Making sure that business keeps growing, especially during 2006, will be the key for many pros looking to keep their own trends healthy and head off any slowdowns. With the current outlook in the building industry trending lower, keeping a foot on the marketing gas might be the difference between keeping customers and fighting your competition on price alone.
“Let’s face it,” McCafferty says. “Every day out there, somebody can go down the street and get a better price on a framing package. But if you’ve got a relationship with that guy, and you’re going above and beyond the call for him, he might think twice about taking that walk.” —Joe Bousquin is a Newcastle, Calif.–based freelance journalist.
Sidebar: Steps to Success For many dealers, knowing where to start a branding effort—and how to find success—can be daunting. In his white paper “Marketing Imperatives in the Construction and Building Materials Industry,” Jim Groff, president of Baublitz Advertising, has developed several key steps that he shares with clients to get them on their way:
Start from zero: In 2006, the mentality that “We’ve always done it this way” won’t be enough to gain market share. Reconsider the basics: your audience, your message, your goals. Then, match them with the strategies (space advertising, direct mail, Web, public relations) that give you the best chance for success.
Audit your communications: Revisit every existing element of your program and audit all communications materials. Are they consistent? Do they highlight the right selling points? Any divergence from your key messages dilutes the strength of your overall program.
Commit to measurement: Most companies develop goals for their marketing programs, but they often are vague or difficult to gauge. Effective approaches demand concrete, measurable objectives. A goal such as “Increase customer base by 10 percent in 12 months” provides a clear benchmark for success; “Improve awareness of products” does not.
Research: Companies often neglect market research or cut it first when budgets tighten. But failing to do basic research can lead to wasted marketing dollars. At the very least, talk to your customers. Consider using surveys and focus groups. They’ll tell you what customers actually think, rather than what you presume they think. Devoting even a small percentage of a marketing budget to research can reap huge benefits.
Enhance the buying experience: Process and service have become every bit as important as quality and price. The successful company will turn its entire staff into “brand ambassadors”—a team that understands the company brand and consistently espouses its strengths. During increasingly competitive periods, it also helps to increase face time with customers. Even in an age of automation, e-mail, and telecommuting, people tend to buy from people they know.
Employ a bold message: The creative aspects of marketing must be powerful. A plain-vanilla creative approach may feel “safe,” but it won’t break through the clutter of an increasingly competitive industry. Good advertising should have an edge—it should be respectful, but it must get noticed.
Get online: The Web has become a fundamental element of any marketing program. We recommend allocating approximately 10 percent of your annual marketing budget to your Web site, search engine optimization, banner ads, and other Internet-based initiatives.
