If you’re a builder or remodeler you may have a tool that you’re not using to it’s full potential. We’re not talking about hammers, saws, planers, or any of the tools in your toolbox. We’re talking about something in your marketing toolbox, and that’s your computer—or more specifically—your email. Email can be a powerful marketing tool for any builder. Here are a few ways you can use that tool more effectively.
Start With Your Address Book: Think about all those email addresses from customers and prospects you’ve collected over the years. When’s the last time you reviewed those? How many of them are still valid? How many are satisfied customers? Just because you’ve successfully completed a project doesn’t mean your should take someone out of your address book (unless they’ve asked you to do so). How many are people “still looking” for information? Maybe the timing wasn’t right for them. Maybe they didn’t get the right kind of information. Your email address book can be a goldmine of contacts.
Determine The Level of Interest: Break your addresses up into categories (like those mentioned above). Then try a couple of things to determine the level of interest these people have. Send them a thank you email. Be honest with them. If they were customers, thank them for their business. Tell them you’d love to help them with any additional projects they might have. Ask them if they have any questions about maintaining their new home. And ask them if they have friends who are considering building or remodeling. Ask them if they would like to occasionally receive building or remodeling tips from you. And if they ask to be removed from your list make sure you do that!
Provide Helpful Information: If the people on your email address list indicate they’d like information, provide them with information that’s genuinely helpful for them. If you’ve completed a project, send information about how to protect their new or remodeled home. If they are still considering building, send them information about building trends, mortgage rates, new design ideas, etc. But keep it simple. Don’t overload them with information. Use links in your email to take them to a landing page where they can download a special report or a longer article about a topic of interest. Then keep track of who does that. This will tell you who is really serious about building or remodeling.
Don’t Abuse Your Email: You probably have some very valuable contacts in your email address book. But don’t wear out your welcome. Ask permission before you start sending out information. If people are interested they’ll let you know. Indiscriminant emailing, however, won’t gain you anything—and will even cause potential customers to go elsewhere. Give people what they ask for—not what you think they should have. It’s far better to have someone ask you for more than to have someone tell you “no more!”
Blog Post Written by Spencer Powell
Spencer is the Inbound Marketing Director at TMR Direct. Spencer specializes in helping clients create and execute effective inbound marketing campaigns.