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NVISION Insights and Innovation Team

NVISION Insights and Innovation Team
In Building Products, CMO, Marketing Supply Chain, Marketing Trends, Marketing Operations, Marketing Strategy

Marketing Building Products in 2021

Building materials warehouse

With the COVID-19 vaccine in wide circulation and schools and businesses beginning to open their doors again, building products marketers face a rapidly changing marketplace. Let’s explore five building products industry trends as our post-pandemic world begins to unfold.

Home office desk with laptop

Interiors are a Key Focus

According to the Residential Remodeling Index report released in late 2020, consumer remodeling projects of $1,000 or more had increased by 8% over the previous year. Consumers are spending an unprecedented amount of time indoors and are focused on making the best of it, adding comfort and utility to their existing space.1

Home offices remain a focal point for design investment with so-called dedicated “Zoom Rooms” a priority for busy professionals. Closed floor plans are also trending for their ability to offer privacy as are related building materials like solid-core wood doors that reduce noise. Escaping from work, homeowners are also creating more elaborate home exercise areas and even “unplug zones,” or rooms with no technology for total relaxation.

Previously neglected areas such as laundry rooms, foyers or utility rooms are being built out and cleaned up to add extra living space. Less clutter and a clean aesthetic mean that storage solutions are also gaining popularity.

When marketing building products, it’s important to continually scan the design blogs, reach out to audiences via surveys or formal market research, and work closely with product designers to meet the demand for materials that enhance comfort and interior living.

A man installing outdoor deck

Enjoying the Great Outdoors

The National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) recently published a membership study that shows a 65% increase in overall outdoor living project interest, with 60% of respondents planning to upgrade existing spaces and 54% looking into patio/deck projects. Just as consumers seek to expand their interiors, they also want to escape occasionally from life inside.2

Besides garden materials, swimming pools and outdoor kitchens, hybrid spaces where indoors meets outdoors—such as a dining area that features openable screens or an outdoor home office area with Wi-Fi and sun shading—are also driving sales of building materials. The NKBA study even cites a trend in outdoor showers, particularly in upscale resort communities in sunbelt regions. Larger windows are another popular design enhancement as homeowners seek to bring in the outdoors.

Finally, people are using their yards more frequently for yoga and exercise versus simply entertaining or family space. This trend bodes well when marketing building products like fencing, gates, walls and screens. Even marketers who aren’t directly involved in outdoor living brands—such as lighting or door manufacturers—can leverage these building products industry trends with items that offer related benefits.

Male shopper looking at a floor sample

A Material Difference

The good news for building products companies is that all this home improvement requires a wide array of materials. “Easy care” materials like quartz, metal and glass are popular indoor choices because they offer simple sanitation and maintenance. Likewise, “cozy feel” products like rustic woods, brick pavers, and even repurposed barn doors used indoors, help to make homes more comfortable and calming.

With such a range of materials being sought after for interior and exterior remodeling applications, building products marketers have more possibilities to cross-sell, develop new product ideas or provide less-costly alternatives to expensive materials.

A young couple looking at flooring samples

The New Buyer’s Journey

Last year’s pandemic will certainly impact the building materials industry outlook in 2021. While brand differentiation will always be critical, content marketing continues to deliver customers. How-to articles and videos, look books, buying guides and online advice forums are in demand by DIYers working on various remodeling projects.

In-store retail displays are more critical than ever. Today, these displays focus less on building awareness and more on closing the sale. That’s because most consumers will have completed all their product research before heading to the retailer, versus starting there and expanding their search afterward.

Likewise, sample kits that were previously delivered by a salesperson are now directly shipped to consumers for individual evaluation. It’s important that all sample kit packaging convey safety and sterility as at-home consumers are still taking precautions. These changes in the buying process offer new opportunities to reach customers and build familiarity with their products in non-traditional ways.

A person ideating marketing for building products

Marketing’s Changing Role

As the pandemic deepened in 2020, marketing building products began to evolve in unpredictable ways—particularly the role of the marketer. More projects were added. More collaboration was expected with other areas in the company including R&D, distribution and new product development. Budgets may have been put on hold. And c-level leadership asked tough questions about emerging building materials industry trends that could potentially impact revenue.

In 2021, these new roles are already firmly in place for marketing professionals who are now charged with brand building, sales support, retail promotion, supervision of the marketing supply chain, hiring new team members, market research, and the list goes on. Unlike specialists in consumer packaged goods companies, this industry demands generalists who can wear many hats and think beyond traditional marketing channels as the quarantine winds down.

