In 2008, we saw signs of a shift in the market when general inquiries and website traffic dropped across all sectors,” says Andrews. “In 2022, the market surge was driven by lifestyle priorities rather than overheated investment. This shift in lifestyle priorities continues to drive activity for Florida real estate.” Andrews notes that getting to the market quickly has become a priority for many developers who have been waiting for architects and land planners to complete the design process. “We remain optimistic about the luxury market in Florida over the coming year, but we are watching the market dynamics closely.”

## A Thriving Job Market

Florida’s favorable tax climate ensures that South Florida is a growing business market, with companies like Microsoft, Spotify, and Goldman Sachs having a substantial presence in the area. “Martin and St. Lucie counties in particular are poised for substantial growth,” says Andrews. “As the cost of housing continues to rise across South Florida, the Treasure Coast represents substantial value for homebuyers. Convenient access to I-95 and Florida’s Turnpike makes commuting to the Palm Beaches easier for homebuyers. We’re predicting that Indiantown will become the next hot housing destination in the region.”

From a lack of an individual income tax to low corporate and sales taxes, the Sunshine state has built a welcoming environment for businesses and business professionals alike. South Florida is also recognized as an international business destination, with three international airports as well as four seaports serving cargo and commercial cruise lines. With more companies moving their headquarters, it also moves a wealth of industry-specific and supporting jobs with it. According to the most recent data from the [U.S. Census](https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=median%20household%20income "Check out the Census' data on income") and the Department of Labor, Miami’s median household income has increased by 24.17% from 2015 to 2020. Employment is increasing at a more rapid rate in South Florida compared to other major metro areas and is projected to grow by another 7.5% within the next seven years, according to the [Florida Department of Economic Security.](https://www.floridajobs.org/workforce-statistics/data-center/statistical-programs/employment-projections "See employment projections for the future")

![aerial view of cresswind pool](/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/cotton-blog-florida-housing-market-pool-062322-min.jpg)
*Club Cresswind at Cresswind Palm Beach*

## A Vibrant South Florida Lifestyle

Now more than ever, people are prioritizing their happiness, searching for cities that match their lifestyle. From miles of sandy beaches to lively cities filled with year-round activities, South Florida offers something for every family member to enjoy. Culturally diverse cities including Miami and Fort Lauderdale offer bustling atmospheres full of dining, shopping, museums, and art exhibits. The Palm Beaches are considered the “Golf Capital of the World” as well as the epicenter for world-class angling. The area is also less than a four-hour drive to world-class Orlando theme parks, such as Disney, Sea World, and Universal. All of this and more has made South Florida an ideal choice for homebuyers of all backgrounds and interests.

## About Cotton & Company

Cotton & Company is a full service digital real estate marketing firm specializing in the luxury segment. The firm boasts a portfolio of more than 1,700 communities including luxury condominiums, country club, marina residences, resort residential and master planned communities. Visit [cottonco.com](/ "Navigate back to our homepage") to learn more about their full scope of services that range from branding and website development through sales support, lead generation and digital/social marketing.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Cotton Named One of the Top 6 Real Estate Marketers in the US](https://cottonco.com/top-real-estate-marketers-in-the-us-for-2018/)

**Published:** May 10, 2018
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

## Top Real Estate Marketers In The US for 2018

by Lester Harper | May 1, 2018 | Real Estate Agents, Companies | Top USA Real Estate

## Want to find out who are the top real estate marketers in the US?

Well, you have found the right place. The real estate marketers below have all proven to be top in their field. Some of the people on the list below work for some of the largest real estate brands in the country. Some that make the list of top marketers in real estate are Digital Marketing agencies that specialize, specifically in the real estate. The list would not be complete without those special real estate brokers who not only handle the marketing of their brokerage, but they make sure have a hand in each aspect of their advertising.

In today’s world, if you are in the real estate, you better be a rock star at marketing. If that is not the case, you better have someone hired, that understands the intricacies of real estate, handling your marketing on a day to day basis.

### Digital Marketing vs Traditional Marketing

Are you still spending your advertising dollars in print? If so, you really need to be reaching out to the marketers on the list below for some pointers. Although there may be a unique, niche that exists in someones local market (that’s what everyone says) you should have very little of your resources allocated to print advertising. Many of the other “old school” real estate marketing techniques that have been tried and true over the years should be sunsetted also. That means if you still think that mailing out sports calendar magnets to set yourself apart in real estate, you need to take a fresh look at what is happening in 2018 for real estate marketing.

For the most part, what has set the below list of marketers apart is their ability to leverage technology in their real estate marketing campaigns. That doesn’t mean that each of them are computer nerds, but they understand what the tech does and makes sure that it works for them.

### How We Put Our List Together

Before we get to our list of the Top Real Estate Marketers in the US, it is important to understand how we choose our winners. We didn’t want our list to be all super huge marketing firms or just a list of good agents that are hyperactive on Facebook. We wanted to touch a little on all aspects of the spectrum of real estate marketing and choose best of class. You will notice that some of our list make their living specifically in marketing, some for one company and some as an agency; while some are brokers, agents and teams that seem to have found a special sauce for marketing succeeds.

### Each person on this list shines in their respective area proving that their is no single way to be successful in real estate marketing.

![Chris Smith, Curator](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/chris-300x250.png)

### Chris Smith
***Author, Keynote Speaker & Co-Founder of Curator***

Chris Smith has set himself apart in the real estate marketing industry by leveraging technology that already exists and combining it with real estates agents struggle for time and motivational speaking. All rolled together and you get a well respected real estate marketer. Currently his company Curator to over $10 Million in annual, recurring revenue. His work has been featured in Forbes, Inc, and Entrepreneur Magazine.

![Bill Gassett, Social Media Guru](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/hklfda-300x250.png)

### Bill Gassett,
***Real Estate Broker, Marketer, Social Media Guru***

Bill Gassett is a real estate agent and owner of Maximum Real Estate Exposure. Bill has dominated the real estate blogging landscape by leveraging original real estate content, written from an actual real estate practitioner. With tons of Google+ groups, Bill has created his very own content delivery system leveraging Google’s very own social media platform. Bill has been featured in multiple write-ups about the cutting edge of real estate marketing.

![Stephen Waring, Latter & Blum](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/steven-300x250.png)

### Stephen Waring
***Marketing & Communications Director for the Latter & Blum Family of Companies***

Stephen has years of marketing experience from running his own traditional marketing agency to heading up all of the marketing efforts for one of the largest real estate companies in the country.

The Latter & Blum Family of Companies consists of multiple real estate brands that all dominant in their respective markets including Latter & Blum, C.J. Brown, Van Eaton and Romero, Noles Frye, Moffett Realty, Realty Associates and a handful of real estate franchises.

In addition to his marketing duties, Stephen also oversaw the Builder/Developer Services division of the company. This relatively new division within the company supports builders and developers by marketing and selling the product that they produce to the public. This support included; advertising, market positioning, competitive market analysis, sales & lead management, and much more.

Stephen has made a name for himself by keeping on top of the most current marketing trends while maintaining multiple brands all with a consistent message.

![Stephann Cotton, Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sc-300x250.png)

### Stephann Cotton
***Founder and CEO of [Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com "Click here to learn more about Cotton & Company.")***

Cotton & Company is a full-service real estate marketing agency specializing in combining a wealth of experience in real estate marketing with cutting-edge, integrated marketing solutions. Handling a wide variety of real estate vertices including destination resorts, private country clubs, urban condominiums, master planned communities, there is not much they have not covered in their over 40 years in the business.

![Buddy Blake, RE/MAX Essential](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/buddy-300x250.png)

### Buddy Blake
***Owner of RE/MAX Essential***

The name Buddy Blake is synonymous with real estate in the Wilmington NC area. Known for aggressive, fresh and professional marketing, Buddy has made a name for himself nation-wide for his consistent use of technology in real estate marketing. Buddy has been named a Top Real Estate Marketer 10 of the last 12 years. Most recently, Buddy was awarded the lifetime achievement award by RE/MAX and a Top Ten Video Influencers by the real estate tech company Bomb Bomb.

![Kerby Skurat, Kerby & Cristina](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/kerby-300x250.png)

### Kerby Skurat
***Lead Agent and Marketer for Kerby & Cristina***

To round out our list of great real estate marketers is Kerby Skurat. Kerby is one half of the Kerby & Kristina team out of the Twin Cities. Only about 10 years in the game, Kerby has grown his company to 11 agents that produce over 350 home sale per year in a hyper-competitive market. The success of Kerby & Cristina is attributed to their willingness to try new marketing ideas and customer service. With a strong perpetuity toward lead cultivation, follow-up and metrics, they consistently compete with some of the largest and most reputable real estate brands in the country.

Cotton & Company is an industry leader in the marketing, advertising, and sales of lifestyle-driven [residential real estate](/cotton-capabilities/ "Click here to learn more about the capabilities of Cotton & Company"). Our amazing team of digital marketing specialists, creative designers, copywriters, and [website developers](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/web-development/ "Click here to learn more about web development at Cotton & Company.") utilize today’s technology and new media channels to drive sales success for our clients throughout the world.

To stay up to date with the latest real estate industry trends, events and news stories,[ sign-up for Compendium](https://cottonco.com/compendium-landing/ "Request a complimentary subscription to The Cotton Compendium.") today.

Original Content Published By [Top USA Real Estate ](http://www.topusarealestate.com/real-estate-agents/top-real-estate-marketers-in-the-us/ "Click here for original content.")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** 2018 Top Real Estate Marketing Agencies in the US

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### [As Demand for Second Homes Skyrockets in the U.S., ‘Spillover’ Markets Gain Popularity](https://cottonco.com/as-demand-for-second-homes-skyrockets-in-the-u-s-spillover-markets-gain-popularity/)

**Published:** August 18, 2020
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

*Buyers clamoring for space outside cities expand their searches beyond the traditional borders of areas like the Hamptons and Aspen*

Ever since the coronavirus first arrived on U.S. shores, the priority among high-end homeowners has been clear: to get out of cities, and to stay out.

From the Hamptons to Aspen to Miami, second-home markets across the country have seen record seasons for both sales and rentals, and the heightened demand seems to be more than a blip as inventory tightens and even properties that had previously spent years languishing are going into contract.

“I’ve never seen a market like this in 31 years,” said Susan Lowe, a senior vice president and corporate broker for Chase International/Luxury Portfolio International in Lake Tahoe. “It happened so quickly and so dramatically. It became a 100% seller’s market almost overnight. Inventory all over the company is at record lows.”

Data from realtor.com shows views per property for luxury homes in South Lake Tahoe in California are up 29% year-over-year in May, while for the Hamptons, views per property spiked 72% that month.

Demand is also spilling into markets outside of traditional hot spots, with some would-be Hamptons buyers expanding their searches to Long Island’s Gold Coast on the north shore, while Florida buyers are eyeing Fort Lauderdale as an alternative to Miami, brokers say, “In the luxury segment, we are seeing an uptick in buyer interest in some of these \[nearby\] markets,” said realtor.com senior economist George Ratiu. “For example, in Colorado, along with Aspen, we’re seeing an uptick in interest in Telluride.”

For buyers looking to lockdown large properties and expansive grounds, these spillover markets may offer an elusive combination of space, security and relative savings.

**Secondary Markets With Access to Acreage Take Center Stage**
For many buyers shopping in areas slightly outside of their usual vacation destinations, the distance from town centers is a feature, not a bug.

“I’ve seen a couple of homeowners from the Hamptons seek privacy on Centre Island and a few of these other areas \[along Long Island’s north shore\], because of the overpopulation and the noise factor,” said Regina Rogers, a broker with Douglas Elliman on Long Island. “People say the Hamptons have become so overpopulated that the parties on the weekends and helicopters coming in and out have changed their view of the area. So they’re coming to the Gold Coast with this in mind.”

A similar sea change can be seen around Aspen, where buyers who once would have prioritized proximity to the city’s cultural life are now taking their searches farther out in favor of privacy and large plots of land, part of a broader national trend of high-end buyers looking to acquire land and create their own private compounds.

“The trend was toward walkability, as it has been in every major city,” said Ann Abernethy, an agent with Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate/Luxury Portfolio International in Colorado. But now, she says she sees a shift.

In Old Snowmass, an area north of Aspen known for its large ranch properties, Ms. Abernethy said, “All the dated inventory that had been sitting around seems to be going into contract. One couple bought a 38-acre property. They own a beautiful home right in Snowmass Village, but they want more land.”

Even in regions not as known for wide open spaces, buyers are finding ways to prioritize space over central location.

“In Miami, sales soared in June for single-family homes and prices keep increasing,” said Karen Elmir, CEO of the Elmir Group at One Sotheby’s International Realty in Miami. “People keep moving up to Fort Lauderdale because they can’t really find something in their price range \[in Miami\]. It was an up-and-coming area before Covid, and now second-home buyers are looking for space, location, and value.”

Areas like Southwest Ranches, a well-off suburb outside of Fort Lauderdale, have also drawn in high-end clientele looking for large, full-service properties that don’t necessarily exist within city limits.

“Home sites here are usually one or two acres, and you can have a basketball court, a tennis court,” said Alex Yokana, the developer of AKAI Estates in Southwest Ranches. “Within your own property, you can have your own mini resort.”

Out west, demand for Lake Tahoe properties is brisk on both the California and Nevada sides of the lake, said Ms. Lowe, particularly as Bay Area tech workers look for spacious properties in light of their newfound work-from-home flexibility.

“Our pipeline sales \[properties in contract\], everything we currently have in contract, are up 270% over where we were the same time last year,” said Breck Overall, an agent with Sierra Sotheby’s International Realty, which covers areas on both the California and Nevada sides of Lake Tahoe, as well as Truckee and Reno. “People are just craving space. And we’re seeing a little bit of an exodus from California to avoid state income taxes. My Nevada business has picked up by over 200%.”

Buyer interest has also expanded beyond the lakefront into outlying Nevada areas that, once again, offer the option of expansive private outdoor space.

“Our spillover markets are just as strong,” Ms. Lowe said. “We have the Carson Valley, which has ranch-type properties, and had a record month in June. There’s Gardnerville, which has a lot of open space and ranchland, and has definitely swelled. A 650-acre ranch in a little town called Markleeville on the California side, that had been on and off the market for years, went into escrow right away in late May.”

**Lower Prices for Larger Estates**
While luxury buyers may be prioritizing their home bases more than usual—and willing to spend accordingly—the allure of a good deal is still potent. And if a larger property also comes with a lower price tag, all the better.
In Telluride, said Blake Greiner, a Colorado-based Douglas Elliman agent, “It’s definitely a luxury market, but you get more space, typically more acreage, than you ever would in Aspen or Snowmass. Your dollar is going to go further, and it comes off as a value proposition if you’re looking for that lifestyle.”

The tradeoff of lower prices and larger properties is particularly potent on Long Island’s Gold Coast, where prices run lower than in the Hamptons, and sprawling 1920s estates are still readily on offer.
“For between $4 million and $5 million, you can get a palatial home on three acres with a swimming pool, private grounds, and close proximity to parks, beaches, shopping, and restaurants,” said Michael Stanco, an agent with Compass on Long Island.
These properties are particularly appealing to buyers with families unable to travel or participate in camp or other activities over the summer, and into the fall.

“We just sold a property in Oyster Bay Cove, and the buyers jumped on it when they found out their kids couldn’t go to sleepaway camp,” said Deirdre O’Connell, CEO of Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty. “It had country club-type grounds, so the kids are going to summer camp right at home. And it was $1.5 million instead of $5 million, $10 million, or $15 million.”

In Southwest Ranches, two-acre home sites run around $7 million, compared to the $30 million a comparable property might run in Miami, Mr. Yokana said. And in Fort Lauderdale itself, price per square foot is still nearly half what it is in Miami, Ms. Elmir said.

**A Major Moment for Sellers**
Most players in the second-home market right now are looking to pick up properties rather than unload them, and as brisk as demand is, the current climate has inspired some owners to hold on to land just as much as it’s inspired buyers to go after it. Meaning that for sellers in either primary vacation markets or the so-called spillover areas, this could be the ideal moment to make a move.

“We’re seeing multiple offers, and a very competitive market,” Mr. Overall said. “And we’re seeing this kind of Bay Area strategy where sellers are starting to underprice to create a bidding war, then submitting a deadline for bids.”

Newer or newly updated turnkey properties have a significant advantage in the current market, as few buyers are looking to take on a significant construction or a renovation project. And while most sellers don’t appear to be flipping properties in higher-demand areas in favor of farther-flung regions, the time to list large second homes is undeniably ripe.

“People are willing to pay a premium, but not willing to pay crazy prices like they have in other upticks,” Ms. O’Connell said. “But people want things we couldn’t sell so easily for the past 10 years, these bigger properties. I do think that people are deciding this could be the time to sell and make that change because there’s demand. It’s a window of opportunity.”

[***To view original story click here***](https://www.mansionglobal.com/articles/as-demand-for-second-homes-skyrockets-in-the-u-s-spillover-markets-gain-popularity-217781).

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** real estate growth, second home demand, second home markets, spillover markets, vacation home demand, vacation home real estate

---

### [Cotton & Company To Attend the 2018 Facebook Developers Conference](https://cottonco.com/cotton-company-to-attend-the-2018-facebook-developers-conference/)

**Published:** April 26, 2018
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

On May 1st & 2nd marketers, publishers and developers from all over the globe will flock to San Jose, CA for F8, Facebook’s annual developer’s conference. This year more than 5,000 developers and Facebook Marketing Partners from all over the world will gather to experience new, breakthrough technology from Facebook and learn first-hand how developers are innovating on the platform and explore new ways to build community and bring the world closer together. Attendance at F8 is by invitation only so Cotton & Company was proud to have two of its key team members invited to the prestigious digital marketing event. [Webmaster Sonya Pereira](/the-agency/sonya-pereira/ "Click here to learn more about Webmaster Sonya Pereira.") and [Digital Strategist Angelene McCullough](/the-agency/angelene-mccullough/ "Click here to learn more about Digital Strategist Angelene McCullough.") will represent Cotton & Company at the event next week.

## **Facebook Developer Conference 2018:**

- **Mark Zuckerberg** and other Facebook leaders will discuss the future of technology and Facebook’s developer platform
- **Updates** on Facebook’s entire family of apps and services including AR, VR, AI, open source, community, social good and ways to grow business
- **Immersive Experiences** including interactive hands-on demos of new technologies and tools
- **Facebook Team** connections with product experts in the Developer Garage to learn how to grow and optimize apps, bots, and business
- **Community Outreach:** 100+ local students will be on hand to explore computer programming through TechPrep and the impact developers can make with Facebook’s tools.

While the social network’s conference highlights in recent years have been eye-popping — AR glasses! Helicopter drones! Mind-reading technology! — our assumption is, the focus on this year’s F8 event will be… WHAT NOW???, What can advertisers expect now, in lieu of the recent scrutiny over Facebook’s mishandling of personal data.

[Cotton & Company ](/ "Click here to learn more about Cotton & Company.")is an industry leader in the marketing and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate. The company’s team of digital marketing specialists, creative designers, copywriters, and [website developers](/cotton-capabilities/web-development/ "Click here to learn more about web development at Cotton & Company.") utilize today’s technology and new media channels to drive sales success for luxury real estate clients throughout the world.

> *“Cotton & Company has always been at the forefront of utilizing digital strategies for our luxury real estate clients. We look forward to learning more about the future of social marketing from our team attending the conference.”*
> – Stephann Cotton

Be sure to follow the conversation on Facebook & Twitter with the hashtag #F8.

For more information on the services provided by [Cotton & Company](/ "Click here to learn more about Cotton & Company."), please visit our website. If you’d like to receive Compendium, our e-newsletter featuring the[ latest real estate trends and industry insights](/contact/ "Click here to learn about Cotton & Company."), simply sign-up here.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Press, Real Estate, Social Media

**Tags:** Digital Marketing, facebook

---

### [Cotton & Company Takes Safety to Heart](https://cottonco.com/cotton-company-takes-safety-to-heart/)

**Published:** November 12, 2017
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

> *“Nobody expects an emergency medical situation to happen, but if it does, we are prepared.”* – Kathy P.

**Accidents happen…**

Everyone knows that, so as part of their Emergency Preparedness Planning in partnership with the **\#RedCrossReady** nationwide initiative, Cotton & Company, sent four of it’s staff back to school for some serious lessons in life saving skills.

Cassie Cowsert, Erika Wigley Vicat, Kathy Petroraio and [Sonya Pereira](/the-agency/sonya-pereira/ "Learn more about Sonya Pereira.") spent the day together participating in lectures, activities and hands-on CPR training.

> *“What a fun day out of the office,”* says Team Cotton’s Erika Vicat. *“We had a really great time learning about First-Aid and CPR.”*

The CPR, First Aid, and AED Certification course was held on Saturday, October 28, 2017 at the American Red Cross in Stuart. The eight hour day included lecture, class-room style activities and demonstration.

> *“I was so honored to participate in such an important initiative,”* says Cowsert. *There is a huge responsibility that comes with being chosen, so I’m just very honored to participate.”*

The course prepared us to recognize and care for a variety of first aid, breathing, and cardiac emergencies involving adults, children and infants and it meets OSHA/workplace requirements.

> “There was a ton of good information, I just hope I never have to use the things I learned today.” – Erika Vicat

Better safe then sorry though, right?!

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** American Red Cross, CPR Certification

---

### [The Science of Storytelling: Why Content is King in the Real Estate Development Market](https://cottonco.com/the-science-of-storytelling-why-content-is-king-in-the-real-estate-development-market/)

**Published:** March 29, 2022
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Today’s homebuyers don’t want to be “sold”. They are tech-savvy and do their preliminary homework to find a community that best suits their needs. Every individual consumer has a unique perspective, and their priorities and their personal style differ. The goal is to deliver a sales message through less aggressive editorial stories that highlight the unique selling propositions that the various individual communities offer.

## **Engaging Content that Establishes a Connection**

There are hundreds of engaging stories that can be written authentically about the lifestyles that are inspired daily based on the location and community. From community events to things to do in the local area to the special relationships that form, there is an endless list of topics to be covered that showcase homeowners enjoying daily life in exceptional ways. A new love for gardening that’s putting fresh vegetables on the table. “Bella” the cocker spaniel that is now best friends with “Barley” a rescue dog, that met at community dog park. The lifestyle that awaits those seeking a new way of life living on the ocean where they can enjoy outdoor amenities like yachting, kayaking, fishing and paddle boarding. Or perhaps the story of an individual’s passion for photography that was inspired by the vast array of wildlife and birds that inhabit the community’s nature preserve. Each of these example blog articles encourage consumers with similar interests to explore more about a specific address and consider it themselves.

![real estate development selene social post](/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/science-of-storytelling-blog-screenshot-2-032922-min.jpg)

President Laurie Andrews explains, “Internet storytelling is today’s online referral program. It’s an opportunity to craft a public message and deliver it to your target market without having to engage a third-party media outlet to publish your message.” The Cotton & Company team recognizes that every real estate development content marketing program’s success is directly tied to a commitment to creating quality content.

The science of storytelling goes far beyond identifying the stories and simply sharing them. This blog content has significant value to search engines. Continuously fresh content with a focused keyword strategy is given higher priority in search algorithms. Every post and blog story represents an opportunity to enhance a real estate development’s position on the internet. The methodology requires diligent planning, consistent delivery, a diverse array of topics and a thorough understanding of today’s real estate buyers. A winning combination of social media marketing and blogging all work together symbiotically to capture leads and drive organic traffic to one common place – the community URL.

![real estate development sailfish point social post](/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/real-estate-development-blog-032922-min.jpg)

Cotton & Company manages a significant portfolio of social accounts and content marketing is a key strategy for every account. We have the knowledge of what works to engage homebuyers in this cost efficient and hyper targeted marketing channel. To capitalize on the surge of real estate demand in today’s market our experienced team of [30+ real estate marketing specialists](/cotton-capabilities/ "Capabilities") are here to bring you to the market quickly without a learning curve. For more information on Cotton & Company, [join our email list](/compendium-landing/ "Register to get the lastest real estate development news").

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** real estate development, real estate marketing

---

### [Logo Design Done Right: Your Identity Depends On It](https://cottonco.com/logo-design-done-right-your-identity-depends-on-it/)

**Published:** June 6, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Today we live in an environment surrounded by brand identities. It has been estimated that the average American is exposed to thousands of logos, advertisements and labels a day. How does your property stand out in this onslaught of images? Distilling a client’s persona into a single icon or mark that will capture the attention of their audience is at the heart and soul of the design process.

The best real estate logos showcase the particular property’s unique characteristics. Designers must stretch their thinking beyond clichéd choices to find the essence of the brand. It would be obvious to depict all oceanside properties, for example, in a blue or aqua font, or with variations of waves or boats, or all inland properties with images of palm trees and greenery. Those would be safe, but generic solutions. Even more challenging is competing with other properties that share the same locale and some of the same characteristics. Below is example logo design by Cotton & Company real estate marketing that best represents the successful merging of concept, design, originality, and branding.

For a conversation with Cotton & Company on how you can best create an identity that stands out for your brand visit [cottonco.com](/cotton-capabilities/) to learn more.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Country Club Membership Retention](https://cottonco.com/country-club-membership-retention-2/)

**Published:** December 17, 2013
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

In today’s ever-changing world of [country club marketing,](the-country-club-conundrum/ "The Country Club Conundrum") one aspect that every marketing director should focus on is social programming. In years past, primary social engagements revolved around golf tournaments, drinking, and eating. Today clubs are catering to a more diverse and younger audience that is interested in a variety of diverse interests therefore wellness, experiential learning, culinary events, learning engagements, and social interaction should be incorporated into every country club’s social calendar. 

Many clubs today are building interactive display kitchens where chefs can lead classes sharing new recipes, local farm-to-table produce, and techniques designed to keep people healthy and fulfilled. Some of the clubs have even filmed their efforts and run them on their club channel television stations. Another popular activity is discovering and tasting wines from different regions around the world where participants can learn the distinct characteristics of various wines. Another important consideration regarding dining is the dress code enforced at the club restaurants; most baby boomers are not interested in frequent formal dinners where jackets are mandatory.

It is predicted that the health and wellness market will increase ten percent each year during the next decade as baby boomers mature. As clubs expand their fitness offerings they have found that they need to progressively update programming and equipment available based on the latest trends. Pilates and barre training are just a couple of the latest ways to develop core strength, flexibility and an overall feeling of well-being. Many people moving from larger cities into smaller towns with country clubs are seeking these activities as part of their overall club experience.

While the decision to join a club has become just as much a female-dominated decision as a male-dominated one, we also see spa and wellness services being expanded in country clubs. In the past, country clubs were primarily a male, golf-centric place, where women mostly had access to tennis, golf and dining, they are now becoming a full family experience. In light of this club leadership must make attempts to satisfy all generations including the wife, the children, and even the grandchildren in the family. According to ULI, the oldest and largest network of cross-disciplinary real estate and land use experts in the world, wine, food and health will be the next “golf” for country clubs over the next decade. 

One club that [Cotton & Company](/ "Home") has worked with for years is [Ocean Reef Club](https://cottonco.com/works/ocean-reef-club/) in the Florida Keys. We believe Ocean Reef Club has done an incredible job of keying into the generational aspect of club activities. Typically, the younger aged members are somewhat bored while the adults tend to enjoy their experience. Since Ocean Reef now has three to four generations of members they have focused on offering a robust monthly calendar chock full of activities aimed at all the different ages, segments, interests and interest of every member of the family. Not only combining the typical golf and tennis activities, but also including all types of fishing, croquet, boating, diving, sailing, cooking classes, a health and fitness spa, medical center, on-site shopping and about a dozen different dining venues. In a recent survey, a legacy member at Ocean Reef Club stated, “We’ve always loved to come to Ocean Reef because every time we came as we grew up there was always something different and fun to do and a lot of people in our age group to share those experiences with. Ocean Reef Club never gets old.” 

In order to take advantage of all of these family markets and younger demographics, Cotton & Company launched a social media marketing campaign on behalf of Ocean Reef where members and friends can chat amongst themselves sharing their pride in membership. Using this initiative, not only does the Club now have a voice in casual conversation among members and prospects, but members are also actively engaging in conversation with each other in this space. They are figuring out travel plans to see who will be there when they arrive, organizing lunches at the Fishing Village Raw Bar or coordinating a spontaneous game of foosball and meeting up for drinks at the Burgee Bar in the evening. Best of all the viral nature of social networking spreads the word not only to members, but also to their friends and contacts that could be potential new member residents.

Sign-up for our monthly e-newsletter, [The Cotton Compendium](/compendium-landing/ "Compendium Landing") here.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [4 Predictions in Digital Marketing to Watch](https://cottonco.com/4-predictions-in-digital-marketing-to-watch/)

**Published:** June 24, 2016
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Many sales professionals find themselves overwhelmed in the fast-paced world of digital marketing. With more opportunity to reach potential consumers as well as network with industry professionals, it’s important to know which venue to to spend your time on. Cotton & Company has a proven track record and the expertise to do just that. Although things are changing on an almost weekly basis, we decided to forecast what we expect the future of digital marketing to look like.

**Mobile is on the rise…**It was no real big surprise when online mobile sales overtook those made on a desktop. Across all generations smart phones are being used to keep in touch with loved ones and for ease of travel. It’s becoming more and more clear as the national real estate market returns that people are looking for real estate everywhere they go. These days individuals don’t make the time to randomly drive around town searching for real estate “For Sale” signs. But rather homebuyers are using their mobile devices while on-the-go to search for properties. These people are your prospects, they’re your potential homebuyers and they are going to their phones to find their next home.

**Video advertising raising the bar…**We all know the term content is king…but in the digital world, video is king. People on a global scale are watching millions of videos on YouTube or sites like Vimeo every single day. Facebook is heavily investing in video ads and Bing is also offering video options to its advertisers. It makes total sense for someone to start their interest in a new home based on a virtual tour. We see it every day. It is now an established component within successful digital marketing campaigns across all industries.

**Location based marketing reaching new highs…**Beacon technology is growing quickly and those marketers who know how to use it are already doing so. This is a medium with almost endless possibilities. One of its main features is that it helps sales professionals to plug the gap between online and in person digital marketing. In addition to beacons, a rising technology in location based marketing is called geo-fencing. This new technology allows businesses to send customers extremely targeted messages based on their location to help drive even more personalization in the world of digital marketing.

**Relationship Marketing…**Some experts believe this area hasn’t yet skyrocketed due to its actual meaning, but we find in the real estate advertising world it is all about relationships. The bottom line is that relationship marketing is essentially a strategy that has been designed specifically to encourage customer interaction, loyalty and engagement in the long term. This occurs through the promotion of open and ongoing communication through personalized campaigns aimed at the individual rather than a mass target.

For assistance with your digital marketing efforts, [contact us today](/contact/ "Contact Cotton & Company.") and we can discuss further how we can help. Cotton & Company is widely recognized as an industry leader in luxury residential real estate sales and marketing. We have empowered real estate sales success worldwide having managed more than 1,700 properties over the past four decades. All things considered, this could be the most exciting year yet in terms of the progress made in digital marketing.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Florida’s Longboat Key Attracts Five-Star Luxury Development](https://cottonco.com/floridas-longboat-key-attracts-five-star-luxury-development/)

**Published:** October 26, 2020
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Florida’s Longboat Key attracts five-star luxury development. Longboat Key a moneyed enclave, neighboring affluent Sarasota is a hot property right now. In Q3 2020 closed condominium and townhome sales above a million hit 102 compared to 39 in Q3 2019. Located in both Sarasota and Manatee Counties, Longboat Key is 9 miles northwest of Sarasota and almost 40 miles south of Tampa. The year-round population of around 7,0000 almost doubles from January to April thanks to snowbirds who primarily hail from the Northeast and Midwest.

With an average family income of $181,903 affluence is a way of life. Just a 15-minute drive from downtown Sarasota via a bridge this low-key barrier island has some of the most pristine beaches in the state. Siesta Key was named the #1 Beach in the U.S. in 2020 by TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Awards.

Surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico and Sarasota Bay, Longboat Key’s residents appreciate the private location. “There is a big demand for the luxury boutique condominium product here,” notes Dan Kaplan, Managing Partner of New York-based developer PMG. Pre-sales were recently launched on PMG’s [Sage Longboat Key Residences](https://sagelongboatkey.com/ "Lear more about Sage Longboat Key, an unprecedented boutique condominium right on the ocean"). The project an ultra-luxury boutique four-story condominium building with 16 private beachfront residences including private elevators and garages is what well-heeled buyers want right now. “PMG was very active in the high-end luxury Miami condo market. When the demand there changed to high-end rentals, we moved our development to the strong West Coast market,” Kaplan explains. Floridays Development Co. is the co-developer alongside PMG.

![Sage Longboat Key Residences has 16 private residences](/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/sage-longboat-key-exterior-rendering-min.jpg)
Sage Longboat Key Residences has 16 private residences (PMG)

These second and third homes are 4-bedroom and 4.5 baths ranging from 4,100 to 4,300 square feet. All boast “sunrise to sunset views” from the Gulf of Mexico to Sarasota Bay as Kaplan describes it. The price points begin at $4 million and top $6.5 million. Even with occupancy not scheduled until the end of 2022 buyers wrote four contracts in the first several weeks of sales.

Another luxury addition coming to Longboat Key is [The Residences at the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort](https://srresidenceslongboatkey.com/ "Learn more about the Elegant, Oceanfront Living"). The development includes a five-star resort and 69 private residences from 1,553 to 5,895 square feet. Price points are from $2 million to $10 million. Residents will have concierge access to the five-star St. Regis Longboat Key Resort amenities and services including butler service, private beach club, plunge pools and a fleet of rental Bentleys. Unicorp National Developments is behind the project. “We see occupancy for the entire project as Thanksgiving 2023. We are seeing buyers who are already part-time Longboat Key residents. Those buyers are looking to make Longboat Key their permanent residence,” notes Chuck Whittal, president of Unicorp. According to Whittal sales are brisk with about 35 units sold since April. “All we had on the property was a sign and a phone number,” Whittal adds.

Premier Sotheby’s International Realty is handling sales for Sage. Premier’s Senior Vice President, Development Services, John Gleeson, knows the area well. “Historically our strong sales here are seasonal, from January through April. All that went out the window this year. In March we paused for six weeks. In mid-May, sales took off and every month since we have been having record months.” Gleeson’s buyer profiles are mainly from the Northeast in the 55 plus age range. “Supply has become an issue with resales. There just aren’t enough properties. So new luxury condominiums have a ready market,” Gleeson observes. Looks like this small affluent barrier island on Florida’s west coast is ready for ultra-luxury development. For now, that is.

**SOUCE:** [By Ellen Paris – Forbes.com](https://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenparis/2020/10/25/floridas-longboat-key-attracts-five-star-luxury-development/#14cfa6887f39 "Read Full Article from the Source")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** pmg, sage longboat key, st. regis longboat key, The Residences at the St. Regis Longboat Key Resort, unicorp

---

### [Covid Fallout Drives High Demand for Florida Lifestyle – But What About High-Rise Condominiums?](https://cottonco.com/covid-fallout-drives-high-demand-for-florida-lifestyle-but-what-about-high-rise-condominiums/)

**Published:** January 5, 2021
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

As public debate continues to rage about how to manage the COVID virus, Florida’s decision to remain “open for business” has manifested itself in a state-wide real estate boom. With thousands of homeowners migrating to the low-tax, high-quality lifestyle, real estate developers are battling to capture their share of the market.

Data from LendingTree clearly identifies Florida as the top destination. Nearly 1,000 people per day moving to the Sunshine State, and single-family home inventories are rapidly decreasing. Many transplants are leaving densely populated communities and have been reluctant to consider condominium living in their new locale. So what are South Florida’s luxury condominium developers doing to capture their share of the post-COVID migration?

As new single-family home inventory shrinks, buyers seeking new construction will be faced with fewer options. Option 1 get in line for a “to be built” residence, which may take many months or close to a year to complete their new home. But if urgency is truly driving the homebuyer’s purchase decision, new luxury condominiums become the next logical option. It’s a market dynamic on the horizon that will benefit developers with move-in ready inventory. Getting that message out to the market will be critical to drive condo sales success this Winter.

Headquartered in Palm Beach County, Florida, [Kolter Urban](https://www.kolterurban.com/ "Learn about what we worked for Kolter Urban"), boasts an impressive portfolio of luxury coastal properties in prime second home markets. With construction being completed on three projects over the summer, the sales forecast was uncertain heading into the Fall. Now, these properties are quickly becoming the beneficiary of a [red-hot real estate market](/florida-real-estate-sales-benefit-from-covd-19-trends/), and Kolter’s foresight is paying off.

Kolter Urban partnered with Cotton & Company to strategically attack the opportunity, while continuing to drive pre-sale interest in its future residential offerings. Cotton & Company developed a move-in ready showcase for Kolter, where buyers can consider their options city-by-city. All of Kolter’s luxury residences available for immediate occupancy are listed at [LiveKolter.com](https://www.kolterurban.com/live/ "Live Kolter Website"), which is promoted through digital marketing targeting buyers fleeing the north who are seeking instant gratification.

The campaign tag line “Find your Place in the Sun” cast a wide net for those seeking a Florida lifestyle. Future homebuyers will be presented with the option of [Move-In Ready residences](https://www.kolterurban.com/live/) or for those seeking a longer timeline, they are also updated on new pre-construction opportunities.

In Sarasota, Core Development is also presenting its final residences to the market. The building received its certificate of occupancy in the Fall of 2020, and homebuyers are taking note of the remaining residences. With the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota by Kolter also nearing sellout, [BLVD Sarasota](https://blvdsarasota.com/ "Learn about what we did for BLVD Sarasota") will be the only remaining luxury condominium available for immediate occupancy in the city’s downtown corridor.

For real estate developers seeking to capture the energy of the destination real estate boom, Cotton & Company’s [experienced team](/the-agency/ "The Agency") is ready to develop a customized program to reach your sales objectives. Cotton & Company is an industry-leading marketing and advertising firm focusing exclusively on residential real estate. The firm utilizes time-tested real estate expertise combined with innovative digital marketing strategies to develop a cost-efficient marketing program. For more information on the Cotton & Company’s services, call 772-600-3501 or register at [cottonco.com](/ "go to main page and explore the website"). You’ll receive a copy of [Solutions Magazine](/request-solutions-magazine/ "learn more about us request the Solution Magazine"), an educational publication for the real estate development industry.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Cotton & Company, Cotton and Company, Developer, Homebuyers, luxury real estate, real estate marketing, real estate trends

---

### [The Florida Land Rush Is On!](https://cottonco.com/the-florida-land-rush-is-on/)

**Published:** January 20, 2021
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

## The Pandemic Accelerates a Florida Land Rush

The pandemic has accelerated what is being called the “Great Real Estate Migration” and it’s be reflected in a Florida land rush. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have been departing large urban city homes to head for the suburbs, rural areas, and less densely populated areas of Florida. A combination of reasons behind the move includes the ability to work remotely, civil unrest, high state taxes, and rising urban costs of living, just to name a few.

While mortgage rates this past year have dropped to the lowest in 50 years, droves of millennial renters living in populated city centers are now heading to the suburbs. This is an entirely new demographic flooding the homebuyer market. This also has fueled the real estate boom. Americans are anxious to become new homebuyers, and a housing shortage has become prominent.

While there are many unknowns, what we do know is that housing markets outside of the major urban core areas have benefited enormously and cover virtually every region of the country. Stephann Cotton, Cotton & Company Founder and CEO, states, “With a rush on real estate and a huge demand to continue building, Floria developers are left asking how am I going to replace inventory once it’s sold and where I am going to build next?” Developers are left scrambling for creative ways to deliver enough inventory to keep up with demand.

With a shortage of land in the country’s most desirable destinations like Florida, developers are forced to secure new parcels in areas virtually “off the beaten path” where easy access to schools, shopping, dining and recreation is not readily available. In Florida, an estimated 1000 people move every day, and the state has seen an “unprecedented demand” in luxury home sales as people from the Northeast are abandoning big cities. As a result, Florida developers have opted to purchase land in unsettled areas and then include missing components into extensive master plans. In a sense secondary destinations are now evolving into primary destinations.

[GreenPointe Communities](https://greenpointellc.com/ "Learn more about GreenPointe Communities"), one of the largest privately held developers in Florida, has taken advantage of the new dynamics with its newest community, [Tributary](/works/tributary/ "Learn more about Tributary Community"). Seeking out land resources in Nassau County, GreenPointe Developers used natural areas and scenic waterways to build a community with plenty of green space and natural recreation. They kept the integrity of the natural upland and wetlands incorporating them into the neighborhood plan with featured outdoor activity amenities. Building nature trails throughout the community allowed residents to connect to these amenities, the waterways, and Tributary Regional Park. The Park is a public project of Nassau County with plans for baseball fields, kayak launch, playground, dog park, and other sports and multi-purpose fields. Delivering quality product, with built-in natural recreation, at an affordable cost, has proven a winning combination.

## **Where will Builders and Developers Go Next?**

GreenPointe Communities continues its plans to bring housing to more rural areas of Florida with a new 2,055-acre property in a secluded western Port St. Lucie area. Plans include approximately 3,150 single-family home sites and 600 multi-family home sites, offering resort- style amenities with the added bonus of a 113- acre park and a future St. Lucie County public high school right in the neighborhood.

Knight Kiplinger’s new development called [Newfield](https://pinelandprairie.com/ "Visit Newfield to learn more about the project") in Martin County, Florida, is another example of a land developer setting new standards for traditional neighborhood design and the preservation of open spaces. Newfield’s centerpiece is made up of 1,199 acres of natural lands that will be protected and will become the Kiplinger Conservancy with dedicated trails for hikers and mountain bikers. Additionally, another 1,100 acres of open space will be dedicated to playing fields, farms, groves, school grounds, recreational parks, and greens open to all county residents for their enjoyment. The remaining 30% or 1,023 acres will be developed into 4,250 residences over the course of a 20-year stretch.

[Reinhold Corporation](https://reinholdcorp.com/ "Reinhold Corporation located in Clay County") in Clay County, located in north Central Florida 30 miles west of St. Augustine, is also following suit. Reinhold plans to develop 17,000 acres surrounding the Town of Penney Farms with the start of its project this year. The acreage is so expansive that the community and master plan create a new town in an area formerly used for timber and dairy farming. The land has been owned by the Reinhold family for a quarter century, and with the newfound interest in housing with open air, mountains, and forests, and the need for inventory, the timing is ideal.

Having managed over 1,700 projects throughout the US, and the Caribbean over the last 37 years, Cotton & Company understands that getting to the market quickly to take advantage of the current real estate surge and desire for housing is of the utmost importance. Specializing exclusively in luxury real estate marketing, our team of 30+ real estate marketing specialists is prepared to bring developers to the market without a learning curve. Visit [cottonco.com](/ "Go to main page and learn more about our Company") to learn more.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** cottonsolution, Florida Land Rush, Great Real Estate Migration, real estate marketing

---

### [5 Takeaways from the 2021 ULI Florida Real Estate Summit](https://cottonco.com/5-takeaways-from-the-2021-uli-florida-real-estate-summit/)

**Published:** October 11, 2021
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Every year [ULI](https://uli.org/ "Click here for more information on Urban Land Institute") hosts an [Annual Real Estate Summit](https://florida.uli.org/about/ "Click here for more information on the Florida ULI Real Estate Summit") in Miami, Florida, and other major cities to examine the future of real estate, trends, and opportunities. This year the 2021 ULI Florida Real Estate Summit in Miami was altered last minute to a virtual format due to concerns of the spreading Delta variant uprise. The Urban Land Institute (ULI) is a global, nonprofit research and education organization. It’s the oldest, largest network of cross-disciplinary real estate and land-use experts in the world who share in the vision of the ULI mission to “shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide”.

Here are the most important takeaways shared by Cotton & Company’s Executive Vice President, Karen Cantor.

## Unprecedented Migration to the Sunshine State

The residential growth of Florida, known as the Sunshine State, has been trending upward over the past 10 years. According to the [U.S. Census](https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/FL,US/POP010220 "Click here for more information on the Florida Census"), Florida’s population grew by 2.7 million or 14.6% from 2010 to 2020. Estimates state from 845 to nearly one thousand people daily are moving to Florida.

COVID -19 has had a never-before-seen effect on typical residential migration cycles. Historically, Florida was a mecca of reprieve from winter’s harshness with an influx of vacationers and seasonal residents from the Northeast, Midwest, and Canada. More recently, Latin America has become a feeder of both year-round visitation and homebuyers in Florida.

What has changed the landscape dramatically, is the number of people buying primary residences in Florida. Individuals fled from the density of large cities due to the Pandemic. Originally, the intention was to visit for a short period to get away while awaiting things to “get back on track”. But visitors found South Florida to offer a great working environment, appealing warm climate, and family-friendly lifestyle in the long term instead of temporarily. In 2020, Florida became the most moved-to state in the country.

Considering their discovery, many companies decided to set up regional headquarters or relocated their offices entirely from [Palm Beach](https://www.wpbf.com/article/palm-beach-county-becomes-wall-street-south/36293852) southward. The Tampa Bay area, Jacksonville, and Orlando are also seeing the same growth pattern. This is creating a huge demand for office space being filled at high rates of speed. In turn, single-family homes and new condominiums have been sold out. Even multimillion dollars condos in Miami Beach, Brickell, Biscayne Bay, and Palm Beach are selling out quickly. And rental communities are finding themselves 95% occupied at the highest rates of all time with no concession fees. Even the highest-priced Florida real estate properties are still considered more affordable than many other states.

## Affordability Has Become a Major Issue

As the demand is consumed, we have had a growing inequality over the past decade between the wealthy and the poor. Affordable housing has become more important than ever for the needs of the working class, middle, middle lower-class, and the poor. Production of this type of housing has suffered immensely. Shortages of building supplies have caused builder materials costs to skyrocket. Developers can no longer afford to build “affordable housing”due to rising costs. The federal government will need to step in to provide programs and resources to counter this problem, including Low Income Housing Tax Credits or Section 8 vouchers.

## Commercial Real Estate Has Been Re-Energized

The global business landscape continues to be disrupted and re-shaped. The Real estate industry needs to shift, innovate, and transform in response. Florida has taken center stage as a magnet market attracting significant business relocations and is seeing unmatched investor interest in the state’s unique cities and suburbs.

Alan Kennedy, Managing Director for Southeast Region at [Hines](https://www.hines.com/ "Click here for more information on Hines") said, “With the onset of the pandemic, the office model became a challenged asset class and people were starting to doubt the office product. A lot has gone into what offices will look like in the future. Offices are coming back. Right now, we are starting to see tenants come back to work or plan to late fourth quarter or early 2022.” He continued to explain, many said retail was a challenged asset class, especially with the changing retail production before the pandemic. But unexpectedly it has re-energized the country’s investment strategy. Retail owners, developers, operators, and people have gravitated to an open-air retail atmosphere where you can bring the community safely. People are flocking to places to be part of a community or maybe even to hold a meeting, grocery shop, or meet with their friends, neighbors.

## Multi-Family Market in Florida is Surging

With the relocation of companies demand for apartments is surprisingly strong and rental rates have risen to make no difference between urban or suburban. Jay Jacobson, President + COO at [EDEN](https://www.edenmultifamily.com/ "Click here for more information on EDEN Multifamily") Multifamily, shared “Multifamily has never seen anything like it. The entire industry but especially in Florida he sees 97% occupancy rates and does not see this letting up anytime soon.” He went on to explain, “This is giving developers even more confidence to build vertically and move new projects forward. Looking into the future experts do not see that letting up any time soon. They feel when there are fewer travel restrictions there will be even more opportunities. The biggest downfall right now is simply finding the right land. Builders are needing to be innovative which may include reconfiguring golf courses, retail centers, or malls. ”

## Real Estate Summit Shares What’s Next for Florida

The state is going to have to invest in infrastructure to accommodate its new residents. Developers and state officials need to focus more on what makes sense for the area as real estate continues to be in demand. Creatively using land parcels now are of the utmost importance. Densifying the area with vertical developments can yield four times the amount of occupancy. Cities need to invest, and developers will have to assist in the overall infrastructure. Repurposing old office buildings and malls to generate land to supply the consumer demand is a need. Transportation will also need to continue to evolve so that areas can be connected by train and the roads are not too congested.

Cotton & Company’s knowledge of [emerging trends](/news/ "Click here to read more about emerging trends") combined with three decades of real estate marketing experience has allowed them to jump right in and develop customized real estate development marketing programs to help clients achieve phenomenal sales success this past year. To learn more visit [cottonco.com](/ "Click here for more information on Cotton & Company").

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Commercial Real Estate, Cotton and Company, emerging trends, real estate, real estate marketing

---

### [The Importance of Database Management and Follow Up](https://cottonco.com/the-importance-of-database-management-and-follow-up/)

**Published:** February 23, 2022
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

In today’s economic environment all products and companies have a strong digital presence, especially those selling residential real estate. Reports from the [National Association of REALTORS®](https://www.nar.realtor/ "learn more about The National Association of REALTORS") show that nearly 90 percent of home buyers search for homes online, while 54 percent of buyers state that the use of the Internet was their first step taken during the entire home buying process. Yet most sales agents are looking for the next warm body to walk through the door of the sales gallery, discounting the priceless value and importance of internet leads and database management.

Let’s face it, if your marketing program is on point, your sales team won’t be able to effectively manage all the online and on-site leads coming through. The real estate marketing specialists at Cotton & Company place a heavy emphasis on the importance of database management and follow up. We provide a strategic plan that creates a wide variety of personalized communications to engage the prospect in the discovery process while allowing the automated system to do the heavy lifting. By gauging the consumer’s interaction, we can assist the sales team in narrowing in on the qualified traffic, while nurturing the pipeline for future sales absorption.

Providing a structured plan to your team and a frequently replenished list of qualified leads will result in more sales conversions and a better return on the marketing investment. The customer relationship management (CRM) platform should also be utilized to track every aspect of communication with the buyer, creating a transparent, long-term file for future reference. Sales agents come and go, and it’s imperative for the developer to own the leads generated by their investment into the campaign. Full marketing integration with the system allows the team the ability to analyze buyer demographics to fine tune the program – not just driving leads but making sure they convert to sales.

Cotton & Company not only recommends [Builders CMS](https://www.buildercms.com/about.html "learn more about Builders CMS") (Community Management Systems) to their clients but uses it daily. This leading CRM platform is specifically designed for new real estate developments, managing broker programs and residential resales. The platform is directly integrated with the sales and marketing website and data is collected directly into the system.

Cotton & Company produces an automated email communication series within Builders CMS, and this allows constant and steady flowing correspondence with leads. It has been shown that individuals can sometimes take as long as up to 3 years from the initial registration to acting on their purchase says, [Laurie Andrews](/the-agency/laurie-andrews/ "learn more about Laurie Andrews"), President of Cotton & Company. “It is vital to keep in frequent contact with individuals who have shown interest in a community and provide them with a steady flow of information to keep them knowledgeable and informed.”

At Cotton & Company we understand that every piece of data counts. We analyze website analytics, database trends, and detailed sales communications to better understand the mindset of real estate buyers. Guided by this information and data, our team of 30+ real estate marketing and advertising professionals drive sales success for our [portfolio](/the-work/ "view Cotton and Company's Portfolio") of clients throughout the world. Visit [cottonco.com](/ "go to the Cotton home page") to learn more about how the team at Cotton can offer your team a customized marketing program.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Builders CMS, Cotton & Company, real estate marketing

---

### [Cotton & Company Garners Latest Trends from Global Digital Marketing Conferences](https://cottonco.com/cotton-company-garners-latest-trends-from-global-digital-marketing-conferences/)

**Published:** January 4, 2022
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Cotton & Company representative directors attended two of the top global digital marketing technology conferences of 2021: The Ad Exchanger Programmatic I/O in New York, NY and the Web Summit 2021 in Lisbon, Portugal.

![programmatic conference and Digital Marketing trends](/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/programmaticglobalmarketingconference1200by630-min.jpg)

## **AdExchanger PROGRAMMATIC I/O Event**

[The AdExchanger PROGRAMMATIC I/O](https://www.adexchanger.com/go/programmatic-i-o-2021/) conference in New York City brings the entire digital marketing industry together to gather and share their knowledge regarding important topics pertaining to digital marketing. Important topics included performance optimization, marketing strategies, privacy, and reporting. Over the span of two days, expert speakers shared information regarding programmatic media and the digital marketing field.

The overall theme of the conference this year was the shift to a privacy-first world. Voice-activated virtual assistants are becoming the new norm and are expected to drive over 30% of all web searches by 2022. Traditional out-of-home ads will evolve due to the addition of digital components. These ads combined with mobile location data will enhance offline conversations. Connected television will continue to soar but will become more competitive, ultimately driving costs up.

[Angelene McCullough](/the-agency/angelene-mccullough/), Director of Digital Strategy, says, “Now, more than ever, where digital advertisers get their data matters. While third-party data has been the go-to method to break through to new audiences, the evolution of data privacy regulations, elimination of third-party cookies and the rigors of crafting personalized customer experiences in a privacy-first world are the driving force for change. Consumers own far more electronic devices than in any other preceding decade: a smart phone, smart watch, a tablet, smart home devices and many others and they’re becoming wiser and more demanding, therefore traditional marketing approaches will no longer be effective.”

Programmatic advertising trends of 2022 are projected to cause change within the ad tech industry. Cotton & Company continues to further client media plans by incorporating elements such as artificial intelligence, behavioral targeting, and improved personalization in our foundation. Powered by machine learning, the programmatic advertising trends of 2022 will allow Cotton & Company to make intelligent decisions throughout each creative process, from planning to optimization and analysis of their digital marketing.

![the web summit Digital Marketing](/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/websummit1200by630-min.jpg)

## **The Web Summit 2021**

[Sonya Pereira,](/the-agency/sonya-pereira/) Director of Web Development, travelled to Lisbon, Portugal to attend this year’s Web Summit, considered to be “the World Cup of Tech.” This in-person conference was attended by over 40,000 individuals from 128 countries, making this the biggest technology conference in the world. World leaders, entrepreneurs, tech developers and celebrities gathered to educate technology and web professionals on a variety of topics. New technology discussions surrounding non fungible tokens (NFTs) and the crypto infrastructure were highlights as they in time could potentially transform finance as it is today.

Pereira states, “The conference was not just about the internet. The world has changed after the pandemic and companies are focused now more than ever on very important issues like diversity, sustainability, and inclusion. The speakers touched on topics of great importance to the entire world. It was an amazing opportunity for me to see what’s new in innovative technology at the same time as gaining insight on the thought provoking issues that the world’s leading companies are addressing and network with like-minded professionals. No matter what country you are from these subjects resonate and allow us to develop.”

Technology has fundamentally changed the world around us and is constantly evolving. Marketing real estate in today’s environment requires a dedicated focus on intelligence gained from web-based communication. “It is my top priority for my executive team to stay in tune and up to date with the world’s ever-changing and innovative technology, says [Laurie Andrews](/the-agency/laurie-andrews/), Cotton & Company President. “By encouraging my team to attend global conferences allows them to gain knowledge from some of the greatest digital marketing experts globally.” Cotton & Company continues to combine a four-decade legacy of creativity and real estate expertise with today’s most innovative digital strategies.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Cotton & Company, Digital Marketing, global technology conferences, real estate marketing, web summit

---

### [Consumers are Cutting the Cable-Opening New Doors to Streaming Video Content](https://cottonco.com/consumers-are-cutting-the-cable-opening-new-doors-to-streaming-video-content/)

**Published:** June 3, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

The world is moving fast, and technology continues to evolve at a record pace. 4K televisions are the standard, and consumers are cutting the cable and using new streaming devices like Hulu, Netflix, and YouTube to watch their favorite TV shows and movies. With those new services built into smart TVs at the factory, people buy a new TV and plug it in – there’s no more waiting for cable or satellite TV services to be installed. You can immediately watch streaming video at your convenience, at a much lower cost, and only pay for what you really enjoy.

It’s no wonder that in the last year alone, over 6 million Americans cut the cord to cable. The younger generations are among the first to recognize the low-cost, high-quality options now available. Many wealthy families and those who consider themselves innovators are also making the shift. We’ve reached the tipping point. Today, 50% of the television audience or 33 million people are now streaming content, rather than watching traditional broadcast or cable networks.

## Connected TV in Real Estate

Premium video content is being produced and consumed at a record pace, and 5G internet is creating an entirely new world for website developers, the entertainment industry and advertisers alike. This exciting transition is great news for marketers as well. The accessibility to data, the use of artificial intelligence and reliability of identity solution matching now enables us to demographically target TV audiences on an individual basis when marketing real estate developments.

Since video content is delivered via digital stream, it comes with granular targeting capabilities. Personal attributes such as age, income, lifestyle interests, political affiliations, geographic travel patterns, brand affinities, and shopping history to name just a few. Your message will be in front of your potential real estate buyers at the right time, with a personalized format to fit the device they are using, therefore, delivering more relevancy and reducing waste. The best part is each video view is delivered at a fraction of the cost when compared to traditional Television advertising thus creating a much higher Return on Investment.

Connected TV and Over the Top Media (OTT) viewing combines the power of [digital advertising](https://cottonco.com/5-reasons-why-hiring-a-digital-advertising-agency-with-real-estate-experience-will-benefit-you/ "5 Reasons to Hire an Agency") with the television content, creating one of the most compelling environments for viewers to engage with the content they are watching, along with the advertiser’s message.

To learn about how to incorporate Connected TV & OTT into your marketing & advertising strategy, contact **Cotton & Company** today at (772) 287-6612 or request our [real estate digital services brochure](https://cottonco.com/online-brochure/ "Download our digital services brochure") now.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** advertising in streaming tv, advertising in YouTube, hulu advertising, online video advertising

---

### [Why Consistent Marketing Matters In Every Real Estate Market Cycle](https://cottonco.com/why-consistent-marketing-matters-regardless-of-real-estate-market-conditions/)

**Published:** August 30, 2021
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

## It’s the Hottest Real Estate Market Ever

While some real estate developers have the dilemma of not being able to build quickly enough to keep up with buyer demand, others may struggle with the lack of land parcels for their next projects. Developers, private communities, resort communities, and country club community leadership are seeing homes selling at record-breaking highs. In a year where you don’t need to spend as much of your real estate marketing dollars on lead generation, it is ideal timing to take your brand to the next level. By laying the foundation now to attract the right target audience, home builders and development sales leadership will be set up to succeed at a time where rising prices may impact momentum in the near future.

## Consistent Marketing Matters

[Private Communities Registry](https://www.privatecommunities.com/ "Click here for more information on Private Communities") research revealed that 84% of homebuyers said “within 2 years” when asked how soon they planned to buy. Adults between 55 and 64 years old are just at the beginning stages of their searches for a maintenance-free, active community that aligns with their plans for retirement living. What this means is they are looking, browsing, and taking their time right now before they pull the trigger in the future.

Laurie Andrews, Cotton & Company president says, “Regardless, of how well the real estate market is trending, developers can never have too many leads. With three decades of real estate marketing experience behind us, we have learned that markets rise and fall, and homebuyers can take as long as three years to move and/or purchase a home.” All leads are extremely valuable to builders and developers especially with market conditions changing so quickly. Leads generated that doesn’t evolve into present-day buyers may be ready to move forward with buying when we transition into the next cycle.

## Keep Your Marketing Fresh and Innovative

Marketing trends, information, and details are constantly evolving. With more homebuyers researching their options from remote locations, the timing is right to focus on your marketing presentation to redirect energy where it will have the most impact. Without overspending, marketing leaders can repurpose some of the marketing dollars initially designated for lead generation to put towards image-building channels such as video presentations, 3D tours, SEO, [ADA compliance](https://www.nar.realtor/realtor-ae-magazine/does-the-ada-apply-to-your-website "Learn more about website compliance here"), and establishing a stronger social media and digital marketing presence. Creating a new lifestyle brochure, a lifestyle video or photoshoot, 3D tours, updating sales tools such as property site maps or even improving the website to make it ADA compliant, SEO rich, or more user friendly – are all ways to bring your brand to a higher level of sophistication with consumers and improve the user experience.

[Laurie Andrews](/the-agency/laurie-andrews/ "Click here for more information on Laurie Andrews"), Cotton & suggests, “Take a fresh look at your brand and how you’re presenting your community through your web presence. Psychological changes happen in your market. Review your audiences based on current market conditions and then pivot your strategies towards communicating more effectively and visually to those specific target audience members.”

## The Real Estate Marketing Solution

Cotton & Company CEO, Stephann Cotton remarks that “Nobody has a crystal ball of what’s to come or how long this hot streak is going to last. Knowing this, it is important for builders, developers, and private communities to keep their marketing efforts steady and capitalize on the strength of the market with new opportunities well into the future.” Rising prices will create some pressure on sales momentum, so developers need to continue to market keeping their end goals in sight. Maximizing the best possible return on investment for home builders requires sophisticated multi-channel marketing plans to create higher perceived home values.

Cotton & Company has assisted developers, builders, private communities, marinas, and resort communities with marketing strategies for the past three decades. Whether it’s an upturn or a downturn in the market and based on each community’s independent needs, Cotton & Company’s team of real estate advertising specialists are here to help strategically market in the most cost-effective way. Visit [cottonco.com](/ "Click here for more information on Cotton & Company") to learn more about how they can offer your team next-level marketing assistance.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Cotton & Company, marketing, real estate, real estate market

---

### [Laurie Andrews, Perfectly Prepped to Transition to Cotton & Company President](https://cottonco.com/laurie-andrews-perfectly-prepped-to-transition-to-cotton-company-president/)

**Published:** July 8, 2021
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

## **Setting a High Bar for Mentorship Success**

Good mentors develop knowledge and skills while great ones build the confidence that allows a mentee to rise all the way to the top. That gives Cotton & Company real estate marketing agency founder [Stephann Cotton](/the-agency/stephann-cotton/ "Click here for more information on Stephann Cotton") near G.O.A.T. status in the mentoring world, as his own protégée, [Laurie Andrews](/the-agency/laurie-andrews/ "Click her for more information on Laurie Andrews"), takes over as Cotton & Company President and he transitions to CEO.

## **The Road to Self-Driven Success**

Laurie Andrews was active in the Future Business Leaders of America and participated in the Cooperative Business Education (CBE) program at Martin County High School, a program that included morning academics and afternoon on-the-job training. It was there that she got her start in advertising, working alongside the company’s rising VP, Stephann Cotton. After getting her Series 7 broker’s license, marrying, and starting a family, she decided that the desk-bound finance world was simply too dull. Luckily, she knew just where to look for a challenge. Stephann Cotton was now five years into running his own luxury real estate marketing agency, which was all about results. The two had the same energy and ethics, and it was all systems go.

“My first day, I was on a photoshoot at Island Dunes on [Hutchinson Island](https://floridashutchinsonisland.com/about-hutchinson-island.html "Learn more information on Hutchinson Island"),” recalls Laurie. “My life went from boring to exciting overnight…no two days have ever been the same since.”

## **How Respect – and a Long Rope – Make Mentorships Work**

A self-starter and a “doer,” Laurie is also a results-driven speed learner whose M.O. is to dive right in and makes things happen. In the pre-digital days, when the company needed color renderings of a property and price quotes were crazy high, she had the drawings printed out in black and white, took them home, and used watercolors to fill them in. “Scan these and we’ve got color,” she told her team.

Other times, she used family members as models, staged condominiums so they would sell faster, and hired a Facebook pro to get clients up to speed when most marketers had yet to realize its importance to businesses. “Stephann never stopped me from making decisions like that,” she says of their relationship of mutual respect. “We always maintained open communication, dealt with conflicts head-on, and avoided taking things personally.”

When it came to teamwork, Stephann was the big-idea person and Laurie was the one who worked out the details. “That allowed him to be conceptual without being restrained,” she notes. When 20-some years ago Stephann decided that an in-house magazine with a third-party voice would have far more impact than a sales brochure (a novel idea back then), Laurie started converting collateral with the notion that buyers always chose *where* they would live before they decided exactly *what* to live in.

The story-telling glossy publication extolled the perks of a location, explained regional tax benefits, and moved the company from push to pull messaging overnight. Today, the concept has easily rolled into digital “content marketing,” which informs, educates, and solves problems. In fact, the duo’s fundamental focus on “thinking like the buyers” and delivering what a developer needs to attract them has seen the company through various business cycles, complex technological advances, and even a market crash.

## **Why Mastering Buyer Psychology Should Start with the Local Sales Team**

What do buyers want most when they may not be quite ready to buy? It depends on the circumstances, but nothing illustrates the importance of the “What’s In It for Me Factor” (WIFM) factor more than when Stephann and Laurie were brought in to sell off Lehman Brothers’ assets. The duo was on a plane headed to New York when the company collapsed, and they didn’t even know who would be meeting with them. In the end, their handling of projects in San Diego, Los Angeles, and Florida got buyers to jump in, and in an unforeseen twist, their success kept Cotton & Company solid during the downturn.

Explains Laurie, “No matter what, everyone wants to buy at the right time; only one guy buys at the bottom. We were tasked with setting the market value for the properties, so we set a price that was a good value and said, ‘no negotiating, period.’ That sent the message that the price had reached the bottom and buyers jumped in. Five years later, when the value of the property doubled, they were glad they did.”

Thinking like a buyer also paid off in Poland, when the largest developer in the country hired Cotton & Company to help them market homes the American way. The mentor and mentee took turns flying back and forth, working with translators 100% of the time. One challenge in the former communist nation was winning trust, another was that one of the developments was in the countryside, and in Poland, proximity to public transportation to the city was paramount.

“What looked like a dream community to an American appeared difficult to access to Poles,” says Laurie. “Even the sales team was reluctant to go show the property because fuel costs were so high at the time. We recommended the developer allow a fuel stipend for staff and we created a destination grand opening that we promoted for ‘Life Elevated.’ Our event included musicians, food, and cultural events; and thousands came out to see the community homes.” After six months of tag-teaming the project, Laurie and Stephann tripled the developer’s sales volumes with all its properties.

Always keeping the clients’ needs in mind extends to every aspect of what Cotton & Company does, stresses Laurie, who has been involved in the over 1,700 company projects in which she and Stephann tackled a range of obstacles. That’s why years ago, she championed the idea that the company stops vying for advertising and marketing “vanity awards.” It took a lot of time to prepare entries and there were zero benefits to the client. “When we stopped entering contests, no one noticed,” comments Laurie. “We eventually broke up the dozens of award statues we had and repurposed them into holiday crafts that were given away at a company party.”

## **Reinventing Mentorships: It Takes a Team**

A quote on Laurie’s desktop reads: “Team captains never wait to be named captain before they start leading.” Her style has always been to be prepared, lead by example, pull everyone in, and ignore titles. While becoming a principal ten years ago was a welcome recognition of her lifelong investment in the company, “a title like CMO—or even president—is more about garnering the respect of outsiders and signaling that you can get things accomplished than it is about in-house practicality,” she says.

However, what she did find practical throughout her career was setting the necessary boundaries to raise a family while doing her job. Despite working early morning and late evening hours, she never missed a school event, conference, or game because everyone knew that once a family event was on her calendar, it was set in concrete. “The job would get done when I got back to it, and I was never embarrassed about making that clear,” she notes.

Juggling both family and career *can* be done with efficiency and organizational skills, as her success on both fronts is a testament. One of her children is a Tech Sergeant in the Air Force, another is on the way to veterinary school and the third is an accomplished videographer who works with Cotton & Company on various projects.

But for all that to recur in today’s fast-paced business world, you need both a personal and a group approach to mentorship, so that more than one person can step in and step up. “Our team members blur lines all the time; you learn by jumping in and taking on new challenges,” says Laurie.

To keep her staff of 30-plus specialists up-to-the-minute and motivated, she works with senior management closely to be sure they mentor their individual teams and use peer review groups for feedback. “You can learn about analytics and how to bring buyers through funnels in a class; technology is just a tool,” comments Laurie. “The hardest thing to learn is how to think like the client, and you can only do that over time. There’s no replacement for learning through daily on-the-job experiences, where the only limitation is a persons’ interest. That’s why I never say someone is too inexperienced or over-their-head to be part of something.”

Laurie is the “big idea” person now, and while it’s yet another personal challenge for her, it doesn’t mean that anything will change in how the company operates and delivers. After all, she already has a team that was trained to focus on results, and Stephann will still be there to guide her, while he concentrates on business development, strategic planning, and key client consulting. As the dynamic duo at the heart of Team Cotton, the pair will continue their extended approach to mentoring, which ensures that the clients’ needs always come first.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** real estate marketing

---

### [Low Housing Inventory Drives New Real Estate Industry Trends](https://cottonco.com/low-housing-inventory-drives-new-real-estate-industry-trends/)

**Published:** July 13, 2021
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

## **Home Renovation in High Demand**

Josefine and Alan Cohen live in New York and love the city! Proud to be a part of the most dynamic business region in the world, Long Island and Manhattan are their playgrounds. Their lives are filled with getting together with friends, enjoying the arts, and playing a round of golf in between business meetings and raising a family. The Cohens and friends frequent South Florida during the winter, but this year, they are looking at Boca Raton in a whole new light.

The Cohens aren’t alone. Across the country, especially in the northeast, homebuyers are considering a move south. You could call it the perfect storm of a pandemic hangover – isolation, higher taxes, higher crime, and a growing desire for a higher quality of life. But then that decision is made to purchase a Florida home to enjoy the good life, only to discover there’s low housing inventory and not much real estate available to purchase. Now what?

## **Prioritize Location and Lifestyle**

The basics of real estate remain the same, it’s all about location.

1. Homebuyers should find the right community that offers the amenities and services to meet their lifestyle above all else.
2. Keep an open mind. The perfect homes are selling before they hit the market. The real opportunity comes to those with a vision for what could be created with a remodeling project or mansion makeover.
3. Jump in. If the perfect home isn’t available, homebuyers should take advantage of what is. There’s no better way to learn about pocket listings than to be on the ground in the desired location.

## **Newly Renovated Homes**

The market is constantly evolving. With a lack of land and high demand for new homes, homebuilders have entered the home renovation game. They are purchasing existing residences and renovating them from top to bottom, including replacing windows and doors with impact glass. [Boca West Realty](https://bocawest.com/boca-west-realty/ "Click here for more information on Boca West Realty") is getting out ahead of the curve with innovative thinking. Last year, the company aligned with [Hasey Construction](https://bocawest.com/renovators/gemini-homes/ "Click here for more information on Hasey Construction"), [Gemini Homes](https://bocawest.com/renovators/hasey-construction/ "Click here for more information on Gemini Homes"), and [SFL Custom Design Build](https://bocawest.com/renovators/sfl-custom-design-build-llc/ "Click here for more information on SFL Custom Design Build") to create “new” homes due to a lack of inventory and an abundance of outdated product.

“We’re seeing tremendous interest from New York and New Jersey,” says [Laurie Andrews](/the-agency/laurie-andrews/ "for more information on Laurie Andrews"), President of [Cotton & Company](/ "to go back to the home page"), the marketing firm leading the charge for Boca West. “Last year we had hundreds of requests for rental properties, and there was nothing available. Today, our renovators are just completing the initial construction on our first 17 residences, and the homes are selling almost immediately upon completion.”

## **Mansion Makeovers**

In northern Palm Beach and Martin counties, long-term luxury homebuilder [Ecclestone Signature Homes](https://ecclestonehomes.com/ "for more information on Ecclestone Signature Homes") is also entering the renovation game. The wealthy clientele is no longer enamored with Mediterranean design and yet South Florida club communities are filled with it. The firm has found a niche with its new division Ecclestone Home Renovation. Working with private homeowners, Ecclestone is providing architectural and construction services for major home renovations to de-Tuscanize exterior, reimagine living spaces, incorporate new design trends or create spectacular backyards for indoor/outdoor living. Homebuyers are choosing to upgrade their lifestyle in their current location, rather than seeking a new address, and realtors are telling clients they need to buy now and renovate to match their style.

With a growing portfolio of over 1,700 projects throughout the US, and the Caribbean, Cotton & Company is currently working with many club communities and home builders to help navigate this new world. Our team of 30+ real estate marketing specialists understands that creating a brand position and marketing program to capture the energy of this home buying trend is central to achieving success. Understanding the buyer’s perspective is key to capitalizing on this growing demand. Visit [cottonco.com](/cotton-capabilities/ "to learn more about what Cotton & Company's capabilities are") to learn more.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Low Housing Invetory, real estate, Real Estate Industry Trends, real estate trends

---

### [Organic Website Traffic: Why Does it Matter So Much?](https://cottonco.com/organic-website-traffic/)

**Published:** June 4, 2021
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

## **What is Organic Website Traffic?**

When it comes to everyday nutrition, we all understand the reasons why organic food is in such high demand, but many of us struggle with why organic website traffic is so important or what it actually is. The term “organic traffic” refers to website visitors as the result of unpaid (“organic”) search engine results. Visitors are considered organic if they found your website using a search engine like Google, AOL, Bing, or Yahoo. In other words, they are not “referred” by any other website. Although organic traffic doesn’t cost anything, it requires an investment of time and strategy to be successful.

Organic search is the largest driver of organic website web traffic and a crucial component of revenue. Organic search usage and share is outpacing growth in other channels. What’s most important about organic traffic is that it has no direct media cost yet can provide a substantial ROI- higher than any other channel. Search engines reward content that is relevant to readers and written for them specifically rather than bots. The focus is on optimizing for your target audience.

## **Web Development Structure**

Marketing works best when all channels are aligned. Your other marketing channels generate demand for people to query the search engine for services such as the one you provide. If your website is not there to collect the demand you spent money creating, your competitors will collect it. Using organic content allows you to align messaging and integrate across channels improving traffic across the board, not just organically.

For real estate marketing websites, organic traffic is typically the most qualified traffic that visits your online sales office. “Organic users visiting the website have intention. They have made a decision to buy a home or start looking for a home, so they are more likely to convert and will take a specific action of some kind,” says [Angelene McCullough](/the-agency/angelene-mccullough/ "More information about Angelene"), Cotton & Company Digital Marketing Strategist. “They will also be the type of visitor that will spend more time on the website and are a member of the targeted audience segment.” Organic visitors to the site have a genuine interest in learning more about the real estate community. They generally stay on the website longer, visit more pages and have a higher likelihood of providing their contact information and becoming a marketing lead.

Your community website has two separate and distinct audiences – the home buying consumer and the internet search engine spiders. It is important to focus on both of those audiences in order to create success. Starting off with a highly functional website schematic, “the nuts and bolts” of the website’s infrastructure will get the site moving in the right direction. The overall goal is to make sure the website is easy to navigate and provides a consumer-friendly experience. At the same time, you want to share with visitors a compelling website copy that demonstrates the benefits of the [project](/the-work/ "explore the real estate projects of Cotton and Company") and how your particular offering will make the visitors’ lives better.

Additionally, your website should speak to all audience members in your targeted demographic including those with disabilities. Therefore, building an ADA Compliant website is essential in this day and age. This means your website will have overall better usability, increased visitors, and reach even more members of your target. Creating a more operable and navigable website will ultimately benefit all users ensuring the most success.

## **Dynamic Web Content**

Content quality and search engine optimization go hand in hand. For Google, people querying topics require up-to-date information, so it is extremely important to keep the content on your website fresh. In fact, Google rankings take into account how much content is uploaded and how often. Blogging within your website allows for a frequent flow of timely content to be added to the website easily and is extremely effective in increasing organic site traffic. It allows more in-depth sharing of information on a variety of topics. Examples of blog content that might be relevant to someone looking to live in a real estate community include stories about local attractions, amenities within the community, residence types, area information, and community information. When crafting a blog, keywords that are specific to the residential community being promoted are essential.

## **Social Media and Search Work Together**

Search and social media work in tandem. Some queries may be more sensitive to fresh results and social signals, which can impact and determine positioning in the search results. Social media also helps shape your brand’s online presence and drive traffic back to your site.

Google treats social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter pages like any other web page therefore can help your website rank better. Actively engaging your target audience to visit social media channels that are linked to the website will greatly benefit the website results. Since higher-ranked websites have a better possibility of being found, building organic traffic will come naturally. Frequent social media posts to spread important updates, news, and progress reports about the real estate project will also work conjunctively with blog posts to drive the targeted audience organically to the website.

## **Competitive Real Estate Industry**

In today’s highly competitive real estate industry, learning the secret formula for how to be found by active homebuyers is a top priority. Real estate developers and builders are turning to [Cotton & Company](/ "to go to the CottonSolution home page") to assist them with today’s latest, and most cost-efficient digital marketing technologies.

With decades of experience, [the Cotton team of digital specialists](/cotton-capabilities/ "get more details on the capabilities of Cotton and Company") has developed a tried-and-true strategy to create authority and drive organic website traffic over time. A winning combination of SEO and SEM programming, social media marketing, email marketing, and blogging work together symbiotically to capture leads and drive organic traffic to one commonplace, the community URL.

To capitalize on the surge of real estate demand in today’s market our experienced team of 30+ real estate marketing specialists are here to bring you to the market quickly without a learning curve. For more information on Cotton & Company, [join our email list](/compendium-landing/ "Subscribe to get on your email our weekly news") or contact [Karen Cantor](mailto:karen.cantor@cottonco.com "Contact Karen Cantor by email"), Executive Vice President to schedule a review of your real estate sales and marketing needs.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** blogging, Digital Marketing, digital marketing strategy, organic website traffic, real estate marketing

---

### [Health and Wellness Take Center Stage](https://cottonco.com/health-and-wellness-take-center-stage/)

**Published:** March 25, 2021
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

## COVID is Transforming Homebuyers’ Mindset

Due to the length of the crisis, short-term lifestyle changes have become daily habits with a renewed focus on health and wellness. The country’s real estate sector is responding to these drastic lifestyle changes initiated by the pandemic with long-lasting impact and the trend is likely to stick around well past the COVID-19 era.

Emotional health and physical wellness have become top priorities to families of all ages and lifestyles. To offer buyers what matters most, builders and industry leaders have risen to the occasion. Land planners and architects are more focused than ever on developing projects that are changing the way people live. Place makers are focusing on safe living, health and wellness, immunity, and the desire for open space. Each has contributed to the demand for new living environments that offer uncluttered settings, open spaces, fresh air and organic living.

Millennials, the newest generation of homebuyers, are seeking houses in communities that add value to their everyday lifestyles. If they are able to gain services and/or conveniences that benefit their daily lives, they are more than willing to make the added investment. With this in mind, builders and developers are focused on healthier infrastructure at the same time as implementing healthier lifestyles.

### Healthy and Antimicrobial Living

With the importance of personal well-being top of mind, buyers are increasingly looking for solutions within a new home’s features. And in response, developers are incorporating touchless appliances and faucets, self-cleaning toilets and antimicrobial home fixtures, just to name a few. Medical-grade air filtration systems, antimicrobial surfaces and touchless smart technology like voice-activated elevators, room key access, and UV light sanitation for high-traffic areas are also becoming a high priority. Outdoor spaces are also of great importance to buyers now more than ever.

### Healthy Food Centric Experiences

![A man holds a crate full of healthy produce](/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/031601-01-Cotton-Company-Blog-3-700x328.jpg)

Developers are quickly learning that incorporating opportunities to grow, purchase, and consume food within the context of master-planned real estate development projects can be a big win for residents, as well as investors. Creative collaborations between builders and chefs, farmers, universities, private foundations, nonprofit organizations, and public health officials are being established to support the creation of food-centric development projects that may lead to improved health outcomes, reduced pollution, and enhanced financial advantages for developers. According to [Urban Land Institute (ULI)](https://knowledge.uli.org/-/media/files/emerging-trends/2021/emerging-trends-in-real-estate-united-states-and-canada-2021---final.pdf "See ULI Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2021 Report"), this trend, which produces health and sustainability benefits for local communities and supports project success for investors and developers, is increasing across the country.

Developments are accommodating and financially supporting on-site farming, community gardens and greenhouses. These neighborhoods, commonly being referred to as “[agrihoods](https://www.inman.com/2020/06/12/welcome-to-the-agrihood-how-covid-19-is-popularizing-agricultural-neighborhoods/ "Click here to learn more about agrihoods from Inman.com"),” are surging in popularity and not just in rural areas. High rise developments are finding ways to incorporate the concept using smaller spaces like rooftop gardens or even curbside gardens. These agrihoods are providing a sense of belonging, social engagement, education, protecting the environment against pesticides and fossil fuels, and conserving green space. For the developers, the long-term amenity provides a marketable product that millennials are literally “eating up”.

Beyond providing access to fresh organic produce to residents, these farm-centric amenities provide unique social programming including specialized farm-to-table dinners, healthy cooking classes, educational workshops with farmers and social gatherings in the outdoors. Agrihood developers are beginning to consider how they can enhance the health of homeowners by including health centers, nutrition concierges, shared office space surrounded by farmland, and farm-based art studios.

