BRANDING
For the last 15 years, Russell has consistently spent at least 2% of his revenue on marketing. “We do top-of-mind marketing, and it’s paying back now when times are tough,” he says. That marketing includes radio ads, job signs, vehicle signs, and neighborhood mailers. Russell meets quarterly with his office/marketing manager to review both the company’s marketing spending and feedback from salespeople about what is generating the strongest leads. He points out that although the lead-to-cost ratio for radio ads is high, these ads are an important part of Westhill Design/Build’s constant outreach efforts to boost consumer awareness of the company. Davis is always looking for ways to connect with CG&S Design-Build’s customer base. “We have spent [money] on this whether it’s been crazy busy or not crazy busy,” she says. “Having that constant flow will be helpful this year as things get difficult. My vision is that the CG&S name will percolate to the top when people are looking for companies — they will look at ours first.”
Reilly keeps in touch with business editors at local newspapers and calls in to local home improvement radio shows. “Embrace the media,” he says. “For the radio show, I’ve told them they can keep me on standby — give me 24 hours notice and I will be there.” They have called on him as an expert three times during the past four months.
All the remodelers we spoke with for this article agree that, for them, though the company’s longevity is not at the top of the list of factors that clients consider when selecting a remodeler, it is definitely an added bonus.
NETWORKING
Similar to branding, networking occurs more or less automatically when a company has been in business in one community for a long time. Reilly has been a member of his area’s planning commission, and is currently a volunteer member on an affordable housing committee, as well as belonging to the local Rotary International club. “Talking to key business leaders helps you get the big picture,” he says. “They can be your unofficial board of directors.”
Russell joined a peer review group and considers it one of the best business decisions he has ever made. “In my first few years in business, I felt like the Lone Ranger,” he says. Since joining the peer group, he finds that “learning from remodelers with the same set of problems and seeing how they handle things is invaluable. You can learn from their mistakes, too.” Education and training, he adds, are also a big part of his industry involvement.
Russell, too, belongs to a local Rotary club, as well as the Chamber of Commerce, and he participates in charity auctions by donating handyman services.
Williams has built relationships with key engineers and code officials. “We know what they want and expect, and we deliver it,” he says, noting that this also helps customers. “When we see referrals from code officials, we know we’re doing something right.”