Feature Q & A With Peter Dayot of Publicus Community

Today, a Q & A with Peter Dayot, Managing Director, Publicus Community. Over the past two decades, Peter has been among a select group of experts in resort real estate pr and marketing.  His strength comes in putting cohesive, industry-specific teams together that have driven success in extremely diverse and complex markets. 

In 2011, Peter founded Publicus Community, which has been quick to rise to national prominence, specializing in strategic marketing for real estate developments, destinations and the hospitality industry. Peter has worked with hundreds of notable high-profile projects in the US, Latin America, and the Caribbean, helping clients generate billions in sales revenue. 

Prior to Publicus, Peter served as a Senior Marketing Manager for IMI Worldwide Properties. He sits on a number of advisory boards and is a member of Urban Land Institute (ULI), the American Advertising Federation (AAF), and has directed multiple grant campaigns for non-profit organizations.

Publicus has seen a year of significant growth in the activity in the real estate public relations and marketing. What do you think are some of the driving forces behind this?

A lot of people may ask, In a time of pandemic and economic uncertainty, how would searches for luxury homes go up?

The answer is simple: people want to live where it is safe and private. A growing number of these million-dollar-plus searches are for private, master-planned communities, which offer security, seclusion, and safety.

We are seeing families and individuals placing a premium on safety and well-being. Instead of waiting for retirement, or for the kids to leave the home, families are seeking the security and privacy of master-planned communities now rather than waiting. Their driving impetus is health and well-being during an uncertain time.

This trend is particularly evident in large urban centers that have a tendency toward pandemic risk. There’s even a name for it: Hipsturbia.

Hipsturbia refers to the growing exodus of families from large cities to quieter, more secluded homes in the suburbs or country.

The appeal of many master-planned, private communities is that increasingly they are modeled after traditional neighborhood developments, which are largely self-contained environments which give homeowners access to food, shelter, shopping, fitness, and general well-being.

What have been the main methods of engagements with these audiences?

Digital has been substantially effective.  People are spending more time on computers, and watching video content, and with that, they are taking a look at their surroundings and asking “what they can do to improve their life?”

We’ve been able to bring more brands to prominence this year.  There’s a captive audience and a pent-up demand for larger residences in communities that offer a “live, work, play” lifestyle.


What’s Next for Real Estate Marketing?

The real estate market and the hospitality industry are always evolving. At Publicus, we have helped all sorts of clients navigate the inevitable twists and turns of the market and achieve success. Our singular goal is to drive prospects, that lead to tours, that lead to new sales.We do this by bringing to light the very essence of the project. 

We seek to understand what makes a buyer interested in this project. 

We identify these questions through a series of interviews with our clients and their existing owners and then develop a complete marketing strategy to guide the client’s through these complicated new scenarios.

What are some tips that clients should consider when thinking about their goals for 2021?

Reassure your customer

It’s all about trust and transparency. Don’t avoid, downplay, or hide from the realities that Covid-19 and challenges within the economy have created. Your customers are savvy. They want to be heard. They want to know you understand them—their dreams and fears—and that you have solutions that take into account the variables presented by the pandemic and economic uncertainty.

Don’t pause your marketing

Now more than ever it is critical that you stay in front of prospects and customers with positive messages. The worst thing a company or brand can do now is go dark. They need regular communication across multiple platforms. Speak to them where they live socially and digitally. They need to see that you have adapted to the new playing field and that you have implemented practices that make them feel safe and confident.

Make your marketing nimble

The practice of setting a year-long marketing strategy and then forgetting about it is obsolete. Companies must be attuned and reactive in order to address the shifting sands of the market. Because of outside forces, what is important to prospects today may change radically tomorrow. You must have your finger on the pulse in order to engage them with ongoing relevant messages.