It’s no secret to any of you that marketing is constantly changing; we’re always suggesting new ways to bring customers to your website.
Laurysen Kitchens is a great example of a company that saw the need for a change in marketing strategy, and took the leap.
We Created a Website That Appealed to Everyone
We had created a website and marketing plan for Laurysen that appealed to all stages of the buyer’s journey. The buyer’s journey is a three stage process which customers go through when making a decision about a purchase.
For those in the awareness stage, or those who are beginning to think about remodeling, there are the photo galleries. For those in the consideration stage, there are service pages. And for those who are in the decision stage, there are more landing pages that invite them make an appointment.
A Dip In Gallery Traffic Meant Adding Something New to the Marketing Strategy
While the website continued to perform well, we noticed that the photo galleries were getting lower than usual traffic. Dreamers seemed to be going elsewhere to find their renovation inspiration.
It became clear that the marketing practices we had in place need something new added to the mix. That’s where Houzz came in.
Laurysen Went Where the Market Was – On Houzz
Part of marketing is not being afraid to try something new, and that is exactly what Laurysen did. Houzz, an online platform for home decor and remodeling, has everything from photos to articles to products, and is used by dreamers, buyers, and businesses worldwide.
“Many years ago, Houzz was industry knowledge. Everyone seemed to know about it. People were asking, ‘have you heard of Houzz?’ We looked into it and decided to sign up,” Giuseppe Castrucci, Laurysen’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, recalls.
“It kind of snowballed from there,” Giuseppe explains about Laurysen’s rise to popularity on the platform.
People are attracted to the options that Houzz gives them, which Laurysen makes full use of.
“We can say go to Houzz, see our photos and ideas, download your ideabook, and bring it to us,” he explains. From there, Laurysen’s designers work with the clients to create their dream kitchens and bathrooms.
Laurysen Photos Have Been Shared Over 100,000 Times
All those dream kitchen and bathrooms certainly got attention. In fact, they caught over 100,000 eyes. Laurysen was recognized by Houzz in 2016 as having their photos shared 100,000 times, a number that continues to rise.
Giuseppe admits that they weren’t expecting the milestone.
“We were pleasantly surprised. We’re a family owned and operated business, not a multi-million dollar company. But with Houzz, it doesn’t matter how many dollars you have; it’s about the quality.”
Now Laurysen’s name stretches beyond word of mouth and print ads to people who recognize the quality of their company, even if they aren’t in the service area.
“We actually had someone from Texas call us, and ask for a paint chip because we had the exact colour they were looking for. I mailed it to them, and I was happy to do it, even though they aren’t in our service area,” Giuseppe recalls. It’s all about exceptional service to go with the exceptional quality.
With Houzz Pro+, Laurysen Has An Increased Presence in the Local Market
While it is nice to make someone in Texas happy, the focus is still on the kitchens and bathrooms of the Ottawa area. So how do the locals on Houzz find Laurysen?
Giuseppe told me that just recently, Laurysen had upgraded to a Houzz Pro+ account. This means that when people in the 613 area code search for kitchen and bathroom queries or products on Houzz, they’re directed to Laurysen.
Already the upgrade is proving itself. “In the last month, we actually had someone who saw us on Houzz while living in Toronto, moved to Ottawa, searched on Houzz and saw our company again. She booked an appointment with us about her kitchen renovation.”
Laurysen Keeps Their Profile Attractive With Regular Photo Updates
Keeping people interested means keeping the profile updated. Giuseppe is on top of Laurysen’s Houzz profile, because he understands how important is to continuously show customers what’s new, what’s improved, and what they’re up to.
“You always want to keep your profile current. Every time we are in competitions and I have professional photos taken – about twice a year – of the 10 to 15 projects we have entered, I upload them to Houzz.”
The competition kitchens are some of the best, and according to Giuseppe, “Houzz is always about putting your best foot forward.” Their competition kitchens are not only top of the line, but have features that make them stand out, making them an asset to the Laurysen Houzz profile.
This Type of Marketing Gives You Results in Real Time
Social media has become the place where we spend our time, not idly flipping through magazines. These platforms make use of familiar marketing practices, like using visuals, and bring them into the modern day. That’s what Houzz has done, and what it does for Laurysen.
“It’s taken the old school ways of marketing and applied it to these platforms,” says Giuseppe. “It’s a redirection of your marketing dollars. No one has a bigger budget; they’re just spending it differently. For example, instead of doing a bunch of print ads, maybe I only do these two ads, and put x amount of money into online platforms like Houzz.”
The best part of it is that you can get results in real time, not have to wait for a publication date. “You can see how many leads you get. You quantify it,” Giuseppe explains. “I can call up my Houzz rep and ask how many leads I got this month, and how many have converted. I like the immediacy of it.”
“I can then go to you, my web marketers, and use Google Analytics to see even more information. They work together.”
Marketing Is Always Changing, So We Change With It
At the end of the day, Giuseppe says it best. “You get back what you put in.”
Maybe we should make that our motto. We put hours of time and thought into our web and marketing development, always looking at the best ways to improve local SEO and marketing initiatives for our clients.
We believe that going where the market is and trying something new is the key way to learn and develop a marketing plan that really works.
Do you think your company needs an extra boost for local searches?
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