Identify and eliminate weak links. Homeowners may get to a point where they are comparing two or three remodelers who would all do a good job. That’s when they look for reasons to eliminate one or the other. For example, one remodeler’s phone is always answered by a machine rather than a person. The reason may have nothing to do with how well a company would do a project.
Train field staff in client relations. Help them understand that the homeowner’s experience with them is what may lead to referrals — your best form of marketing. Alpert suggests giving each project employee $100 if the company receives a nice letter or a recommendation from a homeowner during a project.
Think like a homeowner. “If you’re writing a Web site with what you want to tell a homeowner, it won’t be as effective as writing a Web site asking yourself what a homeowner wants to know,” Alpert says.
Invest in good photography. “If you don’t have a good photographer, spend money on one; and if you do have one, have more photos taken,” Alpert says. Use the images on your Web site, on postcards, in advertisements, and to enter contests. “The look of your projects is one of the first things that will qualify or disqualify you when someone visits your Web site,” he says.
Analyze Web site traffic. “This will help you gauge the effectiveness of your marketing efforts,” Alpert says. “And if you do it properly [over time] you can see trends and make predictions.” For example, when you send out a postcard, drive people to your site with catchy graphics or by letting them know they’ll find information on a particular topic. You can develop metrics about the number of postcards that might increase Web traffic. If you see a drop in traffic, it might indicate that your market is changing or that postcard A is not as strong as postcard B.
All this assumes that you have a Web site — which you should have. Not only are people looking to the Web for many of their goods and services, but, Kleber says, “It’s the best Better Business Bureau there is. More and more consumers are going to the Web for other people’s opinions. Rather than waiting for ‘RemodelingCompanyASucks.com’ to develop, go ahead and do it on your own terms. Develop search engine optimization and keywords to get eyes to your site and your newsletters.”
Having a professional create your site costs more, but it’s a case of amortization over time. Kleber suggests looking at Adobe Contribute CS3 software, which makes it easier for marketers to make changes to their own Web site if it has been developed using DreamWeaver.
Leverage publicity and community sponsorship. Use mentions in one publication to find your way into another. For example, one Continuum Marketing client, SilverMark Design & Build, in Minnesota, was written about in the trade press — a story about the owners’ successful 30-year partnership. The article mentioned that the two owners had met at the state university. Continuum Marketing pitched the story to a business writer at SilverMark’s local daily, which ran a half-page story about the company. “The Web traffic spiked by 500% the day the article came out and was higher than normal the next day [as well]. At least 10 leads were generated,” Alpert says.
HANDS-ON ADVERTISING Schmoozing and networking. The least expensive and most effective forms of marketing, says Zoble, who hosts monthly marketing teleseminars for the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, are schmoozing, networking, and building alliances. “Face-to-face and voice-to-voice” are the best ways to build clientele, she says.
Zoble has devised a 15-month “schmoozing calendar,” with weekly entries suggesting off-site, meaningful, one-on-one get-togethers such as “coffee with your travel agent” or “breakfast with a commercial realtor.” (To see the calendar, go to www.remodelingmagazine.com/webextras.)
Networking is a bit different and should be done with others in the building industry or local business organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce. “In 30 years in business, I cannot remember meeting two companies that were 100% head-on competitors,” Zoble says. “You can feed business to one another or act as subs for one another.”
Sales follow-up. When the job is done, go out and meet the homeowners. “Say, ‘I want to ensure that everything is fine and that you’re thrilled,’” says Zoble, who suggests also bringing a gift basket.
Client check-in. Phone clients within three to six months and ask open-ended questions such as “How much more entertaining are you doing now that you have more space and storage?”
“Check in with clients even if you have no new products or services. Everybody loves to talk about themselves,” Zoble says. “That’s when you’re going to hear, ‘The neighbors were so impressed with the kitchen … Maybe you should give them a call.’”
Client appreciation dinners. Hold these in a client’s newly remodeled home or in your own home — if your home “walks the walk.” Invite the project manager and architect and their spouses. Do it purely as a thank-you; don’t try to sell anyone. This will help maintain the relationship with the architect, and it usually produces leads.
Open houses. “Keep them simple,” Zoble says. “Don’t worry about quantity [in terms of visitors]. It’s about quality and continuity.” If you’ve done a remodel in a cul-de-sac, invite everyone on the cul-de-sac to see the project; don’t invite everyone within a one-mile radius.