Aligning Building Products with 2024 Architectural Design Trends

Learn What’s Top of Mind for Architects

Despite talks of a recession in 2024, the U.S. construction forecast still predicts growth, particularly for multi-family, hotel and manufacturing projects.

 That said, high material costs and inflation—driven by energy prices, wages and consumer spending—is causing unpredictability while elevated interest rates have made lending more costly and difficult.

 With all these economic pressures, architects are increasingly seeking product manufacturers as partners to help deliver high quality, energy efficient, long lasting, and sustainable buildings.

Common Values

What are architects looking for when selecting manufacturers to work with?

 In addition to shared values—such as protecting the environment, transparency, diversity, and inclusion—architects are seeking products to help their designs reduce embodied carbon, decrease energy use, support circular practices and in some cases, enable net zero designs.

 Not only does the building industry generate 40% of annual CO2 emissions, but embodied carbon created by manufacturing products and materials accounts for 11% of global annual emissions and is connected to issues of public health and equity. Taking this responsibility seriously, more than 1,200 architectural firms have signed on to the American Institute of Architects’ AIA 2030 Commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.

Consequently, companies taking steps to reduce the use of fossil fuels, use renewable energy sources and reduce the environmental footprint of their products are best poised to help architects and building owners achieve important decarbonization targets,

This goes hand in hand with the 3 R’s – reduce, reuse and recycle.

With well-designed products, the use of resources and materials through manufacturing and fabrication can be reduced. Incorporating increasing percentages of recycled content in products is valuable. For example, with glass, this might mean incorporating recycled cullet into the manufacturing process.

Architects are also interested in products and materials that can be recycled at the end of life. In addition to reducing waste, circular materials reduce carbon in the atmosphere and can help building teams qualify for credits in building certification programs.

On the topic of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), architects and building owners are looking to incorporate these values and principles into their supply chains and designs. Consequently, they want to partner with manufacturers who share these same values.

Green Building Certifications

The grandfather of sustainable building certifications and the most well-known is the U.S. Green Building Council (USBGC) LEED program. LEED-certified buildings have been documented to consume 25% less energy and 11% less water than a typical building.

LEED-seeking buildings will favor building products which can help the project earn points. For example, in the Indoor Environmental Quality category, products supporting daylighting can help earn points in two credits: Daylight and Quality Views.

Currently under development, LEED v5 is evolving to include timely issues like equity, health, ecosystems, and resilience.

Whereas LEED awards points for predicted energy efficiency, the International Living Future Institute’s Living Building Challenge takes things a step further, requiring metered energy consumption after one year of operation. Another difference is design teams have more liberty to pick and choose the credits they want to pursue with LEED while the LBC is more holistic and rigorous in its requirements for certification.

Another program gaining traction is the International WELL Building Institute’s WELL Building Standard. Unlike some other rating systems, which primarily on the building's environmental impact, WELL distinguishes itself with its emphasis on occupant health and well-being.

Other programs growing in popularity include Passive House and Green Globes.

Some qualities which architects are seeking in building products to help support any or all these certifications are volatile organic compounds (VOC) content, thermal performance, natural light, ventilation, and connection to the outdoors.

Here are just a few examples:

• Water-based coatings1 for the use in manufacturing spandrel glass is an excellent example of a solution that supports a no—to low VOC finished product.

• Fire-rated glass ceramics1 produced without the use of hazardous heavy metals antimony and arsenic.

• Prefabricated fire-rated steel columns1 delivered to the jobsite ready to install and with an intumescent layer incorporated in the column design, eliminating aftermarket coatings being applied in the field. 

• Guardian Glass1 and Vitro Architectural Glass1 continue to innovate high-performing glass coatings to improve energy efficiency.

• Operable Glass Wall Systems support biophilic design by connecting indoor/outdoor spaces, increasing the flow of natural daylighting while also offering large views.

Also key, and often required for certifications, is transparency. Consequently, it is essential for product manufacturers to develop and provide updated Environmental Product Declarations (EPD’s) to help architects quantify environmental information on a product or material’s life cycle.

Adaptive Reuse

Another key trend to look out for in 2024 is growing interest in adaptive reuse projects. Driven by carbon reduction goals, conserving resources, reducing waste and historic preservation, developers and building owners are commonly choosing renovations and adaptive reuse over new construction.

By reusing a building’s existing structure and shell, project teams are tapping savings in material costs and labor, not to mention reducing their environmental footprint.

Of note, a former American Institute of Architects (AIA) President Carl Elefante once said, “The greenest building is the one that already exists.”

To help support retrofits and adaptive reuse, it behooves manufacturers to both promote these product applications and continue developing solutions for this growing demographic of project types.