Of course, multitasking in new ways can affect productivity and creativity, not to mention job satisfaction. Forward-thinking building products marketers understand the critical role played by external partners who can keep them focused on the priority tasks.

In a rapidly changing retail environment, NVISION is always ready to help building materials brands elevate their marketing and respond quickly to new trends and challenges. Our deep understanding of today’s marketplace gives you an edge in strategizing and executing your marketing plan for building materials.

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Sources

  1.  Outlook for Remodeling Industry in 2021 Still Fuzzy
  2.  Seven Outdoor Living Trends for 2021

Why NVISION?

For more than three decades we’ve partnered with Fortune 500 companies to deliver marketing operations solutions. Led by a strategic account management team, we’ll help you develop, procure, fulfill and distribute printed collateral, signage, point-of-purchase displays, direct mail, branded merchandise and much more.

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NVISION Insights and Innovation Team
In Building Products, Sustainability, Marketing Trends

Snapshot 2020: Five Trends in Building Materials Marketing

Material samples for building products industry over blueprint

The year 2020 is proving a challenging time for building materials marketing professionals. Yet while the global pandemic has affected every sector of the home building, remodeling, and general construction industry, there are still opportunities for savvy marketers with their eye on today’s trends.

Here are five trends in 2020 that will impact anyone marketing building materials or designing programs around construction content.

Workers with hard hat and face masks

COVID-19 Changes Everything

As the world begins to emerge from this devastating pandemic, building materials marketers are shifting messaging toward managing consumer expectations. The NAHB says 30% of building materials come from China, while large quantities of stone and glass are supplied by Italy—two countries whose supply chains have been greatly impacted in Q1. In early spring, 23% of construction companies had already reported material shortages, and home buying web traffic on sites like Zillow and Redfin had dropped by 40%.

To create a marketing plan for building materials communications in this challenging environment, marketers must quickly pivot to a new consumer dynamic. Keeping loyal customers on top of information related to materials shortages or delays is vital. Likewise, consumers frustrated with supply chain issues may be more open to new suppliers and brands, so marketers need to aggressively target DIYers who are less brand-loyal and more focused on simply getting the building materials they require.

In retail areas, new types of materials—including floor stickers and window clings—can be used to provide new social-distancing guidance for shoppers, while hand sanitizer stations can provide further peace of mind.

young man working from home on his desk

Home Design Tastes Evolve

Even before the pandemic, more people were working from home than ever before. According to home design experts, the focus is on comfortable, connected spaces and more efficient designs for those spending more time at home.

Construction content for home buyers and rehabbers may target the trend of mixing traditional home styles such as a farmhouse or Arts & Craft with modern, industrial influences, and materials like metal or even plastic. Branded merchandise kits can be assembled to appeal to homeowners looking for this eclectic product mix.

Another big focus is on outdoor spaces. Outdoor kitchens, cold-weather fire pits, and other accessories are becoming popular as consumers spend more time in their backyards entertaining or relaxing. Marketing building materials for outdoor projects can help engage these homeowners.

construction worker putting insulation in the house building site

Sustainability Still a Focus

No longer simply a buzzword, sustainability reaches deep into the psyche of today’s home buyers and homeowners. Studies show that people are willing to spend more money on building materials that reduce the carbon footprint and save expenses on utilities. Sustainable materials such as wood and even recycled plastics play a greater role in new home construction.

While not every marketer may sell these in-demand materials, there may still be an opportunity to tie messaging and product development to the concept of sustainability. Wherever possible, construction marketing should highlight wood, plastics, and certain metals as highly sustainable. Insulation, fabric, lighting, and plumbing materials should promote energy savings as well as traditional features like quality and durability.

construction worker on her tablet in the building site

Digital consumers crave construction content

For the vast majority of today’s do-it-yourselfers, the web is the first stop in any project. According to a recent online survey, a full 78% of DIYers start project research online, on sites like YouTube or Pinterest. They’re looking for pricing information, customer reviews, and how-to videos. In fact, the survey showed that 47% of DIYers actually initiated a project after seeing online content; 80% of them view such content from their smartphones.

Building materials marketing and online marketing for contractors must account for a consumer mindset that values strong content more than brand names. Sixty-three percent of DIYers say they don’t care about the brand at all, so savvy building materials companies are now investing in mobile-first content marketing. How-to videos and webinars, engaging customer review forums, and audience-submitted ideas are replacing traditional advertising campaigns.

