Peter troast lipa_marketing_bootcamp_slides

LIPA Contractor
One Day Marketing Bootcamp

Sponsored by LIPA
April 2, 2013

Peter Troast
Founder/CEO of Energy Circle and
Energy Circle PRO
Work with energy efficiency contractors in
46 states
Aggregate data from pool of 245 opted in
energy efficiency/insulation/home
performance contractors
Strategic marketing for 25 years:
semiconductors, packaging, paper,
banking, ski resorts.
Energy Circle PRO Blog/Weekly
Newsletter

2

Good Day to Be in New York!

8-2

First opening day loss since 1982

3

Agenda
Morning Session 9 - 10:30
The Changing World of Marketing for Contractors
Challenges of Marketing on Long Island
The New World of Local Search
The Importance of Marketing Planning

Break 10:30 to 10:45
Late Morning Session 10:45 to 12
Getting Started on Marketing Planning
Segmenting Your Audience (Exercise #1)
Establishing the Brand Foundation (Exercises #2 and 3)

Lunch 12 to 1

4

Agenda
Early Afternoon Session 1 - 2:30
Evaluating and Selecting Marketing Tactics
Understanding Search
Putting Your Website to Work (Exercise #4)
Marketing LIPA Programs
Understanding & Optimizing Your Google+ Local Page

Break 2:30 to 3
Late Afternoon Session 3 to 5
Building Your Tactical Marketing Plan--the Must Haves (Exercise #5)
Approaches to Active Lead Generation
(Reviews, Referrals & Word of Mouth, Social Media, Community, PPC, Facebook
advertising, Hyperlocal Advertising, Vehicles & Branding, Email)

5

Links & Resources:
www.energycircle.com/pro/LIPA

6

Continuing Education Approvals

BPI: 4 credits
NABCEP: 6 credits
RESNET: TBD

7

Marketing is Changing
duh

8

This is

Interruption Marketing
and it is increasingly ineffective

16

How People Buy Today
Has Been Turned on it’s Head

Investigate Options

Data from Google External Keyword Tool on 11.14.11

19

Turn to Social Media: Blog Sites

DATE 21

Turn to Social Media: Twitter

DATE 22

Turn to Communities: Q&A

23

Big Trend: The Pinterization of the Web

DATE 24

Dig Into Every Detail Available

25

Finally...Buy (Convert to Sale)

26

You Don’t Buy Those Visitors.
You Earn Them.

In·bound Mar·ket·ing
-noun
Any tactic that relies
on earning people’s interest
rather than buying it.

Google: Zero Moment of Truth

29

Social Proof
The Most Powerful Concept in Marketing

DATE 30

So What’s It All Mean for
Long Island Contracting Businesses?

32

NY DMA: the US’s #1 Most Expensive Mkt

DATE 33

The Unique Challenge of Long Island
• Expensive
• Competitive (relatively)
• Hyperlocal Market Mixed
• Inconsistency on How People Identify
Geographically
• Long Island
• Suffolk County
• Babylon

DATE 34

Local, Local, Local

35

Google is the New Yellow Pages

DATE 36

Why is Planning So Important?

42

Yesterday’s Marketing Mix
10%

Yellow Pages
Direct Mail 8%
Referral Program
Home Shows
Unknown 8% 44%

31%

43

Today’s Marketing Mix
1%
12%
15%
Organic Web
Paid Web
Direct Mail
4% 13%
Social Media
Print Ads
Public Relations
8%
Directories
Email 3%
Home Shows
Community
Open Houses 7%
11%
Past Customers
Referral Program 3%
Lead Gen 3% 3%
1%
16%

44

The New Marketing Landscape
Old & Dying Old & Living New & Thriving

Yellow Pages Word of Mouth Active Referral
Print Vehicles Primary Website
TV Lawn Signs Google+ Local
Telemarketing Direct Mail Organic Search
Door Hangers Paid Search
Radio
Presentations Online Display
Home Shows Facebook
Open Houses Twitter
Community Email Newsletters
Lead Gen

45

Radio Door Hangers Paid Search
Home Shows Facebook
Open Houses Email Newsletters
Community
Lead Gen

High Commitment Low Commitment
High Cost Modest Cost
High Risk Low Risk

46

Evaluating Your Marketing Options
What’s Available?
Effectiveness
ROI--Cost per Acquisition, Cost per Lead
Budget
Resources to Execute
Available Staff
Your own time
Outsourcing Options
Sustainability
Do You Like It?

47

What Do People Trust?

Forrester Research, March 21, 2013

DATE 48

What is Marketing’s Role at Every
Stage of the Buying Cycle?

49

Stages of the Buying Cycle

Awareness

Interest

Evaluation
Decision
Purchase
50

Home Performance Buying Cycle

Stimulus
Awareness
Consideration (Education)
Conversion to Audit
Evaluation of Audit Results
Consideration (ROI, Financing)
Sell the Job
Complete the Job
Perceived Value of the Job
Position for Phase 2
Rinse and Repeat

51

Roles in the Buying Cycle
Mktg Sales
Stimulus ✔
Awareness ✔
Consideration (Education) ✔
Close the Audit ✔ ✔
Evaluation of Audit Results ✔ ✔
Consideration (Affordability, ROI) ✔
Sell the Job ✔
Complete the Job ✔
Perceived Value of the Job ✔
Position for Phase 2 ✔
Sell Phase 2 ✔

52

Tactics for Each Stage of the Cycle
Mktg Role
Ads, DM, Web, PPC, Home
Stimulus Shows, Community, Social
Ads, DM, Web, PPC, Home
Awareness Shows, Community, Social
Web, White Paper, Lead Gen,
Consideration (Education) Video
Close the Audit Collateral, Presentations