As an example. various architectural glass applications were incorporated in the Wheeler Kearns design that transformed an old Kraft Food Plant constructed of concrete and masonry in Bentonville, Ark., into a contemporary art exhibit at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art’s Momentary, paying homage to the site’s history as Osage hunting land.

More Trends

To better target architects with their marketing efforts, manufacturers should pay heed to a few more trends in 2024 – modular solutions, prefabricated components, and biophilic design.

According to the Modular Building Institute, modular construction has tripled since 2015. Assembled and tested in factory-controlled settings, these solutions are reducing waste, increasing quality control and delivering savings in construction costs and project schedules.

In a similar vein, prefabricated construction offers many advantages including enhanced quality and durability, lowered costs and project timelines, less waste and reduced on-site labor.

Biophilic materials and designs have been proven to increase health and wellness, healing, job satisfaction, employee retention and productivity. Popular biophilic elements include daylighting, water features, greenery, natural and natural-looking materials like wood and stone.

Increase Your Reach

For guidance in positioning your building products for greater architectural reach, contact the industry experts at Division 08 Marketing2. Of note, the company is a full-service marketing and advertising agency specializing in the building products and construction industry, including—but not limited to CSI Division 08, 05, 03, and 010 categories.

Footnote1: Product or company references are not intended to imply these are clients of Division 08 Marketing, LLC. The intent is to educate through examples shared and are not paid promotions.

Footnote2: Since the inception of Division 08 Marketing, the company has expanded to serve clients in various CSI division categories.

Marketing Building Products to Architects During Pandemic Crisis

MARKETING BUILDING PRODUCTS TO ARCHITECTS DURING PANDEMIC CRISIS

The impact of COVID-19 will be felt long after this crisis has settled, including how we view the spaces in which we live, work and play. Architects and interior designers are now challenged to design spaces that support social distancing and infection control, hence researching products from a new perspective. The products specified will play an essential role in creating healthy, safe, and functional living and workplace environments.

Clients will be looking for the following:

• New layouts with flexible space design 

  • folding sliding glass wall systems for interior and exterior applications. 

• Materials that can be easily disinfected

  • non-porous, solid surface materials such as glass, steel, or quartz.

• Access controls, low-touch, and hands-free door hardware solutions

How we market these products will have to change as well. As we adapt to the “new normal”, we must become more innovative in how we sell products to our customers, including how we inform and educate specifiers and influencers. 

Virtual communication has become a requirement with the stay-in-place requirements and many employees are still working remotely. As architects and designers start to make the transition back to the office, outside visitors and face-to-face meetings may be restricted long term.

If you are concerned about getting your building products in front of architects, explore some of these options:

• Online Meetings with platforms like Google Meet or Zoom.

• Increase your social media presence

• Virtual Showrooms - Here is a guide on how virtual showrooms can help you.

• Email Broadcasts

• Text Marketing - Research shows a higher percentage of people would prefer text communication over email.

While in some cases construction has proven itself to be essential, there has been a disruption to many construction companies globally. McKinsey and Company explain COVID-19’s effects on supply, demand, and industry dynamics and how construction can emerge stronger after COVID-19. With these new challenges comes the chance for new learning opportunities.

As building manufacturers and suppliers, we must adapt our marketing [and sales] approach to meet the current needs of the target audiences we serve. Architects and designers, as well as direct buyers, should have ease of access to product information, technical data, and sales support.

If you don’t have the time and resources to offer your AIA continuing education courses direct via webinars, consider utilizing a third-party platform such as AEC Daily to promote and manage your AIA content. This will support your brand while also allowing architects to stay current and obtain much-needed AIA CE credits. 

Division 08 Marketing is prepared to support your business as you continue to navigate the COVID-19 world. Division 08 can develop AIA’s, facilitate new online processes, and help you transition to a form of marketing that is relevant in the current climate. Schedule your free 30-minute consultation to explore your options today.

The Value of a Professional Headshot

HOW A PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOT CAN IMPROVE YOUR PERSONAL BRAND RECOGNITION

If you’re going to be part of a professional business, having a professional headshot is crucial in putting your best face forward. Although it may seem unimportant in the grand scheme of running or working for a business, it’s very beneficial for communicating your brand. Your brand is what sells your business and putting effort toward formulating a certain brand will guarantee good sales. Make sure to choose someone who specializes in professional business photography.

The definition of a headshot is simple: A headshot is a portrait of yourself you can use for your website, social media, brochures, or any other method you use in order to promote your business. It helps clients or other collaborators remember who you are and remember what sort of business you are promoting. A professional headshot is one among many small details that can make a big difference for you and your business, whether you are a manufacturer, distributor architect, interior designer, you name it. Of course, your professional “headshot” should not be limited to just that. Get creative. Have fun. But, stay true to who you are,  the business you represent and make sure your images speak to your primary target audience.