### Comprehensive Heath and Wellness Services

![A nutritionist holds an apple](/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/031601-01-Cotton-Company-Blog-1-700x328.jpg)

Laurie Andrews, principal at Cotton & Company a leading marketing firm in the real estate sector explains “Wellness is no longer considered having access to a fitness center or spa. There must be a core design principal that takes into account a variety of health options. Amenities and soft programming should combine to enhance lifestyle experiences, physical longevity, emotional well-being, and social prosperity.”

Forward-thinking communities are offering facilities plus comprehensive programming and employing certified professionals who can maintain an atmosphere where residents can thrive. A staff of specialty professionals can provide services such as physical therapy, fitness modalities from medical fitness to performance training, nutritional counseling, therapeutic spa and skincare services, and health/life coaching professionals dedicated to executing a concierge approach.

### Healthcare Amenities

While wellness amenities have been on the rise, actual health care amenities have increased dramatically. Through partnerships with medical concierge practices, luxury condominiums are offering full memberships to nearby medical centers, medical house call privileges, access to telemedicine appointments, on-site pharmacies, and even priority access to surgical services.

### The Cotton Solution

An industry leader in the marketing and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate, [Cotton & Company](/ "Click here for more information on Cotton & Company") stays informed and educated on all emerging trends in the real estate marketplace. Our talented team of digital marketing specialists, creative designers, copywriters, and website developers is ready to customize a personalized marketing program utilizing today’s technology and new media channels to drive sales success for builders, investors and real estate developers throughout the globe.

Sign up for the [Cotton Compendium](/compendium-landing/ "Register to receive the weekly compendium") to stay updated on news relative to the real estate and private community industries.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** health and wellness, real estate

---

### [Real Estate Sales in Golf Communities Surge as Golf Popularity Experiences an Upswing](https://cottonco.com/real-estate-sales-in-golf-communities-surge/)

**Published:** March 16, 2021
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

It’s been almost a decade since the golf industry took a hard hit with the global economic crisis. Golf play was down as baby boomers focused on surviving the down cycle. Real estate sales slowed as membership and HOA fees were considered a burden for homebuyers, and Generations X & Y were interested in families, travel, and focused on other sports. My how times have changed, and 2021 is setting up to be a banner year for the golf industry for many reasons.

Since the quarantine started back in March 2020, COVID prevented many forms of entertainment. Fortunately, for sports enthusiasts’ golf was not one of them. People found themselves with time on their hands, a need to get outside and a desire to reconnect with friends. Now, homes in residential golf club communities across the country, and especially in the Florida are seeing a surge in demand. The pandemic had a profound impact on homebuyers who recognized the myriad of recreational options available to Members in country club communities and as a result real estate sales in golf communities have been the beneficiary.

## **A Naturally Socially Distant Sport**

At the beginning of 2020, golf courses were seeing just slight increases in golf interest and seeing business as usual. [According to data from Golf DataTech](https://www.golfdatatech.com/ "get the data from the source here"), there wasn’t a big nationwide increase in the number of rounds of golf played; and there was no indication of what the future would bring. But when everything came to a standstill because of the pandemic, things changed quickly.

Following the spring shutdown and the onset of summer weather, sprawling, socially distanced golf courses were one of the first “safe” spaces that were able to get back to business. Interest in golf quickly followed for avid golfers and many first-time participants in the sport. Health experts affirmed that outdoor activities played in wide-open spaces carried relatively little risk of spreading COVID-19. As a result, an abundance of golfers hit the links.

## **More Time to Enjoy the Sport**

The prior perception that golf is slow and takes a lot of time was now a benefit in a “slowed down” world. With the opportunity to work remotely becoming the norm, golfers had more time for enjoyable outdoor recreation. No longer were individuals giving up a lot of their free time commuting back and forth to the office. It has once again become an ideal way to enhance business relationship providing a way to “meet” outside of Zoom meetings. With more flexible work hours golfers and their families, especially those still in the work force, were able to take full advantage of the many benefits a private golf club membership affords.

## **Influx of New Golfers Entering the Mix**

There is a sea of new demographics who want “in” on the game of golf. The demographics are skewing remarkably younger, more female, more diverse and more average in income, as compared to the universe of previous golfers.

The game, the products, and the apparel are all looking forward and being well received by younger consumers. The marketing campaigns are being driven by millennials, speaking to younger audiences with messaging that aligns with their interests. Private golf community clubs are following suit, marketing to younger audiences with families. With golf programming, clinics, and lessons for every generation including the kids, club living that allows the entire family to break away from their homes and enjoy fresh air while being active only enhances the importance of joining a club.

## **Opinions of the Sport are Changing**

With major professional sports cancelled, golf was the first to return to the airwaves. New viewers were introduced to the next generation of professional golfers. Players that are younger, more fashionable and perceived as “cool” created celebrities like Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Ricky Fowler. At the same time, Mariah Stackhouse stepped into the spotlight as the only full-time black woman on the LPGA, brining an incredible amount of attention to the game of golf.

Family golf attractions are not what they used to be. One of the most popular go-to family activities during quarantine, that combine the elements of food, drink and a fun way to socialize are popping up all over Florida and beyond. Facilities like [Topgolf](https://topgolf.com/us/ "to go to TopGolf site"), [Popstroke](https://popstroke.com/ "more about Popstroke") and [Drive Shack](https://www.driveshack.com/ "get more information about driveshack") are under development all over the country. Even Tiger Woods is partnering with PopStroke in Ft. Myers to feature contactless payment and ordering.

These fun attractions are a leeway to the golf game. They provide a taste of the game and from there, individuals are changing their perceptions and taking more interest in learning how to master their golf games with lessons and even memberships to golf clubs.

## **Private Golf Community Interest is Surging**

Clubs offer a unique ability to limit access to their facilities making residents feel insulated from the virus. That same surge in demand in golf is also being reflected in home sales within golf communities. A [November 2020 Golf Life Navigators](https://golflifenavigators.com/combining-your-golf-real-estate-search/ "get more information here at golf life navigators") survey of people looking to join golf clubs found that 63% of respondents said they wanted to live inside a gated golf community versus outside it, up from 51% pre-pandemic. By the end of 2020, [GLN](https://golflifenavigators.com/combining-your-golf-real-estate-search/ "get more information here at golf life navigators") reported nearly 80% of its clients combined their search for a new residence and new golf club.

The trends of surging golf interest and golf community sales go hand-in-hand and show no signs of slowing down in 2021. Near Vero Beach Florida, [Orchid Island Golf and Beach Club](https://orchidislandfl.com/ "more information on Orchid Island on their website") saw an immediate surge in home sales, leaving very little inventory remaining. “Club leadership did an amazing job at taking every precaution to prevent the spread of the virus, while providing a safe environment for Member activities, health and wellness and social connectivity,” says Laurie Andrews, CMO for Cotton & Company, the Club’s marketing firm. “With inventory of move-in ready homes at record lows, we’re now seeing interest from homebuyers seeking to build their dream home on the remaining single family homesites within the community.

Throughout 2020, sales have continued to climb at [Boca West Country Club](https://www.bocawestcc.org/ "discover the renowned country club") in South Florida. A new luxury condominium community within the gates of Boca West, [Akoya](https://akoyabocawest.com/ "more details on akoya boca west"), has recorded more than 20 sales during the pandemic, averaging close to $2 million per home. With four championship golf courses, Boca West is attracting golfers from across the country, and they are purchasing a wide variety of homes throughout the community’s 55 neighborhoods. Through [Boca West Realty](https://bocawest.com/boca-west-realty/ "for more information about boca west realty"), a new Renovator Program was introduced to supply the market with fully renovated homes, golf villas and mid-rise condominiums. These residences provide a maintenance-free lifestyle that satisfies the needs of both year-round and seasonal residents looking for a Winter escape. Renovated homes at Boca West including full golf membership are available for less than $300,000.

On the east coast of Florida, just north of Palm Beach, the private golf community of [Harbour Ridge](https://harbourridge.com/ "discover the harbour ridge community in palm city here") offers a low-density, picturesque community on the banks of the St. Lucie River. The golf facilities include two championship courses, a waterfront clubhouse and a lakeside tennis, fitness, and spa center that provides a wealth of services to the Members without ever having to leave the community.

“Many private club communities have limited outsiders from accessing the Club during the pandemic. This in itself is very attractive to baby boomers who are cognizant of limiting contact during this difficult time,” Stephann Cotton says, “There is a sense of security and enjoyment that comes from the innovative programs Club leadership is providing for homebuyers and current residents.” In combination, homebuyers recognize that residents in these communities have enjoyed a sense of normalcy that has escaped other areas of the country. Cotton adds, “Unlike elsewhere they are still participating in activities they enjoy, staying active and healthy, while socializing safely without fear.”

[Cotton & Company’s](/cotton-capabilities/ "learn more about cotton and company and the projects") experienced marketing professionals are assisting many private clubs to generate awareness and appreciation for the unique attributes of each Club lifestyle. With real estate values directly tied to the demand for club membership, Cotton & Company, a leading sales and marketing real estate agency, is helping these communities take advantage of the current cycle to increase home values.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** real estate marketing, real estate sales

---

### [2021 Digital Marketing Predictions and Trends for the Real Estate Industry](https://cottonco.com/digital-marketing-predictions/)

**Published:** February 26, 2021
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

While 2020 was a year when time seemingly stood still for many Americans, innovation in digital marketing has accelerated like never before. On the back of COVID-19, digital media has been transformed with significant changes looming for the industry.

Major shifts in consumer behavior and a renewed focus on privacy are impacting longtime industry standards, leading to big changes for 2021 and beyond.

> *“We’ve entered a new age of digital media innovation,”* says Angelene McCullough, Cotton & Company’s Digital Marketing Strategist. *“2020 transformed the way people and brands are using the internet, which in turn has resulted in an entirely new digital ecosystem.”*

As more and more people were forced to rely heavily on the internet during the quarantine for work, school, and purchasing, web usage spiked, and user behavior changed dramatically. The numbers speak for themselves:

- Pre-pandemic the average screen time was 3.2 hours per day and it is currently 7 hours per day
- 60% of total consumers are now shopping via mobile & desktop devices as opposed to brick and mortar retail establishments
- More than 50% of internet traffic is taking place on mobile devices
- 68% of consumers prefer to text rather than talk on their Smartphones
- Podcast audiences increased dramatically with 55% of Americans tuning in
- The election has shined a light on big tech companies controlling the narrative with the data they have collected over many years. In 2021 the government is stepping in to protect consumers.

## **To better understand the impact of this digital marketing transformation on the real estate industry, Cotton & Company outlines what to expect in 2021:**

### **Social Media Isn’t Dying**

Some trends come and go overnight while some are built into the communication foundation. Social marketing will evolve with the platforms’ innovation, driving creativity in the techniques we use to engage in social conversation. Expect to see Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other major platforms continue to dominate the landscape and increasing the priority of data segmentation in identifying target audiences. They will remain a vital element of every digital marketing strategy, especially with sponsored marketing.

### **Facebook Returns to Its Roots**

The most important social media trend to watch in 2021 will be community-focused activity. As the pandemic lockdown took hold, people turned to the Internet as a form of distraction. Forums and groups rose in popularity creating communities dedicated to various fanbases. Groups and collaboration will become even more prominent therefore revealing the human side of your brand is crucial to your future success. Smart businesses will understand that being transparent, authentic, and even vulnerable makes sense. People connect with the human race. This means the brand should be personified in a way that reveals who and what they stand for.

Posting content on your timeline is no longer enough. Expect to see brands spending more time engaging and interacting with others, sharing with groups, and collaborating with other brands. There will be a more personal approach to content utilizing new tools like unique photo effects, frames, and elements like 3D photos & videos.

### **2021 Will Be the Year of AI and Machine Learning**

As brands spend more time interacting on platforms, they will rely on [Artificial Intelligence (AI](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence "Click here for more information on Artificial Intelligence")) led opportunities for ad campaigns, so more time can be spent building a community. AI is revolutionizing how brands do business. 5 years from now every website across the globe will most likely have AI at its core. Today, there’s no shortage of tools available to collect and organize personal customer data daily, but the ability to translate mountains of data into actionable insights is what is lacking. As the world begins a mass exodus to digital, delivering a personalized, targeted customer experience will be a key facet of a successful digital transformation.

Advertisers are turning to AI as an alternative to human optimization. AI uses predictive modeling, predicting the behaviors users are going to take based on historical behavioral data. Advertisers will need to shift from a human optimization approach to automation to benefit from AI and machine learning which will provide a greater ROI in 2021.

### **User-Generated Content**

Forums & groups have risen as people want to connect & engage with like-minded individuals. Entire communities have been created dedicated to various topics. As a result, platforms such as Tik-Tok, Facebook Watch, and Instagram Reels have evolved to showcase “User-Generated” Content. Expect to see even more opportunities of consumers engaging with brands to enable more organic connections between brands and consumers.

“At a time where lives have changed dramatically, consumers are looking to personal referrals for recommendations,” says Laurie Andrews, Cotton & Company’s CMO. “Many homebuyers are migrating to new areas of the country and reach out to local groups for recommendations. Educating the general market with timely information on your project and keeping them up-to-date with sales information helps ensure accurate engagement with the local social community.” The rise of online recommendations will only increase and there is no better sales pitch than your homebuyers and residents sharing their appreciation for your product.

### **The Demise of the Cookie & Introduction to the Identity Graph**

Cookies are small pieces of code that are added to users’ web browsers as they visit websites. Advertisers use cookies to collect data to help them deliver the most relevant and targeted content to specific audiences. Google plans to end support of third-party advertising cookies and the loss of tracking technologies will affect the way advertisers have the ability to target or retarget users. The use of first-party data has never been more important, and savvy marketing professionals are finding new ways to capture the interest of online consumers.

An Identity Graph will be used to connect your first-party data to the programmatic ecosystem, in real-time, to make audiences addressable across all browsers and devices without cookies.

### **The Consumer is King**

To succeed in 2021, consumers need to be at the center of your marketing strategy. The idiom “the consumer is king” may be cliché, but it is now more relevant than ever. Brands that fully consider their consumers’ motivations, needs, and conversations and then take decisive actions based on those insights, will be the ones that survive the turbulence ahead.

In the last 20 years, the capabilities of the web have grown tremendously, and become more complex. Figuring out how to configure, manage and drive ROI from your own website has never been more complex.

Real estate developers and builders are turning to digital marketing experts like Cotton & Company to help navigate these turbulent waters. To create an authentic and compelling experience for real estate consumers, it is imperative to integrate the psychological consumer behaviors of real estate purchases with the ever-changing landscape of the digital marketing spectrum. [Cotton & Company’s ](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/ "Click here for more information on Cotton & Company")experienced team of digital marketing specialists, creative designers, copywriters, and website developers are on-hand to help capture the energy of the surging real estate market in the most cost-effective and timely manner possible. For more information on Cotton & Company, [join our email list](https://cottonco.com/compendium-landing/ "Go To The Compendium Landing Page") or contact [Karen Cantor](mailto:karen.cantor@cottonco.com "Email Karen Cantor"), Executive Vice President to schedule a review of your marketing needs.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Digital Marketing Forecast, digital marketing trends, Real Estate Digital Market, real estate marketing

---

### [Unicorp Achieves Unprecedented Record Sales with Summer Launch of The Residences at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort](https://cottonco.com/unicorp-achieves-unprecedented-record-sales-with-summer-launch-of-the-residences-at-the-st-regis-longboat-key-resort/)

**Published:** October 16, 2020
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Unicorp National Developments, Inc., together with the Michael Saunders & Company team are pleased to announce they have now opened sales to the public for The Residences at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort. Situated on a barrier island just outside of Sarasota, Florida. Longboat Key is renowned for its aquamarine waters and expansive white sand beaches. This acclaimed and storied location offers the best in luxury living in the tradition of The St. Regis, recognized around the world as The Best Address.

St. Regis, part of Marriott International’s portfolio of luxury brands, is excited to welcome The

Residences at St Regis Longboat Key to its global portfolio.

Pre-sale expectations were surpassed, despite an off-season launch in the height of a global pandemic. The exclusive condominium offerings began at the end of July, and in a matter of weeks, the Michael Saunders team quickly secured over 30 sales totaling nearly $200,000,000.

“Leading the sales effort for such a special Longboat Key address has been thrilling for our team,” said Michael Saunders, Founder and CEO of Michael Saunders & Company. “We are very enthusiastic about the response and astounding sales success experienced this summer, especially during these unprecedented times. Longboat Key has a long-standing tradition of creating unique experiences and memories for its residents and visitors from around the world. The St. Regis residents will enjoy the beachfront lifestyle as well the luxuries of a world-class, five-star resort resplendent with an array of private amenities. This will be the most idyllic place to live and relax in an island enclave located close to amazing arts venues, shopping and dining.”

The Residences at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort will be comprised of three, six story residential buildings featuring 69 private luxury condominiums. There are 18 contemporary one- to four-bedroom floorplans, each with expansive outdoor living terraces. Many offer unobstructed views of the Gulf of Mexico on Florida’s Sunset Coast. Floor-to-ceiling glass and open living spaces allow for indoor and outdoor entertaining. Each residence will be furnished with the highest quality materials and finishes, custom European style cabinetry, luxury appliances and state of the art intelligent controls throughout each residence.

“Set on a magnificent white sand beach, The Residences at St Regis Resort combine breathtaking Gulf views with impressive architectural elements and the signature St. Regis Resort amenities and service,” says Chuck Whittall, President of Unicorp National Developments, Inc. “We are so pleased with the initial pre-sales launch results and look forward to these best-in-class condominiums living up to the excellence of the revered St Regis brand.”

Residents will have access to resort amenities provided by the adjacent St. Regis Resort & Spa, but will also enjoy their own dedicated private amenities, including pool and spa with sundeck, clubhouse, and a wellness center with open-air yoga. Owners and their guests will experience St. Regis Resort butler and concierge services, beauty services, daily housekeeping, Bentley and chauffer service, on-site pet grooming, and chef services. Notable resort amenities include boutiques, fine and casual dining, Spa, salon, Fitness Center, dog walking path, saltwater lagoon, and multiple pools with cabana services.

Spanning nearly 18 acres, The Residences combine the tradition of The St. Regis experience with the highly sought-after destination of Longboat Key. With groundbreaking expected in the Summer of 2021, residents can anticipate delivery of their luxury seaside residences in December 2023. Pricing starts from $2 Million.

The Sales Gallery is open for socially-distanced appointments and is located at 100 S. Washington Blvd., Sarasota, FL 34236. For more information about The Residences at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort visit [srresidenceslongboatkey.com](https://srresidenceslongboatkey.com/ "Open St. Regis Longboat key website") or call +1 941 213 3300.

The St. Regis trademarks are owned by Marriott International, Inc. or its affiliate. The Residences at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort are not owned, developed or sold by Marriott. S.R. LBK, LLC uses the St. Regis marks under license from Marriott, which has not confirmed the accuracy of any of the statements or representations made about this project. If the license is terminated or expires, The Residences will no longer be associated with the St. Regis brand and will cease all use of the St. Regis trademarks.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** st. regis longboat key, unicorp

---

### [Cotton & Company Welcomes Art Director Robert Allen](https://cottonco.com/cotton-company-welcomes-art-director-robert-allen/)

**Published:** September 21, 2020
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Cotton & Company welcomes Robert Allen as Art Director to the team. Allen joins Cotton & Company with over 18 years of extensive experience in brand development, digital marketing, advertising and promotions.

Allen joins the Cotton & Company team from Barilla Group in Northbrook, Illinois, where he was a Creative Designer. Previously he was a Senior Graphic Designer at Essendant in Deerfield, Illinois. Prior design experience includes working as a Senior Designer and Photography Supervisor at Staples and Senior Designer for Quill. Allen graduated from Ray College of Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and received a certification for web development from The Art Institutes.

“We are thrilled to have Robert join our creative team at Cotton & Company, says Laurie Andrews, Chief Marketing Officer and Principal. “Robert’s extensive digital media experience will be a valuable resource to our roster of luxury real estate projects. With e-communications, digital marketing and social media playing such a vital role in our client’s marketing plans, we are confident he will help accelerate our lead generation efforts.”

Cotton & Company’s real estate marketing and sales expertise is grounded in over four decades of experience and is driven by intelligence gained from today’s web-based environment. Cotton’s dynamic market research and social media tools provide in-depth consumer profiling that open new sales channels for its high-profile clientele. It’s a combination of unmatched creativity, innovative technology and strategic thinking that results in more closed sales for Cotton & Company clients.

Cotton & Company’s exclusive focus on the real estate industry includes navigating through the highs and low market trends. The company has driven sales success from Panama to Poland in virtually every industry category: destination resorts, private country clubs, urban condominiums, master-planned communities, fractional ownership and single-family builder neighborhoods. Cotton is currently providing marketing services for The Residences at the St. Regis Longboat Key, Fontainebleau Development, Property Markets Group and several projects for KOLTER.

For more information on Cotton & Company, [click here](/ "Go to the home page of Cotton & Company") or call (772) 287.6612.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Why is It Important for Your Real Estate Website to be ADA Compliant?](https://cottonco.com/why-is-it-important-for-your-real-estate-website-to-be-ada-compliant/)

**Published:** September 22, 2020
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

In today’s world, most home searches begin online – not just for non-disabled people, but those with special needs as well. Having a website that helps facilitate this for disabled people is a fundamental part of the home-buying process and ensures that people with disabilities have the same opportunities to buy a home as everyone else. When websites are not properly coded to assist them, lawsuits may occur on the basis of the American Disabilities Act. Since the American judicial system considers websites public spaces, you may find yourself in a situation where you will have to settle out of court or pay large fines.

When it comes to the accessibility of websites offering real estate, Cotton & Company understands compliance guidelines should be followed to protect our clients. Before launching our latest ADA compliant website for The Residences at The St. Regis Longboat Key, the Cotton team partnered with The Miami Lighthouse Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. A thorough audit of the site was conducted, and personalized disability testing took place to ensure all aspects of the website were easy for disabled people to use. Not only was important that the website be made accessible to persons using assistive technology devices such as screen readers, screen magnification, alternate text, and Braille output devices but also maintain its programming foundation for search engine optimization.

Cotton & Company’s Website Senior Developer, [Sonya Pereira](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/sonya-pereira/ "Sonya Pereira") says, “Avoiding legal issues due to site compliance is important, but there are other advantages as well.” People with disabilities are often overlooked as consumers. Pereira concludes, “Allowing accessibility for everyone including the disabled has benefits such as increased traffic, more sales, site popularity and can also decrease bounce rates.”

Real estate associated industry websites have seen an alarming rate of lawsuits in the past few years resulting in 100s of thousands of dollars in lawyer fees, plaintiff payouts, fines and negative press. Most recently, the National Association of Realtors (NARS), a membership organization that represents the interests of over 1.4 million real estate professionals nationwide, has been aggressively working to address demand letters alleging that their websites violate the Fair Housing Act. NARS has been in close communication with Florida Realtors® about this issue and disagrees with the allegations.

An ADA accessible real estate website may just be your competitive advantage. By meeting the latest standards in ADA compliance, you will reach 15% more of the world’s population that experience some form of disability. Additionally, by making these modifications you will be acting socially responsible and inclusive.

For real estate developers, builders, hospitality companies, and country club marketers facing real estate marketing challenges, [Cotton & Company’s experienced team](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/ "Learn more about The Cotton Company Team") is ready to develop a program to reach today’s emerging markets, taking full advantage of the technological advances in today’s digital marketing environment. Cotton & Company is an industry-leading marketing and advertising firm specializing in luxury real estate. Sign up for Cotton’ & Company’s weekly e-newsletter, [the Cotton Compendium](https://cottonco.com/compendium-landing/ "Subscribe for the Cotton Company Compendium and stay updated on Real Estate News") to stay up to date on real estate industry news.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Florida Real Estate Sales Benefit from COVD 19 Trends](https://cottonco.com/florida-real-estate-sales-benefit-from-covd-19-trends/)

**Published:** September 30, 2020
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

It used to be that people moved to Florida to retire or just spend the winter in the sunshine, but during these unprecedented times, real estate sales trends are proving that the sunshine state is much more than a vacation or retirement destination. According to the New York Times, nearly 1000 people move to Florida every day. Luxury homes sales are in high demand as northerners from densely populated states with high tax burdens abandon cities like New York, Boston, and Chicago.

Now, with business changing to remote workplaces, professionals enjoy newfound freedom to relocate for a higher quality lifestyle. In addition to the obvious year-round sunshine and a milder climate, there are other important reasons that one in every eight out-of-state moves is headed to Florida.

## **Peace of Mind**

“Many people are migrating south because they no longer feel safe in their communities,” says Stephann Cotton, CEO, and Founder of Cotton & Company, a global leader in luxury real estate marketing. “With their cities remaining in COVID lockdown and new threats from political protests, people no longer feel safe in their urban environments. Having no sense of security has become an unacceptable living condition, yet they can still find peace of mind here in Florida.”

Kolter Urban, a leading south Florida developer, recognized growing demand from these northern states and acted quickly to reach out to potential homebuyers. Cotton & Company created the “Find Your Place in the Sun” campaign to reach potential homebuyers with move-in ready condominium offerings throughout Kolter’s Florida properties.

## **Outdoor Space**

With a COVID 19 vaccine looming somewhere in the unknown future, individuals have discovered through the quarantine period that they yearn for new surroundings. With Winter just around the corner, many homebuyers are seeking more outdoor space in the event of another urban lockdown. They are also looking for a fresh home environment where they can separate their remote work office from their day-to-day living space. Additionally, they just want more breathing room, desiring less densely populated areas.

## **Affordability**

With historically low interest rates today, many millennials are jumping into the market to take advantage of the opportunity before these rates climb. With liquidity returning for home sellers, move up and move around buyers are also in the market. Florida real estate offers a wide selection of homes to choose from with great value. There is no state income or estate taxes, and residents may qualify for homestead exemptions of up to $50,000 on their primary residences, as well as a 3% cap annually on home assessments.

“Florida’s market has been on fire these past few months”, says Laurie Andrews, Cotton & Company Chief Marketing Officer and Agency Principal. “For Kolter, we focused on New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut audiences. With the onset of fall temperatures, we know these markets will begin looking for their Florida address. Kolter is well-positioned to capture this energy.”

Cotton & Company’s “Find Your Place in the Sun” campaign for Kolter Urban included an inventory clearinghouse website at LIVEKOLTER.com. Both digital and traditional media were used to capture interest and website visitors. Homebuyers had the opportunity to review individual listings, complete with robust photo galleries, amenities overviews, and pricing.

We expect the migration to Florida to continue for quite some time, adding pressure to the shortage of move-in ready inventory. With construction and labor costs continuing to rise, new homes and condominium prices will also continue to increase in the future.

For over 34 years, Cotton & Company has worked with over 1700 real estate developers, builders, hospitality companies, and country club marketers. A dedicated team of copywriters, website programmers, graphic artists, digital marketing professionals, and marketing strategists are ready to jump in and develop a customized program to help clients achieve sales success. As the premier luxury real estate marketing and advertising agency, the experts at Cotton & Company elevate client brands and bring them to the next level. Learn how to empower real estate success by visiting [cottonco.com](/ "C=Visit our home page ")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Cotton & Company, Florida Real Estate Sales

---

### [Why Country Club Living is More Popular than Ever](https://cottonco.com/why-country-club-living-is-more-popular-than-ever/)

**Published:** November 20, 2020
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Private club communities are attractive to buyers now more than ever. As a result of the pandemic, country club communities are being sought out for having all the bells and whistles buyers seek at this time. Here are just a few of the reasons why the appeal of country club living has grown significantly in the post Covid-19 era.

## **Wellness**

According to the Private Communities Registry, Inc. (PCR) 2020 Survey, wellness amenities top the list of what home searchers are looking for. Fitness related amenities remain the top requested benefit by homebuyers. Swimming pools (73%), with fitness centers (71%), and walking/ biking trails (70%) following close behind. There is also an enthusiasm for tennis/pickle ball, green features, spas, and other means for maintaining one’s physical and emotional wellbeing.

Clubs like [Boca West Country Club](/works/boca-west/ "Learn More about our work on Boca West") do not take wellness lightly with a recent investment of $45 million for the construction of an expanded 96,000-square-foot Aquatics Center, Fitness Center and Sports Center Complex. In addition to its full-service spa and fitness center, [Harbour Ridge Yacht & Country Club](/works/harbour-ridge/ "Learn More about our work on Harbour Ridge") offers resident members on-site wellness services like physical therapy and nutritional counseling to help meet health goals. Harbour Ridge’s facilities provide the perfect active sporting lifestyle with two golf courses, 9 tennis courts, a dog park, extensive fitness programming, a state-of-the-art gym, and miles of hiking trails alongside the St. Lucie River.

## **Peace of Mind**

Because many families are migrating from densely-populated and high taxed urban areas, they are seeking a place they can relax and feel a sense of security. The private club community model offers gated security as one of its many amenities, with community designed to maximize views and privacy at the same time. Even caring for your home becomes easier for the members of [The Club at Quail Ridge](/works/quail-ridge/ "Learn More about Quail Ridge"), as the on-site Property Owners Association connects members to qualified maintenance services, housekeeping, and handymen. This way, members know that the important things are being taken care of by trusted experts. While things inside and outside of the home are being easily maintained, residents can enjoy daily lifestyle activities and socialization without any worry.

Additionally, many club leadership teams have devised well-thought-out and intense protocols post Covid-19 to ensure the members’ safety. At clubs like [BallenIsles](/works/ballenisles/ "Read more about BallenIsles"), CDC recommended guidelines are followed and stringent sanitation procedures are in place. Health screening kiosks are located at designated public areas, hand sanitizing stations are readily available, members and employees are required to wear masks in public indoor spaces, and temperature checks are taken before public space entry is permitted. Testing and quarantine protocols for returning seasonal residents are taken seriously by community staff to ensure that the member experience continues to be safe and enjoyable for everyone during these unprecedented times.

## **Connection to Nature**

While COVID-19 has changed the way, we spend time and share space, clubs offer a wide array of outdoor activities to stay healthy. Warm climates and amenity rich communities provide a haven for those seeking refuge. When it comes to natural surroundings, country clubs offer peaceful sanctuaries with plenty of ways to connect with the unique natural areas within these communities.

Recently, club residents have found a greater appreciation for their natural neighbors. Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and Indian River on Florida’s Treasure Coast, more than 1,000 wildlife species call [Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club](/works/orchid-island/ "Read more about Orchid Island") home. The private beaches are thriving with turtles, otters are being spotted at the lakes on the golf course while large groups of birds like White Pelicans, Ospreys and Rosette Spoonbills are gathering on the river’s surface. Few communities in the world can say they have an Eagle Preserve on their property and Harbour Ridge is one of them. One of only eight Audubon certified golf courses on the Treasure Coast, the community is comprised of 35 acres within the Golden Marsh course, where two Southern Bald Eagles nested for many years and their nest is still intact. Kayak launches at both Orchid Island and Harbour Ridge allow residents to gain an opportunity to interact with their environment while achieving an invigorating workout along the way.

BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens has devoted 21 acres, in two separate parks, for residents and their families to enjoy. The Fitness Park features a one-mile long fitness trail, while the second neighborhood park has a children’s playground, basketball court, volleyball court, and a picnic area. There are also seven workout stations along the trail to make exercising outside unique and fun while enjoying the scenic views.

## **Service Oriented** 

As a result of changing times, many Club leadership teams became very creative in supporting the day-to-day lifestyle of their Members. Laurie Andrews, principal and chief marketing officer of Cotton & Company says, “At the height of the quarantine we saw our South Florida club community clients shift to continuously accommodate resident member needs so that they did not even have to leave their homes for necessities.” Meal services with delivery and unique drive through pickup options were launched. Boca West Country Club even provided a “Pantry” for grocery shopping, and Harbour Ridge opened an outdoor fresh market. The Club at Quail Ridge created an innovative “Chef’s Stockroom” where members could purchase all their necessities. Virtual Happy Hours, educational wine tastings on YouTube, drive up themed dinner events with live entertainment and/or fitness classes on Facebook Live, just to name a few, were offered at all the clubs allowing members social activity from the comfort of their own homes.

## **An Appreciation for Contemporary Design**

Clubs are finding new ways to entice younger generations and highlight the value of living in a country club community. With limited inventory of homes in the Boca Raton, Florida area, Boca West launched a renovator program to deliver instant gratification to those homebuyers seeking a fresh alternative. Stephann Cotton, founder and President of Cotton & Company explains, “It’s an opportunity that is almost too good to be true. The program brings together a prime Boca location, with the world’s #1 residential country club with golf and water views complete with a brand new contemporary interior, windows, appliances, kitchens, bathrooms all at a remarkable price point,” says Cotton.

Cotton & Company’s experienced digital marketing professionals are assisting many country clubs to spread awareness about the unique attributes of each Club lifestyle. With membership and real estate sales working hand-in-hand, the [Cotton Solution provides cost-effective methodology to create new interest ](/the-work/private-clubs/ "View our Portfolio")in these highly desirable lifestyle communities.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** BallenIsles, Boca West Country Club, Cotton & Company, Country Club Lifestyle, Country Clubs, Harbour Ridge, Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club, Private communities, The Club at Quail Ridge

---

### [Reduced Budgets and Increased Demand Present One of the Best Opportunities in Years for Real Estate Digital Advertising](https://cottonco.com/reduced-budgets-and-increased-demand-present-one-of-the-best-opportunities-in-years-for-real-estate-digital-advertising/)

**Published:** May 22, 2020
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Spring is usually prime home-selling season – but this spring is a whole different ball game. The impact of COVID-19 on our lives has been nothing short of extraordinary. Individuals, families, friends, and businesses are all facing the same anxieties and fears. Things are different for everyone – that is for sure – yet, different industries face different issues and situations right now. Businesses are at conflict with the hard question of whether or not to continue advertising during this crisis. Let us help you decipher what we have realized is working for the residential real estate industry.

According to a recent Kantar Study, 92% of people surveyed believe that businesses should continue to advertise during the COVID-19 outbreak. Some industries are experiencing a lot more demand, while others are looking at their demand dropping almost completely. Of course, conditions differ geographically and by customer base.

***“This is a unique time for advertisers where we on one side may be moving toward a recession and on the other side have more people online willing to consume online services and products.”***

Due to COVID-19, media consumption is increasing but digital ad spending is down as marketing managers halt budgets. Is there a great opportunity to use this time effectively and gain market share and top-of-mind brand recall? Due to an increase in online activity combined with reduced budgets, CPM rates have fallen dramatically. Online advertising prices are at the lowest they’ve been in years. But exactly how have CPM and CPC dropped?

***“Digital marketing has been impacted by COVID-19, and marketers need to take action to adapt to the situation. There is a window of opportunity to gain market share through cost-efficient advertising.”***

[![](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Picture1-700x382.png)](https://adage.com/article/agency-news/kantar-study-shows-consumers-expect-brands-be-helpful-during-coronavirus-pandemic/2246361)

**Media Consumption During COVID-19**
Most customers are spending their time at home, which raises the question, “What are they spending their time on?”

Media consumption has spiked all across the globe, with 36% of users reporting that they watch more news, 27% watch more shows, 21% spend a longer time on social media, 18% engage in gaming, and so on.

Streaming is thriving, Conviva reports a 26% increase in streaming during the pandemic.

Streaming, gaming, and online food delivery are on the rise. Visual Capitalist shows how quarantining impacts consumer internet activities.

***“Much like the stock market, the best buying opportunity is when everyone else is selling. In uncertain times, we at Cotton & Company turn to our data to help gain clarity. “***

Since marketing luxury residential real estate is a long-term game, the opportunity to market to consumers trapped in their houses with stay-at-home orders should not be missed by developers. Our target audiences are among those that are consuming online media more than ever, and they are also faced with some life-altering questions: Do I feel safe where I live? Am I comfortable in my current home? Would I be better able to enjoy a future quarantine situation somewhere else? Is there a place where I can get a better value and quality of life than my current living situation? Those folks in the northeastern United States are in the center of this pandemic storm. Any that were on the fence or starting to consider retirement or a second home purchase in South Florida may be ready to jump off the fence as soon as the quarantine passes. That is why it is critical to make sure your product is in front of them now. And the most efficient and cost-effective method to reach them is through hyper-targeted digital media.

**Trends in Social Media**
The spike in consumption of social media across all platforms in tandem with a weaker ad demand from marketers has led to a significant decrease in competition in the auction. Brands who are continuing to run social ads are reaping the benefits of reaching their target
market more efficiently than ever before. And we are already seeing the same trend in our clients’ campaigns as well.

Developers looking to thrive with advertising in the current crisis should look to focus their efforts on popular media as that is where the customers spend their time.

![](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Picture2.png)

Facebook’s worldwide average CPC rate dropped 19% from January to March. The same trend is being seen with Facebook’s global average CPM rates. Cost-per-thousand impressions fell to an all-time-low in early April and are now at around one dollar.

Similar effects of the Coronavirus have also been seen with Twitter. With an increase of 23% in daily usage as people flock to get the latest updates, while ad revenue dropped over 20%.

![](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Picture3-700x355.png)

Across all digital channels, prices are falling – even though there is an increase in online activity. Facebook’s CPM rates fell between 15% to 20% in March as advertisers are stopping planned campaigns.

**Data from Cotton & Company’s Digital Campaigns**
To see how COVID-19 has impacted our clients’ digital media spends, we analyzed data from January through April 21, 2020.

Our total Reach increased by 42% since January, while our Cost per 1,000 has decreased 47%.
Our Impressions increased by 54% since January, while our CPM has decreased 44%.

![Total Reach ](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Picture4.png) ![Reach Cost per 1000 ](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Picture5.png)

Link Clicks have increased 115% since January while our CPLC has decreased 48%. Landing Page Views increased 9% since January, while CPLPV has decreased 40%.

![Link Clicks ](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Picture6.png)

Even though the Coronavirus is impacting a majority of businesses negatively, there are opportunities to be seized. Prices for social media advertising and premium ad inventory have fallen to record lows. The cost of advertising is lower than just a couple of months ago.

***“Marketers investing in the brand now can pick up market share at a fraction of the cost of just a few months ago.”***

Cotton & Company is an industry leader in the [marketing and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate](https://cottonco.com/the-work/). Our amazing team of digital marketing specialists, creative designers, copywriters, and website developers utilize today’s technology and new media channels to drive sales success for our clients throughout the world. For developers, club managers and real estate professionals facing real estate and marketing challenges, Cotton & Company’s experienced team is ready to develop a program that resonates with the evolving market and circumstances. The Cotton Solution provides a cost-effective methodology to create new interest in both new and existing residential communities. [Additional case studies are showcased in Solutions magazine.](https://cottonco.com/request-solutions-magazine/)

[**Sign up for the Cotton Compendium** to stay updated on news relative to the real-estate and private-club industries.](https://cottonco.com/contact/)

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** marketing during coronavirus, marketing during pandemic, real estate marketing, real estate marketing during covid19, selling homes during coronavirus

---

### [Top Country Clubs Continue to Evolve, Especially in Times of Crisis](https://cottonco.com/top-country-clubs-continue-to-evolve-especially-in-times-of-crisis/)

**Published:** April 24, 2020
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

After the recession of 2008 the country club industry never looked the same. The previous product offerings that were designed and beloved by the silent generation were no longer attractive to the baby boomer market. Savvy clubs have spent the last few years evolving every aspect of their physical facilities, soft programming, events and marketing to attract the next generation while balancing the needs of their members. Now, every generation is facing similar challenges and once again it provides an opportunity for Country Clubs.

Right now 97% of Americans are under shelter in place orders, hunkering down and spending time indoors. They are stuck inside with their family, browsing social media and with plenty of time to consider how their lives would be different if they lived somewhere else. And as we emerge from the current situation, their behaviors and buying preferences are sure to change. Will future homebuyers still value the hustle and bustle of a busy downtown location? Will the appeal of a closed, safe, clean and supportive club community be more attractive than ever before?

As clubs continue to pivot their marketing strategies the timing is critical to let their prospective buyers know just how much easier, simpler, and calmer life in a country club community can be, both now and in the future. Marketers all over the globe are feeling the pressure to appropriately respond to the current situation; this is a time clubs can take advantage of and make sure they have the right updates in place to prove their value to the incoming buyer class. And the way in which they choose to respond to the current situation will impact their brand perception now and for years to come.

Smart clubs in South Florida are making the needs of their membership their highest priority. Boca West Country Club is providing meal service with delivery and pickup options for all of its residents’ essential needs, including the introduction of “Pantry” offering butcher, bakery, grocery and wine needs for all resident members. While golf courses have had to close, maintenance continues during the morning hours and members are invited to walk the cart paths daily from noon until 7 pm, encouraging healthy outdoor activity while social distancing. BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens is offering a plethora of fitness classes on Facebook Live for all of their members to join from the comfort of their own homes, as well as YouTube videos of its renowned chefs teaching cooking classes online. The BallenIsles Charity Foundation has also donated their food truck for deliveries with Feed the Hungry Palm Beach County. The St. Andrews Country Club Spa in Boca Raton prepared special at-home spa treatment kits for their members to continue pampering themselves and de-stress at home. Orchid Island in Vero Beach now has a private Facebook Group for all residents to continue their fitness classes online and has been able to maintain their private beach access for members, while following social distancing requirements. Palm City’s Harbour Ridge has opened an outdoor fresh market right on property. Practicing all social distancing guidelines with personal shoppers, members do not have to leave the gates to get their essentials. The Club at Quail Ridge in Boynton Beach has designed unique take-out and delivery dining options including Dinner for Two and a special Easter Dinner menu along with a unique “Chef’s Stockroom” menu where members are invited to order anything they need that the Club has access to. And if you don’t see what you’re looking for, they invite you to ask for it anyway and they will try to get it.

Sometimes having constraints in place releases a creative energy and new ways of the thinking that are even more powerful than the status quo. Utilizing the internet and digital marketing tactics to their full advantage will allow clubs to get ahead during this transitionary period. The marketing and club worlds will look very different on the other side of this and those who understand and anticipate this shift will be able to come out even stronger on the other side.

For Country Club managers facing real estate and marketing challenges, Cotton & Company’s experienced team is ready to develop a program that resonates with the emerging market. With membership sales and real estate often going hand in hand, the [Cotton Solution provides cost-effective methodology to create new interest ](https://cottonco.com/the-work/private-clubs/)in aging communities. Additional case studies are showcased in Solutions magazine. [Sign up for the Cotton Compendium to stay updated on news relative to the real estate and private club industries.](https://cottonco.com/contact/)

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Country Club Marketing, marketing country clubs during crisis, marketing during crisis, marketing in pandemic, real estate marketing, real estate marketing coronavirus

---

### [Florida Real Estate – a Coronavirus Opportunity?](https://cottonco.com/florida-real-estate-a-coronavirus-opportunity/)

**Published:** March 25, 2020
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

As the US market continues to experience the early stages of the Coronavirus cycle, every industry is evaluating its short-term and long-term impact. For the real estate industry in particular, discussion of a looming “recession” brings to mind the challenges faced during the global financial crisis over the last decade. But this is 2020, and real estate could be a bright spot for investor opportunities in an otherwise volatile global market.

“We’ve taken this ride before,” says [Stephann Cotton](/stephann-cotton/), President of Cotton & Company, a [Florida-based international sales, and marketing firm](https://cottonco.com) specializing in luxury residential properties. “In June 2005, we raised a red flag at the beginning of the last cycle. We witnessed a significant drop in new web visitors and website registrations across the board for dozens of new home communities. Our online analytics were the early indicators of a substantial shift in the marketplace, and it occurred six months prior to national economists recognizing a market shift.”

Throughout Florida, the Caribbean and other destination markets, real estate have bounced back from the downturn with vigor. In Florida, real estate has been averaging a 4% appreciation. Increased demand and sales momentum has created a lack of inventory, and rising construction costs for new projects has led to higher pricing. What’s driving the activity? Baby boomers who delayed their purchasing decision have reached their retirement years, and Gen Xers who took advantage of the upturn, continue to migrate to warmer weather and favorable tax climates.

“Our market indicators continue to show strength in the real estate sector,” Cotton continues. “Although Seller’s anxiety may lead to a short-term Buyer’s market, the economic foundation remains in place for real estate to bounce back quickly from these short-term market conditions.”

The [real estate marketing firm’s](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/) insights are derived from the management of a wide variety of luxury properties throughout Florida. This prime destination for snowbirds and tax refugees typically experiences strong market activity through late April. Cotton & Company’s CMO, Laurie Andrews, continues to monitor market acceptance through a variety of digital marketing tools.

“When it comes to social distancing, everyone is taking a hard look at their current surroundings,” says Andrews. “Do I live in a place where I can relax, enjoy the outdoors, and stay healthy—all while I’m staying away from crowds and sheltering in place? We believe many of our northern visitors may wind up staying in Florida longer this year, as their northern hometowns deal with more restrictive measures due to community spread.”

When it comes to long-term mortgage rates, the timing couldn’t be any better. With the recent reduction of the Federal Funds rate, 30-year fixed mortgages have hit new historic lows. Low-interest rates and low tax rates have Cotton betting on brighter days ahead for the Florida real estate market. “In the short term, homebuyers are distracted by the day-to-day changes that have resulted from our new normal,” says Cotton. “But for the savvy homebuyer, now may be the right moment to get out of the stock market volatility, and back into a more stable real estate market.”

For Florida realtors, finding the right balance will be a challenge for managing the needs of both the buyer and seller. Property showings will require a higher degree of screening as the industry grapples with creating exposure for available listings while protecting the current homeowners from overriding health concerns.

One thing is certain, Florida sunshine, beaches, and waterways have always been in high demand. These natural wonders will withstand the coronavirus and continue to attract residents who appreciate their environment when sheltering in place means staying close to home.
\###

Cotton & Company is an industry leader in the marketing, advertising, and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate. Our amazing team of [digital marketing experts](https://cottonco.com/digital-marketing-and-its-impact-on-the-real-estate-industry-a-conversation-with-laurie-andrews/ "Click here to learn more about our digital marketing experts."), creative designers, copywriters, and website developers utilize today’s technology and new media channels to stay ahead of the curve and continue to drive sales success for our real estate clients throughout the world.

To stay up to date with the latest real estate industry news and trends subscribe to our [Cotton Solution Magazine](https://cottonco.com/request-solutions-magazine/ "Click here to get your copy of our Solutions Magazine.") by clicking here or simply fill out the form on this page.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Cotton and Company, Digital Marketing, future of digital marketing, future of real estate, real estate market

---

### [11 Take Aways You'll Want to Hear About the Future of Digital Marketing](https://cottonco.com/the-future-of-digital-marketing-adexchanger-conference/)

**Published:** January 29, 2020
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

“More people subscribe to Amazon Prime than voted in last election, have a pet, decorate a Christmas tree, own a landline or a gun.”

*Scott Galloway, Professional of Marketing NYU Stern School of Business*

“Marketing is both art & science. We used to focus on the art, not the science. Today, we have gone a little too far the other way. We need to revisit the art of storytelling and branding. We have to figure out how to use data to support the emotional piece, thereby driving consistent traffic and creating loyalty. That’s not easy today.”

*Charisse Hughes, CMO Pandora Americas*

“The winner in long run is whoever has the most information. Data is the center of gravity and attracts everything. The more information, the more power. That’s why the IRS and Amazon always win. Insights have value.”

*Martin Kihn, Senior Vice President of Product Strategy, Salesforce Marketing Cloud*

“HBO Max already has 30 million subscribers, and it won’t even launch until May. Peacock will launch with the Olympics with free and low-cost content. Netflix has nowhere to go but down.”

*Laura Martin, CF & CMT Managing Director, Needham & Company LLC*

“To balance the user’s need for privacy with quality content delivery, Chrome dropping third party cookies. The phase out will happen in approximately two years giving us time to create new algorithms. Measurements and ad selection will be reimplemented in a totally new way.”

*Sissie Hsio, Vice President of Display, Video, App Advertising, Google*

“Subscription fatigue is setting in. Streaming anxiety is causing decision paralysis. It takes people an average of 10 minutes to choose which show to watch on streaming.”

*Mark Zagorski, CEO Telaria*

“In the future, only the browsers will be holding the data insights due to lack of third-party cookies. It’s good for the industry as they were flawed. Ultimately, we’ll arrive at a better place.”

*Brian Lesser, ATT, CEO of Advertising and Analytics*

“Generation Z doesn’t just want a seat at the table, we want to flip the table. We have an attention span of 8 seconds.”

*Ziah Ahmed, CEO and Co-Founder of JUV Consulting*

“We’re looking for disclosure on visual images in Instagram that show the connection between the influencer and the product they are promoting. Enforcement actions are coming very soon.”

*Andrew Smith – Federal Trade Commission, Director of Bureau of Consumer Protection*

“Technology chips will be imbedded in the sweater and in the puck. The data it pulls will be fueling the broadcast and will be available for monetizing sports betting.”

*Heidi Browning CMO of National Hockey League*

“We had over fragmented and over specialized, creating a barrier between traditional analog and digital platforms. Everyone in WPP needs to understand technology and how it is transforming business. Creativity remains our secret sauce.”

*Mark Read, CEO, WPP*

Cotton & Company is an industry leader in the marketing, advertising, and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate. Our amazing team of [digital marketing experts](https://cottonco.com/digital-marketing-and-its-impact-on-the-real-estate-industry-a-conversation-with-laurie-andrews/ "Click here to learn more about our digital marketing experts."), creative designers, copywriters, and website developers utilize today’s technology and new media channels to stay ahead of the curve and continue to drive sales success for our real estate clients throughout the world.

To stay up to date with the latest real estate industry news and trends subscribe to our [Cotton Solution Magazine](https://cottonco.com/request-solutions-magazine/ "Click here to get your copy of our Solutions Magazine.") by clicking here or simply fill out the form on this page.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [A Journey of Discovery](https://cottonco.com/a-journey-of-discovery/)

**Published:** January 15, 2020
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

There it was, bigger than life on your computer screen. A magnificent landscape of bright blue skies and rolling desert hills that seemingly merge into the clear blue waters of the Sea of Cortez. The stunning beauty of the Baja actually takes your breath away. What an incredible first impression, but then what?

**Take the Quiz.** A short series of four or five questions are asked about how you would interact with the environment, what level of service you prefer, what activities you are most likely to schedule. Your answers and interactions create a profile of your interests that allows the developer to get to know what’s important to you. When it comes to nurturing a lead, one size certainly does not fit all. Are you in the Baja because you’re a die-hard fisher or a retiree looking for an expensive lifestyle? Will you visit occasionally with family or make the permanent move to be closer to this natural wonderland? Understanding who you are ensures that you receive the appropriate information on who we are and information on the activities that are most important to you.

Strategic follow-up on leads using targeted content can significantly improve the results of real estate marketing campaigns and lead to more sales. Customized video content, personalized emails or digital brochures, and strategic messaging should be integrated into any database lead management system.

Since its inception in 1983, [Cotton & Company](/the-agency/ "Learn more about Cotton & Company") has established itself as a leader in the advertising and sales of luxury real estate, including Country Club communities. In the firm’s 40 years, they’ve encouraged the real estate success of their clients worldwide. By engineering digital strategies with creative insight and unmatched industry expertise, they’ve been able to drive the sales results of some of the biggest names in luxury real estate. [Request a complimentary copy of Solutions magazine](/request-solutions-magazine/ "Request a copy of the Cotton Solutions magazine.") here and see how they’ve been empowering the sales success of more than 1,700 properties.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** azul de cortez, baja, Cotton and Company, Digital Marketing, online quiz, prospects, real estate, sea of cortez

---

### [The Baby Boomer Effect Changes Everything in Discretionary Real Estate](https://cottonco.com/the-baby-boomer-effect-changes-everything-in-discretionary-real-estate/)

**Published:** July 18, 2018
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Revolutionary – it’s the single best word to describe a generation that dramatically changed the way we live in America today. From music, entertainment and fashion, to diverse social and political causes – the Baby Boomers have been shaking things up since the 60s.

Real estate developers have planning for the onslaught of retirees to fill their amenity-rich new home communities for years. After marketing to the Silent Generation for decades, many developers have yet to recognize the drastically different demographic and psychographic profiles of the emerging retiree market.
“Baby Boomers are living longer and seeking new ways to reinvent themselves,” says Stephann Cotton, president of Cotton & Company and Urban Land Institute Member. “They have a completely different attitude about life, and the greatest amount of free time in history of the world. They are looking for places that give them an opportunity to explore, learn and just have fun.”

The Baby Boomer effect is exactly what drove the dramatic repositioning of iStar’s Naples Reserve community in South Naples, Florida. The community was introduced to the competitive Southwest Florida market in an easterly location, pushing the boundaries of the developed area. With more than 1,400 homes to sell and a marginal market acceptance, Cotton & Company was engaged to jumpstart the community’s sales effort and reposition the community for the emerging market.

The new Naples Reserve marketing plan took full advantage of the Boomer’s fresh attitude and financial sensitivity following the downturn. Every aspect of the community was evaluated – amenities, home design, HOA costs, and the brand marketing. The program was targeted at the Boomers who are seeking less golf, more fitness and walking trails, and soft programming that provides an opportunity for lifelong learning, adventure, new hobbies and social interaction.

“We know the Boomers are ready to cash in on their longevity bonus, but they’re looking for something completely different than their parents,” says Laurie Andrews, CMO of Cotton & Company. “We developed Naples Unplugged magazine as a way to showcase the area’s diverse natural adventures, vibrant arts and culture scene and even the best dog-friendly dining and park around.” The magazine, along with a new website and digital marketing program, became the catalyst for promoting the new community tagline “Casually Awesome.”

The comprehensive program was launch in the Fall of 2016 and included a strategic content marketing program, broadcast outreach and multiple on-site events to showcase the new Island Club, welcome center, café, watersports, tropical pools and plans for a dog park and tennis/pickleball center. The laid-back lifestyle was promoted with a playful attitude and highlighted the low-cost HOA.
How did it work out? Naples Reserve’s sales skyrocketed by \_\_\_\_%–achieving the number one sales position in the region. “iStar’s forward thinking is a model for the industry,” noted Cotton. “Although it can be difficult to make such a dramatic shift from the status quo, developers must be focused on the next generation of homebuyers when evaluating land plans, amenities and membership programs. It’s no longer an option.”

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** baby boomer real estate, baby boomers, real estate, real estate trends

---

### [The 3 Best Reasons to Buy a Home in 2018 (but You'd Better Hurry)](https://cottonco.com/the-3-best-reasons-to-buy-a-home-in-2018-but-youd-better-hurry/)

**Published:** January 7, 2018
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

##  Figuring out when to plunge into the real estate market can be quite intimidating—especially when prices are high, choices are limited, and history urges restraint.

> *“We’ve seen two or three years of what could be considered unsustainable levels of price appreciation, as well as an inventory shortage that resulted in a record-low number of homes for sale across the country,” says Javier Vivas, director of economic research for realtor.com®. “When you factor those together, you have a market that has to either explode or see some relief.”*

### New predictions for 2018 forecast more moderate gains in home prices and rising inventory levels, while low unemployment and record levels of consumer confidence mean more buyers are feeling good about their finances.

A lot depends on where you live (and how much you plan to finance), but these factors combined could mean 2018 will be your year to take the buying plunge.

#### **1. Rates are going up**

After years of record-low interest rates (hello, 3%!), the Fed is finally making some noticeable increases: The rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage broke the 4% mark last year. And with economic growth continuing to carry momentum, Vivas predicts we’ll see at least two to four more rate increases throughout 2018. Rates are anticipated to hit 5% by the end of the year.

> “The big story there is that those increases will further constrict affordability,” Vivas says. “The more buyers wait, the more expensive it will get to buy—not just because of home prices, but because of inflationary pressure.”

In other words, if you want in on the American dream, now might be the time.

#### **2. Prices are climbing, but not crazily fast**

Home prices have soared over the past few years, pricing otherwise well-positioned buyers out of high-cost areas and leading some experts to cry “bubble”. But in 2018, price increases are expected to moderate.

Vivas forecasts a home price increase of 3.2% year over year, after finishing 2017 with a 5.5% year-over-year increase. Existing-home sale prices are predicted to increase 2.5% year over year.

Of course, it all depends on where you live. While red-hot markets such as San Francisco are predicted to finally lose some steam, sales numbers and home prices are poised to climb in Southern states such as Texas and Florida, where economic momentum continues chugging along and new construction is happening in the right price points.

So what does that mean? Basically, home prices will still increase, but not at the same pace as they have over the past few years.

#### **3. Inventory levels will begin to increase**

An inventory shortage has plagued the U.S. housing market since 2015, forcing some buyers to settle (a tiny house with linoleum floors for $1 million, anyone?) and keeping others out of the buying game entirely. But by fall 2018, the tides will begin to turn, with markets such as Boston; Detroit; and Nashville, TN, recovering first.

The majority of inventory growth will happen in the middle- to upper-tier price point, in the ranges of $350,000 and $750,000 and above $750,000, Vivas predicts.

New home construction is also expected to expand. But that will happen slowly, thanks to a constricted labor market, limitations on the amount of lots and land that’s available, tight bank financing for building loans, and a run-up in building material prices, says National Association of Home Builders chief economist Robert Dietz.

> *“It’s been a slow climb back from the recession, and now we’re confronting all of these limiting factors and supply-side constraints,” Dietz says.*

It’s particularly tough, he says, for builders to break ground at the entry level for first-time buyers, particularity in high-cost coastal markets such as California. That means it will take longer for those inventory levels to recover.

But there’s a bright spot: Builder confidence is at its highest level since 1999, according to the NAHB. And that means hope is on the horizon.

> *“As we head into 2019 and beyond, we expect to see the inventory increases take hold and provide relief for first-timers and drive sales growth,” Vivas says.*

##### **The wildcard: Taxes and politics**

When the Republican tax plan was introduced, the proposed elimination of the mortgage interest deduction was all anyone could talk about: While the new limitations on the deduction will affect only 2.5% of all existing mortgages in the U.S., it will have a disproportionate effect on Western markets, where 20% to 30% of mortgages are above the new threshold, according to Vivas.

Across the board, experts agree that the new tax plan decreases incentives for homeownership and reduces the tax benefits of owning a home—particularly in highly taxed, expensive markets such as California, Illinois, New York, and New Jersey. But on the flip side, that means that if fewer folks are motivated to buy, then there’s less competition for those who want in the game. Plus, some taxpayers—including renters—will see a tax cut. That increase in buyers’ disposable income could spur demand from folks who are looking to build equity as a homeowner, rather than flushing away their savings in rent.

> *“Buying remains the more attractive option in the long term—that remains the American dream, and it’s true in many markets where renting has become really the shortsighted option,” Vivas says. “As people get more savings in their pocket, buying becomes the better option.”*

For more articles like like this, please [subscribe to Compendium](https://cottonco.com/contact/ "Click here to subscribe to The Cotton Compendium.")– Latest Real Estate News Provided by Cotton & Company.

Content Courtesy of [Realtor.com](https://www.realtor.com/advice/buy/reasons-to-buy-a-home-in-2018/?identityID=59bed5a8ca9a5dfd71054164&MID=2018_0105_WeeklyNL&RID=4522464522&cid=eml-2017-0105-WeeklyNL-blog_1_bestreasonstobuyahome2018-blogs_trends "Click here for the original content.")

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Buy a home

---

### [One Thousand Ocean hosts Unicorn Children’s Foundation Supporters at a VIP Reception](https://cottonco.com/one-thousand-ocean-hosts-unicorn-childrens-foundation-supporters-at-a-vip-reception/)

**Published:** April 26, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

BOCA RATON, Fla. – When the Unicorn Children’s Foundation put out a call for ‘high rollers,” you can bet they responded in droves.

Those words, printed on an invitation to a Unicorn VIP casino preview party at One Thousand Ocean, resulted in a turnout approximately three times of what the not-for-profit organization had anticipated: nearly 170 guests. It could have been because the evening’s entertainment was casino gaming lessons as a prelude to Unicorn’s Denim, Diamond and Dice Casino event just weeks away at a country club in Boca Raton. Or it might have been the One Thousand Ocean venue itself, located on the tip of a private peninsula where the Boca Inlet meets the ocean and Lake Boca Raton.

Along with participating in “play” gaming lessons, guests explored the spaces inside and out of the condominium building’s largest penthouse. They enjoyed libations and delectable hors d’oeuvres, purchased raffle tickets and bid on live auction items, with a portion of the proceeds from merchandise sales being donated back to Unicorn. The occasion also provided the opportunity for Unicorn to recognize its annual award recipients and generous sponsors.

Jamie Telchin, LXR Luxury Resort’s president of development, was pleased to have One Thousand Ocean host the VIP reception, even though he had to miss the party because he was in Manhattan filming the final segment of an upcoming episode of HGTV’s “Selling New York.” It will feature a top New York City real estate firm referring clients to One Thousand Ocean.

Standing in for Telchin at the reception was Stephann Cotton, broker for LXR Realty, LLC, who spoke briefly about One Thousand Ocean’s notable success. “To date, just 15 of 52 residences remain. There have been 37 closings to date as well as three resales for higher prices than their originally purchase amounts. The year has been remarkable for this truly unique building.” Cotton then introduced the sales associates, who stood ready to take interested guests on tours of two furnished model residences.

Cotton also acknowledged and applauded the outstanding work that the Unicorn Children’s Foundation does in assisting children and young adults with developmental, communication and learning disorders to lead productive and fulfilling lives.

For further information about Unicorn Children’s Foundation, visit www.unicornchildrensfoundation.org or call 561-620-9377. For further information about One Thousand Ocean, visit www.onethousandocean.com or call (561) 869-5000.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Las Vegas Lifestyle, Attractive Prices Propel 38 Sales at Veer Towers Since February 2013](https://cottonco.com/las-vegas-lifestyle-attractive-prices-propel-38-sales-at-veer-towers-since-february-2013/)

**Published:** May 6, 2013
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

LAS VEGAS, NV–(Marketwired – May 06, 2013) – Condominiums are selling again in Las Vegas. A prime location and new prices at Veer Towers are drawing buyers who spent $19 million on residences in just three months.

“We jumped out of the gate with strong sales from California, Toronto and elsewhere,” said Mark Pordes, CEO of Pordes Residential Sales & Marketing. “The Las Vegas condo market has been weak for years, but now we’re bringing people back.”

Pordes Residential launched sales in February. The residences were put on the market at prices that reflect the current reality in Las Vegas, in which values now are about half what they were in 2008. Buyers purchased 38 residences during the initial quarter.

Some condominium projects failed and others came to a halt when the real estate market crashed, Pordes said. “We took a new sales approach to Veer Towers that has resonated with buyers from Southern California, Asia, Miami and Toronto.”

“People are choosing Veer Towers because it is in the heart of the Strip and CityCenter,” said Jim Navarro, Vice President of Sales for Pordes Residential. “They love the fact that fine restaurants, gaming, entertainment and culture are just steps away from their residences.”

CityCenter, a $9 billion playground, features ARIA Resort & Casino, The Shops at Crystals luxury shopping mall and entertainment district, Vdara Hotel & Spa, and Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas. Veer Towers sits at the center of the action. Its residents have a panoramic view of the city from each of the two 37-story towers. They enjoy rooftop entertainment areas that feature an infinity pool, plus secured elevators, 24-hour security and private vehicle entrances.

Studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom condominiums are initially priced from $230,000 to over $2.3 million, he said. Residences can be custom decorated or purchased fully furnished. Pordes Residential offers a special Carefree Rental program in which owners who want a hands-off situation can earn rental income without having to manage their property.

Opening pricing is being offered for a limited time during the first phase of sales. The Las Vegas sales gallery of Pordes Residential is open every day and members of the sales team can be reached at 702-748-8285. The Miami sales gallery on Brickell Avenue serves buyers and brokers from South Florida and Latin America and members of that sales team can be reached at 305-290-3375.

ABOUT PORDES RESIDENTIAL SALES & MARKETING

Pordes Residential Sales & Marketing sells, markets and invests in unique residential condominium opportunities. The company has globally marketed Florida luxury condominiums, including Canyon Ranch Living Miami Beach and One Bal Harbour, where Pordes Residential made its last bulk buy. The company works with developers and third-party lenders to reposition residential projects. Outside of Florida, the firm has partnered with developers in Las Vegas and the Caribbean.

For more information contact Julie Talenfeld at (954) 370-8999 or jtalenfeld@boardroompr.com.

[Click here to view original article](http://online.wsj.com/ "Original article.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Executives - Unplugged: What do they do when they go 'off the grid?' Casting Aside Business](https://cottonco.com/executives-unplugged-what-do-they-do-when-they-go-off-the-grid-casting-aside-business/)

**Published:** September 26, 2010
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Walter R. Franklin, 63, director of interactive services at the Cotton & Co. ad agency in Stuart, sits in front of a 27-inch iMac monitor 10 hours a day.

His iPhone is a lifeline for the other 14 hours. He disconnects on Saturday mornings by learning the intricacies of fly rod casting on Hutchinson Island in Martin County. Franklin says the focus is on muscle control and movement rather than on intellectual acumen. “A sense of competition against oneself evolves as the number of successful casts increases. Going from one successful cast out of 20 to one out of 10 provides a feeling of accomplishment.”

**Setting Parameters**

Recently back home after taking the red eye from Las Vegas, Cheryl Whitman, founder of Beautiful Forever Aesthetic Business Consulting, took the day off to decompress from a business trip.

Whitman, who founded her consulting firm 15 years ago, helps physicians add aesthetic services to their existing medical practices. She balances a heavy travel and lecture schedule with webinar training and phone conferences for clients from her Parkland home office — an extension to her home with a separate entrance.

Sometimes disconnecting is as simple as putting her BlackBerry in another room so she doesn’t see the message light flashing, or not plugging in her laptop. Basics like a nutritious (pescatarian) meal, a glass of wine and relaxing with family fit the bill.

“It’s hard to unplug. You definitely get addicted, so I try to take care of myself.”

For Whitman, 52, being able to take a phone call on the deck by the pool overlooking the lake helps.

**Sun and Games**

Slade Sundar, 30, is a self-described “tech addict” who admits he might be overconnected. He has a computer in his kitchen, bedroom, even the garage (for when he’s working on his car). He has 24/7 access to his computer files no matter where he is. He stays connected socially and professionally through Twitter, Facebook and multiple e-mail accounts.

When it’s time to unplug, Sundar, director of digital communications for the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, likes to lose himself in video games. He prefers solo play to multiplayer/online games, and complex strategy. His current favorite: “Prototype.” “It’s something that’s so complex. You have to focus. It really sucks me away from the world.”

When he really wants to unplug, Sundar hits the beach, just two miles from his home. He likes to swim out far and just float, and think. “I feel like I need to mentally tell myself that it’s OK to do nothing,” he says.

[Click here to view original article](http://www.floridatrend.com/article/3690/executives--unplugged "Click here for original article.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Cotton & Company Signs Agency Agreement With International Conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa Limited](https://cottonco.com/cotton-company-signs-agency-agreement-with-international-conglomerate-hutchison-whampoa-limited/)

**Published:** October 22, 2007
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Stuart, FL (October 22, 2007) Cotton & Company has signed a contract with Hutchison (Development) Bahamas, a division of Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL) to manage the advertising, marketing, sales and public relations for a luxury resort project at Silver Point on Grand Bahama Island.

“Recognition by this prestigious international business corporation is a tremendous opportunity for Cotton & Company to showcase our abilities worldwide”, said Cotton & Company president and founder Stephann Cotton. “It is an honor to be working with this distinguished organization.”

The global heft of HWL signals sure success for this proposed enclave of 120 ocean front marina residences each with a private dock is located just 70 miles east of Palm Beach, Florida on Grand Bahama Island. HWL already commands an impressive stake on Grand Bahama including co-ownership of Grand Bahama International Airport, Freeport Harbor Company and Freeport Container Port. The Company is also fifty percent owner of the Grand Bahama Development Company (DEVCO).

**About Cotton & Company**
Founded in 1983, Cotton & Company is a full service marketing, advertising and public relations agency specializing in developing comprehensive real estate sales and marketing campaigns from initial site planning through final closeout. With more than 60 associates, Cotton & Company has overseen marketing responsibilities for over 1500 communities including sales launch and international campaigns for clients throughout the United States, Mexico, The Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos. Cotton & Co is recognized as the leader in state-of-the-art technology e-marketing solutions for the luxury residential and resort real estate industry.

**About Hutchison Whampoa Limited**
Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL) is a leading international corporation committed to innovation and technology with businesses spanning the globe. Its diverse array of holdings range from some of the world’s biggest port operators and retailers to property development and infrastructure to the most technologically-advanced and marketing-savvy telecommunications operators. HWL reports turnover of approximately HKD268 billion (USD34 billion) and HKD141 billion (USD18 billion) for the year ended 31 December 2006 and for the un-audited results for the six months ended 30 June 2007 respectively. With operations in 55 countries and over 220,000 employees worldwide, Hutchison has five core businesses – ports and related services; property and hotels; retail; energy, infrastructure, investments and others; and telecommunications.

Landmark properties in the real estate portfolio include the 62-story Cheung Kong Center in the Central district of Hong Kong, the Oriental Plaza in Beijing, and The Center in Shanghai. In addition, the HWL through DEVCO owns over 72000acres on Grand Bahama Island and wholly owns the Silver Point property and the Our Lucaya Beach and Golf Resort.

For more information about Hutchison Whampoa, visit: http://www.hutchison-whampoa.com

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Cotton & Company Experiencing Real Estate Rebound Market Activity Sparks Increased Demand for Services](https://cottonco.com/cotton-company-experiencing-real-estate-rebound-market-activity-sparks-increased-demand-for-services/)

**Published:** June 8, 2009
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

STUART, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Cotton and Company announced today a significant increase in their national real estate marketing accounts.

The firm views these additions as signs of overall recovery for the real estate sector. The following national accounts have been added to their growing client roster within the last month: The Mark, San Diego, CA; Quail West, Naples, FL; Landmark, Palm Beach Gardens, FL.

“The growth we’re experiencing is clearly a sign of recovery. Property owners are re-entering a real estate market that’s been stalled for the past 18 months; mortgages are at historic lows and pricing has leveled off at 2004 prices. Homebuyers are also recognizing the significant value that exists now.”

Chief Operating Officer, Laurie Andrews, explains, “The growth we’re experiencing is clearly a sign of recovery. Property owners are re-entering a real estate market that’s been stalled for the past 18 months; mortgages are at historic lows and pricing has leveled off at 2004 prices. Homebuyers are also recognizing the significant value that exists now.”

Cotton & Company is a leading real estate advertising firm that for over the past three decades has earned an unsurpassed national reputation for effective, performance-based real estate marketing.

CEO, Stephann Cotton says, “Energy issues are shaping the way new communities are being developed. Sustainability will continue to play a critical role in the new projects. Babcock Ranch, Florida’s first totally solar-powered community is experiencing tremendous interest from homeowners who want to live in a zero-carbon footprint community.” Cotton adds, “Acquisitions and financing logistics remain a challenge for investors seeking capital to fund new resorts and communities. The best values are found in communities where inventory levels remain high, and the landowner is carrying the taxes and maintenance. Lenders are also looking to move these assets off of their books and this has created real value in today’s environment.”

**About Cotton & Company**

Cotton & Company is an award-winning real estate marketing firm that has represented more than 1,500 communities including: custom estate, master planned, multi-family, resort and spa destinations. Cotton & Company also manages marketing programs for destination clubs, the marina industry, tourism and corporate portfolios.

**Categories:** Press

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### [Cotton & Company Debuts The Cotton Solution at Urban Land Institute Fall Meeting In Las Vegas](https://cottonco.com/cotton-company-debuts-the-cotton-solution-at-urban-land-institute-fall-meeting-in-las-vegas/)

**Published:** October 24, 2007
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Las Vegas, Nevada (October 24, 2007) The Cotton Solution, a new website designed to provide developers an unparalleled level of intelligence in understanding today’s real estate buyer, made it’s debut today at the Fall Meeting of the Urban Land Institute in Las Vegas.

Presented by Cotton & Company president and founder Stephann Cotton, this proprietary suite of tools combines Cotton’s 30-plus years of industry knowledge and expertise with the very latest industry technologies.

Designed to drive bottom line results, The Cotton Solution guides integrated advertising, interactive, public relations and sales disciplines through buyer research derived from internet-based data management systems. Now, for the first time ever, access to real-time buyer insight is available exclusively from Cotton & Company.

By capturing real time market data, The Cotton Solution has the dexterity to nimbly respond to market variables thereby keeping the sales and marketing plan on course.

“Combining advertising and public relations campaigns with state-of-the-art interactive tools supported by a professional sales organization has resulted in solid success for more than 1500 communities over the last three decades,” says Cotton & Company COO Laurie Andrews. “The Cotton Solution allows us to combine the talents of our creative teams with our extensive in-house databases, industry knowledge and leading-edge technology to achieve maximum market share for our clients.”

“The Cotton Solution format provides a visual analysis illustrating the significance of each part to the whole project, “ adds Creative Director Steve North.

Cotton & Company is a full service advertising and public relations agency, specializing in comprehensive real estate marketing campaigns from initial site planning through final closeout. With more than 60 associates, Cotton & Company has overseen marketing responsibilities for over 1500 communities including sales launch and international campaigns for clients throughout the United States, Mexico, The Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos. Cotton & Co is recognized as the leader in technology e-marketing solutions for the luxury residential and resort real estate industry.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [5 Reasons Why Hiring A Digital Advertising Agency with Real Estate Experience Will Benefit You](https://cottonco.com/5-reasons-why-hiring-a-digital-advertising-agency-with-real-estate-experience-will-benefit-you/)

**Published:** September 16, 2016
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Digital Marketing is increasingly responsible for more and more. More productivity, more effectiveness, more leads, more sales, etc. Real Estate Marketing teams are feeling strapped with limited resources and smaller budgets. If you keep your entire marketing strategy in-house, you could wind up spending your entire budget on payroll and still not have all of the skill sets needed, on the other hand, if you hire a real estate advertising agency, quality and control might become concerns. With real estate being one of the last industries to jump onto the digital advertising band wagon, few marketing agencies have the strategic experience to put today’s technology to work for selling homes. Cotton & Company combines 30 years of luxury real estate marketing experience with the intellect of its digital savvy, forward-thinking real estate advertising professionals. The results are tangible:

1. More than just marketing expertise – The marketing skills gap is very real, and 75% of marketers say their lack of skills impacts revenue in some way. We can help you bridge this gap and provide a team that have education and experience…specifically in the luxury real estate market.
2. You want to manage costs – When you hire a good agency, that team should provide a wide-range of strategic, tactical, and technology skills. Getting full resources of not only one, but many digital marketers on the agencies team will give you a much more costly approach to a full-functioning team.
3. Access to the latest technology – A performance-based marketing agency that can provide you guidance as well as implementation service and support are extremely valuable. Marketing tools increase efficiency, productivity, and performance. There are tools you can find for free or of little cost, but often they are limited on producing results. But performance-driven agencies give you access to premium-level services, software, and analytical data reports.
4. Your existing staff becomes more efficient – Having peace of mind and releasing some of the burden helps your own staff thing more outside the box. Projects that might fall to the way-side or get buried, suddenly have new vigor and get done.
5. Benefiting from an outside perspective – It’s easy to lose sight of the big picture. Sometimes you can get too close to your business and not see your marketing strategies, programs, or materials from your audience’s perspective. Even though you may know your business from the inside out, your perspective is still one-sided. Cotton & Company has been doing this successfully for years. We are adept to change not only on the development and real estate side of things, but also to the newest and best technology.

When you are hiring a real estate advertising agency, you should be looking for senior executives who are recognized as industry leaders – in good times and bad. They must be supported by a professional team with a wide-range of skill sets and knowledge on all aspects of the sales process. Take a look at all of our [capabilities](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "Click here to learn more about the capabilities of Cotton & Company.") as an agency and partner in your development process. Over the past four decades, Cotton & Company has focused exclusively on the unique challenges of the real estate industry. No other company delivers a more focused perspective, a more insightful strategy, a more innovative methodology, or a more integrated and efficient program.

**Categories:** Media

**Tags:** digital marketing agency, luxury real estate advertising agency

---

### [Brand View](https://cottonco.com/brand-view/)

**Published:** October 1, 2008
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

It always seems to be the negative headlines that attract most attention. OPP asks branding professionals how agents and developers should handle a PR crisis and if the media agenda is the same in different countries

In last month’s news, OPP reported on Bulgarian agency Albany Properties winning a defamation and libel case against a UK newspaper, the Daily Express. This followed the paper running a story called: “Nightmare for Britons buying their dream homes abroad”, in which it mentioned several alleged reports of corrupt dealings by agents operating in Bulgaria – but mentioned only one company, Albany Properties. The agent received an unreserved apology and an undisclosed sum of money from the Daily Express. Its managing director, George St. Clare, told OPP that, despite the year-long battle to clear his name, he would turn around and do it again because, in the current economic climate, all that some companies have to stand out from their competitors is their brand and personal reputation.

As the economic climate gets tougher, OPP has heard more and more accounts of buyers trying to back out of purchases because they can no longer afford them. And, when the vendor does not accept this, disgruntled clients have threatened to ‘go to the press’.

Bearing in mind online PR expert Alan Rothstein’s ‘80/20’’ theory that 80% of sales come from 20% of a brand’s customers (the loyal ones), it leads us to ask what property companies can do to combat negative press coverage and keep their clients. How can they make their brands as robust (internationally) as possible in times of trouble?

**Getting sleat-ed**
Although Albany Properties won its own case, taking things to court is, generally, not always the best solution for protecting your reputation. As Alan Sleator, managing director of Wonderful PR (whose clients have been large overseas property developers and high profi le supermarket chains), notes, “threatening journalists with legal action – especially national newspaper and TV journalists – usually only results in a flood of even more bad publicity, as well as a large legal bill for little or no return. Of course, serious libels must be acted upon, but you have to be absolutely sure that the fundamental core of the story is untrue, and be prepared for the original allegations to be reported widely again as the court case continues”.

So, if legal action is not always the best way to confront a kicking by the media, what can be done?

First, here’s what not to do: “If you’re attracting negative press, the worst thing you can do is go to ground and refuse to answer questions,” continues Sleator.

“The public will interpret your silence as confirmation that there is something to hide and assume that what the journalist is saying is true. This will cause huge damage to your brand. You are also throwing away the chance to put forward your side of the story, which you should always do, regardless of circumstance. Hiding may also \[depending on the scale of the article\] prompt a journalist or TV crew to turn up uninvited on your doorstep – making a great picture for them, but putting you in an impossible light regardless of what
you do or say. So, doing nothing is not an option.

Fighting back | In recent months, more property companies have acted to counter unfair media coverage

“Instead, swiftly issue a written statement, announcing a full-scale WORDS | Helen Dutton inquiry with the promise that if any wrong is found, action will be taken. Your customers can forgive mistakes – we all make them occasionally – however they will want to see you take action immediately. They will also want to see an intention to put wrongs right. Unless you are absolutely certain of your ground, avoid granting interviews. A written
statement will give you time to produce a more considered response. But do so quickly. If you do give an interview, be sure to record it to ensure it is reported accurately. This is
for everyone’s benefit.”

**A world of difference**

Thankfully, getting a bashing by the press is an extreme. The biggest challenge for everyone at this time is getting your brand onto an international platform. With the British market being, traditionally, a big market for pitching foreign property – particularly for products across Europe and the States, agents and developers have traditionaly focused their PR activity heavily on the UK press. But now, when more businesses are finding the need to diversify, should firms approach the media in other countries in the same way?

The answer is ‘not necessarily’. PR in Russia and the CIS for example, is a very different discipline. In the UK, PR is part of a company’s management strategy and is essential for building the sales brand, according to Jeremy Dodd, a property PR professional with Russian agency RLS Public Relations. However, he adds: “In Russia it \[PR\] is too often seen as propaganda, or a concerted attempt to put across a misleading impression of a company or its services. The difference is, the UK media is fiercely independent editorially, often with a strong campaigning ethic and the role of a PR consultant is to act as a gobetween. As consumers become more demanding in Russia, requiring more accurate information that precisely meets their needs, then journalists will respond accordingly.”

In America, firms can expect to see increased, positive coverage for their developments if they “align their projects with the best and brightest talent, which always creates strong opportunities”, says Laurie Andrews, COO of Florida-based agency Cotton and Company. “Who are your architects? Are any of the financial backers interesting and happy to go on record for the project? Who is doing the interior design? Does the project benefit the public sector as well as the private interests? How so?” she asks. “The travel and real estate industries are crossing paths in ways they never did before due to individual ownership opportunities of branded resort properties. This kind of coverage will increase. As will real estate as an investment – how to invest, what to avoid and what to pursue – this is always a hot topic, especially now.

“Buyer expectation’ is also receiving a lot of attention in North American media.”

However, PR and branding has only just started gaining momentum in Asia, according to Sandeep Juneja, MD of Malaysian PR agency Sandeep Juneja & Associates. He believes most companies, especially in the property sector, have had very little understanding of what public relations really is. He observes: “The Chinese, who predominately control much of the industry in Asia, have traditionally been less expressive as people, so to many – especially the senior industry leaders – branding and public relations represents boastfulness and ‘fluff’.