Evaluation of Audit Results Audit Presentation

Consideration (Affordability, ROI) Web, Collateral
Proposal, Web, Collateral,
Sell the Job Case Study, Testimonial
Complete the Job Web, Video

Perceived Value of the Job Leave behind, report

Position for Phase 2 Email, CRM, Retention, Web
Proposal, Web, Collateral,
Sell Phase 2 Case Study, Testimonial

53

Marketing Budgets: What Should You Spend?
Conventional Wisdom
7% of Gross Sales

Darren Slaughter--Contractor Marketing Expert
5 to 10% of Gross Sales
15% if Business is Less Than 5 Years Old

Adams Hudson--HVAC Marketing Guy
4.3% is HVAC Average

Remodeling Magazine
3% for Remodelers

Green Homes America
5.3% (my calculations)

54

The Case for Good Planning
Marketing Today is More Fragmented
Knowing what’s working is critical
Good Plans are Agile: Expect Course Corrections
Today’s Tactics Require Less Commitment
Flexibility & less risk is awesome!
Adjusting demands vigilance and metrics
Small Teams Need Clear Accountability
Marketing is less isolated; many people have a role
The planning process engages your team

55

Timing Your Marketing

56

When is the Right Time?
NOT Calendar Year
NOT When the Pipeline is Dry
Should Be Tailored to Your Business Cycle
Maximizing Peak Demand
Filling in Slow Periods
Our Challenge: Consumers are Reactive
Your Goal is to Even the Demand

57

Planning Schedule

58

Heat/Cool Schedule

Execute

Execute

59

Typical Fall Schedule

Plan

Execute
60

Slow Season Schedule

Execute

61

Marketing Tactics are Not Equal

62

Elements of a Plan
Impressions/ Conversion # of Conversion Conversion
Tactics Visits Cost Rate Leads Rate Quotes Rate Jobs CPA
Organic Web 15000 3000 1.00% 150 25% 38 75% 28 $107
Paid Web 10000 3000 2.50% 250 25% 63 50% 31 $96
Direct Mail 8000 2800 0.25% 20 50% 10 75% 8 $373
Social Media 25000 1500 0.10% 25 75% 19 90% 17 $89
Print Ads 100000 3500 0.05% 50 25% 13 50% 6 $560
Public Relations 250000 3000 0.02% 38 35% 13 50% 7 $457
Directories 5000 500 0.25% 13 35% 4 50% 2 $229
Email 12000 1000 2.50% 300 25% 75 50% 38 $27
Trade Shows 250 4000 10.00% 25 50% 13 50% 6 $640
Community 1000 500 10.00% 100 50% 50 50% 25 $20
Open Houses 75 500 35.00% 26 75% 20 90% 18 $28
Past Customers 250 500 5.00% 13 90% 11 90% 10 $49
Referral Program 750 2500 25.00% 188 25% 47 75% 35 $71
Lead Gen 1750 50 15% 8 20% 2 $1,167

TOTAL 25050 204 $293

$1.74 million @ 7500/job
63

Cost Per Acquisition

64

Elements of a Plan
Organic Web 15000 3000 1.00% 150 25% 38 75% 28 $107
Paid Web 10000 3000 2.50% 250 25% 63 50% 31 $96
Direct Mail 8000 2800 0.25% 20 50% 10 75% 8 $373
Social Media 25000 1500 0.10% 25 75% 19 90% 17 $89
Print Ads 100000 3500 0.05% 50 25% 13 50% 6 $560
Directories 5000 500 0.25% 13 35% 4 50% 2 $229
Email 12000 1000 2.50% 300 25% 75 50% 38 $27
Trade Shows 250 4000 10.00% 25 50% 13 50% 6 $640
Community 1000 500 10.00% 100 50% 50 50% 25 $20
Open Houses 75 500 35.00% 26 75% 20 90% 18 $28
Past Customers 250 500 5.00% 13 90% 11 90% 10 $49
Lead Gen 1750 50 15% 8 20% 2 $1,167

TOTAL 25050 204 $293

DATE 65

Elements of a Plan
Community 1000 500 10.00% 100 50% 50 50% 25 $20
Email 12000 1000 2.50% 300 25% 75 50% 38 $27
Open Houses 75 500 35.00% 26 75% 20 90% 18 $28
Past Customers 250 500 5.00% 13 90% 11 90% 10 $49
Social Media 25000 1500 0.10% 25 75% 19 90% 17 $89
Paid Web 10000 3000 2.50% 250 25% 63 50% 31 $96
Organic Web 15000 3000 1.00% 150 25% 38 75% 28 $107
Directories 5000 500 0.25% 13 35% 4 50% 2 $229
Direct Mail 8000 2800 0.25% 20 50% 10 75% 8 $373
Print Ads 100000 3500 0.05% 50 25% 13 50% 6 $560
Trade Shows 250 4000 10.00% 25 50% 13 50% 6 $640
Lead Gen 1750 50 15% 8 20% 2 $1,167

TOTAL 25050 204 $293

DATE 66

Key Elements of a Marketing Plan
• Situation Analysis
• Market Conditions
• SWOT
• Competition
• Goals & Objectives
• Revenue
• # of Jobs
• Job Type

• Target Market
• Segmentation (Geographic, Demographic, Psychographic, Behavioral, Housing
Type)
• Customer Profiles (Personas)
• Purchase Cycle
• Marketing Strategy
• Financial Goals
• Services
• Pricing
• Positioning/Messaging
• Calendar
• Execution
• Responsibility
• Materials
• Specific Tactics
• Measurement

67

Key Elements of a Marketing Plan
Situation Analysis
•
• Market Conditions Analysis
•
•
SWOT
Competition Stage
• Goals & Objectives
• Revenue
• # of Jobs
• Job Type

• Target Market
• Segmentation (Geographic, Demographic, Psychographic, Behavioral, Housing
Type) Planning
•
• Customer Profiles (Personas)
Purchase Cycle Stage
• Marketing Strategy
• Financial Goals
• Services
• Pricing
• Positioning/Messaging
• Calendar
Implementation
• Execution
• Responsibility Stage
• Materials
• Specific Tactics
Monitoring
• Measurement
Stage
68

Marketing Plan Template

69

https://docs.google.com/document/d/
1ALEvV3RBsKWamTJcyFx7qwfdH1_y7rwcNT
WKs4vlCSw/edit?
pli=1#heading=h.i97xywu3a2me

Situation Analysis
What are the key trends, forces and conditions affecting the business? What is an honest assessment of your
company’s strengths and weaknesses? How do you stack up against your competitors?

