December 4, 2010
During the course of the past week, two of my clients made similar “out of the blue” comments – “let’s look at how we can better assimilate the iPad into our marketing program.”
Now, as an early iPhone adopter, I look at the iPad as an overgrown iPhone and didn’t run out to purchase the first generation – in fact I was under the misguided impression I could go through life without an iPad – I am mistaken.
Both clients intend to create photo galleries of their kitchens, baths and other design and remodeling projects, displaying them proudly during sales calls – utilizing the iPad as many of us use a photo album or PowerPoint today.
In addition, one client is concerned that the Flash elements and Flash video on his site are not visible on the iPad – Apple and Adobe may never come to terms over this travesty of egos that hurts us all. We are changing all the Flash to “less compelling” animations. However, his complete site is now visible to all – on all platforms… he can easily go from showing his slideshow of kitchen and bath projects to his website, without embarrassment.
As you look into your 2011 integrated marketing plans and budgets, consider the iPad, as well as mobile marketing as real opportunities. As always, Z promotion & design is just a phone call (9119-932-4600) or email away if you are looking for marketing assistance.
Join us on Facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/Zpromotion
Join us on YouTube @ http://www.youtube.com/user/KitchenBathChannel
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Integrated Marketing, iPad, iPhone, kitchen and bath dealer, kitchen and bath integrated marketing, kitchen and bath photography, Kitchen and Bath Professionals, Kitchen and Bath Web Marketing, kitchen design marketing, Marketing, marketing with video, Mobile Apps, photography | Tagged: android, architectural photography, improved business, Integrated Marketing, iPhone, iPod, Kitchen and Bath Industry, kitchen and bath marketing, Kitchen and Bath Professionals, kitchen dealers, kitchen design sales, kitchen design websites, kitchen marketing, kitchen photography, kitchen sales, kitchen showroom, kitchen website marketing, photography, professional photographer, selling kitchens online, web marketing | 
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Posted by zpromotion
October 30, 2010
It is hard to believe that October is quickly becoming November, but the calendar doesn’t lie – or I’d still be a lot younger… So, in addition to raking leaves, bringing in the plants and breaking the sweaters out of mothballs, your autumn checklist should include your 2011 Integrated Marketing Plan.
Let’s hope the remainder of the year shows continued growth, but traditionally the kitchen and bath industry slows down this time of year, giving you time to consider your marketing plans for the following year.
Integrate your message across media. If you think you can get by with just an online campaign – think again. You need to reach your customers often and in places they frequent. Always bear in mind that effective marketing is reaching the right person at the right time with the right message in the right way using the right media.
The media you choose should be determined by your target market, rather than your budget. The 20-somethings use “different message delivery systems” (media) than 50-somethings. Media varies by income bracket, as well.
As you look to 2011, determine your competitive advantage, (re)define your target market, craft your message, set your budget, find the right media and develop your integrated marketing plan. Now is the time to be sure you are ready to greet 2011 and the traffic it can bring to your showroom… if your customers know you’re out there.
Housekeeping:
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Posted by zpromotion
October 9, 2010
It always seems that I find a blog topic at the 11th hour– this week I want to talk about blog postings themselves. Yesterday a wonderful client asked me to review a blog posting they had prepared. It was a five paragraph sales piece touting the benefits of two cabinet manufacturers’ rebate and sales incentives, and very little about the benefits of the client themselves. That got me thinking… is there a simple “rule of thumb” for what to post. Yes. Read on.
Blogs – this is an opportunity to talk about yourself, your company, the art of kitchen and bath design, the intricacies of the process, etc. Make it educational, informative and yes, self-serving.
Read the postings on this blog (www.TheKitchenBlog.com). I try to provide information regarding all aspects of marketing your kitchen and bath showroom, while attempting to show that you would clearly benefit from the services provided by Z promotion & design. I also toss in links to my various websites (such as www.KitchenMarketing.com) to help with SEO and overtly invite you to visit to get a better look at who we are and what we do.
As a kitchen and bath professional, you are the expert – flaunt that on your blog. Post your sales incentives and specials to your website, your Facebook page and Twitter.
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YouTube’s Kitchen & Bath Channel is growing everyday! Visit. Subscribe. Email me to participate.
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Posted by zpromotion
October 3, 2010
I just returned from the SEN Design Group’s Fall Conference in Minneapolis. There is an upbeat feeling among most of the design professionals I spoke with… and everyone is talking about marketing. But it seems very few are doing anything about it!