This is, however, changing fast in an increasingly competitive and innovative environment.” Whether the PR battle lies in reversing negative press coverage or reaching out to a more finely tuned international buyer, agents and developers need to keep one thing robust and steadfast – their brand.

Without this brand loyalty, you could find that those 20% of loyal customers will lose sight of what they’re buying into and promptly switch to a competitor.

“Whether the PR battle lies in reversing negative coverage or reaching out to more buyers, one thing needs to be kept robust and steadfast” – the company brand

[Click here to view original article](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/OPP_BrandView.indd_.pdf "Click here for the original article.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [4 Baby Boomer Housing Trends to Watch](https://cottonco.com/4-baby-boomer-housing-trends-to-watch/)

**Published:** November 11, 2015
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

The baby boomer generation is more active than generations past, has a more sophisticated style and wants options and choices in their homes. Whether they are selling the homes where they raised their children and heading to sunnier pastures, or buying a second home to accommodate their retired lifestyle, boomers are making an impact on housing trends.

1. **They want to lower their housing expenses.** Many boomers look forward to moving to a smaller house or condo in warm weather to free up equity to pay for travel or other extra expenses they know they’ll face at some point in the years ahead. Peninsula on the Intracoastal in Boynton Beach provides luxury condos and townhomes with Palm Beach waterfront views offering boomers a better value for their money.
2. **Boomers want more convenience.** Less maintenance, less work and less worry. Most boomers have been there, done that with older homes. They want modern appliances, spacious kitchens, good views, and fresh, new décor. Residents of Alteza above the Grand Hyatt have breathtaking views of downtown San Antonio with floor to ceiling windows, a contemporary designed home and 24-hour concierge services.
3. **They want a walkable neighborhood.**Boomers have spent half their lives in the car, commuting to work and ferrying kids around. Now many want to live on a block with a grocery store and restaurant. The new Alton community in Palm Beach Gardens combines the best in recreation, business, convenience and residential living. Florida’s warm weather allows residents of Alton to walk and bike year round for all their needs.
4. **They want to be social.**  Neighborhoods with a clubhouse allow boomers to easily stay social and make new friends. Mizner Country Club in the Boca Raton/Delray area features a 42,000 sf clubhouse, Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course, and a packed events calendar. With more time on their hands from retirement, boomers want a clubhouse for member dining, hospitality and entertainment.

Boomers expect to sell their old home and move to new quarters, which may be less expensive, more comfortable and more appropriate for their new stage of life as retired empty nesters. As home builders continue to prepare for boomer housing needs, it is important to note that these home buyers have more discretionary income than any other generation in the history of the United States.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** baby boomer real estate, baby boomer trends, developing real estate for baby boomers, empty nesters, real estate trends

---

### [2015 – The Year of the VUE in Sarasota](https://cottonco.com/2015-the-year-of-the-vue-in-sarasota/)

**Published:** December 30, 2015
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

It’s been a banner year for Kolter Urban in Downtown Sarasota. With Cotton & Company’s marketing support, the 141-unit luxury residential property has achieved $170 Million in presales, representing nearly 95% sellout. Upon completion, this luxury condominium will be located on the shores of Sarasota Bay. The iconic, modern designed building broke the all sales records for the region, promoting a walkable downtown lifestyle in high demand with today’s empty nesters.

Construction on the landmark project is scheduled for completion in late 2016. Less than a dozen residences remain including tower residences starting at $1.5 million and a limited penthouse opportunities from $2.9 million.

“The project’s overwhelming sales success demonstrates the market demand for a contemporary modern design in this prime downtown location,” says Bob Vail, Kolter Urban president. “Those buyers who think they can wait for the building to be complete may miss their window of opportunity.”

VUE Sarasota Bay’s record-breaking sales pace was driven by an aggressive marketing campaign that included a multi-channel approach including television, digital/social marketing, direct mail and limited print media. The comprehensive marketing plan was implemented by Cotton & Company, a Florida-based marketing firm specializing in luxury residential real estate. Michael Saunders & Company is the community’s exclusive sales representative. Kolter’s VUE Sarasota Bay also benefitted from a growing national trend with baby boomers favoring walkable urban lifestyles. Sarasota was rated the #1 American city for health and wellbeing, and the VUE’s private amenities were in keeping with the national trends.

To learn more about the program developed by Cotton & Company, [click here.](https://cottonco.com/works/vue/ "Click here to learn more about The Cotton Solution.")

**Categories:** Press

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### [2012 Cotton Report: Real Estate Market Bottom Reached in 2011](https://cottonco.com/2012-cotton-report-real-estate-market-bottom-reached-in-2011/)

**Published:** March 7, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The US real estate market has been under pressure since the downturn in 2005, but a national research survey now shows a market recovery may be underway and the bottom may have been reached in 2011 for bargain-seeking investors.

The 2012 Cotton Report is the fourth annual survey focusing on buyer confidence and attitudes about market recovery of roughly 1,400 individuals pursuing a real estate purchase. The survey was conducted in February 2012, by Cotton & Company, an industry leader in residential real estate sales and marketing.

Laurie Andrews, COO of Cotton & Company, explains, “Over the past several years, the primary market has been relatively stagnant throughout the country, and the lack of mortgage availability was outweighed by a pessimistic buyer sentiment.” Andrews says, “The 2012 data indicates that 54% of the respondents in the market are seeking a primary residence, with 67% of these buyers requiring mortgage financing.” The three-year trend of the survey reflects a more optimistic viewpoint on non-controllable political and economic factors, with a substantial increase of personal choice as the primary factor in their decision. The data also reflects a decrease in respondents who are waiting for better pricing, demonstrating the stabilization of pricing throughout many markets.

“For those who have been waiting to make their move, trying to time the bottom of the market, they may have already missed it,” says Stephann Cotton, President and Founder of Cotton & Company. “2011 saw rapid absorption of distressed inventory in major markets like Miami and San Diego. The Cotton Report’s market data supports this growing perception, with a steady reduction in the number of investors actively in the market and fewer buyers expecting for further price reductions.” The market statistics combined with reduced inventory levels spell good news for real estate developers with projects in the pipeline preparing to meet the pent-up demand from the market rebound.

2012 Cotton Report Findings

— 54% of the market is seeking primary housing, rising sharply from 38% a year ago

— 32% of the primary market is “Upsizing”, reversing the trend for smaller residences

— 66% of vacation home buyers are moving for “Geographic Relocation”, with 68% of this market ages 45-64 years old

— 33% must sell their current home to make a move, a reduction from 42% a year ago

— Only 12% of survey participants state “Investment/Rental Income” as their motivation, continuing a four-year steady decline from 23% in 2009.

— 53% of the respondents with over $100,000 household income believe we have reached the bottom of the market

For the first time in its history, The Cotton Report also analyzed the impact of technology on the real estate sales environment. Although the Internet captures 70% of the market as the initial research tool for available homes, newspapers rebounded from 3% share in 2009 to 8% in 2011, a further indicator of the primary market return. Social networks have reached critical mass with Facebook interaction now encompassing 66% of the overall respondents. More importantly, 78% of the Facebook respondents were over age 45, indicating the significant penetration into the mainstream residential real estate market. While 54% of the respondents indicated their communication with family and friends happens via telephone, 39% indicated email as the primary point of contact. Bad news for the US Post Office as only 1 respondent out of 1,418 indicated the use of traditional mail for this purpose.

About Cotton & Company

Over the past 29 years, Cotton & Company has managed the marketing and/or sales for over 1,600 communities and resort destinations throughout the US, Caribbean, and Latin America, while providing consulting services for European developers. The company focuses exclusively on the real estate industry, offering the most comprehensive data-driven sales and marketing services available in the country. For further information and a copy of the full report, visit www.cottonco.com.

**https://www.marketwatch.com/**

**Categories:** Press

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### [2010 Cotton Report: Investors and Relocation Driving Market Recovery](https://cottonco.com/2010-cotton-report-investors-and-relocation-driving-market-recovery/)

**Published:** April 5, 2010
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The Cotton Report’s latest survey focused on buyer confidence and attitudes about market recovery among roughly 1,000 individuals pursuing real estate purchases.

As a follow up to the 2009 Cotton Report, the latest survey produced measurable year-to-year transition in the market.

“The current transactional marketplace is made up of investors capitalizing on foreclosures and primary homebuyers relocating. The second home and vacation home market has retracted and lifestyle buyers are delaying purchases”

Laurie Andrews, COO of Cotton & Company, explains, “The current transactional marketplace is made up of investors capitalizing on foreclosures and primary homebuyers relocating. The second home and vacation home market has retracted and lifestyle buyers are delaying purchases,” Andrews adds, “We anticipate increased momentum in 6-12 months — inventory will be absorbed, buyers will return to the market, best case scenario.”

**2010 Cotton Report Results**

- 44% of survey participants are currently considering a real estate purchase, up 8% from the 2009 Cotton Report
- 60% of the market does not feel we have hit bottom yet
- 42% must sell their current home to make a move, an increase of 13% from 2009
- % of survey participants plan to purchase within 6–12 months, up 25% from 2009
- 56% seek primary home, 40% investment, only 4% are seeking a vacation home
- An increase of 5% in those who are “downsizing”, doubling those indicating a need to “upsize”

According to Stephann Cotton, President of Cotton & Company, “We know that once consumers feel the economy has stabilized, people who have been shopping for investments will make their purchases and this should happen over the next two years.” Cotton adds, ““Real estate developers and property owners who are out of the market will miss enormous opportunities.”

**About Cotton & Company**

Cotton & Company is an award-winning real estate marketing firm that has represented more than 1,500 communities including: custom estate, master planned, multi-family, resort and spa destinations. Cotton & Company also manages marketing programs for destination clubs, the marina industry, tourism and corporate portfolios.

[For the full report click here](/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/TheCottonReport2010.pdf "Click here for The Cotton Report.")

**Categories:** Press

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### [Working Magic With Multimedia](https://cottonco.com/working-magic-with-multimedia/)

**Published:** August 26, 2006
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

STUART – From his darkened office in a bougainvillea-shrouded building not far from downtown, Steve North has a bird’s-eye view of the other side of state.

As pop-operatic music rises from his desktop speakers, he’s soaring above hundred’s of Naples rooftops, glimpsing unspoiled golf-course greens and ducking into an imposing clubhouse.

[Click here to view original article](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/cottonco-ago-28-2006.pdf "Click here for the original article.")

**Categories:** Press

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### [Why Social Media Marketing Works for Real Estate](https://cottonco.com/why-social-media-marketing-works-for-real-estate/)

**Published:** January 14, 2013
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

If you’ve been keeping up then you know that the final choice in the homebuyer’s decision-making process is most highly influenced by emotions. And for this reason, as real estate marketers, we must focus on lifestyle selling.

Once you understand how important the lifestyle sell is to real estate, it then becomes increasingly clear why social marketing fits the bill. Here’s how:

People love sharing exciting news about their lives on Facebook. This is the most natural place for buyers to showcase their new home purchase to their friends. The simple nature of sharing online and connecting with your closest friends and family falls perfectly in line with referral marketing. Never before was there such an easy way to reach out to the 200 friends of your most recent buyers with a message about your community.

The fuel to Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and many others is photography. And the good photos spread virally throughout the network, generally to like-minded people. What better way to share your community, amenity, construction and event photos with potential prospects?

Part of the lifestyle of any real estate community is also the activities and places available within the surrounding area. Highlighting restaurants, parks, stadiums, shopping centers, theaters, etc. only helps to sell your community as the place to live. Within social media, we can develop affiliate programs with these groups to offer a behind-the-scenes glance at what life in that city is all about.

Having a social online profile helps build a personality for your brand. There’s a chance that your buyers live a distance away and can’t come visit on any given weekend. Following your community online will help potential buyers gain an appreciation of what happens at your community and what type of experiences they can expect there.

For real world examples of how this is being put into action, shoot me an email at [ ]()[Marissa.Mastroianni@cottonco.com](mailto:Marissa.Mastroianni@cottonco.com "Click here to contact Marissa Mastroianni directly.").

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Public Relations, Real Estate, Social Media, Uncategorized

**Tags:** Branding, business, Communication, Cotton & Company, Homebuyers, Industry, internet, Market, marketing, media, networking, real estate, social media

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### [The World Has Changed Since the Last Real Estate Cycle](https://cottonco.com/the-world-has-changed-since-the-last-real-estate-cycle/)

**Published:** April 29, 2013
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

It’s been a long road back for the real estate development industry. When the down slope for residential real estate began in 2006, the world was a very different place. It’s hard to believe that Facebook only existed on college campuses, and the first generation of the iPhone wasn’t introduced until 2007. But it was the iPad introduction in 2010 that really changed the world for real estate developers, bringing the wealthy discretionary buyer into the digital realm. Today, as many developers begin to reenter the market, they are recognizing new marketing challenges as a result of changing technology.

Top 10 Changes:

1\. Website infrastructure and design must prioritize tablet interaction. This means a more focused navigation plan that emphasizes ease of navigation and intuitive exploration.

2\. Video isn’t just a fluff marketing piece that you produce once and forget about. Video content on YouTube is a powerful part of your SEO program and a new way of selling your community to the consumer. Ongoing development of content is important.

3\. Word-of-mouth referrals now happen online through social media channels. Developing a dynamic social marketing program includes strategies for procuring recommendations and engaging consumers to share your story.

4\. Affiliate marketing opportunities have expanded tremendously due to the ease of online interaction. Social marketing programs with businesses that have like-minded consumers result in integrated traditional and online programs.

5\. Google keyword programs are priced based on the relevancy of those terms to your website content. Developing a website that supports your pay-per-click program will reduce your overall cost for paid placements.

6\. Natural search engine placement requires a dedicated focus on building an Internet footprint, not just a basic website. Utilizing online resources of social marketing, Google places, YouTube and other portals enhances the visibility of your website.

7\. Printed brochures and direct mail requirements are significantly reduced through the use of digital fulfillment tools. While they remain a necessary component of the program, they should be designed for use in multiple mediums to stretch your marketing dollar.

8\. Transparency of your lead management through online access is important to guide your marketing outreach. Evaluating traffic, follow up and conversion is instantaneous, allowing for redirection of marketing dollars when necessary to maximize effectiveness.

9\. The world has become a smaller place. Outreach to international investors, brokers and consumers can be accomplished through digital strategies with greater impact.

10\. Integrated sales and marketing ensures that all resources are focused on the same end result – leads that convert to sales. Aligning these objectives is important to make sure you aren’t just attracting website visitors, you’re welcoming new homebuyers to your community.

For more information on how to take advantage of today’s digital marketing tools to maximize your sales success, visit[cottonco.com](https://www.cottonco.com/ "Click here to learn more about The Cotton Solution."), give us a call at 772-287-6612 or contact Stephann Cotton direct at [Stephann.Cotton@cottonco.com](mailto:Stephann.Cotton@cottonco.com "Click here to contact Stephann Cotton directly.").

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Brokers, Communication, Consumers, Content, Cotton & Company, Developers, Digital Marketing, facebook, Google, International Investors, marketing, media, networking, real estate, real estate development industry, Search Engine, SEO program, Social Media Platforms, social networking, Social Platforms, Stephann Cotton, Target, YouTube

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### [South Florida Company Expands to Global Markets](https://cottonco.com/south-florida-company-expands-to-global-markets/)

**Published:** April 1, 2008
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

(Stuart, Florida) With 38 years of industry expertise, Cotton & Company’s success has always been in the analysis of the bigger picture.

In true spirit, this South Florida company has expanded to meet global market needs. While the effects of the economy have caused many to scale down operations, Cotton & Company has found its niche in ‘thinking big’.

The week of April 8th to the 12th will find The Cotton Solution hard at work for client Roco Ki, a luxury Dominican Republic community, at the SIMA International Real Estate Exhibition in Madrid. As the largest second home exhibition in the world, SIMA provides the perfect venue for Roco Ki. Attendees in the hundreds of thousands flock to see the latest luxuries in second homes from developers in 25 countries around the world, creating an atmosphere that is intensely competitive. With strong research behind them and a proven, distinctive marketing plan that has already set them apart, Cotton & Company and Roco Ki are well prepared to do business in Madrid. Equally unique is Roco Ki’s locale. In beautiful Punta Cana on the tip of the Dominican Republic, Roco Ki is rests on the famous Macao Beach, endorsed by UNESCO as one of the most exceptional in the world. In addition to the pristine white sand and crystal blue waters, Roco Ki has preserved the striking natural headlands and natural mangroves that surround, nestling authentic island residences in its beauty. The 18-hole, par 72 Nick Faldo signature golf course takes adventurers from serene lakes and preserves to exhilarating cliffs over inlets 30 feet below and unspoiled ocean views.

A full-service advertising and public relations firm, Cotton & Company specializes in comprehensive real estate marketing campaigns from initial site planning through final closeout.

They have overseen marketing responsibilities for over 1500 communities including sales launch and international campaigns for clients throughout the United States, Mexico, The Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos. Cotton & Company is recognized as the leader in technology e-marketing solutions for the luxury residential and resort real estate industry.

[Click here to view original article](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/RocoKi_SIMA.pdf "Click here for the original article.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Social Media Marketing Results in Sales](https://cottonco.com/social-media-sells/)

**Published:** June 23, 2015
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

## Young Professionals Use Facebook/FaceTime to Purchase Luxury Condo

Using social media to market real estate means providing information that they can access at their fingertips. In this digitally driven world the consumer can get little snacks of knowledge to keep them coming back for more. You stay in touch with them and you engage. No one can be everything to everyone at all times, but with social media, we can get really close. Staying in tune with the consumer will lead the next generation of marketing to better elevate this form of customer service.

For example in San Antonio, Texas, one of our clients, Alteza Residences, recently sold a residence with social media. When young professionals Samar and Kajel Shah found out they were moving to San Antonio, they researched their options on Facebook and then toured Alteza Residences via FaceTime. They were immediately hooked. Eleven months later, the Shahs continue to call Alteza Residences home and couldn’t be happier.

“More and more people are using social media to search for a new home, “said Shawn McGuire, sales manager of Alteza Residences. “With the Internet at our fingertips, homebuyers are able to take virtual tours of homes on the market, whether using FaceTime or website pictures. This growing trend definitely makes the process much easier for everyone involved.”

Alteza Residences, located in the rich and diverse cultural center of downtown San Antonio, sits atop the Grand Hyatt overlooking the booming downtown. Alteza Residences is comprised of 147 exquisitely designed, spacious residences boasting up to 4,451 square feet. Prices begin in the mid $300s for one-bedroom homes, mid $500s for more spacious two-bedroom homes and spectacular penthouses are available starting at $998,900. Alteza Residences combines luxury living with the exceptional service of a world-class hotel to make the living experience incomparable. Ranked #2 by Forbes Magazine “ for big cities stealing financial jobs from New York City,” San Antonio is recognized nationally as a city in motion. The city’s downtown is known as a chic urban address for up and coming living. Alteza Residences is San Antonio’s top selling condominium and was awarded Downtown San Antonio’s “Best of Residential” by Downtown Alliance San Antonio. Alteza is located at 610 E. Market Street and open daily. Visit www.thealteza.com or call 210.212.8400.

[![Alteza Residences](/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Alteza-CottonBlog6-23-1400x497.jpg)](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Alteza-CottonBlog6-23.jpg)

Thank you to [The PR Boutique](https://www.theprboutique.com/ "The PR Boutique Website") for press release.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Real Estate, Social Media

**Tags:** buy in San Antonio, buy real estate, marketing, real estate, real estate marketing, sell real estate, social media, Technology

---

### [Social Marketing with Pinterest](https://cottonco.com/social-marketing-with-pinterest/)

**Published:** July 21, 2015
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Social Marketing is important in today’s real estate market. Pinterest may not be the channel you associate with real estate marketing, but here at [Cotton & Company ](https://cottonco.com/ "Learn more about The Cotton Solution.")we understand content and the importance of having a “conversation” in social media. We excel at leveraging different social platforms, creating user-friendly content resulting in engaging with your potential clients. Some real estate agents and marketing companies, such as the [Corcaran Group](https://www.pinterest.com/corcorangroup/ "Visit Pinterest for the Corcoran Group. rel="), have already realized the potential of Pinterest as a marketing tool. After some market research, we discovered the best way to showcase what our clients have to offer. These are some of the best boards to grab followers’ attention.

**Create Pinterest Boards specific to Buyers**

- Your Dream Home
- Home Décor or Decorating Ideas
- Colorful Outside/Inside Spaces
- Playful Outside/Inside Spaces
- Relaxing Outside/Inside Spaces
- Cleaning & Organizing Ideas
- Painting the Outside of your Home
- Family Friendly Spaces
- Spaces for HIM
- Spaces for HER
- Kitchen of Your Dreams
- Luxury Bathrooms
- Best Kid Rooms
- Best Buyer Tips
- Popular Design Styles (i.e. Minimal Design, Contemporary Design, French Country)
- Home Tours pining your YouTube videos of listings for sale
- Best Office Spaces

**Pinterest Boards specific to Sellers**

- Staging your Home
- Easy/Renovation Ideas
- Curb Appeal Tips
- Painting Techniques
- Arranging your Spaces
- Down with Clutter!
- Make the Most of Small Spaces
- Best Seller Tips

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Social Media

**Tags:** marketing, PInterest, real estate, selling real estate on pinterest, social channels, Social Marketing, social media

---

### [Real Estate News & Notes: Kolter, Cotton & Company Dominate PRISM Awards](https://cottonco.com/real-estate-news-notes-kolter-cotton-company-dominate-prism-awards/)

**Published:** September 22, 2006
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Special to the Palm Beach Post – (Friday, September 22, 2006) Kolter Communities won a variety of PRISM Awards at the recent industry competition.

The honors were divided among three of the developer’s Southeast Florida communities: Domani, in North Palm Beach; and, in Palm Beach Gardens, San Matera the Gardens and San Merano at Mirasol.

Sponsored by the Gold Coast Builders Association, the competition recognizes outstanding design and achievement in residential and commercial construction in Palm Beach County and South Florida. Honors were announced at the annual gala, held at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens.

Under Marketing & Advertising, Kolter captured two first-place Gold PRISM Awards for San Matera the Gardens. These were for a “directmail piece for consumer promotion” and a “black-and-white newspaper advertisement.”

Silver PRISMs went to Kolter for the “logo design” for San Matera the Gardens and for a “brochure for an individual builder or associate” for San Merano at Mirasol.

Three additional Silver Awards went to Domani for a “brochure for a community or developer,” “Web site” and “overall advertising campaign for a builder.”

“It is an honor for Kolter to be recognized in this way by our peers. We constantly strive to achieve the finest detail in all aspects of our business,” said Kolter Vice President Mary Kay Willson.

For more information, visit the Web site at www.kolter.com

Also having a big night was Cotton & Company, which won nine Gold and eight Silver Awards for outstanding achievement in creativity and design in real estate marketing and advertising.

According to Cotton & Company COO Laurie Andrews, the awards honored work Cotton & Company has done during the past year for Treviso Bay, Sail Club Clear Lake, Dreaming Turks and Caicos, Pukka Development at Ocean Bay and multiple awards for Kolter’s San Matera and Taylor Woodrow.

Also receiving PRISM Awards were Coastal Design and Development Group and Building Solutions.

Coastal Design and Development Group won a Silver Award for architecture and design for its Village Grande project in Delray Beach. Building Solutions’ Keri Morrison was named the 2006 Gold Salesperson of the Year; the sales team of Morrison, Sue Magee and Eva Redman won a Silver Award; and Morrison and John Sholar were recognized for their individual sales.

[Click here to view original article](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/prism.pdf "Click here for the original article.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Real Estate Buyers Tell It Like It Is](https://cottonco.com/real-estate-buyers-tell-it-like-it-is/)

**Published:** October 23, 2012
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

A spirit of optimism is on the horizon for builders and residential developers as new home inventory continues to be absorbed and pricing begins to climb in many major US markets. As existing homeowners have the ability to sell their home, builders and developers will feel the effect of liquidity in the marketplace. Yet as buyers across the country return to new home sales centers, real estate professionals are wondering how have their priorities shifted? How has their perception of value been impacted by the lengthy downturn?Has the election cycle delayed their decision?

As builders and developers strive to enhance 4thquarter sales results, it is crucial for them to recognize the shift in the market and thoroughly understand the changing buyer psychology. The new normal has yet to be seen, and it is unlikely we’ll return to peak sales volumes for several years. With smaller lead generation budgets and fewer buyers in the market, every unit of traffic is important to developer’s sales success.

So what are the options? The first reaction is typically, to ask the sales team on the floor about what they are hearing from the buyers. This feedback is often inaccurate because it can only include information the buyer shared during their interaction with the sales person. Negative responses that are obstacles to the sale are often merely avoided in polite conversation, and the homebuyer continues their search elsewhere.

To gain this critical insight, savvy new home developers are turning to consumer exit surveys. “It’s amazing how much information buyers are willing to share if they are given the opportunity,” says Stephann Cotton, an industry specialist in the sales and marketing of residential real estate. “When we encourage the homebuyer to help shape the direction of a community and provide vital feedback to guide our decisions, they respond.” Database research is now guiding decisions on amenity planning, HOA structure, residential services and other soft programming elements directly related to buyer sensitivities.

Many principles of relationship selling also apply to the implementing a tactical research program. The survey strategy, methodology, tone and distribution are essential elements to entice consumers to engage in the process. For more information on residential consumer research and the next wave of marketing innovation, visit [cottonco.com](https://www.cottonco.com/ "Click here to learn more about The Cotton Solution.").

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Builders, Buyers, Cotton & Company, Developers, Homeowners, marketing, real estate, Sales Centers

---

### [Playing Your SPACE Card](https://cottonco.com/playing-your-space-card/)

**Published:** September 30, 2008
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Port St. Lucie business Vital Signs created a Web site to resuscitate fading sales. When that didn’t work, the company found a cure in another niche of cyberspace – My Space.

“We had to do it,” said Vice President Steve Claus, whose company manufactures signs and banners of all shapes and sizes. “Our regular webpage has been up for seven years, and no one goes there.”

MySpace has long been thought of as a way for preteens and twentysomethings to pass the time and stay connected. But for some businesses and organizations on the Treasure Coast, it has become and important place to advertise.

In fact, Cotton & Company’s Director of Internet Services, Walter Franklin, a 14-year Internet advertising veteran, said he has seen an increase in businesses using MySpace in the last six months.

“They use a shotgun approach where they put up their ad and hope that a large number of people see it,” he said.

But while MySpace provides free advertising on a heavily visited site, Franklin said it isn’t necessarily leading to a lot of business for his clients.

“Products that offer competitive prices such a s printer ink would do well there but those that are more sophisticated use other tools that are available…” he said.

Vital Signs does a large amount of business with musicians who want banners and stickers made. They can add pictures to their own MySpace pages, thus creating more advertising for the company. Members can quickly upload sound clips and pictures and have them appear instantly on the screen.

Even Treasure Coast businesses that are Web-based have begun to take notice of how MySpace is changing the landscape.

Orlando Ramirez, founder of Pinwheel Media, and interactive media design studio that does work for a variety of Web clients, said he finds traditional advertising medias such as television insufficient to reach potential clients. he said many companies he has seen posting MySpace ads have done well.

He added his own Pinwheel Media page to MySpace, drawn by the high volume of visitors and potential for new customers. In return, he said he got “many leads that were good for the future.”

Treasure Coast businesses are not the only ones delving into the world of MySpace.

The Elliott Museum, a historical showcase for Old World Florida on Hutchinson island in Stuart, has also begun to use the site. The museum’s page not only gives the viewer a list of exhibits,but also a calendar of upcoming events. The ability to quickly display information on the page makes it easier for museum administrators to let the public know what is going on.

Heidi May, Elliott museum’s Director of Visitor Services, is impressed with MySpace as a business tool. “It is a wonderful outlet for free advertising so why not?” she said.

[Click here to view original article](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Playing_Your_Space_Card.pdf "Click here for original article.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Marketing Tops & Flops](https://cottonco.com/marketing-tops-flops/)

**Published:** February 6, 2007
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Treasure Coast professionals rate the Super Bowl ads

More than half of U.S. adults who annually tune in for the Super Bowl are more interested in the commercials than the game, according to Harris Interactive.

So which ads did local viewers like best this year? And which scored highest with the professionals? Below are comments on the best and worst posted on TCPalm.com and from creative thinkers at Treasure Coast advertising agencies.

From Steve North, Creative Director, Cotton & Co., Stuart

**The Tops
Anheuser-Busch,** “Dalmatian”
Anheuser Busch were also clearly the biggest spenders. Best spot of the bunch, “Dalmatian.” This is an endearing and memorable spot, something everyone can enjoy.

**Ford**, “Super Duty Truck”
Although it wouldn’t typically make good water cooler conversation, the ad was cleverly produced and held my attention throughout. Well done for a not-so-interesting topic.

**Snickers**, “Mechanic”
Ridiculous, zany, hilarious and kinda stupid but all in good fun. What more could you ask for to get folks taking about you tomorrow? Now then, isn’t that the point?

**The Flops**
**GoDaddy.com, “Marketing”
This ad was again a waste of money in production adn media. Not to mention that they ran it three times… $7.5 million up in smoke.**

**Chevrolet**
All of their ads were uninspired and totally forgettable. Not Super Bowl worthy.

**Van Heusen**, “Wardrobe”
This spot was lifeless, did not communicate effectively and the special effects were poorly executed. It’s better not to play with the big boys if you can’t come out with a bang.

[Click here to view original article](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/paperarticle1.pdf "Click here for the original article.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [It’s Google and Facebook’s Game to Win](https://cottonco.com/its-google-and-facebooks-game-to-win/)

**Published:** July 6, 2016
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Like it or not, Mark Zuckerberg has created an advertising juggernaut. Between 2014 and 2015, Facebook’s ad revenue grew 59 percent, with the bulk of ads running on mobile devices. Meanwhile, Google’s ad revenue was up 18 percent over the same time period.

While Google’s increase may seem modest compared to Facebook’s, consider that all other digital players contributed to 13 percent of total growth.

Together, Facebook and Google controlled 76 percent of internet advertising growth.

[![It’s Google and Facebook’s Game to Win](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2.png)](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/2.png)

**WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?**

For sales professionals it means more opportunity to reach potential clients. Lead generation has changed, and with Facebook’s added opportunity it makes inbound marketing that much more successful. Facebook lead generation is NOT about post boosting, name recognition, getting likes or engagement. Facebook lead generation is a single aspect of inbound marketing. By aligning the content you publish with your customers’ interests, you naturally attract inbound traffic that you can then convert and close.

Instead of trying to use Facebook as an outbound marketing platform, treat it more like Google. They work well together for a reason. Combining the digital efforts of generating quality leads will result in highly targeted campaigns to connected consumers. We have seen this as the most influential approach to lead generation and the most cost effective as well.

In this digitally driven world the consumer can get little snacks of knowledge to keep them coming back for more. You stay in touch with them and you engage. No one can be everything to everyone at all times, but with digital marketing, we can get really close. Staying in tune with the consumer will lead the next generation of marketing to better elevate this form of customer service.

Social marketing is changing the marketing world, and real estate development is no longer an exception to the rule. To learn more about the innovative real estate marketing programs developed by Cotton & Company, visit [*cottonco.com*](https://cottonco.com/ "Click here to learn more about The Cotton Solution.")

[Source Article ](https://www.adweek.com/news/technology/7-big-trends-are-shaping-future-digital-advertising-171773 "Check out the source article.")

**Categories:** Advertising

**Tags:** Cotton and Company Real Estate Advertising Agency, Digital marketing for Real Estate Developers

---

### [Find out How Gene Simmons Rocked the House at this San Antonio Condominium](https://cottonco.com/find-out-how-gene-simmons-rocked-the-house-at-this-san-antonio-condominium/)

**Published:** December 23, 2015
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Social marketing is changing the marketing world, and real estate development is no longer an exception to the rule. For Cotton & Company’s client, Alteza Residences above the Grand Hyatt in Downtown San Antonio, the sales and marketing challenge focused on creating an appreciation for an urban lifestyle in the land of sprawling ranches and mansions.

Word of mouth exposure has always been a key driver of success, and today’s social channels provide an outlet unlike any other. The key is tapping into the conversation that’s already occurring, and sharing information people find interesting and valuable. When the stars align, the impact is dramatic.

So what does this have to do with Gene Simmons? Well, he opened a new restaurant at the AT&T Center in San Antonio last month. For Alteza, being the ambassador of the good news paid off with high dividends. The announcement of the restaurant was featured in the Press Section of Alteza’s website. A link to the blog was posted on Facebook and Cotton promoted the post to a targeted demographic and psychographic profile audience with a whopping $30 budget. As they say….the post went viral!

It was shared 4,762 times, reaching over 37,000 people, resulting in more than 100,000 visits to the Alteza website in less than a week. They came in to read the article, but many of them explored further. Traffic to the floorplan page increased from 150 visits to 1,200 visits in a single week. Planned open house events gained tremendous exposure and the phone began ringing off the hook. Alteza was the talk of the town, and Gene Simmons’ new venture rocked the house.

Since the article ran on December 6th, Alteza has sold four residences. An Open House event welcomed over 200 attendees and local brokers are actively engaged in the community. Alteza will continue rocking and rolling in 2016!

To learn more about the innovative real estate marketing programs developed by Cotton & Company, visit [cottonco.com](https://cottonco.com "Click here to learn more about The Cotton Solution.")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** advertising agency, AT&T Center, downtown San Antonio, Gene Simmons, Grand Hyatt, KISS, luxury real estate, Rock & Brews, San Antonio Real Estate, Social Marketing, social media

---

### [Establish Marketing Priorities and Analyze Every Step of the Way](https://cottonco.com/establish-marketing-priorities-and-analyze-every-step-of-the-way-2/)

**Published:** August 21, 2013
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

All across the country, real estate continues to see positive news for the industry. The good news on sales success is being driven by investment buyers seeking appreciation or rental income. As the cycle continues and the economy continues to strengthen, end-user buyers will continue to increase. As builders and developers are putting their strategic marketing plan in place, questions often arise on how much they should budget and what the top priorities should be.

As a leader in real estate marketing for more than four decades, Cotton & Company is assisting its clients by establishing priorities throughout their strategic plan. Focusing on direct consumer sales most often results in a higher ROI by lessening the commission expense. Today, most buyers begin their search online and shop the competition prior to ever visiting a sales center, often late at night. But how should you balance your budget to ensure you are generating new broker and consumer leads, while not overlooking the sales that could be made from leads already in your system?

1\. Create a marketing plan that establishes tiered priorities: Must have, should have and ideal to have. Setting these priorities will ensure a solid foundation before you get caught up in lead generation and spread your dollars too thin.
2\. The community website is a virtual sales center. As soon as someone visits your website, the sales process has begun. Use interactive tools to initiate the buyer discovery process, and then customize the user fulfillment based on the information you acquire. As an example – take the “quiz” at **[AzuldeCortez.com](https://www.azuldecortez.com/ "Click here for Azul de Cortez.")**.
3\. Internet leads have great value, but often your sales team is busy dealing with new visitors walking in the door. Immediate follow up and ongoing communication is critical to build a pipeline of future buyers. Don’t underestimate the value of your database and budget appropriately for ongoing promotion. Establish an internet protocol that ensures every lead is managed appropriately.
4\. Analytics are critical to your long-term success. In digital marketing, data is available for review every step of the way. Look for ways to improve each step in the process. More visitors = more page views =more registrations= more downloads = more e-mails opened = more site visits = more sales!

It’s time to make the most out of every marketing dollar invested. To contact Cotton & Company or for more information regarding real estate marketing, visit **[cottonco.com](https://www.cottonco.com/ "Click here to learn more about The Cotton Solution.")**.

**Categories:** Media, Networking, Public Relations, Social Media, Uncategorized, Web

**Tags:** internet, Leads, Market, marketing, media, networking, social media

---

### [Cotton & Company Adds Two New Team Members](https://cottonco.com/cotton-company-adds-two-new-team-members/)

**Published:** August 25, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Luxury real estate sales and marketing firm, Cotton & Company welcomes two new team members: Lanette North and Genna Lunsford. It’s Stuart office is at 633 SE 5th St.

With over 15 years of experience, Lanette North has overseen budgets exceeding $200 million in marketing, advertising, business operations, finance and management. North worked with TBC, Inc. and Tire Kingdom for six years before coming to Cotton & Company. As Senior Account Executive at Cotton & Company, North excels at developing new client relationships and guiding projects through to success. North graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Colorado.

Lunsford, a long-term Cotton team member has returned to the company to manage internal workflow. Lunsford’s background includes management of communications, schedules and reward recognition at Life’s Abundance Inc. and she was previously the marketing manager for Florida Oceanographic Society’s fundraising efforts.

Cotton & Company ([www.cottonco.com](https://www.cottonco.com "Click here to learn more about The Cotton Solution.")) delivers marketing strategies, Internet-based data management, advanced digital expertise and new media marketing campaigns for residential real estate.

www.tcpalm.com

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Changing Demographics Impact Housing](https://cottonco.com/changing-demographics-impact-housing/)

**Published:** February 1, 2007
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The frenzied residential real estate markets of 2004 and 2005 were driven by an overabundance of investors in the marketplace. From the local hair-dresser to the manager of the grocery store to people around the world, everyone was speculating on Florida real estate. It was viewed as a fail-safe investment that they could see, touch and feel.

[Click here to view original article](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/paperarticle2.pdf "Click here for original article.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [6 Reasons Video Should be a High Priority When Selling Real Estate](https://cottonco.com/6-reasons-video-should-be-a-high-priority-when-selling-real-estate/)

**Published:** January 21, 2013
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

Video content is new terminology in the digital marketing age. In years past, creating a video meant a one-time production to acquire and edit a short film to tell the story of your community vision. In today’s content-rich environment, new marketing channels provide outlets where video becomes a constantly evolving tool. Creating compelling video content should rise to the top of your priority list for a variety of reasons:

1\. As consumers, we live in a visual world and technology has opened the door to online learning, on-demand movies, and independent entertainment delivered through alternative channels. We look to YouTube for “how to” videos, recipes and research. Why would buying real estate be any different?

2\. Making a new home purchase is an emotional decision. Through the use of music, sound and impactful visuals, the homebuyer can feel the personality of the community, its residents and gain an appreciation for the lifestyle they dream about living.

3\. Today’s digital cameras provide a low-cost, high quality opportunity. More often than not, you can acquire the footage without requiring an expensive lighting crew and high paid talent.

4\. Better yet, video editing no longer requires a million-dollar edit suite to compose your message, and there is no reason to stop after creating one video or one television spot.

5\. Google owns YouTube, therefore a high priority is placed on YouTube videos in search engine results. Branded YouTube Channels should take full advantage of the SEO tools built into the application.

One size does not fit all, and it shouldn’t have to. Multiple videos may be developed to match the personality of each of your target market segments. For a real-world example, visit AzuldeCortez.com and take the Quiz!

Social marketing is today’s referral and affiliate marketing programs. Viral sharing of video content will engage like-minded friends and family who are often potential purchasers in learning more about your community.

Years ago, there were three major broadcast networks. Today, there are over 500 television channels and endless distribution opportunities on the Internet. It’s time to get organized and get to work. The world is “watching” for you. If you need help putting together a program, we’re here to help. [cottonco.com](https://www.cottonco.com/ "Click here to learn more about The Cotton Solution."), [Laurie.Andrews@cottonco.com](mailto:Laurie.Andrews@cottonco.com "Click here to contact Laurie Andrews directly.").

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Public Relations, Real Estate, Social Media, Uncategorized

**Tags:** Branding, business, Communication, Cotton & Company, internet, Market, marketing, networking, real estate

---

### [Positive Real Estate News On the Horizon](https://cottonco.com/positive-real-estate-news-on-the-horizon/)

**Published:** April 13, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

**Background**: The Cotton and Company are industry leaders the sales and marketing of residential real estate throughout the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. Managed more than 1600 properties over the past 28 years. Provides integrated market research, analytics, marketing, web development, public relations, sales management, and customer database management services.

**Some of the more salient findings**:

The vacation home market has experienced a rebound in 2011, moving from 4% to 36% interest year-over-year. This is the
highest level of interest throughout the 3-year period.

• In 2010, 95% of the respondents who were no longer in the market for real estate cited economic instability as the reason for not
purchasing. In 2011, 46% of the respondents cited no desire to move, indicating a 41% drop in the response aligned with
economic conditions.

• Buyers who must sell their home prior to purchase dropped 10% year-over-year, reflecting 32% in 2011.

• Buyers who plan to purchase within 6 months saw a 21% increase from 2010. In 2011, 25% of the buyers indicate a timeline to
buy within 6 months, however, a 13% increase in the “over 2 years” category was also noted.

• Respondents remained virtually unchanged in their answer to “Have we reached the bottom of the market?” signifying continued
concern over pricing stability.

• The level of anticipated price reduction continues to show improvement in 2011, a result of significant price adjustments in the
market. In 2009, the median anticipated discount was 50%. In 2010, 30%. In 2011, this level has reduced to just 20%.

• Buyer transition indicates a continued trend toward downsizing and geographic relocation. This trend is also reflected in the
increased interest in smaller villa product type.

• 1,700 to 2,300 square feet remains the most popular residence size. However, growth occurred in the smaller home segment
with 31% of the market seeking a home between 1,000 and 1,600 square feet of space.

Mr. Cotton offers up his advice to Realtors and Mortgage pros on how to get their marketing ready to handle the realities of todays real estate market.

[Click here to view the original article](http://www.houseblogger.com/houseblogger/2011/04/positive-real-estate-news-on-the-horizon.html "Click here to learn more from House Blogger.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Florida Anticipates Real Estate Recovery—What Happens Next](https://cottonco.com/florida-anticipates-real-estate-recovery-what-happens-next/)

**Published:** October 26, 2010
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Urban Land Institute member and Florida CEO, Stephann Cotton was on hand for one of the largest gatherings of economists, land planners and real estate developers in North America earlier this month, in Washington, DC.

According to Cotton, the next real estate cycle will be at least a ten-year rebound, as the market picks up—yet anyone in real estate right now needs to be patient, stabilization will be slow and steady. “Florida’s real estate recovery will definitely be fueled by international investors, with South America and Canada leading the way—the trophy properties, the A-list oceanfront properties are recovering the quickest,” explained Mr. Cotton, CEO of the real estate sales and marketing firm [Cotton & Company](/ "Click here to learn more about Cotton & Company."). “Economists at ULI’s fall meeting anticipate an increase in the number of real estate deals throughout the country—investor confidence is rising, yet according to ULI’s senior fellow for Finance, Stephen Blank, we’re entering the ‘era of less,’ meaning we’re moving toward more realistic return expectations.”

Cotton was encouraged by FDIC chairman Sheila Bair’s presentation and forecasts for future real estate projects, regulatory policy changes and the restructuring of loans.

“The FDIC is not repeating the creation of an RTC (Resolution Trust Corporation)—originally formed to discount properties in order to sell cheaply and quickly. This year, they’ve extended low interest rates, giving those holding non-performing assets time to recover,” explained Cotton. “The concerns potential buyers have right now, the things that most keep them from buying include: taxing policies, not getting equity out of their homes and lack of inflation.”

This year’s Urban Land Institute’s fall conference focused on land planning concerns, managing risk and current investment opportunities in North American real estate. According to Cotton, the overall consensus at the conference was strong regarding opportunities, risks and the need for patience.

About Cotton & Company

Cotton & Company ([www.cottonco.com](/ "Click here to learn more about The Cotton Solution.")) is a leading real estate sales and marketing firm that has represented more than 1,600 communities over the past 27 years. Cotton delivers effective marketing strategies, internet-based data management, advanced digital expertise and new media marketing campaigns for residential real estate destinations. Cotton & Company specializes in sales management and repositioning assets to meet the changing needs of the emerging market.

[Click here to view original article](https://www.yahoo.com/?err=404&err_url=http%3a%2f%2ffinance.yahoo.com%2fnews%2fFlorida-Anticipates-Real-bw-2886846801.html%3fx%3d0%26.v%3d1 "Click here for the original article.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Tips for Compelling Photo Story Telling](https://cottonco.com/tips-for-compelling-photo-story-telling/)

**Published:** February 16, 2016
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

We all know the old adage, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” but in today’s digital world an image may be worth 10,000 words. Content is king and digital marketing requires a more robust library of content than ever before. Compelling images are essential to attracting and engaging an audience. Here’s few tips to get you started:

1. Get Organized. Once you map out your strategy, create a shot list that takes full advantage of your time and photography. Outline the location, the scene, which models are used, what is expected of the client. Then, get everyone on the same page. Review the shot list with the photographer, the talent, the client, etc. Having everyone on the same page is critical to obtaining a high volume of assets for your social marketing strategy.
2. Lighting –Save the sun’s “magic hours” for signature shots such as golf, beaches, marinas, and views. Spend the high sun hours inside shooting interiors. Taking the time to light interior shots is essential. Colored films are used to soften the bulb’s flash and remotes are used to ensure all the lights flash simultaneously with the shudder.
3. Video- It’s not just about stills anymore. Adding videos can put you ahead of the real estate marketing competition and enables prospective buyers to really understand the assets and energy on the ground. Out-of-state buyers will appreciate videos because they are such an accurate representation of the property.
4. Drones- Getting a camera into the sky is not easy. New regulations require registration and a skillful touch but the real estate industry is a perfect candidate for the benefits of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Showing land or estates from high above is a vantage point that adds an unmatched perspective when marketing a property.
5. Layered Images- Maximize efficiency by layering images to ensure great exposure. With layers, you can easily blend two images to create the perfect combination. If one image has the outside properly exposed, it’s a simple matter of layering the two photos on top of each other and revealing the bottom photo with the properly exposed window.

To learn more about Cotton & Company’s integrated real estate sales and marketing programs, call us today at 772-287-6612 or sign up for our e-newsletter, Compendium; to stay on top of today’s real estate trends by clicking [here.](https://cottonco.com/compendium-landing/ "Sign-up for the Cotton Compendium.")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** advertising agency, baby boomer trends, Cotton & Company, luxury real estate, marketing agency, photo story telling, real estate development

---

### [Simple but Successful - The Humble Floor Plan](https://cottonco.com/simple-but-successful-the-humble-floorplan/)

**Published:** February 2, 2016
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Here at Cotton & Company, great effort is made to create collateral campaigns that exemplify the luxury and affluence of the communities, condominiums and resorts we advertise and market. Every aspect of a real estate campaign, from the traditional marketing materials to the digital advertising initiatives, are carefully and intelligently designed to appeal to the demographic and potential homebuyers. So amongst the vivid photography, beautiful brochures, attention-grabbing ads and cutting-edge websites, it is easy to overlook one of the most important tools in real estate sales: the humble floor plan.

A floor plan looks rather simple compared to the gorgeous photography and collateral used in other campaign pieces. However, the fact of the matter is that most people shop online for properties and a floor plan is one of the biggest reasons people make the jump from viewing a photo online to going to visit the property itself. One can search for properties by number of rooms, bathrooms and/or square footage. However, all these numbers can blur together and well-laid out photos communicate little to the potential buyer about the traffic and flow of the home.

The perfect floor plan is the result of diligent work by the architect and developer to deliver the perfect residence. Every aspect of the floor plan is thoughtfully reviewed as if walking through the home. The graphic designer must interpret the vision into an easy-to-read, consumer-friendly format highlighting the most compelling aspects of the plan. Once completed, the humble floor plan becomes a star in the digital marketing world, finding fans and friends who are ready to “share” a glimpse of the future through social, media. The results are dramatic.

To learn more about Cotton & Company’s integrated real estate sales and marketing programs, call us today at 772-287-6612 or sign up for our e-newsletter, Compendium; to stay on top of todays real estate trends by clicking [here.](https://cottonco.com/compendium-landing/ "Click here to sig-up for The Cotton Compendium.")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** advertising agency, baby boomer trends, Cotton & Company, floorplans, luxury real estate, marketing agency, real estate development

---

### [How is the Vietnam War still impacting the lifestyle of today’s retirees?](https://cottonco.com/how-is-the-viet-nam-war-still-impacting-the-lifestyle-of-todays-retirees/)

**Published:** January 13, 2016
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Throughout our lifetime, we experience dramatic events that directly impact the way we live. Tragic or celebratory, we often recognize the short-term ramifications, without realizing the long-term psychological impact that follows us throughout life. For many of today’s retirees, the Viet Nam War was a key milestone that impacted every aspect of life in the 1960s. While lessons were learned from past history, few of us realize the continued significance of this traumatic event on today’s retiree.

For the past three decades retirement communities have been designed for the “Silent Generation.” These sun-seeking retirees’ formulative years were experienced in 50s and early 60s, prior to the war. Their retirement years were seen as validation of a life well lived, and the formality of a country club lifestyle indicated a respect for their accomplishments in business and life. They enjoyed the prestige and exclusivity that was hard earned over time. And they cherished a lifestyle that included several rounds of golf a week, fine dining with like-minded friends, and perhaps a game of cards or a little tennis along the way.

Today, the post Viet Nam Baby Boomers have entered their retirement years–so what makes their life so much different than previous generations? Their unique life experiences were instrumental in creating a psychographic profile unlike any other. They are the generation that changed the world. They value natural surroundings, diversity and inclusiveness. They embraced individuality, challenge the establishment, and cherish their music, friends and a free-spirited way of life. This dramatic shift in priorities is evident in their purchasing decisions, and is now guiding the design and development of today’s retirement communities.

Personal health and wellness are now the top priority, but not in terms of fancy facilities. Outdoor sporting activities in a group setting are trending – nature trails, cycling, kayaking, running clubs, stand up paddle board and cross country skiing continue to grow in popularity. The spirit must be nurtured along with the body through yoga, meditation, life-long learning and other holistic activities.

Country Club managers and developers are recognizing the trends. The demand for golf has been greatly reduced with Boomers seeking more diverse experiences. Even the most stringent Clubs are now making provisions for jeans to be worn in the dining room, and farm-to-table dining with organic, heart-healthy menus and family style service are in high demand.

The “active adult” label has become a dirty word, but don’t be fooled — they are more active than ever. Actively participating in giving back to the world around them through volunteer services, charitable foundations or community projects. Developers are allocating space for dog parks, community gardens and extensive trail systems. A walk able lifestyle that allows for fun-filled evenings without worrying about designated drivers is also a popular choice.

Living younger, living longer, living better – personal choices and new priorities of a generation focused on individuality. A confidence and strength that form the silver lining of the cloud of War experienced during one of the darkest moments in our nation’s history.

**Categories:** Advertising, Press, Real Estate

**Tags:** florida ad agency, real estate advertising company, real estate marketing

---

### [Is Now the Time to Focus on Your Blog Content?](https://cottonco.com/is-now-the-time-to-focus-on-your-blog-content/)

**Published:** March 1, 2016
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Okay, so you have a blog on your website….are you using it? Really using it to drive results? If the answer is no, you’re not alone. Many sales professionals find themselves overwhelmed in this fast-paced, instant gratification world of digital marketing, and the blog is often the project pushed to the edge of the desk. But with today’s increased focus on content marketing, managing your blog appropriately is more important than ever.

Although having a blog is essential for SEO and increasing your online visibility, it is estimated that 50 percent of the content produced goes unused. It’s up to you (or your marketing team) to stem the tide.

1. Use Keywords to Identify Prime Topics

The best strategy is to focus on a few key phrases or topics that are really important to your company. Think about what your readers want to know; find out what questions they’re asking. Using keyword research and available keyword tracking tools, the information from these will give you a list of search-friendly post topics.

2. Be Social

Signing up for a Facebook doesn’t count as being on social media. Today’s social channels are best utilized for targeting your potential audiences by demographic, psychographic, behavioral patterns and interest. Tied together with your blog, it’s a powerful combination that drives tangible results. If you’re a professional, then you need to share content on LinkedIn. And, don’t forget about platforms that have more specific niches, like Pinterest and Instagram. They can help improve branding and grow community engagement.

3. Bring in the Professionals

There’s a big difference between interacting in social platforms on a personal level and utilizing these powerful resources as innovative marketing tools to enhance your online brand presence. To actively manage an ongoing program effectively, you need a focused approach that is built on the solid foundation of real estate industry expertise. The good news: for residential real estate, you’ve found your Blog ninjas, Cotton & Company.

To learn more about The Cotton Solution, an integrated real estate sales and marketing approach with a proven track record of success, [click here. ](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "Click here to learn more about The Cotton Solution.")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** advertising agency, blog content, Cotton & Company, luxury real estate, marketing agency

---

### [The Most Important New Products and Features Facebook Announced at F8 2018](https://cottonco.com/the-most-important-new-products-and-features-facebook-announced-at-f8-2018/)

**Published:** May 3, 2018
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Facebook’s annual F8 developers conference is typically chock full of splashy product and new feature announcements.
This year, the social media giant entered F8 under a cloud of high-profile scandals, including how the company deals with hate speech, election integrity, and data privacy.

Even so, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other executives unveiled a variety of new products at the 2-day event, going to great lengths to show that the company still has a few tricks up its sleeves despite all the recent distractions.

### ![Facebook Dating](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/5ae9045819ee8620008b4744-1536-768.jpg)

### Facebook Gets into Dating

Facebook will be integrating a feature for online dating directly into its main social-networking app. The feature, called Dating Home, will be opt-in and accessible by clicking on a small heart icon in the top right of the Facebook app.

Users who choose to create a Facebook dating profile will be able to chat with potential matches based on events and groups both are interested in.

Lest you get the wrong idea, though, Zuckerberg says:

> ***“This is going to be for building real long-term relationships, not just hookups.”***

### Facebook Watch Part

Zuckerberg announced a new feature that lets users watch video while chatting with friends.

Showing off the new feature, he even poked fun at himself using his recent Congressional testimony in response to the Cambridge Analytica data privacy scandal.

> ***“Let’s say your friend is testifying in Congress … you can laugh together, cry together. Some of my friends actually did this! Let’s not do that again any time soon,” he said.***

### **Instagram and WhatsApp are getting group video chat**

Users can already video chat with multiple people on Facebook Messenger, but the company announced that Instagram and WhatsApp, both of which are owned by Facebook, are getting the feature too.

On Instagram, users will be able to minimize the video and continue video chatting while using Instagram simultaneously.

### It’s Go Time for Facebook Oculus Go

Facebook’s standalone virtual reality Oculus GO headset started shipping Tuesday. It’ll cost $199. Unlike the existing, and more expensive, Oculus VR headset, the new Go headset does not need to be connected to a computer.

Accompanying the hardware, Facebook also announced Oculus TV, a feature that will put users in a virtual living room where they can watch shows from ESPN, Netflix, Hulu, and Showtime together.

Transform old photos into an immersive virtual world

This experimental feature was perhaps one of the most stunning demos Facebook showed off.

The company uses machine learning technology and something it called “point-cloud reconstruction” to transform flat, two-dimensional photos and videos into immersive 3D worlds.

“You pop on a VR headset and you’re there again. Walking around. Looking around corners. Seeing the places where your memories happened” a Facebook exec said during the demo. Facebook did not provide any timeframe for when this might be available.

### Facebook is adding upvotes and downvotes

Users will now be able to upvote and downvote comments on Facebook, impacting the order in which they appear under a post. It’s a feature users have been asking for and it appears the platform is finally adopting the Reddit-like feature.

### Facebook Messenger is getting a big makeover

Facebook Messenger is getting a big redesign, making the app less complicated and cluttered.

The revamp, which is coming “soon,” streamlines the social media giant’s standalone messaging app by ditching a dedicated tab for games and camera and focusing on communication, including new features that translate messages in different languages and bring augmented reality to online shopping. To judge by some of the photos, the new version also appears to have a dark mode.

### A new way to shop in Messenger

Facebook is integrating augmented reality into the Messenger app to create new types of shopping experiences.

Messenger boss David Marcus showed a demo of a new Nike sneaker released on the messaging app: Users with a special code can zoom in and check out the new shoe, share it with their friends and click to buy it.

### Artificial Intelligence and hate speech

In Facebook’s ongoing and complicated battle against hate speech, the company said that its AI technology is flagging content containing hate speech before it even gets reported. With more than 2 billion users, that kind of automated process can bring a lot of efficiencies.

But Facebook acknowledged that it still needs human moderators to review content flagged hate speech content so that it doesn’t accidentally censor posts that are sarcastic or that are actually criticizing hate speech.

As Zuckerberg noted himself last month when discussing the topic, it’s easier to build an AI system to detect a nipple than it is to detect hate speech.

### Welcome to facebook.ai

Facebook gave artificial intelligence researchers some new open source tools and a shiny new online hub — Facebook.ai — to access the tools.

The company expanded its open source offerings for developers working with machine learning, neural networks, and artificial intelligence, including a new version of its AI framework PyTorch 1.0.

### The world’s best image recognition system

Srinivas Narayanan, the director of applied machine learning at Facebook, said the company has developed the world’s best image recognition system using billions of publicly available photos and hashtags on Instagram.

### Missing in Action: the ‘portal’ smart speaker

There’s been lots of anticipation for a Facebook smart speaker, the company’s answer to products like the Amazon Echo and Google Home. Facebook’s version will have a built-in screen and was initially due to make its debut at the conference.

But according to news reports, Facebook pulled the plug on showcasing the product at the last minute, perhaps out of concern that the product might raise privacy concerns during what’s already a sensitive time for the company.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Beach Reads: Exploring the Best Books for Summer](https://cottonco.com/beach-reads/)

**Published:** July 16, 2018
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

It’s finally summer, and that means it’s the perfect time for road trips, beach vacations, relaxing by the pool, and enjoying a good book…or two (or three or four). But where do you start? Here’s a quick look of books that truly encapsulate the sunny summer season.

## Short Reads

For those who want a quick and easy read, there are two books that are absolutely perfect for summer.

Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury
Dandelion Wine takes place in the small town of Green Town, IL during the summer of 1928. Typical of Bradbury, most chapters read like small short stories, as you follow the summer adventures of 12 year-old Douglas Spaulding (loosely based on Bradbury himself).

Why You Should Read It: In this short novel Bradbury manages to convey the childish excitement and love for summer than all kids have growing up. And for adults who in between family trip planning and entertaining out-of-school children 24-7 may have forgotten WHY summer is the best season of them all, this book is a poignant yet enjoyable reminder.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
A quick, enjoyable read, Guernsey is a (mostly) epistolary novel that takes place in England post-World War II. A young man from the Island of Guernsey (located in the English Channel) sends a letter to a young writer, Juliet Ashton, asking for book recommendations. Through this correspondence Miss Ashton slowly learns about the German Occupation of the Channel Islands and the quirky, but lovable members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

Why You Should Read It: The German Occupation of the English Channel Islands is rarely mentioned in most historical books, yet this historical fiction novel manages to portray the darkness of the Occupation with the enduring strength of the English people. This book is perfect for anyone who enjoys historical fiction and a light-romance sub-plot. BONUS: This book was turned into a movie that’s expected to be released sometime in 2018.

## For those REALLY, REALLY long Road Trips

Most people don’t want to read 1000 page novels, and that’s okay. But on those cross-country road trips, or for those who want their summer read to last all summer, here are a couple longer suggestions.

We, The Drowned by Carsten Jensen
Summer is usually synonymous with the Sea, which is what prompted this long-read choice. We, The Drowned follows the story of a small town of seafaring Danish sailors through multiple generations. For 200 years this novel covers the rise and fall of the shipping industry in a small town and the seafaring adventures of a select few residents.

Why You Should Read It: Most sea-based stories often romanticize the sailing on the ocean as a non-stop grand adventure, and while this story does show some great adventures at sea, it also shows the dangerous reality that sailors often faced. Additionally, this novel also shows the often-traumatic effect on the family left behind. It is, without a doubt, a modern classic and seafaring epic.

The Dirk Pitt Series by Clive Cussler
What do you get when you mix Jimmy Buffet with James Bond? Dirk Pitt of course. Working for the National Underwater and Marina Agency (NUMA) Dirk Pitt manages to both discover numerous shipwrecks and save the world from villains whose plots include such insane plots as moving the Mississippi River, flooding the entire world while select few survive on a giant cruise ship, and raising the Titanic.

Why You Should Read It: Summer is time for adventure and Dirk Pitt has plenty of those…often in hot, sunny locations where he usually ends up beating the bad-guy and getting the girl. What more could you want for a fun summer series?

**Categories:** Employee Expertise

**Tags:** Book Recommendations, Books, Summer Reading

---

### [What We Learned in Our Local HR Seminar](https://cottonco.com/what-we-learned-in-our-local-hr-seminar/)

**Published:** November 15, 2018
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

The world of work is constantly shifting, especially when it comes to staff representation and recognition in the workplace. That’s why Cotton & Company found it important to attend the Pryor Learning Solutions ‘The Essentials of HR Law’ in Port St. Lucie recently. The seminar itself was designed to help educate employers on proper procedures involving recruiting, accommodating, and encouraging professionals in today’s modern work world. HR Supervisor Kathy Petroraio attended, and found multiple ways to apply the information that she received. “Our team members are an important asset at Cotton & Company,” she explained. “So knowing how to support them and recognize them for their work is just as important an asset for us.” Kathy was happy to explain to us what she had learned at the seminar-here’s what we got from her notes:

The law can be a tricky thing to both understand and apply. Not only are laws changing constantly, technical legal jargon and lengthy texts makes legal issues difficult. Realizing this, the Pryor seminar was designed to discuss the law and the workplace, helping human resource managers to break down legal concepts and apply them in everyday work scenarios. With this legal background, Cotton & Company can have the backs of their team members.

The professionals at Cotton & Company excel in their fields. Their jobs involve compiling research on target markets to utilize in ad campaigns, crafting those campaigns to reach out to audiences, creating website and advertising designs and everything in between. Because of this, they’re a group of highly talented individuals and should be recognized for what they do and how they do it. The seminar had some tips, such as pointing out something that a staff member did exemplary and recognizing it, but at Cotton & Company, we like to go the extra mile.

Cotton & Company is an industry leader in the marketing, advertising, and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate. Our amazing team of digital marketing specialists, creative designers, copywriters, and website developers utilize today’s technology and new media channels to drive sales success for our clients throughout the world. [If you’re interested in learning more joining our team of talented professionals, click here.](https://cottonco.com/careers/ "Click here to learn more about joining the team at Cotton & Company.")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** advertising jobs, careers in advertising, careers in marketing, hr seminar, human resources, marketing jobs, working in marketing

---

### [How to Make Sure Your Real Estate Project Uses Facebook to its Advantage](https://cottonco.com/how-to-make-sure-your-real-estate-project-uses-facebook-to-its-advantage/)

**Published:** October 3, 2018
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

## If you approach social media advertising as though it were the same as your strategies for Google Ads, you’re going to fail.

Because the two—social media advertising and paid search advertising—are different, they require separate advertising strategies. Before I give you the strategies for social media advertising, let me explain the difference between social media advertising, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, and paid search, such as Google and Bing.

Google is an example of paid search advertising. Marketers pay Google to appear in search results, choosing keywords relevant to their businesses, hence the word “search” in “paid search advertising.” When a user enters Google and searches for “condos for sale in Sarasota,” the marketers who bought Google ads for those keywords will appear on top of the search results for that query. Examine the example below.

![Google Paid Search Advertising](/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/1.png)

![Desktop Google Search Advertising](/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2.png)

Facebook, the opposite of paid search, is an example of social media advertising. Because it is not a search engine like Google, it cannot offer the same search tools and the same ads as Google. Instead, marketers pay Facebook to show ads in its social media platform, hoping that the ads will attract the eyes of Facebook’s 2 billion users as they scroll through their feeds. The ads can appear in Facebook’s news feed, right column, or Audience Network, depending on the placement options you choose. Here are examples of Facebook ads appearing in the news feed and in the right column. In the middle of the screen is a single image news feed ad from BLVD Sarasota, and the right column ad, which you can see from the right side of the screen, is a single image ad.

![Sample Facebook Ad for BLVD Sarasota](/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/3.png)

![Sample Facebook Right Column Ad for BLVD Sarasota](/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Untitled-4-min.jpg)

As you can see, Facebook ads not only appear differently than Google ads—the environment in which they appear is different too. To succeed in paid social advertising, you’ll need keep the following tips in mind.

## Ditch the Sales Talk

The users who visit Google to search for items have high intent: they have an item in mind they want to purchase, and if they find the item, they will likely purchase it immediately. Users who visit social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram don’t share the same intent. In fact, the don’t have any purchase intent at all. Rather, they visit the platforms to socialize with their friends and seek entertainment from the content on their feeds.

If you want to appeal to a social media audience, you must ditch the sales talk and speak to them as though you were a friend from their feed. The more your ad looks less like an ad and more like a post from a peer, the better your ad will fare on Facebook. Remember, people on Facebook don’t want to see ads. They want to see posts.

If you don’t know the kind of approach to use, try the three Es: using your ad, entertain, educate, and engage. Look at the Naples Reserve ad below. The ad educates users about things to do in Naples, FL if you are in active retirement. Instead of opening with a call to action “Buy our products now,” the ad first speaks to the audience and introduces a fun facts about the area.

![Lifestyle Advertising Facebook Ad Example for Real Estate](/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/5.png)

## Use Video Ads

You’ve probably heard this advice so often you’re sick of hearing it: use video. But this advice comes with truth behind it. According to a study conducted by Facebook, people gaze five times longer at videos than at photos on both Facebook and Instagram. In a world where it takes merely two seconds for people to look at content on their news feeds, a gaze that’s five times longer is great news for you. Videos stop users mid-scroll, and it’s been proven to be effective.

You have many options for video ads across different platforms. First, there are YouTube ads, which appear before or during a video. You can buy 3-second unskippable ads that appear before a video plays and a longer, in-stream skippable ad that typically appears during the video.

If YouTube doesn’t interest you (although it should because it’s currently the most popular video website), you can also advertise on Facebook using the Single Video ad format or Canvas format. Because Facebook owns Instagram, you can also easily advertise on the latter social media app using the rapidly growing Instagram Stories ad format.

## Example of a Canvas Ad Allows Advertisers to Story-Tell & Provide Links to Allow Users to Click in to Particular Sections of the Advertisers Website

![Video Ad Sample for Real Estate in Facebook First Screen](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/6-700x287.png)

![Sample Video Ad for Real Estate in Facebook Second Screen](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/7-700x319.png)

![Sample Video Ad for Real Estate in Facebook](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/8-700x330.png)

![Sample Video Ad for Real Estate in Facebook Third Screen](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/9-700x247.png)

![Sample Video Ad for Real Estate in Facebook Fourth Screen](/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Screen-Shot-2018-10-03-at-11.24.24-AM.png)

If you want to attract rapidly scrolling users with short attention spans if you want to stand out against your competitors, if you want to showcase your creativity, use video—it’s the hottest trend.

## Optimize All Ads for Mobile

The smartphone is perhaps the most omnipresent object in people’s lives. The next time you’re at a public space, whether that’s at cafe, library, or park, take a look around you and see the amount of people who are on their phones. I guarantee you will see a few of them.

Because smartphones are like minicomputers, and because social media platforms have apps that make the social media experience better for mobile users, most people visit social media platforms on their smartphones, whether they’re at home, at work, or in line at Starbucks. If you want your ads to succeed on social media, optimize for mobile devices. First, turn your horizontal videos to vertical videos because the latter format fills phone screens better. Second, add captions to all of your videos because most people watch videos with sound off. Third, use images that are bright and colourful, like the earlier ad example from Naples Reserve, to stand out against a cluttered mobile news feed.

## Try Instagram Stories

Speaking of video, if you plan to advertise on Instagram, add Instagram Stories to your strategy. Instagram offers a single video format that appears in the feed, but recently, Instagram also added Stories into its ad format options. Instagram created Stories to spite Snap Inc. for refusing to sell its app, Snapchat, to Facebook. As the Stories feature grew in popularity, Instagram launched Stories Ads, 15-second vertical video ads that appear between people’s Stories. Now, according to Facebook, Stories is the fastest growing product in Facebook history.

![Instagram Story Ads for Real Estate Sales](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/10-700x274.png)

Because more people are using Stories, it’s an obvious place to advertise. The larger the audience in Stories, the greater the possibility for business growth.

What benefits do you gain from Stories other than a large audience? Facebook also stated that people on Instagram often engage with businesses. Currently, one-third of the most viewed Stories come from businesses. Facebook also found that businesses love Stories. Fifty percent of businesses creates Instagram Stories in a typical month.

## Meridian Parks Instagram Story

![Example of an Instagram Story Ad for Real Estate Project in Florida](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/11.png)

![Successful Instagram Story Ads for Real Estate](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/12.png)

## Respond to Each Comment

Before social media advertising, customers couldn’t directly comment on an ad. They couldn’t directly comment under a billboard ad or a TV commercial, for example—there’s no way to do it. But with social media ads, customers can comment underneath the ad. Giving people the power to do such a thing can have both negative and positive outcomes. On the one hand, it gives you the opportunity to listen to critiques and adjust your strategies accordingly.

On the other hand, it gives angry customers (or worse, internet trolls) a public space to complain.

To use an ad’s comments section to your advantage, respond to *every* negative comment. This shows customers that you are eager to deliver the best customer service, to right your wrongs, to maintain your brand’s integrity. It looks better to address an issue straightaway instead of ignoring it completely. Doing the latter will make your brand look negligent.

## Refresh Creatives Every Two Weeks

Refreshing your creatives is so important. It’s so important to your campaigns, in fact, that if you don’t refresh your creatives, your campaigns will, over time, underperform and fail. Refreshing creatives helps combat ad fatigue, a phenomenon in which people grow tired of your ad after seeing it too often.
Unless you want your audience to ignore or fail to notice your repetitive ad, refresh your ads every two weeks to keep your audience interested.To refresh your ad, change your text copy, creative, ad format, or placement. Although refreshing your creatives is important, don’t refresh all of your creatives if you don’t have to. Refresh the ads with high frequency but low conversions and run the well-performing ads. If you’re receiving good returns from your ad, there’s no point changing it.

## A/B Test Regularly

There isn’t a single solution to creating the best ad. In fact, one solution may work for one person but not for another. Finding the best strategy requires constant A/B testing. Test two ads with two different copies, images, or ad formats. Once you find the ad that outperforms the others, run it until the performance drops. Once it does, refresh the creative and run it again.

## If You Fail, Try Again

When you advertise on social media, don’t expect to become a millionaire overnight. Instead, expect hard work. Expect to constantly monitor your ad performance. Expect to refresh creatives. Expect to see some ads fail and some ads succeed.

Also, don’t expect to generate sales right away. Often, the person who sees your ad won’t purchase at that very moment. In fact, they might see your ad and ignore it the first time they see it. As they see your ad a few more times, they might convert. For that reason, have patience and perseverance. Retarget people who clicked on your ad but did not do your desired action. If they’re clicking on your ad, they’re obviously interested—they just need a little push.

Social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram are not the same as the platforms Google and Bing. Because social media advertising audiences have low purchase intent unlike paid search audiences, it’s important to use different strategies. If you don’t have a strategy in mind, try the ones outlined here.

Cotton & Company is an industry leader in marketing & advertising exclusively for the real estate industry. For a [free digital audit](https://cottonco.com/ "Contact Cotton & Company."), simply fill out the form and we’ll be in touch.

To learn more about digital marketing opportunities visit our website or

## call us today (772)287-6612

**Categories:** Advertising, Social Media

**Tags:** facebook for real estate developers, facebook for residential real estate home sales, facebook marketing for real estate, leveraging facebook for real estate, selling real estate on facebook

---

### [5 Digital Marketing Tactics You Better Be Using for Your Real Estate Project](https://cottonco.com/5-digital-marketing-tactics-you-better-be-using-for-your-real-estate-project/)

**Published:** December 20, 2018
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

While digital marketing tools and campaigns may constantly change, the foundation for good real estate marketing has not. But now, you have the opportunity to take those fundamental strategies and turn them into actionable digital marketing tactics. Take a look at the list below to learn more.

**1. Data capture is the key**
Make sure you not only secure a unique and easy to read website (HTTPS), but that it has a main goal of educating users and converting them into prospects by capturing their contact information in return for sharing something with them of value. Strong calls to action must be incorporated including digital magazines, free brochures, or education pieces like comparison or local guides. Your website should also be unique and created as a custom build just for your project, not a pre-fabricated template that may look too similar to your competition.

**2. Consistently generate new content**
The key to owning your space online is fresh, new intriguing content that is true and rich and always relevant. Gone are the days where quick SEO tactics were sufficient. Now you must truly work on creating a robust content marketing strategy that provides interesting material that educates and entertains the consumer.

**3. Get the message out**
This is essentially the same logic that billboards follow-take your message to the people. Except with social media marketing, it’s much easier to pinpoint your specific target audience instead of hitting every passerby. Your prospects are spending time online research their next home purchase – make sure you’re visible there. Sharing on social media is also like your friends and family referral program on steroids – take advantage of this and share content that your current homebuyers or realtor network will want to share with their networks.

**4. Retarget Website Visitors**
Your search and display campaigns are important for initial awareness, but in today’s media-saturated landscape, fostering a strong remarketing campaign will only help increase your conversion. Reaching out to people who have already shown interest in your offering, but just need a little push jumping off the fence is essential for a holistic digital marketing program.

**5. Nurture your Pipeline**
Tracking your prospects through the sales funnel is paramount. And making sure there are certain touchpoints throughout that funnel that will assist in educating them on your project will only assist them in getting ready to take the next step. It is so important for you to be able to not only follow the progress of your prospects, but also your sales team – to make sure there isn’t anything that can be optimized from that side.

While digital marketing may have changed advertising exponentially, tried and true marketing techniques have not. Knowing this, we at Cotton & Company work to merge the old with the new to create marketing programs that work, be they digital, television, print, or whatever the future in advertising brings. Our marketing research helps bring up customer data that you can use, and our advertising campaigns bring results. Let Cotton & Company work for you-click here to learn how.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** digital marketing for real estate, digital marketing tactics, marketing real estate online, social marketing for real estate

---

### [Boca West Country Club Named One of the World’s Most Iconic Club Brands By National Club Association Survey of Club Managers](https://cottonco.com/boca-west-country-club-named-iconic-club-brand/)

**Published:** July 11, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

## **Boca West only Florida Club to Make the List**

One of South Florida’s top private clubs, Boca West Country Club, has joined an elite group of prestigious golf destinations around the world.

Boca West Country Club has been named one of the most iconic clubs in the world in a National Club Association survey of 314 private club managers. Conducted by The McMahon Group, the Pulse Survey featured in the organization’s current Club Trends magazine, ranked Boca West as one of the top in the world among golf and country clubs. It was the only Florida country club to receive this distinction.

“We are deeply humbled that our peers in the country and golf club world find Boca West to be one of the world’s most iconic clubs, sharing the honor with the famed St. Andrews in Scotland, Augusta National, and Pebble Beach,” said Matthew Linderman, CCM, President, COO and General Manager of Boca West Country Club. “We have an incredible staff who go above and beyond to provide everlasting memories and experiences for our members who are the Club’s greatest brand ambassadors as they share their enthusiasm for Boca West with friends and family throughout the world.”

Boca West Country Club features four championship 18-hole golf courses designed by Pete Dye, Arnold Palmer and Jim Fazio, as well as a new $50 million, 100,000-square-foot golf and activities center. The Club also features championship tennis and pickleball courts, six restaurants, a spa and fitness center, and amenities that appeal to every generation and age group.

For more than 55 years, the National Club Association (NCA), a Washington, D.C.-based trade association, has provided private clubs with a voice on Capitol Hill. NCA also has educated clubs on the ever-evolving trends in the club community and has provided them with the tools they need to navigate the tides of change, including resources related to effective club governance, operations, model club practices, trends and legal issues.

Boca West Country Club is a client of [Cotton & Company](/), an industry leader in the marketing, advertising, and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate. Our amazing team of digital marketing experts, creative designers, copywriters, and website developers utilize today’s technology and new media channels to stay ahead of the curve and continue to drive sales success for our real estate clients throughout the world.

To stay up to date with the latest real estate industry news and trends subscribe to our [Cotton Solution Magazine](/request-solutions-magazine/) by clicking here or fill out the form on this page.

To read the original article by GLOBE NEWSWIRE visit: http://bit.ly/2JsomAu

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Boca West, Boca West Country Club, most iconic clubs

---

### [Real Estate Expertise Rooted in Workout Solutions](https://cottonco.com/baptized-by-fire/)

**Published:** July 19, 2019
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

## Stephann Cotton – Baptized By Fire

University of Florida advertising degree in hand, [Stephann Cotton](/the-agency/stephann-cotton/ "Stephann Bio Page") set out to find his place in the world. Having grown up in Fort Lauderdale, South Florida was home and when a job opportunity presented itself with Southeastern Marketing, he jumped right in. Little did he know it at the time, but he entered his first real estate cycle … at the bottom.

It was the late 1970s. The banking and Real Estate industries had taken a hit, and many prime real estate assets were thrown into Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). Projects, big and small, were shut down on a moment’s notice. Locks on the gates, half-finished construction, no development team in place. Continental Mortgage Investors hired Southeastern Marketing with Stephann Cotton as Vice President to bring these assets back to life and sell them out. For Cotton, it was an intense training ground to learn the real estate industry and put his marketing education to the test.

> *“At the time, I couldn’t appreciate how valuable an education I was receiving by managing the Continental Mortgage Investors account,”* says Cotton.

Cotton was immersed in every aspect of the development from product design, construction and phasing to amenity plans, operational budgets, and sales strategies. It was the beginning of a lifelong passion for an industry that remains in a constant state of fluctuation. In 1981, Laurie Andrews began working alongside Cotton at Southeastern Marketing. She too was immersed in the strategic planning and assisted developers through many real estate cycles. It was the beginning of a lifelong partnership and dedication to the industry. Learning from the past to prepare for the future. It was the start of the Cotton Solution and led to the creation of Cotton & Company in 1983.

> *“Real estate is a cyclical industry, and every cycle presents new challenges and opportunities. It’s what we’ve learned from over 1,700 projects over the past four decades that really sets us apart in the industry,”* says Cotton.

Today Cotton & Company is an industry leader in the marketing, advertising, and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate. Our amazing team of digital marketing experts, creative designers, copywriters, and website developers utilize today’s technology and new media channels to stay ahead of the curve and continue to drive sales success for our real estate clients throughout the world.

**Get a complimentary copy of [ Solutions Magazine](/request-solutions-magazine/ "Click to request the magazine"), hot off the press, by filling out the form on this page.**

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Cotton & Company, Stephann Cotton, The Cotton Solution

---

### [Strong Sales Activity Continues at Naples Reserve in First Half of 2019](https://cottonco.com/strong-sales-activity-continues-at-naples-reserve/)

**Published:** July 11, 2019
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Homebuyers who visit Naples Reserve, iStar’s 688-acre community of Southern Coastal-inspired attached villa, single-family and custom estate homes in South Naples, realize they have the opportunity to be part of something special. That’s why Naples Reserve continues to be a top-selling community in South Naples, and buyers keep taking advantage of the opportunity to live a laid back lifestyle on the water.

[Naples Reserve](https://cottonco.com/works/naples-reserve/) has logged 123 home sales in 2019 as of June 23, which is already more than half of its 2018 total. The entire community is nearly halfway sold towards its eventual total of 1,088 homes at buildout.

The Sutton Cay neighborhood is the latest neighborhood to open up to buyers at Naples Reserve. Located steps away from the community’s Match Point tennis and pickleball complex, it offers homes with up to 3,150 square feet of living space from builder D.R. Horton and options for both preserve views and views of the community’s centerpiece Eagle Lake. Homes start at $433,990, and 12 have already gone under contract at Sutton Cay.

Limited inventory remains in several of the distinctive neighborhoods in the community’s Phase I, including Egret Landing, Mallard Point, Savannah Lakes and Sparrow Cay. A number of waterfront lots remain available in the Parrot Cay neighborhood, where buyers can build custom estate homes ranging from 2,812 to more than 3,500 square feet priced from the high $700s.

Almost all of the 64 homesites in Canoe Landing have water views and half of those sites were released at the start of Phase II. Stock Signature Homes offers several floor plans from its Classic Series in Canoe Landing, including the Plantation III, Marathon III, Siesta III and Wisteria. Floor plans range from 2,445 to 3,097 square feet under air, with prices beginning in the high $400s.

“Buyers are really responding to the range of options available at Naples Reserve,” said Heather Thompson, Naples Reserve’s marketing manager. “From home size to views, homeowners can decide on the right choices for their lifestyle.”

Naples Reserve was created amongst 22 lakes, which provide prime opportunities for using the community’s Hydrobikes, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding and enjoying scenic vistas. The 125-acre Eagle Lake features a large tiki hut on destination Kontiki Island, in addition to a mile-long rowing lane nestled against the Picayune Strand State Forest, a 76,000-acre state park with protected pinelands, cypress swamps, marshes and abundant wildlife.

The community’s lakefront, resort-inspired amenities include the $7-million Island Club social center, which features a 5,160-square-foot clubhouse and an adjacent 3,500-square-foot fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment and a movement studio for spinning, Zumba and yoga. Outdoors, an expansive, resort-style, zero-entry pool offers dedicated lap lanes and ample room for relaxation.

