If you decided to build a house in the 1850’s, you would sharpen your axe and chop down the sturdiest tree you could find. If you wanted to sell your services or wares, you would pack up your goods and travel door to door, perhaps leaving a notice at the general store for when you would return. While these home building and marketing tactics worked well in the mid-19th century, they aren’t very practical in 2015. We no longer see people building their homes out of rough lumber and pitch and salesmen on horseback are hard to find. However, what you may not realize is that some of their old strategies are still practiced today via outbound marketing.
Trades shows, paper advertising, cold calling, and email blasts to purchased lists are a few of the outdated outbound marketing techniques that produce very little results (Inbound vs. Outbound Marketing, Hubspot). Why? Because they are outdated techniques. In this technological age, your target audience has grown blind to most of the traditional forms of advertisement. In fact, they avoid it. For example, when you’re watching your favorite TV show, what do you do during a commercial break? Check your phone, grab a snack, or use the bathroom. Your target audience does this too! So how do you get them interested in what you have to offer?
This may come as a surprise, but they already are. You already have people who want to design their dream home, remodel their 1970’s kitchen, and build a custom deck. Right now, they’re searching online for the best ideas, techniques, and contractors to complete their renovation project. Perhaps the question you should be asking yourself is: Will they find you?
By updating your marketing strategy with these three essential tools, you will help interested buyers find you, trust you, and hire you:
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Website
Your website is the most important marketing tool you have, so make sure it is visually appealing and is functioning like it should. Potential clients are visiting your website because they are interested in what you have to offer, but are still deciding on the next step. Make it easy for them to do so.
- Implement a well organized navigation to help visitors find information. Research keywords and categorize accordingly with common terms.
- A Frequently Asked Questions page is a great asset and will provide answers to popular questions people may have about home building.
- Include all important information in the sidebar and footer. Avoid overusing drop-down menus because they can be overwhelming.
Your visitor should also always know where he is on the website and be able to easily return to the previously viewed page and find your contact information. For more tips on how to use your website to increase your profit, check out our blog post.
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Social Media
If you take a close look at any thriving company, you will see that there is a direct correlation between strong customer relationships and business success. The most effective way to build trust with your clients is to interact with them on a regular basis. Social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest allow you to connect with your audience, pique their interest with your finished projects, and create dialogue about new products and trends. When you become a familiar voice, people will value your opinion and trust your expertise. They’ll want your answers to their questions and ultimately, your company in their home.
We highly recommend utilizing Houzz in addition to the more popular social networks as it is specially tailored to people interested in home building and design and professionals in your industry. This makes it an excellent resource for attracting new clients and building a better relationships with old ones.
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Email
The best way to get to know new contacts and what they’re searching for is through email. Sending automated, yet personal, emails will gently remind homeowners that you are there to help and encourage them take the next step in their building or renovation process. These nurturing emails will help you become a familiar face as well as an expert your patients can trust. Email newsletters also work well because they provide readers with a glance at what your company has been doing that month and what is going on in your specific industry.
Homeowners who don’t want to start a project now may become clients later down the road, so don’t become discouraged if you have a long email list and not as many clients. Remember that everyone is at a different stage in their decision-making process and some just need a little more encouragement before they are comfortable making a decision, especially when it requires a big financial commitment. Occasional contact will maintain the relationship and remind those hesitating that you are there when they are ready to start building.
Inbound marketing operates with the understanding that a customer-focused business is the most successful. This being said, once you complete a project, it is important to continue that relationship through social media, email, and maybe even the occasional phone call. Although this will require a little bit of effort on your part, the benefits of having a regular client who provides you with a constant work flow or gives you a high-end referral makes it more than worth it.
These three marketing tools will help you attract a larger audience, making your business more recognizable and more profitable. For more information on how you can strengthen your marketing strategy in other ways, contact us at Baker Labs.
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