The HW Marketing Leaders award celebrates the industry’s most innovative and influential marketing minds who are continuing to help their organizations grow and flourish. We reached out to previous years’ honorees to ask what advice has helped propel their careers as marketers and see what they have to say about the current housing market.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

“Always hire people that are smarter than you!” — Kasia Stephenson, vice president and director of marketing, at Sierra Pacific.

“Take more risks. I am a planner and normally risk-averse but a previous mentor taught me that gambling is an opportunity to grow. Now, I remind myself that growth is supposed to be uncomfortable – that’s how you learn, and it’s also how you can strike it big!” — Jennifer Leonard, vice president of brand strategy at AIME.

What is the secret to a successful marketing strategy in today’s housing market?

“Don’t ever take your clients for granted. Customer retention is the most important strategy for any market condition. If you take good care of your customers, they will advocate for you, and there’s no better sales tool than a testimonial.” — Romina Cusenza, vice president of marketing at ACES Quality Management

“The real estate market is a constantly evolving landscape, and marketing strategies that worked in the past may not be as effective today. As a result, being adaptable and open to change is essential for success.” — Kara Taylor, executive vice president of marketing at ATTOM

Nominations for the 2023 HW Marketing Leaders will close today, April 21st — don’t miss your chance to be ranked among some of the industry’s top marketing execs! Click here to nominate someone.