Indoor and alfresco gathering areas at the Island Club include a lakeside fire pit and casual beverage and dining options at the Chat ‘n Chill Tiki Bar and Latitudes Cafe. The nearby Outrigger Center offers a variety of watercraft options available for residents’ use and serves as the departure point for cruises on the community’s two Duffy electric boats for exploring Eagle Lake and Kontiki Island. Naples Reserve also offers homebuyers along Eagle Lake the opportunity for a personal floating boat dock.

At the lakefront Match Point complex, residents can challenge their neighbors to some friendly competition on five tennis and four pickleball courts. Nearby, the Walk & Wag dog park provides a place for residents and four-legged friends to enjoy together. An additional dog park – Paws Awhile – is also planned, as well as the Kid’s Cove area and a meandering linear park for biking, hiking and jogging. Navigating a loop road circling Naples Reserve, the park is designed to engage residents with their natural environment and provide an alternative mode of transportation throughout the community.

Naples Reserve offers 18 fully decorated models available for viewing built by Southwest Florida’s premier homebuilders, including Ashton Woods, D.R. Horton, Florida Lifestyle Homes, KTS Homes, Lundstrom Development, Marvin Development, McGarvey Custom Homes and Stock Signature Homes. Homes are priced from the low $300,000s to more than $1 million.

Naples Reserve is a client of [Cotton & Company](/), an industry leader in the marketing, advertising, and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate. Our amazing team of digital marketing experts, creative designers, copywriters, and website developers utilize today’s technology and new media channels to stay ahead of the curve and continue to drive sales success for our real estate clients throughout the world.

To stay up to date with the latest real estate industry news and trends subscribe to our [Cotton Solution Magazine](/request-solutions-magazine/) or simply fill out the form on this page.

Find the original article by Naples Daily News at http://bit.ly/2LN6jGJ

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Naples Reserve, top-selling community in South Naples

---

### [Everybody's Heroes](https://cottonco.com/everybodys-heroes/)

**Published:** April 1, 2006
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

West Palm Beach News 12 / Fox 29 News Report on housing price breaks.

[Click here to view video](/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/bldrs.mpg "Click here for the original article.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [A Glimmer of Hope in Housing Market](https://cottonco.com/a-glimmer-of-hope-in-housing-market/)

**Published:** March 23, 2010
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Stephann Cotton of Cotton & Co. explains that a recent survey on buyer confidence shows that 34% of those polled expect a housing-market bottom within six months and 65% see a bottom within 12 months. Kelsey Hubbard reports.

[Click here to view video](http://www.marketwatch.com/video/a-glimmer-hope-housing-market-stephann/36FD7472-7F4C-4C13-BAFB-C342EE7B54C0.html "Click here for MarketWatch.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Why Cotton](https://cottonco.com/why-cotton/)

**Published:** August 29, 2010
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Cotton & Company maintains a laser focus on real estate sales and marketing.
We empower sales success world-wide including more than 1,700 properties.
We combine four decades of real estate expertise with today’s most innovative digital strategies.

We don’t just talk a good game, we execute – on time, on budget and on target!

[Let’s talk.](/contact/ "Contact Cotton & Company.")

**Categories:** Why Cotton

---

### [Deliver a Treat](https://cottonco.com/deliver-a-treat/)

**Published:** September 27, 2010
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

You can’t go wrong sending over tasty snacks for your client’s staff. Jared Gutstadt, CEO of Jingle Punks, a music licensing company, sends pizza at random on many Friday afternoons.

Laurie Andrews, chief operating officer at public relations firm Cotton & Co., sends an ice cream truck during the summer months. “It’s a feel-good moment that people remember and talk about,” she says.

[Click here to view original article](http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/15/affordable-ways-to-entertain-clients-entrepreneurs-sales-marketing-entertain_slide_9.html "Click here for the original article.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Real Estate News — Cotton & Company on Who’s Making Money Now](https://cottonco.com/real-estate-news-cotton-company-on-whos-making-money-now/)

**Published:** September 28, 2010
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

When a recent cover story in Time magazine stated, “owning a home may no longer make economic sense,” the Wall Street Journal soon responded with [a story ](http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2010/09/15/buying-a-home-good-idea/ "Click here to learn more from the WSJ.")explaining why home ownership is a good thing.

Mixed messages and conflicting perspectives on the business of real estate—for consumers, developers and builders—keep many in a state of uncertainty about market recovery and what happens next.

Cotton & Company, the international real estate sales and marketing firm based in Florida, sees their clients profiting from the market right now.

“Buyers just closed on 25 residences at a Boca Raton project we’re working with, One Thousand Ocean—and more that 50 residences have been sold over the past six months at [West Bay Beach & Golf Club](http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.westbayclub.com%2F&esheet=6446129&lan=en-US&anchor=West+Bay+Beach+%26+Golf+Club&index=4&md5=9c0284fefbe8d4485ed6e2dbfccf4d4d "Click here to learn more about West Bay Beach & Golf Club.") in Naples. The dollar volume of closings at One Thousand Ocean has reached more than $140 million,” explains Stephann Cotton, CEO of the firm bearing his name, adding, “Anyone selling at the right price is finding good absorption—sales people and asset managers that are getting discounted properties to the right buyers are making money; and banks are doing new mortgages—of course, lawyers are making money now.”

Mortgage rates and home prices are at historic all time lows—yet many people seeking to invest are looking for stable, healthy levels of recovery before investing, despite reports that the nation is emerging from the recession.

“People who have cash readily available and recognize the potential of the down market are making money,” explains Laurie Andrews, COO at Cotton & Company, she adds, “With the capital markets strained, investors with cash are paying a fraction of the price for prime properties. If buyers are looking for a higher yield on their dollar, real estate should be a top consideration.”

The strategic advisory and market entry consulting firm, KOLL-EOS, recommends investors review their goals and options carefully before buying residential real estate.

“Any decision on whether housing is a good investment must consider two important factors: the time frame a buyer is likely to stay in the house and specific regional factors,” says Ricardo Koenigsberger, Managing partner of KOLL-EOS. “With respect to the time frame factor, the current housing decline is deep and is likely to take some time to recover—whether there is a double dip down or not—and if a buyer is likely to be in a house a long period of time, the risk of the market not having recovered is mitigated and it is more likely to have been a good decision to buy now.”

**About Cotton & Company**

Cotton & Company is a leading real estate sales and marketing firm that has represented more than 1,600 communities over the past 27 years. Cotton delivers effective marketing strategies, internet-based data management, advanced digital expertise and new media marketing campaigns for residential real estate destinations. Cotton & Company specializes in sales management and repositioning assets to meet the changing needs of the emerging market. For more information visit: [http://cottonco.com](/ "Click here to learn more about The Cotton Solution.")

**About Koll-Eos**

Koll-Eos is a vertically integrated strategic advisory and market entry consulting firm that integrates high caliber structured finance expertise with robust real estate operations infrastructure. Koll-Eos principals have managed $12.25B+ of aggregated investments for hedge funds, private equity funds, and operating platforms. Together with The Koll Company, Koll-Eos maintains eight offices nationwide with 80+ personnel. For more information visit: www.koll-eos.com

[Click here to view original article](http://markets.financialcontent.com/stocks/news/read?GUID=14887655&ChannelID=3191 "Click here for the original article.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Glass Rooms on The Patio](https://cottonco.com/glass-rooms-on-the-patio/)

**Published:** November 30, 2010
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Outdoor patios with full kitchens are getting even huger these days, with some nearing 10,000 square feet, said Stephann Cotton, owner of the real-estate sales and marketing firm Cotton & Co.

They’ve got the Rolls Royce of grills, outdoor wine fridges, fireplaces, sweeping views — you name it. But guess what else they’ve got? Bugs.

Cotton said his high-end clients with penthouses in Boca Raton, Fla., are increasingly asking for these glass structures, out at the end of the patio where the best views are. They’re turning them into everything from outdoor dining areas and zen gardens to man caves and music studios.

A four-sided glass structure means there aren’t just northern views or southern views, Cotton says, there are north, south, east and west views!

[Click here to view original article](http://www.cnbc.com/id/39894625?slide=5 "Click here for the original article.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [A Second Opinion](https://cottonco.com/a-second-opinion/)

**Published:** February 28, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

A recent post suggested [“7 Things That Annoy Website Visitors.”](http://www.ereleases.com/prfuel/7-things-annoy-website-visitors/ "Click here for 7 things that annoy visitors.") Experience has taught us that, “one size does not fit all.” Neither does one set of guidelines. As a leading sales and marketing agency, providing services to developers of luxury real estate since 1983, Cotton & Company takes pride in the quality and performance of the custom websites created for its clients. Focusing upon lifestyle, each website is an attempt to create a vivid representation of the personal comfort and joy to be found as a resident of that particular community.

The buyer of a one-of-a-kind, $17 million, oceanfront penthouse does not share the same perspective as the individual who is trying to find the best price for Duracell® Batteries. Commodity buyers have a choice of dozens of websites for purchasing the identical product at virtually the same price. They can and frequently will make their buying decision on the basis of website background colors, font size, or some other equally obscure standard. Most often, their primary goal is to complete the transaction as quickly and efficiently as possible.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Public Relations, Real Estate, SEO, Social Media, Uncategorized, Web

**Tags:** Branding, Brokers, Builders, business, Buyers, Communication, Cotton & Company, Homebuyers, Industry, internet, Leads, Market, marketing, networking, Posts, real estate, Social Media Outlets

---

### [One Thousand Ocean Luxury Event The 'Talk Of The Town'](https://cottonco.com/one-thousand-ocean-luxury-event-the-talk-of-the-town/)

**Published:** March 1, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Nearly 400 guests, including some of South Florida’s most sophisticated and stylish residents recently attended a “Celebration of Luxury” in a location renowned for it- One Thousand Ocean.

The developer of the new Atlantic Ocean-to-Intracoastal condominium in Boca Raton graciously welcomed partygoers who were initially greeted by the sight of a 2011 Ferrari California parked in front of the arrival court, compliments of Ferrari-Maserati of Fort Lauderdale. Guests were guided into the iconic, contemporary building where they then were swept by elevator to the largest of four recently released penthouses.

There, sumptuous hor d’oevres and libations merged with live music and vocals, as statuesque fashion models in glittering gowns from Zola Keller glided across the exquisite interior spaces that total 8,770 square feet (not to mention the 4,000-plus square feet of terraces).

A dazzling showcase of jewels by Levinson Jewelers also attracted admirers, as did a display of Tungsten W biometric wallets and information provided by RoboVault.

Media sponsor City & Shore was represented at the soiree as well, and sports celebrities Kim Bokamper and Cliff Floyd mingled with the delighted crowd. Bokamper, a former NFL veteran with the Miami Dolphins, is a local TV broadcaster and part of the Miami Dolphins radio team. Floyd, a former Major League Baseball outfielder who was a member of the 1997 World Series winning Florida Marlins, is no a sports radio show host.

“It was a magical night of luxury, glamour and good taste in an unparalleled setting for living,” noted Jamie Telchin, president of development for LXR Luxury Resorts. AN LXR affiliate developed the condominium, which is adjacent to the Boca Raton Resort’s Boca Beach Club. “We were very pleased to have hosted this event which drew such tremendous interest.”

One Thousand Ocean features Residences, Beach Villas and The Penthouse Collection at prices spanning from approximately $3 million to $15 million. Thirty-two of the 52 residences have already been sold and closed, and many of the residents are enjoying their new home this season.

[Click here to view original article](/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Boca-Exposure-March-2011.pdf "Original content.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Gumley Haft- Kleier and One Thousand Ocean Enter Into Strategic Alliance](https://cottonco.com/gumley-haft-kleier-and-one-thousand-ocean-enter-into-strategic-alliance/)

**Published:** April 1, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

One Thousand Ocean, the landmark Atlantic Ocean-to-Intracoastal condominium situated on the tip of a private peninsula at the Boca Raton Inlet, has established a strategic relationship with one of Manhattan’s top boutique real estate brokerage firms, Gumley Haft Kleier.

Michele Kleier, resident and chairman of the firm, along with her husband Ian Kleier and daughters Samantha Kleier-Forbes and Sabrina Kleier-Morgenstern, are also recognized as stars of Selling New York, one of HGTV’s top-rated shows. Specializing in residential properties throughout Manhattan, including cooperative, condominium, town house, apartment, and loft real estate, the Kleiers know that audience of approximately 2 million viewers each week want to see costly, ultra-high-end residences within impressive buildings.

A masterpiece of cutting-edge contemporary design, One Thousand Ocean has been among them, even though it is not located in the Big Apple. The uniquely designed, seven-story, nautilus-shaped condominium building featuring 52 residences was developed by an affiliate of LXR Luxury Resorts. According to Jamie Telchin, LXR’s president of development, the Kleiers have a strong and longstanding connection to Boca Raton. “They have been frequent visitors here and subsequently bought property in the area. They also have high-net-worth New York clients with high expectations who seek properties in prestigious Boca Raton,” he pointed out.

“We expect that this alliance will bring future interest in One Thousand Ocean from the New York market,” Telchin said.

The Kleiers had arranged for Selling New York to film a segment at One Thousand Ocean during a visit to South Florida in January 2010. The segment aired for the first time on May 6, 2010, during the show’s inaugural season.

“That was before this extraordinary oceanfront building was completed,” said Michele Kleier, a major force in Manhattan real estate for more than 25 years. “Since then, our family has been back in Boca and recently had the opportunity to revisit One Thousand Ocean. We were even more impressed now that it is 65 percent sold and being enjoyed by many of its residents.”

The Kleiers and One Thousand Ocean co-hosted an event for top New York brokers, agents and prospects at The London Hotel in midtown Manhattan on March 7, which will be filmed for Selling New York. The London is one of approximately 30 hotels and resorts in LXR’s portfolio in the United States and Caribbean. LXR’s flagship resort property is the internationally acclaimed Boca Raton Resort & Club, located just across the Intracoastal Waterway from One Thousand Ocean. The Resort’s Boca Beach Club is immediately adjacent to One Thousand Ocean.

“We then will return to One Thousand Ocean with the film crew at the end of March to again film the building. We plan to include a party that will take place in the largest penthouse,” Kleier noted.

Continuing, she said, “Through the years we have spent a lot of vacation time at the Boca Raton Resort where we still enjoy the beach and other world-class amenities. My daughters have fond memories of when they brought beach chairs and sat out by the jetty by the same inlet that One Thousand Ocean overlooks. So there’s definitely a connection between us and this property, which is one of the many reasons we are excited to tell others about it.”

One Thousand Ocean residents who are, or who elect to enjoy private membership privileges at the Boca Raton Resort & Club, have access to its world-class services and amenities, including those at the Boca Beach Club.

Providing stunning panoramas of sea, sky and city, One Thousand Ocean offers extraordinary Residences, one-and two-story Beach Villas and the exclusive Penthouse Collection. Prices are from approximately $3 million to $15 million. While the popular Residences and Beach Villas average 4,000 square feet under air, the penthouses provide an average of approximately 7,220 air-conditioned square feet.

Most residences have a private elevator landing, floor-to-ceiling expanses of glass, fireplaces, and a private two-car garage. There are also oversized terraces with a private, heated and jetted plunge pool, and an outdoor kitchen. “These outdoor space are wonderful, whether you want to relax, watch the yachts cruise by, or entertain,” Telchin said.

“One Thousand Ocean buyers are just as passionate about how they live as about where they live. This property is indisputably a canvas for living well,” he concluded.

Located at and a part of One Thousand Ocean, the Ocean Club allows residents to use the fitness center with aerobics, yoga and Pilates rooms, cardio/free-weight and training area, spa treatment suite, and steam and sauna rooms. This amenity area also has a lounge with catering kitchen, conference room, and multipurpose room. The building has an oceanfront pool and sun deck, pool butlers, private cabanas, onsite management, a 24-hour desk attendant, full-time concierge, valet parking, and patrol services.

[Click here to view original article](/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/BocaExposure-April2011-StrategicAlliance.pdf "Original article.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [First Thoughts on Google+](https://cottonco.com/first-thoughts-on-google/)

**Published:** July 26, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Just as I’ve settled into the social media world on Facebook, with my thousands of pictures and conversations preserved, Google+ has to make an appearance and cause me to question my whole social media presence.

Google+ confused me even more than Facebook had when I first created my profile, with it’s clean layout and simple color scheme (in comparison to Myspace), I found myself a little overwhelmed just thinking about creating a whole new internet profile.

Sharing my concerns with a friend who had made his Google+ account as well, he responded with, “It is Beta right now. Chill out…Send some feedback…” So I did. One aspect I love about the new outlet is that it enables me to take a screenshot and point out my issues with it by highlighting the problem areas, and allowing me to blackout personal information or text.

However, Google has asked businesses and products to not create profiles yet, because as of now they just have the site set up for personal profiles.

In a [recent pos](https://plus.google.com/105923173045049725307/posts/E3mVj6nskaX?tab=mX#105923173045049725307/posts/E3mVj6nskaX "Click here to learn more about Google+.")t and YouTube video, Product Manager Christian Oestlien says, “How users communicate with each other is different from how they communicate with brands.” But, they do intend to have “non-user entity” profile capabilities running in the next few months.

I foresee the social media Internet race developing more than it ever has before, with Facebook and Google+ vying for first. However, Google+ is still behind as far as businesses are concerned, so Facebook definitely has this advantage for at least a while longer. Stay tuned for additional updates on this new social platform and how it will impact our businesses.

**Categories:** Public Relations, Social Media

**Tags:** Advertising Campaign, Audience, Blogs, Branding, business, Communication, Company, Content, Engage, facebook, Followers, Google, internet, marketing, media, Profiles, Sharing, social media, Social Media Outlets, Social Media Platforms, Social Mediums, Social Platforms, Target, YouTube

---

### [Consumers Warm up Early Spring Surveys](https://cottonco.com/consumers-warm-up-early-spring-surveys/)

**Published:** March 7, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The weatherman is not the only source of spring-like forecasts this week. Two national surveys released today found that consumers are feeling better about the real estate picture for the first time in months.

Fannie Mae’s February National Housing Survey found that Americans expect home prices to increase by 0.8 percent over the next 12 months, which is down slightly from last month, but 28 percent of respondents expect home prices to increase over the next 12 months, while 15 percent say they expect home prices to decline (down 1 percentage point since last month). Fifty-three percent say prices will stay the same.

The percentage of respondents who say it is a good time to sell rose by 3 percentage points to 13 percent, the highest level in over a year, while the percentage of respondents who say it is a good time to buy dropped 1 percentage point to 70 percent this month. Sixty-five percent of respondents say they would buy their next home if they were going to move, up 1 percentage point since last month, while 29 percent say they would rent, down 1 percentage point versus last month.

On average, respondents expect home rental prices to increase by 3.5 percent over the next 12 months, a slight increase since January.

Forty-five percent of respondents think that home rental prices will go up, a 2 percentage point increase from last month, while 3 percent expect them to go down, a 2 percentage point decrease from last month and the lowest value in over a year.

Americans’ concerns about key economic and housing issues are beginning to subside, according to results from. Consumers’ attitudes have stabilized across most indicators – including personal finances, housing, and employment – demonstrating their sense that downside risks have abated somewhat compared to late summer and fall of 2011. While Americans’ confidence in the direction of the economy has been the most pronounced (35 percent think that the economy is on the right track, up 19 percentage points since November, and 57 percent think the economy is on the wrong track, down 18 percentage points since November), their confidence about personal financial situations, household income, and household expenses, as well as attitudes about homeownership and renting is holding at steady levels. At the same time, Americans’ concern about losing their job in the next 12 months has stabilized since the late fall, with 76 percent of Americans saying they are not concerned in February 2012, compared to 70 percent in November 2011.

“The pickup in the pace of hiring over the past few months has helped soothe consumer concerns, lifting their moods regarding their personal finances, the direction of the economy, and their views on the housing market,” said Doug Duncan, vice president and chief economist of Fannie Mae. “As a result, we’ve seen more potential for economic upside, creating a more balanced near-term outlook.”

An even brighter picture was painted by the fourth annual Cotton Report from Cotton & Company, a Stuart, FL real estate marketing company.

The Cotton Report found that 46 percent of respondents and 53 percent of those with household incomes over $100,000 believe we have reached the bottom of the market. Fifty-four percent of prospective buyers are considering primary residences as opposed to vacation homes or investment properties, an increase from 38 percent a year ago.

“For those who have been waiting to make their move, trying to time the bottom of the market, they may have already missed it,” said Stephann Cotton, President and Founder of Cotton & Company. “2011 saw rapid absorption of distressed inventory in major markets like Miami and San Diego. The Cotton Report’s market data supports this growing perception, with a steady reduction in the number of investors actively in the market and fewer buyers expecting for further price reductions.”

[Click here to view original article](http://www.realestateeconomywatch.com/2012/03/consumers-warm-up-early-spring-surveys/ "Original Article.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Networking with Businesses](https://cottonco.com/networking-with-businesses/)

**Published:** April 17, 2012
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

When networking in social media as a business there are a few constant rules you can never forget if you’re looking to effectively leverage the space.

Social media networking is about people and building relationships.

If you’re business wants to enter this platform, you must take into consideration, we know – it’s hard to believe, but – consumers are not here to get excited about your products. They are here to have fun. Understanding this, you can begin to tailor your approach to messaging in the space to more effectively reach your potential consumers in a way that appeals to them in that medium. In other words – be fun and entertaining and don’t be annoying!

Our three rules for content publishing in social media are:

1\. Listen. You cannot jump into a conversation without first listening.

2\. Engage. Once you understand your audience and how they use this space, then craft a message that will resonate with them. You’re goal is to capture their attention and encourage them to spread the word for you.

3\. Connect. If you complete steps one and two, you should now have the opportunity to really connect with your potential customers and have a more in-depth conversation that could take you to the next level of your relationship. (Yes, this can mean a “sale.”)

[Jay Baer recently said it very well](http://www.linkedin.com/share?viewLink=&sid=s1024749759&url=http%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FBZfxklyu&urlhash=ngDH&uid=5594969881264005120&trk=EML_nus_share-F13&ut=0LaNP33_5mj5c1 "Jay Baer"), “Be Social, Don’t Do Social.”

**Categories:** Media, Networking, Public Relations, Social Media

**Tags:** business, internet, media, networking, social media

---

### [Occupo Vicis (Seize the Opportunity!)](https://cottonco.com/occupo-vicis-seize-the-opportunity/)

**Published:** April 18, 2012
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Today is a holiday. No doubt about it. Tax season is over.

Well, at least for this year.

I for one dread doing taxes. That’s why I have preferred in the past to hand over the documents to an outside service provider and walk away knowing they will be completed. I didn’t care about the cost, as long as I didn’t have to figure it out on my own.

This year, however, my fiance put up a very convincing argument for why we should complete our own taxes using Turbo Tax online.

He finished his and helped me with mine. We submitted (after a few frustrations and a couple words of annoyance) on Friday night (4/15) just before midnight.

I must admit, my taxes were a bit confusing. During 2010 I had lived in NJ but had no income there, worked in NY but had no residency there, lived and worked in FL, had moving expenses and had medical expenses that exceeded the minimum amounts required.

We awoke Saturday morning to a rejection email from Turbo Tax for Federal and NJ State taxes. He was trying to fix the problem and ran into a ton of issues. (Playing softly in the background: “I told you we should have used H&R Block.”) He couldn’t get anyone to respond to the online chat on their website and no one answered the phones. I was making pancakes in the kitchen while singing softly, “Why don’t you try Facebooking them.”

Now, for the best part:

At our wits end with a rapidly approaching deadline, we called the nearby H&R Block office and set an appointment for 30 minutes hence.

He went to the [Turbo Tax Facebook Page](https://www.facebook.com/turbotax#!/turbotax?sk=wall "Click here for the Turbo Tax Facebook page.") and tried to write on their wall, but couldn’t because you need to “Like” them first. So he did, and then he wrote a harsh, pointed message on their wall, expressing extreme displeasure with their service and suggesting a number of painful places to put their program. He then proceeded to “unlike” them immediately.

Within three minutes he was shouting “NO WAY?!?” –> Turbo Tax responded via Facebook.

He then had to “Like” them again to reply. They went back and forth for a minute on the wall and then Turbo Tax direct chatted him.

They helped him solve the problem.

The taxes submitted successfully.

We canceled the H&R Block appointment.

We did not “unlike” the Turbo Tax Facebook Page this time.

How’s that for “crisis management” and customer service via Facebook?

Turbo Tax turned an admittedly ugly complaint in a public forum into an opportunity to convert us to loyal customers. It worked. Now I’m sharing my experience. Talk about a brand ambassador!

This was Facebook Pages used at its finest.

**Categories:** Media, Networking, Public Relations, Social Media

**Tags:** Audience, crisis managemen, Customer Service, Documents, facebook, Federal, Finance, Finances, Income, internet, Like, marketing, networking, Office, Posts, Sharing, social media, Social Media Outlets, Social Media Platforms, Social Mediums, Social Platforms, Submitted, Tax Season, Taxes, Turbo Tax

---

### [Single-Family Housing On The Rise](https://cottonco.com/single-family-housing-on-the-rise/)

**Published:** June 20, 2012
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

There has been a rise in confidence level in the single-family home market. According to the Housing Market Index, released by the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo, home builder confidence has reached its highest level of home builder confidence since May 2007.

The 4-point rise in May and single point rise in June brings the confidence level to 29. For builders to view the housing-market conditions as “good,” the index will need to surpass 50.

The Current Housing Market Index:
1\) Current sales conditions
2\) Sales expectations for the next six months
3\) Prospective buyer traffic

Click [HERE](http://therealdeal.com/miami/blog/2012/06/18/builder-confidence-reaches-five-year-high-point/ "Original content.") to read the full article!

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Buyer Traffic, Home Builders, Housing Market Index, Single Family

---

### [One Thousand Ocean Closes Deals Totaling $11M](https://cottonco.com/one-thousand-ocean-closes-deals-totaling-11m/)

**Published:** March 19, 2013
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Boca Raton’s One Thousand Ocean has closed two units totaling approximately $11 million, bringing the building to 91 percent occupancy, according to an announcement today from One Thousand Ocean. LXR Realty handled the deals in-house and Boca Raton-based Premier Estate Properties brought the buyers.

The last available two-story beach villa at One Thousand Ocean closed for $5.15 million, or $1,135 per square foot, the statement said. The property features three bedrooms, four bathrooms, 1,123 square feet of terraces, an elevator, a pool, an outdoor kitchen, and a two-car garage.

The second deal was fro a customizable penthouse that closed for $5.86 million, or $1,415 per square foot, the statement said.The property features 1,450 square feet of terrace, a private elevator lobby, 14-foot ceilings, a private two-car garage and a private cabana.

“All of this activity demonstrates there is a strong market for our product,” Jamie Telchin, president at developer LXR Luxury Resorts & Hotels, said in the statement. “Prospects tour the property, are impressed with what they see, and close quickly for cash. They appreciate the building’s exclusivity and proximity to the resort.”- Christopher Cameron

[Click here to view original article](http://therealdeal.com/miami/blog/2013/03/19/one-thousand-ocean-closes-two-deals-totalling-11m/ "Original article.")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** one thousand ocean

---

### [Canyon Ranch Miami Beach Nears Sellout](https://cottonco.com/canyon-ranch-miami-beach-nears-sellout/)

**Published:** November 15, 2013
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Just 12 units remain at the Canyon Ranch Living Miami Beach condominium complex, with more than 95 percent of the project’s residences sold, according to Michael Sadov, real estate sales director at the property.

Canyon Ranch has now sold 119 units this year, or an average of about one every three days. Of those sales, 82 have come in the project’s North Tower, which opened in March 2011. “Buyers visiting Canyon Ranch this winter will likely have to purchase a resale,” Sadov said. — Alexander Britell

[Click here to view original article](http://therealdeal.com/miami/blog/2012/11/15/canyon-ranch-miami-beach-nears-sellout/ "Original article.")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** canyon ranch living, miami beach

---

### [Kolter closes $128M land purchase near Scripps](https://cottonco.com/kolter-closes-128m-land-purchase-near-scripps/)

**Published:** December 27, 2013
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Brian Bandell – Senior Reporter – South Florida Business Journal

Kolter Group closed a big deal it’s had brewing all year, the purchase of the 602.9-acre Briger parcel in Palm Beach Gardens.

The property is of key importance to the future of the region’s biotech industry because it’s near the Scripps Research Institute and the Max Planck Society. Kolter paid $127.5 million for the land in five transactions with the families of Richard Thall, Robert Thall, Paul L. Briger, Patricia B. Lester, Howard Lester and David Minkin.

YEAR IN REVIEW: Test your know-how on the top business stories of 2013

The seller provided $102.5 million in financing to Kolter. The West Palm Beach-based developer also got a $39.2 million mortgage from Regions Bank for a portion of the property.

Kolter Group made the purchases through affiliates Heights Biotech Investments, Grandiflora Multifamily Investments, KH Alton, KG Donald Ross and Parkside Retail Investments.

The first phase of Kolter’s plans for the property is 215 single-family homes and 143 townhomes. The property’s zoning allows 2.4 million square feet of biotech space, 450,000 square feet for a town center and 2,700 homes. It’s thought that much of the hoped-for biotech spin off companies around Scripps and Max Planck will be housed there.

Palm Beach County previously acquired 70 acres of the Briger parcel for $8 million and has pledged it to Scripps for the second phase of its development. Scripps proposed putting a hospital on that site with Tenet Healthcare Corp., but state regulators rejected those plans.

[Click here to view original article](//www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2013/12/27/kolter-closes-128m-land-purchase-near.html "Original article.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Waterfront units up for sale after $22M acquisition](https://cottonco.com/waterfront-units-up-for-sale-after-22m-acquisition/)

**Published:** January 6, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Brian Bandell – Senior Reporter- South Florida Business Journal

Seventy residential units in Boynton Beach’s Peninsula on the Intracoastal will be up for sale after the property was acquired for $21.5 million.
Boynton Real Esate LLLP, managed by Paulo Melo in Miami, sold the property to Peninsula Boynton Property, a partnership that includes Pordes Residential Sales and Marketing CEO Mark Pordes and Rene Brillembourg in Coral Gables.

The multi-family building along the water at 2649 N. Federal Highway was built in 2010 without use of a mortgage. The building was operated as a rental by the developer, although it was originally intended to be for sale – until the Great Recession hit.

Pordes said he would market the 40 condos starting at $540,000 and the townhomes with two-car garages starting at $390,000.

“After one year of tracking this deal and being persistent, I was able to obtain the proper terms as the market kept getting better and it became more obvious what a great opportunity this was,” Pordes said. “The amount of available, standing new inventory is almost non-existent.”

[Click here to view original article](https://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2014/01/06/waterfront-units-on-market-after-22m.html "Original article.")

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Facebook is Changing the Game...Again.](https://cottonco.com/facebook-is-changing-the-game-again/)

**Published:** January 12, 2015
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

We’ve been implementing successful social media marketing programs for our clients in the luxury real estate industry for over four years. We use our own proprietary content formula and targeting experience to hone in on the real estate buyer, make them aware of our projects and the lifestyle each affords. We network with affiliates and drive cross-promotion through social channels, gaining third party credibility. We’ve figured out how to make it work for us, for our industry. And now, Facebook has slightly changed the rules on us. It’s now, more important than ever, to have an experienced social marketer develop and help you implement a strategic plan for your business. It’s still necessary to cultivate qualified databases of “likes” on your business page, however – we are not always going to be able to reach those fans unless we actually pay for it. Another step has been added to the program and that step costs money which must be spent effectively.

According to a [recent ](http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2014/12/01/will-facebooks-new-rules-affect-your-business/?mod=e2fb "Click here to learn more from the WSJ.")[Wall Street Journal article](http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2014/12/01/will-facebooks-new-rules-affect-your-business/?mod=e2fb "Click here to learn more from the WSJ.")[,](http://blogs.wsj.com/corporate-intelligence/2014/12/01/will-facebooks-new-rules-affect-your-business/?mod=e2fb "Click here to learn more from the WSJ.") “The social network now says it will ramp up efforts to filter out unpaid promotional posts in user news feeds, making it more difficult for businesses to use the site as a marketing tool – without paying to advertise, or promote their posts.”

It’s not the end of social by any means. It’s actually good for us, with dedicated small budgets we can ensure our crafted content and messaging is delivered to the most targeted audiences we identify. We know about this change and how to use it to our advantage. Our team welcomes the opportunity to manage your social marketing programs for you. Let us know if you would like to learn more today.

**Categories:** Social Media

**Tags:** facebook for business, facebook for real estate, social marketing for real estate, Social Media Marketing

---

### [Is Stock Volatility Affecting Real Estate Momentum?](https://cottonco.com/is-stock-volatility-affecting-real-estate-momentum/)

**Published:** September 21, 2015
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

According to Realtor.com the median “days on market” is down 6% year-over-year and up 6% month-over-month at 75 days, which shows the season is naturally shifting to favor buyers as inventory moves more slowly than in spring and summer. A combination of market volatility pressuring rates and seasonal slowdown looks to be serving as an advantage to buyers as summer winds down.

A temporary drop in demand in the luxury segment by those negatively affected by stock market instability might be just what strained would-be buyers need to gain the advantage in a market that has given sellers the upper hand so far this year.

The hottest housing markets receive 1.8 to 3 times the number of views per listing compared to the national average. These markets are seeing inventory move 29 to 48 days more quickly than the rest of the U.S.

The hottest markets include:

1. 1. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
2. 2. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
3. 3. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
4. 4. Vallejo-Fairfield, CA
5. 5. Santa Rosa, CA
6. 6. San Jose-Sunnvale-Santa Clara, CA
7. 7. San Diego-Carlsbad, CA
8. 8. Midland, TX
9. 9. Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade, CA
10. 10. Columbus, OH
11. 11. Ann Arbor, MI
12. 12. Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
13. 13. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
14. 14. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
15. 15. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
16. 16. Stockton-Lodi, CA
17. 17. Yuba City, CA
18. 18. Austin- Round Rock, TX
19. 19. San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
20. 20. Nashville-Davdison-Murfreesbo-Franklin, TN

Situated in the heart of downtown San Antonio, Alteza above the Grand Hyatt, is an example of a community experiencing a change in momentum, as activity in the first 6 months of 2015 has already surpassed 2014 totals. The City of San Antonio’s investment in downtown was promoted aggressively by the developer who became the spokesperson for the Downtown Region, through the development of Up & Coming Magazine. This custom published magazine, designed and created by Cotton & Company, highlighted the significant changes in the surrounding area. The resulting increase in sales volume has been significant, including the sale and closing of a $1.9 million penthouse in less than 72 hours.

Texas developer Southstar is bringing the area’s best builders together in Fate Texas in the Woodcreek community. Woodcreek is located near Rockwall and Lake Ray Hubbard outside of Dallas. A feeder market for Plano, the area has become the commercial and cultural hub of the region as well as the second hottest market in the U.S. Families appreciate two new public schools developed within the gates of the Woodcreek community and an easy commute on the new George W. Bush Turnpike.

Data remains positive with regard to overall housing health as both demand and supply continue to grow. According to realtor.com’s *Advance Read of August Trends*, which draws on residential inventory and demand trends, the national median list price is up 8% year-over-year and virtually flat over July, demonstrating a continued positive trend in home prices.

Facts obtained from this [original article](http://www.housingwire.com/articles/34935-these-are-the-20-hottest-housing-markets-right-this-minute "Original article.")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** Baby Boomer Real Estate Trends, Dallas Real Estate, Hottest Markets, Hottest Real Estate Markets, real estate trends, San Antonio Real Estate, Stock Market

---

### [The 2016 Election’s Impact on New Home Sales](https://cottonco.com/the-2016-elections-impact-on-new-home-sales/)

**Published:** April 14, 2016
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

With the upcoming Presidential election, the United States’ economy, commerce, and real estate have become hot topics. Looking at past history, the Presidential election and the voters’ attitudes towards it often have an impact on consumer spending habits.

With such a diverse range of options in the 2016 Presidential Election, the future direction of the country is up for grabs. As we enter into the summer convention season, there remains a veil of uncertainty hanging over the US economy. Real estate markets around the country are feeling the pinch due to low consumer confidence as a result of this uncertainty. In destination second home markets, buyers are patiently sitting on the sidelines waiting to jump back in. This could signal an opportunity for savvy investors who recognize this as a momentary pause, creating new opportunities for negotiation with nervous sellers.

So what are experts saying about the 2016 election?

[MarketWatch](http://www.marketwatch.com/story/2016-predictions-what-presidential-election-years-mean-for-stocks-2015-12-29 "Click here for Market Watch.") says, “Economic growth has remained subpar in 2015 but economists generally aren’t looking for a recession to arrive next year.”

With [Cotton & Company](https://cottonco.com/ "Click here to learn about The Cotton Solution.")’s diverse client roster, we continue to see steady consumer interest. Website traffic and online registrations have remained strong through Q1 2016. The timeline to purchase is taking longer to convert, with buyers often making multiple site visits. Building a pipeline of leads during this time period and maintaining a strong follow-up program should result in a return to normal activity once the election season settles down. Dramatic population and geographic relocation trends indicate a bright future for second home destinations. Ageing U.S. homeowners are still seeking warmer climates and amenity-rich communities with experience driven lifestyles.

A 2016 [Realty Today](http://www.realtytoday.com/articles/75262/20160123/real-estate-2016-what-the-presidential-election-can-do-to-real-estate-market.htm "Click here for Realty Today.") roadmap suggests the following:

- Resale property owners jump in and out of the market due to life changing events like marital changes, family expansion, education, or job change. So whether the economy is high or low, the need to buy or sell in the primary market is less impacted by the election cycle.
- Buyers face similar personal considerations with varying motivation and timing. There can be a lack of urgency to pursue goals like purchasing an investment property for rental income, making renovations to a current home, or moving up within an existing market during this time period.

If you’re navigating your real estate sales operation through this election season, Cotton & Company can help you cultivate your lead base and prepare to capitalize on the surge in activity post-election. Cotton & Company is widely recognized as an industry leader in new residential real estate sales and marketing. We have empowered real estate sales success worldwide having managed more than 1,700 properties over the past four decades.
To learn more about Cotton & Company and our newest digital and content marketing strategies, [click here. ](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "Click here to learn about the capabilities of Cotton & Company.")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** advertising agency, baby boomer trends, Cotton & Company, luxury real estate marketing agency, presidential election

---

### [Most Effective Forms of Marketing Strategies for Country Clubs](https://cottonco.com/most-effective-forms-of-golf-course-marketing-strategies/)

**Published:** August 8, 2016
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Marketing your golf course is a necessity. You probably knew that already. However, not every form of marketing was created equal, and there are SO many to choose from. Between the historic economic cycle, and the shifting demographics between baby boomers and Gen Xers, it’s been a moving target for Country Clubs around the country. The past several years have been remarkable. One thing that never changes is the importance of gaining an understanding of your membership’s wants and needs.

Cotton & Company is a full-service, marketing firm exclusively specializing in luxury residential real estate. We have found success in lead generation, content marketing and branding with traditional as well as digital advertising, and that is the real key for the future of golf course marketing, and real estate marketing in general.

*“If you look at most real estate companies, they focus on selling homes and general real estate,” says Stephann Cotton, the firm’s President and Founder. “People today are looking for a lifestyle, and that lifestyle may be on the ocean; it may be on a golf course; it may be in a marina, on the Intracoastal or in a country club. The luxury real estate industry in general has been hibernating for 10 years. The needs of today’s buyers are completely different, and we’re focusing on new ways to capture the attention of people looking to make a change in their lifestyle.”*

![Cotton & Company real estate advertising agency](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/marketing_channel_start.png)

\*Graphic from 1-2-1marketing .com

When we put this into perspective, we would be at a disservice to our clients if we did not properly inform them of their more affordable options. We live in a digital world, so it’s not about killing off traditional media, it’s about finding a more suitable and profitable way of combining the two.

Clubs nowadays have become social incubators that must respond to the ever-changing world. Long range planning, now identified as strategic planning, must look at trends not traditions to continue a successful and healthy membership. This is where Cotton & Company adds to the overarching strategy. How do you stack up with your local competition? Have you assessed your facilities and amenities? More and more clubs are renovating or even replacing their clubhouses, golf courses and other facilities. New and fresh brings an exciting feel to the club.

Finding the right strategy to fit your market will create an appreciation for the property and in turn raise property values. Marketing the lifestyle of the community instead of selling houses will increase membership appreciation. To find out more on how Cotton & Company can help revamp your marketing strategy [contact us](/contact/ "Contact Cotton & Company.") today!

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Real Estate

**Tags:** Golf Course Marketing, real estate advertising agency, trends in digital adveritising

---

### [Which Candidate is Better For The Housing Market?](https://cottonco.com/which-candidate-is-better-for-the-housing-market/)

**Published:** September 12, 2016
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

A new poll commissioned by the National Association of Home Builders to gauge public sentiment on the value of homeownership and government programs that encourage homeownership and housing production concluded that an overwhelming four-out-of-five Americans believe that owning a home is a good investment. With the political season shifting into high gear from a year of already intense, in your face advertising, we can safely say that the tensions have risen when it comes to the the future of our country.

Looking at past history, the Presidential election and the voters’ attitudes towards it often has an impact on consumer spending habits. The low consumer confidence has the developers feeling the pinch. With that being said, out of a nationwide survey consisting of more than 2,800 registered voters, “The survey shows that most Americans believe that owning a home remains an integral part of the American Dream and that policymakers need to take active steps to encourage and protect homeownership,” said NAHB Chairman Ed Brady.

With the RNC and DNC conventions concluded, who would be the better President for the U.S. housing market? What are the challenges Americans will face with each candidate? Most of it, not surprisingly boils down to money. Cotton & Company has always seen a decline in sales and even in ROI during these months leading up to an election. Being in the business for as many years as we have we know how to deal with recurring situations and produce results for our clients.

The survey was evenly split on which presidential candidate would be best for housing.

Among those polled, the end result was a positive direction. Younger demographics are weighing in and showing interests in becoming homeowners. A higher percentage claimed “now is a good time to buy a home,” and most would want to buy one in the next 3 years. Anyway you look at it, the impact will be positive no matter who moves into the big white house on Pennsylvania Ave.

If you’re navigating your real estate sales operation through this election season, Cotton & Company can help you cultivate your lead base and prepare to capitalize on the surge in activity post-election. Cotton & Company is widely recognized as an industry leader in new residential real estate sales and marketing. We have empowered real estate sales success worldwide having managed more than 1,700 properties over the past four decades.
To learn more about Cotton & Company and our newest digital and content marketing strategies, [click here. ](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ "Click here to learn more about the capabilities of Cotton and Company.")

[Source Article ](http://www.worldpropertyjournal.com/real-estate-news/united-states/miami-real-estate-news/dnc-convention-rnc-convention-donald-trump-hillary-clinton-nahb-ed-brady-political-news-best-candidate-for-us-president-in-2016-real-estate-news-9960.php "Click here for the source article.")

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** 2016 Presidential election and the effects on the housing market, Real Estate Advertising Agency looks into 2016 Presidential Election

---

### [Cotton & Company Partners with Core Development on New Sarasota Condo Development](https://cottonco.com/cotton-company-partners-with-core-development-on-new-sarasota-condo-development/)

**Published:** May 9, 2017
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

## DOWNTOWN SARASOTA’S NEWEST MODERN CONDOMINIUM

[BLVD Sarasota](http://blvdsarasota.com/ "Click here to learn more about BLVD Sarasota."), the newest and most impressive downtown address is home to just 49 expansive modern condominiums and an unprecedented level of resort-style [amenities](http://blvdsarasota.com/amenities/ "Click here to learn more about the amenities at BLVD Sarasota."). Extraordinary design, amazing amenities and an enviable location combine to create a true walkable lifestyle. Situated in the renowned arts and culture district of Sarasota, Florida, the 18-story tower showcases panoramic waterfront and city views from truly expansive private terraces. BLVD Sarasota is unlike anything that’s come before.

The 49 [modern residences](http://blvdsarasota.com/residences/ "Click here to learn more about the residences at BLVD Sarasota.") at BLVD have been thoughtfully designed for today’s contemporary lifestyle. The expansive floor plans range from 3,550 to over 5,400 square feet of living space. Each luxury condo offers exceptional views to the east and west including views of the city, Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Residents will enjoy indoor-outdoor living from extraordinarily large terraces that range from 1,000 to nearly 5,000 square feet of additional space. We encourage you to preview the floor plans.

## VIRTUAL REALITY SALES STUDIO OPENS IN DOWNTOWN SARASOTA!

With IMERZA’s cutting edge virtual reality technology, buyers can tour, design and decide to buy with confidence. Real-time [virtual walkthroughs](http://blvdsarasota.com/virtual-reality-sales-studio-opens-in-downtown-sarasota/ "Click here to learn more about the Sales Studio at BLVD Sarasota.") featuring unparalleled graphics, perspectives and the ability to make real-time upgrades specific to a client’s style allow buyers to see the space as their own. Fixtures, finishes, furnishings and more can be changed at the touch of a button. Homebuyers are able to compose an immersive experience of their new sanctuary and snap a photo for effortless sharing.

Our Virtual Reality Sales Studio is now open at 500 Tamiami Trail. Don’t miss your opportunity to secure your first selection and special pre-construction pricing during our introductory offering. [Request a digital brochure ](http://blvdsarasota.com/contact-us/ "Click here to contact BLVD Sarasota.")by registering online at BLVDSarasota.com.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Homebuying Habits Across Generations](https://cottonco.com/homebuying-habits-across-generations/)

**Published:** May 25, 2018
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

## Homebuyer Behavior

They might do their research online and also believe that data and machine learning will have an important influence on the real estate experience, but when it comes to the process of searching for a home, millennials and baby boomers lean more on their agent than digital platforms. This, according to a survey on homebuyer behavior by Owners.com that studied that homebuying patterns of over 1,000 buyers across different age-groups.

The survey revealed that 82 percent of the buyers said that online access to data-focused property information was essential to their decision-making process. But that was the only aspect that all the three generations—baby boomers, Gen X, and millennials—agreed upon. The survey highlighted vast differences in the way these generations manage their homebuying budgets and work with real estate agents.

For instance, Gen Xers were the most hands-on when looking for a home. The survey found that they were likely to do their own research online to make decisions before initiating the next step with their agent. In fact, 62 percent of Gen Xers agreed to do their own research followed by 59 percent baby boomers and 48 percent millennials. Gen Xers also suffered from trust issues with their real estate agents with only 29 percent of this generation saying they trusted their agents to do the legwork, compared with 33 percent millennials and 36 percent of the baby boomer generation.

## How They Differ on Budgeting

When it came to budgets, the survey found that millennials were more likely to stray from their budget while buying a home. Forty percent millennials said they went over budget by an average of $24,545 while buying a home; 34 percent of the Gen Xers also went over budget paying around $13,996 more than the price they had in mind while buying a home. Baby boomers were sticklers when it came to the budget of their new home with only 19 percent going over budget and that too by $8,024 on average.

## What’s Their Go-to Resource?

The real surprise came when the three generations were asked about their go-to resource when searching for a home. Gen Xers leaned more towards online data and platforms to facilitate their search with 50 percent of this generation using these platforms, whereas 41 percent baby boomers and 38 percent millennials used online data and platforms for their search.

While Millennials were more likely to rely on their family and friends as a resource, they also relied on their agent the most during their home search. The survey found that 54 percent of baby boomers and 47 percent of millennials relied on their agent the most during their home search compared to only 42 percent Gen Xers who said they relied on their agent.

## Where the Generations Are Moving

According to a Realtor.com study, Millennials are largely flocking to tech hubs and places with lots of culture – cities where they can “make good money and still have a good time.” Top spots for Millennials include San Francisco, Seattle, Houston, Dallas and Washington, D.C. And though the median cost of a San Francisco home is $846K, they don’t seem deterred by the prices.

According to Jason Dorsey of the Center for Generational Kinetics, Millennials are prioritizing lifestyle and amenities over costs and practicality. “Millennials are saying, ‘We are willing to move for lifestyle and job,’ as opposed to, ‘I need to stay close to home because it’s safer and lower cost,’ as previous generations may have,” Dorsey said. “If communities position themselves correctly, and have the type of lifestyle they want, they absolutely can be a top choice for the future.”

Generation X buyers are still reeling from the Great Recession and are focused on finding a great deal. They want areas where they can make big incomes and buy equally big houses – without going broke doing so. Five of the top 10 spots for Gen Xers are in Texas, including Houston, Dallas, Austin, Odessa and San Antonio. Other Southern cities like Miami, Atlanta, and Charlotte, North Carolina are also big amongst Generation X buyers.

Baby Boomers – mostly retired, empty nesters by this point – are looking more toward the Sun Belt – warm spots where they can live amongst their own. In fact, six of the 10 hottest Boomer markets are in Florida. Still, Phoenix claimed the top spot for Baby Boomers. The city offers lots of golf courses, a wide array of older adult communities and fairly affordable housing prices.

Cotton & Company is an industry leader in the marketing and sales of lifestyle-driven residential real estate. Our amazing team of digital marketing specialists, creative designers, copywriters, and website developers utilize today’s technology and new media channels to drive sales success for our clients throughout the world.

For the latest in real estate news and industry trends, sign-up for a complimentary subscription to[ The Cotton Compendium](https://cottonco.com/compendium-landing/ "Click here for a complimentary subscription to The Cotton Compendium.") here.

Original Content Published by [themreport.com](http://themreport.com/daily-dose/04-03-2018/the-homebuying-habits-across-generations "Click here for a original content.") and [themortgagereports.com](https://themortgagereports.com/37103/top-housing-markets-by-generation).

**Categories:** Advertising, Real Estate

**Tags:** homebuying

---

### [An Industry Update From The Fall ULI Conference](https://cottonco.com/an-industry-udpate-from-the-fall-uli-conference/)

**Published:** November 8, 2016
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

Having recently attended the 2016 Urban Land Institute conference in Dallas, Texas, we learned some very interesting trends that were pertinent to real estate developers as we move into the 2017 season.

As we enter the 4th Quarter of 2016, average real estate sales pace is down approximately 15-20%. This was surprising, as most people expected 2016 to be better than 2015. The cause of the slow down is a combination of the stock market collapse at the beginning of the year, the unusually negative election cycle, the resulting uncertainty for the future. This impacts government sectors, the financial landscape as well as international issues related to ISIS and BREXIT. There is generally a lack of urgency in the market, with people taking a wait and see attitude.

In contrast, there is a long-term optimism about the future as we see a huge group of baby boomers that have not fully recovered their losses from the recession. These future homebuyers are currently working and plan to continue working longer than previously anticipated. Combine this with a 1.2% average growth rate over the last 10 years, and you’ll find the majority of baby boomers were not immediately seeking a retirement or vacation home.

Time is not on their side, however, and the majority of this market is starting to look at their quality time left. This scenario is likely to induce a rapid return to growth as these consumers re-enter the market at the same time. Imagine a group of frogs sitting on a rock with everything still—when the first frog jumps, all the other frogs follow.

New home communities on the outside edge of a large metro area are considered to be prime properties that will directly benefit from this delayed phenomenon. Markets that provide a small town environment yet are located close to a major business center with good transportation, cultural interests, universities and other lifestyle driven components.

During the ULI conference, there was significant discussion on how the baby boomer market is very different from the silent generation and the golf club communities of the past. The formality of the club environment, the cost of dues, and the lack of fitness and activities for children and wives, have all impacted the viability of country clubs and retirement communities. The experts strongly recommended revitalizing these communities with dynamic social programming and facility enhancements to “young up” the environment and create a well-rounded, multi-generational community. This is a place where golf is the tail, not the dog and where activities include all ages, genders and family members.

The emerging market is also seeking a combination of contemporary design and comfortable lifestyle settings that offer open floorplans, a healthy amenities program and a reasonable HOA fee structure. Developers should be reviewing spec home inventory, model types, model sizes, amenity programs and future plan with this change in mind. The emerging buyers are not like the buyers in 2004 and 2005 when we were at the height of the market. Behind the baby boomer population, the X and Y generations are even more demanding and are looking for a combination of technology, simplicity and a very social environment.

Food & wine have replaced golf, and the emerging market is very digital-savvy with a large focus on eco-green sustainability. This should also be a key part of your marketing message and plan.
Historical growth rates coming out of a recession were 4%. Many industry experts today will debate whether we ever actually came out of the recession. With the election behind us, we believe that there will be a new energy for people moving up, moving down, geographically relocating and changing their lifestyle. This will certainly benefit today’s community real estate developers.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** 2017 season, real estate developers, ULI conference

---

### [Coach Schnellenberger Leading the Charge to Stop Texting and Driving](https://cottonco.com/coach-schnellenberger-leading-the-charge-to-stop-texting-and-driving/)

**Published:** December 11, 2012
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

As the Offensive Coordinator for the 1972 Miami Dolphins, Coach Howard Schnellenberger became famous for winning football games and the ‘72 Dolphins remain the only undefeated team in NFL history. The coach went on to become a legendary college head coach for the Universities of Oklahoma,Louisville and Miami, where he won a National Championship. After retiring from football as the head coach of Florida Atlantic in 2011, the coach continues to work with young students as he faces an even more ominous opponent.

Featured on Miami’s WSVN, Coach Schnellenberger is bringing attention to the growing epidemic of texting and driving. Notably, 49% of drivers with cell phones under the age of 35 send or read text messages while driving, even though a texting driver is 23 times more likely to get into a crash than a non-texting driver. The age group with the greatest proportion of distracted drivers was the under-20 age group. Having witnessed too many tragedies amongst young people, the Coach is now working with the team from 3i Tech Works in Boca Raton to deliver a solution that teens will utilize.

While the awareness of the problem is gaining momentum, the lack of a viable solution has been noticeably absent, until now. “No text is worth dying 4” is the headline on the Facebook page for FreeSafeText, an innovative Android app now available for FREE download. The GPS-activated app automatically responds to incoming texts while the phone is in motion. The driver avoids the temptation to answer the text as all communication is responded to immediately, without interrupting the driver.

Managing the social marketing outreach for FreeSafeText.com, Cotton & Company is utilizing digital marketing and video content to reach a young demographic of Android users. The Cotton team is energized by the opportunity to make a difference in a social cause that affects millions of drivers and their families on a daily basis. We encourage you to visit FreeSafeText.com to join Cotton & Coach Schnellenberger in our efforts to spread the word and save lives.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Public Relations, Social Media, Uncategorized, Web

**Tags:** Audience, Blogs, Coach Schnellenberger, Communication, driving, facebook, internet, social media, texting

---

### [Martin County Partnering for Success](https://cottonco.com/martin-county-partnering-for-success/)

**Published:** May 3, 2010
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Partnerships between education and business communities are critical to the success of America’s youth in the 21st century job market.

The U.S. Department of Labor has identified two careers projected to grow more than 20 percent by 2016, not only on the Treasure Coast but also in Florida. To address the growth of these technological careers, Jensen Beach, Martin County, and South Fork high schools have partnered with local businesses to provide students with the requisite knowledge, skills — and industry certifications — employers demand.

**Career and Professional Education Act**

In 2007, the Florida Legislature passed the CAPE Act as a statewide planning partnership between business and education communities to attract, expand, and retain targeted, high-value industry and to sustain a strong, knowledge-based economy.

The Martin County School District established two CAPE academies at each high school: Digital Design and Network Support Services for these growing careers. (Network Support Services is projected for next year at South Fork High School.)

The school district has articulation agreements with Indian River State College so students can earn college credit after completing respective high school’s program and enrolling at IRSC. An agreement, awaiting school board approval, offers 21 college credits after completing Digital Design and nine college credits after completing Network Support Services.

**Business partnerships**

Although the high schools operate independently, they have unified their Digital Design and Network Support Services programs into a district-wide advisory board, served by local businesses (Cotton and Co., Inc., Florida Power & Light, Hotwave Media, Inc., Moore Solutions, Inc., and IRSC). The board provides input and guidance to ensure a rigorous curriculum relevant to business’ needs. Another business partner, Starbucks (Jensen Beach), has assisted with class projects, and Wyndcrest DD Florida, Inc. (Tradition at St. Lucie West) has conducted presentations for students.

Local technology company Moore Solutions, Inc. has partnered with MCSD to provide onsite instruction and certification in Microsoft network administration.

Students completing Network Support Services earn certification in Microsoft Office 2007, COMP TIA A+, Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician, and Microsoft Certified Professional. In the past two years (three years at MCHS), students have earned 126 certifications in MCAS, COMP TIA A+, or MCP throughout the district.

The high schools’ Digital Design incorporates Adobe’s creative suite software to facilitate learning graphic and digital designing and animation skills. The schools are registered Adobe test centers so students earn Adobe Certified Associates industry certifications in PhotoShop, Flash, and Dreamweaver. They learn InDesign, Illustrator, and After Effects, though Adobe doesn’t offer certifications for these programs. In the past two years, students have earned 143 certifications throughout the district.

More than earning industry certifications, students learn critical soft skills — problem solving, team building, oral and written communication skills — so graduates are well-rounded and work ready. Internships and part-time job opportunities enable students to apply what they’ve learned in class to the job market. Programs provide a solid foundation for those seeking postsecondary education.

The dynamics of education reform are well under way. Regardless of the direction it is heading, the Martin County School District is continuing to build successful relationships with business, community, and other education leaders to ensure our students can compete on a local, regional, state, and international level.

Mark C. Malham, EdC, Career and Technical Education team leader and /Digital Design teacher at JBHS, may be reached at malhamm@martin.k12.fl.us.

www.tcpalm.com

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Stuart's Cotton & Co. Real Estate Firm Makes Hires](https://cottonco.com/stuarts-cotton-co-real-estate-firm-makes-hires/)

**Published:** July 11, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Cotton & Company, a real estate marketing and sales firm, is pleased to announce the addition of three new team members: Steve North, Mona Kholer and Brianne Smith.

As creative director, Steve North will be the driving influence behind all creative aspects at Cotton & Company. North brings two decades of creative development experience for firms including The Coca-Cola Company and Robert Byrd & Associates.
Mona Kholer CPA, will provide real estate financial services to clients as the accounting manager. Kholer has a background in real estate at banks and the Resolution Trust Corporation.

Brianne Smith has joined Cotton & Company as a media coordinator bringing sales experience from Mattress Firm Inc. in Charlotte, N.C. and technical administration background from Sikorsky Aircraft in Jupiter.

Cotton & Company (www.cottonco.com) delivers marketing strategies, Internet-based data management, advanced digital expertise and new media marketing campaigns for residential real estate.

www.tcpalm.com

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Stuart Firm Wins National Property Award in Website Design](https://cottonco.com/stuart-firm-wins-national-property-award-in-website-design/)

**Published:** February 7, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

STUART — The International Property Awards, a property competition in association with Bloomberg Television and Google, has presented Cotton & Company of Stuart with top honors for One Thousand Ocean community in the Best Development Website category for the United States.

One Thousand Ocean, a private, luxury condominium community in Boca Raton, will now compete against other winning companies from all corners of the globe to determine the World’s Best in each category.

These awards, combined with the other regional awards programs for Arabia, Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific, form the globally renowned International Property Awards.

The gala awards presentation took place Dec. 12.

Cotton & Company is a luxury real estate sales and marketing firm.

www.tcpalm.com

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Real Estate Marketer Sees Signs Sector Recovering](https://cottonco.com/real-estate-marketer-sees-signs-sector-recovering/)

**Published:** June 8, 2009
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

TREASURE COAST — Cotton and Company announced a significant increase in its national real estate marketing accounts.

The company views these additions as signs of overall recovery for the real estate sector. The following national accounts have been added to its growing client roster within the past month: The Mark, San Diego; Quail West, Naples; Landmark, and Palm Beach Gardens.

Chief Operating Officer Laurie Andrews explains, “The growth we’re experiencing is clearly a sign of recovery. Property owners are re-entering a real estate market that’s been stalled for the past 18 months; mortgages are at historic lows and pricing has leveled off at 2004 prices. Homebuyers are also recognizing the significant value that exists now.”

Cotton and Company is a leading real estate advertising firm that for more than the past three decades has earned an unsurpassed national reputation for effective, performance-based real estate marketing.

Cotton and Company has represented more than 1,500 communities including: custom estate, master planned, multi-family, resort and spa destinations. It manages marketing programs for destination clubs, the marina industry, tourism and corporate portfolios.

www.tcpalm.com

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Mastroianni to Speak at Real Estate Conference](https://cottonco.com/mastroianni-to-speak-at-real-estate-conference/)

**Published:** March 6, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The Ragatz Fractional and Resort Real Estate Conference announced that Cotton & Company’s Social Media Director, Marissa Mastroianni will be a speaker at the event.

Mastroianni will deliver a presentation, titled, “A Practical Guide to Social Marketing’s Untapped Opportunity.” The topic will cover the importance of social marketing in today’s businesses, the demographic trends in social marketing and the cost efficiency of social media vs. traditional marketing.

www.tcpalm.com

**Categories:** Press

---

### [The Cotton Report:Buyer Confidence & Market Recovery - Survey Results](https://cottonco.com/the-cotton-reportbuyer-confidence-market-recovery-survey-results/)

**Published:** March 6, 2009
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

STUART, Fla.–(Business Wire)–While recent real estate market analysis tends to assess past or current market conditions, The Cotton Report’s latest survey focused on measuring buyer confidence among those actively pursuing real estate investments – revealing attitudes and beliefs that may affect market recovery.

According to Stephann Cotton, CEO of Cotton & Company, “Most of our clients are re-evaluating every aspect of the sale. They`re re-pricing inventory and preparing for the pent-up demand that will be released as we emerge from the down cycle.”

**Survey results:**

On the current real estate market:

\* 12% believes it has already reached the bottom
\* 34% believes it will reach the bottom within 6 months
\* 65% believes it will reach the bottom within 12 months
\* 39% believe reduction in inventory levels signals market turnaround

**Of those actively purchasing real estate:**

\* 30% anticipates purchasing within 6 months
\* 34% are purchasing due to geographic relocation
\* 23% are purchasing for investment/rental income
\* 65% express interest in purchasing single-family homes
\* 65% own 1 home, 35% own 2 or more
\* 71% considering purchase do not need to sell their existing home to complete the transaction

**Purchase incentives:**

\* 59% indicate a price reduction of 20-40% would motivate purchase
\* 55% indicate a 4% of lower 30-year mortgage would motivate purchase
\* 49% indicate a capital gains tax waiver against future income would motivate purchase

Laurie Andrews, COO of Cotton & Company, explains, “We`ve never been throughthis type of environment before, and there`s no road map for what to expect from the recovery.” Andrews continues, “We do know that the timing is right for thosein a position to take advantage of opportunities in this buyer`s market. Many new home communities are offering their current inventory below the price to build with today`s construction costs.”

**About Cotton & Company**

Cotton & Company is an award-winning real estate marketing firm that has represented more than 1,500 communities including: custom estate, master planned, multi-family, resort and spa destinations. Cotton & Company also manages marketing programs for destination clubs, the marina industry, tourism and corporate portfolios.

www.reuters.com

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Tell Me More](https://cottonco.com/tell-me-more/)

**Published:** February 4, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

**How to Establish Credibility with Assignment Editors and Producers**

When a publicist calls a contact on behalf of a client and asks, “Do you have a minute, I have a story that might work for you?” If the producer, editor or writer says, “Sure, what do you have for me?” you actually have less than a minute. You have one sentence in which to pitch your story. John Resnick, an Associated Press editor, is generous with the one-sentence pitch; Resnick is actually open to a two-sentence pitch, he says:

“When you pitch a story to me, give me two-sentences, maybe, but after that, I’m going to throw a lot of questions your way, I’m going to want to know about the people in the story, the background of the story—you need have all that information in your hands and know it like clockwork. Essentially, you’ve got to do a lot of the legwork on the story before you ever call me up . . .”

The publicist with that information in their hands wins.

Each day, producers, news assignment desks, editors and reporters all make decisions about what stories they’re going to cover. What’s trending? What’s compelling and what is truly breaking news? —These questions and more come into play when deciding what to cover. The pressure to choose the right story, the best story and the one that may be the most talked about story, is very high.

A publicist gains credibility with producers, editors and writers when they consistently pitch strong, newsworthy stories and have interesting contacts.

A publicist needs to know who’s producing what shows and when. They have to know the story deadlines for the programs and all of the publications related to a client’s project. Publicists need to ID freelancers who are favorite writers or field producers for top media. You have to know every story your client is capable of participating in—and you should be fun to work with. The phone call will get picked up—yet the preferred pitch medium is without a doubt: email. Same rules apply: you have one sentence.

**Categories:** Advertising, Public Relations

**Tags:** Assignment, Audience, business, client, Communication, Content, Cover, Credibility, Deadlines, Editors, freelancers, networking, Pitch, Producers, producing, Project, publicist, reporters, Social Media Outlets, Social Media Platforms, Stories, Target, Writers

---

### [Two Peas in a Pod: Real Estate and Farming](https://cottonco.com/two-peas-in-a-pod-real-estate-and-farming/)

**Published:** November 4, 2015
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

According to a recent article by CityLab, “Environmentally conscious construction and building systems are old news at this point, but building-integrated food production is a relatively new and growing area of focus.” As real estate continues to strengthen in a number of U.S. cities, real estate developers are looking to small-scale food production to augment their plans. At the same time, food activists are beginning to recognize how even luxury builders can advance their cause.

Many of these developments view agriculture and farms as an added amenity for homeowners, similar to a gym or a media lounge. Having fresh, local food readily available is an incentive homebuyers are valuing. Henry Gordon-Smith, who advises Boston schools, builders and cities as they roll out farming projects, says he now receives up to 10 calls a week from builders and architects inquiring about integrated food production or, increasingly, seeking experienced growers. “The building has to be productive,” he says. “All of that creates better residents and better citizens. Food is the next frontier in this,” says Gordon-Smith.

Food activists are starting to see the long-term benefits of integrating agriculture into existing or new infrastructure. The green aspect of integrated food production is cutting down on the energy use and fuel emissions associated with transporting the food. More important, store-bought meat and produce can seem far from risk-free. At Adena, a new private club community in Ocala Florida, owner Frank Stronach placed a high priority on hormone-free, grass-fed, all-natural meat of the highest quality. The club’s supply of beef and other proteins will come directly from Adena Springs Ranch, another Stronach Group entity created to supply the company’s restaurant venture Adena Grill.

Adena, along with other communities nation wide, are making the phrase “down on the farm” hip. The trend of integrated food production in real estate will grow as long as Club Members, Developers and homebuyers continue to see the benefits.

To learn more about Adena in Ocala, Florida, www.DiscoverAdena.com

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Everything Facebook Launched at F8 2018 and Why](https://cottonco.com/everything-facebook-launched-at-f8-2018-and-why/)

**Published:** May 2, 2018
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

## Dating, Instagram video calling, trip VR Memories and more…

Day 1 of Facebook’s F8 conference was packed with announcements and updates. Here are 10 big takeaways from Mark Zuckerberg’s keynote on Day 1.

### 1. FaceDate

Facebook is launching a dating feature where you can volunteer to make a profile that’s only visible to non-friends who’ve also opted in to looking for love. Facebook will match you based on all its data, and messaging will happen in a dedicated inbox rather than Messenger.

Why: If Facebook wants to drive “meaningful connections”, it doesn’t get more meaningful than introducing you to your life partner. Facebook will have to be careful to keep everything private, as people already think it’s creepy or uncool. But investors love it, considering Tinder parent company Match Group’s share price fell 22 percent today.

![Facebook Dating](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/facebook-meetups-matchmaker-tinder1.png)

### 2. “Clear History”

Facebook is building Clear History, a new privacy feature allowing users to delete data Facebook has collected from sites and apps that use its ads and analytics tool. This means you can scrub some of your browsing history from Facebook’s data store. Mark Zuckerberg likened this to deleting cookies from your browser history. It’s a nice gesture to the privacy-conscious, though it’ll make your Facebook experience less personalized.

**Why:** Zuckerberg faced tons of questions from congress about data it collects from around the web. Users were pissed to learn they had little control over it. Clear History could quiet some cries for regulation.

![Facebook Clear History](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/how-to-privacy.jpg)

### 3. Instagram video chat and anti-bullying

Instagram is launching video chat, which TechCrunch scooped in March when we spotted the feature buried in its Android app. Meanwhile, Instagram is also getting a new filter to protect users from bullying comments, plus an improved Explore tab.

**Why:** Instagram Direct messaging is super popular, but lacked video chat…which is also super popular on Messenger and WhatsApp. Combined with anti-bullying features, Instagram could become a safer and sillier place for teens to hang out — which is just what Facebook wants to defeat Snapchat.

![Instagram Video Chat](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/instagram-video-calling-2001.jpg)

### 4. Facebook is reopening its app review process

Facebook will re-open its app review process following the pause it took after the Cambridge Analytica crisis – welcome news for developers.

**Why:** Facebook couldn’t risk another sketchy app slipping through and selling user data, but it also has to keep developers loyal to its platform so they keep building experiences that attract users. Facebook was wise to balance safety and privacy with new developer capabilities today.

![Facebook App Review](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/facebook-phone-app-api.png)

### 5. Oculus Go goes on sale for $199

Oculus Go, Facebook’s cheap and capable standalone VR headset, is now on sale. It costs $199 for the version with 32GB of onboard storage, and $249 for the 64GB variety.

**Why:** VR headsets where you have to stick your phone in are clumsy and prevent Facebook from controlling the whole experience. Instead of relying on the Samsung Gear headset shell and your iPhone or Android, Facebook gets to dictate everything about the perfect VR rig you can strap on first-timers.

![Facebook Oculus](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/oculus-go-gif.gif)

### 6. Messenger simplifies and starts translation

Facebook is tiptoeing into translation of chat threads in Messenger, starting with English-Spanish convos in the US within Marketplace. Meanwhile, Facebook is stripping out the camera and games tab to give Messenger a cleaner design.

**Why:** Translation could deliver on the Facebook promise of bringing the world closer together by eradicating language barriers and letting people realize how much they have in common. But Messenger was getting way too bloated with so many new features, so the simplification should let the actually useful ones shine.

![Facebook Messenger](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/facebook-messenger-translation.png)

### 7. Introducing VR Memories and 3D photos

Facebook is bringing 3D illustrations and models to the News Feed. It’s also going to turn 2D photos into VR memories — 3D enivironments you can explore using a trippy point cloud design.

**Why:** Facebook wants to stay ahead of the content trends and be the home of future formats. They might seem like a novelty today, but at least they keep Facebook interesting.

![Facebook VR Memories](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/facebook-vr-memories.png)

### 8. WhatsApp hits 450 million stories users

WhatsApp’s Snapchat Stories clone WhatsApp Status now has 450 million daily active users. That’s well over 2X the user count of Snapchat’s whole app. And WhatsApp is also adding stickers and group video calling.

**Why:** This is a big deal because Snapchat had a disastrous earnings call today where it sank to its slowest user growth rate ever while WhatsApp Status continues its explosive growth. Snapchat neglected the international market at first, and now WhatsApp has beaten it to the punch worldwide.

![WhatsApp](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/whatsapp-status.png)

### 9. Sharing to Facebook and Instagram Stories from other apps

Starting with Spotify, SoundCloud, and GoPro, other apps can share photos and videos directly to Stories inside Facebook and Instagram.

**Why:** Facebook wants to make its Stories more interesting than Snapchat’s. And this new wing of the platform could create a massive opportunity for music discovery, the likes of which we haven’t seen since Myspace.

![Sharing to Facebook and Instagram from other Apps](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sharing-facebook-instagram-stories-1.png)

### 10. Oculus TV

Oculus wants you to watch TV inside its new Go headset. At first you’ll get Facebook Watch, but expect apps like Netflix and Hulu to arrive eventually.

**Why:** There just aren’t enough great VR experiences, but perhaps Facebook can get people spending more time in their headsets by creating a virtual big screen for 2D content.

Stay tuned for what day two has in store!

[TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/01/10-big-announcements-from-day-1-of-f8/)

**Categories:** Press, Social Media

**Tags:** facebook

---

### [Naples Reserve and Cotton & Company Sweep CBIA's 2017 Sand Dollar Marketing Awards](https://cottonco.com/naples-reserve-sweeps-collier-buildings-industry-associations-2017-sand-dollar-marketing-awards/)

**Published:** October 11, 2017
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Widely regarded as the hottest new community in Southwest Florida, its easy to understand why following the results of the Collier Building Industry’s Sand Dollar Awards. The iStar developed community won big at the recent event, garnering top honors in several prestigious categories. Naples Reserve took home the hardware in five categories including:

- Best Clubhouse Exterior
- Best Sales Center
- Best Brochure
- Best Website
- Best Direct Mail
- Best Social Media Marketing

Naples Reserve’s development team engaged Cotton & Company, an industry leading real estate marketing firm, last year in conjunction with the grand opening of its new Island Club amenity center. The firm’s challenge was to position the community as a fun-filled, tropical destination, with 22 interconnected lakes. Together, the team executed the comprehensive program to introduce the market to the “Casually Awesome” lifestyle of Naples Reserve.

“The numbers speak for themselves,” says Don Mears, Vice President of Land Development with iStar. “The market has responded well to the program, and we have achieved the #1 sales position in South Naples.”

Naples Reserve was created by iStar, which was named 2015 Developer of the Year by Builder and Developer magazine for its commitment to creating exceptional communities and lifestyles with an emphasis on energy efficiency and environmental stewardship.

“We are very proud of the work we produced, but we’re even more excited about the sales results at Naples Reserve,” said Cotton & Company’s President, Stephann Cotton. “It’s our job to get the word out about how special this community really is. The Naples Unplugged magazine, new Sales Gallery and our social media program have been very successful at doing just that.”

“iStar challenged our team to have this program implemented in less than 60 days,” added Laurie Andrews, Cotton & Company’s Chief Marketing Officer. “The program’s success is a victory for every member of our team who worked diligently to implement this comprehensive strategy throughout Naples Reserve’s traditional and digital platforms. I don’t know of any other team who could accomplish this goal so successfully.”

Cotton & Company is an industry leader in the field of real estate marketing. Over the past four decades, the innovative firm has marketed more than 1,700 communities. The firm is headquartered on Florida’s east coast with an in-house team of more than 30 professionals. Strategic targeting of Baby Boomer retirees has become a specialty of the firm who represents land owners, capital investors, private developers, and national/regional builders.

iStar has financed and invested in over $10 billion of residential projects since 1993, making it one of the largest investors in luxury condominium, multifamily and master-planned residential developments in the U.S. Its portfolio has included interests in over 18,000 condominium units in the nation’s top markets, and 65,000 acres in master-planned communities with the potential for an estimated 50,000 single-family and multifamily units. Offering a fully integrated platform, the team includes best-in-class developers, architects, builders, marketers and community liaisons.

**Categories:** Web

**Tags:** award winning real estate marketing

---

### [Landing Brochure Form Text](https://cottonco.com/landing-brochure-from-text/)

**Published:** December 1, 1911
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

## the ultimate guide to performance driven Marketing

Turn your real estate website into a performance driven machine with a digital strategy from Cotton & Company. Simply fill out the form below for instant access to our Ultimate Guide for Performance Driven Marketing for Real Estate Sales Success.

**Categories:** Landing-Brochure

---

### [Luxury Real Industry Eyes First Quarter 2017 Sales Results](https://cottonco.com/luxury-real-industry-eyes-first-quarter-2017-sales-results/)

**Published:** April 3, 2017
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

With April 1st marking the end Q1 2017, many developers and investors are reflecting on the results from the first three months of the year. After a lackluster 2016 widely attributed to the contentious national election, many industry professionals were predicting a positive increase in luxury home sales.

For communities targeting Florida’s winter residents, high season typically begins on January 15th and runs through mid April. This year, President Trump settled into the White House and quickly became a frequent visitor to South Florida. Besides having a new administration in place in Washington, and the new Winter White House established on Palm Beach – what changes did the real estate market experience in Q1?

1\. Stock Market Surges – In January 2016, the stock market took an unexpected dip essentially stalling the momentum in discretionary real estate sales. The continued lack of political stability created “pause” in the market as buyers waited out the year-long campaign. With the election behind us, optimism has returned to the market best indicated by the historic stock market gains in the first quarter. Many potential homebuyers are the beneficiaries of asset appreciation, but whether they will jump back into the real estate market in force is yet to be seen.

2\. Traffic – Life is booming again. By all accounts, the number of visitors, traffic counts, retail sales and other metrics show an upward trend. New home sales centers are busy with plenty of potential customers touring decorated models or preconstruction offerings. Today, many value driven communities are gaining market share in a world where homebuyers continue to be ultra sensitive to HOA fees, CDD fees and other costs associated with luxe amenity packages. Although the luxury segment is returning, communities continue to experience slower than anticipated sales volume.

3\. Timing – Homebuyers are doing their homework. Researching communities on line and visiting their short-list, but with many markets having already returned to pre-recession price levels, we are experiencing a lack of urgency in the market. This wait-and-see outlook includes homebuyers expecting post-season price reductions on standing inventory. Getting the customer to make a final decision was one of the biggest obstacles to sale in the first quarter.

4\. Sales Outlook – Financial projects and population trends remain strong for real estate development over the coming decade. Millions of baby boomers have reached retirement age, and there is a pent-up demand because they have been working longer than anticipated. While the recession may have delayed their plans, they will be re-entering the real estate market over the coming years.

Traditionally Q1 has been the boom season for real estate sales, and many expected smooth sailing in 2017. The continued gridlock in Washington has many homebuyers continuing their wait and see attitude. It is our belief new home communities will see an increase in return visitors throughout the spring and summer, and 2017 will be a successful sales year. Breaking with tradition, sales contracts will be written throughout the entire year as buyers regain confidence and stability returns.

Since 1983, Cotton & Company has been working exclusively in the residential real estate industry. Over the past four decades we have assisted more than 1700 properties with sales and marketing expertise, spanning from Panama to Poland. To learn more about current market activity, discuss development plans or request a complete marketing audit, register on line or contact Laurie Andrews at 772.600.3501.

**Categories:** Advertising, Top-Home

---

### [Cotton B Fit – What Trend is Cotton & Company Conquering Next?](https://cottonco.com/benefits-of-a-healthy-workplace-cotton-b-fit/)

**Published:** May 2, 2016
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

With the health and fitness trend not going anywhere anytime soon, Cotton & Company decided to join in! With long hours and busy schedules it can be easy to forget about your health so in an effort to not only get healthier but also promote a healthy work environment, COTTON B FIT was born.

It started with a nutri-bullet in the kitchen, with protein and fruit to make smoothies. Cotton has also offered balance chairs to some employees to promote good posture and a strong core on long workdays. Many of us have taken the opportunity to leave work a little early to grab a yoga class together or walk one of Stuart’s beautiful bridges. Promoting these healthy habits has relieved stress and improved productivity. It also allows us to get to know our co-workers in an environment outside of work, talk about a fun group of people!

Continuing on our healthy journey, more than a handful of employees are opting for a standing desk and just last week several Cottonites ran, for some, their very first 5K-trail run! Not only did the Cotton B Fit team show up, but also took home most of the awards. At least one award in EACH AGE group was handed out to a Cotton employee. We think we are on to something, and we will continue to support our employee’s healthy endeavors. Keep an eye out for what #cottonbfit does next!

[![Being Healthy in the Workplace](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/CottonBFit-BACKS1-700x420.jpg)](https://cottonco.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/CottonBFit-BACKS1.jpg)

**Categories:** Advertising, Media

**Tags:** benefits of a healthy work environment, Cotton & Company support employees to be heathier

---

### [Golden Bear Partnering with Cotton & Company on Luxury Real Estate Marketing](https://cottonco.com/golden-bear-partnering-with-cotton-company-on-luxury-real-estate-marketing/)

**Published:** November 18, 2015
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Golden Bear Realty, a global name in destination real estate, recently announced a strategic partnership with Cotton & Company. The powerful alliance of these two nationally recognized firms creates an unprecedented sales and marketing solution for resort owners, developers, lenders and country club communities throughout North America and the Caribbean.

One of the most recognized, revered and respected names in the golf and real estate industries, Golden Bear’s firm has spent years researching the market and homing in on its needs. Mike Nicklaus, owner and broker, leads the Golden Bear contingent. “My family has lived up to a standard of excellence our whole life; that’s a standard that we strive to uphold. With our brand and our company, everything we do, we expect to do it to the highest level.”

Nicklaus adds, “With Golden Bear, we’ve been involved with communities around the world. We have helped to create communities that have sustained strong sales volume and to support an ongoing marketing program. We’re seeking new developments and markets that will benefit from our marketing expertise and the quality of the work that we do.”

To further enhance its position in the market, Golden Bear is teaming up with Cotton & Company, a full-service, marketing firm exclusively specializing in luxury residential real estate. Cotton & Company’s expertise in lead generation, content marketing and branding will provide Golden Bear’s clients with access to premium services unavailable through traditional real estate firms. “If you look at most real estate companies, they focus on selling homes and general real estate,” says Stephann Cotton, the firm’s President and Founder. “People today are looking for a lifestyle, and that lifestyle may be on the ocean; it may be on a golf course; it may be in a marina, on the Intracoastal or in a country club. The luxury real estate industry in general has been hibernating for 10 years. The needs of today’s buyers are completely different, and we’re focusing on new ways to capture the attention of people looking to make a change in their lifestyle.”