FIVE KEY CONSIDERATIONS TO USING A PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOT TO CULTIVATE YOUR BRAND:

1. Personalization of your business. Of course, every business is made up of people. However, being able to show off the specific team of people that make up your business helps to personalize the company. Personalization of your business is important as it helps collaborators to trust your business as an organization made up of trustworthy, competent people. A trustworthy and competent brand is beneficial for any business, and in turn will make your company an easier sell. 

2. Professional Headshot → Professional Perception. Whether we want it to or not, first impressions can be everything. A headshot serves as your first impression to people who may be collaborating with your business. Since you get to decide what you want your headshot to convey, you can formulate the first impression you want to make. Having a professionally taken headshot puts forth a professional appearance. An initial impression of professionalism will make you and your business stand out. Click here to read more tips on how to create a professional-looking headshot.

3. Communicate with style. Just as the professionalism of the headshot quality communicates a certain message, so will your outfit and style. The clothing you choose for your headshot will contribute immensely to your brand statement. Certain outfits can communicate a very specific message about your company. Whether you want to appear professional, or more laid-back and casual, the clothing employees choose for their headshots will be a tremendous aid in showcasing what the general feel of your company is. Learn more  about how to choose your headshot outfit. 

4. Makes you recognizable to business contacts. A headshot is very practical, as it provides a face to look for when meeting up with people outside of your business. This makes outsiders feel more comfortable visiting your business, as they have already been able to put a face to whomever they’ve been communicating with up to that point. If collaborators can quickly associate people with the business, this already surrounds your brand with a feeling of trust and familiarity for the client.

5. Confidence. Having a headshot that portrays you as a professional, trustworthy, and competent employee will help you feel just the same. A business comprised of confident employees is more functional, and thus makes the appearance of functionality authentic. No matter what your brand is, confidence will be crucial in selling it.

Although a headshot may seem relatively unimportant compared to everything else you need to run an effective business, a good headshot can do a surprising amount of work regarding the development of your personal brand. A professional headshot is an excellent investment for your business and in branding yourself as someone people can trust to get the job done. 

Are you curious about what it means to have a personal brand and how it can benefit your business? No matter what your line of work is, Division 08 Marketing wants to help you to get the answers you need. Schedule your free, 30-minute consultation today to discuss branding your business the way you want it to be.

What is Programmatic Advertising?

Is this a good fit for your business?

The world of advertising is ever-changing. Technology continues to evolve and, in turn, changes the way that customers seek out information and the way they are exposed to brands and companies. It can be confusing and overwhelming to determine the best way to reach customers when there is such a vast world of information at their fingertips. The construction industry is no exception when it comes to the need for improved digital advertising, but it can be difficult to know where to start. This is where programmatic advertising comes in.

Programmatic Advertising Defined

Simply put, programmatic advertising is using software to buy digital ad spaces. This can simplify advertising because it automates the ad-buying process based on the target audience of a brand or company. The traditional advertising process involves humans deciding where and when certain advertisements should be available. This approach does leave a lot up to human judgement, which can be a great thing or can decrease your brand’s chances of being seen by the right audience. Programmatic advertising takes the guesswork out of choosing where to advertise and puts your message in front of the right folks at the right time. The algorithms within the programmatic software determine the people who are most likely to be interested in your brand or company and targets your ads towards them. For a more in-depth look at programmatic advertising, click here.

Once you understand how programmatic advertising works, the next step is determining if it’s a good fit for your business.

Here are four key points to think about when deciding whether to use programmatic advertising to reach your customers.

1. Who is your target audience? If you know who needs to see your brand, then programmatic advertising may be right for you. The precise targeting process helps to eliminate ‘wasteful’ advertising. Only specific people will see your advertising, so you will end up spending less than if you were mass advertising.

2. Due to advancements in algorithms, programmatic advertising has become even more efficient and reliable than humans in determining where to place ads. As technology continues to advance, it will only become more skilled at targeting specific audiences for your business. There are many different factors that an algorithm considers when deciding where, when and who will see your ad, which help to pinpoint those who will most likely be your customers.

3. Programmatic advertising allows for real-time measurements of ad performance. This allows you to adapt your advertising quickly, when you know which ads are performing better than others. This is very beneficial to your business, because it increases your chances to bring in potential customers through improved advertising to your target audience.

4. The last point to consider is cost. First, you need to determine how much you want to spend on advertising, and then make sure that your budget lines up with your needs. Programmatic advertising can save you money in the long run, because of the targeted approach to reaching clients. At Division 08 Marketing, we can work with a variety of budgets to optimize your advertising presence.

