“A lot of advertising is geared to persuasion rather than building mental availability.”
– Dr. Jenni Romaniuk, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute
“Shift the relationship from transactional to emotional”
– Fast Company, April 2022
The North American kitchen and bath market is complex to crack. Building awareness and preference among the interdependent communities of design professionals, showrooms, distributors, and trade professionals takes a commitment.
A big part of that commitment is the investment to build awareness and earn trust. Marketing professor Dr. Romaniuk calls it “building mental availability” to be top of mind when prospects are in active buying mode. To be successful is to transcend the transaction to build lasting emotional connections.
While this initial cost of acquisition can be high, the lifetime value of repeat specifications delivers a really sweet ROI over time. Think about the value of 5-10 specifications per year for five+ years to put that initial investment in perspective.
That said, a little planning goes a long way. As part of Global Connect, you’re already ahead of the game. The NKBA and KBIS experiences are like getting a warm personal introduction to many people at once, one that says, “we’re glad you’re here, we’re open to hearing more.”
Be intentional about building conversion paths from that point. While it’s not a linear journey, you can expect prospects to pass through three phases: aware – engaged – activated.
Scaling engagement at this phase of the buyer journey is most effective with a mindset of building community vs selling. Anticipate and address your prospects’ pain points and “jobs to be done.” Demonstrate that you care about their business success. Be responsive across all platforms.
Here are five smart ways to build a community that converts from the benefits you gain through Global Connect:
- Publish helpful content
- Search engine research is the cheapest and most accurate customer research we’ve ever had as marketers. Identify pain points that your product solves, prioritizing those that are a competitive advantage. Optimize your site for those solutions. Build a publishing calendar that includes a distribution strategy through paid, earned, shared, and owned
- Connect with the kitchen & bath communities online
- The North American kitchen & bath industry has active and engaged communities across all major social media platforms. Spend time monitoring the dialogue to develop an impactful engagement strategy. Or move faster by leveraging connections through Modenus Media Influencer Programs or any of the marketing consultants who are Global Connect Advisors. Plan for online responsiveness that meets people where they are: direct messages, website chats, phone, SMS, and email.
- Build an audience
- The industry calls this generating leads, but in some cases, prospects give their email before they are in the purchase cycle. KBIS show scans can fall into this category. But getting that email and permission to send marketing emails is a really important step, demonstrating a deeper level of interest and trust. Make the most of it by thinking through the customer experience for each email, planning a conversion path, and testing content to see what resonates.
- Develop a community
- Empathy drives community. Think beyond your features and benefits to shared experiences and emotional connections. Support customers by collaborating to promote installations. Give them shoutouts on their socials–even when your brand isn’t in the picture.
- Be memorable and purposeful
- Your brand is who you are. It is not your product and it is not an ad. It is the experience that everyone has with your company, from customers to employees to supply chain partners. Use your website and social platforms to demonstrate your values. Introduce key leaders through intentional thought leadership.
Building a community that converts builds long-term loyalty and lifetime value. It is your ticket to success in the North American kitchen and bath industry.
Nora DePalma is president and CEO of Dialogue, a modern PR firm for purpose-led brands.