It’s a competitive marketplace for small home improvement businesses just like yours. After all, building a recognizable brand, regardless of your talent or industry, is no easy feat. And while a new digital landscape means there are more ways than before to market your business, it also means there is more competition than ever to generate awareness for your brand.
A saturated market can make it hard for businesses to stand out from the competition. Are you ready to take advantage of the many benefits an inventory of promo products can offer your residential construction company?
Let’s take a few minutes to review the perks of promotional items, explore some of the top products for your business, and identify the best methods in which to deploy your promo materials marketing strategy.
Benefits of Promotional Items
While traditional marketing practices are often overshadowed by their digital counterparts, there’s still so much value to be gained in deploying promotional materials. 85% of consumers have done business with a company after receiving their promotional items. That’s an impressive return on investment!
A solid giveaway, branded with all the right information, provides a constant reminder of your business and your services. Adding the right promotional materials to your marketing strategy can yield exceptional value for many years.
Cost-Effective Marketing for your Business
The cost of promotional marketing collateral for your business is much more affordable than you think! Promotional products are a cost-effective marketing strategy to help you stay competitive with those larger home improvement businesses in your region. The prices of most promotional items are low, but when it comes to the potential impact on your target audience the sky’s the limit.
Increased Brand Visibility
Promotional products can do wonders in improving your brand visibility now and into the future. Unlike a digital ad or social media post that appears and then disappears in the blink of an eye, useful promotional materials offer continuous exposure for your home improvement business.
Greater Lead Generation
With greater brand exposure, comes greater potential for lead generation. When promotional products are kept and repeatedly used, your business stays in the minds of homeowners for years to come.
Improve Customer Loyalty
Everyone loves free stuff! And your favourite homeowners to work with are no different. Build lasting relationships with your top customers with a branded token of your appreciation. Mugs or magnets, they’ll know exactly who to contact for their next home renovation every time they open their fridge or enjoy a cup of coffee.
Nail that First Impression
A strong first impression can be the difference-maker between a new customer and lost opportunity. And what better way to say hello than with a gift? Handing out branded products during consultations, industry events, trade shows and other in-person gatherings is a great way to get the conversation rolling with your next potential lead.
The Top Promotional Items for your Business
These days virtually everything can be branded, so when it comes to picking the best marketing collateral for your business, you have plenty of options. An effective promotional material campaign relies on selecting the right products for your audience.
Here are 4 quick tricks to pick the best giveaways for your home improvement brand:
1. Have a Goal in Mind
Any marketing strategy is developed with a specific goal in mind, and promotional giveaways are no different. Do you want to build brand awareness? Increase engagement? Generate new leads? Or maybe expand your business’s reach? Defining your objective is the first step before investing in the best promotional items to help you achieve your goals.
2. Be Creative
We are not in the 80’s and 90’s anymore so think beyond producing a bunch of branded pens. Creative and useful giveaways make a strong impression on potential customers and improve a homeowner’s experience with your brand. It shows you’re capable of thinking outside of the box and willing to go that extra mile.
3. Opt for Quality
Cutting costs for quality does nothing to impress. When a cheap product breaks in just a couple of uses, how does that reflect on your home improvement company? Opting for quality promotional items for your trade business not only makes a better impression but also ensures the giveaway can be used for a longer period. Ultimately improving your brand exposure and ROI.
4. Maintain your branding
Creating a memorable brand relies on consistency. Make your branded giveaways unforgettable by including the same fonts, logos, images or colours that are used throughout your website and marketing materials.
Before pulling the trigger on your promotional products investment, ask yourself the following:
What Items Will Be Useful to Your Potential Clients?
Remind yourself who your potential clients are and what promotional items will be useful to them. If your service area experiences heavy rainfall, you may consider branded umbrellas. If your target homeowners are millennials, tech gadgets may be the way to go. The more useful the branded giveaway is, the more frequently your potential homeowner will be reminded of your business. Considering your audience in your product selection ensures your branded material stays top of mind, rather than the bottom of the trash.
What Items Speak to Your Brand and the Services You Offer?
The purpose of deploying promo materials within your marketing campaigns is to boost your brand awareness, so be sure to stay on brand when selecting the right products to add to your arsenal. Branded measuring tapes or other tools/equipment can remind your audience of your services at the ideal moment.
Here are 10 promotional items ideas to get you going;
- Face masks/ face shields
- Branded pocket-sized hand sanitizers
- Reusable water bottles
- Magnets
- Pens
- Tape measures
- Key chains
- Hat (ball cap or toque)
- T-shirts and apparel
- Cell phone cases or pop sockets
- USB or phone chargers
Build an inventory of a few different promotional products for different occasions. You can find a wide range of promotional items for construction companies at an affordable price at VistaPrint or 4imprint Canada.
How to Deploy Promotional Items
Investing in promotional items means very little without a solid distribution strategy. Understanding how and when you’ll make use of your giveaways can make a huge impact on growing your home improvement business.
Trade Shows and Events
The pandemic has made trade shows near impossible for the time being, but we have no doubt in-person events will be back with a vengeance in no time. While event marketing is a significant way to grow your business, it can be challenging to get noticed in a room full of your biggest competitors. A great giveaway will be seen by hundreds on the trade show floor, and help draw potential leads to your brand.
Thank You Packages
A strong gesture of goodwill, thank you packages that include a personalized note and branded promotional item is a great way to cap off a home renovation project. It shows your homeowner how grateful you are for the opportunity, and leaves them with a small memento that will remind them of your services for years to come. Helping you land that next project or referral one branded pen, hat, or water bottle, at a time.
Mail Campaigns
Cold calling may not get you very far these days, but dropping off an introductory letter about your business and branded giveaways in mailboxes around your neighbourhood can improve brand awareness and increase lead generation. They will be thrilled to find something other than a bill in their mail and although there may be no immediate return on investment, you can rest assured your business will be remembered for a repair or renovation down the road.
Contests
Drive engagement with your brand and distribute promotional products at the same time through social media contests. Ask contestants to like, share or comment on a post and then randomly select user engagements for prizes of your branded giveaways. You’ll grow your social following and improve your brand awareness.
Company Branding
T-shirts and apparel are a great way to promote your business. Outfitting your staff with work shirts or hoodies keeps a professional look at your worksite. Even better, it’s free advertising for your business every time a staff member heads to the gym, out for groceries, or runs an errand in their branded apparel.
Get the Help you Need to Grow your Home Improvement Business with HomeStars!
Your skills and our network of homeowners make one winning combination! At HomeStars we help service pros just like you connect with project-ready homeowners, showcase your business and build your reputation as a trustworthy residential construction business.
You’ve got the talent, we’ve got the tools! Gain the help you need to build your general contracting brand. Click here to register and let’s get started today!