Advertising is an imperative component to growing your brand and business. As technology continues to evolve and shape our daily lives, using smart, online advertising becomes increasingly important to companies. Click here to see how programmatic advertising could impact you and your business as we enter 2019.

Division 08 Marketing is here to partner with you as you navigate this ever-changing advertising climate, so that you can advertise to the customers who need to see your products or services. Schedule your free, 30-minute consultation today and begin the process of reaching more customers through targeted, programmatic advertising.

Is Trade Show Marketing Relevant now that Digital has taken over?

LEARN HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF TRADE SHOW MARKETING

Are you questioning whether you should participate in an upcoming trade show event? Is it worth the investment of your time and money? Absolutely. However, it’s a process and one that must be managed properly to achieve a successful outcome.

The ROI of a trade show can be exponential if you play your cards right.  But, before you invest thousands of dollars to be an exhibitor, do your research—and be selective. Make sure to participate in events that are exclusive to your target audience and key influencers. Define your objectives and think about how you will measure ROI.

According to Entrepreneur, here are 6 benefits of trade show marketing:

1. Get a glimpse at the competition. While this shouldn’t be your main priority, being near other companies in the same industry will let you see what’s new and interesting in the marketplace. And, how your target audience is responding to all that is being offered.

2. Great PR opportunities. Distribute an effective press release prior to the event to create some buzz around your product offering and drive traffic to your booth. Reporters that write specifically about your industry will be sharing highlights of the upcoming event and they will be attending, so if you can gain an interview or mention in their writing--video, then you have just earned yourself some great PR. Take advantage of every opportunity before, during and after the event.

3. Potential partnerships. Not every other exhibitor at a trade show is your competition. Some may offer products or services that complement your business and creating new partnerships may prove beneficial. Trade shows and conferences provide excellent opportunities to network within your industry, conduct research and to share best practices.

4. Increase your exposure. The promotion of the event includes promotion of the exhibitors and sponsors of the trade show as well, as for months in advance. The press coverage, social media and blogs can increase your searchability. As people search for information surrounding the trade show, your own content is more likely to found. For example, make sure to include @GlassBuild or @AIA18CON in your social media posts, and relevant # hashtags.

5. Awards and recognition. Many trade shows give out awards and participating is worth the entry fee if you have a product or service that is innovative and effective. Volunteer to be a speaker or invest in a sponsorship. Awards and other recognition during the event will add credibility in the eyes of your customers.

6. Create and build momentum. Participating in a trade show is a lot of work and your products, services and marketing must be on point. Preparing for a trade show event should also be an exciting time. Your sales team should leave feeling energized and inspired following a successful outcome.

The benefits are great, but how do you maximize ROI and brand awareness? As mentioned earlier, choosing the right trade show is important, but that alone will not make it successful. Maximizing your ROI at a trade show takes strategy.

According to statistics by Exponents Insta USA Inc., the average company allocates 31.6% of their total marketing budget to еvеntѕ and exhibiting. With more than $24 billion dollars spent by US Exhibitors for trade show displays, 70% of those exhibitors have no specific objectives for the trade show. On top of that, 81% of trаdе ѕhоw attendees have buуіng authority. If you are going to invest a large portion of your marketing budget to exhibiting, then it is essential that you set objectives and take advantage of the exposure you will have to all those attendees with buying authority. By doing so, you will both maximize your ROI and brand awareness.

To provide a little more insight into how you can maximize your ROI at a trade show, here are the 5 most important trade show investments according to Inc.:

1. Location. Location. Location. It doesn’t matter if you have the best booth and a solid plan—if you are tucked away in the back corner where there is little to no foot traffic. A prime location is key. If possible, grab a spot near the entrance, next to the refreshments or a corner booth.

2. Have a great giveaway. If you want attendees to share their business card with you, or scan their badge, then you are going to have to entice them. Offer one or two grand prize giveaways via a drawing that will set you apart from other exhibitors, and offer small, useful promo items to everyone.

3. Staff your booth with the right people. For a trade show you are going to want your most extroverted marketing and sales staff that will represent your company well. Choose those you can count on to be heads up, alert and engaging with those who may otherwise just keep walking past your booth.

4. Invest in pre-show marketing and training. Promote the event, and your participation as an exhibitor. Put it on your website, send it in a newsletter and post it across your social media channels. Offer customers a free guest pass. Also, if some of your top customers will be attending, send them a personal invitation to stop by your booth to visit. Have a pre-show meeting with your exhibit team to make sure everyone understands to reason for being at the events, trade show etiquette and expectations.