Let me stress that marketing your kitchen and bath showroom requires action on your part. Whether you work with a local marketing firm, or chose to contact Z promotion & design for our industry expertise – get your marketing plan in order! Your peers who have been marketing and advertising throughout the “great recession” are doing OK.
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The YouTube Kitchen & Bath Channel is gaining traction… visits are increasing by 5% or more daily! Have you been yet? Have you subscribed? If you want to learn more about it or become a part of the channel… email me.
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Posted by zpromotion
September 25, 2010
The full article should be included in the next (Fall 2010) issue of NKBA Magazine, but enjoy this preview.
We are living in an economic Rubik’s cube, with each color representing a single economic indicator. Until all six sides are perfectly aligned, the kitchen and bath industry is in for a bumpy ride. With each monthly economic report, you can almost feel that one side of the cube has been aligned, only to find an adjacent side a mess. And each negative report sends us back to try to figure out the cube. You can literally see the reflection in showroom traffic, website hits and phone calls.
Now, let’s look at the Rubik’s Cube again – this time with an eye toward marketing …it’s a much easier puzzle than the economic version.
The completed cube is your fully Integrated Marketing Program, one that includes traditional, as well as new media and technology. No one completed side solves the puzzle on its own; it takes all six to effectively market your kitchen and bath business. Our marketing cube consists of six tactical sides, with each side consisting of potentially unlimited numbers of individual tools to employ at your discretion.
- Advertising
- Outreach (networking, events)
- Relationship Development (direct mail, referrals, newsletters)
- Public Relations
- Social Media
- Online / Mobile
Remember that your overall marketing campaign must have a consistent look and message regardless of your media or delivery system.
Successful marketing means you are delivering the right message, to the right person, at the right time, in the right way, employing the right media.
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Posted by zpromotion
September 11, 2010
How do I make it to the top of Google? For years I have been saying that there are no guarantees… If there were, wouldn’t millions of websites be listed first? There are so many variations and permutations that have an impact on your SERP (Search Engine Results Page) listing that guarantees are impossible. And let’s not forget that Google is a business. Google sells search placement ads – AdWords. If we were all at the top of the listings with every keyword/phrase in the kitchen and bath industry, would we still buy AdWords? Probably not.
A week or so ago Google made it clear that speed is now a major factor in how your site places in the search results. Users prefer sites that load quickly – a) because we’ve become very impatient and b) the proliferation of mobile devices where speed is essential. Speed still doesn’t outweigh content or the quality of your incoming links, but slower sites will be penalized by Google. And, by the way, according to hitwise.com for the week ending 9/4/10 – Google still accounted for 71.33% of the internet’s search volume.
So, check you speed here. And for additional information on the topic, read this article by Aaron Steinheinkel.
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On another note…
Become a part of The Kitchen and Bath Channel on YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/user/KitchenBathChannel
Join Z promotion & design on Facebook – we are hoping to top 200 fans this weekend!
Ready to Market your kitchen and bath showroom? – visit www.KitchenMarketing.com!
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Posted by zpromotion
August 21, 2010
It’s been about month since I launched the Kitchen and Bath Channel on YouTube and I want to revisit the concept with the specific intention of gaining additional subscribers and a larger selection of videos. So, if you are in the kitchen and bath industry, or know consumers who love watching HGTV, DIY and the Food Network please pass the blog along to them – let’s test the viral capabilities of the Internet!
Since July 24, the Kitchen & Bath Channel has received a total of 769 visits with 442 videos viewed; that’s just over 27 visits and almost 16 views each day… not too shabby, but we can do better. We have 13 videos from 7 different companies, and are being found primarily through links to the page and YouTube searches.
The Concept: The Kitchen & Bath Channel is a destination for consumers looking for designers, ideas, innovations, new products and more. The intent of the Kitchen & Bath Channel on YouTube is to collect an array of kitchen and bath industry related videos – from showrooms, designers, manufacturers, and more to “whet the appetite” of the consumer. The more videos we have, the easier we will be found! As the Kitchen & Bath Channel gains popularity, all participants will benefit.
…enter Google TV… as Google TV takes hold in the coming months, The Kitchen & Bath Channel will be live in living rooms throughout the US, Canada and the world! Wouldn’t you like to be part of that?
Visit The Kitchen & Bath Channel to subscribe. If you have a video to add, contact me directly (phil@kitchenmarketing.com). If you need some assistance producing a video for the channel, Z promotion & design can work with you on that too – email or call me (919-932-4600).
