Research: Marketing Methods, Old vs. New

The timeless adage “out with the old and in with the new” should now be referred to as “combine the old with the new,” at least according to the remodelers who responded to Professional Remodeler’s 2014 Marketing Methods and Social Media survey.

Aggregating the survey results from the past three years, remodelers continue to use tried-and-true methods of traditional marketing, such as job signs in combination with modern electronic media methods in an effort create the ideal mix to generate leads and, ultimately, revenue.

It should come as no surprise that repeat and referral business accounts as the most common source of business for remodelers. However, the business generated from sources other than repeats and referrals—including websites, job signs/trucks, and social media sites—continues to make up the lion’s share of the leading sources of business for remodelers.

“Writing for Houzz has positioned us as a remodeling expert in a large online community. It has also improved the SEO for our website, which has led to more people visiting our site and calling us with their projects,” commented one remodeler.

Finding the marketing strategy that works

Similar to past surveys, close to 100 percent of remodelers who responded to the 2014 Marketing Methods and Social Media survey conducted in February 2014 indicated they are currently adopting at least one method of marketing for their business. Just under 2 percent of respondents indicated they are doing absolutely zero marketing for their remodeling business.

Only 6 percent of respondents reported they get all of their business exclusively from repeats and referrals. At the other end of the spectrum, 19 percent reported they get at least half of their business from repeats and referrals. In our past three surveys, these figures have been almost identical.

Outside of repeats and referrals, what are the most common marketing methods used to generate leads for remodelers?

For the first time in two years, the company website has taken over as the top marketing method for remodelers. Eighty-two percent of remodelers indicated their website followed by job signs/trucks at 78 percent; social media including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and Houzz at 58 percent; and networking/organization membership also at 58 percent.

For their 2014 marketing strategies, remodelers are investing more resources into their websites, job signs/trucks, and networking/organization memberships—the same top responses seen in the last three years. One interesting note, for the first time in three years remodelers indicated they plan to invest more into print advertising, yellow pages, home shows/Parade of Homes in 2014.

Fifty-eight percent of remodelers use social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and Houzz to market clients. This represents a 12-percent increase over last year’s survey.

“Social media sites as well as project review sites such as Houzz and Angie’s List have accounted for almost half our leads in the past year,” said one remodeler.

As for the remodelers who invest in social media, 60 percent feel this type of marketing is effective—up from 50 percent recorded last year. The remodelers who use social media estimate that 60 percent of their business is a direct result of their social media marketing efforts.

Facebook, LinkedIn, Angie’s List, and Houzz are the top four social media sites used by remodelers. Pinterest, which was in the top three last year, has become less popular as a lead generator for remodelers.

As for other types of marketing, most remain on par from the past surveys; however, print advertising made a 4-percent jump from 2013 to 2014.

Effective marketing methods

Job/truck signs are still one of the most effective means for marketing, according to the remodelers that responded to our survey. Thirty-three percent indicated job/truck signs are “very effective” at driving business, while 88 percent said job/truck signs are “somewhat effective” at driving business.

The company website remains another effective means of marketing for remodelers. Thirty-nine percent feel that websites are “very effective” while 79 feel websites are at least “somewhat effective.” Networking continues to remain “somewhat effective” at driving business (68 percent), as does social media (60 percent) and print advertising (54 percent) efforts. Telemarketing, billboards, and canvassing remain the least effective methods of generating new business. PR

Combining traditional marketing with websites and social media prove to be a winning combination to increase leads.