As a home-improvement business you need to be realistic about the advertising ideas and campaigns you take on. To remain the first company customers think about when they decide to renovate their homes, you need to stay top of mind – advertising helps you remind customers you exist. Or if you are just starting out, it allows you to introduce yourself to potential customers. But if you are stuck where to start on the fence, let us show you the ropes. Grab your customer’s attention with these out-of-the-box advertising ideas.

TREAT YOUR CUSTOMERS LIKE HUMANS AND NOT JUST ANOTHER SALE

You may think this doesn’t belong on a list of advertising ideas, but think about it this way: you are sending a message to your customers through every interaction you have with them. According the article Being Human is Good Business: “If you don’t recognise the value of your customers, they leave. If you treat them with compassion and respect, you can inspire their loyalty.” Currently businesses focus on resolving issues rather than dealing with the person behind that issue. “If you lose sight of the fact that you’re serving people, there are direct consequences not only for the quality of your service, but also for your product.” Customers who get their issues resolved quickly and feel like they have been treated fairly are more likely to tell others of their experience – that’s free advertising for your business! Focus on improving the customer experience, create a relationship with your clients and find out why they have chosen your business over others – and use this information to improve on your service.

GIVE NEW CUSTOMERS A WARM WELCOME

Besides doing everything in your power to make sure your customers are well looked after, you can make them feel extra valued through special offers – no one can resist them. If you provide on-going specials (say seasonally) it will give your customers something to look forward to. Focus your promotions on discounts, giveaways and contests. For instance, run a contest stipulating that if a customer spends more than a certain amount, they automatically get entered into a draw to stand a chance to win a room makeover.

REMEMBER YOUR CUSTOMERS’ NAMES

Starbucks seems to be doing something right in this regard. It’s not strictly necessary for them to write out customers’ names on their coffee orders, but they do. Using a state-of-the-art mobile app, they are able to blend their online and offline worlds effortlessly. Starbucks go out of their way to remember your name and to get away with it if they spell it incorrectly. They do this as a marketing tactic to draw attention to it and, thereby, evoke a positive response. Karen Mishra, a marketing consultant and contributor for Entrepreneur, talks about a manager at a Starbucks in Durham, England who works hard at remembering the names of all her customers and not only that, she writes out personal messages to each of them.

HOW YOU CAN ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF BOTH ONLINE AND OFFLINE ADVERTISING

An integrated plan, which includes the perfect mix of online and offline advertising ideas, will serve to promote your home-improvement business to its fullest, because this is an effective way of attracting and retaining customers. When you advertise with us, you get the best of both worlds as you can be sure that your advert will be seen online and in our print magazine. At our core, we understand how to bring the right customers to your doorstep by providing them with the right information on theirs.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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