5. Have a strong follow up system. Assign one person to oversee the process on how to capture leads during the event [hopefully with the ease of one or more lead retrieval devices], and the distribution of the leads following the event. Make sure leads are properly qualified, existing customers are acknowledged and make sure no one falls through the cracks. Follow-up and the timing of the follow-up is critical. Lack of follow-up will cause you to lose credibility and result in low ROI.

With the right strategy, your business will reap the benefits of effective trade show marketing and you will maximize the return on your investment. Trade shows are ideal for building brand awareness. Make the most of it!

If you are not sure how to properly research, plan and execute on trade shows and other event marketing opportunities, we can help guide you through the process—or completely manage your event calendar. Contact us today to schedule your free 30-minute consultation, and let us help you reap the benefits!

How to Market to Architects

What type of marketing will catch an architect’s eye?

 As a building products manufacturer or supplier, marketing to architects can be more challenging than marketing to your direct buyers. The needs and interest within the architectural community are different. Oftentimes, companies have innovative and useful building products that many architects would be interested in learning more about. But how can you get that information in front of the architect, so they can see what you have to offer?

Three questions that will guide you to gaining a better understanding of what architects are looking for.

1.     What resources do architects need from your website?

• BIM Objects

• CAD Drawings

• Case studies

• Continuing Education

• Environmental Product Declarations [EPD’s]

• LEED [How your products contribute]

• Performance data

• Product information

• Project images

• Specifications

• Technical support

• Warranty information

• White papers

The main thing to remember when assessing your website through the eyes of an architect is that they are busy professionals who need to be able to use your website quickly and efficiently to get information on your products. Keep that framework in mind as you work to design your website and present your products. It’s important that when an architect is viewing a product on your website they can quickly and easily obtain more resources about that product while on that page. For some tips on designing your website to draw in customers, take a look at this blog from Division 08 Marketing.

2.      How do architects prefer to receive information?

The main thing to remember when sending information to architects is to keep it simple, visually appealing and easy to digest. You want an architect to be able to quickly receive your information and to be inspired to learn more about it through your website or a consultation.

• Printed literature. Even though digital marketing is a very important factor in marketing to architects, sometimes it is just better to be able to flip through real-life pages to see a company’s products. Remember that architects are problem-solvers. Demonstrate how your products can help solve the challenges they are facing. Use education and teaching to encourage architects to further explore your products.

• Email. Transitioning to the digital side of things, emails are an excellent way to disseminate information about your products and company to architects. Remember to keep your emails clean, simple and informative. Make sure that your emails are easy to read and not too lengthy. Also, try not to send too generic of an email to an architect: Take time to discover their area of focus and to show that you care enough to do some homework. Make sure that what you’re offering fits what they need and be specific about which of your products would be helpful to their work. Click here for an article with more information about email marketing techniques.

• Do not send unwanted samples, brochures and booklets, etc. The last thing an architect needs is more clutter. Send printed literature or emails that include information about how they CAN get samples, case studies, brochures and other materials as needed, but don’t send until you receive a request. Make your products accessible, but don’t bombard architects with items they didn’t request.

3.      How do architects’ value social media?

Architects, like most of us, are using social media. But, how can you engage with them on social media?

1. Visual inspiration. Architects are using social media to share and view visually inspiring things. Architects value aesthetics and innovation, so make sure to utilize social media to showcase your products in a visually-appealing manner. Get creative!

2. Passion projects. Architects are using social media to showcase the projects they really care about. You can use this knowledge to learn more about what an architect cares about and how your products can support those passions.

3. Engage with other industry professionals. Social media is an excellent place for professionals to connect and exchange ideas. Architects, and professionals from many industries, are using social media to connect with others in their field in order to share ideas, find new products and network. It’s important to make sure that your social media presence encourages architects to engage with your company and products.

Social media is a fantastic tool for networking with architects. Use your social media presence to provide visually-inspiring content that encourages architects to engage in further conversations with your company.

Are you ready to take the next step?

Division 08 Marketing is here to assist your company to be the best it can be at marketing to architects. Schedule your free, 30-minute consultation today to start reaching your marketing goals and learn more marketing tips.

How to Create a Website that Keeps Viewers Coming Back

Do you have a website because you feel obligated—but, you really don’t think it’s critical to your success? Likely, you are in need of some serious updates.

Or, maybe you’ve grown your business without a website, and now find yourself believing that you are exempt from needing one? If so, congratulations on your success! But, don’t rest on your laurels for too long because the ways in which people interact with businesses has changed tremendously. No matter the industry, B2C or B2B, what worked before is not likely to work now. We must adapt. Take a look at Digital in 2018 to view statistics on the growth of internet use.

