You may not realize it, but you’re likely sitting on a relationship goldmine.
Email marketing is one of the most important tools for growth in the building industry. It helps you build stronger connections with your current customers and forge new relationships with prospective customers. But keeping up with a regular email schedule or knowing what to talk about in monthly newsletters might leave you doubting the impact of email.
In our experience working with companies in the construction and solar industry, we’ve seen what kind of messages people are more apt to open and click on, and the strategies that help make conversions. In this post, we’ll offer some tips to help you identify where to begin and how to make the most impact.
Create Simple, But Effective Email Templates
Whether it’s installing cabinets or laying the foundation for a new home, you likely have a standard way of doing things–a pattern that helps save you time and make sure things are done right.
Same goes for email. Creating ready-to-go email templates saves time. Using a pre-populated template from a CRM tool like Active Campaign or Hubspot also helps you look more professional, which increases future engagement and trust in your company.
Keep templates simple. Only include information that’s absolutely necessary. Consider adding your logo, compelling image(s), and one clear call to action that goes to your website.
Divide Your Email List by Service
If you offer multiple services, consider what emails you’re sending to each of your customers. One of the best things to do is ask what service they’re most interested in, whether in a sign-up form or a survey. Afterward, you can divide your email list by the types of services your customers are most interested in.
For instance, if a customer indicates they want to learn more about home renovation, only send them emails that focus on home-related articles, tips, and promotions. By sending relevant, service-specific emails to the customers that want that information, you’ll likely find it increases your email open rates.
Divide Your Email List by Customer Type
Customers want different messages from you based on their relationship to you. What does that mean exactly?
It means your leads, past customers, or other companies in your industry have different questions and concerns, so it makes sense to create different messages for them.
Start by focusing on nurturing and growing your relationship with prospective customers. Your content for a lead may include a promotion, customer testimonial, or a special how-to guide. Current and past customers want to feel seen and heard. Send emails that ask for their feedback and provide expert tips to care for their new roof or kitchen floor. Fellow businesses in your industry want to see what you’re up to, how you’re marketing products and if there are opportunities for collaborating with other companies. Think of this as networking and offer them some messages that foster that relationship.
Focus Your Efforts on Your Most Engaged Users
An essential email strategy for contractors and builders is to focus your emails on your most engaged customers.
The CRM you use likely provides the option to separate your most and least engaged users. Sending targeted emails to your engaged customers helps boost your open rates and the quality score for your email account. Afterall, why keep sending messages to the people who never open them?
Over time you’ll be able to gather enough data to know what types of content your email lists engage with most and where to focus your attention, from trends to sales to home renovation best practices.
The best approach to email, whether you send messages to customers once a week or once a month, is to always ask, “Does this email have value to my customer?” To pack in that value, balance the types of emails you send to provide information about sales and special offers as well as value-only content. Offer useful information, such as tips to winterize your home or knowing when to replace a roof. Help customers get to know you and your company culture, as well. Show them what it’s like to work with you and how your service and culture set you apart. Doing so reminds customers you’re a source for building information and that could help you land your next customer.
