White Paper: Identifying and Overcoming Common Pitfalls in Self Marketing Campaigns - Brick, Tile, and Stone Industry

Introduction

Background

YXXXXXXXNE a leading provider of brick, tile, and stone materials in the N.E., who sells common and specialty sourced brick, tile and stone and offers DIY classes and demonstrations. They have a staff of 14, with 3 in customer service, admin and bookkeeping, and the remainder installers and sales. They sell approximately 60% to commercial contractors, and 30% to homeowners, and were building the DIY events as a business getting vein for investors and real estate flippers at about 10%.

They were referred to MarketDone after experiencing multiple failures with the in-house family members and administrative staff managing their  marketing. The issues they faced included misaligned audience targeting, vague campaign objectives, inconsistent messaging, and opportunities missed. Their DIY campaigns were inconsistent, lacked clear direction, and had stopped bringing in new potential customers, failing to resonate with their target audience. 

Without the expertise of a dedicated marketing team, they found themselves struggling to drive engagement, fill their DIY classes, and attract the right kind of commercial clients. Their efforts were well-intentioned, but they simply weren’t getting the results they needed to grow their business in a more sophisticated age.

MarketDone was tasked with taking over their marketing efforts to correct these issues and drive measurable results.

 Core issues: misaligned audience targeting, vague objectives, inconsistent messaging, poor scheduling, missed opportunities, and a lack of creativity and decisive decision-making. Essentially, they had gotten off the mark of a once effective plan and had not readdressed their strategy or efforts since the early years. 

MarketDone’s mission was clear: repair their fractured marketing efforts and build a robust strategy that would deliver tangible results. We took a comprehensive approach, addressing each of their pain points with targeted solutions that not only corrected past mistakes but also positioned them for building and sustaining success in the future.

1. Misalignment with Target Audience

Problem Statement

Misaligned audience targeting results in low engagement and poor conversion rates. Campaigns often miss the mark when they fail to resonate with the intended audience, wasting resources and opportunities.

Proposed Solution

Conduct comprehensive market segmentation to identify distinct customer groups. Tailor your messaging to each segment, ensuring that you address the specific needs and preferences of DIY homeowners, contractors, and commercial clients.

2. Lack of Clear Objectives

Problem Statement

Without clear, measurable objectives, campaigns lack direction, making it difficult to assess success or make necessary adjustments.

Proposed Solution

Lay out SMART objectives—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound—before launching any campaign. Clear goals provided a direction and roadmap for growth, and a way to start evaluating performance with a custom template we provided. 

3. Ignoring Cross-Channel Integration

Problem Statement

Inconsistent messaging across multiple channels with no theme or links back to the website completely diluted the campaign’s impact.

Proposed Solution

Develop an integrated marketing strategy that ensures consistent messaging across all platforms about new business news, spotlighted specials, demonstration days and DIY club Facebook page, from social media and email to in-store displays and websites.

4. Lost Opportunities

Problem Statement

No defining of the kinds of activities and events befitting a campaign launch had not been established, nor had timing and pacing been laid out.

Proposed Solution

Plan campaigns around manufacturer promotions, branding with color theory, tracking and documenting work on large public jobs, documentable sizeable B2C jobs, seasonal trends and market conditions. For example, promote outdoor products in spring and summer, and focus on indoor renovations during winter.

5. Failure to Adapt to Feedback

Problem Statement

No customer service or client feedback was being gathered inconsistently, their testimonial program had lapsed, and they had no recent idea of the way their product was perceived except that evidenced by declining sales.

Proposed Solution

Right away, implement a feedback loop system to operate in real time, for quick turn-around adjustments based on customer responses and market changes, develop a system to follow moving forward to remain flexible. 

6. Inadequate Budget Allocation

Problem Statement

Insufficiently updated budget allocation and incorrect sequencing wasted money, underfunded important areas and overspent on underperforming or channels undermined campaign’s success.

Proposed Solution

Allocate budgets strategically, ensuring that all essential aspects of the campaign—such as content creation, digital advertising, and analytics—are adequately funded, all pertinents are documented to be repeatable, and budget sequencing is put in place.

7. Lack of Creativity and Innovation

Problem Statement

In a competitive market, lack of consistent campaigns, or lackluster ones failed to capture attention, showing poor engagement.

Proposed Solution

Incorporate creative elements such as firsthand storytelling, video of differentiation details in quality and customer testimonials to improve the quality and engagement of outreach.

8. Measuring the Analytics

Problem Statement

Without leveraging data analytics, they could not  accurately track performance or optimize their campaigns, leading to missed opportunities.

Proposed Solution

Use low cost, simple robust analytics tools to monitor campaign performance across all channels. Regularly review data to identify trends and adjust strategies accordingly.

9. Neglecting the Post-Campaign Review

Problem Statement

Failing to conduct a post-campaign review prevents businesses from learning from their experiences, leading to repeated mistakes.

Proposed Solution

Conduct a company-wide thorough post-campaign analysis to assess what worked and what didn’t, and educate staff on direction forward. Document insights and apply them to future campaigns to enhance effectiveness.

Addendum: MarketDone’s Approach to Revitalizing [Client's Company]

1. DIY Customers

Tailored Message: “Transform your home with our easy-to-install tiles and stones. Whether you're revamping your kitchen or creating a stunning patio, our DIY-friendly products come with step-by-step demonstrations, guides and practice sessions each Sunday to help you every step of the way. Plus, enjoy exclusive discounts on our most popular styles, perfect for weekend warriors ready to make their home projects shine.”

Example in Action: 

For DIY customers, we emphasized the simplicity and affordability of the products, along with the support and upskilling they could receive through DIY classes. Social media campaigns featured before-and-after photos from actual customers, showing how they transformed their spaces using the company’s products, along with a call to action to join an upcoming DIY class.