More than 4 billion worldwide internet users are searching the web. As it relates to the building products, design and construction industry, the internet is used daily to:

• search for a supplier

• research building products

• source technical data

• view project work

• download specifications

• access continuing education

• request a quotation

• place an order

• read reviews

• obtain contact information

• view warranties

While not having a website leaves your business virtually invisible, having one that is outdated can result in losing customers—or potential business. Architects and designers most likely will opt out of a site that appears to be outdated or lacking in quality and content relevant to their specific needs. Neither of these outcomes is desirable, which means that creating a quality website is the only solution. Additionally, if you currently have a website and it looks as if it was created back in the days of dial-up internet, if it is text heavy or filled with grainy images—it is time to give your website a face lift. Use quality content and keep it fresh, which also helps with  search engine optimization (SEO). Remember, your company website is one of the most valuable assets when it comes to establishing credibility and building customer loyalty.  

What Content Should You Use?

Once you’ve decided that you need a website, the hard work is only beginning. Now, you must decide what content should fill your pages. Who will develop this content? Your website is where potential customers will learn more about your company, and likely the biggest driver guiding their decision to do business.

Think of your website as your virtual storefront. By visiting your website, the user should get a sense of what your business is, your company culture, how you can meet their current needs, and why they should choose you. Your content should answer those questions in a clear and concise manner, especially since users only spend an average of 5.59 seconds looking at a website’s written content.

Here are 6 things to be sure to include on your website

1. Simple Web Address: This isn’t content-related, but it is very important. Make sure your web address (domain name) makes sense and is easy to remember.

2. Clear Description of Who You Are: A user visits your website to learn about your business. Don’t make them search. Be clear and concise, making it easy to know who you are and what you do—right away!

3. Quality Content: Provide informative, well-written content. This includes writing about your services, where you work, customer testimonials, etc. And, make sure to include high quality and appropriately sized images that positively portray your products and services. A project gallery is a must!

4. Call-to-Action: When viewing websites, users like to be told what to do. Take advantage of your captive audience and include a clear call-to-action. A proper call-to-action may be an invitation to schedule a free consultation, or to book a service. Include links to social media channels and encourage users to follow you on social media. Whatever it is, make it obvious and clear.

5. Make Contact Us Information Easy to Find: Your website is important as a first point of contact, but eventually, in order to move visitors through your sales pipeline, they must be able to contact you in other ways. Include multiple methods of contact including a phone number, email address, and a form to help qualify prospects. If you have a physical business address, include that as well.

6. Minimize Clicks: Quality content is key, but equally important is the ease of access. Don’t bury valuable information with titles that are not sufficiently intuitive, or that result in too many clicks to access. Do not make the viewer work too hard to find the information they need. It can cause them to exit your website prematurely because they can’t find what they are looking for, or they become frustrated with the amount of effort it takes.

How to Get Started on Building a Website?

Your website can either attract new customers or scare them away. If it looks unprofessional, unclear, or outdated, viewers may think it reflects the business as well. Think about how people view a website and create visual content that intrigues the viewer to want to learn more. Click here for some interesting tips to make your website more appealing.

As you plan your new website, or your next upgrade, ask yourself how you can create the most value for your customers and prospective buyers. Make sure to incorporate the information, tools and resources that matter to your direct buyer and to those who influence the specification of your products and/or services. Provide them with confidence that you are the right fit for them.

They say you never get a second chance to make a first impression: Your website is often the first impression you leave with your audience. One study found that when visiting a website, users form an opinion within 50 milliseconds. With these things considered, it becomes obvious that it is very important that your website is visually appealing, contains quality content and professional.

Most of us are not web developers, graphic art designers or copywriters, so stay focused on what you do best and hire a professional to create a website that you are proud to display. Choose a marketing professional with industry experience that truly understands your business and who can take charge—managing the process of developing quality content combined with a user-friendly experience to effectively meet the needs of your customers and key influencers.

If you would like some help in ensuring that your website will leave a lasting impression, schedule your FREE 30 Minute Consultation today to learn how we can help.

Email Marketing 101: Utilizing Email Marketing to Grow Your Business.

LET’S LOOK AT HOW YOU CAN USE EMAIL MARKETING TO INCREASE BRAND AWARENESS AND GROW YOUR BUSINESS.

With a growing number of marketing channels available, it can be a challenge to know all that is available and to determine which is best based on your target audience and desired outcomes. To decide if email marketing is right for your business, it is important to understand exactly what it is, why it's effective and how it can be used successfully.

What is email marketing?

