A changing landscape
Ben Brocklesby, sales and marketing director at Origin, gives his advice on marketing to homeowners and explains how Origin supports its partners with an extensive marketing strategy.
Being able to effectively reach and engage with homeowners is crucial to the success of most businesses in the glass and glazing industry. That said, the marketing landscape is incredibly fast moving, so to thrive, we need to be nimble and attuned to consumer demands.
In a world where homeowners can quickly find home renovation inspiration on their phones, instantly order furniture at the click of a button, and test paint samples in their living room using online software rather than a paintbrush, they now expect this same level of access, engagement and marketing from brands and service providers in our industry.
According to Origin research, almost 85% of homeowners use social media platforms for ideas when styling their homes. That’s why Origin has made a significant investment in its presence on social media platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Houzz.
Social media influencers also have a substantial effect on purchasing decisions. In fact, the average person now spends £412 per year on interior items shared by Instagram influencers alone. This shows a huge cultural shift.
Origin has formed successful partnerships with some of the UK’s leading interior influencers, including Hygge for Home, Hornsby Style and Restoring Landsdowne. Through a series of strategic campaigns implemented by influencers, we encouraged homeowners to use bifolding doors to create more space in their homes using ‘outrooms’. We also examined the effects of Instagram on how we view our homes and highlighted the value of living potential in a campaign on ‘insta-homes’. Each campaign had high levels of engagement – reaching new homeowners with Origin’s message.
It is predicted that 80% of consumer internet traffic will be directed towards watching video by the end of this year, according to Cisco. For Origin, video allows us to showcase case studies in a way that images cannot. We now create and share videos of aspirational Origin homes that inspire homeowner projects. For partners, instructional installation videos provide guidance to reduce issues on site.
Easy access to information online means homeowners are more knowledgeable about products than ever before. As a result, Origin has developed an online advice centre as a free, unbiased resource to help homeowners easily find the latest and most accurate information at the click of a button.
Homeowners now consider more than thermal efficiency, security and kerb appeal when choosing doors and windows. They want to know that the company they are buying from is ethical. Accreditations, such as ISO 14001 and ISO 9001, demonstrate a commitment to maintaining high environmental and operational standards, and are therefore something Origin is proud to hold as a British manufacturer.
For installers, builders and architects, marketing to homeowners in such a fast-moving consumer landscape takes a significant amount of time and investment. As a result, we support our partners with this activity in three ways.
Firstly, we position Origin as the world’s leading and window brand, to create a nationwide presence. Extensive PPC campaigns, targeted social media advertising, dedicated PR and media partnerships with leading interior publications are all used to build the brand and drive sales and demand to the showroom floor.
Secondly, we directly support partners by giving them everything they need to sell the Origin Home range with ease. This includes marketing literature for showrooms, such as new brochures and POS, and the latest product images. Partners also have ongoing access to Origin’s team for marketing and technical support. Using a collaborative approach, we help them build a regional brand and reputation for professionalism, installation proficiency and great customer service.
Finally, we have developed Origin Sale Safe, a quick online ordering system that allows our partners to accurately quote homeowners on projects in minutes. This means they spend less time placing orders and more on generating new leads and taking on new business.
As homeowners become increasingly accustomed to advanced levels of communication from suppliers and service providers, they are no longer satisfied with a great product offering alone. As a result, we must work with our partners to ensure we understand homeowner needs and behaviour, and are providing them with a superior overall brand experience based on this insight. This is at the heart of our marketing strategy.
