When the newspaper needs a quote about housing, do they call you? When the TV station covers new home construction, do they interview you? When the Chamber asks someone to speak about the real estate market, do they invite you?

If the answer is no, someone else in your market is the recognized industry voice. And they're getting the visibility, credibility, and recruitment advantage that comes with it.

You can change that. It takes twelve to eighteen months of consistent effort. But it's achievable. Here's how.

Being the go-to industry voice isn't about ego. It's about positioning your association as the authority builders want to join.

When you're quoted in the newspaper, prospective members see that. When you speak at Chamber events, business owners hear about your association. When you publish monthly insights on the market, builders recognize your expertise.

That visibility translates to recruitment. Builders want to join the association that's seen as the leader. The one that gets quoted. The one that shapes the conversation. The one with the credible voice.

It also translates to retention. Current members stay because they're proud to be part of the leading association in the region. They like telling people "I'm with the HBA" when the HBA is the recognized authority.

Your competitors are doing this. The realtor association executive gets quoted constantly. The commercial builders' group speaks at every economic development event. Someone is filling the thought leadership void.

It should be you.

Start with local media relationships. Not national. Not even state level. Local newspapers, local TV, local business journals, local radio.

Make a list of every reporter and editor who covers business, real estate, construction, or economic development. That's your target list. Usually 5 to 10 people.

Introduce yourself via email. Keep it short. "I'm the exec of [Association Name]. I represent [number] home builders in [area]. I'm a resource if you ever need expert comment on housing, construction, or the local real estate market. Here's my cell."

Send them your cell phone number. Reporters work on tight deadlines. They need sources who respond fast. Be that source.

Monitor local news daily. When a housing story breaks, email the reporter within two hours. "Saw your piece on the new housing development. If you want builder perspective on impact, I'm available. [Your cell]"

Offer commentary even when they don't ask. "The new building code changes will increase costs $15,000 per home. I can explain why if you're covering this. [Your cell]"

Respond immediately when they call. Even if you're in a meeting. Reporters on deadline call multiple sources. The one who answers first usually gets quoted.

Don't say "no comment" to tough questions. Say "here's our position" and give them something quotable. They'll remember you gave them usable content instead of corporate speak.

Media relationships open the door. Consistent content keeps it open.

Publish monthly housing market commentary. Not fancy. Not long. Three hundred words on local trends based on building permit data, mortgage rates, and what your members are experiencing.

Post it on your website. Share it on social media. Email it to media contacts with a note. "This month's market update is live. Let me know if you want to discuss any of this."

The format is simple. One paragraph on permit activity. One paragraph on buyer demand. One paragraph on cost trends. One paragraph on outlook. Done.

Local reporters need this content. They're not housing experts. They're general assignment reporters covering everything. You're giving them the local angle and expert interpretation.

Do this consistently for six months and reporters will start calling you first when housing stories come up. You're the person who knows the market and shares insights publicly.

Most association execs wait for reporters to call them. That's passive. Be active.

When a housing story breaks locally, pitch yourself as a source within hours. "I represent 150 local builders. I can speak to how this affects construction in our area. Available by phone anytime today."

Offer specific expertise. Don't say "I can comment on housing." Say "I can explain why lumber costs are up 30% and what that means for home prices in our market."

Give reporters good quotes. Not corporate language. Not industry jargon. Plain English with a strong point of view.

Bad quote: "This policy change will impact the residential construction sector in various ways depending on multiple factors."

Good quote: "This will add $8,000 to the cost of every new home built in this county. That puts homeownership further out of reach for young families."

Reporters use quotes that are clear, strong, and specific. Give them that and they'll quote you.

Follow up after you're quoted. "Thanks for including my perspective in the article. Let me know if you need builder insight on future stories."

Build the relationship. Most stories aren't about housing. That's fine. Forward other sources when they need them. "You're covering restaurant regulations? Talk to the local restaurant association exec. Here's her number."

Reporters remember people who help them even when it's not self-serving. They'll call you more often.

Every Chamber of Commerce does monthly programs. Most Rotary clubs need speakers. Business conferences need panel members. Industry groups host lunch and learns.

You should be speaking at these quarterly.

Pitch them proactively. Email the Chamber executive director. "I'd like to present on the state of residential construction in [area]. Twenty minutes. No sales pitch. Just data and trends that affect local businesses. Would this fit your programming?"

Most will say yes. They need speakers. You have expertise. Easy win.

Prepare a twenty-minute presentation on local housing market trends. Show permit data. Discuss buyer demand. Explain cost factors. Give an outlook. Take questions.

No sales pitch. Don't recruit from the podium. Just establish authority and credibility. People will remember you spoke intelligently about the market. Some will follow up after.