• Market Conditions (programs, incentive changes, energy prices, macro economy)
◦ Incentive program likely to run out in June
◦ Last year’s warm winter has dulled the market
◦ 3
• SWOT (be honest)
◦ Strengths
■ Excellent work quality on air sealing and insulation
■ 2
■ 3
◦ Weaknesses
■ Job cleanliness
■ 2
■ 3
◦ Opportunities
■ Partnerships for solar and geothermal
■ 2
■ 3
◦ Threats
■ Growing competition from multiple sources
■ 2
■ 3

• Competition (who are they and do you stack up?)
◦ Company 1 & core strength

Goals & Objectives
What are the specific numerical goals you need to hit to make your plan? Do you have personal goals the business
needs to support? Are there major milestones the business needs to accomplish?

• Business Goals
◦ Revenue
◦ Margin
◦ # of Jobs
◦ Job Type
• Personal Goals
◦ Shift in Role
◦ Days of Vacation
◦ 3
◦ 4
• Strategic Goals
◦ Market Position (#1 in ______)
◦ Additional services
◦ Crew & Truck growth
◦ Key staff additions
◦ 4
◦ 5

Target Market
Who is your ideal customer? What is their profile or persona? In what communities? What characteristics make a
community ripe? What are their unique characteristics? Note: market segments can be Geographic, Demographic,
Psychographic, Behavioral, Housing Type.

• Customer Type
◦ Baby Boomer/Empty Nest/Last Home
◦ Segment & Persona 2
◦ Segment & Persona 3
• Geography
◦ Freeport
◦ Location 2
◦ Location 3
• Building Stock
◦ Split level Ranch
◦ Housing Type 2
◦ Housing Type 3
◦ Commercial 1
◦ Municipal 1

Services, Products & Pricing
What current services or products are you offering and how are they packaged to the customer? Will you be
adding services? Do you present to the market primarily as a service (energy upgrades) or as a product (an
energy audit or attic insulation)? How are they priced? How do you want to be known with respect to pricing: a
little more but well worth it? at market, but higher quality? best value?

• Services (& Products)
◦ Stand alone Energy Audit
◦ Attic Air Seal and Insulation
◦ Service 3
◦ New Service 1
◦ New Service 2
• Pricing
◦ Service 1
◦ Service 2
◦ Service 3
◦ Product 1
◦ Product 2

Marketing Strategy
What are the core foundations of your marketing? What really separates you from others? Do you have a single,
remarkable differentiator that customers recognize? At a high level, what major initiatives will guide your overall
marketing effort?

• Brand (What your company fundamentally stands for)
◦ Our Purpose:
◦ Our Ethics:
◦ What is Core to Our Company:
◦ Our Brand Attributes: Efficient, Bottom Line, Smart, Responsive

• Identity (How your brand is manifested visually)
◦ Logo
◦ Look/Feel
◦ Voice
◦ Attitude

• Positioning (relative to offerings, the market and the competition)
◦ No one does air sealing as thoroughly as we do--#1 in air flow reduction
◦ We cost slightly more, but it’s well worth it
◦ Position3

• Messaging (core communications that are frequently repeated)
◦ Winter’s Coming. Will Your House Be Ready?
◦ Is Your House a Hummer or a Prius?
◦ Message 3
◦ Message 4

• Major Initiatives (overarching buckets, such as Introduce Solar Installation or Project Referral)
◦ Project Referral--all out effort to get referrals from past clients
◦ Lead Responsiveness--rapid response
◦ A Particular Incentive--Seize the Day
◦ Initiative 4

Tactics Management Tool

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?
key=0AofvLVthY691dENRWXdXaGR0WHF6cUZfVnBINzJaN1E#gid=0

DATE 76

Targeting Your Audience
aka Segmentation

77

This is Segmentation
where marketing planning begins

84

Types of Marketing Segmentation
Geographic (Region, town, neighborhood)
Demographic (age, gender)
Psychographic (personality, values, attitudes,
interests, lifestyles)
Behavioral (based on actions, such as watching a
video, or opening an email)
Housing Type (age, basement, known issues, oil
heat)

85

Personas

Techie Tom
Overall Goal: To save energy and make his house more efficient
because it's the smart thing to do, and (secondarily) because it's the right
thing to do.
• Level of knowledge: Very high. Knows what tools are out there,
which are best. Up to date on consumer reviews and reports.
• Attitude toward shopping: I want to buy from people like me, who
know their stuff.
• Informational Sources: Web - blogs, Twitter, Major Media, Green
focused media, Renewable media
• What he wants: I need more information than they have on their
site - details, practical experience, proof that they are the experts,
and the product will do what I need it to do.
• Motivation for efficiency: Two-prongs: 1). it's just smarter living.
2). it's the right thing to do for the planet - and (3) soon, people are
going to catch on to it, and efficiency is going to be the next big
thing. He wants to be at the top of that wave.

Age: 35
Profession: Software developer
Location: Boston
Personality: Type A. Over- educated energy geek. Likes to feel
engaged, to be a part of the process.
Home Life: Married. No kids.
Hobbies/releases: Mountain biking, long-distance running.

