From The Remodeling Magazine Blog

I had the opportunity to talk with quite a few remodeling businesses at the recent Builders’ Show in Orlando. Many people are very optimistic going into 2011, but the most common issue I heard was, “I need and want to grow, but I don’t know where to start. I need leads to support my growth.”

My immediate thought is that they should become passionate about understanding their marketing. Successful marketing is about connecting with your ideal client. It’s about being in front of your ideal client, presenting an image that truly connects emotionally with your ideal client, educating them and earning their trust. When it’s done properly, marketing influences their decisions. Marketing is the job of everyone in your business from office staff, and employees to sales people. Everyone.

Marketing makes you remarkable. It’s requires a consistent effort that stresses strategy before tactics. Your marketing plan should educate people about your business, services, products, and people. View it as a system. Successful marketing involves actions–not words. There is no magic idea that creates leads. Marketing is a body of work and consistent system that brings you results. It is the essence of your business.

Here are some essential elements for effective marketing:

1. Focus on your ideal client. Who is your ideal client? What are your most profitable projects? In general, your ideal client is one that brought you a profitable project and referred you to others. Interview several ideal clients and talk to them. Find out why they chose you. Identify the benefits of your company that make you unique. If you don’t get the message directly from these ideal clients, you are guessing. Record the call and listen to it with your team.

2. Bring the right message to your ideal clients. One component of effective marketing is being in front of your clients when they are thinking of remodeling. This can only be accomplished with a consistent effort, frequent contact, and using the right message. Are you using social media? Are you using newsletters? Is your marketing prevalent in neighborhoods where you have current projects? Do you have client showcases? With all of this outreach, present a professional image and use the opportunity to educate people.

3. Position yourself as an expert. When someone hears about your company, how do they perceive the company and you? Do they see you as an expert? There are many different venues business owners can use to educate and share their expertise, but few do it effectively. Don’t use social media to broadcast—use it to educate and connect with people. For example: Everyone enjoys a good story, so tell your potential clients a story that is relatable. Pick a topic your ideal clients value, interview a trade partner about that topic, and put the audio on your website, send it out in a newsletter or post it on your blog. This way, you’re directing people to this expert advice and position yourself as an expert. If your niche is kitchen remodeling, interview your countertop fabricator about current style trends or the difference between concrete countertops and granite. If you do this on a monthly basis, you build a library of educational topics that appeal to your ideal clients.

4. Connect emotionally. Once you have interviewed your ideal clients, you should have a good idea of what sets your company apart. Most businesses want to pre-qualify potential customers by asking for their budget. However, to truly get this information from a potential client, it’s more important that you connect emotionally and show them you care about their needs, desires, and what is best for their family.

How do you connect with them? Darren Salyer of Absolute Basement Finishing in St. Louis, Mo, told me about a customer that called him. This person had interviewed nine contractors before hiring him. He asked her why she interviewed 9 contractors. She said, “Because they all seemed the same and I didn’t get a good feeling from anyone until Darren. He was the only one that presented a project idea book and was in tune with what we really wanted to accomplish.” Her two biggest deciding factors were his expertise and his ability to show her he truly cared.” Do you have case studies that tell stories of a history of clients that came to you in need and you were able to help them with a favorable outcome? Educate potential clients with a proud history of existing clients that benefited from your expertise. I have found that businesses that use the Project Idea Book establish an emotional connection and take the time to address the true needs of the potential client.

5. Enhance your client’s experience. Take a look at your business and create a flow chart that lists every aspect of your business structure from initial contact with your customer until the project is complete and even beyond. How can you improve each aspect of contact with your customer? your goal should be to be remarkable and not just average.

I talked more in-depth about having a remarkable process in a previous blog. A potential client may like you when they first meet you, but they are never going to trust you until you can describe from A to Z exactly what you are going to do for them. The best time to get that out is right up front. Or take it a step further and educate a potential client before you meet them. Your process is a tool–the lifeblood of your company—it includes how you operate and communicate.
And don’t forget about a memorable completion. The proud owner of a newly remodeled house would be very pleased to receive an owners manual. Or invite him or her to a post project meeting. Paul Klassen of Pinnacle Renovations occasionally asks his entire staff to come to the site after they have completed a project and congratulate the family when they move back in.