Bring business cards. Wear your HBA shirt or have your association name visible. When someone asks what you do, say "I run the local home builders association. We represent 150 builders in this area."

Speak quarterly. Chamber in March. Rotary in June. Economic development breakfast in September. Business conference in December. Four speaking engagements per year positions you as the housing market expert.

Your monthly market commentary becomes your thought leadership platform. But make it public. Not just member-only content.

Post it on your website publicly. Share it on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter. Email it to media contacts, Chamber executives, economic development folks, and elected officials.

Make it easy to subscribe. Put a sign-up form on your website. "Get monthly housing market insights delivered to your inbox."

Build a list of people outside your association who follow your commentary. Reporters, business leaders, economic development staff, city council members, planning commissioners. These people influence opinion and policy. They should know you're the housing expert.

When your insights get shared or commented on, engage. Someone posts your market update on LinkedIn and adds their thoughts? Comment and thank them. Someone from the city references your data? Send them a thank you email.

Twelve months of consistent monthly commentary turns you from unknown to recognized. Eighteen months makes you the default housing market voice in your area.

Most newspapers have someone who covers real estate specifically. That's your most important media relationship.

Take them to lunch. Buy their coffee. Invest in the relationship. Not to get coverage. To be helpful.

Ask what they're working on. Offer sources when you can help. Share data they might not have access to. Give them your members' contact info when they need builder perspectives for stories.

Position yourself as their housing industry resource. "If you ever need builder perspective, I'll connect you with the right member. If you need market data, I'll pull it for you. If you need background on regulations, I'll explain it."

The best media relationships are built on you being helpful more than you being quoted. Be the source that makes their job easier. They'll call you first when big stories break.

This takes twelve to eighteen months before you're the recognized thought leader. That's twelve to eighteen months of:

Monthly market commentary published publicly. Media pitches on breaking stories. Speaking quarterly at business events. Relationship building with reporters. Helping sources when you're not the story.

It's consistent effort. It's proactive positioning. It's patient relationship building.

But somewhere around month twelve, something clicks. The newspaper quotes you without you pitching. The Chamber invites you to speak without you asking. The TV station calls you when housing stories break.

You're now the recognized industry voice. Prospective members see your association as the leader. Current members are proud to be part of the group that's setting the tone.

That's worth eighteen months of effort.

An exec I know started this process three years ago. His association was invisible. The realtor association got all the media attention. Local government didn't even know the HBA existed.

He started publishing monthly market updates. Pitched reporters on every housing story. Spoke at Chamber events quarterly. Built relationships with three key reporters.

Year one, he got quoted twice. Year two, he got quoted monthly. Year three, he's the default housing source. The newspaper calls him first. The TV station interviews him on camera. The mayor's office invites him to policy discussions.

His association membership grew 15% because builders wanted to be part of the leading HBA in the region. His retention improved because current members felt pride in their association's prominence.

He didn't hire a PR firm. He didn't spend money on advertising. He just consistently positioned himself as the expert over thirty-six months.

That's replicable. You can do exactly what he did.

This week, make your media list. Identify every reporter covering business or real estate in your area. Get their email addresses.

Next week, introduce yourself to all of them. Short email. Offer yourself as a resource. Include your cell phone number.

This month, write your first monthly market update. Three hundred words. Local data. Expert interpretation. Post it publicly. Share it. Email it to media contacts.

Next month, pitch one speaking engagement. Chamber, Rotary, business breakfast. Twenty-minute presentation on local housing market.

Do this consistently for twelve months. Track your media mentions. Track speaking engagements. Track who's following your market updates.

Month twelve, evaluate. Are you getting quoted more? Are you speaking more? Are people treating you as the expert?

If yes, keep going. If no, adjust your approach.

But start. Being the recognized industry voice doesn't happen by accident. It happens because someone decided to position themselves that way and followed through consistently.

That someone should be you.

Your market has three builder associations. Only one will be the recognized thought leader. Only one will get quoted when housing stories break. Only one will be seen as the industry voice.

Right now it might be none of you. Or it might be your competitor. Or it might be the realtor association.

Twelve months from now it could be you. If you start this month. If you do the work consistently. If you position yourself proactively.

Thought leadership isn't magic. It's monthly market commentary. Media relationships. Speaking engagements. Being helpful to reporters. Being visible consistently.

That's achievable. That's within your control. That's worth doing.

When the newspaper needs a quote about housing, they should call you. When the TV station covers construction, they should interview you. When the Chamber needs a speaker, they should invite you.

Make that happen. Starting this week.

Timothy Dahl
Founder, Builder Playbook
LinkedIn