86

Personas
Heather the Greenie
• Overall Goal: Wants to feel a part of the green community because
those people seem cool, and throw good parties.
• Level of knowledge: Low. Often falls under the spell of green-washing
tactics, and "buys green" because it feels like what she should do. Some
uncertainty because she’s Republican and socially conservative. Not
completely at ease with full-on Green.
• Informational Sources: Reads People Magazine on the sly, reads
Vanity Fair, husband Receives Economist, WSJ
• What she wants: Heather tends toward immediacy - buys when she
sees something in the store, or hears about something that is widely
appreciated. She wants to buy from either the cheapest place or the
recognizable leader in the field.
• Motivation for efficiency: Green is the new Coach bag.

Age: 29
Profession: Former professional in banking industry, now a stay at home
mom.
Location: Suburbs
Personality: Heather is extroverted and funny. She likes to be busy, and
appreciates a pretty constant buzz of activity. She is smart, and likes to
surround herself with bright and engaged people.
Home Life: Heather has 4 children and a black lab. They have two houses - a
ski house and a house in the suburbs. During ski season, she feels like she is
constantly schlepping between the two places. She'd like something, some
how to feel her life could be simpler.

87

Exercise #1: What Are Your Segments?
Geographic (Region, town, neighborhood)
Demographic (age, gender)
Psychographic (personality, values, attitudes, interests, lifestyles)
Behavioral (based on actions, such as watching a video, or opening an email)
Housing Type (age, basement, known issues, oil heat)

Depth of Pain--How Badly Do They Need What You
Are Selling?
Is the Segment Easily Reached?
How Big is the Segment?

88

Establishing Your Brand Foundation

89

Defining the Vocabulary
Brand Identity Positioning & Messaging
The Self — Heart & Soul Personality, Demeanor & Style How do you relate to the rest of the world?
Both potential dates (customers) and the competition.
What do you say when?

Purpose Logo Pricing
Ethics Look/feel Practices
Business Voice Offers & Incentives
Attitude

90

Brand Basics: articulating who you are

Brand Identity Positioning Messaging

91

Exercise #2: Your Brand Personality
“Those guys are the best “They’re so responsive. My
technicians in the business. email question was answered
Their techs are highly trained, VS within 5 minutes, and when
and I love the fact that they they were running 10 minutes
really geek out about the late they called to let me know.
equipment. I wouldn’t trust That’s the kind of contractor I
anyone else.” want to give my business to.”

Trustworthy, responsive, passionate, fun, energetic,
genuine, expert, straightforward, quirky, sophisticated,
sharp, scientific, professional, authoritative, direct, honest,
premier, low cost, reliable, pricey but worth it.

92

Identity Basics: There’s no one right way.

93

Identity Basics: start with simple, quality ingredients

Name Logo Typeface Colors

Acme Inc.
ABC, Inc
Acme Inc.
Acme Inc.
Acme Inc.
Smith Bros.
Acme Inc.
Energy Titans
Acme Inc.

94

Identity Basics: spice as needed

Tagline Spokesperson Mascot

Descriptive or Aspirational?

Energy Efﬁciency Experts

We always do it right!

Comfort is our Specialty

95

Identity Basics: a simple clear idea always works best

96

Identity Basics: particularly when used consistently

F.A.Q.s
What sets Complete Home Evaluation Services apart
from other energy auditing businesses in the state?
DeWitt uses advanced energy modeling software, which
is not currently required by Efficiency Maine, to ensure
quantifiable energy savings. His position as an audit-only
firm prevents the conflict of interest inherent in the
standard home performance contractor model.

What are the benefits of a third-party audit?
A conflict-free energy auditor acts as a trusted guide
through what can be a complex process and the
independence ensures that the auditor does not
attempt to sell products or services that may not be
necessary. DeWitt is always on the homeowner’s side,
and has no financial gain when helping the homeowner
choose which efficiency upgrades should be undertaken.

What is unique about DeWitt’s diagnostic software?
While the standard energy modeling system relies on
user inputs that are open to operator adjustment, DeWitt’s
cutting edge software minimizes the risk of human error,
and goes above and beyond simple figures to include
the actual cost of heat loss, and financial savings
predictions that are tangible and comprehensible to
homeowners. The software generates a comparison
graph that shows the effectiveness of the efficiency
DeWitt is Maine’s premier home energy auditor.
He works with homeowners to determine the numbers cannot be adjusted
upgrades. The test out
by the operator.
most cost-effective energy solutions for their
particular home—without trying to sell additional
products or services. This approach ensures a have a “test out” audit
Why is it important to
conflict-free energy audit, andretrofit work?his
after distinguishes
business from the “one-stop-shop” competition. after improvements are made
A follow-up energy audit
is a necessary component of an effective energy retrofit.
His unique, advanced software-based diagnostic
While working with homeowners to find the best
system goes beyond mere prediction to showing
contractors for a project DeWitt recommends that
reliable energy savings calculations, placing his
homeowners work with contractors who will wait until his
business at the pinnacle of the home energy
follow-up audit is complete to receive the final payment
performance landscape from the homeowner. This incentivizes quality work,
in Maine.
and ensures that predicted savings become reality.

Trade show banner

97
33

Positioning & Messaging

Your Your Your
Company Audiences Competition

Identity

Positioning Messaging

98

Positioning & Messaging

Positioning is a long-term strategic decision.
It is integral to your brand.
Greening the world, one house at a time.
Absolutely, positively the best price around.
Expensive, but worth it.

Messaging can be short-term and very tactical.
But, it should not undermine your brand.
Act now! Rebates are available.
Positioning Summer
Messaging is approaching. Preseason Offer.

99

Exercise # 3: What Are Your Core Messages?
Ask Yourself: How Differentiated? How Memorable?