But most importantly, pass this information along to your friends… I’ll give you updates in coming weeks.
Also… join us on Facebook
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Posted by zpromotion
August 14, 2010
I don’t know how many people actually read my blog, but I hope this posting goes viral within the Kitchen and Bath industry. In the last few months I have had a number of kitchen and bath professionals make changes to nearly or completely finished websites – more than ever before – going back to 1996! A friend tells me it’s because they have too much time on their hands. Whatever the reason, designing and developing a website is NOT UNLIKE designing and installing a kitchen.
Consider the following:
- You expect your customers to come to you for your expertise and hope they listen to your advice… same is true for web designers.
- You ask your customers for information about how they use their kitchen so you can design to their lifestyle… your web designer asks how you plan to use your site, so they can design to your marketing goals.
- You provide your client with plans, layouts, etc. to be sure everyone is in agreement BEFORE you order product… your web designer does the same with navigation and page layout BEFORE the coding begins.
- You talk about colors, styles and taste before you place the cabinet order… your web designer provides stills for your approval.
- Upon your customers’ approval, you order product, begin the renovation and “build” the kitchen… your web designer does the same.
- During construction, there may be some changes… websites are like that too.
In addition, websites have other issues that you don’t have to contend with…
Your new, completed kitchen will look exactly the same to everyone (barring color blindness) who sees it in a photograph or in-person. A website may appear differently depending upon the following criteria on the END-USERS’ computer
- Monitor size
- Screen resolution
- Monitor color settings
- Operating system
- Browser
- Internet connectivity speed
- CSS compatibility
- Third-party plug-ins (java, flash, shockwave, media players, etc.)
- Available Fonts
Your web designer should create a site optimized to the statistical majority, rather than the client’s office computer. There are a lot of variables to consider and you want your site to be a pleasurable viewing experience to the majority, not just the boss.
Remember, changes to background color, layout, and navigation may not be as simple as it appears – that is dependent upon how the web designer developed the site. In some cases it is analogous to swapping out drawer pulls, in other cases it may be like reordering the cabinets once they have been installed. Regardless, work with your web professional, as you would ask your clients to work with you – and be prepared for additional charges for changes after decision milestones.
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Posted by zpromotion
August 7, 2010
In preparation for an article I am writing for NKBA Magazine, I ran across some statistics worth a few insights.
According to Nielsen Research, in June (2010) more than 10.2 Billion videos were streamed in the US – a 4% increase over May’s figures. That is 74.9 streams (videos) and 194.6 minutes (3.24 hours) per viewer.
Our viewing habits are definitely moving to the internet; perhaps not at the expense of television, but in addition to it. On that I can only speculate. Regardless, we are accepting online as a viable “TV Channel”
These figures begin to justify the validity that Google TV, upon its acceptance, will change the very face of marketing by allowing individuals to deliver their own content to TV sets around the world. For the kitchen and bath industry this provides each manufacturer, showroom owner and individual designer the opportunity to own a TV network.
I direct you to the Kitchen & Bath Channel. While still in its infancy, the Kitchen and Bath Channel is quickly becoming a destination for viewers, as well as a portal for industry videos. If you have an interest in getting your video on the channel, or need assistance with production – we are here to assist.
Call me at 919-932-4600 or phil@kitchenmarketing.com
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Posted by zpromotion
July 24, 2010
I am very excited about the launch of The Kitchen and Bath Channel, as I believe it is the first step in redefining marketing for the Kitchen and Bath Professional – that includes manufacturers, showroom owners and individual designers.
I contend that the introduction of Google TV will change the way we market, regardless of our product. With your remote or keyboard in hand, you can sit in front of your TV and search for programming – cable, broadcast and now the Internet! Since YouTube is owned by Google, I would venture a guess that YouTube will figure prominently in your search results. Consider the HGTV viewer searching for “kitchen design” – all the broadcast and cable shows appear, along with a myriad of internet videos – prominent among them; The Kitchen and Bath Channel.
The Kitchen and Bath Channel is a destination for consumers looking for great design, excellent designers and innovative products. Established as a free marketing tool to the industry, the greater the participation, the more indispensable it will become to the consumer.
I invite you to visit, submit your current videos (email me), or Z promotion & design is prepared to produce a: 60 high definition video (at a great price) for inclusion – example: Stonehenge Concrete Countertops – again email me to discuss.
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Posted by zpromotion
The Kitchen & Bath Channel – Smart Phone Mobile App
Book: A is for Advertising… B is for Branding…