It’s important that showroom signage and product displays reinforce the messaging in all of these digital communications.

a girl comfortably on a couch with her cat

Comfort Over Prestige

Marie Kondo’s mantra “Spark joy” may have taken root as an organizational concept, but today this influence is found in building materials and floor plans alike. Trend-spotters point toward homes for Millennial and Gen-Z buyers that incorporate more quiet spaces and less grandeur. Lighting, plants, fabrics and other building materials are employed to create peace and calm.

In contrast to a few years ago when the logo on an oven range was meant to be seen, modern homeowners are now actively concealing appliances within cabinetry, opting instead for minimalism, space, and simplicity. Construction content and building materials marketing including in-store signage, that help consumers build human connections with less clutter are in demand.

In a rapidly changing retail environment, NVISION is always ready to help building materials brands elevate their marketing and respond quickly to new trends and the challenges of 2020. Our deep understanding of today’s marketplace gives you an edge in strategizing and executing your marketing plan for building materials communication. Learn more about how NVISION can boost your building materials marketing here.

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Why NVISION?

For more than three decades we’ve partnered with Fortune 500 companies to deliver marketing operations solutions. Led by a strategic account management team, we’ll help you develop, procure, fulfill and distribute printed collateral, signage, point-of-purchase displays, direct mail, branded merchandise and much more.

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NVISION Insights and Innovation Team
In CMO, Sustainability, Marketing Trends, Digital Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Food for thought

Going Green: Four Ways to Embrace Sustainability to Your Marketing

hands holding soil and baby plants

From the organic vegetable isles and free-ranged meat to vegan cosmetics, consumers these days, especially Millennials, are driving sustainability movement into a much more personal level into their lifestyle.

As “going green” efforts grow in popularity, it presents the opportunity for brands to boost sales by appealing to modern consumers who are driven towards activism.

According to Kate Harrison in her Forbes article, “Fully 92% of consumers have a more positive image of a company when that company supports environmental causes.”

In order to capitalize on eco-friendly trends, help combat climate change, and reach more customers, brands must focus on sustainability. It’s a win-win!

sustainability-eco-friendly packaging

Show Off Your Eco-Friendly Packaging

Studies indicate that the majority of Millennials and Generation Z’ers are willing to pay more for a product that has sustainable packaging. In order to do so, brands should use recycled or biodegradable materials.

Using recycled materials, such as aluminum, conserves energy, and reduces waste. And opting for biodegradable versions of packaging materials, such as PCW recycled paper and cardboard, cornstarch, bubble wrap, and plastic, accomplishes the same. When consumers see your efforts to make a positive impact through sustainability, they will be more attracted to your brand.

This is a powerful branding move that can also cut costs for marketing teams.

commercial print-sustainability

Invest in Sustainable Print Materials

Every brand recognizes the importance of showcasing a positive brand identity using print materials such as business cards and brochures. But, unlike popular belief, using print materials doesn’t have to equate to damaging the environment.

To reduce your environmental impact, invest in sustainable print materials. Use recycled print materials, waterless printing, plantable seed business cards, recycled cotton, and PCW paper to deliver an extremely professional, polished product that also protects Mother Earth.

By doing so, you’ll be doing your part to save the world, while simultaneously increasing brand appeal and boosting profits.

Sustainability Applies to Digital Too

Brands can save significant energy by implementing an eco-friendly web design. When you choose a green web host, you can help ensure (and advertise the fact) that your site is not contributing to global warming.

As Harrison explains, “Some of these [green web host] companies purchase carbon offsets to make up for the energy they use, while others tap into renewable energy sources such as wind and solar to power their servers.” These “lighter” websites even load faster, which gives you an upper hand against your competitors. Your site will have lower abandonment rates as a result of the quick loading time.

sustainability-industrial

Myths Busted

The biggest mistake brands make when it comes to sustainability is believing the common myths surrounding it. The most prevalent of these myths is that sustainable printing is more expensive than the alternative, and has a lower quality than traditional printing.

The fact is that sustainable printing supplies and processes have improved dramatically in recent years. So much so that print marketing materials created with eco-friendly methods are indistinguishable from those made with conventional methods. The quality is the same, if not better. And, with the growing prevalence of eco-friendly print materials, the cost has decreased, making it a realistic and competitive alternative to traditional printing.

This enables your brand to do its part without sacrificing marketing impact.