The collaboration will draw on the strengths of each company: Golden Bear’s real estate prowess and Cotton & Company’s award-winning marketing campaigns. Together, they will transform Golden Bear’s clients, both new and existing lifestyle communities, into premiere properties boasting the Golden Bear Realty designation.

“The Nicklaus family name represents integrity, excellence, hard work—the Golden Bear Realty brand serves as an endorsement of the community,” says Todd Vance, Golden Bear’s Chief Operating Officer. “Once the homebuyers make the connection with Golden Bear Realty, there’s an immediate trust factor.”

Mike Nicklaus began developing a niche in the real estate market in 2003. Today, the company operates in Charleston, South Carolina, and Stuart, North Palm Beach and Delray Beach, Florida. The firm currently comprises of more than 150 agents and is growing quickly. In the past few years, Nicklaus has recognized the need to provide clients with something more. Therefore, this powerhouse alliance aims to not only meet the ever-evolving needs of the industry, but also to redefine the way real estate and marketing efforts are provided. This alliance will form a one-stop firm with all services under one umbrella.

With the support of Cotton & Company’s marketing innovation, Golden Bear Realty will continue its expansion into destination markets throughout the world. Its clients can turn to Golden Bear for a comprehensive real estate sales and marketing solution and consequently wear the Golden Bear Realty seal as a symbol of success.

Golden Bear Realty specializes in luxury lifestyle real estate. Founded and directed by Michael Nicklaus, the son of golf legend Jack Nicklaus, Golden Bear Realty strives to be associated with excellence, integrity and the highest measure of quality. In every market represented, Golden Bear Realty will be supporting community enrichment through the support of local charities.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Real Estate

**Tags:** Cotton & Company, Golden Bear, Jack, Luxury, marketing firm, Mike, Nicklaus, real estate marketing, stuart FL

---

### [A New Era in Real Estate --Attracting Baby Boomer Homebuyers](https://cottonco.com/a-new-era-in-real-estate-attracting-baby-boomer-homebuyers/)

**Published:** November 30, 2015
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

With the economy continuing to recover, baby boomers are finally feeling confident enough to take action on their plan to purchase a retirement home. After delaying their decision due to the recession, the long-awaited influx of wealthy retirees is opening the doors for development in Sunbelt destinations. Today’s retirees are the first post-Vietnam era empty nesters, and they are blazing a new trail in every aspect of life. It’s no surprise that boomers wants and needs are revolutionizing the development industry.

Amenities and Social Events:

Healthier and wealthier, America’s baby boomers want amenities that fit their active lifestyle. They are focused on their wellbeing and the origins of their food through community gardens, farmer’s markets and farm-to-table dining. They are active in Pilates, yoga, meditation, hiking and cycling. Four-legged family members have become cherished companions and dog parks are often the social centerpieces of their world. Communities that are rich with a variety of low-cost outdoor amenities and social interaction are leading the way. Golf is now a monthly outing rather than the twice-weekly ritual of the previous generation.

Walkablility and Location:

Boomers are on the move. They crave experiences and new adventures. They want an area with great restaurants, culture, and entertainment, within easy reach. Boomers have spent most of their lives in cars and now want the convenience of location and walkable neighborhoods where they can enjoy an evening without having to designate a driver. Their childhood destinations were the grocery store down the street or an ice cream shop on the corner. Now, it’s a health-food store down the street and a hip coffee house with Wi-Fi on the corner.

Digital Programs:

Boomers are connected. They have iPhones and iPads, and they make their way around the Internet with ease. Boomers are tech savvy, and they do their homework when searching for a new home. Social media, consumer reviews, and YouTube will tell them if a particular community is the right fit. Developers must recognize the importance of today’s “word of mouth” platform. Social marketing strategies combined with pay per click advertising and hyper-targeted page post engagements can reach prospective buyers and help them take the first step in buying a home.

According to Nielsen’s Demand Institute, more than 40% of Americans ages 50 to 64 plans to move within the next five years. As homebuilders continue to prepare for the future, it is important to anticipate the evolving trends of the baby boomers and generation X as well as understand their impact on residential real estate.

**Categories:** Press

**Tags:** baby boomer real estate, baby boomer trends, developing real estate for boomers, Florida real estate, real estate amenities, real estate trends

---

### [Top 10 Real Estate Markets To Watch in 2016](https://cottonco.com/top-10-real-estate-markets-to-watch-in-2016/)

**Published:** December 3, 2015
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Realtor.com chief economist Jonathan Smoke checks the first and second derivative rates of change in the rich and deep data pool at the National Association of Realtors, and clocks in with a 2016 Top 10 markets to watch for growth in prices and sales volume.

Here’s a look at the basic approach to the methodology: *Smoke and his team took past trends and seasonal variations of housing and economic data for the 100 largest markets in the country and stuck them into a time machine—oops, we mean a statistical model that predicts future values for home sales and prices. Then they identified the markets whose forecasted growth was equal to or better than the U.S. average. The resulting top 10 list is of the real estate markets that look the most bullish for the coming year.*

Month after month here at realtor.com we use our data to determine the hottest markets in the U.S. —where home buyers and sellers are the most motivated and active. And as 2015 winds down, we started to wonder: Where are the next red-hot places for real estate?

In spite of the picture above, we don’t actually have a crystal ball here (sadly), but we do have our chief economist, **Jonathan Smoke**. As part of the realtor.com 2016 Housing Forecast released on Wednesday, he homed in on the top 10 up-and-coming metropolitan markets in the country.

Smoke and his team took past trends and seasonal variations of housing and economic data for the 100 largest markets in the country and stuck them into a time machine—oops, we mean a *statistical model* that predicts future values for home sales and prices. Then they identified the markets whose forecasted growth was equal to or better than the U.S. average. The resulting top 10 list is of the real estate markets that look the most bullish for the coming year. Get ready for a few surprises!

Many of the markets that have consistently made our “hot list” because of high demand from buyers and quick sales didn’t make the cut for 2016, because they are predicted to see slower price appreciation and even declining sales. Notably, they include the greater metro areas of San Francisco, Denver and Dallas.

In addition, each of the markets on the list is in high demand, with 60% more listing page views than the U.S. overall and inventory that sells 16 days faster than the U.S. average. Surging demand in each market can be attributed to growing household formation, a prosperous job market, and low unemployment rates as well as large populations of key demographics. Older millennials (25 to 34 years old), younger Gen Xers (35 to 44 years old), and retirees (65 to 74 years old) will be driving home sales in 2016.

While these top markets have bright prospects in common, their underlying dynamics are different.

“Some markets have been hot and are remaining hot (San Diego, Sacramento, Boston, Atlanta),” Smoke noted. “Some are just now seeing signs of recovery based on substantially better economic conditions forecasted for next year (Providence, New Orleans, Virginia Beach, St. Louis). Some are spillover markets from very hot markets (Providence, Sacramento), and most have one or more key demographic driving demand.”

For the younger set, especially those with families, affordability emerges as key to growth, which favors the markets in the South and Midwest, he added.

Without further ado, here’s our list:

## Top 10 Real Estate Markets to Watch in 2016

1. Providence, RI
2. St. Louis, MO
3. San Diego, CA
4. Sacremento, CA
5. Atlanta , Georgia
6. New Orleans, LA
7. Memphis, TN
8. Charlotte, NC
9. Virginia Beach, VA
10. Boston, MA

Realtor.com

Cicley Wedgeworth

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Are the Know Before You Owe Rules Affecting You?](https://cottonco.com/are-the-know-before-you-owe-rules-affecting-you/)

**Published:** November 4, 2015
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has changed residential real estate as of last month. Contract forms and the terminology got a facelift. And the “Know Before You Owe” rules were added.

A lender is now a creditor, and the borrower/buyer is a consumer. The initial Truth in Lending statement and Good Faith Estimate that has been used for a number of years is now the Loan Estimate. And the old-faithful HUD-1 has been discarded in favor of a Closing Disclosure.

When a person buys a single-family house, the lender needs basic information including income, assets, and monthly expenses before a firm loan commitment can be made. But if the person is buying a condominium unit, the lender needs additional information about the association in order to assess the financial ability to repay the mortgage loan.

Community associations obtain their income from four sources: regular assessments, special assessments, transfer fees and miscellaneous move-in/transition fees charged at closing.

Under the new “Know Before You Owe” disclosure rules, the lender must provide the buyer with a written Loan Estimate within four days after requested and consumers must be given the Closing Disclosure (the old HUD-1) three days before closing.

This means that the length of time between contract and closing which typically has been 30 days will now most likely stretch to 45 days. Many national homebuilders with their own mortgage company have experience with these new rules, which can ensure a quick and painless closing.

There are a number of sources where the needed information is available, such as the multiple-listing service (MLS), the seller, the resale disclosure package and even the association’s Web site. This will enable lenders to meet the four-day requirement, and it will save associations and their property managers the hassle of having to meet multiple demands for information.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Update: Baby Boomer Real Estate Trends](https://cottonco.com/update-baby-boomer-real-estate-trends/)

**Published:** September 15, 2015
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

For decades, developers and urban planners have been anticipating the retirement years of wealthy baby boomers often focusing on demographic and geographic research. Boomers have always been known for blazing a new trail, and there’s no reason that wouldn’t hold true when it comes to planning their retirement years. It’s the psychographic changes of the generation that are now having the biggest impact on residential real estate in ways that are overturning conventional assumptions and redirecting amenity and service programs throughout the country. Here’s a look at five trends that can no longer be ignored:

1\. **Modern Homes**: Most boomers have “been there, done that” with older homes that have history and character. They want modern appliances, energy-efficient doors and windows, spacious kitchens, and an open floor plan with fresh, new décor. There’s a renewed focus on simplicity in life, removing clutter in every way possible, especially interior design.

2\. **Local Culture**: Baby boomers are rejecting cookie-cutter communities of the past and looking to local culture. They want to be surrounded by relaxed, authentic and diverse communities where experiences are more important than facilities.

3\. **Farm-to-Table**: Fresh and healthy – the boomer generation wants seasonal eating habits, based on what is in peak harvest locally. This guarantees that the food is delivering the fuel for their active lifestyle. This movement is aiding in production of food locally and in turn boosting the economy with homegrown small business.

4\. **Walkable Neighborhoods**: Park the car and hit the sidewalk….boomers are seeking the added convenience of walkable neighborhoods in the heart of vibrant downtown areas. When they were kids they lived on a block with a grocery store down the street and restaurant on the corner. Now, it’s a health-food store down the street and a coffee house with Wi-Fi on the corner.

5\. **No Retirement Communities**: According to the Merrill Lynch survey, only about 10 percent of baby boomers say they want to move to any kind of retirement or age-restricted community. They instead want to stay independent in privately owned homes and live an energized, adventurous and simple life among their friends. If they do need help with personal care, they want those services to come to their home.

Baby boomer families come in all shapes and sizes — they do not represent a single type of individual or family unit. They range from age 40s to 60s with growing population of singles and many multi-generation households. For the boomers it’s not about keeping up with the Jones any longer, it’s about meeting the Jones to have a good time.

Savvy community developers recognize the trend and are shifting gears. Alteza above the Grand Hyatt in San Antonio is promoting its proximity to Hemisfair Park more than the building’s amenities. Schooner Bay in the Bahamas boasts a hydroponic garden on-site to provide fresh produce to its restaurants. Cresswind Communities by Kolter Homes is focusing on outdoor amenities, wellness centers and nature trails at many of their communities throughout the Southeast. Hiking trails and scenic vistas are integrated into the landscape of Ventana in Asheville, North Carolina.

It’s a new day for residential developers. For property owners of existing communities developed for the previous generation, it’s time to take a hard look at the master plan. It’s critical to be proactive when retrofitting amenities and services to satisfy the psychographic of the baby boomer market and create sustainable long-term success.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Top 10 Do's & Don'ts for Real Estate Landing Pages](https://cottonco.com/top-10-dos-donts-for-real-estate-landing-pages/)

**Published:** August 26, 2015
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Tempting someone to click on your ad is half the battle. The landing page is the other half. The landing page is the first page your online prospects are taken to after they click your ad. It simplifies the clutter in front of users and clarifies the task you would like them to complete. Here at Cotton & Company we understand that without quality landing pages, you will never fully optimize your true lead generation potential.

**DO’s**

1\. ESTABLISH YOUR GOALS. Know your marketing goals and what you are trying to accomplish. Don’t try to ask the user to do too many things at once. Is your call-to-action clear? Do you want downloads for a free magazine? Floorplan views? Open House RSVPs?

2\. CONSIDER YOUR TARGET MARKET. Who is coming to your landing page? Consider their demographics, location and interests. What we may design for a hot new condo downtown may look very different than what we develop for a baby boomer community in the suburbs.

3\. KEEP THE PAGE CLEAN AND EASY TO READ. Don’t overload your visitors with too much information. Give them exactly what they are looking for. Short and sweet. This will allow for better conversions.

4\. A CALL-TO-ACTION. Always ask your visitors to take action depending on your goal. A landing page should clearly communicate your goal – perhaps your community’s USPs or details for an upcoming broker event – and then ask for a clear, and measurable, response from your visitor.

5\. ALLOW VISITORS TO SHARE! The strongest messages can come from your customers. We promote word-of-mouth by using sharing tools via email and social media.

**DON’Ts**

6\. BE INCONSISTENT. Make sure you connect the dots between ad and landing page and deliverable, keeping up with all of your brand standards.

7\. RUSH THE GO-LIVE PROCESS. There is a process for a reason. All testing and tracking needs to be in place before you go live.

8\. REQUIRE TOO MANY FIELDS. Today, people are used to convenience and getting what they want fast. If you’re offering a free guide, but want their entire personal history to give it, they will give up, bounce out, and you’ll lose the conversion opportunity. Make it easy for them and they’ll convert more often.

9\. INCLUDE FLUFFY MARKETING COPY. There is no need to give your potential costumer a lengthy background on the company or include fluffy, jargon-filled marketing copy. Landing pages perform best when keyword-rich and specifically optimized. Trying to over-describe your amenities will not do you any favors. The content should be simple, clear relevant and useful.

10\. ASSUME YOU KNOW WHAT THEY WANT. This applies to copy length, button color, design, background image selection. Every piece of your landing pages should be tested and analyzed for optimization throughout the entirety of your campaigns.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Real Estate at Your Fingertips](https://cottonco.com/real-estate-at-your-fingertips/)

**Published:** August 18, 2015
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

It’s becoming more and more clear as the national real estate market returns that people are looking for real estate everywhere they go. Not in the sense that they are just driving around town searching for “For Sale” signs. (Who has time for that these days?) But rather because they are using their mobile devices while on the go to search for properties. These people are your prospects, they’re your potential homebuyers and they are going to their phones to find their next home.

If that doesn’t strike you as good enough reason to update your digital marketing efforts, then consider this: Google has long said that your web presence would benefit from mobile optimization, however, in its latest update, Google has now announced that its search and delivery algorithms will actually penalize your web assets for lack of mobile optimization.

So, there you have it. Your two largest audiences – potential buyers and Google itself – need you to make mobile a top priority. We are here to help. Cotton & Company has been implementing mobile optimization strategies across the luxury residential real estate industry for years and we know what works and what doesn’t. Give us a call if you’d like to hear more.

**Categories:** Press

---

### [Altaira | Bonita Springs, Naples Area Estate | Florida Gulf Coast ](https://cottonco.com/altaira-bonita-springs-naples-area-estate-florida-gulf-coast/)

**Published:** May 29, 2015
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

**Tags:** Altaira

---

### [VUE | Sarasota Bay](https://cottonco.com/vue-tv-spot/)

**Published:** March 23, 2015
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

**Tags:** VUE

---

### [Akoya Boca West Country Club](https://cottonco.com/akoya-boca-west-country-club/)

**Published:** February 17, 2015
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

**Tags:** Akoya, Akoya Boca West Country Club, Private Residential Country Club

---

### [One Thousand Ocean, Luxury Condominiums Boca Raton Florida | Testimonials](https://cottonco.com/one-thousand-ocean-luxury-condominiums-boca-raton-florida-testimonials/)

**Published:** October 12, 2014
**Author:** developer

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [One Thousand Ocean | Boca Raton | Florida](https://cottonco.com/one-thousand-ocean-boca-raton-florida/)

**Published:** October 13, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [West Bay Club](https://cottonco.com/west-bay-club/)

**Published:** December 10, 2013
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [Real Estate Marketing in New Media](https://cottonco.com/real-estate-marketing-in-new-media/)

**Published:** October 7, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [Quail West | Naples | Florida - Excellence has an address](https://cottonco.com/quail-west-naples-florida-excellence-has-an-address/)

**Published:** December 1, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [The Mark | San Diego, California | Downtown Living in East Village](https://cottonco.com/the-mark-san-diego-california-downtown-living-in-east-village/)

**Published:** June 6, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [Roco Ki | Dominican Republic | Luxury Living](https://cottonco.com/roco-ki-dominican-republic-luxury-living/)

**Published:** June 6, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [Verano at PGA | Resort | South Florida](https://cottonco.com/verano-at-pga-resort-south-florida/)

**Published:** June 6, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [Ultimate Resort | Luxury Destination Clubs](https://cottonco.com/ultimate-resort-luxury-destination-clubs/)

**Published:** June 6, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [BallenIsles Country Club - Palm Beach Gardens, Florida](https://cottonco.com/ballenisles-country-club-palm-beach-gardens-florida/)

**Published:** June 6, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [Villa Campina Grand Opening Celebration Event](https://cottonco.com/villa-campina-grand-opening-celebration-event/)

**Published:** June 6, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [Grey Oaks Country Club | Luxury Living in Naples, FL | Estate Homes](https://cottonco.com/grey-oaks-country-club-luxury-living-in-naples-fl-estate-homes/)

**Published:** June 5, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [Grey Oaks Country Club](https://cottonco.com/grey-oaks-country-club/)

**Published:** June 4, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [Fancy Face Girls Run the World](https://cottonco.com/fancy-face-girls-run-the-world/)

**Published:** June 4, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [The Cotton Bunch - Happy Birthday Stephann!](https://cottonco.com/the-cotton-bunch-happy-birthday-stephann/)

**Published:** November 23, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [Kolter Home Sale Event](https://cottonco.com/kolter-home-sale-event/)

**Published:** November 1, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [NatureWalk at Seagrove | Vacation homes at 30A | Seaside, FL](https://cottonco.com/naturewalk-at-seagrove-vacation-homes-at-30a-seaside-fl/)

**Published:** September 7, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [Azul de Cortez | La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico](https://cottonco.com/azul-de-cortez-la-paz-baja-california-sur-mexico/)

**Published:** June 15, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [Quail West | Naples | Florida](https://cottonco.com/quail-west-naples-florida/)

**Published:** April 29, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [Stephann Cotton Interview](https://cottonco.com/stephann-cotton-interview/)

**Published:** August 5, 2010
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [Azul de Cortez | La Paz, Mexico | Adventure of the Sea of Cortez](https://cottonco.com/azul-de-cortez-la-paz-mexico-adventure-of-the-sea-of-cortez/)

**Published:** October 11, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [Residential and Resort Real Estate Marketing - Connecting the Dots](https://cottonco.com/residential-and-resort-real-estate-marketing-connecting-the-dots/)

**Published:** October 14, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [Analysis by Paralysis: Can you really measure the success of traditional media? ](https://cottonco.com/analysis-by-paralysis-can-you-really-measure-the-success-of-traditional-media/)

**Published:** January 19, 2015
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Recently the concept of adding telephone numbers to our print media ads, each unique to a specific publication came up in discussion. At first the idea seems wonderful, a way to measure the success of traditional media advertising. Upon further review, there are some substantial pitfalls, which must be considered. The concept proves valuable if we significantly narrow down **what** we will measure and **how** we will compare it against other metrics. I think it’s a good idea to add unique telephone number call tracking to the mix. We must remember that it is “an additional” bit of information we can use to better understand a very complex system, but not the be-all-end-all to measure the success of a traditional media buy.

In the past we have witnessed clients using this data to decide which budgets to cut or expand. We refer to this as “analysis by paralysis” because there are SO many other actions consumers could have taken after seeing a print ad, that the ad would never be credited for its effectiveness. To better understand, here are a few examples:

- The consumer sees the ad and instead of calling the phone number, types in the exact url online. Lead will be counted as “direct” and we’ll have thought that the consumer was already familiar with the property and its website.
- The consumer sees the ad and instead of calling the phone number, Googles “Community Name.” Lead will be counted as “SEO / Organic” and we may conclude that no advertising dollars were spent.
- The consumer sees the ad and instead of calling the phone number, Googles “Community Name” and clicks on a currently running Google PPC campaign ad. Lead will be counted as PPC with exact name – consumer knew of the property.
- The consumer sees the ad and decides to drive by because they are currently in the area. Lead will be counted as drive by and no marketing will be attributed.
- Since we know that in this day and age consumers are SO inundated with marketing messages that they must see the same message more than once, sometimes several times, in order to gain proper awareness- this creates an entirely different example. Consumer sees the ad and does nothing. One or two weeks later a friend or colleague mentions our community and consumer says, “Oh, yeah I’ve heard of that place – can’t remember where, but it sounds cool.” Later that night consumer Googles “private club community in specific location” and finds website. Lead will be counted as “PPC” but as a result of “random search keywords” and not attributed to the original marketing material the consumer had viewed.

Measuring success in marketing is tricky and has become more complex with the addition of digital platforms, but everything we can measure *can* help. We have to constantly remind ourselves that there is a larger picture and sometimes getting lost in the detail will not help us move forward. Without this understanding there is a chance some of our successful programs could get cut because it is difficult to measure their impact.

On the other hand, if we abide by the premise that, “Phone Calls” convert into quality leads at a higher rate than other sources, using separate phone numbers on similar ad types in different publications will allow us to compare apples to apples. We can then see which publication generates more phone call leads per dollar spent. Using this method can help us to better understand, analyze and compare metrics of traditional media making for more informed decisions on effectively and efficiently spending our budgets.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Social Media

**Tags:** Google Analytics, how to measure marketing performance, marketing metrics, marketing success, measuring marketing performance

---

### [Treviso Bay Pre-Development Trailer](https://cottonco.com/treviso-bay-pre-development-trailer/)

**Published:** December 8, 2006
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [Alteza Residences | San Antonio, Texas](https://cottonco.com/alteza-residences-san-antonio-texas/)

**Published:** November 18, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



**Categories:** Video Vault

---

### [The Humble Floorplan](https://cottonco.com/the-humble-floorplan/)

**Published:** April 5, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Here at Cotton and Company, great effort is made to create collateral campaigns that exemplify the luxury and affluence of the communities, condominiums and resorts we promote. Every aspect of a campaign, from the promotional materials to the website, is carefully and intelligently designed to appeal to the demographic and potential homebuyers. So amongst the vivid photography, beautiful brochures, attention-grabbing ads and cutting-edge websites, it is easy to overlook one of the most important tools in real estate sales: the humble floorplan.

A floorplan looks rather simple compared to the gorgeous photography and impeccably designed collateral in our campaigns. However, the fact of the matter is that most people shop online for properties and a floorplan is one of the biggest reasons people make the jump from viewing a photo online to going to visit the property itself.One can search for properties by number of rooms, bathrooms and/or square footage. However, all these numbers can blur together and well-laid out photos communicate little to the potential buyer about where the bedrooms open up; if the kitchen has a view of the family room; whether it has adequate closet space and if the traffic and flow of the home matches the desires and needs of the potential buyer. A floor plan helps to narrow down the list of properties to visit and can even give a property that may normally be dismissed because of undesirable style and color, a second glance based upon its flow and layout.

Seasoned Real Estate Agent Frank Caputo of Sailfish Point and Sotheby’s International Realty states, “While a brochure allows a prospect to gain appreciation of the view, style of the home and surface colors, a floorplan helps them to understand the layout and flow of the living space.”

As mentioned before, every aspect of the advertising campaign is carefully designed and floorplans are no different. Compared to everything else done here at Cotton and Company, a floorplan is deceptively simple, as they are crafted to be. The raw first form of a floorplan is an architectural blueprint which contains every wall stud, electrical outlets, light fixtures and structural walls which can be terribly confusing for the client to decipher. However, at Cotton and Company, the graphic designer accepts this challenge and interprets, edits and recreates the plan into an easy-to-read and functional format. This allows the client to make important decisions concerning decorating, expansion, remodeling and any other home improvement the buyer could desire.

By offering floorplans you are also allowing the consumer to make informed and educated decisions about their future home and this can raise the consumer’s opinion of the integrity of your brand and real estate office. By knowing exactly what they are getting when they come to visit, they don’t have to be convinced of the potential of the home and can instead enjoy the experience without being given a hard sell while there. This makes the pitch, and ultimately the sale, go smoother and can make the buying experience less stressful and hopefully as exciting as buying a new home should be.

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Advertising Campaign, Agent, Collateral Campaigns, Communities, Consumer, Cotton & Company, Demographic, Designed, Floorplan, Homebuyers, Properties, real estate

---

### [The Pros and Cons of Using Joomla!®](https://cottonco.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-using-joomla/)

**Published:** April 25, 2011
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Between HTML, ASP, .NET, PHP and all the other languages we’ve used to create websites, we can certainly create a content management system from scratch. But with the pressure of today’s deadlines and workloads, who has the time? When a client wants a system that they can edit themselves, looks professional or is primarily data-driven, you’ll want to choose a content management system (CMS) like Joomla!® to run the website. It’s faster to build, more reliable in code and can be updated by anyone who has a little time and the desire to learn the basics.

One of my favorite things about Joomla!® is that making changes to an existing page is considerably faster. You just log in to the administration section in a browser window, go to the page you want to edit, type your change in, save it and click “preview” to see the new page. The HTML/FTP alternative: Open your FTP client, find your website, log in, download the most recent version of the file you want to change, refresh your FTP client window, open the file in your HTML editor, find and make the change in the code, save it, refresh your FTP client again, upload the altered file, refresh the Internet browser and check your change. Seems a little tedious, doesn’t it?

The downside to the Joomla!® editor is that it’s “on-the-fly.” In other words, there will be no backup of the file you’re changing and you’re working directly with the live files, so you need to be careful that your change is correct. This can be stressful to new editors, but it’s no big deal after you get used to it. You just have to learn to trust yourself.

Joomla!® also allows for multiple users and different levels of permissions. This way, you are only responsible for what you do. It’s easy to see who’s posting and editing what, and when it was done. All authors and edit times are saved so you have running documentation. With different levels of permissions, a user that is only there to add or edit content can be locked out of certain parts of the website. This allows the developer the confidence that users without full administrative access won’t be able to change the basic structure of the website accidentally. Rebuilding a damaged site is a lot more difficult than building the site in the first place, so this feature is of immense value to any developer. However, there are only a limited number of levels of permissions, which means that you’ll usually end up having to give some users access to parts of the website that you probably won’t want to.

There are many different types of modules, components and plug-ins that can be added to a Joomla!® website: archive lists, logins, subscription forms, shopping carts, catalogs, comments forms, galleries, banner advertising, social networking integration, chat, surveys, blogs, RSS feeds… the list is practically endless. If someone has imagined it, it’s been made for this system.

But sometimes, these add-ons aren’t as user-friendly as they could be, their admin panels confusing, results- varying and documentation unfound. This can be problematic when for instance, a site with a shopping cart needs to go live now and your checkout won’t get past the shipping options because you didn’t enter the correct weight in the admin section. You ask yourself, “There’s a section to enter the weight? Where?” But there’s no help file to answer your question.

If your goal is to develop a website with a design that consists of many pages that are unique even among themselves and are graphically based, then Joomla!® may not be the way to go. This type of site is fairly easy to accomplish with traditional code, but for Joomla!® it’s an adventure to say the least. Editing an existing template in Joomla!® can be very time-consuming and frustrating because of the sheer amount of code that is created when a Joomla!® template is compiled. Changing a Joomla!® template is a game of hide-and-seek to find where exactly that one little thing that just HAS to be part of the design is so you can change it. A developer can easily spend more time looking for where to change something than they will actually spend making the change.

All in all though, Joomla!® is a step in the right direction. Its ability to name pages with content rich information is an SEO dream. Let’s face it, your site might be AWESOME, but if no one can find it, what good is it?

**Categories:** Web

**Tags:** .NET, Add-ons, Administrative Access, Archive Lists, ASP, Blogs, Chats, client, CMS, Components, Content Management System, Developer, FTP, HTML, Joomla!®, Logins, Permissions, PHP, Plug-ins, Refresh, RSS Feeds, Subscription Forms, Surveys, System, User-friendly, website

---

### [Classic, Timeless Design Never goes out of Style](https://cottonco.com/classic-timeless-design-never-goes-out-of-style/)

**Published:** May 2, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Many would argue that art is timeless but design is not. In fact, timeless design is almost an oxymoron but timeless art is accepted by many. If that is the case, then consider the design of something as banal, yet as useful as a spoon. From the oldest to the newest, the basic design of a spoon has not changed for years. That does make it timeless, doesn’t it? Look at a bespoke suit, the Volkswagen Beetle, Le Corbusier’s buildings. All of them are classic examples of classic designs.

A particular style can’t emerge and expect to stay at the top indefinitely. Designers indicate that trends have a short lifespan, going through a “now-you-see-it-now-you-don’t” kind of roller coaster. New trends emerge only to be contradicted by others that go the opposite direction. Classic, timeless design never goes out of style.

Valentino has always been one of my favorite fashion designers. To me, he is one of only a few designers who creates pretty clothing. And no, pretty is not a dirty word. Oh sure there are those fashion mavens who prefer clothing that is esoteric, architectural, conceptual, and the like. And yes, sometimes that clothing can be interesting to look at. But at the end of the day, don’t women want to look beautiful and feminine? What struck me is how many of his designs from the 1950s and 60s look so current, proving that classic, feminine design never goes out of style. So why should we devotees of graphic design discuss a fashion designer? Because we have much to learn from the likes of Valentino. Had Valentino’s career been marked by tricks and trends, I don’t think he would have survived in the fickle world of fashion for as long as he did.

But we are more interested in timeless beauty of design in the industry of printing, aren’t we? It didn’t take me long to decide what printed piece I’d like to consider as a great example of classic timelessness in graphic design. Let’s talk a little about the design of National Geographic magazine.

Who isn’t familiar with that wonderful yellow frame of the National Geographic magazine’s cover? It holds breathtaking images of exotic destination and mountains of nostalgia! It’s the flag of the editorial institution that National Geographic has established over the span of 120 years. The famous yellow rectangle has seen virtually no change, much like the interior pages, since it first bordered the front covers of the 1888 launch issue. I thought it could teach us a few things about timelessness in graphic design. National Geographic’s front cover is a great example of how well simple branding can be tied to a product or message. In this case, the slightly warm yellow has become a symbol of wonderful photography, intriguing articles and serves as a doorway into places worlds away. The text pages have photo spreads that introduce the article and then have gentle introductions into the actual content. The pages treat the typography with much respect and the spreads are wonderfully executed. I’ve always wanted to have a closer look at the design of National Geographic. While it might not set the world on fire, it’s always been solid. Timeless design like this is essential in creating a reason for leaving the copies on your shelves for years and years, which many of us are guilty of.

So often designers are faced with the challenge to create designs that break a mold so they may be called “creative,” “fresh” or “new”. But are they really timeless or universal? Perhaps they look “cool.” Perhaps they look “different,” but how do they actually look and feel to the users? To reach timelessness, your designs need to be carefully thought out and your intentions need to encompass both the complex and the simple. These basics elude many designers. Although they may seem obvious, they are often quite difficult to truly achieve.

So what are the keys for success in basic design?

In my opinion, the design shouldn’t uselessly babble and scream until it’s foaming at the mouth.

It should speak clearly and be easily understood. It should have a charming level of clarity and character as all parts are given a reason for taking up space.

It has to be quickly and easily understood, as elements accent the message and design, never drowning them.

Everything on the page is there to support the message and show its innate character. The way in which these elements are laid out is very important. Each word must give way to the next. Each block of text must guide the eye to the following.

It is what good design is all about — communication. It is this elegant simplicity that we mustn’t forget, as it’s what makes the work of the designer classically beautiful and timeless.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Social Media, Uncategorized

---

### [What is the future of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?](https://cottonco.com/what-is-the-future-of-search-engine-optimization-seo/)

**Published:** May 9, 2011
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

A mistake was made long ago when someone decided that the skill-sets used to generate website traffic should be named, “Search Engine Optimization.” That shortsighted, naïve individual failed to consider the numerous elements that play an important role in the traffic-building process. Even the term “traffic-building” is a misnomer.

Few website owners would be satisfied with huge increases in website traffic. That, alone, has little value beyond bragging rights (My website had 15 million visitors last year!). When the sales manager encouraged his sales team to make more calls each day, one man took it to heart. Bedraggled and worn to a frazzle, he stood tall and thrust his chest out as he reported on Friday afternoon that he had made 150 sales calls that week. His ego quickly deflated when he had no response to the manager’s query, “What did you sell?”

Web traffic must be qualified. The purpose of the visit must correlate with the focus of the website. Far too frequently people visit websites because they want to see what a $15,000,000 condo looks like or they want to watch the latest “Flash” presentation.

The SEO specialist is expected to bring the website message to the forefront, to identify, locate, and approach the target market. Once he has gathered their attention, he is expected to draw them into the website and lead them down the path to conversion, whether that be a sale, a registration, or some other predefined action.

At one time, search engines were the most important tool for building a successful website. The internet in general and website owners in particular are becoming more selective. You wouldn’t search for a brain surgeon in the Yellow Pages. Fewer and fewer internet surfers are satisfied with going through thousands of search results to find the business or product that will fill their need. Certainly, searching for a commodity where price, convenience, and availability are the buying criteria, can be best done using search engines. When the buying decision addresses quality, service, and support, search engines fail miserably.

The same person who was called upon to get search engines to index hundreds of keywords is now expected to use blog content, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube in a coordinated effort to demonstrate a product’s value, reliability, and performance. Success is now measured in conversions vs. visitor count. John Q. Public has been deceived once too often by three lines of text in a search result.

The relevance of search engine result content is being challenged on many levels:

• A recent television ad for Bing hit right at the heart of the matter. A comment about Salsa quickly evolves into a food fight.
• Google has started requiring content approval for all pay-per-click ads.
• The growth of image ad placements on the Google Network is outpacing the growth of text ads placed on search results pages.
• The #2 search engine in the world is YouTube.
• Organic results on Google are being forced down the page as Google Places, Google Images and Google News take precedence.

The SEO specialist who focuses only on Titles, Descriptions, H1 and Alt tags is being swept aside in a massive rush to relevance.

**Categories:** SEO

**Tags:** Bing, Blog, facebook, Google, Search Engine Optimization, Search Engines, SEO Specialist, Twitter, website, Website Traffic, YouTube

---

### [Design vs. Content – Finding the Right Balance for Luxury Products Online](https://cottonco.com/design-vs-content-finding-the-right-balance-for-luxury-products-online/)

**Published:** May 23, 2011
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

In the expansive world that is the Internet, the ultimate goal is to get noticed and look good when you do. Getting noticed, of course, is of the upmost importance and SEO is a key factor in this, but at what point should we allow a site’s SEO to start to limit its presentation and design? Well, if approached properly, you should be able to fulfill the vision for your site’s look while still getting plenty of attention and results.

The key here is to understand the buyer. Understanding your buyer will greatly benefit you in reaching them. Who are they? How do they use the Internet? What sites do they visit for information? And most importantly, how do they find you?

If you are an established brand, or users have seen you in other sources, the look and refinement of your site is of the greatest importance to further strengthen your brand. If you are already known, chances are there can be a little less focus on filling the pages up with “search terms” in the copy, and more room for further selling your vision through design and images.

If in a more competitive market where you are not as well known (yet), it would seem that you would want to drop the pretty images and go with a more text heavy, “search results” driven site for better SEO. Well, even in this instance, you should not abandon reinforcing your brand and sticking with luxury design to bring people to your doorstep. With proper planning, the SEO on your “boutique luxury” site can be just as effective as a text heavy simple site. Also, in this case, you should be concentrating on generating leads from more than just search results anyway.

Going back to understanding the buyer, in addition to search results, you should be trying to reach the buyer where they already are. By directly targeting online sites that your buyer already frequents, you have found another way to transmit your message to them. So say the buyer clicks on your Realtor.com banner and they are brought to your beautiful home page, you got your cake and ate it too. SEO was not even a factor.

So in conclusion, Design and Content can be great friends. With the proper planning and execution, you can have a beautifully designed luxury site that not only is easy for a user to find, but also makes a great first impression as well.

**Categories:** Web

**Tags:** brand, buyer, Content, Design, internet, Market, Realtor.com, Search Results, website

---

### [A Wave of Buyers Forecasted Within 18 Months](https://cottonco.com/a-wave-of-buyers-forecasted-within-18-months/)

**Published:** June 15, 2011
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

After attending Urban Land Institute’s recent Recreational Development Panel Discussion in Phoenix, it’s clear that forecasting the future real estate markets is a hot topic in the industry. The panel was consistent in their findings: the economy has made significant improvements, but there is still a long way to go.

Panel speakers reached consensus that we have definitely reached the bottom in many markets; however, there are some areas of the country that will continue to have moderate depreciation before full stabilization occurs.
Unfortunately the country is still contending with challenges due to housing foreclosures and the lack of growth in the job market. However, moving towards 2012 and 2013, the panel is more optimistic, anticipating a surge in activity due to changing market conditions.

With a lack of new development over the past 5 years, new home inventory is extremely low. The real estate down cycle has become one of the longest in history, and buyer’s having been waiting it out. The resulting pent-up demand will result in a dramatic rise in the new home sales in our future. Buyers have been waiting in the wings for the “right time” to buy, and they have been sitting on the fence. Once they are convinced of the rising market, they will most likely jump back into the market at that same time. Demographic trends also add to the optimistic forecast, as 77 million baby boomers are reaching age 65 and will be in the market for retirement homes. Determining factors of this market will include: geographic location, affordability, ownership maintenance, access to health care and lifestyle amenities geared towards health and fitness.

Developers who are prepared to deliver the right product at the right price will capitalize on the surge in demand. The emerging market represents an unprecedented opportunity for visionary developers.

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Demand, Developers, development, Industry, Market, real estate, Urban Land Institutes

---

### [Is Candy the Key to a Happy Workplace?](https://cottonco.com/is-candy-the-key-to-a-happy-workplace/)

**Published:** August 22, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Forget the water cooler, it’s all about the candy bowl at Cotton & Company. Lets face it; we are with one another as much, if not more, than our own family. So it’s only natural that we find some bonding time. And what better way than with candy? Sure this seems simple, but the best part about candy is, unlike with people, everybody likes it. Candy puts people in a happy mood. A happy worker is more productive. More pleasant. And, well, just plain happier.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Social Media, Uncategorized

**Tags:** Audience, Communication, Cotton & Company, social networking, Social Platforms

---

### [We Want it All](https://cottonco.com/we-want-it-all/)

**Published:** September 29, 2011
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

In April of 2010, Steve Jobs released a statement speaking out on why he wouldn’t allow Flash on “i” devices. There were several points he felt very strongly about:

1\. The web should be “open” and Flash isn’t. That means that there’s a company (Adobe) that controls what and when it updates. What if he can’t get them to do something when he wants it done?

2\. He talks about how Adobe says that 75% of all video on the web is in Flash, and then lists a string of sites that have posted “i” friendly videos including Netflix, Facebook, major TV networks and The Wall Street Journal. So, I suppose we don’t need to see absolutely every video there is, but what about the Flash elements that many web developers use for website intros, navigation, forms, image animations and the like? They still can’t be seen, and there’s a lot of it out there.

3\. Sometimes Flash can cause Macs to crash. The way I see it, if Apple expects everyone to get on board and make their software work for their machines, shouldn’t Apple do the same for them, especially with software that’s so widely used and accepted?

4\. Flash takes time to load, thereby consuming battery power. A valid point, but a well-done Flash site is worth the wait in my opinion.

5\. Touch. Flash used to be built with the mouse in mind. So we program it for clicking instead of rollovers. Solved.

6\. He said that Flash is a cross-platform tool, and the “i” devices aren’t its main goal. That’s true, but wouldn’t you want your software to be cross-platform? A lot of people run both Mac and PC and I’m sure would really appreciate if everything were available and functional on both. Not to mention the sales that could be made if ALL apps were available for “i” devices.

There are many people who argue that it’s all about revenue: If Flash were available on “i” devices, users could watch TV shows on the internet for free instead of buying them through iTunes and users could play some of the hundreds of Flash games on websites instead of buying games through the App Store, on which Apple takes a 30% cut of every sale.

Late last year “i” app developers were thrilled to hear that Apple would now allow them to use Flash in the development of their apps. A large amount of game programming has been done in Flash for years, so it must have been a relief to game developers to know that they didn’t have to immediately learn a new programming language to tap into this market. It’s still not available for web browsing on the Safari app, but if that’s really important for your web experience, there are several Flash capable browsers to choose from in the App Store for “i” devices.

As a web developer, I think I speak for all of us in saying that we’re very excited and happy to learn new things like HTML5 (an “i” friendly coding language) which I’m sure will broaden to someday do just about everything we ever did in Flash. But in the meantime, we would also like the freedom to continue to use Flash for more complex animations that can’t necessarily be accomplished by HTML5, yet. And now that Mr. Jobs has resigned as CEO of Apple, we can only hope that the new chief will see it our way and support flash in their standard software for mobile browsing.

**Categories:** Media, Web

**Tags:** Adobe, Apple, Apps, Coding, Flash, HTML5, Mac, Mobile Browsing, Program, Safari, Software, Steve Jobs, Web Browsing

---

### [Tweets of Wrath: Common Abuses of Social Media and How You Can Avoid Them](https://cottonco.com/tweets-of-wrath-common-abuses-of-social-media-and-how-you-can-avoid-them/)

**Published:** October 17, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The rules of social media apply to all: no person, no matter how famous or talented, no company, regardless of its big brands and big income, is exempt. No exceptions. In fact, a misuse of social mediums, such as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook, can cause more harm than having no online presence at all.

Such holds true for John Mayer, one of the decade’s most popular songwriters and musicians, who used Twitter as platform for his most candid thoughts and opinions. As a result, he damaged his credibility as an artist while simultaneously offending many people. Sure, he enthusiastically exercised his right to The First Amendment—but he wants to sell records. Hence, all messaging on behalf of yourself, your brand or your company should be carefully executed. While performing in Nashville, Tenn., Mayer kept the apologies coming and finished his set with a defeating farewell: “I quit the media game. I’m out. I’m done. I just want to play my guitar.”

This should never happen.

In fact, it doesn’t ever have to if you’re judicious with how you are portrayed online. John Mayer is a mega-celebrity with millions of Twitter followers and Facebook fans, who with one triple platinum album after the next, seemed indestructible. This was not the case; and other brands and products are no different. Social media has become a science in which proven data reveals what works and what doesn’t. More often than not, a self-administered social media presence does not work for big names and big brands. Sometimes you just gotta call in the pros to get the job done.

In the meanwhile, refrain from:
• Sharing private photographs or videos
• Discourse about private or legal matters
• Discussion of job dissatisfaction/disapproval of a colleagues’ work
• Over-sharing personal views about political views or personal preferences

**Categories:** Media, Public Relations, Social Media

**Tags:** Audience, Company, Content, facebook, Followers, internet, marketing, media, networking, PInterest, Posts, Sharing, social media, Social Media Abuse, Social Media Outlets, Social Media Platforms, Social Mediums, Social Platforms, Tweets, Twitter, YouTube

---

### [Cigarette Marketing Up in Smoke: and the Tobacco Companies Fight Back](https://cottonco.com/cigarette-marketing-up-in-smoke-and-the-tobacco-companies-fight-back/)

**Published:** October 11, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

For the first time in the history of marketing, a company that sells a legal item is being forced to package and sell it’s own product in the most negative way possible: starting in September 2012, cigarette packs will be required to contain a rotating series of grisly images depicting the health hazards and possible results of smoking. The FDA is ordering the new packaging as a way to call fresh attention to a message that has gone stale: that smoking is exceedingly bad for your health.

The full color images must take up 50% of the package, on both the front and back, and 20% of all advertising. Up until now, the anti-smoking message has come in the form of text only, the familiar Surgeon General’s Warning. But knowing how much more effective graphics can be than words, the new images’ shock value will be impossible to ignore. It’s hard to imagine how an effective media campaign can be put together when the product itself has become a liability. How will a print campaign work without showing the package? How can any other image you show overcome the overpowering negativity of the graphic warning? This is probably the greatest challenge that an advertising/marketing firm has had to deal with.

In response to this new law, the tobacco companies are suing the federal government, questioning the legality of the order, and protesting the amount of money this will cost them to implement. According to a story by CBS News: “The companies also said the new labels will cost them millions of dollars for new equipment so they can frequently change from warning to warning and designers to make sure the labels meet federal requirements while maintaining some distinction among brands.”

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Social Media

**Tags:** Cigarette, images, packaging, smoking, Surgeon General, Up in smoke

---

### [The Housing Market Rebound is Underway](https://cottonco.com/the-housing-market-rebound-is-underway/)

**Published:** March 30, 2012
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

Are you ready?

…to drive low-cost leads through customer referrals and highly targeted Facebook advertising programs?

…for an active YouTube channel with current videos that enhance your brand while building your Internet search results?

…to reduce the cost of your pay-per-click campaign by building your relevance score with Google?

…to have a website that is designed for usability on both smartphones and tablet devices?

Did you know that 95% of homebuyers use the Internet for research?

National media is consistently indicating optimism in the housing market, and better days are just around the corner. During the extended down cycle, technology has changed drastically, and your digital marketing plan must evolve with the times.

• Tablet and mobile devices mandate usability above design
• Google now prioritizes social network interaction for search results
• Pay-per-click costs are lower if your content relevancy score is higher

Your Internet footprint is critical to capturing more qualified leads, resulting in more closed sales. If your website was produced more that 3 years ago, or you haven’t entered the social revolution, you’re already behind.

Learn Cotton & Company’s top five tips:

1\. Facebook now reaches 67% of all consumers. Resist the temptation to start a page without a long-term management plan in place. A stagnant social presence can be detrimental to your objectives.

2\. Use the Facebook business structure; take advantage of targeted demographic and psychographic profiling to reach your customers.

3\. Your online presence represents your sales office. It must be engaging, deliver sought-after information and facilitate immediate interaction.

4\. Use YouTube for video sharing to ensure searchability and playability on mobile and tablet devices.

5\. Website infrastructure and search engine optimization should be the first step in the development process to ensure you can be found where buyers are looking.

**Categories:** Media, Public Relations, Real Estate, Social Media

**Tags:** Cotton & Company, facebook, internet, Leads, market rebound, marketing, social media

---

### [Pinterest: It’s More than Pretty Pictures and Cupcake Recipes](https://cottonco.com/pinterest-its-more-than-pretty-pictures-and-cupcake-recipes/)

**Published:** February 28, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Pinterest is pretty much one giant endorsement of goods, for women by women. And thus far, emphasis has been placed on crafts, home interiors and gardens, cooking, entertaining and art. However, Pinterest is growing faster than Facebook when it was its size, with more seven million unique visitors in December. And it’s driving more traffic to company websites and blogs than YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn combined.

The online social pinboard harnesses the power of personal referral. Word of mouth is arguably the most effective selling tool, and a strong presence on Pinterest empowers just that.
 *Promoting your business on Pinterest: What you need to know*

Pinterest can be a useful tool to promote new products and interact with potential customers. You can create pinboards for the type of products or services you sell (with links back to your website) and add pinboards like, “Things We Love” or “Sale Items.”

However, you should be incorporating outside pins to your profile so that your profile is not entirely all about your business. This is pretty important, because thus far, Pinterest is NOT an e-commerce site. It is, however, a powerful social media tool that can drive people to your website. And with social media, comes sharing. So remember that if you only display images of your products without contributing other content or sharing other users’ pins, you will likely find that people won’t pay much attention.

Side note: Pinterest does not offer business-oriented features. Its search functions prioritize pin and board subjects ahead of people, which is the category that brands fall into.

**Categories:** Advertising, Networking, Public Relations, Social Media

**Tags:** internet, Leads, media, networking, PInterest, social media

---

### [Social Marketing](https://cottonco.com/social-marketing/)

**Published:** May 8, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Increasing brand affinity has always been about building relationships with people. Today brands everywhere can achieve this through social marketing.

Social marketing is taking a strategic and digital approach to using social media to reach and engage consumers while encouraging word of mouth sharing and brand loyalty. Cotton & Company offers social marketing as a key service line and welcome the opportunity to grow your brand using this new marketing medium.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Social Media, Uncategorized

**Tags:** Branding, Cotton & Company, marketing, networking, social media, Social Mediums

---

### [Home Buyer Referrals Go Social](https://cottonco.com/home-buyer-referrals-go-social/)

**Published:** October 2, 2012
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

Real estate developers and builders have long recognized the quality of potential leads driven from personal referrals. This assumption is now supported by research from Socialnomics.net that indicates only 14% of consumers believe advertising messages, but 90% trust peer recommendations.While many recognize this new dynamic, few sales organizations know how to utilize today’s technology to expand their reach.

Yes, friends and family continue to make the seasonal trip to South Florida and other warm destinations. Often they become envious of the lifestyle they experience while on vacation:holiday celebrations in shorts, poolside barbecues on Super Bowl Sunday or simply slipping into a pair of flip flops instead of snow boots. Who wouldn’t love blue skies and 70-degree temperatures in February?

Tapping into visiting homebuyers during high season has long been a goal of real estate professionals, but encouraging referrals from current residents or local real estate brokers can be an expensive endeavor. Not long ago, lead generation through traditional marketing outlets averaged $400 a lead.Today, a strategic social marketing program can target and deliver potential buyers for less than $3 a lead, year-round.

Social networks are quickly replacing traditional communication amongst family and friends. That great shot taken on the 4th green that would be shared with the foursome, is now shared with hundreds of friends, instantly online. It’s an ongoing conversation and endless opportunities to engage with potential consumers. Knowing how and when to join the conversation is critical to developing a successful program that delivers buyers to your door.

“Social marketing is truly an evolution of public relations paired with exceptional customer service,” says Marissa Mastroianni, Digital Marketing Director for Cotton & Company. “These new channels provide an opportunity for ongoing engagement with our target consumers. We are pulling them into the conversation rather than pushing our marketing message.”

Social media isn’t a fad, it’s a fundamental shift in the way we communicate. New networks are being developed every day. While Facebook is today’s most powerful lifestyle network and LinkedIn taps into the business community, the next big thing is always on the horizon. Affiliate marketing and referral programs now thrive through social networks and buyers expect an online presence. It’s no longer a matter if developers should utilize these channels; it’s only a matter of how well you do it.

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Builders, Buyers, Communication, Consumers, Developers, facebook, Homebuyers, Leads, Networks, real estate, Social Market, Social Marketing, social media, Social Networks

---

### [American Advisors in Poland](https://cottonco.com/american-advisors-in-poland/)

**Published:** October 31, 2012
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

It’s been quite the summer in Warsaw, Poland. We’ve enjoyed getting to know this country of proud people and its rich history that includes a period of Soviet Communist dominance from 1945 to 1989. Considering Cotton & Company opened for business in 1983, in some ways we had a five-year head start on an entire nation who only became capitalist following the Soviet fall.

In contrast, we were humbled to learn that Poland’s Constitution is only second in age to the US Constitution, even though the establishment of a Polish state is identified with the adoption of Christianity in 966, far beyond the American Revolution in 1776.

So what brings Cotton to the eastern bloc — JW Construction, the largest developer of residential, commercial and hospitality projects in Poland. With a rapid expansion plan of new investments and increased competition from international developers, founder Josef Wojciechowski reached out to Cotton & Company in the United States. Our mission is to guide JW Construction through a corporate rebranding through the promotion of lifestyle oriented sales initiatives. We are here to help teach the Polish people a better way to live and a more enjoyable, healthy & happy lifestyle.

Even more important, Cotton is shifting the company’s sales approach utilizing the digital environment and database management, tracking and reporting to gain a better understanding of the factors that influence sales success. This groundbreaking program lays the foundation for JW Construction’s future, permitting critical decisions about new opportunities to be based on data driven as a result of the comprehensive plan.

We have made wonderful new friends, learned the ins and outs of Polish traffic and have gained a new appreciation for the four-season climate. We have made an impact over 5,000 miles from home, and we have just begun to create the Cotton & Company legacy in Europe.

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Commercial, Cotton & Company, Developer, JW Construction, Poland, Rebranding, Residential, Sales Approach

---

### [Which “Baby Boomer” Will Be Purchasing Real Estate Next?](https://cottonco.com/which-baby-boomer-will-be-purchasing-real-estate-next/)

**Published:** November 6, 2012
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

It seems every planning seminar and conference for the last two decades has been about the impact of the baby boomer on discretionary real estate spending. Now, following a historical down cycle and its tremendous impact on personal savings and investment, many new questions emerge for real estate developers. Although the market segment as a whole makes for promising demographic studies based on shear volume, it takes a closer look to unveil the psychographic profile that will most likely represent the next wave of real estate purchasers.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a baby boomer is a person who was born during the post-World War II baby boom between the years 1946 and 1964. Over 75 million strong, the market segment includes two generations that experienced one of the most significant cultural shifts of all times. From 1950s conservative social and economic values to the revolution of sex, drugs and rock and roll of the 1960s–the boomers’ psychographic profiles are drastically diverse. Community developers must plan for the boomer revolution that’s clearly on the horizon.

Over the past two decades, the early baby boomers have been the driving force in active adult development. Accounting for homeowners born from 1948 – 1955, this segment continues to represent 75% of the current active adult market. But times are changing, and the generational shift is right around the corner. The question is “How can we quantify its timing and impact on future active adult sales?”

Cotton & Company analyzed the 2010 census data, calculated a projected death rate, and applied it against the specific age segments within the survey. Having identified the primary geographic relocation market for active adults as homeowners ages 62 – 70, we established a defined timeline for the psychographic profile shift. By the year 2014, the late boomers will become the dominant player, taking a 75% market share, with a drastic reduction in the prior market segment.

The 37 million trailing boomers challenged the establishment at every stage of life. Now, the challenge for developers is making the shift to new amenities and programming, without alienating the prior conservative market segment. For longstanding brands, the transition may be difficult to overcome. This new brand-conscious consumer will be looking for the alternative retirement lifestyle that challenges the status quo and focuses heavily on health, wellness and experiences. They are not looking to live like their parents did…they will once again take a different path. Understanding the significance of the cultural timeline and its impact on the buyer is essential to creating visionary design for the next generation of active adult communities.

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Baby Boomer, Boomer Revolution, Cotton & Company, Demographic, Developers, Economy, Market, real estate

---

### [Top 5 Ways to Lure New Homebuyers](https://cottonco.com/top-5-ways-to-lure-new-homebuyers/)

**Published:** November 13, 2012
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

1\. Be Found Where People are Looking: They’re out there, and every day we see the increasing numbers of unique web visitors. A very positive sign for new home developers. Homebuyers are doing their research online, well before they reach out to the sales team on site. Your Internet footprint is critical and it goes well beyond just keeping your website up to date. Content generation and distribution require a focused effort that should be one of your top priorities.

2\. Use Affiliate Database Resources. Data is king. You want to begin a conversation with the same people they do, so why not work on that together? While every company has digital assets, often the potential goes unrecognized. It’s time to get creative and develop a win-win program that provides an opportunity for both companies to reach their objectives.

3\. Encourage Sharing through Social Networks: Homebuyers are online. They are in constant communication with colleagues, friends and relatives—the very people you want to make contact with. Give them reasons to share why they love your community. Make it fun. Provide photo ops, interesting information and contests that have an immediate buyer benefit. Create a platform that encourages sharing with a goal of making people smile…the viral reach will be a natural result of a job well done.

4\. Make it Easy for Brokers: The best thing you can do today is pay a broker commission for bringing you a buyer. They have the same goal as you – they want to make sales and money. The easier you make it for them to promote your community to their existing database, the more successful your broker program will be. Brokers need to be a resource of information for their clients. Give them the tools they need, and they’ll deliver.

5\. Audit Your Activities: There is always room for improvement. No matter how long you have been in the game, things are constantly in transition. Not only has technology opened new opportunities, but also homebuyer demographics and psychographics have changed drastically in the past five years. This dynamic market requires a fresh approach. Ask yourself, “Where can we do better?”

A marketing audit provides an opportunity for new ideas and a different perspective. Often, it’s about gaining a better understanding of what’s working in order to effectively prioritize the marketing spend for the coming year. With a laser focus on driving sales revenue, Cotton & Company concentrates on understanding today’s buyer, while filling the pipeline with future sales.

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Brokers, Home Developers, Homebuyers, marketing, real estate, Social Networks, Social Platforms, Technology

---

### [The "Rating" Game](https://cottonco.com/the-rating-game/)

**Published:** November 27, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

A good sales process requires one end result…conversion.

What is the most intangible asset that you have as a business owner, developer, builder, or realtor? It is your “book of business” or your lead database. You’ve had great success in generating leads, but have you been successful in developing goals, defining your rating system and implementing action plans to qualify and convert those leads?

Lead management is more than a process; it is the groundwork for assessment of conversion probability and determination of sales-readiness. It allows your sales team to focus the majority of their attention on the sales-ready leads, and not distract sales productivity with unqualified leads. It is a known fact that sales teams increase their efficiency and productivity based on the clarity of a “sales-read lead.”

The first step toward conversion is lead qualification. This is the discovery process that begins with the first point of contact, when the lead is first introduced to you and continues until you’ve converted them to a customer/buyer.

Profile – Begin with what you know. The best scoring systems utilize demographic and psychographic attributes. Analyze your current customers/buyers. Are there similarities among this group? What patterns can you identify to better profile your buyer? Why did they purchase your product? Where are they from? What obstacles/challenges did you have to overcome to close the deal? What was the average length of time to convert?

Assessment – Review the criteria. Now, use these findings to gauge your new prospects and to develop a checklist, which defines the key criteria for qualifying your new prospects. Are you finding similar characteristics between your buyers and your prospects? How engaged is the prospect with you and your product? Do you have enough information to determine the interest level? Where are they in the decision making process? Are you dealing with the key influencer or decision maker? Do they have the necessary information to make an informed decision? Do they understand your product and value proposition? What is their budget? Does your product offering meet their goals?

Rating System – All prospects are not created equal and some are more likely than others to convert into sales. You need to use more than your gut to determine the best qualitative and quantitative measurement for rating your prospects. Be sure that the rating system you implement is based on probability to close and is an adopted system-wide or company-wide standard of prospect rating. This is critical in managing the sales funnel effectively. The following three questions will form the basis for the rating system: Explicit qualifiers: 1. What is the timeframe for purchase? 2. What is the budget? 3. Who is the key influencer/decision maker? Implicit qualifiers: Rely on what you gleaned during discovery, this is information that you observed or that was inferred about the prospect such as: What is their body language portraying? Measure the prospects direct responses to specific sales points, or their lack of response to particular points. This rating system will help you to identify opportunities as well as to develop a Sales Action Plan to communicate with all of your prospects in the pipeline wherever they are in the purchase cycle. You will need to tailor this rating system to your specific situation. Utilize a rating metric (whether it be alpha or numeric or something as simple as hot, warm or cold) that works in conjunction with your CRM system; for example:

A – Prospect is ready willing and able; Purchase timeframe – Immediate; Can meet the necessary budget and has purchase authority

This is a prospect that has demonstrated specific interest in your project and has taken an action such as touring the property, in many instances, more than once. They have provided evidence of funding. This A prospect has cleared all major objections and is prepared to go to contract or sign a check.

B – Prospect is ready and willing, but unable to close for 1-3 months

This is a prospect that has some short-term obstacles to overcome, whether it is a home to sell, or waiting on funds or liquidating assets. The B prospect may not have cleared all of the obstacles and may still be looking at other property.

C – Prospect is willing, but is unable and not ready to close for 3-12 months

This prospect has just begun to look. They may have a home to sell and it may not be listed. They are just beginning their process and do not have the information or wherewithal to close for a longer period of time. They may not have visited the property.

D – Prospect – No lead left behind

The truth is these prospects may represent up to 75% of your database. They have just begun their online search and may have registered on your site for additional information; they may or may not visit the site. Don’t discount the D prospect yet! While they may not represent your next sale, they can be a powerful referral engine.

E – Expired

We will not convert every lead to a sale. While we work diligently to convert or to obtain a referral, the ability to recognize the end of a prospect lifecycle is key to lead management.

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Book of business, Conversion, Developer, Lead Management, Leads, Sales Team

---

### [Mexico’s Comeback Captures the World’s Attention](https://cottonco.com/mexicos-comeback-captures-the-worlds-attention/)

**Published:** December 18, 2012
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

The rebounding Mexican economy is providing plenty of headlines for today’s final reporters. It’s hard to believe that not long ago, Mexico was in the news daily for the swine flu outbreak and endless drug violence. Today, words like “record-breaking” and “booming” are now being used to describe a thriving economy.

It seems while the US was focusing on the 2012 election, Mexico quietly overcame many of its challenges. Although there remains much to be resolved, the country is now the world’s leading exporter of flat screen TVs and has also become a major force in the automobile industry. Surprisingly, one in 10 cars sold last year in the U.S. was made in Mexico. According to the Wall Street Journal, “next year, every new taxi in New York’s fleet will carry the ‘Hecho en Mexico’ label.

In its latest assessment of the Mexican economy, the International Monetary Fund said growth has remained resilient, noting the country’s strong fundamentals and sound policy frameworks and management. And according to the World Bank, Mexico is poised to become the world’s fifth largest economy by 2050. It’s no wonder international investors are taking note. In 2011 alone, real estate activity in the country increased by a whopping 14%, a promising sign of what is yet to come.

All of this is good news for Mexico’s resort real estate industry that suffered greatly over the past five years. The market dynamics make sense. The country’s close proximity to the U.S., favorable weather, low cost of living, and spectacular topography may once again provide a compelling option for American retirees. Recently announced projects by Hilton and Starwood may just be the beginning of a healthy growth cycle for Mexican real estate developers.

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Developers, Economy, Growth Cycle, Industry, Market, Mexico, real estate

---

### [Brand Extensions: Do they make sense?](https://cottonco.com/brand-extensions-do-they-make-sense/)

**Published:** January 2, 2013
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

You’ve already been successful. Built a community. Built a following. Built a reputation. Built a brand. Now you want to build another community; should you use the same brand or create a new one?

Building a brand is expensive; it takes money and time. Once you’ve spent all that time, budget and energy creating a great brand, shouldn’t you just use it again, leverage its power and your spend and name your new community with the same branding?

It’s a question many real estate marketers are constantly trying to answer because the truth is, it depends.

Is your newer product comparable to your older product? Will this new product sell for a lower price, thus lowering the perceived value of the brand you’ve built? Are the markets overlapping? Will your new target audience appreciate or realize the upstanding value your brand brings to the table? Are you able to implement the brand for this new project without altering its essence or meaning? Will introducing another product line with the same name brand cause confusion in the marketplace for brokers or prospects? Is using the same brand going to help or hinder your sales conversation with a potential buyer?

Most importantly, are you using this brand because it helps your product and your business or are you using this brand to feel proud about the depth of your own portfolio?

**Categories:** Advertising, Real Estate

**Tags:** brand, Brand Extensions, Build, business, Product

---

### [Builders aren’t Selling Houses, but They are Selling.](https://cottonco.com/builders-arent-selling-houses-but-they-are-selling/)

**Published:** January 7, 2013
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Everyone thinks that purchasing a big ticket item is all about the value and the return and the finances of it, especially when it comes to real estate. Some even call it an investment. And it’s true, frequently, the home buying process can begin as a numbers game…What can we afford? What will the interest on our mortgage be? What are the taxes? How much are utilities? How much can I sell it for in the future?

But when it comes right down to it, the final decision of which home you are going to buy is a very emotional choice. Home buyers ask themselves…Can I see our family spending Christmas here? Would I enjoy entertaining company in this kitchen? Is this enough room for a house full of teenagers? Would I like to wake up each morning to this view?

For these reasons, we have to realize that although we may build houses and offer them for sale, we are NOT selling houses. Home buyers do NOT want to just buy a house. They are searching for the perfect place to call “home.” So, what we are really selling is dreams, visions, family celebrations, holidays, entertainment, relaxation, peace of mind, the comforts of “home” – we are selling a “lifestyle.”

We can’t forget this. Ever. Because this must infiltrate every area of our marketing and sales process through each channel we use. We need to ensure that our first touchpoint campaigns sell the lifestyle available at our community because that is what attracts buyers. We need to make sure that our website highlights everything about the activities and amenities available, the sense of community experience, as well as every detail about the house. We need to remember to appeal to the emotional side of our prospects, because while it may make financial sense, if a purchase doesn’t make any emotional sense to a buyer there will be no sale.

This philosophy must then also travel through the sales process- through the sales office design, the sales person’s approach to conversation and the marketing materials the consumer receives. Our goal: leave all prospects with the feeling of “I can just see myself living here!”

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Builders, Finances, Home, Homebuyers, marketing, Purchasing, real estate, Selling

---

### [Cotton & Company’ MacLees Named as Google Engage All-Star](https://cottonco.com/cotton-company-maclees-named-as-google-engage-all-star/)

**Published:** August 9, 2013
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Cotton & Company, real estate marketing specialists, announced Friday that Media Director Renee MacLees has been selected by Google as an Engage All-Star for 2013. To achieve this prestigious award, high benchmarks and strict criteria were reached in several advertising areas including pay per click text and display digital advertising.

“Being named a Google Engage All-Star winner is a well-deserved honor for Renee, “ says Laurie Andrews, Chief Operation Officer for Cotton & Company. “With the rebound of the real estate market, creating a strong digital footprint is critical to our client’s success. Our digital service team is among the best in the business, and we proud to have Google recognize Renee’s performance.”

Cotton & Company celebrated its 30th anniversary in May. The company works exclusively in the real estate field, marketing more than 1700 luxury properties and resort destinations. Utilizing Internet-based data management, effective marketing strategies, new media marketing campaigns and specialized sales management, Cotton & Company continues to set the standard for excellence in the real estate development industry. For further information, visit www.cottonco.com.

**Categories:** Media, Web

**Tags:** Cotton & Company, Digital Footprint, Engage All-Star, Google, marketing, Media Director, real estate

---

### [Early Cotton Report Data Indicates Liquidity Returning to the Market](https://cottonco.com/early-cotton-report-data-indicates-liquidity-returning-to-the-market/)

**Published:** March 13, 2013
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

Cotton & Company’s 5th annual consumer survey is underway. The annual online report surveys prospective homebuyers throughout the US to gain insight into the current buyer’s psychology. With more than 700 respondents providing insight on the factors that affect their purchase decision, the data has become an industry standard for forecasting residential real estate trends. As the data continues to be analyzed for the final report, early indications show liquidity has returned to the market.

When asked about their reason for not purchasing to date, the consumer response “Can’t sell my existing home” dropped significantly from the 2011 market data. As additional support to this position, consumer interest in “Waiting for Better Pricing” has dropped to 8%, from the highpoint of 29% in 2010. In addition to information on timing, size of home and other product related questions, The 2013 Cotton Report will also provide insight into the use of new technology and social marketing for researching new home opportunities.

Keep an eye out for the final results to be published in the coming weeks.

**Categories:** Media, Real Estate

**Tags:** Consumer Survey, Cotton & Company, Cotton Report, Developers, Homebuyers, homebuying, Industry, marketing, Online, Published, real estate, Report, Social Marketing, Technology

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### [Homebuying Timeline Shortened as Housing Market Gains Momentum](https://cottonco.com/homebuying-timeline-shortened-as-housing-market-gains-momentum/)

**Published:** September 3, 2013
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

As the housing market continues to improve, developers and builders are experiencing a favorable trend amongst prospective homebuyers. After several years of building a pipeline of leads and grinding out sales through a lengthy sales process, the timeline for sale has shortened considerably. The market rebound is trumping the seasonality of many markets, with buyers now purchasing within weeks of their initial sales office visit rather than months or years. As specialists in the marketing of residential real estate, Cotton & Company is witnessing the shift across multiple markets indicating a positive trend.

Many buyers have been sitting on the sidelines for the past several years waiting for the right opportunity and a more positive economic outlook. This reluctance to purchase has resulted in a pent-up demand that is manifested in today’s rapid purchase decisions. Qualified homebuyers are entering sales centers having done their homework online. Sales executives are meeting more educated buyers often already familiar with the details on the location and amenity offerings. Kudos to developers and builders who upgraded their website presentation during the down cycle. The marketing investment is now paying sales dividends.

Developers relying on traditional seasonality in planning a new community launch may miss the early wave of buyers jumping back into the market. With liquidity in the sale of existing homes, purchase decisions in many cases have shortened to 30-60 days. That’s great news for buyers who will be moving into their new homes before year’s end and a sign of good times ahead for the real estate industry.

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Builders, Communities, Cotton & Company, Developers, Economy, Homebuyers, homebuying, Housing Market, market rebound, real estate, Sales Executives

---

### [Country Club Membership Recruiting for the Future](https://cottonco.com/country-club-membership-recruiting-for-the-future/)

**Published:** December 3, 2013
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

Today’s marketing programs for golf and country clubs must be very different compared to how we have marketed prior to the recent recession. Most clubs were originally geared towards a specific demographic and psychographic profile- the Silent Generation born between 1925 and 1942. These profiles have shifted during the downturn, which is why membership recruitment strategies must shift as well. The previously targeted buyer profile has aged, and with that the referral base has diminished. The life and future of your club depends on how well you can “young it up” to appeal to the next market.

Not only will the younger market be around longer to enjoy the club, but the projected revenue stream of a 40 – 50 year old buyer is much higher than that of a 70-year-old buyer. This group also has a large network of friends, family and business associates that they can introduce to the club. The younger group is classified as the start of the baby boomer generation and what motivates them can be much different than the previous group. Therefore the key question now remains, “What is the younger buyer looking for and how can we reach him or her?”

Golf is no longer the key amenity. While golf was once the significant selling point for most clubs, today’s buyer is more interested in overall health and wellness than their latest handicap. Is your fitness center at its finest? Are there walking or jogging trails? Bike lanes? Boot camp or yoga classes? In addition to fitness activities, offering cooking classes or social hours for residents can also appeal to this younger market. They’re less formal- less wiling to dine in jacket, but probably interested in shucking oysters in a polo and flip flops. They’re looking for adventure and experiences. They grew up in a revolutionary time, listening to John Lennon, The Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan – they are used to change. They refuse to age or do as their parents did. They are excited for each new adventure and your club’s marketing and sales presentation must offer that relaxed, yet event-driven lifestyle they’re seeking right in your club. This group is less likely to want to pay hundreds of thousands for membership plus hefty dues. Your ability to create special incentives (ie: financing, discounts, packages) should be addressed to capture this market.

Now that you have what it takes to recruit more youthful members, how will you reach them? Another evolution that happened over the last several years, and simultaneous to the shift in demographics, is the significance placed on digital advertising as opposed to traditional marketing. There is still a place for great signage and a well laid-out brochure, but today more than ever, your online presence and ability to target consumers in digital media is paramount.

Your website is a vital part of your club presentation, more far-reaching and efficient than traditional media, it’s like bringing a virtual sales center directly to your customers. But a website is still only the first step in driving your full-fledged digital program.

We believe a multi-platform digital strategy incorporating search engine optimization, search engine marketing, pay-per-click advertising and social marketing to be a critical component of your success. There are three fundamental areas of real estate and club marketing that are performed better on the Internet than in any other medium. These are: experiential and lifestyle selling, affiliate database marketing and referral and word-of-mouth marketing programs. Using all platforms within the Internet, we are better able to showcase the lifestyle available and experiences awaiting each potential club member. By using these platforms, we can reach a more geographically spread target market in a cost effective and timely manner.

Cotton & Company has also experienced success in leveraging social media marketing within the real estate and country club industry. Creating a social media presence for your club is about giving potential members the tools to get to know you better. They are looking to buy a very expensive product in which they will spend countless hours with friends and family. The membership purchasing experience is a very emotional one and social media allows us to tap into the emotional buying side while providing prospects real-time information about amenities, events, activities, lifestyle, product, features and listings. From there, existing members have a platform for sharing their excitement and pride. ..When viewed by prospective members, your social media presence creates third party credibility through the ongoing conversation by your fans, members, affiliates, partners, staff, etc.

Perhaps the most valuable part of social media marketing is the hyper-targeted advertising platforms available through most of the networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Using the advertising platforms, we can now target viewers more intimately than available in any traditional platform. For example, we can serve specific ads based on a viewer’s gender, age, workplace, education, location, interests, hobbies, etc. Utilizing these targeting features we can serve specific ads to each niche target profile based on which of our attributes most likely resonate with each buyer.

As the market for real estate and club memberships returns, it is imperative to position your community to capitalize on new buyer wants and needs, and to leverage the new marketing tools now available to efficiently and effectively reach this new market.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Real Estate, Social Media

**Tags:** Ads, Audience, Buyers, Club Marketing, Cotton & Company, Country Club, Digital, internet, marketing, multi-platform, network, networking, Pay-per-click, projected revenue, real estate, recruit, Search Engine, social media, Social Media Marketing, Social Media Outlets, Social Mediums, social networking, Strategy, Success, Target, Topic

---

### [Bubbles, Blips and Booms](https://cottonco.com/bubbles-blips-and-booms/)

**Published:** December 5, 2006
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The constantly evolving state of golf course real estate

Stuart, Fla (December 5, 2006) Bursting bubbles. Today’s blip heralds tomorrow’s boom. Real estate editors around the country always look for ways to predict the next big thing.

Yet for the last half century the golf course lifestyle has maintained its allure. Today golf communities continue to thrive and evolve as new areas open for development and the game itself commands international attention.

Current industry figures show that over 60 billion dollars was spent on new golf course homes last year. This figure is for new construction only and does not include the substantial resale market.

The strong economy following WWII provided the fertile ground for the golf course lifestyle. This generation had a passion for golf in a way that they wanted to play. The dream was to play at least six times a week in their retirement years. They could not get on a typical course at the prime times so they were willing to pay for private memberships that provided this access.

An important factor spurring growth in Florida was the advent of affordable central air-conditioning for homeowners in the late 50’s. Combined with the splendid climate that gave it the “sunshine state” nickname and vast expanses of undeveloped land, Florida was a natural place for developers and investors to explore.

**The Country Club Set**

In the late 60’s and the early 70’s, golf course communities typically centered on the country club lifestyle. Membership definitely had its privileges, which included socializing with equally status-conscious individuals in a private setting. As a result, golf course properties began appreciating faster than the traditional real estate market because of the prestigious image of the address.

Initially at least 75% of the residents in these golf communities played golf on a regular basis. Today that ratio is closer to 50% as communities expand their amenities to attract a broader customer base. The appeal to the non-golfer includes security and the social lifestyle that attaches to the community. Typically this includes a busy social calendar of club activities with dinner dances, cocktail parties, art shows and holiday events.

Both groups – players and non-players – continue to be drawn to the golfing lifestyle. There is still that certain cachet and heightened status that comes with living in one of these communities.

These first communities were built around the equity membership model. In the mid-80’s we witnessed a significant market shift with a “bigger is better” mentality taking hold and super communities like BallenIsles, Ibis and Palm Beach Polo were introduced. These new communities often featured multiple golf courses, expanded membership programs and expanded amenity programs. During this time the pitfalls of equity also became apparent as the reality of liability and assessments that attach to ownership were realized.

During the mid-90s the trend shifted from equity membership to bond membership programs. This allowed the developer more discretion in the running and maintenance of the club. Because the land value of the real estate is directly related to the structure and success of the club, it became necessary for developers’ to maintain this control in order to guarantee success throughout the build-out. This offered some protection in the event of a real estate slowdown when homes and home sites remain on the market longer than initially expected.

**Boomer Impact**

Most experts in the golf industry predicted the baby boomers would be the salvation for the golfing community. In fact, what happened, was that the baby boomers ended up marrying later than the previous generation, had children later in their lives and did not approach retirement in the traditional manner of their parents before them. The typical baby boomer also found more demands on time for both professional and personal commitments therefore less time for golf.

Women also changed their approach to golf course living. Previously focused on the social aspect of country club living, women are increasingly active golfers with strong skills on the course. Couples now look for a full complement of amenities that appeal to a variety of ages.

A good example of a recent club specifically targeting this market is Treviso Bay in Naples, FL. In addition to the Tournament Players Course, the core community will include an extensive fitness club and spa with an over-sized resort style pool, “tot lots” and children’s programs, tennis and gourmet dining in a magnificently landscaped setting.

The response to Treviso Bay continues to be overwhelmingly positive. In a four-day sale this spring when Naples was being proclaimed the most expensive real estate market in the country by the national media, $126 million dollars worth of sales took place.

Critical to the success of this and other projects has been the explosive growth of the Internet as a marketing tool. Because time is such a critical factor to today’s buyer, the Internet provides invaluable access. Instead of devoting hours driving to various locations, buyers can “explore” communities and product offerings on-line prior to visiting a sales office.

With the new technology, it is possible to show 3-D presentations, aerials, vital statistics of a community and the surrounding area, product inventory and contract information. In addition to saving time and energy, the Internet is a “green” tool cutting down on paper and mailing costs.

By integrating sophisticated survey techniques with custom databases, it is possible to provide developers with critical insight into market demand making it possible to customize the project with finite detail that was previously not available. This allows the developer to provide homes that meet the needs of the consumer – whether it is allowing for a third bedroom/study or single floor living or custom wine cellars and state-of-the-art home theaters.

There is also a shift inland as coastal properties became less available and continue to escalate in price making it financially unfeasible to dedicate land to a golf course in these areas. The inland communities, however, offer interesting elevations and the same year-round playability that makes this region so attractive to the golf lifestyle.

Golf course development is also seeing a real surge throughout the Caribbean. Five years ago our agency had an occasional Caribbean client. Right now we are working on Rum Cay Resort Marina in The Bahamas plus projects in the Turks & Caicos on the islands of Providenciales, North Caicos and Grand Turk. We also have a Greg Norman Troon managed course being developed at Le Paradis on St. Lucia. In addition, we are involved in projects in both Mexico and Costa Rica. All together we have 50 projects under development in these areas.

**The Next Fairway**

From 2004 through 2005 the market experienced what can best be described as a “perfect storm” of buyers. This was primarily the investor market that held back after the September 11th disaster in 2001. When they all decided to reenter the market it was with an abundance of capital. At the beginning of 2004 and for the next two years, most communities benefited from an incredible number of sales. Prices increased proportionately to the growing demand.

Regardless of the investor, today’s golfers are making an impact on today’s development. With higher handicaps than years past, this new breed of golfer is looking for the challenges of longer courses with more terrain changes in elevation, better draining greens and more interplay with water.

We are currently working on a project with Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin called “The Concession” which celebrates that incredible moment at the 1969 Ryder Cup when Nicklaus conceded a 2-foot putt to British Team Captain Jacklin resulting in the first tie in the history of this historic cup. Located just outside Sarasota, this 7,740 yard, par 72 course is set on 520 natural acres of stately live oaks and slash pines. It is a very different concept from the manicured and stylized courses of the past reflecting the trend to have the course embrace the environment as opposed to imposing a course on the land.

Most buyers to day — as in years past— are looking for a lifestyle, not just a home. As new golf course communities debut we will see increased amenities that appeal to all members of the family as well as more demanding courses of play. Developers need to always pay attention to the laws of supply and demand being careful not to over-saturate any given market.

Still market considerations show the demand for this lifestyle is strong and growing throughout the southeast and expanding beyond our borders as this international sport and lifestyle continues to capture the attention of today’s consumer.

Stephann Cotton, founder and president of Cotton and Company, brings over 30 years of experience marketing more than 1500 planned communities and resort developments throughout the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico and Costa Rica. Based in Stuart, FL., Cotton & Company’s team of over sixty designers, artists, account executives and public relations specialists offers a complete suite of marketing services for the luxury residential and resort development market.

**Categories:** Press

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### [Cotton & Company Receives National Sales And Marketing Award](https://cottonco.com/cotton-company-receives-national-sales-and-marketing-award/)

**Published:** December 11, 2006
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Stuart, FLA (December 11, 2006) – The National Sales and Marketing Council (NSMC) of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has announced the Silver and Regional Award Winners for The Nationals new home sales and marketing awards.

Cotton & Company received a Silver Award in the “Best Brochure For A Builder” category with its Taylor Woodrow corporate brochure. Established in 1983, Cotton & Company is a full service advertising and public relations agency, specializing in developing comprehensive real estate marketing campaigns from initial site planning through final closeout. With more than 60 associates, Cotton & Company has overseen marketing responsibilities for over 1000 communities including sales launch and international campaigns for clients throughout the United States, Central America, The Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos. Cotton & Company is recognized as the leader in state-of-the-art technology e-marketing solutions for the luxury residential and resort real estate industry.

