1
THE FIRST PLACE BUILDING CO. STORY
What would happen if you launched a capital-light, tech heavy new home building company during the pandemic and treated it like a retailer?
With a clear sense of purpose, First Place bucked the new home building trend by defining what it was and who it was for.
​
A builder for first time buyers.. and it needed to deliver what was written on the box. In fact, it was written on the box. In neon pink.
Done are the days of selling homes from the garage, First Place decided it would be a customer-led builder.
​
Designed for modern audiences who prefer desktop research and online shopping.
​
The marketing message was focussed and purposeful. Refined constantly to limit wastage.
​
No big capital investments, nimble, strategic and bold.
​
The focus of the marketing dollars was lead generation. The method was simple: what worked was refined. What didn't, was destroyed. Quickly.
​
Being the team that developed Australia's first online home configurator, we weren't happy just to do it again.
​
So we developed some more Australian firsts:
​
-
Online checkout
-
PayPal and Bitcoin payment gateways
-
Same day building contracts
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
It wasn't enough that the message to market was on brand, the entire business was developed and managed with the core values always at it's centre.
​
The through-line of the business was that every department was focussed on servicing the First Home Buyer.
​
Product and price was geographically targeted, affordable and stylish.
​
The process was simple and easy to follow.
​
The business was scalable with no additional fixed overhead.
​
The result?
​
Over 150,000 unique visitors to the website, over 5,500 new prospects and a conversion rate to sale of 9%
​
Generating over $110 Million dollars in sales and $84 Million in actual contracts signed in 34 months.
​
Not only did CALIBR. establish the brand and marketing program but also recruitment, sales training, operational and workflow management, product & pricing and customer service.
