Set Your Business Apart by Building Your Brand Online and Off
Check out these tips for getting noticed by homeowners looking to hire pros
Curate Your Online Presence
Homeowners do a majority of their research online, which means your online presence may be one of the first impressions they have of you and your business. You can communicate your value through online branding in three key areas, whether it’s on your website, Houzz profile or both.
1. Your company description. “A good online presence needs to communicate your company philosophy,” Bryce White of Seoane Landscape Design in Abington, Massachusetts, says. “Ours is ‘Create a landscape that is unique and functional, using only premium elements.’ We display that prominently on our ‘About Us’ page and with our portfolio so homeowners immediately know what we stand for.”
2. Professional photography. “New clients hire us because of the work we’ve done in the past, and professional photos highlight the type of work we can do for them,” Lane Williams of Lane Williams Architects in Seattle says. “Without the photos, we wouldn’t bring in the quality of clients we seek.”
3. Reviews. “When a potential client sees a designer has a lot of great reviews, it gives the homeowner confidence that the person they are calling will be able to help them,” Chad Esslinger of Chad Esslinger Design in Downers Grove, Illinois, says. “Reviews are great to establish credibility and trust by showing the value you brought to previous clients.”
Homeowners do a majority of their research online, which means your online presence may be one of the first impressions they have of you and your business. You can communicate your value through online branding in three key areas, whether it’s on your website, Houzz profile or both.
1. Your company description. “A good online presence needs to communicate your company philosophy,” Bryce White of Seoane Landscape Design in Abington, Massachusetts, says. “Ours is ‘Create a landscape that is unique and functional, using only premium elements.’ We display that prominently on our ‘About Us’ page and with our portfolio so homeowners immediately know what we stand for.”
2. Professional photography. “New clients hire us because of the work we’ve done in the past, and professional photos highlight the type of work we can do for them,” Lane Williams of Lane Williams Architects in Seattle says. “Without the photos, we wouldn’t bring in the quality of clients we seek.”
3. Reviews. “When a potential client sees a designer has a lot of great reviews, it gives the homeowner confidence that the person they are calling will be able to help them,” Chad Esslinger of Chad Esslinger Design in Downers Grove, Illinois, says. “Reviews are great to establish credibility and trust by showing the value you brought to previous clients.”
Amplify Your Online Efforts
Allowing homeowners to see your work in person can make a big impact on their perception of your worth. Entering into a local Parade of Homes allows you to both gain brand awareness and show potential clients firsthand the type of work you can achieve.
However, make sure you get the most out of the event by including some of that online branding around the home. Include links to your Houzz profile or website on all of your materials so homeowners can find and contact you online, and have tablets or computers strategically positioned around the home with your Houzz profile pulled up so curious homeowners can peruse your portfolio.
“When we are in a tour of remodeled homes, we will put up professional-grade printed display boards with the before-and-after photos of the project,” Ed Butler of Brickwood Builders in Greensboro, North Carolina, says. “We also include a display board of other work, as well as all of our company’s printed literature in nice portfolios, and our business cards. We’ll also have a video running on a computer or on one of the TVs in the home of the design-build process for that project.”
Allowing homeowners to see your work in person can make a big impact on their perception of your worth. Entering into a local Parade of Homes allows you to both gain brand awareness and show potential clients firsthand the type of work you can achieve.
However, make sure you get the most out of the event by including some of that online branding around the home. Include links to your Houzz profile or website on all of your materials so homeowners can find and contact you online, and have tablets or computers strategically positioned around the home with your Houzz profile pulled up so curious homeowners can peruse your portfolio.
“When we are in a tour of remodeled homes, we will put up professional-grade printed display boards with the before-and-after photos of the project,” Ed Butler of Brickwood Builders in Greensboro, North Carolina, says. “We also include a display board of other work, as well as all of our company’s printed literature in nice portfolios, and our business cards. We’ll also have a video running on a computer or on one of the TVs in the home of the design-build process for that project.”
Build Social Capital
Trying to convince a homeowner that you’re worth your fees can come off as a hard sell, but what if someone else did it for you? Getting endorsements from other professionals who have already earned the trust of a homeowner can help communicate your value for you.
“The thing that has benefited me the most is connecting with builders,” Jamie Taylor of J Taylor Designs in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, says. “They know my work and will tell their clients, ‘Go see Jamie. You’re going to pay a little more, but it will be custom design and you’ll get more with her.’ Getting to know and educating builders has helped me a lot.”
There are lots of places to meet other pros who can speak on your behalf:
Tell us: What’s your favorite online or offline branding method? Let us know in the Comments.
Learn tips for growing your business with our free webinar.
Next: 3 Tips to Maximize Your Time | Pro Resource Center
This story was written by the Houzz Industry Marketing team.
Trying to convince a homeowner that you’re worth your fees can come off as a hard sell, but what if someone else did it for you? Getting endorsements from other professionals who have already earned the trust of a homeowner can help communicate your value for you.
“The thing that has benefited me the most is connecting with builders,” Jamie Taylor of J Taylor Designs in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, says. “They know my work and will tell their clients, ‘Go see Jamie. You’re going to pay a little more, but it will be custom design and you’ll get more with her.’ Getting to know and educating builders has helped me a lot.”
There are lots of places to meet other pros who can speak on your behalf:
- Industry association meetings
- Local Chamber of Commerce
- Houzz events
- Good old-fashioned cold calling
Tell us: What’s your favorite online or offline branding method? Let us know in the Comments.
Learn tips for growing your business with our free webinar.
Next: 3 Tips to Maximize Your Time | Pro Resource Center
This story was written by the Houzz Industry Marketing team.
Houzz pros share their tried-and-true tips here.
Interested in more branding advice? Get our free eBook “Building Your Brand in the Digital Age.”