Emotional marketing

Q: Our business focus is on water control. All homes here have basements. We average 38 inches of rain annually, and water in basements is a huge issue here in the Midwest.

There is a large affluent neighborhood of executive homes that needs our services rebuilding wooden egress wells.

The subdivision is 15 years old and the original wells were done with non-treated wood. Almost every single home in the neighborhood has deteriorating wooden window wells, and we work there frequently.

In fact, we did five houses in a row last summer. The first client found us on Google and then the neighbors approached us while we were there working.

I am looking for a way to target this neighborhood with advertising about our services. We have completed around 20 jobs in this area and have testimonials from most, and pictures from all.

I am thinking about purchasing a mailing list for the subdivision and then doing a nice brochure or color postcard to send to all the homes. I do a newspaper insert each spring that reaches the entire community (60,000 residents), and I always land several jobs from that.

I’m thinking something nicer (I know it will cost far more per household) targeting just the neighborhood previously described would hopefully have a much higher closing rate.

The work is there. I have nearly no competition – just handymen who might tackle the occasional job, and most of those are not that well done – and we are proficient at doing them profitably.

It is common for us to land at least one neighbor each time we work there, and a common response is “I’ve known I needed to get this addressed, but I didn’t know who to call.”

Is my plan valid, or is another plan better? How do I proceed?

A: Well, it sounds to me that you are the “expert” in performing this repair. Let the fact that you are the “expert” be known in the community. I’m not a big fan of advertising. I believe more in marketing.

You should market your expertise and experience in performing this repair. Hold local educational events and teach the community why this repair is important and why they should use your company.

Create a PowerPoint presentation and do an e-blast to the community. Ask your current clients to forward the power point to their friends and neighbors of the community.

If you decide to do a mailing, use Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM), which is very cost affective. The national printing companies make printing color affordable.

You can purchase real estate online software for the mail list.

Design a postcard or a brochure around emotions. Emotions sell. The great experience the client will have with you will sell.

Safety will sell. Let them know how their lives will eventually be disturbed if they do not make the repair and how the repair will not disturb their lives. Walk them through the neat professional repair process.

Let them know you are a professional adviser on their real estate investment, and you are looking out for their best financial interest.

Timing is important. Try to target your marketing during your rainy season. It will be fresh in their minds.

Prepare yourself and create a sales process as well. Use the testimonials, pictures, credentials, and create a binder with the proposal to leave with the client.

Stephen Mazelis
President
Mazelis Landscape Contracting Corp.

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