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As the environmental crisis worsens, it’s more important than ever for brands to implement eco-friendly practices. By doing so, not only will you be helping Mother Earth, but your brand will also be more appealing to those who stand by sustainability.

By using eco-friendly packaging, investing in sustainable print materials, using environmentally-friendly web design, and re-thinking the myths regarding sustainable printing methods, you can help save the world AND improve sales and profitability for your brand.

And by working with a trusted partner who can help you capitalize on sustainable printing opportunities, your brand can compete on the quality and effectiveness of your marketing materials.

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Why NVISION?

For more than three decades we’ve partnered with Fortune 500 companies to deliver marketing operations solutions. Led by a strategic account management team, we’ll help you develop, procure, fulfill and distribute printed collateral, signage, point-of-purchase displays, direct mail, branded merchandise and much more.

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NVISION Insights and Innovation Team
In Marketing ROI, Marketing Trends, Marketing Strategy, Retail Trends, CPG, Print Marketing, Direct Mail

Three Reasons Why Direct Mail is
Still Alive and Kicking

direct mail-blogheader

For some brands, direct mail marketing campaigns have been brushed aside and made a thing of the past. Some brand marketers assume that the largest emerging group of consumers, Millennials, can’t be reached through print marketing campaigns. However, studies indicate that this is far from the truth.

Brands who fail to prioritize direct mail marketing initiatives as a value-adding supplement to their campaigns risk missing out on an effective, simple opportunity to increase profits and engagement, and enhance brand awareness.

So, why exactly should brands capitalize on the value of direct mail?

NVISION postcard - direct mail

It delivers an emotional and physical connection

Consumers have busy, stressful lives. By sending direct mail, you can actually save potential consumers valuable time and brainpower. Recent studies have found that direct mail takes 21% less cognitive effort to process than digital ads.

But just because direct mail requires less effort to process, that doesn’t mean individuals aren’t giving it their undivided attention. In fact, 80% of direct mail recipients scan or read each piece before disposing of anything.

“It’s one of those marketing vehicles that just has a special touch, literally. Millennials, whom everyone thinks don’t want anything but a computer screen, are fascinated by it,” explains Marjorie Taucher, Senior Print Specialist at NVISION.

When individuals are exposed to physical mail, they experience a heightened feeling of excitement. It creates a connection. And this connection leads to desire, loyalty, and making a purchase.

“With email and social media on the rise, your mailbox is actually a lot less crowded than before. It’s more unique and special to receive something physical,” Taucher states. And that generates very real demand for your brand.

In order to gain the most benefits from sending direct mail, brand marketers need to ensure that they send engaging, eye-catching postcards, and mailers that will capture the attention of potential consumers.

“It just resonates with people. It just keeps it in your brain,” says Taucher.

human heads for creativity illustration

It delivers a great Return on Investment 

Direct mail has a median return on investment (ROI) of 29%. This is a staggering number considering that paid search has delivered 23%, and the online display has an ROI of 16%.

And not only does direct mail have a strong ROI, but it also has a higher response rate compared to most online marketing campaigns. As Taucher explains, “Direct mail has a response rate of over 5%. Email gets half a percent usually.” This is because, unlike with emails, consumers physically hold mail in their hands. Individuals are less likely to forget something tangible that they can actually touch, that suggests more care and effort taken by a brand to connect with them.

Another benefit of using direct mail is increased brand awareness. Some recipients may not have an immediate need for your product. However, they will look at your postcards and coupons. Their brain will retain that information, and their countertops likely will for a few days, too. And, when the day comes that they develop a need for your product or services, guess who they’ll shop with?

a hand with pencil on a calculator - ROI

It delivers better targeting and personalization

The key to effectively engaging with and retaining customers is providing them a personalized experience. And, as long as you know who your target audience is, direct mail can be highly specific.

Taucher explains, “Direct mail can now take all the information available on a customer on file – what tires you just bought, how many kids you have, what your favorite color is – and pull it into a formatted template that is TOTALLY personalized to them.”

An effective method is to send repeat customers printed reminders about routine services and promotions. “We’re just putting it to smarter use, so they feel like ‘Oh, wow, you really know me well. That’s helpful!’ And know them well enough to remind them when they need things, like oil changes, etc.,” Taucher says.

To really impress and satisfy potential and loyal customers, brands should anticipate what they need before they even realize they need it, and then bring those needs to their attention through captivating pieces of mail.

Brand marketers can also target broad swaths of demographics through the use of direct mail marketing. According to MSP article, 95 percent of 18-to-29-year-olds – a key demographic for many brands – have a positive response to receiving personal cards and letters.