“The Nationals are the most prestigious awards of their kind, setting the benchmark for innovations in home design, marketing and sales,” said Dan Levitan, chairperson of The Nationals. “NAHB’s commitment to recognizing originality, imagination and success has been exemplified by its award winners since the competition’s inception.”
Started in 1982 as the Institute of Residential Marketing (MIRM) Awards, The Nationals award program continues to recognize superior new home sales and marketing achievements. With 57 categories across various disciplines of the new home industry, the awards honor excellence in product and community design, advertising and marketing and sales achievements by individuals and sales teams.

During the three-day judging process, a panel of 8 industry professionals from across the country selected Regional, Silver and gold award winners from a field of nearly 1,400 entries.

“Recognition on the national level by our peers is a sincere compliment and we are doubly pleased to receive it for a piece developed for a company with the international prestige of Taylor Woodrow,” says Cotton & Company president and founder Stephann Cotton. “Our art director, Larisa Yerastova, and her team never cease to amaze me and this award acknowledges their extraordinary talent.”

**Categories:** Press

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### [Firm Attracts International Buyers For Local Properties](https://cottonco.com/firm-attracts-international-buyers-for-local-properties/)

**Published:** December 16, 2008
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

(STUART, FL) Laurie Andrews is changing the way she does business.

As the chief operating officer at Stuart-based Cotton & Co., she is trying to drum up business from the other side of the pond.

Cotton & Co. is an advertising, marketing, public relations and Internet services firm for luxury developments on the Treasure Coast, nationwide and the Caribbean.

“We’ve started to participate in trade shows in Madrid … we’re looking at a schedule of shows to appeal to markets in London, the Netherlands and Russia,” said Andrews. “To reach out to those international markets, we’re creating Web pages in their languages to get on to their search engines, which are very different from Google and Yahoo.”

As the housing market continues to decline, businesses marketing high-end real estate on the Treasure Coast and South Florida are tapping into markets that had little interest in the area during the peak of the residential boom. While some industry professionals worried the declining value of the dollar could further weaken sales on the Treasure Coast and Florida, others saw an opportunity to attract international buyers who might consider local prices a bargain.

“We have leads from 35 different countries,” Andrews said. “There are two types of approaches now, investment buyers from outside the country who recognize that market conditions have changed, so they’re trying to get in at the right time and place. Then there’s the lifestyle buyer who is looking to make a lifestyle change from the one of the northern states.”

Andrews said potential buyers from as far as Thailand, Poland and Iran have expressed interest in Treasure Coast properties.

William Yahn, Florida regional manager for The Corcoran Group Inc., said his firm has made a concerted effort to attract buyers from Russia.

“These new markets view the Americas as a safe haven to diversity, their portfolios,” Yahn said. “They still perceive real estate here as a pretty decent investment.”

Yahn said buyers from Russia are especially interested in properties in West Palm Beach and Vero Beach. He said that awareness stems from the sale of Donald Trump’s mansion to a Russian billionaire. “Even the lesser known European countries, like Austria and Spain, are looking at real estate here,” Yahn said.

According to several media outlets, Dmitry Rybolovlev bought Trump’s waterfront Palm Beach mansion for close to $100 million in June. Rybolovlev ranks 59 on Forbes “The World’s Billionaires” 2008 list. “Everyone is trying to be creative,” Yalin said. “Looking outside to international foreign markets is definitely worth doing.”

**Categories:** Press

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### [Industry Insight: Laurie Andrews Talks Lending](https://cottonco.com/industry-insight-laurie-andrews-talks-lending/)

**Published:** January 6, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

**Industry insight: Laurie Andrews talks lending**
Andrews is COO at Cotton & Company, a leading real estate sales and marketing firm that has represented more than 1,600 communities over the past 27 years.

**How has the current lending environment affected your clients’ ability to obtain financing?**
Development financing reached a standstill over the past several years with the capital markets frozen. Both domestic and international developers are undertaking a global approach. They now seek out international investment resources from stronger capital markets, including Asia and South America. With a glut of new-home inventory in the market, developers and investors have focused on buying up distressed properties rather than beginning new projects from raw land.

**What kinds of strategies are your clients using to secure funding for projects? Have they used any unique or creative approaches that have proved successful?**
The conservative appraisal approach—it requires development teams to invest more of their personal capital to get the project off the ground. Development teams must have the experience to deliver a successful project from initial planning through final marketing and sales. Lenders want to see a comprehensive business plan from a consolidated source.

**For recent projects, what kinds of financing hurdles had to be overcome?**
Land holdings have been valued near zero due to the discounting of pricing in the marketplace to move standing inventory. With a zero land value and the higher cost of construction, new-home projects find it nearly impossible to compete with standing inventory at drastically reduced pricing. As the inventory is absorbed and pricing begins to appreciate, development proformas will fall into line.

**Based on your experiences, where do you see the market for financing heading? Is there anything builders and developers should be doing now to prepare?**
There are a lot of new challenges to face when obtaining project financing. Many people seeking to invest are looking for stable, healthy levels of recovery before investing. Most lenders are looking for the developer to have “skin in the game,” and they do not want to take on the project alone. Multiple investment partners allow lenders to limit their risk and disperse their capital investment over a broader scope of investments. As the inventory clears, developers are once again beginning to look at prime locations for development opportunities. Business plans need to reflect accurate and current market data—details matter and comprehensive plans must be realistic.

**Anything else you would like to add?**
The development team and capital stack are now a strong part of the marketing message to the end user. Buyers are now more aware of the risk involved with an unfinished project, and they are requiring more information before making a commitment to purchase. For a strong developer, an educated consumer will be his best customer.

**Categories:** Press

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### [Harsh Winter May Have Triggered Vacation Home Market Rebound](https://cottonco.com/harsh-winter-may-have-triggered-vacation-home-market-rebound/)

**Published:** March 17, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

After several years of negative trends in the real estate industry, a recent market study shows signs of increasing consumer confidence.

The third annual Cotton Report polled more than 800 participants on housing preferences, motivating factors, pricing levels and timelines for purchase. The survey included participants from 39 states, as well as Canada, Europe and Latin America.

While no direct correlation was made to the harsh winter temperatures, the research survey indicated a substantial increase in the number of homebuyers seeking a vacation home purchase, an increase of 800% year-over-year. This dynamic trend is further supported by an increase in the number of buyers describing their transition as a geographic relocation, now 40%. Over the three-year period of the annual research study, a continuous trend towards smaller homes has been noted with the most popular size home now being 1,700 to 2,299 sq.ft. Homes ranging from 1,000 to 1,699 sq.ft. saw an increase of 5% in interest levels from 2010 to 2011.

The Cotton Report also shows signs that pricing levels have adjusted to meet consumer expectations. In 2009, respondents indicated the need for a 50% reduction in order to re-enter the market. In the 2011 survey, this level of price reduction has changed dramatically with the median response being a 20% reduction. This trend was also reflected in the consumer’s timeline to purchase.

In 2011, 25% of the respondents reported they would be purchasing within 6 months, an increase from just 4% at the same time last year.

The annual consumer report is compiled by Cotton & Company, a 28-year-old firm specializing in the marketing and sales of residential real estate throughout the United States and the Caribbean. Stephann Cotton, the firm’s President, notes, “The adjustment of pricing to realistic levels has brought buyers and sellers closer together. These price adjustments combined with the brutal winter up north have resulted in strong sales in many of our resort residential properties.” While questions remain in the US mortgage market about the future of the 30-year mortgage, the survey indicates that 36% of the respondents plan to utilize a 30-year mortgage to make their purchase. An equal 36% are cash buyers with 21% indicating plans for a 15-year mortgage.

“One of the most dramatic changes in buyer psychology was seen in the responses from those who are uninterested in a real estate purchase,” says Laurie Andrews, Cotton & Company’s COO. In 2010, 96% of these respondents sighted economic conditions or political instability as the reason for not purchasing. In 2011, this number was cut in half with 46% of the respondents now indicating that they have no desire to move. “These results show buyers are beginning to separate the home buying process from the economic instability.” A complete copy of the 2011 Cotton Report, including supporting data, is available through the company’s website www.cottonco.com.

**Categories:** Press

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### ["Celebration of Luxury" at One Thousand Ocean](https://cottonco.com/celebration-of-luxury-at-one-thousand-ocean/)

**Published:** April 1, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Nearly 400 guests gathered at the luxury condominium for a display of dazzling jewels, luxury cars and fashion models.

[Click here to view original article](/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Boca-Life-Magazine-April-2011.pdf)

**Categories:** Press

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### [Online Business Resource Sites](https://cottonco.com/online-business-resource-sites/)

**Published:** February 17, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

**It’s Easy to Forget the Little Things**

It is easy to forget the little things. When you are part of a large organization and have multiple clients sometimes things can fall through the cracks. For example, your website and your Facebook may remain up to date, but those aren’t the only places where potential customers can find you online. There are numerous online resource sites that show local and national business listings. 

Many of those sites post business information without actually contacting the company. It is then your job to go online, find those sites and check your company’s profile. Are you listed? If so, is the contact information correct? Are your company’s services correctly explained? 

For some sites it is simply a matter of “claiming” your business listing, a process with a significant downside: anyone can make changes to your listing. If you are going to take advantage of these free listings, it is in your best interest to record their location and monitor them frequently for accuracy. Other sites do not allow user edits. Even a slight change requires a call or e-mail to the support department to get the changes made.

**Categories:** Media, Networking, Public Relations, Social Media, Uncategorized, Web

**Tags:** Audience, business, Communication, Cotton & Company, facebook, Google, Industry, internet, Leads, Market, marketing, media, networking, PInterest, Posts, Sharing, social media, Social Platforms, Twitter, website

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### [The "8" Mile (No, not another Eminem film.)](https://cottonco.com/the-8-mile-no-not-another-eminem-film/)

**Published:** March 21, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Back in the late 50’s and early 60’s, the United States was trying to regain its position as a leader in technology. Fostered by the launch of Sputnik 2 in 1958, many of the great minds of the US (especially those of the military) speculated upon the creation of a disaster-proof network that would allow global/domestic communications to continue uninterrupted during periods of war and unrest. (Well, that plan hasn’t been 100% successful as some Islamic nations can attest, but hey, it was America’s idea.) It wasn’t even a year after Russian’s spectacular breakthrough – launching a three-year-old mongrel canine into Space – which the US reciprocated with its own technological brew. The organization ARPA was formed out of a need to prove to other nations that the US Military, in particular, had more sophisticated technology and wouldn’t succumb to the technical advantages of its enemies. The objective: creation of a fault-tolerant communications grid that would continue unabated during wartime. ARPA achieved that goal, and incidentally, implemented many of the guidelines and usage policies that govern the World Wide Web to this day.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Public Relations, Social Media, Uncategorized, Web

**Tags:** Communication, Technology

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### [What Would Jesus Do, on Facebook?](https://cottonco.com/what-would-jesus-do-on-facebook/)

**Published:** November 22, 2011
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

If Jesus had a Facebook account, imagine the amount of people he could have reached. What if he could tweet daily lessons on love and kindness? The power of social media and its ability to connect millions upon millions of people around the world is awe inspiring, and the effect of powerful messaging can be extraordinary, if done properly. So where is religion’s place in technology, and how can it be used to impact the most amount of people?

While a website provides pertinent information, it fails to connect people.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Public Relations, Social Media, Uncategorized, Web

**Tags:** Audience, Blogs, Communication, facebook, Followers, Jesus, media, networking, Posts, social media, Social Media Outlets, Social Media Platforms, social networking

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### [Online Friend Referrals Are Driving Consumer Purchase Decisions](https://cottonco.com/online-friend-referrals-are-driving-consumer-purchase-decisions/)

**Published:** May 24, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Don’t like what’s hanging in your closet? Can’t decide what to buy in the store? Always sending photos of yourself to your friends asking – “What do you think?”

When looking to purchase items, social media marketing is a game changer. Today 90% of consumers look to “friends” and ‘Liked’ pages or ‘Pins’ to decide what to purchase.

Social media and peer recommendations are being taken to a whole new level, especially in Brazil. Brazilian retailer, C&A, has teamed up with Facebook in creating real time fashion feedback. They have already asked the question and are giving you the answer right on the hanger.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Public Relations, Social Media, Uncategorized, Web

**Tags:** Blogs, facebook, internet, marketing, media, PInterest, Posts, Sharing, social media, Social Media Platforms, social networking, Social Platforms

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### [The “Data” Onslaught – Cutting Through the Numbers](https://cottonco.com/the-data-onslaught-cutting-through-the-numbers/)

**Published:** October 16, 2012
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

Analytics. Algorithms. Metrics. The new “buzz” words in marketing have hit a hot button with developers who have been seeking accountability in a field previously managed by gut reactions or feedback from the sales office. In today’s world, art is driven by science, providing clearer insight into buyer psychology.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Public Relations, Real Estate, Social Media

**Tags:** Buyers, Market, real estate

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### [What is the ROI of Social Media?](https://cottonco.com/what-is-the-roi-of-social-media/)

**Published:** October 31, 2012
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

It’s a question we’ve frequently received. And the issue with answering it, is that it doesn’t totally make sense. ROI is a financial measurement. Marketing channels can be measured in goals and benchmarks, but ROI? Not really. You see, how can you possibly measure the ROI of having email versus not having email? Or the ROI of having a phone line? What about the ROI of the customer service representative actually answering that phone line? Can you measure the satisfaction of your prospect after that well-received customer service phone call? What about the ROI of that satisfied customer telling her friends about her positive experience? The answer is no. Which is why social marketing cannot be measured in ROI.

However, since social marketing does take place online, there are a few elements we *can* measure. According to a recent study by Forrester Research, there are four areas in which social media marketing can be measured. And we’re not just talking about likes, followers, fans, shares, comments, retweets, DMs, pins and check-ins; although, those can all be measured as well.

One of the ways that maintaining a positive social media presence can benefit your community is by increasing and enhancing the number of your earned and owned digital assets. By actively participating in social networking, you will be growing your Internet footprint which will only help strengthen your searchability. Google is also placing more of an emphasis on social platforms, thus making it crucial for you to participate in the game.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Public Relations, Real Estate, Social Media, Uncategorized, Web

**Tags:** business, Buyers, Communication, Homebuyers, internet, Market, real estate

---

### [Data Capture Essential to Build Sales Pipeline](https://cottonco.com/data-capture-essential-to-build-sales-pipeline/)

**Published:** December 4, 2012
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

As we all know, two-way communication is required to have a meaningful conversation. During the new home buying process, beginning the conversation sooner rather than later should be a primary focus of your website marketing initiatives. Of course, increased website visits are a positive indication of your marketing outreach, but it’s only the first step in the sales funnel that requires bringing the prospect through many steps prior to reaching a closed sale.

Website interaction represents a golden opportunity to open a dialog with the prospective homebuyer. Consumers are busy people, and they are often researching their options late in the evening, long after your sales center is closed. They aren’t looking for direct person-to-person contact, but they are doing their homework to narrow their options. Keeping this in mind, your web strategy should provide compelling reasons for the buyer to provide you with their contact information. Ask yourself from the buyer’s perspective, “What’s in it for me?” The most successful sales people don’t sell, they help the people buy, and your web strategy should take the same approach.

Instant gratification–the homebuyer is looking for information to help guide one of the most important decisions of their life. By providing valuable resources that are immediately downloadable, the buyer is much more likely to share their contact information online. Capturing the client’s email address opens those important lines of communication required to convert more leads to site visitors and more site visitors to closed sales.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Public Relations, Real Estate, Social Media, Uncategorized, Web

**Tags:** Branding, Builders, business, Cotton & Company, facebook, Market, marketing, media, networking, real estate

---

### [Facebook's Newest Search Tool - How To Use It](https://cottonco.com/facebooks-newest-search-tool-how-to-use-it/)

**Published:** March 3, 2013
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

For years, we have been posting and sharing information about our companies and ourselves through the Internet. Among all of the outlets available on the Internet today, Facebook is among the most popular, used to help deliver detailed and sometimes over the top information to the public.

As of January 2013, Facebook released a new search tool, called Graph Search, allowing Facebook users to find almost whatever they want on Facebook, including people and places and which people like which places. This information has always existed, however, now Facebook is making it easier for the public to access. Graph Search is currently in limited beta testing, allowing only a certain amount of people to have access until it integrates into the mainstream platform for all Facebook users.

Graph Search is very easy to use, as it resembles Google Instant, showing you various possible results as you type. For example, if you were interested in finding a barbeque joint in Florida that your friends have “liked” on Facebook or checked into, you would type into the search box “my friends who like barbeque.” In a sense, this tool is not only giving you access to data that people have entered into Facebook, but directly also related to their connections and likes.

Graph Search can also be used to find people who like the same hobbies as you, music, or even places that your friends have visited that you might be interested in traveling to as well. This same search will also allow Facebook users to find friend-recommended doctors and other healthcare suppliers, stores, hotels, travel locations and more.

It eliminates the hassle of “Googling” and allows you to find more of what you’re looking for and which is probably more relevant to you, by using your network of friends and connections. It’s more likely that you will try something new if you see that your friend has visited or shopped there too.

This is a big deal for small businesses because rather than having to wait for a customer to recommend your company, you may find that searches are naturally leading new customers directly to your Facebook Page, which in turn can help increase leads.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Social Media, Uncategorized

**Tags:** Communication, facebook, internet, marketing, networking, Posts, social media, social networking, Social Platforms

---

### [Photography: Setting the Stage](https://cottonco.com/photography-setting-the-stage/)

**Published:** February 19, 2013
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

We all know the old adage, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” but in order to get the photo to evoke the right one thousand words, several key factors must be considered before that shutter is released.

1\. Shotlist – Organize. Organize. Organize. The more organized you are before a photoshoot, the easier it will be the day of. Create a shot list that breaks out the details: the shot, the location, the scene, which models are used, what’s the wardrobe, which props are needed, what is expected of the client. Review the shot list with EVERYONE. The photographer, the talent, the client, even the maintenance department! (Hey, you never know when you are going to need a ladder STAT!) Having everyone on the same page is critical to a stress-free shoot.

2\. Sun – Just like the planets, everything on your shotlist revolves around the sun. Know when and where the sun will rise and set. Organize a shot list around the sun. Save the “magic hours” for signature shots, ie: golf, beach, marina, views, etc. Spend the high sun hours inside shooting interiors. Besides, if you are shooting outside in south Florida during the middle of the day, the first thing that will need to be retouched is the perspiration.

3\. Lighting – Taking the time to light the shot is essential. Balancing the interior light with the natural exterior light can be very tricky. Colored films are used to soften the bulb’s flash and remotes are used to ensure all the lights flash simultaneously with the shudder.

4\. Preview – Back in the good ole’ days we used these great little things called “Polaroids.” Polaroids were time and money suckers. Then along came the digital revolution! Hallelujah! Now we can capture the perfect shot. (Well as perfect as mother nature will allow.) By previewing your shot, you can look at every single detail. Are the pillows aligned? How is the furniture arrangement? Are there any light stands in frame? Pay special attention to the windows, doors and plants. Just because the room is decorated perfectly, doesn’t mean that it will be perfect in frame. The lens has a tendency to distort. Reminder: objects in mirror may be closer than they appear.

5\. Props – A prop collection is a must have for a photoshoot. Here are a few simple things to always have on hand:

- Faux ice – Let’s face it. Ice melts.
- Cola – Use this to make ice tea or even white wine.
- Glassware – From martini glasses to coffee mugs.
- Hair Accessories – A simple up-do can drastically change the look of an outfit.
- Color – Towels, books, bowls, hats- anything to add a splash of color.
- Clips – Binder clips, clamps, clothespins, zip-ties, twist ties, etc. There’s always that one pesky drape that won’t stay open!

In today’s world it is so easy to say, “Just photoshop it.” But we all know how well that worked out for Beyonce. By setting the stage before the photo is taken, the more authentic and perfect the photo can be. The last thing that you want is for a prospect to fall in love with an image they saw on your website or in your ad and you can’t deliver. Paying more attention to the details upfront, results in a trustworthy end-result.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Public Relations, Social Media, Uncategorized

**Tags:** photography

---

### [Spring Ahead](https://cottonco.com/spring-ahead/)

**Published:** March 12, 2013
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

March 10th at 2am, we sprung ahead one hour. Daylight Savings Time is nearly upon us. “DST” is a way of making better use of the daylight hours by setting the clocks forward one hour in the spring and then back again in the fall. Do you believe this is a good practice or not worth the hassle for one extra hour of evening daylight during the warmer months?

There are different schools of thought on this practice. Some studies report that DST saves energy, but you can find just as many studies that report it does not. Some people say the loss of that one-hour of sleep affects their health, mood and body clocks. However, many appreciate the extra hour of daylight in the summer to accomplish outdoor chores and activities after the work or school day such as yard work, evening exercise and social pursuits. Perhaps DST can even boost tourism because of the potential increase in evening outdoor activities.

DST does bring up safety concerns for the early morning, especially for children walking to school or waiting at a dark bus stop. Farming groups have also expressed anti-DST views, saying that it has an adverse impact on rural families, businesses and communities.

Did you know that not all areas of the world observe DST? Did you know that some areas right here in the continental US do not observe DST? Most of Arizona, except for the Navajo Nation community, is run on Mountain Standard Time all year long. Until 2006 some parts of Indiana did not observe DST either. 

It was Benjamin Franklin who is widely credited with first suggesting a form of DST in 1784. The practice was adopted by the US, Europe and other countries off and on from 1916 to 1966. But it was the Uniform Time Act of 1966 that provided the basic framework for DST. Congress has been tinkering with it ever since, making changes over the years. Most recently, in 2007, The United States, Canada and some other countries extended DST. While it gave us that extra hour of evening daylight for 4 more weeks each year, it cost US companies billions to reset automated equipment and it put us further out of sync with Asia and Africa time-wise. 

Senator Darren Soto on Friday, Feb. 8th, filed a bill (SB 734) that would mandate Florida keep its clock in daylight-saving time year-round. The bill known as the “Sunshine Protection Act”. Soto has little hope his bill will get passed this year but said he wants to start a discussion about daylight-saving time.

Whether you think it’s a good idea or a bad idea; whether you think DST is beneficial or detrimental, it seems that it’s here to stay in one form or another.

**Categories:** Media, Networking, Public Relations, Social Media, Uncategorized, Web

**Tags:** Blogs, Communication, daylight savings time

---

### [Do Not Get Overwhelmed](https://cottonco.com/do-not-get-overwhelmed/)

**Published:** January 21, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

**Simplifying the Web World**

Your website is now live. Don’t just sit there waiting for people to come and visit it. There are too many websites out there already. Your website will not be suddenly overwhelmed with visitors. Building traffic is a slow process. Only those who patiently work to make their websites successful will reap real benefits.

There are only three sources of website visitors:

**Direct Traffic** – Those who type your web address into the browser address bar and click.
**Search Engines** – Responding to a query, search engines deliver results that are relevant. If your website appears close to the top of the list, and if the title and description are intelligible, there is a possibility that the searcher might click on the link to your website.
**Referrals** – People click on links to your website that are found on other websites, either in text or ads.

The volume of activity you receive from these sources is contingent upon the effort put into cultivating them. Direct traffic can be increased by increasing website address recognition through print and other media. Your web address should be prominently displayed on every piece of stationery and literature that is used in your business, including business cards, letterhead, pads, forms, etc. It should be displayed on all company vehicles. If you have a waiting room, it should be prominently displayed there. The goal is to get as many people familiar with your web address as possible. Consider billboards, banners drawn behind a plane over events that draw a large crowd. Use your imagination to saturate your target market. Consider radio and tv ads. Always display the web address prominently.

**Search Engines** – There is Google, and then there are all the others. Focus upon obtaining satisfactory placement in the Google index. Google has a wide variety of tools that will help you facilitate placement of your web address within their database of websites. Consider these:

**Google Webmaster Tools** – will validate the html code used to create your website, check for errors in your sitemap and robots.txt files, tell you which sites have links to your website, tell you if there are any broken links within your website, provide HTML suggestions and measure website speed.

**Google Analytics** – will provide detailed information regarding the visitors to your website and their activities while they are on your website. Pageviews, pages per visit, bounce rate, time on each page, search terms used to find each page, geographic information regarding the visitor and referring sites that deliver visitors to your website. The data can be delivered by day, week, month, year, or for any time period you desire.

**Google Local Business Center** – will provide an opportunity for you to have a custom map created with your business pinpointed. It will also provide a link to your website and enable you to create a page full of relevant business information that includes hours of operation, credit cards accepted, and descriptions of the products/services that are offered.

Referrals can come from the multitude of directories including specialty directories that focus upon your specific industry, organizations that you belong to like the chamber of commerce website, and Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and blogs where you might chose to post articles and establish links to your website. Solicitation of external links from other websites to yours should be a process without end.

If you continue to work on these three elements, your reward will be increased website traffic. When you stop, others will move ahead of you and your placements will decline in quality.

**Categories:** SEO

**Tags:** Blogs, Direct Traffic, External Links, facebook, Google, Google Analytics, Google Index, HTML, Referrals, Search Engines, Twitter, Web World, Webmaster, website, YouTube

---

### [Superstorm Sandy Poised to Impact Sunbelt Housing Markets](https://cottonco.com/superstorm-sandy-poised-to-impact-sunbelt-housing-markets/)

**Published:** November 20, 2012
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

As a hurricane approaches landfall, millions tune into television, Internet and radio, awaiting word from the meteorologist who stands ready to document the moment of impact. Unfortunately, that moment comes and goes, leaving unimaginable devastation behind. In the immediate aftermath, the world is fixated on the dramatic stories of rescue and recovery. The Red Cross and private charities step in to meet the basic needs of storm victims unable to provide for themselves. Now, three weeks later, many people in the northeast are realizing the impact of a storm like Sandy, may in fact last a lifetime.

Life will continue to change over the coming months. After waiting for insurance adjusters to inspect the damage, monetary relief will begin to flow. Although many will rebuild, creating thousands of new construction jobs, countless others will choose a different path. For those whose retirement plans have been on hold due to the economic downturn, Sandy may represent an opportunity to make their move. Although they were planning to move to a warmer climate, they were waiting to sell their home or feel more confident about the future. Now, the new reality of living in a construction zone and readily available insurance funds, may result in an increased snowbird migration to Florida, Arizona or the Carolinas.

For residential developers, the marketplace remains in transition. These new buyers will bring new priorities and expectations not yet identified. For example, will there be an increased focus on construction quality and building codes? Will waterfront property command the same premium pricing as it has in the past? Will there be a consumer demand for backup power supplies or generators as standard home features? The answers remain to be seen, but developers who are prepared to respond to these and other concerns will have an advantage against previously owned homes and other new home competitors.

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Construction, Consumer Demand, Developers, Economic Downturn, Insurance Adjusters, marketplace, Property, Rebuild

---

### [What’s the Future for Planned Communities?](https://cottonco.com/whats-the-future-for-planned-communities/)

**Published:** February 5, 2013
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

Seems like a simple question, but the answer may not be so clear. A discussion panel of ULI industry experts provided personal insight on the future:

Lewis Goodkin – Second home communities are finding their residents are no longer supporting the club structure. Baby boomers want “insulation” not “isolation,” and they are becoming more about necessity than ever before.

Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk – There are three primary obstacles to long-term development:

1\) Getting people comfortable with change.

2\) Affordability as tax credits may not continue and costs are rising.

3\) Transit is a necessity and new roads are not being planned. The roads must come first.

Charles Cobb – Many places still have a need for new housing communities with lifestyle elements as part of the design. Low-cost, healthy lifestyle options including trails for walking, jogging and outdoor activities remain important.Internationally, there is a significant need for the master-planned model developed in the United States in the 1970s.

Andrés Duany – Vertical development is no longer an affordable option. High cost prohibits a young population from energizing key city centers. Youth returns to an area when failed projects become rentals that are below market value. Today, the cost of construction is very high, and young people are pessimistic about the future.

The experts agree it’s time to listen to the consumer, but caution that just because they say they want something doesn’t mean they are willing to pay for it. Today, salaries have retracted to levels of the 1980s, but the cost of construction continues to increase. The resulting trend may see architecture being sacrificed for affordability. Demographics of the communities of the future will see much more cultural diversity.

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Andrés Duany, architecture, Charles Cobb, Community, Consumer, Demographics, development, discussion panel, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, Lewis Goodkin, Lifestlye, real estate, Residents, Second Home, ULI Industry Experts

---

### [Jump onto the Platform or Drown: Social Media Platforms](https://cottonco.com/jump-onto-the-platform-or-drown-social-media-platforms/)

**Published:** July 11, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

If you were to ask businesses across the country about market research and advertising 20 years ago, they would have said, “I think we know what people want.” Well, 20 years later they know what consumers want, and in a big way. The marketing and advertising schemes involving door-to-door sales and community events are definitely coming to a screeching halt. The internet is now the community and social platforms are now the marketplaces. As businesses develop, they understand that they can no longer afford to be one-dimensional. For every one customer in person, companies can obtain 10 at the same time via social communities online. 

As long as a company has a product that the right people want, they will have success on the Internet. Everyday is like an open market for endless advertising capabilities and marketing schemes. Small companies can advertise for free and can eliminate extra overhead costs associated with a marketing department. It definitely eliminates the middleman, while for large companies it becomes an extra middleman. For example, if the President started wearing Nike shoes to public speeches and meetings, Nike sales would take off instantly. The media would jump on the opportunity to explain what kind of Nike shoes the President was wearing, and because word on the Internet travels faster than any other marketing tool, people would start buying the next day. It is all about trends and social value of certain products, but like everything in life, it is a domino effect.

The biggest social media marketing tool to ever exist is Facebook, and I’m sure that you know that. The reason Facebook is so successful is not because people like to buy merchandise on the site. The desire to buy is just as informative as buying itself, and that is something Facebook does well. It provides companies with the resources to make executive decisions for their business models and marketing initiatives. Social platforms become the middlemen and reduce cost of marketing budgets like print, billboards, etc. So as long as these networks produce information cheaply, companies are going to continue to exhaust the network’s potential resources. And given that Facebook is a 70 billion dollar company, I don’t think that we are going to see a change in the trend anytime soon.

Corporations have embedded themselves in social networking through analyzing data on these platforms. They create jobs everyday for people to promote their products on these platforms. So if we hypothetically personify social platforms as a raft, we will see that this raft is pretty heavy. Everyday, more and more people are loading up so make sure you get your spot before you drown.

**Categories:** Media, Public Relations, Social Media

**Tags:** Advertising Campaign, Audience, Blogs, business, Communication, community events, facebook, Followers, Google, internet, market research, marketing, media, networking, PInterest, Posts, Profiles, Sharing, social media, Social Media Outlets, Social Media Platforms, Social Mediums, social networking, Social Platforms, Target, Topic, Tweets, Twitter, YouTube

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### [Are you engaged with the right “one”?](https://cottonco.com/are-you-engaged-with-the-right-one/)

**Published:** August 30, 2011
**Author:** Angelene

**Content:**

Social media has been a buzz-topic across all industries for a number of years now. People are discussing its benefits and its handicaps, its global reach, its popularity, how fast it’s growing. Businesses- large and small- are all hopping on the band wagon and developing profiles, pages, handles and groups. Everyone wants to be involved, but before you jump in, make sure you know what you’re getting into.

What many people don’t understand is the bigger picture of social media; take the words apart – and social media is just really a type of media. Dictionary.com describes media as a “means of communication…that reaches or influences people” and social as “pertaining to, devoted to, or characterized by friendly companionship or relations.” However, when you pair the words together, Dictionary.com doesn’t give you a definition. Instead, it sends you to a search engine with the first item asking you to “click here” to earn more leads using social media.

This is just the point; social media has not been widely defined and therefore is frequently misunderstood. By combining the definitions of social and media we can conclude that social media is simply a means of communication that reaches or influences people in a way that allows for friendly interaction amongst them.

OK, we’ve completed the first step- we know what it means – now what’s next?

Well, similarly to ordinary media (television, radio, newspapers, magazines, etc), social media has many types: Facebook, Twitter, blogs, YouTube and the list goes on. Once you start to grasp the differences of these types of social media (and this is a topic for another post), you must decide which ones directly pertain to your business and which you should begin using. Remember, using social media incorrectly can sometimes be more harmful to your brand than if not used at all. There are people who think all businesses should have every type of social media, but again, these people have to start thinking about social media as they do about media.

When you are planning an advertising campaign for a product how do you decide where to run your ads? Let me help with a simplified version: first you analyze the target consumer for the product. Next you decide which type of media they view and at what times and then you make your buy. For example, if your target is 65-75 year old retirees, would you purchase radio spots on the top-40 channel at 2:00 am? I think not. And the same goes for social media.

First, understand your target. Next, find where they are already playing online. Then decide which type of social media will be relevant to your brand and your target. The delivery of content on each type of social media is vastly different. Not all forms of social media work for all brands. And once you choose which type you will use, then it’s up to you to come up with a strategy to constantly, appropriately and correctly engage the online community in that area. But as with regular media, make sure you are spending your time, money and effort to be engaged with the right one.

**Categories:** Public Relations, Social Media

**Tags:** Advertising Campaign, Audience, Blogs, business, buzz-topic, Communication, Company, Engage, facebook, Followers, internet, marketing, media, networking, PInterest, Posts, Sharing, social media, Social Media Outlets, Social Media Platforms, Social Platforms, Target, Topic, Tweets, Twitter, YouTube

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### [You are What You Brand](https://cottonco.com/you-are-what-you-brand/)

**Published:** January 20, 2012
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

What emotions are conveyed when consumers hear your company’s name? Proper branding is critical to the success of any business.

Branding is more than just a logo (although the logo is high in the hierarchy of consumer impressions)—it’s an intangible asset.
 *Do you stand for something? What is it?*
Are you marketing just a product or service, or do you stand for something consumers can relate to? People respond positively to companies that have passion and negatively to those who are perceived as trying to make a quick buck off them. Wouldn’t it be awful if you actually wanted to improve peoples’ lives by your product or service, but because of poor branding, you were being treating as just another source of unwarranted noise in the realm of advertising, marketing and public relations?

*Color Yourself Accordingly.* 
Choose your company colors judiciously and wear them with pride. Analyze your competitors and establish a color palette that differentiates yourself from the rest. A great example of color branding is Facebook ‘s blue and white palette or the signature brown of UPS.

*Continuity is a Must.*

What do you think when you see the iconic sleek grey/silver apple? What emotions are associated with just an image of this apple? And when does the company Apple fail to use its legendary apple symbol on its marketing efforts or products? Almost never. Continuity is a key to brand preservation. If your messaging, look and overall attitude of your company is not consistent throughout your marketing efforts, consumers will never form an emotional bond or attachment. And understandably so: who is loyal to something or someone who isn’t loyal to themselves?

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Public Relations, Social Media

**Tags:** Branding, business, internet, Logo, marketing, media, social media

---

### [Where do Buyers come from?](https://cottonco.com/where-do-buyers-come-from/)

**Published:** May 16, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

It all starts with what should be a very sophisticated lead generation campaign, which funnels down into the sales pipeline. Our marketers are very successful in driving qualified prospects to the sales teams, as measured by the traffic to the website and further and the solicitation and receipt of web registrations. Now, it’s up to us to decide how we’re going to convert that lead to a site visitor, then to a buyer.

Savvy real estate entrepreneurs understand the importance of 1:1 relationship building. Developing a communication plan that encompasses appropriate, compelling and personal messaging with a predetermined number of “touch points” along the way meant to motivate or persuade your prospect to take the next step- a plan that will make every person with whom they engage and communicate feel as though they are being personally addressed. Every buyer wants to feel as though they are getting a deal that no one else will receive. Everyone wants to win, including us… and we all will if we’re smart and do everything we can to close the gap.

First, we look to define our prospects. What is their timeline for purchase? How do we create an urgency that will make them want our product NOW?

Secondly, we develop a follow-up “Action Plan” that outlines the number of “touch points” every prospect will receive and the interval in which they should receive communication.

Thirdly, we develop customized communication tools such as sales scripts, handwritten note cards, letters, email follow-ups. Whether we are sending an email, a letter, an invitation with a special offer or whatever else the mechanism, we must always remember to:

1\. Maintain brand identity
2\. Appear as a personal message from the sales associate
3\. Reiterate the Unique Selling Propositions of the community. Be informative, compelling and persuasive.
4\. Always provide either a click-thru or collateral materials, such as floorplans, features, images and brochures and/or a link to the special offer.
5\. Impart a sense of urgency
6\. Have a strong call to action
7\. Leave the prospect always wanting more
8\. Give a reason to visit or return

Depending on you Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System, you may have the ability to implement multiple action plans. One plan should be a sales-initiated plan, another that can run behind the scenes (automatic/pre-programmed) set with defined messages at certain intervals.

I’ll talk a little bit more about CRM systems and features in an upcoming post. Until then, make it a great week!

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Brand Identity, CRM, Customer Relationship Management, Develop, Entrepreneurs, Lead Generation, Markets, Prospect, real estate, Sales Associates

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### [Too many “be-backs” still sitting on the fence?](https://cottonco.com/too-many-be-backs-still-sitting-on-the-fence/)

**Published:** May 31, 2011
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

It’s always been a simple equation–the higher your “be-backs,” the higher your sales conversion. While the basic premise remains true today, the number of touch points prior to the sale has increased drastically. If your reaction includes “I need to get a closer on the team,” you may be underestimating the challenge in today’s market. Carrying costs and resale potential are also weighing heavily on their minds, and buyers are doing more research than ever.

What to do for 2011?

• Recognize the potential sales that exist in your database and don’t rely solely on your sales team to execute a one-on-one follow-up program.

• Give your buyer a reason to change their timeline to yours and communicate this opportunity with impact through your corporate marketing plan.

• Keep your community in front of these potential buyers on a consistent basis and utilize a variety of delivery mechanisms:email, direct mail and out-going calls.

• Overlook your traditional seasonality, as the market rebound will trump normal travel patterns.

• Sell the sizzle –baby boomers aren’t getting any younger, and there will be pent-up demand as we re-emerge from the down cycle.

Over the past 25 years, Cotton & Company has been solely focused on the sales and marketing of over 1,500 communities throughout the United States and the Caribbean. Whether you are seeking an à la carte database or internet services or a full-service sales, marketing and public relations firm, Cotton & Company provides the tools you’ll need to capture market share as the real estate market returns. For more information, please visit www.cottonco.com

\* Source: CNBC: The Cotton Report on Buyer Confidence

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Be-backs, Buyers, Community, Cotton & Company, Cotton Report, Database, marketing, Sales Conversion, Sales Team

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### [One of Poland’s Largest Developers Taps into American Expertise](https://cottonco.com/one-of-polands-largest-developers-taps-into-american-expertise/)

**Published:** September 25, 2012
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

Going the extra mile is nothing new to Stephann Cotton. Try 5,288 miles–that’s where you’ll find him firmly entrenched in the Warsaw real estate market. While European markets continue to struggle, Poland remains a bright spot for foreign investment and increased competition is now impacting long-term residential developers.

Warsaw has become a global city, an international tourist destination and an important economic hub in Central Europe. Yet a mere 22 years ago, Poland was a communist state and consumer-driven marketing expertise is still in its infancy. For JW Construction, one of Poland’s leading residential developers, heavy competition presented new challenges and a critical need for effective marketing and sales management. The solution was clear–go to America, find the best, and bring them to Poland.

Enter Team Cotton and a fresh perspective. An American approach put to the test in a country fascinated by western culture and on the cutting edge of digital innovation. Starting with its foundation, the company is now undergoing a revitalization driven by lifestyle marketing. JW Construction’s brand is being repositioned as a developer delivering a higher quality of life for the Polish people. In a world where public transportation and density are the name of the game; everything from project design and lead generation to web strategies and sales management are all undergoing a facelift under Cotton’s direction.

“The Polish people are very hard working and dedicated to learning new strategies for sales success,” says Stephann Cotton, president of Cotton & Company. “We’re providing the navigation along their journey and laying the groundwork for long-term sales success.”

With an eye on the incredible potential for Poland’s real estate industry, Cotton & JW Construction recognize the opportunity before them. This international partnership is opening new doors for Polish homebuyers attracted to the American way of life, and the Americans are gaining a new appreciation for overseas opportunities in an industry that is facing continuous challenges at home and abroad.

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** American, Cotton & Company, Europe, Homebuyers, JW Construction, Market, Poland, real estate, Stephann Cotton

---

### [What is More Important - Lead Generation or Conversion?](https://cottonco.com/what-is-more-important-lead-generation-or-conversion/)

**Published:** January 28, 2013
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

“Lead generation” is all the channels used to create potential buyers. It used to be that print media generated early interest, then the lead came into the sales office and the buyers were then sold on the community and product. Oh, how things have changed!

Today’s lead generation channels still include many traditional resources like brokers, signage, direct mail, events, television, public relations and many others. But today the biggest change is online- where your website acts as your virtual sales office.

Ever wonder when real estate sites receive the highest traffic? 10 PM. That’s right! Laptops go to the bedroom and buyers begin their search. They explore, watch videos, visit Facebook pages and compare communities to decide which are worth touring. It makes sense. Why would anyone waste their precious time visiting a place that doesn’t excite them? And now with social marketing, SEM, sponsored links and SEO it’s a whole new world that is constantly evolving.

That’s why it is important to hire a firm not only dedicated to understanding these changes, but understanding how a buyer is interacting throughout the sales process. It’s this understanding that will convert web traffic to live bodies visiting your project.

“Conversion” is the percentage of sales office traffic that winds up closing on a home. To increase the conversion rate, we must focus on the flow of information. How are leads being followed up? Do you know your prospects’ hot buttons or timing? Do you understand the fears they have about buying or where else they are looking? Are you fully educated on who your buyer really is? All of this information is pertinent to the sale, and comprehensive customer relation files should keep track of the details. Sales management should analyze reports and review the customer feedback to focus on ways to increase the conversion and review sales agent performance. Making sure that EVERY customer is properly handled is the responsibility of the developer as they have the most to win or lose.

Q: So which is more important – Lead Generation or Conversion?

A: They are equally critical to a successful marketing and sales program. It is like milk and cereal — you can’t enjoy one without the other.

As the market improves and you start refreshing your marketing program, remember there is an intricate process to selling. Every aspect of the process should be reviewed to generate optimum performance.

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Brokers, Buyers, Conversion, Lead Generation, Market, media

---

### [Never leave Accounting on the Back Burner](https://cottonco.com/never-leave-accounting-on-the-back-burner/)

**Published:** March 7, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Between year-end, New Year resolutions, and tax season; this is a popular time for accounting. In both our business and personal lives we are taking a closer look at our finances. Receipts are carefully organized rather than stuffed in glove compartments. Budgets are being created and financial statements meticulously examined.

But much like our diligent flossing begins to dwindle a month after each dentist appointment, our focus on accounting begins to take a back seat as the year goes on and we are sidetracked by other projects and deadlines. So, as we enter deeper into 2011, let’s take a look at why the financial health of a company is so important, and what we can do to avoid breaking our financial resolutions.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Social Media, Uncategorized

**Tags:** business

---

### [Has Technology Stifled the Creative Process?](https://cottonco.com/has-technology-stifled-the-creative-process/)

**Published:** November 8, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

What would Don Draper do with Google and an iMac? The savvy ad executive of ”Mad Men,” accustomed to cocktail-induced, cigarette-filled and feet-kicked-on-the- desk-style of creative meetings, might feel a tad nostalgic for his Lucky Strike days in 2011. What ever happened to the days of creative exchanges in person? Together Everyone Achieves More (TEAM): but do they?

As a result of the increased use of technology, collaboration seems to be decreasing among colleagues and business partners. The days of collective brainstorming—in person—have been replaced by the sound of dinging Smartphones and the sight of a zillion unread e-mails.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Social Media, Uncategorized

**Tags:** Communication, internet, media, networking, social media

---

### [The Importance of Being Earnest: Writing Copy that Counts](https://cottonco.com/the-importance-of-being-earnest-writing-copy-that-counts/)

**Published:** March 14, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Is it possible to write advertising copy that will truly resonate with a reader? To inspire someone to take action? To persuade a person to buy your product or service? Through words? 

Communicating appropriately and compellingly is not easy—but it can be done. To that end, I say the answer is yes. Yes, through words you can inspire, persuade, motive and even rouse introspection. Yes, you can provoke one to do the unthinkable: to change. And yes, you (who often doubts your writing abilities) can write well. 

My only rule is that you consider the importance of Ernest Hemingway and his unintentional—yet powerful—affect on writing for mass media. 

Ernest Hemingway pioneered a style of writing that was simple and direct. His concise storytelling began with his first job as a reporter for The Kansas City Star. There, he was given a copy of “The Star Copy Style” sheet, a single page of rules governing Star prose. Hemingway abided by these rules for the rest of his life.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Social Media, Uncategorized

**Tags:** Communication, copy

---

### [LivingSocial Buys a Few Million Friends](https://cottonco.com/livingsocial-buys-a-few-million-friends/)

**Published:** March 28, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Hello. It’s nice to meet you. Wanna be friends? I mean life-long friends who will always need one another.

The most simplistic explanation of advertising is the desire to introduce a brand to a target audience. Brands go about this by creating awareness, enticing trial, building loyalty and, hopefully, enlisting brand ambassadors to help spread the gospel. In advertising we look at people’s wants and turn them into needs. Because when I need something, I buy it. 

A great example of a company introducing themselves to potential customers was seen recently with LivingSocial. By now most everyone has heard of Groupon. If not for their group coupon offerings, then for their ability to decline a $6 billion buyout bid from the nice folks at Google.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Social Media, Uncategorized

**Tags:** Blogs, facebook, Google, internet, marketing, media, networking, Social Mediums, social networking, Twitter, YouTube

---

### [Bridgestone Splits the … Aisle?](https://cottonco.com/bridgestone-splits-the-aisle/)

**Published:** June 20, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Recently I was walking the aisle of my local grocery store and saw the most peculiar thing. A golf ball for sale in the beer section. No, this is not a case (no pun intended) of someone placing an unwanted item in the wrong section. This is a brilliant campaign launched by Bridgestone Golf and Michelob Ultra. Think about it. What better a marriage than golf and beer?

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Social Media, Uncategorized

**Tags:** Advertising Campaign, Branding, marketing

---

### [It’s brainSTORMING!](https://cottonco.com/its-brainstorming/)

**Published:** August 15, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The philosophy “two ideas are better than one” is more than just a saying, it is a practice. When the clouds are dark and the rain is too heavy to see further than two feet in front of you, brainstorm. 

Brainstorming serves many purposes; it creates new ideas, solves problems, motivates and develops teams. Have you ever been in an environment where everyone seems to be working against one another? When you engage people from all branches of the company a sense of involvement is generated and a team environment is formed even without knowing it or purposely trying to. Motivation is formed because everyone wants his or her team to be successful and you can’t get there with an “I.”

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Social Media

**Tags:** brainstorming, environment, ideas, motivation, solve problems, Success, team

---

### [Have You Seen This Weird Thing in Advertising Lately?](https://cottonco.com/have-you-seen-this-weird-thing-in-advertising-lately/)

**Published:** June 28, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

These interesting looking icons are “QR” Codes. QR is short for Quick Response. This technology is definitely not new, but it is becoming more popular in the United States as smart phones take over the marketplace. This two-dimensional code, made up of squares and patterns, is a shortcut that can be read through your phone’s camera once you have downloaded the software. In fact, the next generation iPhone will come equipped with the QR reader program already installed. As you hold your phone over the code, your camera will read the code and automatically take you to a website or webpage, launch a video, play music or a game. 

The Barcode News recently released statistics that show a 4,549% growth in the use of QR codes from the 1st Quarter 2010 to the 1st Quarter 2011. The leading age group of users is 35-44 years of age. However, the 55+ age group is trending up from 11% in December to 13% in May.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Social Media, Uncategorized

**Tags:** Audience, automatically, Barcode, business, camera, Communication, iPhone, marketing, marketplace, QR codes, quick response, shortcut, smart phones, Technology, webpage, website

---

### [How to Drive Outside Broker Sales in 2013](https://cottonco.com/how-to-drive-outside-broker-sales-in-2013/)

**Published:** February 12, 2013
**Author:** Laurie Andrews

**Content:**

In regional marketplaces across the country, real estate brokers are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Although the downturn has been prolonged, brokers stand ready to drive success as the market rebounds. With the national media promoting the rebound of the housing market, brokers are anxious to earn those illusive commissions. And that’s the name of the game – making money.

As the developer or owner of a new residential community, brokers can provide a quick burst of momentum for your program. Here are some things you do to capture their attention and their clients:

1\. Communicate and educate. A strong broker partner is a resource for his clients. He/she knows what is happening in the market – where the opportunities lie, what’s selling and at what price point. Don’t assume the broker community is reading everything you are. Be deliberate in your communications to keep them updated on your progress.

2\. Make it easy. Every broker has a database of potential clients they are working with. The easier you can make it for them to share the details of your offering the better. Make sure you remove your direct contact information to protect the broker’s relationship with his/her clients and consider customizing your marketing materials with the broker’s photo or contact information. They want to look good to their clients, why not help them achieve their goal as well as your own.

3\. Develop a plan. Most sales teams are focusing on their prospect database, but your broker database is equally, if not more, important. Structure an action plan for outreach and follow up for the real estate professionals in your market. It’s important to maintain top-of-mind awareness so when that buyer asks them about available product, you are included in their presentation.

4\. Be happy to write the check. It doesn’t matter how much effort the broker puts into the presentation or closing of the deal. The only thing that matters is that you were introduced to the client. Paying a commission to someone who only had to give you a name is the best thing that could happen. Celebrate success.

Remember, general market awareness is critical to the success of both your consumer and broker marketing programs. Often it’s the consumer who will ask the broker about a property they have seen online or read an article about. Although most deals will be written with a broker these days, they don’t always start out that way. It’s important to work both sides of the equation to maximize your sales potential.

**Categories:** Real Estate

**Tags:** Brokers, Clients, Closing, Community, Developer, Market, marketing, Marketplaces, Owner, Prospect, real estate, Rebounds, Sales Team

---

### [NAPA Know How](https://cottonco.com/napa-know-how/)

**Published:** September 13, 2011
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Ugh. It’s that damn song again. I can’t get it out of my head. “NAPA know how, Napa know how”

If you’re an avid sports fan, odds are you tuned in for some March Madness. And if you did, then you are like millions of others who were introduced to Napa’s “catchy” little jingle. The funny thing is I saw more negative comments about this tune on the Internet and Twitter than I can count. But you know what? It worked. I don’t have numbers to quote, but I think it’s safe to assume, from pure media spend, that Capitol One dominated the commercial rotation during the tournament. And as good as Alec Baldwin may have been, I don’t see too many people talking about his appearance in the spots. Nope. It’s all about that damn Napa know-how song.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Social Media, Uncategorized

**Tags:** business

---

### [Let's Talk Facebook Advertising](https://cottonco.com/lets-talk-facebook-advertising/)

**Published:** August 28, 2013
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Facebook Ads are ever-evolving. They can be used to geographically and demographically target Facebook users who should “Like” your page. These ads are of the “pay-per-click” variety, therefore you only pay for what you get. Facebook profile information allows advertisers to hyper-target prospective consumers based on their age, location, education, relationship status, interests like favorite cities, restaurants, beaches and much more.

Are you taking advantage of Facebook’s Advertising platform? Well, you should be and things are about to get a little bit better. From updated precise audience targeting to ad creation and performance measurement, Facebook has just released its newest update coming soon.

Announced last week, new updates and changes are coming to Facebook’s advertising platform. Big ones.

New changes include:

- A collaboration with Shutterstock that allows Facebook advertising users the option to use photos by Shutterstock for FREE. (Access to millions of photographs and illustrations)
- Facebook is allowing advertisers to choose up to to six images at a time when creating a group of ads in order for them to experiment with which images perform best.
- Updates to Facebook’s Pages app allowing administrators more control and flexibility while on the go.
- Since page owners are now prompted to select their business categories, advertisers can now hone in on those specific categories rather than identifying exact business names.

Facebook ads will become more effective, cost-efficient, convenient and easier to use through these advancements!

Stay tuned for more.

**Categories:** Advertising, Media, Networking, Social Media

**Tags:** Ads, facebook, FREE, Pay-per-click, Shutterstock

---


## Pages

### [Home](https://cottonco.com/)

**Published:** July 3, 2019
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

# AI INNOVATION EMPOWERING THE FUTURE OF
REAL ESTATE SALES & MARKETING

## Brand Strategy| Lead Generation | Creative Design | AI-Driven Digital Marketing

At Cotton & Company, we’re building the smarter version of real estate marketing—an [AI-driven agency](/faq/ "Cotton frequently asked questions") where human creativity and machine intelligence work in perfect harmony. Our legacy in luxury residential real estate emboldens the next evolution of innovation, as we integrate data-driven strategy, generative design, and intelligent automation to supercharge client success. Being AI-emergent is about amplifying talent, accelerating performance, and creating extraordinary client experiences. Our specialists in brand strategy, creative design, digital media, and lead generation are harnessing AI across every discipline to build stronger brands, deeper connections, and measurable results.

![Cotton & Company Team at the computer](/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cotton-hp-real-estate-marketing-091525.jpg)

## HOW WE THINK ABOUT WHAT’S COMING NEXT

Real estate rewards early clarity, not consensus. Our perspective on AI, discovery, and buyer behavior is shaped by decades of market cycles and disciplined judgment—not trend adoption. We help clients navigate this evolving landscape with confidence, translating insight into decisions that protect capital and support sales outcomes.

[EXPLORE HOW WE THINK](/point-of-view/ "How We Think About AI, Real Estate, and the Future of Discovery")

---

### [Building Digital Authority - Lesson 1](https://cottonco.com/the-authority-library/building-digital-authority-lesson-1/)

**Published:** July 27, 2026
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Chapter 2 · Building Digital Authority
 1 of 3 complete
 
 ▾
 
 [The Authority Library](/the-authority-library/) 

1. [01Why Accurate Information Matters](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-authority-lesson-1/)
2. [02What Is an Authority Signal?](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-authority-lesson-2/)
3. [03Who Tells Your Story?](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-authority-lesson-3/)

# Why Accurate Information Matters

Authority depends on confidence. Confidence depends on accuracy.

When information is inconsistent, confidence begins to **erode**.

 ![Accuracy and consistency building digital authority infographic](/wp-content/themes/CottonCompany2023/images/2026/authority-leassons/lesson-08.png) 

## Lesson 8 | Why Accuracy Builds Confidence

Every organization publishes information in more places than it realizes. Its website. Business profiles. Press releases. Thought leadership articles. Social media. Industry directories. Partner websites. News stories.

Together, those sources create the digital understanding of an organization. The challenge is that they don’t always say the same thing. A project launches with one pricing message. A website isn’t updated after construction reaches a new milestone. An executive changes titles. Business hours change.

An outdated article continues appearing in search. None of these seem significant on their own. Together, they create uncertainty. People notice inconsistencies. Intelligent systems do too. They compare information across sources, looking for agreement, accuracy, and completeness. The more consistently the facts reinforce one another, the more confidence they have in the information they’re evaluating.

**That’s why accuracy isn’t just an operational responsibility.**

**It’s an authority strategy.**

For real estate developers, this can have a significant impact. Construction progress should reflect the current stage of development. Pricing should remain current. Availability should be updated. Sales milestones should be communicated. Leadership information should be accurate.

The goal isn’t simply to correct mistakes. It’s to ensure that every meaningful source contributes to a complete, current, and credible understanding of the project. Accuracy isn’t about perfection. It’s about reducing uncertainty.

Every correction strengthens confidence. Every update reinforces credibility. Every accurate piece of information becomes another piece of evidence. Authority isn’t built on the volume of information. It’s built on the quality of the information people—and intelligent systems—can rely upon.

 Authority ThoughtAccuracy strengthens authority.

 [ ◂
 Back to All Lessons
 ](/the-authority-library/)
 [ Lesson 09
 ▸
 ](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-authority-lesson-2/)

---

### [Building Digital Authority - Lesson 2](https://cottonco.com/the-authority-library/building-digital-authority-lesson-2/)

**Published:** July 27, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Chapter 2 · Building Digital Authority
 2 of 3 complete
 
 ▾
 
 [The Authority Library](/the-authority-library/) 

1. [01Why Accurate Information Matters](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-authority-lesson-1/)
2. [02What Is an Authority Signal?](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-authority-lesson-2/)
3. [03Who Tells Your Story?](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-authority-lesson-3/)

# What Is an Authority Signal?

Every organization leaves information behind. A website update. A client testimonial. A project milestone. A social media conversation. A business profile. A media mention. Each one communicates something.

Each one is a **signal**.

 ![Authority signals building digital understanding infographic](/wp-content/themes/CottonCompany2023/images/2026/authority-leassons/lesson-09.png) 

## Lesson 9 | How Signals Shape Digital Understanding

An authority signal is any piece of information that helps others better understand who you are, what you do, and why they should trust you. Not every signal carries the same weight. A company describing itself as experienced is a claim. A documented history of successful projects is evidence. A client sharing a positive experience adds outside support. A thought leadership article builds confidence. Each signal adds another layer of understanding.

**One signal may create awareness.**

**Ten connected signals create understanding.**

For a real estate development, every authority signal should reinforce another. A thought leadership article should support the expertise presented on the website. Construction updates should reinforce project progress. Media coverage should validate meaningful milestones. Social media should extend—not replace—the larger story.

Together, those signals create a more complete understanding than any one of them could create alone. The more clearly those signals connect, the easier it becomes to understand what is happening and why it matters. That connection is especially important for a new development.

A project may be new. The authority surrounding it doesn’t have to be. Every experienced partner contributes another signal that helps people better understand the opportunity. Those are all authority signals. When they are thoughtfully connected to the new project, they help establish confidence much faster than the project could build on its own. This does not mean repeating the same message everywhere.

Each source should contribute something unique while reinforcing the same overall understanding. The developer may explain the vision. The architect may discuss the design. The construction team may document progress. The brokerage may provide market context. When strategically brought together, those signals create a fuller and more credible understanding of the opportunity.

Authority isn’t created by collecting more signals. It’s created when those signals consistently reinforce one another. That’s when information becomes understanding. Understanding builds confidence.

 Authority ThoughtEvery signal contributes to the larger understanding of your authority.

 [ ◂
 Lesson 08
 ](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-authority-lesson-1/)
 [ Lesson 10
 ▸
 ](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-authority-lesson-3/)

---

### [Building Digital Authority - Lesson 3](https://cottonco.com/the-authority-library/building-digital-authority-lesson-3/)

**Published:** July 27, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Chapter 2 · Building Digital Authority
 3 of 3 complete
 
 ▾
 
 [The Authority Library](/the-authority-library/) 

1. [01Why Accurate Information Matters](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-authority-lesson-1/)
2. [02What Is an Authority Signal?](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-authority-lesson-2/)
3. [03Who Tells Your Story?](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-authority-lesson-3/)

# Who Tells Your Story?

Every organization tells its own story. Authority is strengthened when others tell it too.

The question is…**Who else is telling your story?**

 ![Independent validation strengthening authority infographic](/wp-content/themes/CottonCompany2023/images/2026/authority-leassons/lesson-10.png) 

## Lesson 10 | Why Independent Validation Matters

There are two ways people learn about an organization. The first is what the organization says about itself. The second is what others say about it. Both matter.

They simply serve different purposes. Its website. Its marketing materials. Its social media. Its thought leadership. Its project updates. Those are important because they establish the organization’s perspective. But they are only part of the story.

People naturally look for validation. They want to know what clients say. What respected publications write. What industry organizations recognize. What partners contribute. What others are willing to say when they have nothing to gain.

**Those perspectives add a different kind of confidence.**

Think about buying a home. A developer can describe the quality of a community. An architect can explain the design philosophy. A construction team can discuss craftsmanship. A brokerage can provide market insight. A homeowner can share the experience of their buyer journey. Each perspective contributes something different. None replaces the others. Together, they create a more complete understanding.

The same principle applies to intelligent systems. They don’t rely on one source of information. They compare many sources, looking for consistency, agreement, and independent reinforcement. When multiple credible sources support the same understanding, confidence grows.

This doesn’t mean organizations should try to control every conversation. That’s neither possible nor desirable. Instead, they should focus on contributing meaningful information while creating opportunities for others to share their own perspectives.

Independent validation carries weight because it isn’t controlled by the organization itself. When clients, partners, respected publications, and industry leaders independently reinforce the same understanding, confidence grows naturally.

**Authority grows strongest when it is reinforced by others. Not because they repeat the same marketing message.**

**But because independent voices consistently point toward the same truth.**

That’s what independent validation looks like. And that’s one of the strongest signals of authority an organization can build.

 Authority ThoughtAuthority grows stronger when others help tell your story.

 [ ◂
 Lesson 09
 ](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-authority-lesson-2/)

---

### [Authority Library Landing](https://cottonco.com/the-authority-library/)

**Published:** July 24, 2026
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

# Welcome toThe Authority Library™

The Authority Library is a practical course designed to help business leaders and marketing professionals understand how authority, trust, and visibility are earned in today’s digital landscape. Explore key terminology, changing behaviors, and the evidence that shapes which organizations are trusted and recommended.

 [Start Lesson 01](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-1/)
 [View All Lessons](#library) 

 ![Preview of Authority Library lesson cards](/wp-content/themes/CottonCompany2023/images/2026/authority-leassons/inline-photo.jpg) 

The Authority Library™

Isn’t About Technology.

It’s About Understanding.

Understanding How Authority Is
Earned in a Changing Digital World

The way people discover businesses is changing. Instead of searching through links, people increasingly ask questions and expect trusted answers. This shift brings a new vocabulary centered on authority, trust, evidence, and visibility.

For many business leaders, these ideas are new and not always explained in practical terms. That’s why we created The Authority Library. The Authority Library isn’t about technology. It’s about understanding. It helps business leaders and marketing professionals understand how organizations earn visibility, credibility, and trust.

Through practical articles, The Authority Library introduces key terminology, explores changing behaviors, and challenges long-held assumptions. Authority isn’t claimed. It’s earned. The Authority Library exists to help you understand how.

---

### [Foundations of Authority - Lesson 7](https://cottonco.com/the-authority-library/foundations-of-authority-lesson-7/)

**Published:** July 27, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Chapter 1 · Foundations of Authority
 7 of 7 complete
 
 ▾
 
 [The Authority Library](/the-authority-library/) 

1. [01Why Authority Has Become the Most Important Business Asset](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-1/)
2. [02What Is Authority?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-2/)
3. [03What Is Evidence?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-3/)
4. [04Why Consistency Matters](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-4/)
5. [05What Is Trust?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-5/)
6. [06What Is Relevance?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-6/)
7. [07What Is Recommendation?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-7/)

 [Next Chapter →](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-Authority-lesson-1/)

# What Is Recommendation?

For years, marketing focused on helping people find a business. Today, the opportunity is bigger.

**Organizations** want to become part of the answer.

 ![Authority leading to recommendation infographic](/wp-content/themes/CottonCompany2023/images/2026/authority-leassons/lesson-07.png) 

## Lesson 7 | How Authority Leads to Recommendation

For decades, developers invested significant time building relationships with the brokerage community because brokers were the primary source of market knowledge. They understood the projects, the developers, the neighborhoods, and the stories behind each opportunity. The better informed they were, the stronger their recommendations became. That relationship remains just as important today.

What’s changing is that buyers are increasingly gathering information before they ever speak with a broker. They’re asking intelligent systems many of the same questions they once asked a trusted real estate professional:

- Which new communities should I consider?
- Which developers have the strongest reputation?
- What projects are making the most progress?
- What makes one opportunity different from another?

Those systems don’t replace expertise. They rely on it. Just as brokers make stronger recommendations when they have better information, intelligent systems make better recommendations when they have access to relevant, accurate, and well-supported information.

That changes how developers must think about marketing. It’s no longer enough to communicate only with the brokerage community. Organizations must also ensure that the digital information surrounding their projects is continually strengthened with meaningful, relevant evidence. Every thoughtful article, project update, milestone, interview, media story, and market insight becomes another opportunity to strengthen that digital understanding.

**The goal isn’t to persuade every source to recommend your organization.**

**The goal is to ensure every source has the information it needs to make a well-informed recommendation.**

 Authority ThoughtRecommendations are the outcome of authority.

 [ ◂
 Lesson 06
 ](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-6/)
 [ Next Chapter
 ▸
 ](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-authority-lesson-1/)

---

### [Foundations of Authority - Lesson 6](https://cottonco.com/the-authority-library/foundations-of-authority-lesson-6/)

**Published:** July 27, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Chapter 1 · Foundations of Authority
 6 of 7 complete
 
 ▾
 
 [The Authority Library](/the-authority-library/) 

1. [01Why Authority Has Become the Most Important Business Asset](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-1/)
2. [02What Is Authority?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-2/)
3. [03What Is Evidence?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-3/)
4. [04Why Consistency Matters](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-4/)
5. [05What Is Trust?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-5/)
6. [06What Is Relevance?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-6/)
7. [07What Is Recommendation?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-7/)

 [Next Chapter →](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-Authority-lesson-1/)

# What Is Relevance?

Not all content contributes equally to authority. Some content promotes. Some content informs.

The **difference matters**.

 ![Relevant content building authority infographic](/wp-content/themes/CottonCompany2023/images/2026/authority-leassons/lesson-06.png) 

## Lesson 6 | Why Relevant Information Builds Authority

For years, marketing has focused on telling people why a company is the best. “The premier choice.” “Industry leading.” “World-class.” Those messages may attract attention, but they rarely answer the questions people are actually asking. Relevance begins with usefulness.

Instead of asking, “What do we want to say?” Ask, “What information would genuinely help someone make a better decision?” That’s the content that creates authority. Promotional language tells people what to think. Relevant information helps them think for themselves.

**Traditional marketing often asks, “How do we make our organization look better?”**

**Authority asks a different question: “How do we make the audience smarter?”**

For a real estate developer, relevance might include construction progress, pricing updates, neighborhood information, architectural details, financing options, growth and investment statistics, market trends, lifestyle insights, or the expertise behind the project.

**Relevant content answers questions people are already asking:**

- How is construction progressing?
- Why was this location selected?
- What makes this floor plan different?
- How is the neighborhood evolving?

Relevant content teaches. It explains. It answers questions. It provides context. It helps someone move forward with confidence. The same principle applies to intelligent systems. They are designed to identify information that best answers a question.

Content that provides meaningful details, context, and supporting information is naturally more valuable than content built around promotional language alone. That doesn’t mean marketing disappears. It means marketing becomes more informative.

Every article should leave the reader knowing something they didn’t know before. Every website page should answer a question. Every update should add meaningful evidence. When organizations consistently contribute useful information, they become more than companies promoting themselves. They become resources. And resources are remembered, trusted, and recommended.

 Authority ThoughtUseful information creates relevance.

 [ ◂
 Lesson 05
 ](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-5/)
 [ Lesson 07
 ▸
 ](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-7/)

---

### [Foundations of Authority - Lesson 5](https://cottonco.com/the-authority-library/foundations-of-authority-lesson-5/)

**Published:** July 27, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Chapter 1 · Foundations of Authority
 5 of 7 complete
 
 ▾
 
 [The Authority Library](/the-authority-library/) 

1. [01Why Authority Has Become the Most Important Business Asset](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-1/)
2. [02What Is Authority?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-2/)
3. [03What Is Evidence?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-3/)
4. [04Why Consistency Matters](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-4/)
5. [05What Is Trust?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-5/)
6. [06What Is Relevance?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-6/)
7. [07What Is Recommendation?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-7/)

 [Next Chapter →](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-Authority-lesson-1/)

# What Is Trust?

Trust can feel difficult to define. We know when it exists. We also recognize when it is missing. In business, trust is often treated as a feeling. But trust is also a decision.

It is the confidence that the information we are receiving is **credible** enough to rely upon.

 ![Evidence building trust infographic](/wp-content/themes/CottonCompany2023/images/2026/authority-leassons/lesson-05.png) 

## Lesson 5 | How Evidence Becomes Trust

People rarely trust an organization because of one statement. They trust it because the evidence consistently supports what the organization says.

Consider a new real estate development. A prospective buyer may first encounter it through an advertisement, a social media post, or a broker. That introduction creates awareness, but awareness alone does not create confidence. Trust begins to form as people learn more.

They visit the website. They discover the developer’s history. They see the experience of the design and construction teams. They read about project milestones and sales success. They encounter media coverage, testimonials, and perspectives from people outside the organization. Each interaction reinforces the next. The question isn’t, “Do they believe one message?” It’s, “Does everything they discover support the same story?”

The same principle applies to intelligent systems. They compare information across multiple sources, looking for consistency, accuracy, and supporting evidence. The more credible information they find, the more confidence they have in the organization. This is why trust cannot be created through messaging alone.

A compelling headline may attract attention. A polished website may create a strong first impression. But trust requires something more. It requires information that is consistently supported wherever people encounter your organization.

The developer’s history should reinforce the project’s promise. The website should reflect current progress. Thought leadership should demonstrate expertise. Media coverage should validate accomplishments. Social media should reinforce what’s happening in the marketplace. Each piece should strengthen the next.

**Trust develops when the evidence aligns.**

For real estate developers, that alignment can begin much sooner than many people realize. A new community doesn’t begin without credibility. It benefits from the authority of the developer, the experience of the design and construction teams, the reputation of the brokerage, and every new piece of evidence created after launch.

The process requires diligence, not simply time. Every credible contribution reduces uncertainty. Every consistent signal builds confidence. Trust isn’t built by asking people to believe you. It’s built by giving them enough evidence to decide that they can.

 Authority ThoughtTrust is confidence supported by evidence.

 [ ◂
 Lesson 04
 ](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-4/)
 [ Lesson 06
 ▸
 ](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-6/)

---

### [Foundations of Authority - Lesson 4](https://cottonco.com/the-authority-library/foundations-of-authority-lesson-4/)

**Published:** July 27, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Chapter 1 · Foundations of Authority
 4 of 7 complete
 
 ▾
 
 [The Authority Library](/the-authority-library/) 

1. [01Why Authority Has Become the Most Important Business Asset](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-1/)
2. [02What Is Authority?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-2/)
3. [03What Is Evidence?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-3/)
4. [04Why Consistency Matters](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-4/)
5. [05What Is Trust?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-5/)
6. [06What Is Relevance?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-6/)
7. [07What Is Recommendation?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-7/)

 [Next Chapter →](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-Authority-lesson-1/)

# Why Consistency Matters

One great article won’t establish authority. Neither will one award. One successful project. Or one outstanding testimonial. Authority isn’t built by isolated moments.

It’s built by **consistent** ones.

 ![Consistency building authority infographic](/wp-content/themes/CottonCompany2023/images/2026/authority-leassons/lesson-04.png) 

## Lesson 4 | Why Consistency Builds Confidence

Think about the people you trust most. You probably don’t trust them because of something they said once. You trust them because they’ve consistently demonstrated knowledge, reliability, and good judgment over time. Organizations earn trust the same way.

Every article, every website update, every client story, every project announcement, every speaking engagement, and every social media conversation becomes another opportunity to reinforce what your organization stands for. On their own, these activities may seem small. Together, they create a pattern. Patterns create confidence. Confidence strengthens authority.

This is where many real estate developers unintentionally slow their progress. They invest heavily in a launch campaign. They unveil a new website. Produce beautiful marketing materials. Host a grand opening event. Then they rely on brokers to generate sales.

**A launch creates visibility.**

**Ongoing evidence creates authority.**

Every thought leadership article. Every construction update. Every sales milestone. Every media story. Every testimonial. Every project achievement adds another piece of evidence. Without that steady flow of evidence, authority has nothing new to build upon. The organizations that build authority the fastest aren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest launch. They’re the ones that continue creating meaningful evidence after the launch is over.

Consistency doesn’t mean saying the same thing over and over. It means consistently demonstrating who you are, what you know, and why your organization deserves to be trusted. That’s why consistency should never be viewed as a marketing schedule.

**Consistency compounds authority.**

**Consistency isn’t measured by time.**

**It’s measured by momentum.**

Each one reinforces the evidence that already exists. Over time, those small investments begin working together. Authority grows because organizations continue adding meaningful evidence after the launch. Every new contribution strengthens the foundation that has already been built. That’s why consistency is one of the most valuable investments an organization can make.

Consistency isn’t about waiting for authority to arrive. It’s about creating a steady stream of new evidence that builds on everything you’ve already accomplished.

 Authority ThoughtConsistency turns evidence into authority.

 [ ◂
 Lesson 03
 ](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-3/)
 [ Lesson 05
 ▸
 ](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-5/)

---

### [Foundations of Authority - Lesson 3](https://cottonco.com/the-authority-library/foundations-of-authority-lesson-3/)

**Published:** July 27, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Chapter 1 · Foundations of Authority
 3 of 7 complete
 
 ▾
 
 [The Authority Library](/the-authority-library/) 

1. [01Why Authority Has Become the Most Important Business Asset](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-1/)
2. [02What Is Authority?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-2/)
3. [03What Is Evidence?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-3/)
4. [04Why Consistency Matters](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-4/)
5. [05What Is Trust?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-5/)
6. [06What Is Relevance?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-6/)
7. [07What Is Recommendation?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-7/)

 [Next Chapter →](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-Authority-lesson-1/)

# What Is Evidence?

Evidence is one of those words we rarely think about until someone asks us to prove something. In business, we often make statements about who we are, what we do, and why we’re different. Evidence answers a simple question.

**How do you know?**

 ![Evidence sources infographic](/wp-content/themes/CottonCompany2023/images/2026/authority-leassons/lesson-03.png) 

## Lesson 3 | Understanding Why Evidence Matters

Every organization makes claims. “We have decades of experience.” “We deliver exceptional service.” “We’re an industry leader.” Those statements may all be true. But by themselves, they aren’t evidence. Evidence is the information that supports those claims. It helps others move from believing what you say to understanding why they should believe it. Evidence takes many forms.

**It’s created through the stories an organization shares:**

- A thought leadership article
- A project or residence spotlight
- A sales success story
- A behind-the-scenes look at the people behind the project

**It’s created by the experiences others are willing to share:**

- A client testimonial
- A resident testimonial video
- A broker perspective
- An industry panel discussion

**It’s reinforced through independent recognition:**

- A design award
- An industry accreditation
- A respected media feature
- A speaking engagement

**And some of the most valuable evidence is built quietly over time:**

- A website that continues to evolve with useful information
- Meaningful engagement across social media
- Accurate and actively maintained business profiles
- A consistent digital presence that demonstrates expertise week after week

Think of evidence as the building material that authority is made from. The more credible the evidence, the stronger the foundation becomes. The more consistent that evidence becomes over time, the more confidence it creates. That’s why evidence isn’t something organizations collect once. It’s something they continue building.

Every one of these contributes another piece of evidence. No single article, testimonial, award, or event creates authority on its own. But together, they begin telling a consistent story. That’s how confidence is built. And confidence, accumulated over time, becomes authority.

 Authority ThoughtEvidence gives people a reason to believe.

 [ ◂
 Lesson 02
 ](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-2/)
 [ Lesson 04
 ▸
 ](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-4/)

---

### [Foundations of Authority - Lesson 2](https://cottonco.com/the-authority-library/foundations-of-authority-lesson-2/)

**Published:** July 27, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Chapter 1 · Foundations of Authority
 2 of 7 complete
 
 ▾
 
 [The Authority Library](/the-authority-library/) 

1. [01Why Authority Has Become the Most Important Business Asset](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-1/)
2. [02What Is Authority?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-2/)
3. [03What Is Evidence?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-3/)
4. [04Why Consistency Matters](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-4/)
5. [05What Is Trust?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-5/)
6. [06What Is Relevance?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-6/)
7. [07What Is Recommendation?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-7/)

 [Next Chapter →](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-Authority-lesson-1/)

# What Is Authority?

Authority is a familiar word. We use it to describe experts. We look for authoritative sources. We trust people and organizations that have demonstrated knowledge over time. But authority is often misunderstood. It is not the same as visibility. It is not popularity. It is not simply having a recognizable name.

Authority is the confidence others have in your ability to provide **reliable and relevant information**.

 ![Authority vs. visibility infographic](/wp-content/themes/CottonCompany2023/images/2026/authority-leassons/lesson-02.png) 

## Lesson 2 | Understanding What Authority Really Means

For many years, marketing focused on getting attention. The more people who saw your brand, the more successful your marketing was considered. Visibility was the goal.

Today, that is beginning to change. Organizations still need to be visible, but visibility alone is no longer enough. A business can be widely known without being widely trusted. It can appear everywhere without becoming the source people rely on when an important question is asked.

That’s the difference.

**Visibility gets you noticed.**

**Authority earns confidence.**

**Authority develops over time.**

It isn’t built through a single campaign, one great article, or one successful project. It’s earned through consistent actions over time. Every article you publish. Every credible mention. Every satisfied client. Every accurate piece of information. Every contribution to your industry adds another piece of evidence.

Authority is accumulated. It requires patience. It requires diligence. Most of all, it requires consistency.

That doesn’t mean every new initiative starts from scratch.

Organizations bring years of experience, expertise, relationships, and credibility into everything they create next. A new real estate community may be new, but its developer, design team, sales organization, and construction partners often bring decades of accumulated authority with them. The strength of those connections matters.

When they consistently reinforce one another, authority grows faster because confidence grows faster. That’s why authority should never be viewed as a single website, a single campaign, or a single project.

It is built across an ecosystem of people, organizations, and experiences that reinforce one another over time. That’s what makes authority one of today’s most valuable business assets. And like every valuable asset, authority grows when it’s consistently invested in.

 Authority ThoughtAuthority is accumulated.

 [ ◂
 Lesson 01
 ](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-1/)
 [ Lesson 03
 ▸
 ](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-3/)

---

### [Foundations of Authority - Lesson 1](https://cottonco.com/the-authority-library/foundations-of-authority-lesson-1/)

**Published:** July 24, 2026
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Chapter 1 · Foundations of Authority
 1 of 7 complete
 
 ▾
 
 [The Authority Library](/the-authority-library/) 

1. [01Why Authority Has Become the Most Important Business Asset](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-1/)
2. [02What Is Authority?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-2/)
3. [03What Is Evidence?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-3/)
4. [04Why Consistency Matters](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-4/)
5. [05What Is Trust?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-5/)
6. [06What Is Relevance?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-6/)
7. [07What Is Recommendation?](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-7/)

 [Next Chapter →](/authority-library-landing/building-digital-Authority-lesson-1/)

# Why Authority Has Become the Most Important Business Asset

There are certain words that quietly become part of everyday conversation before anyone stops to define them.

**Authority** is becoming one of those words.

 ![The Authority Signal: Information, credibility, and evidence converge into authority, producing a trusted source.](/wp-content/themes/CottonCompany2023/images/2026/authority-leassons/lesson-01.png) 

## Lesson 1 | Understanding Why Authority Matters

We talk about authoritative sources. We look for trusted experts. We rely on credible information. Yet until recently, most marketers didn’t spend much time thinking about authority itself. Visibility was the goal. Rankings were the measure of success. The more attention a brand attracted, the more successful it was considered.

That is beginning to change.

Today, people discover businesses differently than they did just a few years ago. Increasingly, they ask questions instead of performing traditional searches. They expect clear answers, not pages of links. Somewhere between the question and the answer, a decision is made about which information deserves to be included.

That decision isn’t based on who has the loudest voice. It’s based on authority.

Authority isn’t created by saying you’re the best. It isn’t bought with a larger marketing budget. It’s earned over time through the information you publish, the credibility you establish, and the evidence you create.

That’s why authority is becoming one of the defining business concepts of our time. Every organization is beginning to face the same question:

**How do we become a trusted source of information?**

**The answer begins with understanding authority.**

Over the coming lessons, we’ll explore the ideas that contribute to authority. We’ll define new terminology, challenge long-held assumptions, and explain why these ideas matter. Most importantly, we’ll separate lasting principles from passing trends. Because before you can improve authority…You first have to understand it.

 Authority ThoughtAuthority isn’t claimed. It’s earned.

 [ ◂
 Back to All Lessons
 ](/the-authority-library/)
 [ Lesson 02
 ▸
 ](/authority-library-landing/foundations-of-authority-lesson-2/)

---

### [Private Club Industry Guide & FAQ](https://cottonco.com/private-club-marketing-guide/)

**Published:** March 26, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

# Private Club Industry Guide & FAQ

Last reviewed: 04/01/2026

### What is a private club?

A private club is a membership-based organization that offers exclusive access to amenities, services, and experiences not available to the general public. These clubs typically include golf, social, dining, fitness, and recreational offerings, and are designed to foster a sense of community among members.

From a business perspective, private clubs operate on a combination of initiation fees, annual dues, and ancillary spending, requiring a highly strategic approach to membership growth, retention, and brand positioning.