2. Contractors

Tailored Message: “Elevate your projects with our premium-grade materials, trusted by professionals. Our wide selection of bricks, tiles, and stones ensures that you have the right product for every job, with competitive pricing and bulk discounts available. Speciality sourcing available! Plus, we offer dedicated contractor support to ensure your projects run smoothly from start to finish. We make you look good!”

Example in Action:

For contractors, the messaging highlighted the durability and quality of the materials and guarantees, along with the benefits of bulk purchasing and specialized support. Email newsletters were tailored to this segment, offering insights into the latest industry trends and new product releases, as well as exclusive contractor-only deals. 

We networked them with trade, real estate, investors and other suppliers and vendors as cross collaborators and had them introduce each complimentary referral partner on social media, as well as giving them the ability to market to sister business audiences.

3. Commercial Clients

Tailored Message: “Create stunning commercial spaces with our high-quality bricks, tiles, and stones. From retail spaces to large-scale developments, our products are designed to meet the demands of high-traffic environments while maintaining aesthetic appeal. Partner with us for customized solutions and expert consultation to ensure your project’s success.”

Example in Action: For commercial clients, we focused on the durability and aesthetic appeal of the products, critical for large-scale developments and high-traffic areas. The messaging was reinforced through case studies on the website, showcasing successful commercial projects, such as hotels and office buildings, that used the company’s materials. 

We also hosted webinars aimed at commercial developers, took a booth at the state building associations tradeshow and the home local home show with a booth displaying types of materials and discussing how to select the right materials for different types of commercial projects.

Finally, we sourced an opportunity for them to be the provider on a new local community center to showcase their work in exchange for a discount to the center.

Challenges Faced

1. Misaligned Audience Targeting The previous agency failed to accurately segment and target the audience, leading to ineffective campaigns that did not resonate with either DIY customers or commercial clients.
2. Lack of Clear Objectives
3. Inconsistent Cross-Channel Messaging
4. Lost Opportunity
5. Failure to Adapt to Feedback
6. Inadequate Budget Allocation
7. Lack of Creativity
8. Underutilization of Analytics
9. No Post-Campaign Review

MarketDone’s Solutions

• Audience Realignment

Here’s the reformatting to match the project style above:

1. DIY Customers

Tailored Message:

“Transform your home with our easy-to-install tiles and stones. Whether you're revamping your kitchen or creating a stunning patio, our DIY-friendly products come with step-by-step guides and Sunday classes to help you every step of the way. Plus, enjoy exclusive discounts on our most popular styles, perfect for weekend warriors ready to make their home projects shine.”

Example in Action:

For DIY customers, we emphasized the simplicity and affordability of the products, along with the support they could receive through DIY classes. Social media campaigns featured before-and-after photos from actual customers, showing how they transformed their spaces using the company’s products, along with a call to action to join an upcoming DIY class.

2. Contractors

Tailored Message:

“Elevate your projects with our premium-grade materials, trusted by professionals. Our wide selection of bricks, tiles, and stones ensures that you have the right product for every job, with competitive pricing and bulk discounts available. Plus, we offer dedicated contractor support to ensure your projects run smoothly from start to finish.”

Example in Action:

For contractors, the messaging highlighted the durability and quality of the materials, along with the benefits of bulk purchasing and specialized support. Email newsletters were tailored to this segment, offering insights into the latest industry trends and new product releases, as well as exclusive contractor-only deals.

3. Commercial Clients

Tailored Message:

“Create stunning commercial spaces with our high-quality bricks, tiles, and stones. From retail spaces to large-scale developments, our products are designed to meet the demands of high-traffic environments while maintaining aesthetic appeal. Partner with us for customized solutions and expert consultation to ensure your project’s success.”

Example in Action:

For commercial clients, we focused on the durability and aesthetic appeal of the products, critical for large-scale developments and high-traffic areas. The messaging was reinforced through case studies on the website, showcasing successful commercial projects, such as hotels and office buildings, that used the company’s materials. We also hosted webinars aimed at commercial developers, discussing how to select the right materials for different types of commercial projects.

SMART Objectives

We established clear, specific goals, such as increasing DIY class sign-ups by 25% within three months and boosting commercial project inquiries by 30% this quarter.

Integrated Messaging Strategy

We ensured that all messaging was consistent across channels, whether online or in-store. This created a cohesive brand experience that built trust with the audience.

Seasonal Campaign Planning

We adjusted the timing of campaigns to align with seasonal trends. For instance, outdoor materials were promoted during spring and summer, while indoor renovation products were highlighted in winter.

Adaptive Feedback Loops

We implemented systems to gather and act on customer feedback in real-time, allowing us to make necessary adjustments to campaigns on the fly.

Strategic Budget Allocation

We reallocated the budget to prioritize digital channels and content creation, ensuring that each dollar spent contributed directly to achieving campaign goals.

Creative Revamp

We revitalized the brand’s marketing by incorporating storytelling and customer testimonials, making the campaigns more engaging and relatable.

Data-Driven Decisions

We introduced robust analytics tools to monitor and optimize campaign performance, ensuring that we could make data-driven decisions at every stage.

Comprehensive Post-Campaign Reviews

After each campaign, we conducted thorough reviews to assess performance, gather insights, and apply lessons learned to future efforts.

Results

MarketDone’s strategic interventions led to a significant turnaround in YXXXXXXXNE's marketing performance, and the ability to add a dedicated employee who enacts marketing strategies we lead. The company saw increased engagement of about 4% in the first 3 mos. across all customer segments, 6% higher sales, and a stronger relationships and visibility in the commercial market. They are currently undergoing a data-driven outreach program to become preferred vendors for identified large developers to build even longer time sustainability. This has been measured at 3.5 mos in time.