And what’s more, everyone checks the mail. Because of that, your direct mailers can convert literally anyone into a customer.

*****

As the consumer market continues to evolve, brand marketers must implement effective approaches to engage with potential and established customers alike. But the somewhat prevalent idea that direct mail marketing tactics are no longer valuable for brand success is inaccurate. In fact, it is just the opposite.

Sending direct mail to individuals is an effective and important supplement to any campaign. By delivering a physical and emotional connection, a great ROI, and better targeting and personalization, direct mail creates opportunities to improve brand awareness, increase sales, and generate higher demand for your products and services.

And by working with a trusted partner who can help you capitalize on the use of direct mail marketing campaigns, your brand can compete on the quality and effectiveness of these engaging physical marketing assets.

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Why NVISION?

For more than three decades we’ve partnered with Fortune 500 companies to deliver marketing operations solutions. Led by a strategic account management team, we’ll help you develop, procure, fulfill and distribute printed collateral, signage, point-of-purchase displays, direct mail, branded merchandise and much more.

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NVISION Insights and Innovation Team
In CMO, Marketing ROI, Digital Marketing, Marketing Operations, Marketing Strategy, Accountability, Business Forecast & Trends

Redefining CMOs Roles in 2020

man with chess board - full

The definition of CMO is blurring across the business landscape; the advancement of Martech and the accessibility to data is forcing the traditional CMO to evolve and expand their responsibilities.

Elite CMOs are expected to play a pivotal role as growth drivers in the organization, and this is where the integration of a CMOs role begins. Recently, Forrester Research published an article predicting how the role of a successful CMO will evolve beyond 2020, and here’s how.

growth chart-CMO's mindset1

Own the Customer Experience

As the landscape of marketing steers away from focusing on the legacy strategy in acquiring new customers to creating a direct-to-customer environment by providing hyper-personalization, the expectations of CMOs have also shifted to become an owner of the customer experience across all touchpoints.

To maintain this ownership and thrive even further, CMOs need to capitalize on data science and analytics to provide impeccable customer experiences while, at the same time, being compliant with the regulations that govern the privacy of data.

2020 represents a year of re-imagining CMOs roles to transform into an influencer of the customer experience by creating and positioning the marketing ecosystem.

people shaking hands-partnership

CMO is No Longer Chief Marketing Officer

The CMOs role will no longer be about being Chief Marketing Officer. The role now has more dynamic responsibilities as being a Collaborating Marketing Officer or Contributing Marketing Officer.

Marketing should interconnect everyone throughout the organization. That’s how you build your brand unity, brand voice, and brand image. Without this continuity, you can’t sell, connect, or service your brand. The entire organization must stand behind the consistency and the value of the brand that they represent.

According to the article, “In 2020, one designated C-suite leader will be responsible for all that surrounds the customer, clarifying the role of marketing in a business environment obsessed with growth.” And that role will most likely be filled by the CMO. A connector that amplifies the growth goal and the brand vision with C-suite members and decision-makers, and a contributor to influence both the internal and external brand impact.

CMOs must find ways to collaborate with a multi-layer of influencers to drive impact across the business by connecting different facets of the business.

business woman speaking to associates

2020 Vision Required

Generational gaps are slowly creeping in the marketing world as younger groups of leading management emerge. The perspectives on long-term growth goals and identifying barriers for the growth may differ by generation.

Regardless of these generational gaps on how to interpret strategic goals and success, the role of the CMO must comply with the business growth goal while satisfying all levels of the audience, both internally and externally. Smart CMOs should account for this generational trend by developing a succession plan for long-term growth. One of the prime responsibilities of CMOs is to prepare the next generation of marketers with the forward vision that is better suited for the new marketing landscape.

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2020 will be the year that many CMOs will transform to expand their influences and responsibilities.

The sophisticated customer demands will force CMOs to take ownership of developing a memorable and impactful customer experience, while creating the culture of the brand, to influencing internal decision-makers and developing the next generation CMOs.

It may sound like a big weight to carry, but for CMOs that prioritize the right objectives, it should be a successful 2020 and beyond.

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Why NVISION?

For more than three decades we’ve partnered with Fortune 500 companies to deliver marketing operations solutions. Led by a strategic account management team, we’ll help you develop, procure, fulfill and distribute printed collateral, signage, point-of-purchase displays, direct mail, branded merchandise and much more.

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