We live, eat & breathe the best customer service in our market
We understand building science like no one else, and make it
practical for homeowners to understand
We’ll beat anyone’s price
Your Wife is Hot
The Comfort Specialists
We’re #1 in the #2 Business
Nice People, Great Service Since 1928
48 Years in Long Island Attics
Positioning Messaging

100

Evaluating Tactics
Lots of Options

101


Door Hangers Paid Search
Radio
Home Shows Facebook
Open Houses Twitter
Community Email Newsletters
Lead Gen

102

Understanding Web Search
It’s Not That Complicated

103

What is SEO?

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the
process of improving the visibility of a website
or web page in search engines via the "natural"
or un-paid (“organic” or "algorithmic") search
results.

104


Social
Context + Authority + Signals


Social

Site Incoming Presence
Content Links

Pin Map

Blended Pin
Result

Link to Website

Review Summary &
Link to Places
Page Map Pin & Link to
G+ Local Page

Primary
Result with
SiteLinks

Does Your Content Match
What People Are Searching For?

116

Understanding Keyword Volumes

home energy 246000

solar energy 550000

renewable energy 450000

wind power 301000

energy efficiency 301000

home performance 18100

0 120000 240000 360000 480000 600000


117


Green Building 165000

Sustainable Building 74000

Green Construction 40500

Green Homes 301000

Green Remodeling 4400

Building Green 165000

0 80000 160000 240000 320000 400000


118


Energy Rating 22000

Energy Assessment 8100

Energy Audit 60500

Energy Evaluation 0

Energy Auditor 49500

Energy Auditing 33100

0 14000 28000 42000 56000 70000


119



energy retrofit 4400

weatherization 49500

energy audit 60500

energy upgrade 6600

deep energy retrofit 480

0 14000 28000 42000 56000 70000


120


duct sealing 5400

air sealing 3600

foam insulation 165000

cellulose insulation 22200

radiant barrier 33100

window replacement 165000

0 40000 80000 120000 160000 200000


121



energy retrofit 4400

weatherization 49500

heating & AC 450000

insulation 1500000

energy audit 49500

0 300000 600000 900000 1200000 1500000


122


central AC 110000

AC Repair 246000

AC service 135000

AC services 60500

heating & AC 450000

Ductless AC 49500

0 100000 200000 300000 400000 500000


123


attic insulation 60500

spray foam 135000

foam insulation 165000

Soundproofing 110000

cellulose insulation 22200

blown in insulation 33100

wall insulation 40500

basement insulation 22200

fiberglass insulation

0 40000 80000 120000 160000 200000


124

Top 10 by Volume & Intent
Local Intent Buying Intent

Energy Audit $

Insulation - Service $

Home Energy Efficiency

Wet Basement

Insulations - Rooms of House $

Insulation - Materials

Furnace $

Program/Rebate/Credit $

Windows $

Home Heating/Cooling $

DATE 125

The Long Tail Concept (Insulation)
Rooms of Insulation Insulation
House Types Service
Attic Insulation Foam Insulation Insulation Contractor
Basement Insulation Spray Foam Insulation Installer
Wall Insulation Spray Insulation Insulation Service
Roof Insulation Closed Cell Insulation Supplier
Home Insulation Open Cell Foam Contractor
Soundproofing Polyurethane Etc
Fiberglass
Batt Insulation
Blanket Insulation
Cellulose Insulation
Blown Insulation
Blown In

126

Google External Keyword Tool
https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

127

Google Insights for Search
http://www.google.com/insights/search/

128

Is Your Website Performing?
Not...is it pretty?

129

1 4
3
2

Design
Usability 6 5
Structure
Navigation 6
7
User Interface
Speed 4

Conversion
Content
SEO
7

8

Four Things

1. Call to Action
2. Does Your About Us Page Suck?
3. Content About Your Services
4. Location, Location, Location

131

How CTA’s Perform

Traffic -> Conversion
Call to Action Landing Page Conversion

-‐> -‐>

132

Value Statement

Relevance

Offer

Action

Different Audiences Different CTA’s

DATE 138

Where Do CTA’s Belong?
• On Your Website
• In Your Email Newsletter
• In Your Email Signature
• On Your Brochures
• On Your Trucks and Lawn Signs
• In Advertising
• In Presentations
• In Videos

DATE 139

From Home to Where?

Dominant Traffic Flow
Home Page --> About Us
Home Page --> Services
70+%

140

Best Practices--About Us Page

141

A Good About Us Page
• Use Photos
• Be Personal
• Share your Business Philosophy
• Show off your Credentials
• Demonstrate your Community Commitment

http://www.energycircle.com/blog/2011/01/26/5-elements-of-successful-about-us-page-home-performance-businesses

142 EGIA/BPI


Social

Site Incoming Spreading
Content Links

Services Content
• TopPerforming Pages in Search
• People are Looking for...
• Attic Insulation
• Cellulose Insulation
• an Energy Audit
• a new Furnace
• Solar Panels
• New Windows
• Getting Found = Having Content

144 EGIA/BPI

Ideally: Dedicated Pages for Key Services
Logical, Clear Structure

Insulation Services

BIBS Fiber- Spray Cellu-
glas Foam lose

145 EGIA/BPI

Location, Location, Location
insulation contractor, los angeles

Google is very
biased towards
company address

146

Location Workarounds
Service Area Page & Map
List of Cities and Towns
Create in Google Maps--Embed into site
Case Studies & Testimonials
Agatha J, Babylon, NY
Jones House, Brookhaven, NY
Landing Pages for Major Towns
Page Titles & Descriptions
Geo Content Everywhere

147

Selling the LIPA Programs
& NYSERDA, GJGNY

148

Some of the Best in the Country
Cool Homes Program
Home Performance with Energy Star
Home Performance Direct
On Bill Financing!