To put it simply, email marketing is sharing content with your audience by sending it directly to their inbox. It’s a way to keep your audience engaged and up-to-date on your business, and drive sales. It provides a cost-effective, efficient method to communicate your brand in a unique and consistent manner because it allows you to share your voice and personality in a way that other marketing channels may not.

Does it work?

One of the benefits of email marketing is that your contacts have willingly given you their email addresses to receive your email marketing messages, which means they are interested in hearing what you have to say. They are counting on you to share good content. Your OPT IN and OPEN RATES will be higher when your contacts KNOW who you are, which is another reason you should not purchase email lists.

Email marketing is not only for B2C audiences. In fact, it is more effective for B2B. Click through rates (CTR) in B2B email marketing are 47% higher than in B2C emails. As a source of information, email marketing is the third best source, only behind industry-specific thought leaders and colleague recommendations. And, according to B2B marketers, email marketing is the most effective marketing channel for revenue generation. After all, the ROI on email marketing is $44 for every $1 spent. You can find more statistics on email marketing here.   

How can you use email marketing?

We’ve learned that email marketing does work, but how can it help you?

1. Convert your website visitors into customers. Email marketing allows you to nurture relationships with those who have visited your site and subscribed to your email marketing. You can communicate your expertise and value to your subscribers, and when they are ready to make a purchase, they will come to you.

2. Grow your audience. With or without a website, you can use email marketing to grow your audience and keep them updated on your business. When you attend or exhibit at trade shows or conferences, collect contact information and grow your list. A lead retrieval device is ideal for recording contacts and building your database. If you provide AIA Continuing Education Lunch and Learns, this is a great way to build your database with quality contacts you can begin to nurture. Your goal is to become a reliable and knowledgeable resource for them, right?

3. Increase your brand awareness. If you deliver valuable, consistent content to your contacts, you will solidify your brand with your audience. They will know who you are, your expertise, and they will grow to trust you. Additionally, as they find value in your emails, they will begin sharing those emails with their friends, family and colleagues.

4. Make sure to share targeted messaging. Make sure to segment your database and create email lists that allow you to share appropriate messaging with a specific target audience or geography. Do not use a one message fits all approach. Modify your messages to speak to each unique audience. Are you a building product manufacturer or distributor? Based on your products or service, create individual lists specific for Architects, Interior Designers, Fabricators, Contractors.

5. Increase website traffic. As you share new content with your email subscribers, you should include a call-to-action and links that will drive traffic to your website. Your contacts are already interested in your business, which makes them the perfect, captive audience to drive traffic and boost sales. Hopefully, you’ve attended to your website sufficiently and you are keeping it fresh. When customers, prospective buyers and influencers visit your website, it should be informative, visual and easy to navigate. Don’t disappoint!

6. Boost sales. Email marketing is also a fantastic way to promote new products and share about upcoming promotions. By using the right tone, words and images, you can influence the reader to act. Utilize email communications to showcase project work recently completed. This is a testimonial to who is using your products or services, the variety of applications supported, quality, breadth of offering, etc.

7. Establish customer loyalty and advocacy. Sharing customer success stories, reviews or user-generated content within your marketing emails will show your audience that you care. Plus, as you listen to customer feedback and implement positive change in response, your audience will take notice, solidifying their trust and loyalty. As they become loyal, they will also become your advocates, which will multiply the impact of your marketing efforts.

Where should you start?

Developing your email marketing strategy will take work, but it will be time well spent. First, you will need to choose which email marketing software you want to use. Second, you will need to build your database. Another critical note to share: DO NOT PURCHASE EMAIL LISTS. As a matter of fact, most [if not all] email marketing service providers will ask you to sign agreement that states you did not purchase your lists of contacts.

Remember to segment your lists. You may even want to create list specific to sales territories [by sales representative], or by service location. For example, you don’t want to send a message to contacts nationwide, if the message is specific to a promotion or event that is unique to a specific region or operation. Constant Contact is an excellent tool to utilize for email distribution. Of course, there are many tools to use and some are free if you have a small database, and you just want to begin testing the waters.

Prepare in advance for targeted messaging. You can accomplish this by including an email opt-in form on your website, or by manually collecting contact information at events. Next, you will need to identify your goals and create a plan. What are you wanting to accomplish through your marketing efforts and how can you bring forth the desired results? Your plan should include the nature of content to be shared with the different target audiences and frequency. For more information on creating your own email marketing strategy click here.

Whether you are a building product manufacturer, distributor, or contractor, email marketing should be a tool in your arsenal. If you aren’t sure how to get started, or simply do not have time to develop or manage an effective email marketing strategy, schedule your free 30-minute consultation today. We can help you use email marketing to grow your business!

What is Employee Advocacy and How Can This Help Build My Brand?

