Business Ideas

April 28, 2020 By brian

Marketing Ideas for Home Services

Being at home has caused consumers to look around their living space and the exterior of their homes with critical eyes. So, while many industries are on pause, home services, builders, and contractors have an opportunity to provide clients with help on projects they’ve been putting off until now. We’ve put together some ideas from our observations of the market:

Let consumers know you’re open for business:

With many people at home, it may not be obvious that you are available for projects. Communicate with your current customers and potential clients about your services. Some project trends we’re seeing in the area include:

New construction/remodels: New homes, additions, whole-house remodels, new sunrooms, and many updated kitchens and baths.

Second homeowners preparing for a summer arrival: We’re hearing that many snowbirds are delaying their return to the Cape for a month or two. It’s a perfect segment to address, especially as their home is vacant.
Outdoor projects: With more time being spent outdoors, outdoor projects will be a big trend, including three-season rooms, screened porches, decks, fire pits and driveways. Landscaping and pest control will become more urgent as the season gets warmer.

Structural issues: Consumers are more willing to address major projects or safety hazards that cannot be ignored: doors, foundations, windows, and roofs.

Ensure a robust online presence:

With social distancing keeping people out of showrooms, consumers are looking for online information, inspiration, products to order, and your company’s reviews. Make sure your website, social media, and Google My Business listing are up to date and compelling.

Reassure clients about your social distancing and hygiene practices:

Some companies are careful about asking for keys to be left in a lock box or ensuring the house is vacant before commencing work. Consumers want to know about your crew’s use of masks and gloves, and your sanitizing practices.

Try new technologies:

To kick off a project, there are many ways to assess a job and craft an estimate via phone conferencing, photos from the client’s phone, and video conferencing. An app called ‘Builder Trend’ allows clients to see and keep track of the progress their project and video calls such as Zoom or Facetime can show clients the progress visually. One local business is offering “How To” one-hour webinars for customers on different remodeling projects.

Offer financial incentives:

For people in financial need, perhaps offer deferred payment plans or special financing rates.

Together, we can get through this difficult time and be stronger for it.

April 13, 2020 By brian

Marketing Ideas for Retail Businesses

This piece is focused on ideas for retail establishments and comes from right at home here on Cape Cod. Just one idea could make a difference to your business.

RETHINK YOUR SERVICE DELIVERY MODELS
Most retail establishments have had to close their doors temporarily. Local beauty salons, although closed to appointments, are offering their beauty products for sale over the phone with curbside pickup. A local yoga studio is offering online classes and curbside pickup of yoga accessories for yogis to set up their own home studios. Some essential stores that are still open are offering special hours for customers over 60 and ensuring the store is easy in/easy out. Most retail stores are ramping up their free shipping or discounted home delivery options, with phone, online, or even Facebook Message ordering.

ADAPT YOUR PRODUCT TO THE TIMES
A local crafts company, which previously held classes in its brick and mortar shop, is offering to drop off craft kits to homes as well as downloadable projects on their website. A cupcake bakery is now shipping “cupcakes in a jar” and cupcake decorating kits. A local fabric shop is offering a “Grab and Go” face mask kit with everything you need to DIY.

EXPAND YOUR SERVICE AREA BY RAMPING UP E-COMMERCE
By leveraging digital marketing tools and e-commerce, you can expand your service area. Is your website up to date? Is your e-commerce platform functioning properly? Are you merchandising your products effectively online, even with phone orders only?

UNDERSTAND THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF YOUR CUSTOMERS AND COMMUNICATE
It’s important to communicate with your customers and listen to their new needs. Consumers are concerned about hygiene and sanitizing practices of stores and products; be clear about your policy. Stay at home orders have increased interest in key categories: DIY projects, home improvements, activities for children, etc. It’s a good time to review your advertising messages for relevance and share your new offerings. Maybe take time to update your Google Business page, refine your social media business presence,and use digital advertising to draw attention to your website.

INCREASE YOUR USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
Use social media to interact with your customer base in a new way. Pinterest, Instagram, and of course Facebook are seeing record levels of engagement since consumers have been at home.

EXPAND YOUR PROMOTIONAL TACTICS
It’s important to continue the standard practices of percentage off discounts, gift with purchase, buy one get one free, tiered discounts, and loyalty programs to drive business. Why not try online photo or video contests to engage customers?