149

Big Picture--the Situation We Face
Vast Majority Struggle with Math & Financing
Fear of Debt & Limited Equity
To Homeowners Programs & Incentives are
almost always confusing
Energy related expenditures tend towards ROI
calculations
My current cost is x, what will my new cost be?
Critical to sell other benefits

Trust is Critical
But we’re Contractors, Bankers, Government
At least we’re not Congress ;-)
DATE 151

Don’t Focus Too Much On The Numbers
• Energy efficiency actually makes financial sense - this is
true of few other home improvement expenses
• We are emotional beings, not rational ones
• Focus on pain points to make the sale
• Comfort problems - hot/cold room
• Uncomfortable spouse
• Mold
• Allergies
• Icicles/water damage

152

Fix Your House for Free! The Gist.
Think from a customer’s perspective whenever you can.
If you have a $100/month payment for HP upgrades, but
you save $100/month, the upgrades were free!
This doesn’t always work, but it can.
There is still a $100 payment, but the stigma just went
away, it’s a paradigm shift.

153

We Buy Payments, Not Prices
Do you buy a $30,000 car?
Do you buy a $200K house?
No, you buy a payment.

Monthly cash outlay is what matters.
Few people write a check for these purchases.
That’s why car sales are up!

154

Selling Payments
Car dealers take the pain out of the big number by offering
payments.
This lets people focus on the emotion of ‘I want that’
With good modeling, we can estimate savings
Even generalities help - quote an approximate savings %

DATE 155

Lay Out the Math for People
• Guide to Air Sealing Your Home and Available Incentives Financing
• www.taghomeperformance.com

DATE 156

Best Practices
Financing/Incentives Content on your Site
A dedicated program page
Pages for each major incentive program
Be the Go-between
Use Example Math Prominently
Information Graphics
Text
Video
Engage
Calculators
Leverage Trust
Non-profits/Programs
DATE 157

Urgency Sells

DATE 161

Leveraging Program Trust

DATE 162

Example Information Graphic

DATE 163

Learning from the Solar Leasing Explosion

DATE 164

SolarCity Infographic

DATE 165

Using Video Effectively

DATE 166

Using Video Effectively

DATE 167

Google+ Local
(formerly Places)
It’s really important

168

Use All 5 Categories!

DATE 173

Reviews: Online Word of Mouth

174

Maximizing Google+ Local
Reviews, Reviews, Reviews! (on Google)
Choose Categories Carefully
Keep it Fresh
Photos
Video
Review Responses

176

Making Reviews a Business System
1. Commit to a Feedback-centric Culture
2. Determine Your Process
When to ask?
How to ask?
How often to repeat request?
3. Repeat Systematically
4. Use the Reviews

178

Some Thoughts on Process
Solicit Everyone
Turn Evangelists into Public Reviewers
Ways to ID Evangelists
Net Promoters
Great Reviews Delivered Privately

179

Net Promoter Score

www.netpromoter.com, The Ultimate Question,

DATE 180

Leveraging Your Reviews
Repost best reviews as testimonials on your site

Share those pages using social media - a great way to
say thanks to the reviewer in a public forum

Utilize online reviews in your printed materials

Use review responses as topics for blog posts

Leverage Your Promoters!

181

Respond to Reviews!

The beauty of
online reviews is
that you can
respond to them.

DATE 182

Google+ Local - Respond to Reviews!

Respond to all reviews - even the good ones!

DATE 183

Customer Referral Programs

184

Word of Mouth is King

Customer Referral Programs Are
Word of Mouth on Steroids

185

Referral Incentives
For Closed Jobs
Very low cost
Zero Marketing Risk
Know your CPA and offer up to that amount
Less amount for closed audit?

For Names
Small gift (Amazon Gift Certificate, LED Bulb, Temp/Humidity Monitor)
Service Discount

Considerations
Tracking complexity
Rewarding for names may produce junk
Overly commercial for some clients?

DATE 186

The Math - Referral Programs
Implementation Cost Staff effort
Invite to Participate 100
Conversion to Participate 50%
Referrers 50
Referees/Referrer 3
Leads 150
Lead to Quote 50%
Quotes 38
Quote to Job 75%
Jobs 28
CPA @ $7500 you choose

DATE 188

What is PPC Marketing?
How does it work?

DATE 189

Pay Per Click Marketing

An online advertising model where the advertiser
only pays when someone clicks on their ad.

DATE 190


DATE 191

Search Term

Paying $3.64

Paying $3.20

Paying $2.17

DATE 192

Why You Should Consider PPC
PPC targeting is sophisticated -
Targeting geography, time of day, keyword,
etc, meaning better more
targeted leads.

Google products are taking over
Google Product the search results - some
searches show no organic results
above the fold.

Study from Wordstream found
Commercial Intent that 64% of searches with
commercial intent click on PPC
ads.

Learn what people are
ACTUALLY searching for in YOUR
Research area - not just national averages
but # of searches in town/city/zip
code/state etc.

DATE 193

Making PPC Work

Every campaign should have a
Focus specific target - not just one with
all keywords, a single ad,
pointing to your homepage.

Proper Group keywords effectively in
Segmentation ad groups.

High relevance from keyword to
Relevance ad to ad group to campaign to
landing page.

Do NOT send to home page -
Landing Pages create individual landing pages
for each of your segments.

DATE 194

Evaluating PPC for your Business
Are there enough people in
your service area using the web
Search Volume/ to search for services?
Density Rural areas can be less effective
than urban ones.

Do you have the budget?
Some kind of campaign can work
Cost for every budget but if your
overall marketing budget is
limited it may be better spent
elsewhere.

Do you have the time to BOTH
educate yourself & run PPC
Time correctly?

Management & optimization is
an ongoing process for PPC.

