Country Living 2014 House of the Year Debut

Construction started January 3rd and ended May 5.  Nothing really more needs to be said about our part  in the successful and timely debut of this home in Rhinebeck.

120 invited guests showed up at the opening night gala on a beautiful summer evening.

Here I am (2nd from right) with my date and the Editor in Chief of Country Living.

Part of my entourage below.  Coarse, loud and unable to leave a server or drink opportunity pass without pouncing would best describe this group.

This was an easy story to sell to the Press and sell we did.  The local and regional press placements were a whole lot more important to me than the national shout out by Country Living.  We aimed so comprehensive and micro targeted our media platforms that 25% of the well-distributed rags don't even have the stories online.  It's easy to think bigger is better when it comes to a public mention, but I've found the smaller well placed mentions are easier to digest for the average reader.

The whole 'partnership' I engaged in with Country Living was about the potential to further build the brand, as well as accelerate our expansion into our 4th county and it definitely worked.  The Catskill Farms Country Living co-brand syncing up with the Country Living Fair was an easy story to tell, and one that was featured prominently in most publications we approached.  Interestingly, Country Living more or less left the local media alone, which left it up to us to spread the word.

At this point, I'm pretty press savvy so it was fun to be riding a good story horse like this one, galloping the whole way to several feature profiles.

Daily Freeman

Ulster Press Salutes House of the Year

The back porch partiers.

And the post party early evening Farm 25 - a house that was similar to Farm #1 which inspired this whole new old house thing back in 2002.  It's funny how full circle things seem these days.

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