CONSIDER CAUSE RELATED MARKETING
One local jeweler created a Relief Bracelet and portions of the sale are donated to the Coronavirus Relief Fund. Others are aligning themselves and donating products to non-profits in need.

PREPARE FOR THE RECOVERY
This crisis will pass. What will your Grand Re-Opening look like?

We hope these ideas stimulate some thoughts for your business; let us know how we can be of service. We can get through this together.

April 6, 2020 By brian

Marketing Ideas for Retaurants

We know these are very unusual times for business. We understand the challenges that this current climate brings as businesses are forced to rethink strategies and reconfigure operations.

We want to help. Here are some ideas for restaurants, coming from thoughts from across the country: from trade groups, bloggers, industry press, and social media. Just one idea could make a difference.

EXPAND YOUR SERVICE DELIVERY MODELS: Clearly, everyone has turned to delivery models as a first step, usually a combination of take out, curb side delivery, contactless delivery, or using the delivery services (Door Dash, Grub Hub, Uber Eats.) We’ve seen some build on these, such as “Open your Trunk”, where a customer calls as they drive up, open their trunk, and a server places the order in the car. Some establishments have taped off 6 foot waiting points in the restaurant for clients to maintain social distancing while taking out.

EXPAND YOUR DELIVERY SERVICE AREA: “Chinatown Delivers” is a program creating a delivery service for participating Chinatown restaurants to deliver food to Boston suburbs where they don’t normally service. Perhaps Cape Cod establishments to deliver local specialties up through the South Shore.

ADAPT YOUR PRODUCT TO THE TIMES: Many consumers are now looking for Family Sized meals. Other product enhancements include updating menus to be more “delivery friendly” and focusing only on best sellers. Some are creating pre-packaged to go meals, full multi course dinner kits, or specific dinner kits to make at home.

COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS: It’s important to communicate your changes to customers and listen to their changing needs. It’s a good time to review your advertising messages for relevance and tonality but also communicate new stock arrivals, new hours, or new offerings. It’s a good time to update your Google Business page as well as your social media pages.

USE VIRTUAL/ONLINE ENHANCEMENTS: Use social media to interact with your customer base in a new way. For example, the Clover Food Labs founder hosts a live cooking show with only pantry staples.

TRY PROMOTIONAL TACTICS FROM RETAIL: The world of retail holds some interesting promotional techniques that could be leveraged for restaurants. Common tactics such as percentage off discounts, gift with purchase, buy one, get one free, tiered discounts, or loyalty programs could drive traffic and repeat business.

INCREASE CROSS SELL: In California, liquor licenses have been relaxed so that restaurants can sell bottles of wine with takeout. Others are cross selling salad or dessert with the entrée for a complete meal. Others are selling “perishables” bags- vegetables for consumers to pick up at the point of take out.

LEVERAGE YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN FOR THE CONSUMER’S BENEFIT: Some restaurants are utilizing their commercial food suppliers to offer groceries with prepared take out. Although our agricultural season is different here on Cape Cod, other cities are leveraging their produce, meat and seafood providers to offer added sales. In California, some restaurants are offering a weekly CSA which customers can pick up with take out. One California shop is offering bulk staples such as legumes and meats, sourced from their suppliers, in addition to take out. Could your business offer local produce and seafood as an option, along with the regular take out?

CONSIDER CAUSE RELATED MARKETING: Many organizations are participating in #feedthefrontline to send food or a buy one, send one, to hospital workers. A Nashville restaurant is donating free meals to anyone who’s out of work in the local music industry.

KEEP YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR: A local restaurant is offering a free roll of toilet paper with take-out orders. A Buffalo Wings restaurant admonishes customers to “Get Your Wings & Go Home!”

PREPARE FOR THE RECOVERY: As sure as night follows day, this crisis will end. What will your Grand Re-Opening look like?

We hope these ideas stimulate some thoughts for your business; let us know how we can be of service. We can get through this together.

Our building will be closed to the public and our Marketing Consultants are working remotely. Please reach out to your Marketing Consultant or to me, Brian Barth, General Manager and General Sales Manager, at 508-815-2665 if you have questions or concerns.

Marketing Ideas for Home Services

Marketing Ideas for Retail Businesses

Marketing Ideas for Retaurants

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