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3 Ways a Home Building Marketing Strategy Can Target Your Local Area
By: Spencer Powell on Jul. 30, 2013
Most home building companies focus on a geographical area of between 25 and 50 square miles. Anything further away becomes expensive for both builders and customers, in terms of transporting materials and labor. This makes reaching your target market so much easier, because you can implement combined traditional and inbound marketing strategy that focuses on the local area really well.
Online Search
Online search is the primary method used by consumers when they want to find a local service. That means it’s vital to make sure your company is listed in all search engines that offer a local component, such as Google Places, Bing and Yelp. You can build up client reviews and testimonials as well as being searchable for potential customers.
Join directories such as Yellow Pages, ReachLocal.com and GetListed.org, which enable you to list your business and verify that it comes up in the search engine results pages for your region. HubSpot recently posted a great list of 50 business directories to use for local marketing.
Take Part In Local Events
Participation in local events is an excellent way to make yourself known in the area. This doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, and while it’s a fairly traditional form of promotion it’s also a great fit for your inbound marketing strategy:Purchase a booth at fairs and festivals that take place in your city or town. Set up a table and a display with a computer presentation showing some of your successful projects. Interact with the public, introduce yourself and get to know them. Pass out business cards with your name and contact information, your website or blog address, and include details of your specialties on the back.
Offer free consultations for advice about the potential renovations homeowners could make. You might suggest an option the homeowner hasn’t considered, and at the very least you will have made a new connection.
Ask everyone who stops by your booth to leave a business card or sign your visitor’s book and collect addresses to add to your email marketing database.
Network, Network, Network
Network with local plumbers, electricians and hardware stores, as well as anyone else that is aligned with building and construction in the area. This is useful for adding to your list of contacts and could result in referrals. Join local community organizations and attend networking events with the members whenever you can.Some of the groups found in most communities include:
> Kiwanis
> Junior League
> Rotary
> Shriners
The trick is to become recognized locally as an expert in your field, so that when homeowners are ready to start building they know who to contact.
By developing a comprehensive marketing strategy that includes these and other options, you can make sure you set time aside to do the things that will ultimately bring you the business that you want.