Here’s how an effective employee advocacy strategy can build loyalty in your organization and amplify your social media messaging.

What is Employee Advocacy? This may not be a term you’re familiar with, but it’s undoubtedly one that is impacting your business, and your bottom line.  A study from Weber Shandwick found that 50% of the U.S. workforce is voluntarily sharing about their employer via social media—that’s 60 million people talking about their place of employment. With that kind of exposure, ask yourself: What message are my employees sending out about my company?

Sales representatives using social media outsell 78% of their peers.

This is where an Employee Advocacy Plan comes into play. Studies indicate when you have specific employees talking about your brand on various social media platforms, brand awareness can increase by 14x. This is because your employees are already on social media, and the average employee has 10x more followers than a corporate network. Not only that, but 90% of their audience is new to your brand. If that isn’t enough to convince you that your employees may hold the key to your next big marketing push, consider this: Only 15% of people trust recommendations from a brand. But, if that same recommendation comes from a person they know, that number jumps up to 84% (WeRSM).

How is a social media policy different from employee advocacy?

If you have a social media policy in place, that’s great—but, it’s not the same as an Employee Advocacy plan. Your policy is simply telling your employees how they can act on social media channels. Or, in most situations, that they should NOT be participating in social media activity while at work. It’s the best way to stave off legal or security problems, but it doesn’t guarantee that your employees are posting anything positive about your brand.

This is the big difference between social media policies and advocacy plans: One gives boundaries for your employees, the other tells specific employees how they can advocate for your brand within those bounds. Of course, you don’t want every employee speaking on behalf of your company!

Who makes a good advocate?

Why not use every employee as an advocate? After all, the more employees you use, the more exposure your brand receives, right?

Wrong. This is NOT what we’re talking about.

Do you really want every employee in your organization sharing posts on behalf of your company, and adding their own ‘unedited’ comments? Absolutely not. There is a time and place for strategies that invite all employees to participate (I’ll touch on that later), but you should be selective about who is acting as your brand ambassador. Good advocates are employees who have a direct connection to your customers and prospective buyers—and, who have already received training on how to communicate your message. They are individuals you know will use good judgement in what they “like”, “share” and “comment on”. Potential candidates include management (specifically sales and marketing), field sales representatives, and perhaps customer service representatives.

5 Tips on Creating Your Employee Advocacy Plan:

1. Make the benefits clear. No employee wants to spam their social network. Participation should be voluntary since this does rely on the employee using their personal social media channels. What do they get out of blurring the lines between work and personal life? Create a competition and offer an incentive to the advocate that generates the highest number of leads. Of course, you need to define the measurement up front and make sure to keep simple.

2. Invest up front. If you’re considering attaching your advocate’s social media profile directly to the company (e.g., your head marketer has a secondary Twitter account that’s linked to the company), hire a photographer to take professional headshots. Consider holding a special training on how they should interact on behalf of your brand: Is your company’s voice fun and youthful? Serious and professional? Make sure they can be both themselves and consistent with the brand.

3. Choose the right social platforms. The days of feeling obligated to have a presence on every social media channel are over. Based on your industry and target market, choose the social media channel(s) that are best suited to build your brand, and deepen your relationship with existing customers. Did you know that 80% of those who participate on LinkedIn do not engage on any other social media channels? LinkedIn is the top B2B lead generating social platform when it comes to reaching professionals and key decisionmakers. Here are some statistics for you. Another underestimated social channel is Pinterest. Building product manufacturers, architects, designers…there is so much more B2B activity on Pinterest than you would ever expect. Need a project or product showcase? Pinterest makes it easy!

4. Communicate and monitor. Make sure you clearly communicate the difference between your social media policy and your employee advocacy plan. Designate someone on your marketing team to be responsible for monitoring your social media activity to ensure everyone is complying—at least until you are comfortable

5. Focus on the benefits. Be cautious, but don’t overthink the potential negatives because the employees you choose to be advocates for your brand—already are, right? They are on the front line for you every day talking with customers and prospects. All you are doing is asking they “tune in” to what your marketing team is posting on social media to “like” and “share” with their connections and followers—many of whom are customers and influencers.

Look at the number of social media connections on your company page. Now, look at the number of connections some of your key sales representatives have. People connect with people, not as much with company pages. The company page is more of a repository—a place to share information that should be shared exponentially by its employee advocates and external influencers.

Ultimately, your Employee Advocacy Plan needs to reflect your company. What works for one company won’t work for another. It’s up to you to know your employees, your product or service, and your customer base well enough to marry the three into a successful plan. If you’re unsure of where to start or how to create a plan that works for you, we’re here to help. Take action with our marketing team, and let’s get your Employee Advocacy Plan off the ground.