### What defines the private club industry today?

The private club industry has evolved beyond traditional golf and country clubs into a broader category that includes lifestyle-driven communities, residential club developments, and hybrid hospitality models. Today’s clubs are expected to deliver:

- Elevated member experiences
- Strong community identity
- Integrated real estate value (in club communities)
- Digital-first discovery and engagement

This shift has made marketing, storytelling, and digital visibility central to a club’s long-term success.

### How are private clubs marketed in today’s digital environment?

Private clubs are no longer marketed through word-of-mouth alone. Modern club marketing combines:

- Search engine visibility (SEO and AI search)
- High-quality video and visual storytelling
- Social media and content distribution
- Targeted digital advertising
- CRM-driven lead nurturing

Most importantly, successful clubs now prioritize AI visibility, ensuring their content is structured and authoritative enough to be surfaced in platforms like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and voice search.

[Private Club Marketing Strategy →](/private-club-marketing-guide/private-club-marketing-strategy/ "private club marketing strategy")

### What is AI visibility and why does it matter for private clubs?

AI visibility refers to how often and how accurately your club or brand appears in AI-generated answers across platforms like ChatGPT, Google’s AI search results, and voice assistants.

Unlike traditional SEO, AI visibility depends on:

- Clear, structured content
- Topical authority within a niche
- Consistent publishing of relevant insights
- Strong digital footprint across multiple platforms

For private clubs and developers, this means creating content that answers key industry questions while reinforcing expertise in membership strategy, real estate integration, and club operations.

[AI Visibility for Private Clubs →]( /private-club-marketing-guide/ai-visibility-digital-authority/ "private club marketing strategy")

### What is the role of real estate in private club marketing?

In many modern developments, particularly golf and waterfront communities, real estate and club membership are directly connected. The private club becomes:

- A primary driver of home value
- A key differentiator in the sales process
- A lifestyle anchor for the community

Effective marketing strategies must integrate:

- Residential real estate positioning
- Club lifestyle storytelling
- Membership incentives and structure

Firms with experience in both real estate marketing and private club operations are uniquely positioned to maximize absorption and long-term value.

[Private Club Real Estate Marketing → ](/private-club-marketing-guide/real-estate-private-club-integration/ "private club marketing strategy")

### How do you market a new private club or golf community?

Launching a new private club requires a phased approach:

- Market Research & Positioning
- Defining the target buyer, competitive landscape, and pricing strategy
- Brand Development
- Creating a compelling identity that aligns with the lifestyle and real estate vision
- Pre-Launch Awareness
- Building anticipation through digital campaigns, storytelling, and early interest capture
- Membership Sales Strategy
- Structuring offerings, incentives, and sales processes
- Ongoing Content & Visibility
- Maintaining momentum through video, SEO, and AI-driven content

The most successful launches integrate real estate sales, membership marketing, and digital visibility into a unified strategy.

[Private Club Development and Launch Strategy →](/private-club-development-launch-strategy/ "Private Club Development and Launch Strategy")

### What is membership marketing for private clubs?

Membership marketing focuses on attracting, converting, and retaining qualified members through targeted messaging and strategic outreach. This includes:

- Defining the ideal member profile
- Creating tiered membership offerings
- Developing lead generation funnels
- Managing prospect communication and follow-up
- Supporting sales teams with content and tools

Modern membership marketing is data-driven and increasingly reliant on digital channels and content ecosystems.

### How do private clubs generate leads today?

Lead generation for private clubs has shifted heavily toward digital channels, including:

- Organic search (SEO and AI search visibility)
- Paid media campaigns
- Social media engagement
- Website conversion optimization
- Email marketing and CRM systems

High-performing clubs also leverage video content and storytelling to create emotional engagement before a prospect ever visits the property.

### Why is content important for private club marketing?

Content is the foundation of both SEO and AI visibility. It allows private clubs to:

- Answer key questions prospects are searching for
- Establish authority within the industry
- Showcase lifestyle and experience
- Support membership sales and real estate marketing

Consistent, high-quality content—especially video—plays a critical role in shaping perception and driving engagement.

[Content and Media Strategy for Private Clubs →](/private-club-marketing-guide/content-media-strategy-for-private-clubs/ "content and media strategy for private clubs")

### What makes a private club marketing strategy successful?

A successful private club marketing strategy aligns three key elements:

- Brand Positioning – Clearly defining what makes the club unique
- Lead Generation – Creating a consistent pipeline of qualified prospects
- Conversion Strategy – Turning interest into membership and/or real estate sales

The most effective strategies also integrate:

- Digital visibility (SEO + AI)
- Content production (video + editorial)
- Real estate coordination (when applicable)

[Private Club Marketing Strategy →](/private-club-marketing-guide/private-club-marketing-strategy/ "private club marketing strategy")

### How is Cotton & Company different from other private club marketing firms?

Cotton & Company brings a specialized focus on the intersection of:

- Private club operations and strategy
- Real estate development and marketing
- Membership growth and positioning
- [AI visibility](/private-club-marketing-guide/ai-visibility-digital-authority/ "AI visibility") and digital authority

Rather than approaching marketing as a standalone function, Cotton develops [integrated strategies](/private-club-marketing-guide/real-estate-private-club-integration/ "integrated strategies") that align brand, membership, and real estate performance—particularly for new developments and repositioning projects.

---

### [Privacy Policy](https://cottonco.com/privacy-policy/)

**Published:** October 10, 2014
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

# Privacy Policy

**Effective Date: May 16, 2026**

The Privacy Policy (the “Privacy Policy”) is the intention of Cotton and Company to create a safe forum in which to provide colleagues, industry insiders, and clients timely and relevant information. Cotton and Company demands a mutual respect for privacy, strict confidentiality of proprietary information and copyright protection.

## Our promise to you

Cotton and Company will not obtain personally identifying information about you when you visit its website at cottonco.com, unless you affirmatively choose to provide such information.

## What information is collected about me when I visit this site? How is it used?

When you visit our site, we automatically collect and store only the following information about you, none of which is personally identifiable:

– Your host name or IP address
 – The domain from which you access our site
 – The day, month, and year you access our site

We use this information to calculate the number of visitors to the different sections of our site, and to help us make our site more useful to future visitors. We do not sell or transfer to third parties any of the information collected automatically from every visitor.

## What about “cookies”?

Cotton and Company and its subsidiaries use cookies to store and track certain information about you. A cookie is a small amount of data sent to your browser from a web server and stored on your computer’s hard drive. In general, Cotton and Company uses cookies to store account login information provided by visitors to the clients-only areas of our site.

If you browse the site with the cookies option turned off, you will not be able to use the clients only features in the secure area of the Cotton and Company website.

## Are my responses to C & C Market Research surveys confidential?

C & C Market Research conducts surveys on behalf of our clients to gather information about various aspects of project feasibility, customer service and satisfaction, customer preferences, prospect demographics, and the effectiveness of media. All information is used in an effort to improve the product our clients bring to market, the experience their customers perceive, efficiency of operations or lastly to determine the effectiveness of media reach and frequency. Every survey, unless specifically noted, is strictly confidential and the final tallied results when published or presented never identify sources. C & C Market Research surveys by mail, phone, and online; participation is always optional.

## How will my e-mail address be used?

Cotton and Company now publishes a number of e-newsletters and e-flyers. Those receiving communications have either registered for information with Cotton and Company, one of our clients or are registered in a targeted location where the information provided is considered of high value due its timeliness and pertinence. All recipients are invited to become subscribers and further specify areas of interest allowing Cotton and Company to provide you information in your preferred format, at requested times and further narrow your interests to receive only the most targeted and pertinent information. Clients, colleagues and industry insiders will receive the Cotton Top 10 which is a monthly e-newsletter providing hot industry related topics, newsworthy articles and PR. All databases developed or managed by Cotton and Company are proprietary and confidential. Our lists will not be provided to any third party or sold.

## How will Cotton and Company use my e-mail address when I register for information at a third party website hosted by Cotton and Company?

Cotton and Company provides web based marketing programs to numerous builders and developers throughout the United States and Caribbean. Persons choosing to register for more information on any 3rd party website owned by a Cotton and Company client but hosted and maintained by Cotton and Company will only receive information specifically requested. Lists developed and maintained are proprietary by client and by project. These lists are all individually maintained for use in marketing and advertising on behalf of only that specific client or project. Some registration forms may allow registrants to opt-into receiving information on future promotions from only that specific business entity. Cotton and Company will never use any information collected on behalf of a client for its own marketing purposes or for the purpose of marketing or promoting another client’s products or services.

## How do I opt out of e-mail communications?

You can decline to receive e-mail notifications. Although most recipients tell us they appreciate receiving notice of these opportunities, we recognize the importance of providing you with choices. At any time, you may ask that any e-newsletter, e-flyer or e-mail message be discontinued by simply replying to the e-mail and informing us of your preferences. All e-mail offers that you receive from Cotton and Company will tell you how to decline further e-mail communications. If you continue to receive e-mail communications after you have unsubscribed, please contact us directly at info@cottonco.com or call 772.287.6612 and tell us which e-mail communications you do not wish to receive. Please provide any and all e-mail addresses you wish to have removed and/or which messages you wish to stop receiving.

## How do I change my contact information? Bio?

You may update or change information related to you by creating a user profile and updating it as necessary. This can be reached via a link in each e-mail distributed by Cotton and Company.

## Can I download or forward information from Cotton and Company’s website to others?

All contents (includes logos, graphics, artwork, photos, button icons, and text) on Cotton and Company’s website and publications are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. Publications cited by Cotton and Company are not available through Cotton and Company. They can be obtained from the sources listed.

This site or any portion of this site may not be reproduced, duplicated, copied, sold, resold, or otherwise exploited for any commercial purpose that is not expressly permitted by Cotton and Company.

For permission to use Cotton and Company’s copyrighted material from this site or from Cotton and Company creative materials, please refer to the contact information provided below.

## In summary

We are committed to protecting your privacy. We use the information we collect to inform clients, associates and industry insiders of timely and relevant information that we believe will aid them in daily business endeavors. The information is meant to be a courtesy on behalf of Cotton and Company. If at any time anyone in receipt of one or more of our communications wishes to be removed from our lists it will be done immediately and without hesitation. The communication distributed by Cotton and Company will not contain any content or material deemed sensitive with regard to retail solicitations, political messages, pornography or any other illicit items not expressly mentioned.

## Supplemental Website Privacy, Cookie, Analytics, and California Privacy Notice

**Last Updated:** Jun-16-2026

This Supplemental Website Privacy, Cookie, Analytics, and California Privacy Notice supplements the other sections of this Privacy Policy. It provides additional information about how this website uses cookies, tracking technologies, analytics tools, advertising technologies, consent-management tools, and similar website technologies.

To the extent this supplemental notice describes more current website technology, cookie-consent practices, analytics tools, advertising tools, or California privacy disclosures, it is intended to provide additional notice regarding those practices.

### Cookies and Similar Technologies

This website may use cookies, pixels, tags, scripts, web beacons, local storage, software development kits, and similar technologies to operate the website, remember user preferences, measure website performance, understand how visitors interact with the website, improve content and services, maintain security, and support marketing or advertising activities where permitted.

These technologies may collect information such as IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, referring URLs, pages viewed, links clicked, button clicks, interactions with website content, approximate location, analytics identifiers, advertising identifiers, and other information about use of the website.

### Cookie Consent Tool

This website may use a consent-management platform, such as Cookiebot by Usercentrics, to help visitors manage cookie and tracking preferences. When you visit the website, you may be presented with options to accept, reject, or customize certain categories of cookies and similar technologies.

The available categories may include necessary cookies, preference or functionality cookies, analytics or statistics cookies, and marketing or advertising cookies.

Necessary cookies are required for the website to operate and cannot be disabled through the consent-management tool. Optional cookies and similar technologies, including analytics, statistics, marketing, and advertising technologies, are used according to your consent choices and applicable law.

You may update your cookie preferences at any time by selecting the cookie settings link, cookie icon, or consent preferences option available on the website.

### Google Tag Manager and Consent-Based Tags

This website may use Google Tag Manager to help manage website tags, including analytics, advertising, conversion-measurement, and other third-party technologies. Google Tag Manager helps organize and deploy tags, but the tags managed through it may collect information depending on their purpose, configuration, and your consent choices.

Where consent is required, non-essential analytics, advertising, and marketing tags are configured to operate based on the consent preferences selected through the website’s consent-management platform.

### Google Consent Mode

This website may use Google Consent Mode to communicate your cookie and tracking preferences to Google services, such as Google Analytics and Google advertising tools. Google Consent Mode helps adjust how certain Google tags behave based on your consent choices.

Depending on your selections and the website’s configuration, Google services may operate in a limited or consent-adjusted manner.

### Analytics and Advertising Technologies

This website may use analytics and advertising services to understand website usage, measure website performance, evaluate marketing effectiveness, improve user experience, and deliver or measure advertising.

These services may include Google Analytics, Google advertising services, Meta/Facebook technologies, Microsoft advertising technologies, and similar platforms, depending on the website’s current configuration.

These third parties may use cookies, pixels, tags, or similar technologies to collect information about your interactions with this website and other websites over time. Where required by law, these technologies are used subject to your consent choices and opt-out rights.

### Website Forms and Information You Submit

If you submit a form on the website, we may collect the information you provide, such as your name, email address, phone number, ZIP code, mailing address, message, preferences, or other information included in the form.

Please do not submit sensitive personal information, confidential information, financial information, health information, government identification numbers, or other highly sensitive details through general website forms or website search fields unless specifically requested.

We configure our website, analytics tools, advertising technologies, tag-management systems, and consent tools with the goal of limiting the disclosure of personal information entered into forms or search fields to third-party analytics or advertising platforms, except as described in this Privacy Policy or as otherwise permitted by law.

### California Privacy Notice

This California Privacy Notice applies to California residents and supplements the other sections of this Privacy Policy. For purposes of this section, “personal information” has the meaning given to that term under the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act and its implementing regulations.

#### Categories of Personal Information We May Collect

Depending on how you interact with the website, we may collect the following categories of personal information:

- **Identifiers**, such as name, email address, phone number, mailing address, IP address, device identifiers, and online identifiers.
- **Customer records information**, such as contact information or other information you provide through website forms.
- **Commercial information**, such as records of services, interests, requests, or inquiries.
- **Internet or other electronic network activity information**, such as pages viewed, links clicked, referring URLs, browser information, device information, website interactions, search terms, and interactions with emails or advertisements.
- **Geolocation information**, such as approximate location inferred from IP address or device information.
- **Inferences**, such as preferences or interests inferred from website activity or interactions.
- **Sensitive personal information**, only if you voluntarily provide it or if it is otherwise collected as permitted by law. We do not request that users submit sensitive personal information through general website forms or search fields.

#### Sources of Personal Information

We may collect personal information directly from you, automatically from your browser or device, from cookies and similar technologies, from service providers, from analytics or advertising partners, and from other sources as permitted by law.

#### Purposes for Collecting and Using Personal Information

We may collect and use personal information for the following business and commercial purposes:

- Operating, maintaining, securing, and improving the website;
- Responding to inquiries, requests, or form submissions;
- Providing information, services, or communications you request;
- Measuring website traffic, performance, and user engagement;
- Analyzing how visitors use and interact with the website;
- Personalizing content or improving user experience;
- Conducting advertising, marketing, remarketing, and conversion measurement where permitted;
- Detecting, preventing, or responding to fraud, misuse, security incidents, or technical issues;
- Complying with legal obligations; and
- Protecting our rights, property, users, business, and others.

#### Categories of Personal Information Disclosed

We may disclose the categories of personal information listed above to service providers, contractors, analytics providers, advertising partners, consent-management providers, website hosting providers, security providers, form-processing providers, customer relationship management providers, email or communication providers, professional advisors, legal authorities, and other parties as permitted by law.

#### Sale or Sharing of Personal Information

We do not sell personal information for money. However, certain uses of cookies, pixels, analytics tools, advertising technologies, and similar third-party technologies may be considered a “sale,” “sharing,” or use for cross-context behavioral advertising under California privacy law.

Where required by law, you may opt out of such sale or sharing by using the cookie preferences tool, selecting the “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link if available on the website, or using another opt-out method provided on the website.

#### Global Privacy Control and Opt-Out Preference Signals

Where required by applicable law, we honor recognized opt-out preference signals, such as Global Privacy Control, as a request to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information for the browser or device that sends the signal.

#### Sensitive Personal Information

We do not use or disclose sensitive personal information for purposes that require a right to limit under California law unless we provide the required notice and opportunity to limit such use. Please do not submit sensitive personal information through general website forms or website search fields unless specifically requested.

#### California Privacy Rights

California residents may have the following rights, subject to applicable limitations:

- The right to know what personal information we collect, use, disclose, sell, or share;
- The right to request access to personal information we maintain about you;
- The right to request deletion of personal information;
- The right to request correction of inaccurate personal information;
- The right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information;
- The right to limit certain uses and disclosures of sensitive personal information, where applicable; and
- The right not to receive discriminatory treatment for exercising privacy rights.

#### How to Submit a California Privacy Request

To submit a California privacy request, please contact us using the contact information provided in this Privacy Policy or through any privacy request method made available on the website.

We may need to verify your identity before processing your request. Depending on the request, we may ask you to provide information that allows us to reasonably verify that you are the person about whom we collected personal information.

#### Authorized Agents

California residents may use an authorized agent to submit a privacy request on their behalf. We may require the authorized agent to provide proof of authorization and may also require the consumer to verify their identity directly with us, as permitted by law.

#### Retention of Personal Information

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, maintain security, prevent fraud, enforce agreements, and support legitimate business operations.

#### Non-Discrimination

We will not discriminate against you for exercising any privacy rights available to you under applicable law.

We want to hear from you. Cotton and Company welcomes your questions and comments about this privacy policy. Please send e-mail to info@cottonco.com.

---

### [The Work](https://cottonco.com/the-work/)

**Published:** June 9, 2014
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Real estate marketing requires special skills. Any good marketing creative can please the eye and tease the mind. Great creative does that and psychographically targets and engages the right customer qualified and interested in real estate. Cotton & Company specializes in great creative that’s rooted in smart strategic thinking–with flair.

[FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS >](/faq/ "Frequently Asked Questions")

---

### [AI Visibility](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/ai-visibility/)

**Published:** May 29, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

# Helping Real Estate Brands Gain Visibility in an AI-Driven Search Landscape

Today, real estate buyers are changing the way they search. They are no longer relying only on traditional search results, paid ads or direct website visits. Increasingly, they are using [AI-powered tools to compare destinations, evaluate communities, understand lifestyle differences and narrow their choices](/point-of-view/how-ai-is-changing-real-estate-discovery/ "How AI is changing real estate discovery") before ever contacting a sales team.

For developers of new condominiums and communities, this changes what it means to be discovered. It is not enough to appear online. A project must be clearly understood, consistently represented and supported by content that reinforces credibility across [search engines, AI platforms and answer-based discovery tools](/point-of-view/ai-visibility-vs-traditional-seo/ "AI visibility versus traditional SEO").

---

### [Insights](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/insights/)

**Published:** May 29, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

# Interpreting Real Estate Buyer Behavior
 in the Age of AI

Real estate buyer behavior is evolving rapidly in the age of [AI-driven discovery](/point-of-view/how-ai-is-changing-real-estate-discovery/ "How AI is changing real estate discovery"), fragmented search journeys, and increasingly sophisticated digital engagement. Rather than relying solely on traffic volume or surface-level reporting, Cotton focuses on identifying meaningful engagement patterns, qualified audience behavior, and the strategic signals that influence marketing performance and buyer conversion in today’s ever-changing market.

The Cotton Insights Engine was developed to help interpret those changes through a combination of advanced analytics, behavioral intelligence, and decades of real estate expertise.

---

### [Capabilities](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/)

**Published:** June 9, 2014
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

# Luxury Real Estate
Marketing & Digital Strategy

Cotton & Company ensures real estate developers, communities and private clubs move from market opportunity to measurable results. For more than four decades, our work has combined brand strategy, digital marketing, sales insight, creative storytelling and market intelligence to support every stage of the buyer journey.

Today, that work is evolving. Buyer behavior, search presence and [digital discovery](/point-of-view/how-ai-is-changing-real-estate-discovery/ "How AI is changing real estate discovery") are changing quickly, and top-tier real estate brands need more than campaigns. They need a partner who can interpret the market, strengthen market credibility and create systems that turn visibility into qualified engagement.

[FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS >](/faq/ "Frequently Asked Questions")

---

### [Insights Engine](https://cottonco.com/cotton-capabilities/insights-engine/)

**Published:** May 29, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

# Intelligence That Turns Market Signals Into Smarter Strategy

The Cotton Insights Engine was developed to help a variety of real estate clients better understand the signals shaping buyer behavior, market movement and marketing performance in an increasingly complex digital landscape.

Built through a collaborative effort across experienced professionals in all aspects of real estate marketing, sales, media, development strategy, digital analytics and client advisory, the Insights Engine captures the patterns, observations and market instincts that experienced teams recognize long before they appear in traditional reporting.

The result is a more sophisticated layer of interpretation designed to help clients understand not only what is happening, but what may be changing beneath the surface.

---

### [Private Club Marketing Strategy](https://cottonco.com/private-club-marketing-guide/private-club-marketing-strategy/)

**Published:** March 31, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

# Private Club Marketing Strategy

Historically, clubs relied on reputation, referrals, and localized awareness. That model still contributes to growth, but it no longer controls it. Today, prospective members form opinions earlier, often before direct engagement, through search, digital content, and third-party validation. This shift requires a more structured approach tied to [AI visibility and digital authority](/private-club-marketing-guide/ai-visibility-digital-authority/ "AI Visibility & Digital Authority").

Effective private club marketing begins with clarity. The club must be positioned in a way that is both differentiated and credible within its market. This includes a clear understanding of the target member, the competitive landscape, and the role the club plays within the broader lifestyle offering, particularly in communities where [real estate and club integration](/private-club-marketing-guide/real-estate-private-club-integration/ "Real Estate & Private Club Integration") influence long-term value. Without this foundation, marketing activity becomes fragmented and inconsistent.

From there, visibility becomes the next priority. Clubs must be discoverable where early-stage research occurs. This includes search, AI-driven platforms, and digital channels where prospects evaluate options before making contact. Visibility is not achieved through volume alone. It is established through consistency, structure, and authority, supported by a defined [content and media strategy](/private-club-marketing-guide/content-media-strategy-for-private-clubs/ "Content & Media Strategy for Private Clubs").

Membership growth must then be supported by a defined system. Lead generation, follow-up, and conversion are not isolated efforts. They are coordinated components of a pipeline. Clubs that treat membership as a managed process—rather than a passive outcome—are better positioned to sustain performance over time, particularly when aligned with [development and launch strategy](/private-club-development-launch-strategy/ "Private Club Development & Launch Strategy").

The most effective strategies align brand, visibility, and membership execution. When these elements operate together, marketing becomes a stabilizing force within the club’s long-term growth rather than a series of disconnected initiatives.

![Oceanfront private club with palm trees, landscaped gardens, and terrace overlooking the sea](/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/orchid-island-private-beach-club-cottonandcompany.webp)

Private club marketing today extends beyond exposure. It requires disciplined positioning, clear visibility, and alignment with how prospective members evaluate lifestyle, location, and long-term value.

*Orchid Island Club, Vero Beach, Florida*

 [Private Club Industry Guide →](/private-club-marketing-guide/ "Private Club Industry Guide")

 Private club strategy does not operate in isolation. Explore the related areas below for a broader view of membership growth, digital visibility, development, and real estate integration.

 [AI Visibility & Digital Authority →](/private-club-marketing-guide/ai-visibility-digital-authority/ "AI Visibility & Digital Authority")
 [Content & Media Strategy for Private Clubs →](/private-club-marketing-guide/content-media-strategy-for-private-clubs/ "Content & Media Strategy for Private Clubs")
 [Private Club Development & Launch Strategy →](/private-club-development-launch-strategy/ "Private Club Development & Launch Strategy")
 [Real Estate & Private Club Integration →](/private-club-marketing-guide/real-estate-private-club-integration/ "Real Estate & Private Club Integration")

---

### [AI Visibility & Digital Authority](https://cottonco.com/private-club-marketing-guide/ai-visibility-digital-authority/)

**Published:** March 31, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

# AI Visibility & Digital Authority

AI visibility represents a structural shift in how private clubs are discovered, evaluated, and ultimately selected.

As search behavior evolves, prospective members are increasingly relying on AI-generated responses to guide early-stage research. These platforms do not present a list of options in the traditional sense. They synthesize information and elevate a limited number of sources considered credible.

For private clubs, this changes the nature of competition. The objective is no longer to simply appear in search results. It is to be recognized as a reliable authority within the category, supported by a clear [private club marketing strategy](/private-club-marketing-guide/private-club-marketing-strategy/ "Private Club Marketing Strategy").

Digital authority is built through clarity, consistency, and depth. It requires a structured body of content that [answers relevant questions](/private-club-marketing-guide/content-media-strategy-for-private-clubs/ "Content & Media Strategy for Private Clubs"), reinforces positioning, and reflects an ongoing presence within the market. This includes foundational content such as [industry guides and FAQs](/private-club-marketing-guide/ "Private Club Industry Guide"), as well as ongoing commentary that demonstrates awareness of current conditions and buyer behavior.

AI visibility is not achieved through isolated tactics. It is the result of a coordinated system in which content, website structure, and digital presence work together to signal credibility.

At Cotton & Company, AI is treated as infrastructure. It enhances visibility, analysis, and targeting, but it does not replace judgment. The objective is not to follow trends, but to ensure that clients are positioned correctly as discovery patterns continue to evolve, especially during [development and launch strategy](/private-club-development-launch-strategy/ "Private Club Development & Launch Strategy").

Clubs that establish digital authority early will be more consistently surfaced, referenced, and trusted. Those that delay will find it increasingly difficult to influence the conversation.

![aerial of the Boca West Private Club](/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/cotton-ai-visibility-boca-west.webp)

AI visibility is not driven by activity alone. It is established through consistency, structure, and authority—ensuring a club is recognized and referenced as a credible source during early-stage discovery.

*Boca West Country Club, Boca Raton, Florida*

 [Private Club Industry Guide →](/private-club-marketing-guide/ "Private Club Industry Guide")

Private club strategy does not operate in isolation. Explore the related areas below for a broader view of membership growth, digital visibility, development, and real estate integration.

 [Private Club Marketing Strategy →](/private-club-marketing-guide/private-club-marketing-strategy/ "Private Club Marketing Strategy")
 [Content & Media Strategy for Private Clubs →](/private-club-marketing-guide/content-media-strategy-for-private-clubs/ "Content & Media Strategy for Private Clubs")
 [Private Club Development & Launch Strategy →](/private-club-development-launch-strategy/ "Private Club Development & Launch Strategy")
 [Real Estate & Private Club Integration →](/private-club-marketing-guide/real-estate-private-club-integration/ "Real Estate & Private Club Integration")

---

### [PRIVATE CLUB DEVELOPMENT & LAUNCH STRATEGY](https://cottonco.com/private-club-marketing-guide/private-club-development-launch-strategy/)

**Published:** March 31, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

# Private Club Development & Launch Strategy

The launch of a private club or golf community is a sequencing exercise. Timing, positioning, and execution must align precisely to support absorption and long-term performance.

Early decisions have disproportionate impact. Market positioning, pricing strategy, and membership structure must be established with a clear understanding of demand, competition, and buyer psychology. These are not branding exercises. They are business decisions that define the trajectory of the project and must align with an overall [private club marketing strategy](/private-club-marketing-guide/private-club-marketing-strategy/ "Private Club Marketing Strategy").

Pre-launch activity should be focused on controlled visibility. Awareness is built selectively, with an emphasis on attracting qualified interest rather than broad exposure. This stage establishes the narrative that will carry through the life of the development and contributes to long-term [AI visibility and digital authority](/private-club-marketing-guide/ai-visibility-digital-authority/ "AI Visibility & Digital Authority").

As the project moves into active sales, membership strategy becomes central. Offers must be structured to encourage early commitment without compromising long-term value. Sales teams must be supported with the tools, content, and lead flow required to maintain momentum.

Throughout the process, marketing investment should be calibrated based on performance and market conditions. Overextension early or hesitation at critical moments can both impact absorption, particularly in developments where [real estate and club strategy are directly connected](/private-club-marketing-guide/real-estate-private-club-integration/ "Real Estate & Private Club Integration").

Successful club launches are not driven by activity alone. They are driven by disciplined alignment between development objectives, market timing, and execution strategy. This requires continuous evaluation and the willingness to adjust as conditions evolve.

![aerial of the Glynlea Country Club](/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/cotton-private-club-dev-glynlea.webp)

Successful private club development is defined early. Positioning, timing, and execution must align from the outset to support membership growth, real estate absorption, and long-term performance.

*Glynlea Country Club, Port St. Lucie, Florida*

 [Private Club Industry Guide →](/private-club-marketing-guide/ "Private Club Industry Guide")

 Private club strategy does not operate in isolation. Explore the related areas below for a broader view of membership growth, digital visibility, development, and real estate integration.

 [Private Club Marketing Strategy →](/private-club-marketing-guide/private-club-marketing-strategy/ "Private Club Marketing Strategy")
 [AI Visibility & Digital Authority →](/private-club-marketing-guide/ai-visibility-digital-authority/ "AI Visibility & Digital Authority")
 [Real Estate & Private Club Integration →](/private-club-marketing-guide/real-estate-private-club-integration/ "Real Estate & Private Club Integration")
 [Content & Media Strategy for Private Clubs →](/private-club-marketing-guide/content-media-strategy-for-private-clubs/ "Content & Media Strategy for Private Clubs")

---

### [Content & Media Strategy for Private Clubs](https://cottonco.com/private-club-marketing-guide/content-media-strategy-for-private-clubs/)

**Published:** March 31, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

# Content & Media Strategy for Private Clubs

Content and media are often misunderstood within the private club category. They are not supplemental. They are central to how clubs are perceived and evaluated.

Prospective members are making decisions before direct interaction. What they see, read, and experience digitally shapes their perception of the club’s quality, culture, and relevance. Content becomes the medium through which that perception is formed, reinforcing broader [AI visibility and digital authority](/private-club-marketing-guide/ai-visibility-digital-authority/ "AI Visibility & Digital Authority").

Effective content is not produced for volume. It is developed with intent. Each piece should reinforce [positioning and strategy](/private-club-marketing-guide/private-club-marketing-strategy/ "Private Club Marketing Strategy"), answer a relevant question, or support the membership journey. This includes written content, visual assets, and video.

Video, in particular, plays a critical role. Private clubs are experiential environments. Static imagery cannot fully convey atmosphere, scale, or interaction. Video provides a more complete representation, allowing prospects to engage with the club in a way that is closer to reality.

Media distribution must be aligned with strategy. Content should not exist in isolation. It should support search visibility, social engagement, and direct communication with prospective members, while also aligning with broader [development and launch strategy](/private-club-development-launch-strategy/ "Private Club Development & Launch Strategy") where applicable.

The objective is not to produce more content. It is to produce the right content, presented in the right context, at the right time. When executed properly, content becomes a long-term asset that continues to support visibility and membership growth.

![Bay Harbor Private Club in Michigan](/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/cotton-private-club-strategy-bay-harbor.webp)

Content and media are not created for volume. They are developed to translate place, lifestyle, and experience into a format that informs perception before a prospect ever arrives.

*Bay Harbor Yacht Club, Petoskey, Michigan*

 [Private Club Industry Guide →](/private-club-marketing-guide/ "Private Club Industry Guide")

 Private club strategy does not operate in isolation. Explore the related areas below for a broader view of membership growth, digital visibility, development, and real estate integration.

 [AI Visibility & Digital Authority →](/private-club-marketing-guide/ai-visibility-digital-authority/ "AI Visibility & Digital Authority")
 [Private Club Marketing Strategy →](/private-club-marketing-guide/private-club-marketing-strategy/ "Private Club Marketing Strategy")
 [Private Club Development & Launch Strategy →](/private-club-development-launch-strategy/ "Private Club Development & Launch Strategy")
 [Real Estate & Private Club Integration →](/private-club-marketing-guide/real-estate-private-club-integration/ "Real Estate & Private Club Integration")

---

### [Real Estate & Private Club Integration](https://cottonco.com/private-club-marketing-guide/real-estate-private-club-integration/)

**Published:** March 31, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

# Real Estate & Private Club Integration

In many developments, the private club is not an amenity. It is a central driver of real estate value.

The relationship between [club membership and residential sales](/private-club-development-launch-strategy/ "Private Club Development & Launch Strategy") is direct. The strength of the club influences buyer perception, pricing, and absorption. Conversely, the quality and positioning of the real estate influence the long-term sustainability of the club.

This interdependence requires a coordinated approach. Real estate marketing and [membership marketing](/private-club-marketing-guide/private-club-marketing-strategy/ "Private Club Marketing Strategy") cannot operate independently. Messaging, timing, and strategy must align to support both objectives.

For residential communities, the club defines the [lifestyle narrative](/private-club-marketing-guide/content-media-strategy-for-private-clubs/ "Content & Media Strategy for Private Clubs"). It provides the experiential component that differentiates the development within the market. Marketing must communicate this relationship clearly, ensuring that buyers understand not just the property, but the environment they are entering.

From a performance perspective, alignment between real estate and club strategy supports more efficient absorption. Buyers are more likely to commit when the offering is cohesive and clearly positioned.

Cotton & Company’s experience across both real estate development and private club operations allows for this integration to be managed with discipline. The objective is not to promote two separate offerings, but to present a unified proposition that reflects how buyers actually evaluate these opportunities.

![Hideaway Beach Club Private Club](/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/cotton-private-club-strategy-hideaway.webp)

In many communities, the private club is not an amenity—it is a primary driver of real estate value, shaping both buyer perception and long-term demand.

*Hideaway Beach Club, Marco Island, Florida*

 [Private Club Industry Guide →](/private-club-marketing-guide/ "Private Club Industry Guide")

Private club strategy does not operate in isolation. Explore the related areas below for a broader view of membership growth, digital visibility, development, and real estate integration.

 [Private Club Development & Launch Strategy →](/private-club-development-launch-strategy/ "Private Club Development & Launch Strategy")
 [Private Club Marketing Strategy →](/private-club-marketing-guide/private-club-marketing-strategy/ "Private Club Marketing Strategy")
 [Content & Media Strategy for Private Clubs →](/private-club-marketing-guide/content-media-strategy-for-private-clubs/ "Content & Media Strategy for Private Clubs")
 [AI Visibility & Digital Authority →](/private-club-marketing-guide/ai-visibility-digital-authority/ "AI Visibility & Digital Authority")

---

### [Request Solutions Magazine](https://cottonco.com/request-solutions-magazine/)

**Published:** June 28, 2019
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

# An Educational Publication For The Real Estate Development Industry

Cotton & Company has been empowering real estate sales success for destination properties and luxury real estate clients since 1983. Now, we are sharing our insights through the pages of *Solutions* magazine, an educational publication for our colleagues in the Real Estate Development Industry.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE OF SOLUTIONS MAGAZINE:

- ULI – Real Estate Economic Outlook
- Driving Sales Momentum During a Long Construction Cycle
- The Future of Real Estate Community Design
- Is the Caribbean the Next to Take Off?
- Why Country Club Living is So Popular
- The Science of Storytelling
- Tips for Successful Digital Marketing
- Driving Sales Momentum During a Long Construction Cycle
- 5 Ways to Create Better Blogs
- Who is Managing Your Internet Leads?

## Register to Receive Your Complimentary Solutions Magazine!

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### [Compendium Landing](https://cottonco.com/compendium-landing/)

**Published:** August 16, 2019
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

## The Cotton Compendium Newsletter

Stay Up To Date On Real Estate Industry News and Trends, by Signing up for The Cotton Compendium Today!

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The Cotton Compendium digital e-newsletter delivers featured articles, reports & the latest trends in the luxury real estate development industry.

Get insights on digital advertising and marketing strategies, lead generation tips, regional, national and international real estate news, and trends on the luxury real estate market. These articles help developers, country club managers, and investors reach affluent buyers through lifestyle marketing and advertising. Cotton & Company is an industry leader in luxury real estate advertising, marketing and sales servicing clients throughout the United States, the Caribbean, and International markets.

---

### [Thank You Cotton Blog](https://cottonco.com/thank-you-blog/)

**Published:** June 25, 2019
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Thank you for your interest in Solutions magazine. Just click below to start gaining insights from the digital version of the publication. If you would like a printed version of the magazine or if you think a colleague would benefit from the publication, please fill the form width your full mailing address. We’ll send it out to you right away.

[Open the Solutions Magazine Digital Version](/cotton-solutions-magazine/ "open the Flipping Magazine")

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---

### [Seeing the Shift Early](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/seeing-the-shift-early/)

**Published:** February 12, 2026
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

# Seeing the Shift Early: How Market Cycles and AI Now Intersect

## Structural Shifts Reveal Themselves First at the Edges

Every meaningful shift in real estate marketing becomes obvious only after it is already well underway. By the time consensus forms, advantage has already consolidated around those who recognized the change earlier — often quietly, and often without external validation.

This has been true across every market cycle Cotton & Company has navigated. AI-driven discovery follows the same pattern.

[Discovery shifts reveal themselves early…](/point-of-view/how-ai-is-changing-real-estate-discovery/ "How AI Is Changing Real Estate Discovery")

## Experience Changes How Signals Are Interpreted

Market cycles do not repeat perfectly, but they do rhyme. The signals that matter — changes in buyer behavior, shifts in demand formation, evolving expectations around credibility — tend to appear first in subtle ways.

**Teams without cycle exposure often misinterpret these signals:**

- Overreacting to noise
- Chasing tools instead of understanding behavior
- Treating tactics as strategy

Experience changes the lens.

[Judgment earned through cycles…](/point-of-view/what-ai-cannot-do-in-real-estate/ "What AI Cannot Do in Real Estate")

Cotton & Company’s perspective on AI is shaped not by novelty, but by decades of observing how structural change actually unfolds in real estate — across expansion, contraction, recovery, and reinvention.

## Technology Always Arrives Before Understanding

**Historically, new technologies enter the market in three phases:**

1. Introduction — early experimentation, limited application
2. Acceleration — rapid adoption, inflated expectations
3. Normalization — quiet integration, durable advantage

AI is currently moving from acceleration toward normalization.

What matters now is not who is talking about AI — but who is integrating it responsibly, with judgment informed by prior shifts.

[Quiet integration informed by experience…](/how-cotton-company-integrates-ai-into-sales-driven-marketing/ "How Cotton & Company Integrates AI Into Sales-Driven Marketing")

## Past Shifts Offer a Clear Precedent

**Real estate marketing has already undergone multiple structural transformations:**

- The rise of digital channels
- The emergence of online portals
- The normalization of data-driven decision-making
- The increasing importance of timing and sequencing

In each case:

- Early adopters gained leverage quietly
- Late adopters paid more to catch up
- The biggest risks emerged during overcorrection

AI follows this same arc. The difference today is speed.

## AI Changes How Insight Compounds Across Cycles

AI accelerates pattern recognition — but only when paired with experience.

**Across market cycles, Cotton & Company has developed intuition around:**

- When demand is forming versus fading
- When pricing resistance signals repositioning
- When visibility matters more than promotion
- When restraint outperforms activity

AI strengthens these instincts by surfacing signals earlier and more consistently. It does not replace the judgment required to act on them. This is where AI and experience intersect most powerfully.

## Why Early Recognition Matters More Than Early Adoption

There is a critical distinction between recognizing a shift early and adopting it loudly.

**Early recognition allows firms to:**

- Integrate quietly
- Govern responsibly
- Align technology with real-world outcomes
- Avoid reputational and operational risk

**Early adoption without understanding often leads to:**

- Misapplication
- Overexposure
- False confidence
- Reactive correction later

Cotton & Company’s approach to AI mirrors how it has approached every major market shift — with discipline, restraint, and a focus on outcomes rather than optics.

## The Advantage of Seeing Around Corners

Developers and capital partners do not seek certainty — they seek better odds.

The ability to see around corners does not come from prediction. It comes from:

- Exposure across cycles
- Pattern recognition earned over time
- Comfort operating without consensus
- Judgment shaped by consequence

AI enhances this capability when used properly. It does not create it.

## What This Means for the Future

As AI continues to influence discovery, visibility, and perception, the firms best positioned to guide clients will not be those who adopted tools first — but those who understood the shift earliest and integrated it most responsibly.

Real estate rewards foresight more than reaction.

Cotton & Company’s AI posture is not about chasing the future.
It is about recognizing it early — and operating accordingly.

## The Enduring Pattern

Markets change.
Technology evolves.
Human behavior remains complex.

The firms that succeed over time are those that understand all three — and know how they interact.

That intersection is where experience and AI belong.

---

---

### [How Cotton & Company Integrates AI Into Sales-Driven Marketing](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/how-cotton-company-integrates-ai-into-sales-driven-marketing/)

**Published:** February 12, 2026
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

# How Cotton & Company Integrates AI Into Sales-Driven Marketing

## AI Is Already Part of the Operating Model

At Cotton & Company, AI is not treated as an initiative, a service line, or a future capability. It is integrated into the firm’s operating model as a supporting layer — applied selectively, governed carefully, and aligned with outcomes that matter in real estate development.

[AI functions best when treated as infrastructure…](/why-serious-real-estate-marketing-treats-ai-quietly-not-loudly/ "AI as Infrastructure: Why Serious Real Estate Marketing Treats AI Quietly, Not Loudly")

This integration is quiet by design. AI is not positioned as a replacement for experience, strategy, or human judgment. It exists to enhance insight, sharpen visibility, and improve execution discipline across the full lifecycle of a project.

## Integration Begins with First-Party Intelligence

The effectiveness of AI depends entirely on the quality of the intelligence it works with. Cotton & Company operates from a foundation of first-party data accumulated across decades of active involvement in luxury real estate development.

**This intelligence includes:**

- Buyer behavior patterns
- Sales velocity response
- Pricing sensitivity
- Market timing signals
- Performance trends across cycles

[Experience across cycles sharpens interpretation…](/point-of-view/seeing-the-shift-early/ "Seeing the Shift Early: How Market Cycles and AI Now Intersect")

AI is applied to strengthen pattern recognition within this context — not to generate conclusions in isolation.

Without this foundation, AI output becomes generic. With it, AI becomes additive.

## Where AI Is Applied — and Where It Is Not

Cotton & Company integrates AI where it meaningfully improves clarity, efficiency, and insight, while maintaining human accountability at every decision point.

**AI supports:**

- Visibility and discoverability analysis
- Market signal interpretation
- Audience and demand modeling
- Performance trend identification
- Optimization and reallocation decisions

**AI does not:**

- Define strategy autonomously
- Replace sales leadership
- Override judgment
- Operate without oversight

This distinction is enforced consistently.

## AI as an Insight Accelerator, Not a Decision Maker

In sales-driven real estate marketing, timing and interpretation matter as much as data.

**AI accelerates the ability to:**

- Detect emerging patterns
- Surface anomalies early
- Test assumptions more rigorously
- Identify shifts before they are obvious

Final decisions remain human-led — informed by experience, accountability, and a deep understanding of capital risk.

[Judgment remains central to sales…](/point-of-view/what-ai-cannot-do-in-real-estate/ "What AI Cannot Do in Real Estate")

## Governance Is Central to Integration

AI is most effective when governed.

**Cotton & Company maintains disciplined controls around:**

- Data integrity and access
- Platform configuration
- Client confidentiality
- Interpretation responsibility
- Competitive separation

These controls ensure that AI strengthens insight without exposing client data, creating cross-project contamination, or introducing unintended risk.

Integration without governance is experimentation.

Cotton & Company does not experiment with client capital.

## Supporting Sales Without Interfering With Sales

Cotton & Company’s role is not to replace sales teams — it is to empower them.

**AI integration is designed to:**

- Improve the quality of opportunities entering the pipeline
- Support consistent demand formation
- Reinforce credibility before first contact
- Reduce friction between marketing and sales

Sales remains a human exchange.

AI strengthens the conditions under which those exchanges succeed.

## Why Quiet Integration Matters

Loud AI claims often signal novelty. Quiet integration signals maturity.

**Cotton & Company’s approach reflects the realities of real estate development:**

- Long time horizons
- High capital exposure
- Reputation-driven decision making
- Limited tolerance for error

AI is most valuable when it improves outcomes without demanding attention.

## What Clients Experience

**Clients do not experience Cotton & Company’s AI integration as a feature. They experience it as:**

- Clearer insight
- Better timing
- Smarter allocation
- Fewer surprises
- Stronger alignment between strategy and execution

The presence of AI is felt through results, not messaging.

## The Operating Reality

AI does not define Cotton & Company’s value. It amplifies it.

Experience, judgment, and discipline remain central. AI strengthens the firm’s ability to see patterns earlier, act more confidently, and guide clients through complexity with greater clarity.

That is integration — not experimentation.

---

---

### [AI Visibility vs. Traditional SEO](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/ai-visibility-vs-traditional-seo/)

**Published:** February 12, 2026
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

# AI Visibility vs. Traditional SEO — Why Search Is No Longer the Only Gatekeeper

## Search Still Matters — But It No Longer Stands Alone

For more than two decades, search engines have served as the primary gateway between buyers and information. Visibility was earned through rankings, keywords, and optimization. In real estate marketing, search became synonymous with discovery.

That foundation still matters. SEO remains an essential component of digital infrastructure. What has changed is that search is no longer the only gatekeeper.

AI-driven systems increasingly shape how information is surfaced, summarized, and trusted — often without requiring a traditional search query at all.

## From Retrieval to Interpretation

Traditional search retrieves information based on explicit intent. A user asks a question, enters a query, and evaluates results.

**AI systems operate differently. They:**

- Interpret context
- Anticipate intent
- Summarize across sources
- Present synthesized answers

This changes the role visibility plays. In AI-influenced environments, being ranked is not enough. A brand, project, or firm must be recognized as a credible source worth referencing.

The shift is subtle but fundamental.

## Visibility Is Becoming Selective, Not Exhaustive

Search engines historically offered abundance — multiple links, pages, and options. AI systems offer selection.

**They surface fewer sources, stronger signals, and more authoritative perspectives. This places greater emphasis on:**

- Clarity of positioning
- Consistency of perspective
- Depth of understanding
- Trustworthiness over time

In this environment, visibility is earned less through optimization tricks and more through sustained authority.

## Why AI Visibility Is Upstream of SEO Performance

SEO influences whether a site can be found. AI visibility influences whether it is chosen.

**AI systems pull from:**

- Well-structured, coherent thinking
- Authoritative explanations
- Sources that demonstrate judgment
- Content that answers questions holistically

These systems are less concerned with volume and more concerned with confidence. A firm may perform well in search and still be absent from AI-generated answers if its perspective lacks clarity or authority.

## The Risk of Treating AI Visibility as a Tactic

One of the most common mistakes is attempting to “optimize for AI” the way firms once optimized for keywords. This approach misunderstands the nature of the shift.

AI visibility is not achieved through keyword stuffing, tool-specific tricks, short-term tactics or content volume. Those methods often signal the opposite of authority.

**AI systems favor sources tha**t:

- Explain rather than promote
- Clarify rather than persuade
- Demonstrate restraint rather than enthusiasm

Visibility emerges as a byproduct of credibility.

## Why This Matters in Real Estate Development

In luxury real estate, discovery is not purely transactional. Buyers are evaluating:

- Market credibility
- Developer reputation
- Project legitimacy
- Long-term confidence

AI systems increasingly influence how those perceptions are formed — especially in early-stage research, comparison, and validation. If a project, market, or firm is not present in these synthesized narratives, it may never reach the consideration phase.

This is not a failure of marketing execution. It is a failure of structural visibility.

## AI Visibility Is Built, Not Activated

AI visibility is cumulative.

It is built through consistent points of view, thoughtful, structured content, clear articulation of expertise and long-term coherence. There is no switch to turn on.

Firms that invest early do not see immediate spikes in activity — they see steadier credibility, cleaner conversations, and shorter trust-building cycles over time.

That is the compounding effect.

## The Relationship Between SEO and AI Visibility

SEO and AI visibility are not opposing forces. They are complementary layers.

- SEO ensures accessibility
- AI visibility ensures authority

Strong SEO without authority creates noise.
Strong authority without accessibility creates silence.

Serious real estate marketing requires both.

## What This Means Going Forward

As AI continues to shape discovery, the firms that remain visible will not be those who chase every algorithmic shift. They will be those who articulate their thinking clearly, consistently, and credibly over time.

Search will remain important.
But it is no longer the only door buyers walk through.

Visibility now depends on being recognized — not just found.

---

---

### [What AI Cannot Do in Real Estate](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/what-ai-cannot-do-in-real-estate/)

**Published:** February 12, 2026
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

# What AI Cannot Do in Real Estate — and Why Human Judgment Still Drives Sales

## The Limits of AI Matter More Than Its Capabilities

AI is often discussed in terms of what it can do faster, cheaper, or at greater scale. In many industries, those attributes are enough to justify adoption. In luxury real estate development, they are not.

This is a category where decisions are emotionally charged, financially consequential, and deeply human. Buyers are not selecting products. They are committing to lifestyles, identities, and long-term financial positions.

Understanding where AI fails is more important than understanding where it excels.

[AI reshapes discovery long before sales conversations begin…](/point-of-view/how-ai-is-changing-real-estate-discovery/ "How AI Is Changing Real Estate Discovery")

## Real Estate Is Not a Pattern-Matching Exercise Alone

AI performs best when variables are stable, outcomes are repeatable and inputs are clearly defined. Luxury real estate does not operate under these conditions.

**Every development exists within a unique intersection of:**

- Market timing
- Buyer psychology
- Competitive context
- Capital pressure
- Local nuance

AI can surface patterns across these dimensions. It cannot determine which variables matter most in this moment — or how they should be weighted against one another. That determination requires judgment.

## What AI Cannot Replace

There are core elements of real estate marketing and sales that AI cannot replicate:

Trust Formation: Buyers place trust in people, not systems. Confidence is built through conversation, credibility, and reassurance — particularly when risk tolerance is being tested.

Emotional Interpretation: AI can analyze sentiment, but it cannot feel hesitation, excitement, or fear — nor can it interpret those emotions within the broader context of a buyer’s life circumstances.

Timing Judgment: Knowing when to push, pause, reposition, or recalibrate is not a mathematical decision. It is informed by experience, intuition, and pattern recognition earned over time.

Capital Sensitivity: AI does not carry responsibility. It does not answer to investors, lenders, or ownership. Judgment exists precisely because accountability exists.

## Sales Is Still a Human Exchange

The closing of a real estate transaction is not an optimization problem. It is a dialogue.

**Sales professionals do not simply present information. They:**

- Interpret buyer intent
- Respond to uncertainty
- Adjust messaging in real time
- Build confidence incrementally

AI may influence what a buyer knows before that conversation begins — but it does not conduct the conversation itself. The more significant the decision, the more essential the human element becomes.

## Why Over-Reliance on AI Increases Risk

One of the most dangerous misconceptions is that more data automatically produces better decisions.

**In reality**:

- Data without interpretation creates false certainty
- Automation without oversight accelerates mistakes
- Insight without accountability undermines trust

In real estate, the cost of being wrong is not theoretical. It is measured in stalled absorption, pricing corrections, reputational damage, and lost momentum. AI should inform judgment — not replace it.

## The Role AI Should Play

**Used responsibly, AI enhances the work of experienced professionals by**:

- Highlighting emerging patterns
- Surfacing inconsistencies
- Improving signal clarity
- Supporting faster iteration

Its value lies in support, not authority. When AI operates inside a disciplined, human-led framework, it strengthens outcomes. When it operates autonomously or without context, it magnifies risk.

[When AI is treated as infrastructure rather than a headline…](/why-serious-real-estate-marketing-treats-ai-quietly-not-loudly/ "AI as Infrastructure: Why Serious Real Estate Marketing Treats AI Quietly, Not Loudly")

## Experience Is the Multiplier

The same AI system produces vastly different results depending on who is interpreting its output.

**Experience determines:**

- Which signals matter
- Which anomalies deserve attention
- Which recommendations should be ignored
- Which actions carry unacceptable risk

AI does not level the playing field. It amplifies the gap between experience and inexperience.

[Experience across cycles sharpens judgment…](/point-of-view/seeing-the-shift-early/ "Seeing the Shift Early: How Market Cycles and AI Now Intersect")

## Why This Distinction Matters for Developers and Capital Partners

**In capital-intensive environments, confidence comes from knowing:**

- Decisions are being made by people who have seen cycles before
- Technology is governed, not trusted blindly
- Judgment remains central to strategy

AI should increase clarity — not replace responsibility. The firms that succeed over time are not those who delegate decisions to systems, but those who use technology to sharpen human insight.

## The Enduring Reality

Real estate will remain personal.
Sales will remain human.
Judgment will remain irreplaceable.

AI changes how information is surfaced and interpreted — not how trust is earned.

Understanding that distinction is what separates disciplined operators from experimental ones.

---

---

### [Why Serious Real Estate Marketing Treats AI Quietly, Not Loudly](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/why-serious-real-estate-marketing-treats-ai-quietly-not-loudly/)

**Published:** February 12, 2026
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

# Why Serious Real Estate Marketing Treats AI Quietly, Not Loudly

## The Loudest AI Claims Usually Signal the Least Experience

As AI has entered mainstream conversation, much of the marketing around it has become noisy. Agencies promote tools, platforms, and promises of automation. Case studies focus on speed, scale, or novelty. Headlines suggest replacement rather than integration.
In capital-intensive industries like luxury real estate development, this approach is not reassuring. It introduces risk rather than reducing it. Serious operators recognize that AI is not a feature to be showcased. It is infrastructure — something that must work reliably, quietly, and in service of outcomes, not attention.

[AI reshapes discovery long before intent exists…](/point-of-view/how-ai-is-changing-real-estate-discovery/ "How AI Is Changing Real Estate Discovery")

## Infrastructure Is Not Announced — It Is Assumed

No developer selects a project partner because they advertise electricity, plumbing, or structural engineering. Those capabilities are expected. They are evaluated through competence, execution, and results — not claims. AI belongs in the same category.

**When treated correctly, AI operates behind the scenes:**

- Enhancing pattern recognition
- Improving signal clarity
- Accelerating insight
- Supporting better decisions

When treated incorrectly, AI becomes performative — a distraction that prioritizes novelty over judgment. The difference is not technological. It is philosophical.

## Why Restraint Matters More Than Adoption

The most common mistake firms make with AI is not failing to adopt it — it is adopting it without governance.

**AI systems reflect the quality of:**

- The data they are fed
- The questions they are asked
- The judgment applied to their output

In real estate development, where timing, pricing, and positioning decisions have long-term consequences, ungoverned AI introduces false confidence. Speed without interpretation amplifies risk.

**Experienced teams understand that:**

- Insight without context is noise
- Automation without accountability is dangerous
- Efficiency without judgment is not progress

AI is most valuable when it operates inside a disciplined framework shaped by experience.

[When AI is embedded inside a disciplined operating model…](/how-cotton-company-integrates-ai-into-sales-driven-marketing/ "How Cotton & Company Integrates AI Into Sales-Driven Marketing")

## AI Does Not Create Strategy — It Informs It

Strategy in real estate is built from judgment: understanding buyer psychology, reading market signals, interpreting timing and momentum and aligning capital with reality. AI does not replace these capabilities. It strengthens them — when used correctly.

**Within a disciplined environment, AI can:**

- Surface patterns earlier
- Identify anomalies faster
- Test assumptions more rigorously
- Improve allocation efficiency

But AI cannot determine what matters.

That remains the responsibility of experienced leadership.

[AI has clear limits in human-driven sales environments…](/point-of-view/what-ai-cannot-do-in-real-estate/ "What AI Cannot Do in Real Estate")

## The Difference Between AI-Led and AI-Assisted Marketing

This distinction is critical. AI-led marketing prioritizes automation, volume, output and tactical efficiency. AI-assisted marketing prioritizes insight, interpretation, judgement, and outcome alignment.

In luxury real estate development, AI-assisted models outperform over time because they respect the complexity of the business. They acknowledge that not everything measurable is meaningful — and not everything meaningful is immediately measurable.

Quiet integration is not a lack of sophistication. It is evidence of it.

## Why Loud AI Messaging Is a Warning Sign

**Highly visible AI claims often mask deeper weaknesses:**

- Limited first-party data
- Shallow market exposure
- Tool-driven thinking
- Lack of cycle-tested experience

In contrast, firms that operate AI responsibly tend to speak less about it publicly, because AI is already embedded in how they analyze, plan, and execute.

Their credibility comes from consistency of results, quality of decision-making and confidence under pressure. Not from announcements.

## Infrastructure Thinking Reduces Risk

In real estate, risk is rarely created by lack of activity. It is created by misaligned assumptions, mistimed decisions, and untested confidence.

**When AI is treated as infrastructure:**

- Visibility improves without distortion
- Insight compounds rather than conflicts
- Decisions are informed, not automated
- Human accountability remains intact

This approach aligns technology with capital reality — rather than asking capital to accommodate technology.

## The Long View

Every major shift in real estate marketing has followed a similar path: early hype, misapplication, correction and quiet normalization. AI is no different.

The firms that emerge strongest are not those who speak first or loudest. They are those who integrate early, govern carefully, and apply insight responsibly — long before the shift becomes obvious.

AI is not the headline. It is the system underneath it.

## What This Means in Practice

For developers, capital partners, and operators, the question is not whether AI should be used — but whether it is being used intelligently, quietly, and in service of outcomes that matter.

In serious real estate marketing, AI is not a message. It is an operating reality.

---

---

### [How AI Is Changing Real Estate Discovery](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/how-ai-is-changing-real-estate-discovery/)

**Published:** February 12, 2026
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

# How AI Is Changing Real Estate Discovery
(Before a Buyer Ever Raises Their Hand)

## The Shift Is Not in Sales — It’s in Discovery

Real estate has always been a personal, relationship-driven business. That has not changed — and it will not change. Transactions still close through trust, confidence, and one-on-one interaction. Buyers still want reassurance, guidance, and human judgment when making one of the most significant financial decisions of their lives.

What has changed is what happens long before that conversation ever begins.

AI is reshaping how buyers discover, evaluate, and validate real estate opportunities before they engage with a sales professional, visit a sales gallery, or submit an inquiry. This shift is subtle, largely invisible, and often underestimated — precisely because it does not disrupt the final act of the sales process. Instead, it reshapes who enters the conversation in the first place.

## Discovery Now Happens Upstream of Intent

Historically, real estate discovery followed relatively predictable paths: search engines, portals, paid media, broker referrals and word of mouth. These channels still matter. But they no longer operate in isolation.

AI-powered systems now influence discovery at a much earlier stage — often before a buyer has articulated clear intent or begun traditional “search behavior.” Buyers increasingly encounter projects, markets, and brands through AI-generated summaries, recommendations, comparisons, and contextual answers that shape awareness and perception quietly in the background.

By the time a buyer actively searches or engages with a sales team, much of the decision-making groundwork has already been laid. This is not a replacement for search. It is an expansion of how discovery works.

[Traditional SEO still matters, but it is no longer the only gatekeeper…](/point-of-view/ai-visibility-vs-traditional-seo/ "AI Visibility vs Traditional SEO")

## Visibility Precedes Inquiry

In AI-influenced environments, visibility is no longer defined solely by rankings, impressions, or clicks. It is defined by inclusion. AI systems surface projects, firms, and perspectives they interpret as credible, authoritative, and relevant within a given context. Those that are not visible at this stage are not rejected — they are simply absent.

**That absence carries real consequences:**

- Projects may never be considered
- Markets may be mischaracterized
- Developers may be overlooked
- Agencies may never make the shortlist

The risk is not poor performance. The risk is invisibility.

## Why This Matters in Capital-Intensive Real Estate

Luxury real estate development operates under fundamentally different pressures than most consumer categories. Decisions are capital-intensive, timing-sensitive, and often irreversible once momentum is lost.

When AI influences early discovery and validation: shortlists form earlier, perceptions harden sooner, credibility is assumed or withheld quietly and late entry becomes more expensive. In these environments, being discovered after intent exists is often too late to shape outcomes meaningfully.

AI does not change how sales close — but it changes which opportunities are even considered worthy of a conversation.

## AI Does Not Replace Human Sales — It Reframes the Playing Field

A common misconception is that AI threatens the personal nature of real estate sales. It does not.

AI does not negotiate.
AI does not build trust.
AI does not replace judgment.

[There are clear limits to what AI can and cannot do in real estate…](/point-of-view/what-ai-cannot-do-in-real-estate/ "What AI Cannot Do in Real Estate")

**What AI does is influence context:**

- What buyers know before they ask questions
- Which options feel credible
- Which narratives feel validated
- Which firms appear experienced

Sales teams still do the most important work. AI determines who they get the opportunity to speak with.

## The Quiet Nature of the Shift Is the Risk

One of the reasons this change is underestimated is because it does not announce itself loudly. There is no dramatic moment when AI “takes over” discovery. Instead, the shift happens gradually, invisibly, and upstream.

Buyers do not say: “I found this project through AI.”

They say:

“I’ve been hearing about this place.”
“This seems to be a strong market.”
“This developer looks credible.”

AI increasingly influences why those impressions exist.

[AI is most effective when treated as infrastructure…](/why-serious-real-estate-marketing-treats-ai-quietly-not-loudly/ "Why Serious Real Estate Marketing Treats AI Quietly, Not Loudly")

## Early Recognition Has Always Mattered in Real Estate

Every structural shift in real estate marketing has followed a similar pattern:

- Early adopters build advantage quietly
- Skepticism persists because results are indirect at first
- Late adopters face higher costs and compressed timelines

AI-driven discovery follows this same arc. The firms that understand how visibility is forming, before intent, before search, before, position themselves to benefit from the shift without disruption. Those that wait for clear, downstream signals often find themselves reacting instead of leading.

## What This Means Going Forward

AI-driven discovery is not a tactic to be adopted. It is a structural layer that must be understood and accounted for.

For developers, capital partners, and operators, the question is no longer if AI will influence discovery — it already does. The question is whether visibility, credibility, and authority are being built deliberately or left to chance.

Real estate will remain personal.
Sales will remain human.
Judgment will remain irreplaceable.

But discovery has changed — quietly, upstream, and permanently.

---

---

### [Point of View](https://cottonco.com/point-of-view/)

**Published:** February 12, 2026
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

# How We Think About AI, Real Estate, and the Future of Discovery

## A Point of View Built on Experience, Not Experimentation

AI is changing how information is surfaced, interpreted, and trusted. In real estate development, that shift is often misunderstood — either dismissed as irrelevant or overstated as transformational in ways that ignore how this business actually works.

Cotton & Company’s perspective on AI is shaped by decades of lived experience navigating market cycles, buyer behavior, capital risk, and sales-driven outcomes. We do not approach AI as a trend, a toolset, or a replacement for human judgment.

## We approach it as infrastructure.

This series articulates how AI is quietly reshaping discovery, visibility, and perception in luxury real estate — and how experienced judgment ensures that insight is applied responsibly, without compromising the human nature of sales or the realities of capital-intensive development.

## What This Series Is — and What It Is Not

This collection is not a how-to guide.
It is not a promotion of tools.
It is not a prediction exercise.

It is a clear articulation of how structural shifts actually unfold in real estate — and how AI fits into that reality when applied with discipline. Each piece is designed to clarify what matters, what does not, and why restraint often outperforms reaction.

## The Perspective That Guides This Work

**Across market cycles, one truth has remained constant: real estate rewards clarity earlier than consensus. Cotton & Company’s work has always centered on:**

- Early recognition of meaningful shifts
- Disciplined interpretation of data and behavior
- Alignment between strategy, timing, and sales reality
- Protection of client capital through informed judgment

AI does not change these principles. It amplifies their importance.

---

## The Series 

1. ### 1. How AI Is Changing Real Estate Discovery
    
    An exploration of how discovery now happens upstream of intent — and why visibility increasingly determines which projects, markets, and firms are even considered.
    
    [Read the article](/point-of-view/how-ai-is-changing-real-estate-discovery/)
2. ### 2. AI as Infrastructure: Why Serious Real Estate Marketing Treats AI Quietly, Not Loudly
    
    A look at why restraint, governance, and integration matter more than novelty — and why loud AI claims often signal inexperience.
    
    [Read the article](/point-of-view/why-serious-real-estate-marketing-treats-ai-quietly-not-loudly/)
3. ### 3. What AI Cannot Do in Real Estate — and Why Human Judgment Still Drives Sales
    
    A clear articulation of AI’s limits in a business built on trust, timing, and personal decision-making — and why human accountability remains central.
    
    [Read the article](/point-of-view/what-ai-cannot-do-in-real-estate/)
4. ### 4. AI Visibility vs. Traditional SEO — Why Search Is No Longer the Only Gatekeeper
    
    An explanation of how discovery and credibility are now shaped by interpretation, not just retrieval — and why authority increasingly determines visibility.
    
    [Read the article](/point-of-view/ai-visibility-vs-traditional-seo/)
5. ### 5. How Cotton & Company Integrates AI Into Sales-Driven Marketing
    
    A high-level view of how AI is already embedded within Cotton & Company’s operating model — applied quietly, governed carefully, and aligned with outcomes.
    
    [Read the article](/point-of-view/how-cotton-company-integrates-ai-into-sales-driven-marketing/)
6. ### 6. Seeing the Shift Early: How Market Cycles and AI Now Intersect
    
    A perspective grounded in history, showing how structural shifts reveal themselves first — and why experience determines how technology is applied responsibly.
    
    [Read the article](/point-of-view/seeing-the-shift-early/)

---

### [The Agency](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/)

**Published:** June 9, 2014
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

- Cotton & Company, a real estate advertising agency maintains a laser focus on real estate sales and marketing.

- We empower real estate sales success worldwide including more than 1,700 properties.

- We combine four decades of real estate expertise with today’s most innovative digital strategies.

- We don’t just talk a good game, we execute – on time, on budget and on target!

[Learn More>](/faq/ "Click here to check how to contact us")

---

### [Thank You Footer](https://cottonco.com/thank-you-footer/)

**Published:** July 1, 2019
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Thank You!!

While you wait, here are answers to [common questions (FAQ)](/faq/ "Cotton frequently asked questions").

---

### [Thank You Solutions Magazine](https://cottonco.com/thank-you-solutions-magazine/)

**Published:** June 28, 2019
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Thank you for your interest in Solutions magazine. Just click below to start gaining insights from the digital version of the publication.

[Open the Solutions Magazine Digital Version](/cotton-solutions-magazine/ "open the Flipping Magazine")

While you wait, here are answers to [common questions (FAQ)](/faq/ "Cotton frequently asked questions").

---

### [Thank You](https://cottonco.com/contact/thank-you/)

**Published:** July 22, 2014
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Thank You!!

While you wait, here are answers to [common questions (FAQ)](/faq/ "Cotton frequently asked questions").

---

### [Sonya Pereira](https://cottonco.com/the-cotton-agency/sonya-pereira/)

**Published:** March 5, 2015
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

With a robust background in technology and digital infrastructure, Sonya Pereira has been an integral part of Cotton & Company since 2014. As the [Director of Web Development](/the-work/ "Projects our Team development"), she leads a dynamic team of web developers, overseeing the strategic planning, architecture, and implementation of the company’s web services. Her role is pivotal in ensuring that the websites not only meet business objectives but also provide stable, secure, and user-friendly experiences.​

Sonya is committed to integrating emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, to enhance user engagement and drive business growth. Her leadership extends to mentoring team members, managing budgets and resources effectively, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to align web development strategies with the company’s goals.​

Proudly, Sonya is an active member of the Worldwide Women’s Associations (WWA), an organization dedicated to empowering women globally across various sectors. She is also involved with Women in Tech, a community focused on supporting and promoting women in the technology industry. These affiliations reflect her dedication to fostering diversity and innovation in her professional endeavors and within the broader community.​

With over 25 years in web development and technology, Sonya has held roles such as Senior Full-Stack Web Developer, Database Administrator, System Analyst, Intranet Programmer, and Website and CMS Developer. Prior to joining Cotton & Company, she worked for Action Online Technologies, Inc., where she was responsible for creating and deploying websites for clients like Starwood Hotels, Sheraton, Marriott BonVoy, and iHealthspot in the health industry. Her experience also includes developing a classified ad system for a Brazilian newspaper, integrating both printed and online versions. Her expertise spans various industries, including luxury real estate, where she has developed and executed websites for high-end properties, and technology, where she has led digital transformation projects.​

Sonya earned a Bachelor of Mathematics and Science from FURB University in Brazil. She is fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, enabling her to connect with a diverse clientele and collaborate effectively with international professionals.

In her personal time, Sonya enjoys traveling to new destinations, exploring different cultures, and spending quality time with family and friends. She believes in continuous learning and strives to stay updated with the latest web development trends and technological advancements to better serve her clients.​

“Meaning is made in every detail. For all of life, both online and offline, should be made meaningful.”

---

### [Laurie Andrews](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/laurie-andrews/)

**Published:** September 3, 2014
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

A seasoned professional who joined Cotton & Company in 1988, Laurie has specialized in residential real estate marketing and sales for master-planned communities, destination resorts, urban condominiums and mixed-use developments throughout the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, and most recently tripled the sales of the largest developer in Poland.

She manages a passionate and gifted group of creative professionals who provide digital and traditional marketing services including branding, media planning, website development, SEO, SEM, CRM, social networking and comprehensive support services.

---

### [Patrick Knabel](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/patrick-knabel/)

**Published:** February 13, 2017
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Patrick Knabel has dedicated nearly a decade to advancing Cotton & Company’s marketing excellence, bringing more than nine years of proven leadership and innovation to the firm. With a degree in Business Marketing from Fort Lewis College, Patrick began his career in Colorado before relocating to Florida’s Treasure Coast, where he has become a driving force in shaping client success and organizational growth.

Over the years, Patrick has developed deep expertise in strategic planning, brand development, and account leadership—successfully managing and executing comprehensive marketing initiatives for a diverse range of clients. His ability to align creative vision with measurable business objectives has established him as a trusted advisor to both clients and colleagues.

In his current role as Vice President, Patrick focuses on guiding the firm’s long-term marketing strategy, cultivating client partnerships, and spearheading new business development. With a commitment to innovation and growth, he continues to strengthen Cotton & Company’s position as a leader in the industry, while mentoring the next generation of marketing professionals within the organization.

---

### [Ad-Ventures](https://cottonco.com/ad-ventures/)

**Published:** July 25, 2025
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

# RSVP to Cotton & Company’s Open House Career Event

Join us for an open house experience at **Cotton & Company**, where you’ll connect with our award-winning team, explore open roles across departments, and get a firsthand look at life inside one of the nation’s leading real estate marketing agencies. Whether your interest is account management, digital marketing, social media marketing, creative/graphic design, or accounting, you won’t find a better group of people to work with or a better place to work. If you’re interested, please fill out the form below.

This form is currently closed for submissions.

## SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEE PERKS:

### **Retirement Plan:**

Cotton & Company shares a percentage of profits with staff in the form of a cash bonus and 401k distributions.

### **Competitive Pay:**

We offer competitive salaries for all positions.

### **Paid Time Off:**

Paid time off for all major holidays, 10 vacation days per year and 5 sick days.

### **Have Fun:**

There’s always a time for fun at Cotton & Company. The Team Fun committee organizes birthday celebrations, happy hours, luncheons, and seasonal events year-round.

### **Growth Opportunities:**

We invest in your professional growth and development.
We are always happiest to promote from within the organization before searching externally.

### **Health Benefits:**

Health, dental, and vision benefits are available as well as elective supplemental medical benefits.

---

### [Thank You RSVP23](https://cottonco.com/thank-you-rsvp23/)

**Published:** July 28, 2025
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

# You’re In!

Thanks for RSVPing to the Open Door Ad-Venture at Cotton & Company.

We can’t wait to meet you on August 23rd between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. *Our address is 633 SE 5th Street, Stuart, FL 34994.*

You’ll get the chance to tour our space, meet the team, and explore how your skills might fit into our growing agency. Don’t forget to bring your resume!

[Add To Your Calendar](/events/job-expo-aug23.ics "Calendar Reminder")

---

### [Thank You RSVP22](https://cottonco.com/thank-you-rsvp22/)

**Published:** July 25, 2025
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

# You’re In!

Thanks for RSVPing to the Open Door Ad-Venture at Cotton & Company.

We can’t wait to meet you on August 22nd between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. *Our address is 633 SE 5th Street, Stuart, FL 34994.*

You’ll get the chance to tour our space, meet the team, and explore how your skills might fit into our growing agency. Don’t forget to bring your resume!

[Add To Your Calendar](/events/job-expo-aug22.ics "Calendar Reminder")

---

### [Cotton Reception Video](https://cottonco.com/cotton-reception-video/)

**Published:** February 13, 2025
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**



---

### [Site Disclaimer](https://cottonco.com/site-disclaimer/)

**Published:** October 10, 2014
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

# Site Disclaimer – Accessibility Statement

This site is designed for informational purposes only. Cotton & Company does not warrant that the information is in every respect accurate. Cotton & Company is not responsible for errors, omissions, or inaccuracies on its site or the results obtained from use of the information provided herein. Web site users are always encouraged to check and confirm the information with other sources and through direct professional contact.

## Cotton & Company Accessibility Statement

Updated: May 2019.

## General

Cotton & Company strives to ensure that its services are accessible to people with disabilities. Cotton & Company has invested a significant amount of resources to help ensure that its website is made easier to use and more accessible for people with disabilities, with the strong belief that every person has the right to live with dignity, equality, comfort and independence.

## Accessibility on Cotton & Company

Cotton & Company makes available the [UserWay Website Accessibility Widget](https://UserWay.org "Free Website Accessibility Widget") that is powered by a dedicated accessibility server. The software allows Cotton & Company to improve its compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1).

## Enabling the Accessibility Menu

The Cotton & Company accessibility menu can be enabled by clicking the accessibility menu icon that appears on the corner of the page. After triggering the accessibility menu, please wait a moment for the accessibility menu to load in its entirety.

## Disclaimer

Cotton & Company continues its efforts to constantly improve the accessibility of its site and services in the belief that it is our collective moral obligation to allow seamless, accessible and unhindered use also for those of us with disabilities.

Despite our efforts to make all pages and content on Cotton & Company fully accessible, some content may not have yet been fully adapted to the strictest accessibility standards. This may be a result of not having found or identified the most appropriate technological solution.

## Here For You

If you are experiencing difficulty with any content on Cotton & Company or require assistance with any part of our site, please contact us during normal business hours as detailed below and we will be happy to assist.

## Contact Us

If you wish to report an accessibility issue, have any questions or need assistance, please contact Cotton & Company Customer Support as follows:

Email:

---

### [Careers](https://cottonco.com/careers/)

**Published:** July 14, 2021
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

# Join Our Team of Real Estate Marketing Specialists

**Ready for a challenging and rewarding career with a top-rated lifestyle marketing &
advertising agency with a client base that spans the world?**

Founded over 40 years ago, Cotton & Company has represented an impressive roster of luxury residential real estate clients including industry leaders like The Kolter Group, Fontainebleau Development, St. Regis Residences Longboat Key, Property Markets Group, iStar, Blackstone and a variety of residential country club communities.

Located in Stuart, Florida known as the happiest seaside town in the nation, our headquarters is located near the charming downtown with access to the Riverwalk, shopping, and dining. We are always in search of talented, energetic, and creative individuals to join our growing family. Whether your interest is account management, digital marketing, social media marketing, creative/graphic design, or accounting, you won’t find a better group of people to work with or a better place to work. If you’re interested, please send us your resume.

[SEND RESUME](/contact/ "upload your resume to Cotton and Company our contact us page")

## SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEE PERKS:

### **Retirement Plan:**

Cotton & Company shares a percentage of profits with staff in the form of a cash bonus and 401k distributions.

### **Competitive Pay:**

We offer competitive salaries for all positions.

### **Paid Time Off:**

Paid time off for all major holidays, 10 vacation days per year and 5 sick days.

### **Have Fun:**

There’s always a time for fun at Cotton & Company. The Team Fun committee organizes birthday celebrations, happy hours, luncheons, and seasonal events year-round.

### **Growth Opportunities:**

We invest in your professional growth and development.
We are always happiest to promote from within the organization before searching externally.

### **Health Benefits:**

Health, dental, and vision benefits are available as well as elective supplemental medical benefits.

---

### [Digital Links](https://cottonco.com/digital-links/)

**Published:** May 27, 2020
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

# Digital Links

### 2023 BROCHURES

- - [Tributary Community Brochure](https://tributaryliving.com/digital-brochure/ "Tributary Community Brochure")
    - [Tributary E-Brochure](https://tributaryliving.com/e-brochure/ "Tributary E-Brochure")
    - [Tributary E-Magazine](https://tributaryliving.com/e-magazine/ "Tributary E-Magazine")
    - [Lumena Floorplan Brochure](https://lumenafl.com/floorplan-brochure/ "Lumena Floorplan Brochure")
    - [Lumena Temporary Brochure](https://lumenafl.com/brochure/ "Lumena Temporary Brochure")

### 2022 BROCHURES

- - [Peninsula Sarasota Brochure](https://peninsulasarasota.com/digital-brochure/ "Peninsula Sarasota Digital Brochure")
    - [Forbes Year-End Market Perspectives](https://forbes.cottonsolution.com/ "Forbes Year-End Market Perspectives")
    - [Kolter Urban Brochure](https://brochure.kolter.com/kolterurban "Kolter Urban Digital Brochure")
    - [Orchid Island Life on Purpose Brochure](https://orchidislandfl.com/digital-brochure/life-on-purpose/ "Orchid Island Life on Purpose Brochure")
    - [Landing at PGA Waterway Temporary Floorplan Packet](https://landingpgawaterway.cottonsolution.com/download/landing-pg-temp-fp-packet-min.pdf "Landing at PGA Waterway Temporary Floorplan Packet")
    - [Ecclestone Homes Renovation Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/digital-brochure/ecclestone-signature-homes/renovation-brochure/ "Ecclestone Homes Renovation Brochure")
    - [Tributary Community Brochure](https://tributaryliving.com/digital-brochure/ "Tributary Community Brochure")
    - [One Park Sarasota Vision Brochure](https://oneparksarasota.com/brochure/ "One Park Sarasota Vision Brochure")
    - [Willoughby Golf Club Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/digital-brochure/willoughby-golf-club/digital-brochure/ "Willoughby Golf Club Brochure")

### MULTI-MEDIA BROCHURES

- - [Sage Longboat Key Brochure](https://sagelongboatkey.com/sage-digital-brochure/ "Open Sage Longboat Key Digital Brochure")
    - [Coach House Wellington Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/digital-brochure/coachhouse/ "Open The Coach House Digital Brochure")
    - [Kolter – 100 Las Olas Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/digital-brochure/kolter/las-olas "Open Las Olas Digital Brochure")
    - [Orchid Island](https://orchidislandfl.com/digital-brochure/orchid-island/ "Open Orchid Island Digital Brochure")
    - [Harbour Ridge](https://harbourridge.com/harbour-ridge-digital-brochure/ "Open Harbour Ridge Digital Brochure")
    - [BLVD Sarasota Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/digital-brochure/blvd/marketing/brochure/ "Open BLVD Sarasota Brochure")
    - [5000 North Ocean](https://cottonsolution.com/digital-brochure/kolter/5000-north-ocean-ub "Open 5000 North Ocean Brochure")
    - [Moderne Boca](https://cottonsolution.com/digital-brochure/kolter/moderne-boca "Open Modern Boca Digital Brochure")
    - [Water Club North Palm Beach](https://cottonsolution.com/digital-brochure/kolter/water-club-phase-two/ "Open Water Club's Phase Two Brochure")
    - [The Mark Sarasota](https://cottonsolution.com/digital-brochure/kolter/the-mark/ "Open The Mark Sarasota Brochure")
    - [Kolter Brochures](http://www.brochure.kolter.com/)
    - [The Ritz Carlton Residences](https://cottonsolution.com/digital-brochure/kolter/the-ritz-carlton-residences-sarasota "Open The Ritz Carlton Brochure")
    - [Naples Reserve Homebuyers Guide](https://cottonsolution.com/digital-brochure/naples-reserve/naples-reserve-homebuyers-guide/ "Open Naples Reserve Homebuyers Guide")
    - [Marina Grande Daytona](https://cottonsolution.com/digital-brochure/marina-grande "Open Marina Grande")
    - [Cotton Digital Marketing](https://cottondigitalmarketing.com/ "Open Cotton Digital Marketing")
    - [Forbes Year-End Report](https://forbes.cottonsolution.com/ "Open Forbes Year-End Report")

### LIFESTYLE BROCHURES

 - [SeaGlass Lifestyle Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/seaglass/ "Open the Seaglass Lifestyle Brochure")
- [St. Regis Longboat Key](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/srregis/ "Open St Regis Longboat Key Brochure")
- [Ocean Delray](https://oceandelray-full.cottondev.com/downloads/ocean-delray-brochure.pdf "Open the Ocean Delray Brochure")
- [Naples Reserve Lifestyle Brochure](https://naplesreserve.com/lifestyle-Brochure/ "Open Naples Reserve Lifestyle Brochure")
- [100LasOlas Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/digital-brochure/kolter/las-olas/ "Open the Las Olas Digital Brochure")
- [Water Club Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/digital-brochure/kolter/waterclub/ "OPen the Water Club Brochure")
- [Wildcat Ranch Brochure](https://wildcatranchtexas.com/brochure/ "Open Wildcat Ranch Texas Brochure")
- [Boca West Stay & Play Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/digital-brochure/boca-west/stay-and-play-brochure/ "Open Boca West Stay & Play Brochure")
- [Akoya Boca West Digital Brochure](https://akoyabocawest.cottondev.com/digital-brochure/brochure.html "Open Boca West Akoya Brochure")
- [Woodcreek Fate Lifestyle Brochure](https://woodcreekfate.com/downloads/lifestyleBrochure.pdf "Open Woodcreek Brochure")
- [Rivella Digital Brochure](https://rivellafl-full.cottondev.com/digital-brochure/ "Open Rivella Brochure")
- [RiverTown Digital Brochure](https://rivertownfl-new.cottonmgt.com/digital-brochure/digital-brochure.pdf "Open Rivertown Brochure")
- [Harbour Lakes Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/harbourlakes/homebuyers-guide-digital/ "Open Harbour Lakes Homebuyers Guide")
- [PGA Verano Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/pga-verano-brochure/ "Open PGA Verano")
- [Ocean Reef Club Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/ocean-reef-club-brochure/ "Open Ocean Reef Club Brochure")
- [Akoya Boca West Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/akoya-brochure/)
- [Roco Ki Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/roco-ki-brochure/)
- [Grande Dunes Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/grande-dunes-brochure/)
- [Orchid Bay Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/orchid-bay-brochure/)
- [Quail West Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/quail-west-brochure/)
- [Schooner Bay Floorplan Booklet](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/schooner-bay-floorplan-booklet/)
- [VUE Sarasota Bay Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/vue-brochure/)
- [Ocean Reef Club Brochure 2](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/ocean-reef-club-brochure-2/)
- [One Thousand Ocean Invitation](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/one-thousand-ocean-selling-ny-invitation/)
- [Cotton & Company Portfolio Brochure](https://cottonco.com/download/brochure.pdf)
- [Coach House Wellington Lifestyle Brochure](https://cottonsolution.com//portfolio/coachhousewellington/lifestyle-brochure.pdf)

### Custom Published Magazines

- [Boca West Life](https://cottonsolution.com/digital-brochure/boca-west/digital-magazine/)
- [Orchid Island Magazine](http://orchidislandfl.com/digital-magazine/)
- [The Cotton Solution Magazine](http://cottonco.com/cotton-solutions-magazine/)
- [Explore BayHarbor Magazine](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/explorebayharbor/magazine/)
- RiverTown Fresh Water Living Magazine
- [February Point](http://februarypoint.com/digital-magazine/)
- [The Next Wave](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/nextwavepb/digital-magazine/)
- [Naples Unplugged Magazine Vol. 2](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/naples/naplesunplugged-digitalmagazine/)
- [RiverTown Magazine](http://rivertownfl-new.cottonmgt.com/digital-magazine/)
- [SchoonerBayBahamas Magazine](http://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/schoonerbay/magazine/magazine.html)
- [Ocean Reef Magazine](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/oceanreefclub-magazine/)
- [Up and Coming Downtown San Antonio Magazine](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/thealteza/digital-magazine/)
- [Grande Dunes Magazine](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/grande-dunes-magazine/)
- [Dreaming Turks and Caicos Magazine](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/dreaming-turks-and-caicos-magazine/)
- [Emerald Bay Magazine](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/emerald-bay-magazine/)
- [Technomarine – H2O Magazine](https://cottonsolution.com/portfolio/technomarine/h20magazine/)

---

### [Thank You Popup](https://cottonco.com/thank-you-popup/)

**Published:** January 11, 2022
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

We will keep you updated.