DATE 195

The Math - Conversions

Clicks 200

Cost $3/click = $600
Conversion Rate 5%

Leads 10

Quotes 7

Jobs 5

CPA $120

Revenue $10,000

DATE 196

Marke)ng
is
Changing
No Longer An Option

Social Media
an increasingly important
part of the puzzle

DATE

Priority
1

You Don’t Need to Like It
You Don’t Need to Use It Personally
It is Increasingly Important to Your Business

DATE

It’s where your customers are.

• 93% of US adult internet users are on Facebook
• 65% of Facebook users are 35 or older
• 50% Login to Facebook Every Day
• Facebook is the most visited website on the internet
• US internet users spend 3X more time on blogs & social
networks than on email
• 61% of US marketers’ main reason for SM is “to increase lead
generation”
• Inbound Mktg costs 62% less per lead than traditional marketing

Sources: Hubspot Mktg Report, FTC, eMarketer, Nielsen, Merchant Circle

DATE

Most Effective Social Media Platforms

DATE 200

It’s Good Old Word of Mouth. Amplified.
The average Facebook user has
130 Friends & is connected to
180 Pages, Events, & Groups. Each.

Your customers have a megaphone.
Be part of their conversation.

DATE 201

It’s a must-have Marketing Tool. Use it to:
Engage with the community
& potential customers.

Build Brand Loyalty in current
customers.

Show a little personality

DATE 202

Basic
Info
Basic Info

Logo
Description
Name,
Address,
Phone
Photos
Likes

DATE

#1 Grow Your Likes

Invite your personal Facebook
Friends

DATE 204

#1 Grow Your Likes
Include Social Buttons prominently on your website.

DATE 205

#1 Grow Your Likes

Ask your Newsletter subscribers to
Like your page. Something as
simple as:

For more on how SEO can help your
brand and other helpful marketing
chatter...

DATE 206

#2 Take a Bow.
Educate your fans about the work you do and what
makes you special. It’s not bragging if it’s true.

DATE 207

#3 Be thoughtful about your Page’s Look
Cover photo, profile pic, and shared images should
be in keeping with your company’s mission, but
don’t be afraid to show off that winning personality.

DATE 208

#4 Advertise
Brand Ads are an affective and affordable way to
get your Page in front of the right people IF
properly targeted.

DATE 209

#4 Advertise
Promoted Posts are a great way to show off your
awesome content to those that don’t Like you yet.

DATE 210

#4 Third Party Endorsements
Ask for Recommendations. They come free!

DATE 211

#5 Follow the Rules
of (content) Engagement
Keep. It. Short.

Posts between 100 and 250 characters (less than
3 lines of text) see about 60% moremlikes,
comments and shares than posts greater than
250 characters.

DATE 212

#5 Follow the Rules
Share, share alike.

Everyone Likes a little Love, so
share other folk’s posts, blogs,
sites, and triumphs.

DATE 213

#5 Follow the Rules
Use lots of images.

Insert graphs from this post:

DATE 214

#5 Follow the Rules

Have fun.

Social networks are
inherently social, so interact
with your community. Like,
comment, share, and try not
to take yourself too
seriously...

DATE 215

The Challenge of Content
for your Site, for Social Media, for your Marketing Materials

216

Everyone’s Achilles Heel
Difficult to Find the Time
Uncertain About What to Write
Maintaining Pace and Frequency
But....
Content “Freshness” is An Important Factor in
Your Site’s Authority

217

Content “as a system”

DATE

Great Content is
Right in Front of You

219

Generating Content

If someone’s
wasting money in
a house you visit,
write an article
about it.

Content: Every Press Mention

DATE

Content: What’s This?

DATE

Content: Article Links

DATE

Content:
Give
to
Get
Content: Give to Get

DATE

Content: Project Photo Albums

DATE

Content: YouTube Videos

DATE

Energy Efficiency Contracting
Companies Doing it Well

228

Your Vehicles: Missed Opportunity?

232

Clear & Bold

DATE 233

Strong Brand Consistency

DATE 236

Rough Costs

Logo Revise 750-1000
Full Brand Redesign 3500
Business Cards 300-500
Letterhead 150-500
Brochure 600-1000
Flyer 250-400
Newsletter Template 250
Trade Show Pullups 400
Vehicle Design 300
Vehicle Graphic Small 250
Vehicle Graphic Large 2000
Lawn Sign 1000-2000

DATE 239

Email’s Role in the
Marketing Mix

240

An Important Tool for Home Performance
1. Very low cost one-to-many communications
tactic
2. Key vehicle for growing site traffic
3. Easy way to build and maintain awareness
4. Excellent, metrics-rich prospecting tool*
5. Critical for customer retention/repeat business
6. Ideal vehicle for specials, promotions, new
program incentives, seasonal tune-ups &
reminders, news

DATE 241

Elements of an Email Strategy
Be Clear on Purpose
Identify Core Themes & Narratives
Energy Saving Tips, Programs & Incentives, Energy Prices,
Benefits of an Audit, Air Quality and Health, Deals
Establish Your Email Type(s)
Newsletter, Dedicated, Digest
Determine Frequency
Choose Tool
Editorial Calendar/Sustainable Schedule
Staffing: Share Responsibility
242

Growing Your Lists
• Existing Customer Lists
• Existing Prospect Lists
• Mine your Inbox
• Business Card Stacks
• Opt In Form on Site
• Home Show Signups
• Community event Signups
• Purchased Lists Generally Risky and Weak

Make it someone’s responsibility
Balance quality and volume
DATE 243

The Question of Segmentation

• by Age
• 3 months
• 9 months
• over a year
Customers
• by Rank
• Hot
• Warm
• Cold
Prospects • by Source
• Home Show
• Referral
• Web
• by Housing Stock
• Old
• Fuel Oil

