Interior design and home remodeling are competitive businesses, especially now that a pandemic has trapped families in their houses, forcing them to look at the nagging home projects they’ve been putting off for months. To gain a competitive edge in your market, you’ve got to be diligent and consistent with your marketing efforts. However, creating and executing a solid marketing strategy is another full-time job, so it’s best to leave it to the professionals. A digital marketer can help you grow your business and revenue by leveraging different marketing tactics to attract your ideal customer and improve your online presence. However, just like homeowners trying to find the right contractor, finding the right marketing firm can be just as nerve-wracking. The five practices below will ensure the company you hire is the right one.
Marketing agencies perform services like market/industry research, running Google/ Facebook/ or YouTube Ads, developing email campaigns, and can even design and build your entire website. Many marketing techniques include content creation through blog post generation, SEO writing, infographic creation, content analysis, social media promotion, and much more. You must first determine what areas of your business need attention.
1. Define your needs and find an agency who can cover the specifics.
Marketing is a huge field; some firms are one-stop shops while others are a one-trick pony. Define what your company’s marketing requirements are before looking for an agency. If you’re in the early stages of starting a new business, you need everything from a stellar website to effective email marketing to captivating social media profiles that are posting regularly. However, if you’ve been in business awhile, maybe you just need a tune up to improve your social media presence and build up your email list. The marketing strategies you implement will depend on your audience. An agency will know where to look for your ideal client and what type of avenues will be the most effective for engaging them. Ask potential agencies what they offer, what their area of expertise is, if they’ve worked with companies in your industry before, and what tactics or strategy they would implement given your starting point.
2. How do they run their own business?
The best sign of what results you can expect are the results the agency has achieved for themselves. If you’re thinking about hiring an agency for blog management, check out their blog if they have one. If you’re interested in social media promotion, check out their social media profiles. If you want to hire them for SEO, check how they rank in an industry search. The company you hire should practice what they preach and have proof of their successes in their portfolio. You can filter out amateur businesses by asking what makes them different and what their biggest successes are. Professionals who have honed in their expertise will give you a thoroughly mapped out strategy.
3. You get what you pay for.
Marketing is essential for all businesses to thrive, which is why many large corporations have in-house marketing departments that do nothing but focus on that full-time. This is one thing you don’t want to cut corners on because it affects the livelihood of your business. As with anything, low prices typically mean low-quality. A great firm won’t low-ball themselves when they know what they deliver is worth the cost. Agencies that charge higher prices tend to treat their clients better. Cost will also depend on the tasks they’re doing for you. Basic website creation starts at $2,500 while social media marketing can start at $300 and go up to the thousands for a month’s services.
4. Check the Associations.
When a company is a member of an industry association like the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) or other industry associations, they’re showing they believe in promoting truth in advertising and integrity in business. Being a member of an association is a great vote of confidence for an agency because they are showing their dedication to serving the industry. They are willing to be held accountable by their community and customers. Just like there’s a common misconception that all home contractors are unreliable or will rip you off, marketing is also an industry that can host a lot of scam artists, giving others a bad name. Being members of industry associations show the company is legitimate, they hold themselves accountable, they stand by their work, and they have nothing to hide.
5. Check multiple sources for customer reviews.
As we’ve previously discussed, the best recommendation for anything is word of mouth. Before you call for a consultation, check multiple sources like Google, LinkedIn, Facebook, or Yelp for customer reviews. Do they work with big clients or have they done jobs that you recognize? Do they have a portfolio with samples of the content they’ve curated for their clients? Any firm in the business of marketing will have at least one social media network which should be up to date and sharing constantly; check there for reviews, content, and recent customer engagement.
You’re in the business of designing/building, so trying to develop content, post, and engage with clients online is another full-time job. The right agency could generate millions of dollars in revenue for your business by creating a cohesive and solid strategy to drive traffic to you, allowing you to focus on your clients and other areas of your business.
On Wednesday, December 16 at 12 pm central time (1 pm eastern) we will have a webinar on developing a 2021 marketing plan. In this webinar we’ll discuss marketing strategies to implement in 2021. We’ll help you develop a plan to grow your brand and get new clients. This is the same strategy we use with our own clients. To register for this webinar click here (www.kitchenandbathmarketingsolutions.com/mplan2021).
For additional information take a look at our Resource Library for additional marketing tips. If you want to speak with one of our professionals contact us or schedule a strategy session so we can better understand you business and show you how we can help grow your business and your brand.