---

### [Stephann Cotton](https://cottonco.com/the-agency/stephann-cotton/)

**Published:** September 2, 2014
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

With over 40 years of industry experience, Stephann Cotton has established a solid reputation as a leader in the field of luxury real estate, resort and community development. In 1983 Stephann established Cotton & Company in Stuart, Florida to be able to use his experience and talent to aid clients in achieving sales goals and implementing award-winning marketing campaigns. Cotton & Company is a leading sales and marketing firm, specializing in residential and resort real estate. Over the past 30 years, the firm has represented over 1700 prestigious communities throughout the United States and the Caribbean.

It is Cotton & Company’s commitment to provide in-house services to meet the needs of this fast-paced and ever-changing market. Cotton & Company has implemented data-driven strategies to all client work by creating customized company assets to assist in data management. Cotton & Company also provides professional, in-house services for marketing, media planning and placement, large format digital display printing, public relations, creative and production, web development and interactive marketing.

---

### [Atavist Model](https://cottonco.com/dev/atavist-model/)

**Published:** October 30, 2019
**Author:** developer

---

### [Compendium Thank You](https://cottonco.com/compendium-thank-you/)

**Published:** January 12, 2016
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Thank you for subscribing to The Cotton Compendium.

Be sure to bookmark our address so your copy of our digital e-newsletter doesn’t get lost in your SPAM box. Also, be sure to [follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/CottonandCompany/)!

[Open the Solutions Magazine Digital Version](/cotton-solutions-magazine/ "open the Flipping Magazine")

---

### [Angelene McCullough](https://cottonco.com/the-cotton-agency/angelene-mccullough/)

**Published:** October 6, 2014
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Angelene McCullough, Director of Digital Strategy, at Cotton & Company has been with Cotton & Company for 9 years and has 18 years of experience in SEM with a hyper-focus on digital strategy for luxury real estate developments across the globe. Angelene is Trade Desk Certified, StackAdapt Programmatic Certified, and is a Google Partner with certifications in Mobile Sites, Google Analytics, Google Ads Search, Google Ads Video, Google Ads Display, Google Ads Mobile, and Digital Sales. Angelene’s extensive creative and digital background has been key to overseeing the digital marketing strategies for Cotton & Company clients.

Angelene’s background includes pay-per-click advertising, analytics and strategy, social media and content marketing, creating and executing direct mail, print, DRTV, and radio campaigns; writing, casting, directing, and producing over 70 nationally syndicated television commercials; and planning, executing, and coordinating internet marketing strategies including search engine optimization, PPC advertising, social media optimization, retargeting banner campaigns, link building, email marketing, online press releases, and blog feeds.

Prior to joining Cotton, Angelene was a key player in implementing the advertising-driven marketing model that elevated Liberator Medical Supply, Inc. to be one of the nation’s largest direct-to-consumer urological supplies companies in the United States. As an extremely creative individual, she enjoys painting and crafts and spending time with her three kids every chance she gets.

---

### [Marissa Mastroianni](https://cottonco.com/the-cotton-agency/marissa-mastroianni/)

**Published:** September 4, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

As the Content Marketing Strategist at Cotton & Company, Marissa Mastroianni is responsible for managing the online social presences of our clients. She excels in creating dynamic, engaging and effective social media campaigns that creatively and seamlessly integrate with clients’ overall marketing strategies and goals. Marissa also manages the Public Relations department to ensure our clients’ marketing message is spread through credible third party media sources.

Before joining Cotton, Marissa worked at the New York headquarters of MS&L Group Americas in the consumer practice division. There she worked on PR and social campaigns for Proctor & Gamble’s Swiffer and Mr. Clean brands, as well as PUMA.

Quote from Marissa:
“Word of mouth has always been one of the strongest forms of marketing. Today, WOM is happening online every minute. Your consumers are sharing information and talking about your products online. We want to make sure your brand has a voice in this conversation.”

---

### [Alexis Saez](https://cottonco.com/the-cotton-agency/alexis-renee-saez/)

**Published:** April 5, 2019
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Alexis Saez is the Digital Production Manager at Cotton & Company. Alexis’ daily focuses are collaborating with the web development team, email marketing, social content and daily digital marketing efforts. Alexis is an Indian River State College graduate where she received an Associates Degree and technician certificates in drafting and design. As someone who enjoys learning, Alexis is motivated by always aspiring to be the best she can be at whatever task comes her way. Alexis enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time boating with friends.

---

### [The Cotton Agency](https://cottonco.com/the-cotton-agency/)

**Published:** May 17, 2022
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

- Cotton & Company, a real estate advertising agency maintains a laser focus on real estate sales and marketing.

- We empower real estate sales success worldwide including more than 1,700 properties.

- We combine four decades of real estate expertise with today’s most innovative digital strategies.

- We don’t just talk a good game, we execute – on time, on budget and on target!

[Let’s talk >](/contact/ "Click here to check how to contact us")

---

### [Cotton Holiday Greetings 2021](https://cottonco.com/cotton-holiday-greetings-2021/)

**Published:** December 13, 2021
**Author:** developer

**Content:**



---

### [Thank You Cotton Brochure](https://cottonco.com/thank-you-cotton-brochure/)

**Published:** June 29, 2017
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Thank you for requesting our Digital Brochure. Please be sure to [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/CottonandCompany/) to stay up to date on the latest real estate news and industry trends.

[Open the Ultimate Guide Now](https://cottondigitalmarketing.com/)

---

### [Cotton Holiday Greetings 2020](https://cottonco.com/cotton-holiday-greetings-2020/)

**Published:** December 21, 2020
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

# Cotton Holiday Greetings 2020

---

### [Archives](https://cottonco.com/archives/)

**Published:** July 14, 2014
**Author:** developer

---

### [Contact](https://cottonco.com/contact/)

**Published:** June 9, 2014
**Author:** developer

---

### [News](https://cottonco.com/news/)

**Published:** June 9, 2014
**Author:** developer

---

### [International Real Estate](https://cottonco.com/the-work/international/)

**Published:** July 10, 2014
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Cotton & Company is an International Real Estate Advertising Agency specializing in digital and traditional marketing. International Real Estate requires focused expertise to fully understand the challenges and opportunities for sales success. Cotton & Company utilizes innovative strategies to develop aggressive internet-based marketing initiatives that result in increased site visits and sales success.

---

### [Marina](https://cottonco.com/the-work/marina/)

**Published:** July 10, 2014
**Author:** developer

---

### [Private Clubs](https://cottonco.com/the-work/private-clubs/)

**Published:** July 10, 2014
**Author:** developer

---

### [Master-Planned](https://cottonco.com/the-work/master-planned/)

**Published:** July 10, 2014
**Author:** developer

---

### [Condominiums](https://cottonco.com/the-work/condominiums/)

**Published:** July 10, 2014
**Author:** developer

---

### [Corporate](https://cottonco.com/the-work/corporate/)

**Published:** July 10, 2014
**Author:** developer

---

### [Online Brochure](https://cottonco.com/online-brochure/)

**Published:** June 29, 2017
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

# Is Your Website Delivering Qualified
Real Estate Leads?

Turn your real estate website into a lead driving machine with a digital marketing strategy from Cotton & Company. With over 40 years of experience hyper-focused on marketing and sales for the luxury real estate industry, Cotton & Company is unmatched in driving bottom-line results for global real estate developers, country club communities, asset managers, regional home builders and more. Over the past four decades, the Agency has grown and perfected a digital services platform to pair its strengths in real estate marketing with the ever-changing technological advances of the world wide web.

The Ultimate Guide to Performance-Driven Marketing is the first step in turning your websiteinto an AI machine that delivers!

[Get the Ultimate Guide Now](#guide)

---

### [Luxury Real Estate Marketing Q&A](https://cottonco.com/faq/)

**Published:** December 29, 2025
**Author:** Lisandra

**Content:**

# Luxury Real Estate Marketing Q&A 

Last updated: 12/29/2025

## What is Cotton & Company and who do you work with?

Cotton & Company is a nationally recognized luxury real estate marketing and advertising agency specializing exclusively in luxury real estate development and private club communities. Founded in 1983, the firm serves as a strategic marketing partner and extension of the development and sales team from concept through sellout. Cotton works with leading developers, capital partners, and landowners on some of the most complex and high-profile residential, resort, and mixed-use projects in Florida and select markets across the United States and internationally.

Cotton & Company has been entrusted by developers such as [Kolter](https://kolter.com "learn about kolter"), [Property Markets Group (PMG)](https://propertymg.com/ "Learn more about Property Markets Group (PMG)"), [Barron Collier Companies](http://www.barroncollier.com/ "Learn More Barron Collier Companies"), [Fontainebleau Development](https://www.fbdev.com/ "Learn More Fontainebleau Development"), [Golub & Company](https://golubandcompany.com/ "Learn more about Golub & Compan"), [BTI Partners](https://btipartners.com/ "learn about BTI Partners"), [GreenPointe Developers](https://greenpointellc.com/ "Learn about Greenpoint developers"), [Forest Development](https://forestdevelopment.com/ "learn about Forest Development"), [Forté Development](https://fortedevelopmentus.com/ "Learn more about Forté Development"), and The Lutgert Companies. These long-standing relationships reflect a reputation built on trust, execution, and consistent results in highly competitive luxury markets.

## What types of real estate projects does Cotton & Company specialize in?

Cotton & Company specializes in complex, high-value developments where branding, positioning, timing, and sales strategy directly impact financial performance. Core project types include:

- [High-rise luxury condominiums](/the-work/condominiums/ "See out Condominium Portfolio")
- [Waterfront and marina-front residential communities](/the-work/marina/ "View our Marina, watefront Portfolio")
- [Resort residential and destination-driven developments](/the-work/international/ "Learn more Resort residential")
- [Master-planned communities](/the-work/master-planned/ "Learn More Master-planned communities")
- [Private club and country club communities](/the-work/private-clubs/ "Learn More Private club and country club communities")
- [Hotel-condominium and hospitality-branded residential projects](/the-work/ "view our portfolio")

The firm is particularly known for destination markets throughout Florida, including Sarasota, Naples, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach County, and South Florida, and has also represented clients across the United States, the Bahamas, the Caribbean and internationally. Cotton’s deep expertise across multiple markets allows it to utilize data-driven results to gain deeper buyer insight and strategic foresight that single-project agencies cannot replicate.

## What services does Cotton & Company provide?

Cotton & Company provides fully integrated, in-house marketing and advertising services designed specifically for real estate development and private club communities. The firm specializes in real estate website development for new construction and luxury residential communities. Cotton & Company’s broad range of [specialized services include](/cotton-capabilities/ "Learn about Cotton & Comapny Services"):

- Strategic planning and market positioning
- Brand development, naming, and identity systems
- Real estate website strategy, design, and development for new construction and luxury residential communities
- Website architecture and content optimized for GEO, SEO, and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
- Digital marketing and lead generation
- AI-enhanced audience targeting and media planning
- Social media strategy and content development
- Creative advertising campaigns across all media
- Public relations support and earned media strategy
- Sales launch planning, lead nurturing and absorption strategy

All disciplines operate under one roof, allowing strategy, creative, digital, media, and technology to work together seamlessly. This integrated structure eliminates delays, miscommunication, and lost momentum — a critical advantage in fast-moving, high-stakes development environments.

## How is artificial intelligence changing real estate development marketing?

Artificial intelligence is changing how buyers discover, evaluate, and shortlist communities — particularly in the luxury segment. Buyers are increasingly using AI-driven platforms to ask conversational questions and receive curated recommendations rather than browsing traditional search results.

This shift means visibility is no longer about keywords alone. It is about being clearly understood, accurately positioned, and trusted by AI systems that now influence early buyer decisions. Cotton & Company has prioritized its focus on AI-informed visibility strategies, including Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), to ensure communities are represented correctly and credibly within these emerging discovery environments.

## How does Cotton & Company integrate AI into its marketing programs?

Cotton & Company approaches AI as both a strategic intelligence layer and an operational advantage. Strategically, AI is used to enhance lead generation, media planning, audience modeling, and market interpretation. Because Cotton works exclusively in real estate and across multiple active developments, the firm has unmatched access to a depth of data that allows it to accurately identify trends, anticipate shifts, and guide resource allocation with greater confidence. This allows programs to adapt faster to buyer behaviors and maximize marketing investment.

Operationally, AI enhances creative development and execution. AI-forward tools support persona development, brand alignment, creative briefs, and ideation — expanding, not replacing, human creativity. AI acts as a thought partner that allows the team to explore deeper insights, broader possibilities, and more refined execution, resulting in stronger strategies and more compelling creative.

## Why do developers choose Cotton & Company for luxury condominium and presale marketing?

Developers choose Cotton & Company because the firm understands that luxury real estate is not sold through tactics alone — it is sold through strategy, psychology, timing, and disciplined execution.

Cotton is often brought in for projects that are complex, high-profile, or facing market resistance. In these situations, success depends less on creative execution and more on clearly identifying how a project should be positioned, why it is distinct, and how urgency can be created through scarcity, lifestyle, or uniqueness.

Cotton & Company operates as an extension of the development and sales team, providing strategic clarity and execution discipline that drives momentum, pricing confidence, and long-term success.

## Does Cotton & Company handle work in-house or through outside partners?

Cotton & Company manages all core disciplines in-house, including strategy, creative, digital, website development, media planning, and AI-informed initiatives. This structure exists by design.

Luxury real estate marketing requires precise coordination and timing. When strategy, creative, digital, and media are fragmented across vendors, execution slows and opportunities are missed. By housing these capabilities internally, Cotton ensures that nothing is lost in handoff and that programs can move quickly from decision to execution.

Outside partners are engaged for highly specialized expertise such as 3D renderings or lifestyle photography, never for core strategic or executional functions.

## How does Cotton & Company approach budgets and financial performance?

Cotton & Company does not view budgets in isolation — the firm understands development proformas and the specific role marketing plays in achieving a successful sellout. With over 1,700 successful projects, Cotton has produced and managed more real estate marketing budgets than nearly any firm in the industry. That experience allows the team to anticipate costs that are often overlooked, allocate resources appropriately by development phase, and avoid the common scenario of projects becoming over budget and underfunded late in the cycle.

Budgets are treated as strategic roadmaps, not static approvals. Programs are actively managed and refined on a monthly basis, using performance data to reallocate resources intelligently and maintain discipline. Cotton operates as a true partner in this process, aligned with development proformas, capital structures, and investor expectations, ensuring accountability, predictability, and a focus on the investment ROI.

## What makes Cotton & Company different from other real estate marketing agencies?

Many agencies focus on individual disciplines or creative output. Cotton & Company focuses on outcomes. The firm is known for:

- Deep specialization in luxury real estate development
- The ability to execute complex, multi-channel programs
- Speed to market and disciplined execution
- Budget accountability tied to development performance
- Long-term relationships with repeat developer clients

Cotton’s success is measured by absorption, sellouts, and developers moving forward with confidence — not by awards or trends.

## When should a developer engage Cotton & Company?

The firm is frequently engaged when timing is critical, complexity is high, or clarity is needed to unlock momentum. Cotton & Company can be engaged at any stage of the development lifecycle, including:

- Early concept and market positioning
- Brand creation and website development
- Presale and launch strategy
- Midstream repositioning or absorption acceleration
- Post-sellout lifestyle and resale support
- Long-term, multi-project portfolio strategy

## Is Cotton & Company a traditional advertising agency, a digital media firm or a strategic partner?

Cotton & Company operates as a strategic partner, not a traditional agency of record. While the firm provides full-service marketing capabilities with a deep focus on digital media integration, its core value lies in strategic intelligence, execution discipline, and accountability.

Cotton helps developers navigate market cycles, buyer behavior shifts, and emerging technologies with clarity and confidence — ensuring that strategy, creativity, and execution work together to drive real results.

## Who are some of Cotton & Company’s most high-profile clients and brands?

Cotton & Company has worked with many of the most respected names in luxury real estate development and hospitality, including both iconic residential projects and globally recognized hotel and resort brands. Hospitality-branded residential and resort communities clients include The [Ritz-Carlton Residences, Sarasota Bay](https://www.theresidencessarasotabay.com/ "Learn more about Ritz-Carlton Residences, Sarasota Bay") and the St. Regis Longboat Key, as well as collaborations with many other leading hospitality brands such as Waldorf Astoria, Four Seasons, Westin and Hyatt Hotels through residential, resort, and mixed-use development assignments.

These relationships go beyond brand recognition — they reflect Cotton & Company’s deep understanding of luxury buyer expectations, service culture, and the operational precision required to position high-value, hospitality-driven residential experiences.

Across multiple markets, Cotton & Company has also helped developers achieve record-setting and history-making price points, successfully repositioning communities to fully leverage unique attributes such as location, design, lifestyle, and scarcity. This ability to elevate perception and unlock value is a key reason developers engage Cotton for their most visible and complex projects.

## Why is Cotton & Company uniquely positioned to market private club and country club communities?

Cotton & Company has a long-standing and specialized expertise in private club marketing and lifestyle positioning, often working with these communities before, during, and after developer sellout. In many cases, once a developer exits a private club community, there is no longer a dedicated marketing voice supporting the lifestyle, membership value, and real estate narrative. Traditional real estate marketing alone often fails to capture the unique balance between membership investment, lifestyle benefits, and long-term property value that defines successful private clubs.

Cotton & Company understands this dynamic deeply. The firm has worked with some of the world’s most prestigious private clubs, including [Boca West](https://bocawest.com "Learn about boca west"), Ocean Reef Club, The Bear’s Club, Isleworth, Lost Tree, Bay Harbor and many more. By aligning club lifestyle storytelling with thoughtful real estate positioning, Cotton helps private communities:

- Sustain and grow membership demand
- Support real estate sales through an appreciation for the community lifestyle
- Enhance resale pricing and long-term property values
- Provide clarity and confidence to brokers and real estate professionals
- Work with club governance to provide funding mechanism for ongoing marketing requirements

This specialized knowledge allows Cotton & Company to create efficient, ongoing marketing programs that serve both homeowners and the broader community — a capability few firms truly understand or execute well.

## How is marketing for a high-rise condominium development different from traditional real estate marketing?

[High-rise condominium marketing](/confidence-is-the-catalyst-how-high-rise-condominium-developments-build-momentum-before-they-rise/ "Read the article about High-rise condominium marketing") is fundamentally different from traditional real estate marketing because it must support the entire development lifecycle, not just immediate sales.Unlike finished homes or existing buildings, high-rise developments must build confidence long before construction begins. Marketing plays a critical role in generating early momentum, aligning buyer psychology with development milestones, and supporting lender requirements tied to pre-sales and absorption. This requires disciplined positioning, phased messaging, and long-term lead nurturing — not short-term promotional tactics.

As construction progresses, marketing must evolve to reinforce visible signals of momentum, convert previously hesitant buyers, and maintain credibility as new competitors enter the market. By the time a high-rise approaches completion, strategy shifts again to address buyers who prioritize certainty of delivery and immediacy.

Successful high-rise marketing is not about volume or speed alone. It is about sequencing confidence, managing risk perception, and sustaining demand across multiple buyer segments over time. This is why experience matters — and why high-rise development marketing requires a specialized approach distinct from traditional residential or brokerage-focused campaigns.

---


## Works

### [Naples Reserve](https://cottonco.com/works/naples-reserve/)

**Published:** June 13, 2017
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Naples Reserve is a 688-acre master-planned community located between Naples and Marco Island in Southwest Florida. From the outset, the development faced significant marketing challenges due to its inland position in South Naples—an area with no natural traffic flow or drive-by visibility. Despite offering 11 distinct lakefront neighborhoods, the community was hidden behind a low-profile entrance, resulting in minimal on-site activity and low awareness among prospective buyers. Following an underwhelming market introduction, builders struggled to gain presale traction. Although homes were competitively priced—from the low $300,000s to over $1 million—the location’s remoteness also resulted in limited support from the local real estate broker community.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Active Adult Advertising, Active Adult Community, Active Adult Marketing, iStar, Master Planned Community, new home community

---

### [5000 North Ocean](https://cottonco.com/works/5000-north-ocean/)

**Published:** April 1, 2018
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Kolter Urban’s first oceanfront project on Singer Island in The Palm Beaches. 48 Ultra-luxe residences in a 19-story tower overlooking the Atlantic and the Intracoastal Waterway. The expansive residences maximize the waterfront views, including dramatic multi-level residences at the upper floors of the building.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** 5000 North OCean, Kolter, Oceanfront Condo, Singer Island, The Palm Beaches, Website Development

---

### [Sage Longboat Key](https://cottonco.com/works/sage-longboat-key/)

**Published:** August 31, 2021
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Property Markets Group together with Floridays Development secured 3.4 acres beachfront site of Sun ‘n’ Sea Cottages & Apartments to develop the residences at Sage Longboat Key. The four-story luxury condominium development will contain 16 private residences offering 3 bedrooms/ three and a half baths with floor plans ranging from 4,100 to 4,300 square feet. Each residence will be delivered fully finished with 12-foot ceilings, 8-foot Italian entry doors, floor-to-ceiling windows, marble and wood flooring, Italian cabinetry and private elevators. Four penthouses overlooking the beach will offer private rooftop terraces and infinity-edge plunge pools.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Recent, Show All

---

### [BLVD Sarasota](https://cottonco.com/works/blvd-sarasota/)

**Published:** April 2, 2018
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

BLVD Sarasota is an 18-story tower constructed in 2019-2020 by Core Development. The luxury property showcases panoramic waterfront and city views from truly expansive private terraces. Priced from $1.8 Million.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** new Condo marketing, Website Development

---

### [RiverTown Florida](https://cottonco.com/works/rivertown-florida/)

**Published:** November 19, 2018
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

RiverTown is a master-planned community that was acquired by Mattamy Homes and is located in St. Johns, FL. This major project encompasses a vast area of land situated along the banks of the St. Johns River. RiverTown is one of the marquee developments in the North Florida housing market.

**Work Categories:** Master Planned, Show All

**Work Tags:** RiverTown, RiverTown cotton and company, RiverTown Florida, RiverTown Florida cotton, RiverTown marketing

---

### [Coach House Wellington](https://cottonco.com/works/coach-house-wellington/)

**Published:** January 24, 2019
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

As the global epicenter of the equestrian community, Wellington, Florida plays host to the highest level of equestrian competition. Long-time resident Neil Hirsch was the visionary behind transforming The Players Club restaurant into the site of Wellington’s first luxury condominium.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Show All

---

### [GT USA](https://cottonco.com/works/gt-usa/)

**Published:** June 23, 2021
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Building upon a legacy of real estate development success in Canada, GT USA represents a partnership between two of Canada’s most prolific homebuilders, Greenpark Group and Treasure Hill. GT USA is currently developing several projects throughout Florida and continues to seek new development opportunities. The firm is actively acquiring development parcels of land throughout the Sunshine State, with initial acquisitions in Orlando, Miami Lakes, Pompano Beach, and St. Lucie County. With record-breaking development deals already completed in Central Florida, the firm is on track to becoming an industry leader in the Florida market.

**Work Categories:** Corporate, Show All

---

### [Forbes Global Properties](https://cottonco.com/works/forbes-global-properties/)

**Published:** February 24, 2023
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Forbes Global Properties is the exclusive luxury real estate partner of Forbes publishing, one of the world’s most trusted media brands. Integrated into Forbes.com as its residential real estate arm, Forbes Global Properties introduces discerning buyers, sellers, and real estate aficionados to a curated collection of coveted properties and the experienced brokers that represent them.

**Work Categories:** Corporate, Recent, Show All

---

### [Landing at PGA Waterway](https://cottonco.com/works/landing-at-pga-waterway/)

**Published:** February 24, 2023
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Landing at PGA Waterway was a luxury marina-front residential community featuring 850 feet of Intracoastal Waterway footage in the heart of Palm Beach County. Developed by Catalfumo Companies, this exclusive gated enclave was designed to provide residents with an exceptionally serviced lifestyle, resort-style amenities, top-of-the-line finishes, cutting-edge technology, and the luxury of waterfront living in Palm Beach Gardens.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Landing at PGA Waterway

---

### [Tesoro Club](https://cottonco.com/works/tesoro-club/)

**Published:** March 1, 2023
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Tesoro Club is the rebirth of a premier gated golf & country club community in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Originally developed by Bobby Ginn more than 15 years earlier, the community had been lacking focused leadership and an operating Club. The stagnant community was well-known throughout the area for its past failures, requiring a major rebranding and relaunch. The visionary new ownership team, led by Tim Jones, Roderick O’Connor and Tucker Frederickson, have reimagined the Tesoro Club lifestyle creating new real estate and membership opportunities.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Private Clubs, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Tesoro Club

---

### [Peninsula Sarasota](https://cottonco.com/works/peninsula-sarasota/)

**Published:** March 2, 2023
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Located on Golden Gate Point, near Downtown Sarasota, Peninsula Sarasota is an intimate community of just 23 luxury condominiums. Built in two separate buildings, residences are limited to one or two per floor throughout the community. The luxury residences are a joint venture between Coastal Luxury Homes and Gault Family Companies and range from 2,400 to 3,068 square feet of living space. Each residence enjoys the corner view position and access to a shared amenity deck and rooftop Resident’s Lounge.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Peninsula Sarasota, Sarasota Luxury Condos

---

### [Bayso](https://cottonco.com/works/bayso/)

**Published:** April 18, 2023
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Bayso is Kolter Urban’s fourth luxury condominium in the Downtown Sarasota market. The 18-story Bayso will contain 149 private residences, offering 11 two- and three-bedroom plus den floor plans ranging from 1,600 to over 2,600 square feet, and seven penthouse floor plans ranging from 2,500 square feet to about 4,000 square feet. The project is located within The Quay waterfront multi-use community by GreenPointe Developers.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Recent, Show All

---

### [SeaGlass](https://cottonco.com/works/seaglass-jupiter-island/)

**Published:** August 9, 2023
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Fontainebleau Development in conjunction with Perko Development Partners executed a stunning acquisition of a prime oceanfront parcel on Jupiter Island, Florida. Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway, SeaGlass captivates the imagination with its sleek contemporary architecture. These 21 discerning residences will deliver uncompromising luxury in a gated sanctuary, surrounded by Jupiter Island’s pristine natural environment.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Show All

**Work Tags:** SeaGlass, SeaGlass Cotton and Company, SeaGlass Jupiter Island, SeaGlass marketing

---

### [Solana Bay](https://cottonco.com/works/solana-bay/)

**Published:** July 2, 2024
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Solana Bay Miami Residences is a mid-rise condominium project located along Biscayne Bay overlooking the coveted residential enclaves of Keystone, Bay Harbor Islands, Bal Harbour and Indian Creek. Solana Bay is a 10-story boutique design features a limited collection of 52 waterfront residences. The partnership of Kolter Urban and BH Group have chosen Arquitectonica and Avenue interior design as the architect and lead interior design firm. Cotton & Company’s marketing, design, web development and digital marketing services support the Douglas Elliman Development Marketing sales effort.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Show All

---

### [Palma del Lago](https://cottonco.com/works/palma-del-lago/)

**Published:** June 5, 2025
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Palma del Lago is a boutique lakefront community offering a rare opportunity for new construction in the heart of Miami Lakes. Developed by GT USA—this exclusive enclave is thoughtfully designed for modern families seeking elevated living. Nestled within a well-established neighborhood, Palma del Lago blends contemporary luxury with the timeless charm and tradition that define the Miami Lakes lifestyle.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Recent, Show All

---

### [Forté Luxe](https://cottonco.com/works/forte-luxe/)

**Published:** June 6, 2025
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Forté Luxe is the first luxury waterfront townhome community established along the Intracoastal Waterway near Jupiter Island in Martin County. Situated on a distinctive peninsula, this boutique enclave offers multi-level townhomes surrounded on three sides by water. Contemporary architecture, premium lifestyle amenities, and sweeping views of Jupiter’s famed clear-blue waters come together to define an exceptional coastal living experience.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Marina, Recent, Show All

---

### [The Dillon Buckhead](https://cottonco.com/works/the-dillon-buckhead/)

**Published:** June 6, 2025
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

As Kolter Urban’s second luxury condominium offering in the Buckhead Atlanta market, The Dillon Buckhead presents a contemporary interpretation of Southern hospitality and gracious high-rise living. Scheduled for delivery in Fall 2025, this 18-story tower blends refined neoclassical architecture with industrial-chic detailing, creating a sophisticated new presence along Peachtree Road. The building features 144 private residences, each offering sweeping views of either the Atlanta skyline or Buckhead Village. An elevated amenity deck includes a private dog park, pickleball court, and social gathering spaces, while a host of resort-style amenities and a modern co-working lounge combine to deliver an exceptional standard of luxury and convenience.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Condominium, Fort Lauderdale, Kolter Urban, Luxury Tower, New Condos

---

### [Cresswind Palm Beach](https://cottonco.com/works/cresswind-palm-beach/)

**Published:** July 21, 2025
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

55+ Active Adult Living never looked so good. Cresswind Palm Beach is a premier master-planned lifestyle community by Kolter Homes, designed to offer an active and vibrant lifestyle with exclusive access to a wide range of resort-style amenities. The community is located within Westlake, Florida, a diverse new town comprised of sprawling neighborhoods by multiple new home builders. Kolter Homes distinguishes its offering through personalization, allowing buyers to design homes built with Kolter’s trusted craftsmanship and attention to detail. The community balances serene, low-maintenance living with an enviable Palm Beach County address.

**Work Categories:** Master Planned, Show All

**Work Tags:** Ad Agency, New Community Marketing

---

### [Hideaway Beach Club](https://cottonco.com/works/hideaway-beach-club/)

**Published:** July 24, 2025
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Ideally located on the northern tip of Marco Island, Hideaway Beach Club is a private, gated community that offers an unparalleled blend of coastal luxury and natural tranquility. Surrounded by white sand beaches, lush tropical landscapes, and panoramic Gulf views, this exclusive enclave is a hidden gem on Florida’s Paradise Coast. The community is home to an impressive array of beachfront estates, golf course residences, and elegantly appointed condominiums, each designed to complement the area’s pristine setting. At the heart of the Hideaway Beach lifestyle is a vibrant private club experience, where residents enjoy an engaging social calendar and resort-style amenities.

**Work Categories:** Master Planned, Private Clubs, Show All

---

### [BallenIsles](https://cottonco.com/works/ballenisles/)

**Published:** August 11, 2014
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

A private country club community with 1,575 residences in 33 distinctive neighborhoods, located on 1,300 acres in the heart of Palm Beach Gardens.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Private Clubs, Show All

**Work Tags:** Private Club, Website Development

---

### [Orchid Island](https://cottonco.com/works/orchid-island/)

**Published:** January 13, 2020
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

This unique ocean-to-Intracoastal private club community is located just north of Vero Beach on Florida’s east coast. A private ocean club, golf course and fitness center are cherished amenities in this West Indies styled community named an Audubon nature sanctuary.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Private Clubs, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Club Membership Marketing, Oceanfront Condos, Private Club Community

---

### [Schooner Bay](https://cottonco.com/works/schooner-bay-bahamas/)

**Published:** October 21, 2014
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Schooner Bay is 75 miles from Nassau and 185 miles from South Florida on the pristine beaches of Great Abaco. It is a uniquely planned, authentic harbor village where traditional architecture, sustainability and a true island lifestyle are recreated through thoughtful planning and design.

**Work Categories:** International, Marina, Master Planned, Recent, Show All, The Clients

**Work Tags:** Bahamas Resort, Destination Real Estate, Website Development

---

### [Wildcat Ranch Texas](https://cottonco.com/works/wildcat-ranch-texas/)

**Published:** June 14, 2017
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Wildcat Ranch is a master-planned community located Southwest of the Dallas metroplex in Crandall, Texas. The developer was a pioneer in opening a new destination, with Wildcat Ranch being the first residential community in the area. The 900-acre community includes plans for 3,100 single family homes, a roster of resort-style amenities, a dog park, and includes an on-site school. Three national builders are offering a wide range of homes, priced from the $200s.

**Work Categories:** Master Planned, Show All

**Work Tags:** Crandall, Texas, Wildcat Ranch

---

### [Quail Ridge](https://cottonco.com/works/quail-ridge/)

**Published:** November 19, 2018
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Quail Ridge Golf & Country Club is a long-established, private member-owned club community in Boynton Beach, Florida, recognized for its championship golf tradition and legacy as the former home club of Sam Snead. The community combines an intimate residential environment with a highly regarded golf program, offering members a gated lifestyle anchored by sport, social connection, and club-driven amenities within a luxury residential real estate environment.
 
Following a series of significant capital investments, Quail Ridge undertook a comprehensive evolution of the club experience. Enhancements included expanded indoor-outdoor dining venues, a redesigned clubhouse environment, a robust pickleball program, and a renewed emphasis on health, wellness, and active living. These investments positioned the club to appeal to a new generation of buyers while preserving its heritage as a premier golf community in South Florida.
 
Quail Ridge operates with an established internal marketing and membership team focused on stewarding the club’s brand, culture, and long-term member experience. Cotton & Company was engaged to complement this internal structure—providing specialized expertise in lifestyle positioning, market expansion, and advanced digital strategy to support the club’s broader initiatives and ensure its residential messaging aligned with the scale and direction of the community’s ongoing evolution.

**Work Categories:** Private Clubs, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Quail Ridge, Quail Ridge cotton, Quail Ridge cotton and company, Quail Ridge marketing

---

### [Adagio Sarasota](https://cottonco.com/works/adagio-sarasota/)

**Published:** July 24, 2025
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Adagio Sarasota is a luxury condominium development designed by internationally recognized architect Kobi Karp, set to rise on prestigious Palm Avenue in the heart of downtown Sarasota. The project marks the first joint venture between three of Florida’s most distinguished development firms—The Lutgert Companies, Barron Collier Companies, and R&P Holdings—each bringing decades of expertise in high-end residential and mixed-use development. Strategically positioned in one of Florida’s most competitive coastal markets, Adagio Sarasota represents a thoughtful expansion aimed at delivering a refined urban living experience tailored to today’s affluent and design-conscious buyer. The development will balance timeless architectural expression with modern luxury, aligning with the expectations of a sophisticated downtown clientele.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Recent, Show All

---

### [1000 Boulevard of the Arts](https://cottonco.com/works/1000-boulevard-of-the-arts/)

**Published:** January 23, 2026
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

[1000 Boulevard of the Arts](https://live1000.com "Learn more about live1000") is a new private bayfront condominium community located within Sarasota’s Quay Waterfront District, an evolving urban waterfront neighborhood anchored by cultural venues, public green space, marina activity, and hospitality-driven development. The project will comprise 117 residences within a contemporary high-rise tower integrated with the Hyatt Centric® Harborside hotel, introducing a dynamic blend of private residential living and urban waterfront energy.

The residential offering is organized around 17 distinct floor plans across two defined product series—the Bay Series and the Harbor Series—each thoughtfully designed to maximize views, light, and connection to the surrounding environment. Residences are oriented to capture expansive sightlines over Sarasota Bay, The Bay Sarasota park, and Quay Harbor, with layouts emphasizing open great rooms, wide terraces, and floor-to-ceiling glass that reinforces indoor–outdoor living. This approach reflects a deliberate development strategy where view corridors and location serve as primary drivers of value and livability.

Situated along the Boulevard of the Arts, the community benefits from immediate proximity to Sarasota’s Arts & Culture District, waterfront promenades, marina dining, and downtown Sarasota’s walkable core. The location attracts residents drawn to an active, socially engaging lifestyle shaped by movement, culture, and daily interaction with the city’s evolving waterfront—positioning the surrounding district itself as a defining amenity for the residences.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Show All

---

### [Glynlea Country Club](https://cottonco.com/works/glynlea-country-club/)

**Published:** July 2, 2025
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

As one of Florida’s foremost residential developers, GreenPointe Developers has established a strong track record for delivering high-quality, master-planned communities across the state. Located on 560 acres in Port St. Lucie, Glynlea represents a modern reimagining of the traditional country club community. With a focus on lifestyle-driven amenities, contemporary design, and multigenerational appeal, the project is positioned to set a new standard for private club living on Florida’s East Coast. Glynlea represents the next-generation of Florida golf and country club master planned community design.

**Work Categories:** Master Planned, Recent, Show All, The Clients

---

### [Storie](https://cottonco.com/works/storie/)

**Published:** January 5, 2026
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Otto ‘Buz’ DiVosta, owning over 4,000 acres west of I-95 in south Martin County, has long sought governmental approvals for a project that was stalled amid bureaucratic processes, even as similar developments advanced. This expansive tract, currently underutilized cattle land, holds potential for transformation into parks, public services, and housing. However, realizing Buz DiVosta’s vision requires innovative thinking and a refined strategic plan. Drawing inspiration from the New Urbanism movement, which champions community and environmental stewardship, Storie aims to be a self-sustaining destination where residents can live, work, and play. Beyond the living experience for residents, Storie’s plan offers sports fields, playgrounds, dog parks, and a splash park for broader public enjoyment. Unique to this project is a strong commitment to environmental conservation, with 64% of the area preserved as natural habitats and a significant initiative to clean up to 500 million gallons of water annually. This will not only protect the local wetlands but also prevent pollution from Lake Okeechobee from reaching the St. Lucie River, benefiting the entire county.

**Work Categories:** Master Planned, Recent, Show All, The Clients

---

### [The Island at West Bay](https://cottonco.com/works/the-island-at-west-bay/)

**Published:** April 6, 2023
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The Island at West Bay is the first new condominium tower in Estero, Florida in over a decade, and the final neighborhood to be developed within the master-planned gated community of West Bay Club. This 24-story tower will feature 86 luxurious 3- to 4-bedroom residences, each offering spectacular views of Estero Bay and the Gulf of Mexico in the distance. West Bay Hill’s, a subsidiary of Indian Hill Partners, primary goal is to be the best-in-class offering in keeping with the standard set at its Calusa Pines Golf Club. Cotton & Company provided comprehensive marketing services including brand development, web development, social media and lead generation for the presale launch in 2022.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** The Island at West Bay

---

### [One Park Sarasota](https://cottonco.com/works/one-park-sarasota/)

**Published:** June 28, 2022
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

One Park Sarasota is an 18-story high-rise condominium tower located in downtown Sarasota’s Waterfront District, Quay Sarasota. The 123-unit property features 2-, 3- & 5-bedroom plans and a dedicated 63,000 sq. ft. amenity level. One Park was developed jointly by PMG Development and MoneyShow, designed by Hoyt Architects with sales operated by Coldwell Banker Realty.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** One Park Sarasota

---

### [Tributary](https://cottonco.com/works/tributary/)

**Published:** March 27, 2020
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Tributary is Greenpointe Developers’ newest master-planned community in Nassau County, Florida. This major PUD will encompass more than 1,550 acres of land surrounded by 4 Creeks State Forest. The previously undeveloped region will be the first major community west of I-95 in this growing market north of Jacksonville, Florida.

**Work Categories:** Master Planned, Recent, Show All, The Clients

---

### [Wylder](https://cottonco.com/works/live-wylder/)

**Published:** May 1, 2023
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

GreenPointe Developers will build upon its trusted reputation for exceptional master-planned communities along the east coast of Florida with the arrival of Wylder. This 1,970-acre community in Port St Lucie will feature breathtaking natural beauty and offer a broad spectrum of residences and lifestyle amenities for every age and stage of life.

**Work Categories:** Master Planned, Recent, Show All, The Clients

---

### [Selene](https://cottonco.com/works/selene/)

**Published:** May 1, 2023
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Selene Oceanfront Residences is the tallest luxury condominium along Florida’s Fort Lauderdale Beach. Two landmark 26-story towers are being developed by Kolter Urban and will feature 194 spacious residences. Direct ocean, Intracoastal and skyline views will be captured from the expansive private terraces designed to maximize the oceanfront views. The Kobi Karp design will include a public restaurant at the ground level and provide an impressive roster of private amenities. Cotton & Company’s lead generation, marketing, social media and website services support the Douglas Elliman sales team on site.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** One Park Sarasota

---

### [Sailfish Point](https://cottonco.com/works/sailfish-point/)

**Published:** June 29, 2022
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Located on the southernmost tip of Hutchinson Island, Sailfish Point is a sold-out private club community built in the 1980s by Mobil Oil. Today, this exclusive oceanfront community offers a one-of-a-kind location adjacent to the St. Lucie Inlet. This 532-acre community offers its members an oceanfront clubhouse, a signature Jack Nicklaus Golf Course, and one of the largest privately owned marinas in Florida.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Private Clubs, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Country Club Community, Sailfish Point

---

### [Hobe Sound Golf Club](https://cottonco.com/works/hobe-sound-golf-club/)

**Published:** July 23, 2025
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Located in the coastal town of Hobe Sound, Florida, Hobe Sound Golf Club is an exclusive, member-owned private club that offers a refined golf experience within a low-density setting. Limited to just 240 Members, the club ensures an intimate, highly personalized environment that prioritizes access and enjoyment. The club’s “no tee time” policy provides an uncommon benefit that underscores its commitment to flexibility and a relaxed, member-first culture. The centerpiece of the community is the 7,150-yard championship course, originally designed by Joe Lee and fully renovated in 2019 under the direction of renowned golf course architect Tom Fazio II.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Private Clubs, Show All

**Work Tags:** Private Club, Website Development

---

### [Boca West Country Club](https://cottonco.com/works/boca-west/)

**Published:** August 6, 2023
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Boca West Country Club faced a critical market perception issue despite offering one of the most comprehensive private club lifestyles in the country. With no developer guiding vision and no centralized marketing strategy, the community lacked a unified voice in the marketplace. Real estate activity was driven by outside brokers focused solely on transactions, not long-term value creation or lifestyle positioning.

As a result, outdated homes entered the market without context, leading to depressed pricing—including widely publicized $1 home sales that misrepresented the true value of the club. The lifestyle, amenities, and member experience—arguably among the best in the nation—were not being communicated to prospective buyers. This disconnect created a gap between intrinsic value and perceived value, limiting demand and suppressing price growth across Boca West’s 55 villages.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Private Clubs, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Sales Management

---

### [One Thousand Ocean](https://cottonco.com/works/one-thousand-ocean/)

**Published:** July 14, 2014
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

South Florida’s most desirable beachfront and inlet location, One Thousand Ocean by Blackstone is perfectly positioned on a peninsula at the Boca Raton Inlet. The ultra-exclusive condominium features rare shoreline, inlet and cityscape views.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Show All

**Work Tags:** Destination Real Estate, Oceanfront Condo, Resort Real Estate, Sales Management

---

### [Artistry Palm Beach](https://cottonco.com/works/artistry-palm-beach/)

**Published:** July 2, 2025
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Artistry Palm Beach was designed to offer a gated community lifestyle in Palm Beach Gardens without the carrying cost and high fees of golf or private club amenities. Developed by Kolter Homes, the community offers large single-family residences with a distinctive Palm Beach contemporary architectural style. The developer offers an extensive range of personalized living options, demonstrated in a showcase of designer model homes. Residents enjoy close proximity to top-tier shopping, dining, and entertainment venues, including the Gardens Mall and Jupiter and Juno beaches.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Recent, Show All, The Clients

**Work Tags:** Ad Agency, New Community Marketing

---

### [Willoughby Golf Club](https://cottonco.com/works/willoughby-golf-club/)

**Published:** May 1, 2023
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Willoughby Golf Club is an established, member-owned private golf club community known for its exceptional golf lifestyle in Martin County on Florida’s Treasure Coast. The golf and country club community was built decades ago, and resale opportunities are the only real estate offerings available today for homebuyers to live and play in this golf-enthusiasts’ paradise.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Private Clubs, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** golf, Willoughby Golf Club

---

### [Harbour Ridge](https://cottonco.com/works/harbour-ridge/)

**Published:** November 19, 2018
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

A private waterfront, golf community, Harbour Ridge is a hidden gem of Florida’s Treasure Coast. Its Clubhouse overlooks the wide water of the St. Lucie River and its three sets of marina dock slips. A new Lakeside Fitness Center and Spa, as well as a community dog park were added to the amenity program to meet the needs of the emerging market. Cotton & Company tapped into this market to reinvigorate real estate sales.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Private Clubs, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Country Club Community, Private Club Marketing, Treasure Coast

---

### [Blue Water Cay](https://cottonco.com/works/blue-water-cay/)

**Published:** May 15, 2025
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Legendary Blue Water Cay is Nassau’s newest and most state-of-the-art marina. The marina, developed by Legendary Maine, will be the first of its kind on Nassau to feature dry storage, wet slip dockage, boat service, on-site lodging options, and a host of resort-style amenities. The marina is set to revolutionize boating in The Bahamas by making the crossover to the island and exploring The Bahamas more accessible from this central home port than ever before.

**Work Categories:** Marina, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Condominium, Fort Lauderdale, Kolter Urban, Luxury Tower, New Condos

---

### [Ocean Delray](https://cottonco.com/works/ocean-delray/)

**Published:** August 1, 2023
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Located at 1901 South Ocean Boulevard, Ocean Delray will be the first ever ultra-luxury, oceanfront residential development in Delray Beach. The development is located on 200 feet of private breathtaking shoreline with some of the widest seagrass dune lines in South Florida. Unique floorplans, including the breathtaking penthouse, pay homage to unbeatable views and abundant natural light. From spa-infused baths to a state-of-the-art kitchen, no detail was overlooked by Randall Stofft Architects.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Show All

---

### [100 Las Olas](https://cottonco.com/works/100-las-olas/)

**Published:** April 3, 2018
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

As the tallest new building in Downtown Fort Lauderdale, 100 Las Olas is Kolter Urban’s first luxury condominium in Broward County. 113 private residences were built above a Hyatt Centric hotel, with the residential offering starting on the 16th floor. Downstairs, the Hyatt Centric’s Harborwood Urban Kitchen and Elev8 Poolside Bar and Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, provides homeowners the ultimate conveniences just an elevator ride away.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Condominium, Fort Lauderdale, Kolter Urban, Luxury Tower, New Condos

---

### [Pordes Residential](https://cottonco.com/works/pordes-residential/)

**Published:** August 4, 2023
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

With 25 years experience, Pordes Residential Sales & Marketing sells, markets and invests in unique residential condominium opportunities. Founder Mark Pordes has chosen Cotton & Company to implement various marketing strategies on a wide range of communities including Canyon Ranch Living Miami Beach, Veer Towers City Center Las Vegas, Schooner Bay Bahamas, Marina Grande Daytona Beach, Bijou Bal Harbor and Peninsula on the Intracoastal in South Florida.

**Work Categories:** Brokerage Offices, Featured, Show All

**Work Tags:** Database Management, Realty Company Marketing, Website Development

---

### [February Point](https://cottonco.com/works/february-point/)

**Published:** August 2, 2023
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

February Point, located on Great Exuma in the Bahamas, delivers a freestyle out-island lifestyle in a private destination marina community. Custom homes, newly constructed luxury condominiums and the Bahamas’ first overwater penthouses offer stunning views of the crystal clear waters of Elizabeth Harbour.

**Work Categories:** Featured, International, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Bahamas Resort, Custom Publishing

---

### [The Mark San Diego](https://cottonco.com/works/the-mark/)

**Published:** August 5, 2023
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The Mark is a workout property relaunched in 2009 by The Radco Companies. It is located in the heart of downtown San Diego and overlooks Petco Park, the Gaslamp Quarter, the Marina District and San Diego Bay and is just steps from an endless array of restaurants, shops, galleries and entertainment options.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Condominium, Luxury Condominiums, Sales Launch, Television Advertising

---

### [Ocean Reef Club](https://cottonco.com/works/ocean-reef-club/)

**Published:** August 7, 2023
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Ocean Reef Club has been called “one of America’s most exclusive club communities” by Robb Report. Today, this private, member-owned community offers its residents and guests the same luxury, service and privacy that have made the club a favored destination of presidents, heads of state and leaders of industry for almost 60 years.

**Work Categories:** Marina, Private Clubs, Show All, The Clients

**Work Tags:** Destination Real Estate, Membership Sales, Private Club, Private Club Community, Resort Real Estate Sales

---

### [The Residences At The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort](https://cottonco.com/works/the-residences-at-the-st-regis-longboat-key-resort/)

**Published:** August 8, 2023
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Set on 800 feet of expansive white-sand beach, The Residences at The St. Regis Longboat Key Resort will offer exemplary private living at an idyllic address on the Gulf of Mexico. Residents will experience the flawless St. Regis service, providing an unparalleled bespoke lifestyle. Modern yet refined, meticulous yet relaxed, The Residences brings a revered best-in-class legacy to the shores of Longboat Key.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Recent, Show All, The Clients

**Work Tags:** St. Regis Longboat Key cotton and company, St. Regis Longboat Key marketing, The St. Regis

---

### [VUE Sarasota Bay](https://cottonco.com/works/vue/)

**Published:** October 19, 2014
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Built by the Kolter Group, VUE Sarasota Bay is an 18-story luxury waterfront condominium with 140 residences, designed by Nichols, Brosch, Wurst, Wolfe & Associates.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Recent, Show All, The Clients

**Work Tags:** Condominium Presales, Kolter Urban, New Condominium

---

### [Woodfield Country Club](https://cottonco.com/works/woodfield-country-club/)

**Published:** August 29, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Woodfield Country Club is a family friendly community encompassing 1,300 single-family homes in 20 communities on 830 acres in Boca Raton, FL.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Show All

**Work Tags:** Private Club Community

---

### [Woodcreek Fate Texas](https://cottonco.com/works/woodcreek/)

**Published:** June 13, 2017
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Woodcreek, located near Rockwall-Fate, Texas, is a master-planned community with over 1,500 single-family homes in three neighborhoods. New neighborhoods and amenities are in the planning stages. A newly build highway makes this neighborhood accessible to everything in northeast Texas, including Lake Ray Hubbard and Dallas.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Show All

**Work Tags:** Builder Marketing, New Home Marketing, Website Development

---

### [West Bay Realty](https://cottonco.com/works/west-bay-realty/)

**Published:** September 3, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Finding solutions to southwest Florida’s real estate needs has resulted in West Bay Realty’s success as one of the Gulf Coast’s most recognized real estate leaders.

**Work Categories:** Brokerage Offices

**Work Tags:** brokerage offices, Realty Company

---

### [West Bay Beach & Golf Club](https://cottonco.com/works/west-bay-beach-golf-club/)

**Published:** September 2, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

West Bay Beach and Golf Club, a Lehman Brothers community, is a 15-year-old private club community located in the non-destination market of Estero, Florida.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Show All

**Work Tags:** Condominium, Condomminium, Distressed property, Golf Community Marketing, West Bay

---

### [Verandah Fort Myers](https://cottonco.com/works/verandah/)

**Published:** June 19, 2015
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Located two stoplights from I-75, fifteen minutes from Southwest Florida International Airport and seven miles from downtown Fort Myers, Verandah’s tranquil neighborhoods are nestled among mature preserves and over thirty lakes, providing every home with a water, preserve or golf course view. Kolter Homes’ thoughtfully designed homes create peaceful outdoor living spaces perfect for entertaining and enjoying Southwest Florida’s spectacular climate and landscape.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** advertising plan, Golf Real Estate, South West Florida Golf Course Community, Strategic Marketing, Verandah

---

### [Ultimate Resorts](https://cottonco.com/works/ultimate-resorts/)

**Published:** August 28, 2013
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

An upstart destination club property trying to carve its unique niche in a developing industry.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Private Clubs

**Work Tags:** destination resort, Fractional Real Estate, Private Club, Resort Real Estate, Website Development

---

### [Toll Brothers](https://cottonco.com/works/toll-brothers/)

**Published:** August 28, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Cotton & Company represented all Toll Brothers communities in Florida. While Toll Brothers generally utilized its in-house agency to handle advertising for all its properties nationwide, the client recognized the unique challenges of the Florida real estate market and chose Cotton & Company, the acknowledged leader in the marketing of Florida luxury lifestyle communities.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Show All

**Work Tags:** Master Planned Communities, National Builder Marketing, New Home Community Marketing, Real Estate Developer

---

### [The Islands](https://cottonco.com/works/the-islands/)

**Published:** June 22, 2015
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Situated on 225-acres of pristine islands on Florida’s west coast just north of Sarasota, The Islands features estate-sized home sites with picturesque harbors and access to the tranquil waters of the Manatee River. It’s an ideal place for fishing, kayaking, boating and more. Nowhere else will you find the unique combination of estate homesites with private docks with direct access to the Gulf of Mexico.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Ad Campaign, Estate Home Builder, estate homes, Master Planned Community, Real Estate Developer, The Islands

---

### [The Georgia Club](https://cottonco.com/works/the-georgia-club/)

**Published:** September 24, 2013
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

A masterfully crafted and purposefully planned community, the architecture, amenities and location of The Georgia Club combines to make a one of a kind community for people of all ages.

**Work Categories:** Master Planned, Private Clubs, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Custom Publishing, Private Club Community, Search Engine Marketing, Website Design

---

### [Technomarine Group](https://cottonco.com/works/technomarine-group/)

**Published:** June 8, 2016
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

An industry leader, Technomarine provides extraordinary turnkey marina solutions around the globe. Their cutting edge floating dock system has revolutionized the marina industry.

**Work Categories:** Corporate, Featured, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Custom Publishing, Logo Development, marine Marketing, Website Development

---

### [Taylor Woodrow](https://cottonco.com/works/taylor-woodrow/)

**Published:** August 28, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Taylor Woodrow has been developing award-winning homes and lifestyle communities for more than 85 years. One of Europe’s largest homebuilders, Taylor Woodrow builds more than 13,000 homes worldwide each year. The North American division of this internationally recognized company based in Bradenton, Florida, has more than 90 active developments throughout Florida, California, Arizona, Texas and Canada. Taylor Woodrow’s deep commitment to excellence and absolute quality is showcased in every community and home it builds. Devotion to craftsmanship, sensitivity to the state’s delicate ecosystems and dedication to customer service are the promises that Taylor Woodrow makes and keeps to provide the best in lifestyle, homes and communities for Florida residents.

**Work Categories:** Corporate, Featured, Master Planned, Show All

**Work Tags:** International Builder, Master Planned Community, New Home Marketing

---

### [Shoreline Grand Bahama](https://cottonco.com/works/shoreline/)

**Published:** August 27, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Shoreline is a private community offering single-family homes on Grand Bahama Island. This community had phase one complete and wanted to accelerate sale of the remaining residences.

**Work Categories:** Featured, International, Show All

**Work Tags:** Ad Campaign, Advertising Design, Bahamas Real Estate, Single Family Homes

---

### [Rum Cay Bahamas](https://cottonco.com/works/rum-cay/)

**Published:** August 27, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Situated on 900 acres of pristine land amid some of the best sportfishing waters in the world, Rum Cay will offer an authentic out-island Bahamas experience in the most luxurious surroundings. In addition to the residences and condo-hotel suites, buyers will have the opportunity to purchase marina slips. Access to this previously remote island will be by a private airline for the exclusive use of owners and guests, served by a newly built FBO with customs and immigration service.

**Work Categories:** Featured, International, Marina, Show All

**Work Tags:** Bahamas Resort, International Real Estate, Resort Real Estate, Trade Show Displays

---

### [Roco Ki](https://cottonco.com/works/roco-ki/)

**Published:** August 27, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The vision of Roco Ki, set on 2,500 stunning acres, is to create a place that highlights the natural beauty and serenity of the property complemented by the finest in luxury living and championship golf. With five-star brands; 3.2 miles of dedicated beach; four golf courses managed by Troon, including The Faldo Legacy Course, one of just five in the world; a Westin opened fall 2008; the Caribbean’s first Heavenly Spa by Westin; and magnificent residences priced over $3 million, the experience at Roco Ki will be unmatched.

**Work Categories:** Featured, International, Show All

**Work Tags:** Dominican Republic, International Lead Generation, Resort Real Estate

---

### [Rivella](https://cottonco.com/works/rivella/)

**Published:** January 19, 2015
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Rivella, is located on the North Fork of the St. Lucie River on Florida’s Treasure Coast. It is one of the last remaining gated communities with water access to the St. Lucie River – and close proximity to Treasure Coast beaches. New construction homes are surrounded by neighborhood parks and nature trails. Each residence enjoys walkable access to the community’s resort-style amenities.

**Work Categories:** Master Planned, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Rivella, Rivella cotton and company, Rivella marketing

---

### [Residences at Beach Bay](https://cottonco.com/works/residences-at-beach-bay/)

**Published:** August 27, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

A boutique development located minutes from Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach, The Residences at Beach Bay offer old-world island charm combined with five-star amenities. This private, maintenance-free community offers luxury residences on secluded white sandy beaches.

**Work Categories:** International, Show All

**Work Tags:** Creative Services, Destination Real Estate, Resort Real Estate

---

### [Quail West Country Club](https://cottonco.com/works/quail-west/)

**Published:** August 28, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Quail West is a Mediterranean-style residential and golf community located near Naples and Bonita Springs on Florida’s West Coast. Since its inception, the community has become well known in the area for its unsurpassed luxury lifestyle.

**Work Categories:** Master Planned, Show All

**Work Tags:** Private Club Community

---

### [Q Club Resort](https://cottonco.com/works/q-club-resort/)

**Published:** August 28, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Ft. Lauderdale’s first condominium hotel, in conjunction with Hilton Hotels.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Show All

**Work Tags:** Condo Hotel Marketing, Condominium, Condominium Hotel, Q Club, Resort Real Estate

---

### [PGA Village Verano](https://cottonco.com/works/pga-village-verano/)

**Published:** June 13, 2017
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Kolter Communities partnered with the PGA of America to create PGA Village, a master-planned community featuring condominiums, townhomes, single-family and estate home communities, all surrounded by three PGA courses, the PGA Learning Center and the PGA Historical Center.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Show All

**Work Tags:** Active Adult Community, Active Adult Marketing, Golf Club Marketing, Golf Real Estate, Kolter Homes, Master Planned Community, Real Estate Branding

---

### [Peninsula Treviso Bay](https://cottonco.com/works/peninsula-treviso-bay/)

**Published:** March 22, 2016
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Peninsula Treviso Bay offers the final neighborhood of 55 estate homes in Treviso Bay, one of Naples’ most prestigious communities. The TPC golf course, coupled with the resort-style amenities, offers a lifestyle like no other.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Luxury Builder, Master Planned Community, Naples, Peninsula Treviso Bay, Resort Real Estate, Sales Office Design, Website Development

---

### [Peninsula on the Intracoastal](https://cottonco.com/works/peninsula-on-the-intracoastal/)

**Published:** July 21, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Pordes Residential’s most recent project, Peninsula on the Intracoastal, is a private gated condominium community offering 70 luxury residences and resort-style amenities on the western shore of the Intracoastal Waterway in Boynton Beach.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Show All

**Work Tags:** Condominium, Pordes Residential, Waterfront Condominiums

---

### [Outrigger Harbour](https://cottonco.com/works/outrigger-harbour/)

**Published:** August 28, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Situated directly on the Indian River, Outrigger Harbour offers luxury condominiums with river views and a well-protected deepwater marina. Previously a part of the historic Frances Langford Estate, Outrigger Harbour was designed to offer its residents all the amenities of a large country club in an intimate setting. The balconies of these estate-sized condominiums feature panoramic views of the Indian River. The community’s private marina is a natural “hurricane hole” that has protected its mariners and their vessels for over a half a century. Boaters leaving the marina are just minutes from the St. Lucie Inlet at Stuart, with no drawbridges in between.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Marina, Show All

**Work Tags:** Luxury Condos, Marina Community, Waterfront Condominiums, Website Development

---

### [Ocean Reef Club Real Estate Company](https://cottonco.com/works/ocean-reef-club-real-estate-company/)

**Published:** October 22, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Located in the heart of one of the most exclusive club communities, The Ocean Reef Club Real Estate Company was the official real estate company of Ocean Reef and is member owned and member governed.

**Work Categories:** Brokerage Offices, Featured, Show All

**Work Tags:** brokerage offices, Corporate Brand, Logo Development, Marketing plan, Realty Office

---

### [Ocean Palms](https://cottonco.com/works/ocean-palms/)

**Published:** August 28, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The first high-rise luxury condos introduced in Hollywood Beach, Florida, in over 40 years. Developed by Neil Fairman.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Show All

**Work Tags:** Condominium, Oceanfront Condo, Presale Condos, Sales Launch

---

### [Nature Walk](https://cottonco.com/works/nature-walk/)

**Published:** December 3, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

This previously failed single-family home community is located one mile from Seagrove Beach in the popular WaterColor and Seaside area. Although located in close proximity to the highly-sought after downtown markets, the community was perceived as a tier two location. Cotton & Company relaunched the community with Kolter Homes through social marketing, broadcast and print media to establish a value proposition against neighboring communities. Special events were coordinated with 30A.com to bring the local market to the community to change its perception as a failure. A series of WalkAbout videos were utilized to provide a visual representation of the community’s proximity to the beach and other popular destinations.

**Work Categories:** Master Planned, Show All

**Work Tags:** Active Adult Marketing, Kolter Homes, Master Planned Community, TND Development

---

### [Naples Square](https://cottonco.com/works/naples-square/)

**Published:** July 14, 2014
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

A Ronto Group project, located in the heart of downtown Naples, this four-story residence with 73 units was designed by MHK Architecture and Planning and interiors designed by Renee Gaddis Interiors.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Show All

**Work Tags:** Condominium, Logo Development, Luxury Condominiums, Naples Florida, Ronto Group, Sales Launch

---

### [Marina Grande](https://cottonco.com/works/marina-grande/)

**Published:** March 22, 2017
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Situated along the Halifax River in Daytona Beach, Marina Grande competes with direct oceanfront properties that were built decades previously. Two and Three bedroom condominiums were sold from just the $200s at this waterfront twin tower complex.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Daytona Beach, Distressed Asset, Marina Grande

---

### [Le Paradis](https://cottonco.com/works/le-paradis/)

**Published:** August 27, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Opened fall 2008 on the southeastern coast of St. Lucia, Le Paradis is home to one of the most luxurious residential resort developments in the Caribbean. Developed by DCG Properties Limited, Le Paradis is a 554-acre beach and golf resort that will include ultra-luxe condominiums and single-family residences. The Westin resort will also include an internationally branded five-star-plus hotel, a world-renowned oceanfront spa sitting at 100 feet above sea level, a deepwater megayacht marina and a marina village. The unsurpassed setting include plans for an 18-hole championship golf course by Greg Norman, overlooking the ocean.

**Work Categories:** Featured, International, Show All

**Work Tags:** Destination Real Estate, Real Estate Expertise, Resort Real Estate, Website Development

---

### [Landmark Palm Beach Gardens](https://cottonco.com/works/landmark/)

**Published:** August 28, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The Landmark, a previously distressed property, is downtown Palm Beach Gardens’ only high-rise condominium and offers a serene lakefront setting, stunning views, light-filled residences and resort style amenities.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Show All

**Work Tags:** Condominium, Corcoran Group, Luxury condo

---

### [Kolter](https://cottonco.com/works/kolter/)

**Published:** August 29, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The Kolter Group, headquartered in Palm Beach County, Florida, focuses on investment, development, construction and real estate. Since 1993, Kolter and its partners have executed $9 billion of real estate transactions across multiple asset classes.

**Work Categories:** Corporate, Featured, Show All

**Work Tags:** Luxury Condominiums, Master Planned Communities, New Home Communities, Oceanfront Condos, Real Estate Developer, Top Advertising Agency

---

### [Kitson & Partners](https://cottonco.com/works/kitson-partners/)

**Published:** July 21, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Based in Florida’s Palm Beach Gardens, Kitson & Partners is a private residential and commercial real estate investment and development company specializing in the creation, development and management of master-planned communities, commercial properties, resort properties and golf courses.

**Work Categories:** Corporate, Featured, Show All

**Work Tags:** Corporate Branding, Logo Design, Real Estate Developer

---

### [K2 Realty](https://cottonco.com/works/k2-realty/)

**Published:** August 29, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Founded by Lost Tree Village residents James Kenny and Paul Kaneb in 2003, K2 Realty has become one of the leading premier luxury real estate firms in South Florida.

**Work Categories:** Brokerage Offices, Featured, Show All

**Work Tags:** brokerage offices, Lost Tree Village, Website Design, Website Development

---

### [JW Construction](https://cottonco.com/works/jw-construction/)

**Published:** August 28, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The largest developer in Poland, with over twenty years of experience, JW Construction’s activity is focused on multi and single-family housing. With more than a dozen communities at various stages of development, Cotton & Company traveled abroad to bring American marketing expertise to this Eastern European country.

**Work Categories:** Featured, International, Show All

**Work Tags:** American Marketing, International Builder, Master Planned Communities, Real Estate Developer

---

### [Infinity Longboat Key](https://cottonco.com/works/infinity/)

**Published:** July 21, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Longboat Key, with 12 miles of Gulf Coast beaches, is home to Infinity, a well-appointed condominium with 11 beachfront estate residences by Crosspointe Partners. Sales were handled exclusively by Michael Saunders & Company.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Show All

**Work Tags:** Condominium, Developer Marketing, Oceanfront Condo, Website Development

---

### [Ibis Golf & Country Club](https://cottonco.com/works/ibis-golf-country-club/)

**Published:** August 28, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Ibis Golf & Country Club in West Palm Beach was developed by Kitson & Partners. A wide variety of neighborhoods were released over a 10-year period in this master-planned private club community with multiple golf courses. The Ibis Clubhouse and tennis center are the social centerpiece of the community.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Show All

**Work Tags:** Developer Marketing, Master Planned Community, New Community Advertising, Private Club Community

---

### [Hope Center for Autism](https://cottonco.com/works/hope-center-for-autism/)

**Published:** April 1, 2018
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

The Hope Center for Autism is a non-profit corporation located in Martin County, Florida. This is the only public school in Martin County specifically for children with autism; therefore there is a desperate need for the school in the area. Autism is a mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts.

**Work Categories:** Corporate, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Autism, Website Development

---

### [Harbour Lakes](https://cottonco.com/works/harbour-lakes/)

**Published:** June 9, 2017
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Just 45 minutes from San Juan and the international airport in Puerto Rico, Harbour Lakes boasts more than 46 acres within Palmas del Mar – a 2,700 acre gated resort community featuring manicured property, pristine beaches, championship golf courses, and the largest tennis center in the Caribbean. Cotton & Company developed a HomeBuyers Guide for American citizens considering the purchase of real estate in this unique island destination. The publication featured the wide variety of lifestyle benefits and natural wonders as well as the many tax benefits offered for homeownership in Puerto Rico.

**Work Categories:** Featured, International, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** destination resort, International Marketing, Resort Marketing

---

### [Grey Oaks](https://cottonco.com/works/grey-oaks/)

**Published:** July 16, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

One of the country’s premier golf and country club addresses, located in the heart of Naples and featuring 54 holes of championship golf, two clubhouses and an extensive amenities package. The community offers both new and resale properties.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Private Clubs, Show All

**Work Tags:** Ad Agency, Private Club Community

---

### [Grande Dunes](https://cottonco.com/works/grandedunes/)

**Published:** October 18, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Grande Dunes is a 2,200-acre ocean-to-Intracoastal master-planned community. It is the first development of its kind in the Myrtle Beach area, with quality Mediterranean-style architecture and high-caliber homes.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Logo Development, Master Planned Community, New Home Marketing, Private Club, Real Estate Branding

---

### [Golden Bear Realty](https://cottonco.com/works/golden-bear-realty/)

**Published:** June 8, 2016
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

A Nicklaus family-owned company, Golden Bear Realty has expanded its reach to work with sold out country club communities and new residential developers around the country.

**Work Categories:** Corporate, Featured, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Destination Real Estate, Developer Marketing, Golf Real Estate, Real Estate Branding

---

### [GlenLakes in Weeki Wachee](https://cottonco.com/works/glenlakes/)

**Published:** December 24, 2015
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

GlenLakes, located in Weeki Wachee, Florida, is a private, gated community surrounded by 85,000 acres of Florida nature preserves and features a 6,782-yard championship golf course designed by Ron Garl. With Tampa and Orlando, just a short drive away, GlenLakes is in the action, yet surrounded by tranquility.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Private Clubs, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Glenlakes, New Home Marketing

---

### [Emerald Bay](https://cottonco.com/works/emerald-bay/)

**Published:** August 28, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Emerald Bay in Great Exuma is a destination marina resort property with a Greg Norman golf course. Originally a Four Seasons Hotel, the master-planned community has since converted into a Sandals resort.

**Work Categories:** Featured, International, Marina, Show All

**Work Tags:** Bahamas Resort, Destination Real Estate, Luxury Branding

---

### [Dreaming Turks & Caicos](https://cottonco.com/works/dreaming-turks-caicos/)

**Published:** August 27, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The Turks and Caicos, a largely undiscovered group of 40 Caribbean islands that enjoy close proximity to the U.S. East Coast, is ripe for development. Cotton & Company implemented a marketing program in which several new residential resorts pooled their resources in order to better promote their properties as well as the Turks and Caicos location as a premier vacation home destination. Taking advantage of a government initiative to create a multibillion-dollar public/private development and promotional program, Cotton was tasked with promoting tourism, primarily to the less-developed islands of the Turks and Caicos.

**Work Categories:** Featured, International, Show All

**Work Tags:** Custom Publishing, Destination Marketing, Turks & Caicos

---

### [Canyon Ranch](https://cottonco.com/works/canyon-ranch/)

**Published:** July 21, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Canyon Ranch Living Miami Beach was the first real estate venture for this luxury spa brand. Sales challenges resulted from the global economic downtown which required Cotton & Company’s expertise.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Show All

**Work Tags:** Condominium, Destination Real Estate

---

### [Bijou Bay Harbor](https://cottonco.com/works/bijou-bay-harbor/)

**Published:** April 3, 2017
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Bijou Bal Harbor is a 9-story waterfront condominium that is still under construction. Located on the Bal Harbor Islands near Miami, Bijou Bal Harbor condos are brand new contemporary residences with bright open floorplans.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Condomminium, new Condo marketing

---

### [Babcock Ranch](https://cottonco.com/works/babcock-ranch/)

**Published:** August 13, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

As one of the most prestigious projects in the country, Babcock Ranch is destined to be America’s most walkable, hikeable, bikeable town, with neighborhoods and public resources linked together by an extensive greenway and trail system. Babcock Ranch is the first city in the world planned to be powered by clean, renewable solar energy, with the majority of its electricity needs met by the largest on-site solar photovoltaic energy facility powering any city on earth, which will be operated by Florida Power and Light. Babcock Ranch will be an extraordinary sustainable community, where residents will live, work, and play and learn amid the natural splendor of Florida’s undeveloped wilderness.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Show All

**Work Tags:** Community Marketing, Kitson Group, Master Planned Community, New Home Marketing

---

### [Azul de Cortez](https://cottonco.com/works/azul-de-cortez/)

**Published:** July 16, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Known as the “Aquarium of the World,” the Sea of Cortez creates a magical setting for this new 2,000-acre golf, beach and marina community in La Paz, Mexico.

**Work Categories:** Featured, International, Show All

**Work Tags:** Destination Real Estate, Resort Marketing

---

### [Alteza Residences Above the Grand Hyatt](https://cottonco.com/works/alteza/)

**Published:** November 26, 2014
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

The Alteza Residences are located above the Grand Hyatt along the Riverwalk in downtown San Antonio, Texas.
140 private luxury residences offer a chic urban address and a highly serviced lifestyle. Priced from the $300s to over $1 million.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Alteza, Database Management, Interior Design, Sales Management, Website Development

---

### [Altaira Bonita Springs](https://cottonco.com/works/altaira/)

**Published:** June 23, 2015
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Altaira is WCI’s first new luxury high-rise in Southwest Florida in nearly a decade. The innovative tower is located within The Colony Golf & Bay Club, priced from $1 million.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Recent, Show All, The Clients

**Work Tags:** Ad Agency, AltairaWCI, Creative Design, Luxury condo, WCI, Website Development

---

### [Alexandra Resort](https://cottonco.com/works/alexandra-resort/)

**Published:** August 27, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Located in Providenciales on the most highly developed and sophisticated island of the Turks and Caicos chain, The Alexandra offers affordable ownership right on one of the world’s legendary beaches. It’s an excellent product in a highly desirable location, offering abundant shopping, dining and diversions.

**Work Categories:** Featured, International, Show All

**Work Tags:** Luxury condo, Oceanfront Resort, Turks & Caicos

---

### [Akoya Boca West](https://cottonco.com/works/akoya-boca-west/)

**Published:** March 2, 2018
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

The architects of One Thousand Ocean and the Siemens’ Group have partnered to develop a nine-story contemporary building featuring 120 private residences, located in Boca West Country Club, the Nation’s #1 Private Residential Country Club.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Recent, Show All, The Clients

**Work Tags:** Ad Agency, Ad Campaign, Condominium, New Condo, Website Development

---

### [Adena](https://cottonco.com/works/adena/)

**Published:** September 19, 2013
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Adena, a private golf community boasting waterfall views from a golf course built around old limestone rock quarries. Tucked away in scenic Ocala, Florida you will discover this place of exquisite architecture, service, and a golf challenge many will come from afar to play.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Private Clubs, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Adena, Private Club, Stronach Group, Website Development

---

### [80/50](https://cottonco.com/works/8050-2/)

**Published:** August 28, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Work Categories:** Private Clubs

**Work Tags:** Destination Marketing, Fractional ownership, Private Club

---

### [4001 North Ocean](https://cottonco.com/works/4001-north-ocean/)

**Published:** August 28, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The first new oceanfront community in Gulf Stream and Delray Beach in over 30 years is comprised of 34 condominium residences and four beachside villas, overlooking 300 feet of pristine beachfront.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Show All

**Work Tags:** Condominium, Kolter Urban, Luxury condo, New Condominium, oceanfront

---

### [3 Thirty Three Downtown](https://cottonco.com/works/3-thirty-three-downtown/)

**Published:** October 17, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

This sleek modern condominium was scheduled to be built in downtown West Palm Beach by the Kolter Group. The developer changed course and converted the community to a rental property in conjunction with a new investor. The building was renamed The Alexander.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Featured, Recent, Show All, The Clients

**Work Tags:** Condominium, Real Estate Developer, West Palm Beach

---

### [1300 Ponce](https://cottonco.com/works/1300-ponce/)

**Published:** August 29, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

In the heart of Coral Gables, 1300 Ponce offers 125 luxury residences with a variety of floor plans.

**Work Categories:** Condominiums, Show All

**Work Tags:** Condominium, Creative Design, Presale Condos

---

### [Alton Palm Beach Gardens](https://cottonco.com/works/alton/)

**Published:** October 15, 2018
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The Kolter Group has purchased one square mile of land in Palm Beach Gardens to develop into a master planned community with the first phase of building to include 215 homes and 143 townhomes in Palm Beach Gardens.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Recent, Show All, The Clients

**Work Tags:** Ad Agency, New Community Marketing

---

### [Explore Bay Harbor](https://cottonco.com/works/bay-harbor/)

**Published:** June 9, 2017
**Author:** developer

**Content:**

Spanning more than five miles of pristine, Lake Michigan shoreline, Bay Harbor offers a luxury resort destination for visitors and resident alike.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Master Planned, Private Clubs, Recent, Show All

**Work Tags:** Bay Harbor, Custom Publishing, Private Club

---

### [The Ronto Group](https://cottonco.com/works/the-ronto-group/)

**Published:** August 28, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The Ronto Group is recognized for its specialization in developing high-rise condos and luxury communities. Championship golf courses, extravagant clubhouses and unique residential designs are all hallmarks of developments by The Ronto Group. Founded in 1967, The Ronto Group is a family-owned and operated company that prides itself on its long time employees and community relations.

**Work Categories:** Corporate, Featured, Show All

**Work Tags:** Advertising Campaigns, Master Planned Communities

---

### [The Harborage Club](https://cottonco.com/works/the-harborage-club/)

**Published:** September 3, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

The Harborage Club was planned to be the largest marina dockominium project in the country, located just minutes from the Port Everglades Inlet. Offering unprecedented technology and a yacht club lifestyle, this multistory building will change the dynamics of marina operation in South Florida. A state-of-the-art lift system and hurricane-resistant construction offer unsurpassed protection and care for members’ boats.

**Work Categories:** Featured, Marina, Show All

**Work Tags:** Dockominium, Luxury Condominium, Marina Marketing

---

### [Royal Decameron](https://cottonco.com/works/royal-decameron/)

**Published:** August 27, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Royal Decameron is an all-inclusive oceanfront resort featuring 11 swimming pools, 10 distinct restaurants and bars, water activities, a spa, a casino, and a golf course. It is part of a Central America-based chain of resorts and draws clientele primarily from Central America and Canada. The golf course, one of only five in the country of Panama, is also enjoyed by visitors to neighboring resorts and local Panamanians.

**Work Categories:** International, Show All

**Work Tags:** Golf Course Homes, International Marketing, Real Estate Expertise, Resort Real Estate

---

### [Orchid Bay](https://cottonco.com/works/orchid-bay/)

**Published:** August 27, 2014
**Author:** Alexis

**Content:**

Orchid Bay Yacht Club & Marina is an elegant resort community located in the beautiful Abaco Islands of the Bahamas. Developed by the founder of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Orchid Bay offers world-class conveniences in well-preserved Caribbean settings very different from the multitude of mainstream Bahamian destinations.

**Work Categories:** Featured, International, Marina, Show All

**Work Tags:** Ad Agency, advertising plan, Bahamas Resort, International Real Estate, Orchid Bay

---