DATE

The Question of Segmentation

Prospects Customers

• Education about home • Emphasis on 2nd phase
performance projects
• Information about your • Multi-year path to deep
company reductions
• Program & Incentives • Annual maintenance &
• Typical first measures checkups
• Benefits of HP • Related sales
opportunities
• Typical Problems

DATE

Making Email Perform

246

Have a Clear Purpose

Traffic -> Conversion
Newsletter Landing Page Conversion

-‐> -‐>

DATE

The All Important Subject Line
Keys to a Great Subject Line

Short
Shoot for around 45 characters, much longer than that & some of your
recipients won’t see the entire subject

Direct
Simply state what the email content is about - it seems obvious, but it leads to
better open rates
Avoid being overly salesy - if it reads like an advertisement, your open rate will
likely suffer

Conventional
It is possible to be conventional without being “boring”

Relevant
Tie your subject line into the first sentence or two of the email content
To avoid spam filters do not use RE:, FW:, All Caps, Hello, exclamation points,

DATE 248

Types of Subject Lines
Plain Label
“[Company Name] Newsletter #27 - June 2012”

Topic Lists
“May 2012 - Air Sealing & Staying Cool this Summer”

Offers
“Find out how to save up to $100 on an energy audit.”

Questions
“Issue #3 - How does attic insulation affect my home?”

Benefits
“In this issue: Learn about DIY air sealing techniques.”

DATE 249

What Makes a CTA Effective
• Make it Clear
• Make it Stand Out
• Make Actionable
• Keep it Above the Fold
• Be Relevant
• Be Mindful of Sales Stages & Context
• Aligned with Landing Page

DATE 250

Language that Works
Action Words Timing Words Value Words
Call Now Free
Buy Today No Obligation
Register Right Away
Subscribe Expires
Act Limited Time
Start Get Started
Sign Up

DATE 251

Use Landing Pages

Landing Page

Dedicated page with clear objective:
complete the form!

DATE 252

Key Email Stats

Statistic Definition Goal

the % of your emails that actually get to a shoot for 95%+, higher
deliverability is better, watch out for
mailbox, or do not “bounce” big jumps in bounces

Great - 30%
open rate the % of the delivered emails that are Good - 15-29%
actually opened by their recipients Poor - <15%
Great - >15%
click thru (CTR) the % of OPENED emails that received a Good - 5-15%
click from the recipient Poor - <5%
the completion of a desired action by an varies based on the
conversion email recipient - calls, fills out form,
follows on social media, sends to a friend required action
when an email recipient clicks the as low as possible!
unsubscribe/spam “unsubscribe” or “remove from list” link under 1% for
report or reports your message as spam to their unsubscribe & .1%
ISP for spam reports

DATE 258

Key Email Stats

Statistic Key Driver How to Improve
maintain your list, remove old email
deliverability list quality addresses, careful with “spammy”
sounding words like free, offer, credit, etc
keep it short (45ish characters), be direct,
open rate subject line tie first sentence of email into subject line,
be compelling

use a strong call to action & offer, link to
click thru call to action/offer your site and not others (usually), offer
(CTR) snippets in email & the rest on your site

test landing page versions, use a simple &
conversion landing page short form, tie LP language into your
newsletter content

unsubscribe/ relevance, frequency, value don’t send too often, keep the content
spam report useful, fresh, & relevant

DATE 259

Key Email Stats
Email Report from iContact

DATE 260

Conversion Tracking
• Campaign setup in Google Analytics
• Tag the links in your email using the Google URL
Builder, info will show up under the Campaigns section
of GA
• http://support.google.com/googleanalytics/bin/
answer.py?hl=en&answer=55578
• Make sure you fill out the URL, source, medium, &
campaign name fields - use the other fields if you have
multiple versions of your email or multiple target
segments (customers vs prospects, offer vs no offer,
subject line testing, etc.)
• Your existing goals will be tracked within these
tagged campaigns, but create new ones in Analytics if
you have email-only conversion events that don’t
already exist
DATE 261

Conversion Tracking - URL Builder

DATE 262

Speaking, Presentations
& Community Outreach

263

What You Need to Get Started
A good presentation
A page on your site about your speaking
capabilities
A short video of you speaking that shows
you're not boring
An outreach program to build awareness of
your availability.

DATE 264

A Good Presentation Deck
More Visuals Fewer Bullet Points
Let photos tell the whole house story
Components of an audit
Infrared Images
House of horrors--mold, water, dirty insulation
Flexible for Different Lengths
Modular for Tweaks to Topic
Beyond Powerpoint Software
Apple Keynote, Prezi, Google Docs, SlideRocket

DATE 265

Topics That Draw a Crowd
Understanding Home Energy, Health and Comfort
Does your house perform?
DIY air sealing training (hands on using foam, etc)
Climate change and the U.S. housing stock
Energy security and the U.S. housing stock
The Basics of Building Science
Is your house a Hummer or a Prius?
A 10 Year Plan for Reducing Your Home’s Energy Use

DATE 267

Where to Speak
Rotary Clubs Business networking groups
Sustainability Committees Chambers of Commerce
Community Centers Kiwanis Clubs
Transition Town Groups Optimist Clubs
Environmental & Community Junior Leagues
Groups High school classes (e.g. Physics)
Churches Stores - hardware stores, "green"
Library Speaker series stores, etc.
Homeowners Associations Workshops at home shows
Condo Associations

DATE 268

Other Community Outreach Programs
Charitable Organizations
Energy Audit Auction Donations
Community Support Groups
Habitat for Humanity
Business Networking Organizations
Environmental Groups
Sustainability Committees
Town Committees
Tweet Ups
Create Your Own Community Retrofit Project

DATE 269

Contact
Peter Troast
Energy Circle

207.847.3644

ptroast@energycircle.com

Twitter: @EnergyCircle

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/petertroast

Energy Circle PRO Blog: www.energycircle.com/pro/blog

271

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