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SlIppery rock GazeTTe decemBer 2022|5
INTRODUCING
Dimension Stone Design Manual 2022
The stone industry’s single-source reference for dimension stone design and construction facts and details.
Access the digital version at www.naturalstoneinstitute.org/DSDM.
Training & Education
Non-Traditional Ways to Grow Your Countertop Shop in 2023
The more we work with more fabri- cators, we more we discover what brings about a revenue increase in retail countertop shops. I wanted to break down a plan that you should follow for your shop in 2023 that’s a little different than the normal marketing plan. 2022 was a good year, and most likely you were pretty busy with plenty of jobs. Being busy and growing your business is great. The problem is that sometimes you and your team are so busy, you’re not plan- ning for the future when things may slow down.
Plan for the worst. I don’t like being negative, but planning for a decrease in business is a realistic way to run your countertop shop. You need backup plans and strategy for when the jobs aren’t roll- ing in as much as they are at the current time. With our clients, towards the end of the year business was slowing down for many pockets of the U.S. . Here are a few tips covering what you should focus on in 2023 and some non-traditional ways to tackle some of your marketing.
Your website needs to be top-notch. I mentioned in my last article (www.slip- peryrockgazette.net/archives/Nov2022) that we see a lot of outdated countertop shop websites. The industry is a little behind other industries with online mar- keting, but we see it slowly catching up. This means your competitors are starting to put money into their online presence, and this all starts with a website. More than 50% of your website traffic is on mobile devices and this is only going to increase. Your website needs to be super mobile-friendly and fast.
Two big technology issues to also think about in 2023 are voice search (people talking into devices to search for coun- tertops) and also compliancy for people with disabilities. There is a new type of lawsuit out there that lawyers are cash- ing in on: going after websites that aren’t ADA-compliant. Make sure your new site is ready for these two factors in the new year.
Stephen Alberts
Countertop Marketing
Facebook is not dead and is not going anywhere. The shops that focus on social media will win in 2023. Facebook (and Instagram) is still very much alive and shops are getting tons of leads from the social network. But it needs to be done properly. Homeowners love pictures and videos. People are too busy to read, so they need quick content that’s easy to consume.
Projects pictures, before and afters and short videos are just some types of con- tent to focus on. The younger homeowner wants to connect more with the business they are allowing into their home. We all enjoy a good story, and your shop should be telling that story with your social media and also on your website.
We want to see the behind-the-scenes content. Why do you think reality TV is so popular? It’s because people love to see the raw type of content. A selfie video that isn’t polished will perform better on social media than a polished, commercial-type video.
In 2023 get uncomfortable with your content for social media! Tell your story, get on camera more, and put out con- tent that connects with your audience. Perfection isn’t your friend with social media. Raw, authentic content that isn’t edited perfectly will win every day.
Reviews, reviews, reviews. I see shops that are fantastic with getting more Google reviews, and then some that are just horrible with this. Reviews are the cheapest way you can grow your coun- tertop shop, but you need to put in the work. And I have a strategy for you in 2023!
We’ve tested many different ways to get reviews after a project is completed. Here are some methods that work extremely well:
1. After a project is complete, have someone in your office call the cus- tomer. Wait a few days but don’t wait too long! You want them to still have the excitement that they have a new countertop installed.
2. On the call make sure they are happy with the countertop and also everything is okay. On this call, tell them that you are going to send a review request.
3. Send them a request asking for a review right after this call. You can
even send them a simple email with your Google review link, or use a sys- tem to do it. We have a system that makes this easy.
4. After a week, if you do not get a review from the customer, follow up again.
We are all numb to automated systems and software. After you get your car fixed at the dealer you get an automated request for a review. You go to the dentist and also get that review request after your appointment. In 2023 you need to go out- side of the box and put that personal touch to your customer service, which will sky- rocket your Google review efforts.
We have a client who follows the above calling process and gets around a 50% conversion rate from asking for a review, to getting a review online. 50%–That’s an incredible response rate!
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