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Marketing Your Low Carbon Services

Marketing Your Low Carbon Services. Stephanie Moore / Liz Warren September 2011. Do I need to do marketing?. “I don’t have enough time”. “I’m getting business leads already ”. I don’t know how to go about it. Why should I bother?. Why you need to do marketing?.

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Marketing Your Low Carbon Services

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  1. Marketing Your Low Carbon Services • Stephanie Moore / Liz Warren • September 2011

  2. Do I need to do marketing? “I don’t have enough time” • “I’m getting business leads already” I don’t know how to go about it Why should I bother?

  3. Why you need to do marketing? • Those who whisper down a well • About the goods they have to sell • Never make as many dollars • As one who climbs to the tree and hollers

  4. Benefits of Marketing Plans • It creates the sale opportunity • You risk wasting your budget, drifting from one random opportunity to another in the hope that something will bring you sales. • Planning gives you a road-map. • Identifies the needs and wants of your customers helping you to gain, satisfy and keep customers • Think long term • Spend your budget more efficiently and effectively

  5. The Guide Provides basic marketing advice: • A five step guide to writing a marketing plan • Understanding your target audiences and their buying behaviour • Exploiting trigger points • Key messages • Practical examples on how to market your services

  6. Step 1 • Understand your market, customers and competitors Writing a marketing plan • What properties dominate the area? Are there certain measures and technologies that are more suitable for the area? • What information do you have on your customers? What do you know about their behaviour, lifestyle, needs and buying patterns? Which offer the best prospects for you? • Who are your major competitors, how big are they, what is their market share? What do they offer and charge? Are you staff trained and accredited?

  7. Writing a marketing plan • Step 2 • What do you want to achieve? Set your objectives • A statement of what you want to achieve • SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound) • Quantitative • Cover the period of the plan ‘Undertake 20 low carbon domestic retrofit projects in the next 12 months’

  8. Writing a marketing plan • Product / service • Price • Promotion • - Advertising • - Public relations • - Direct marketing • - Sales promotion • - Personal selling • Step 3 • What's your product/service and price, how you are going to promote and deliver it

  9. Writing a marketing plan • Schedule of key tasks • What will be done, by when and by whom • Staff and budget resources required • Monitor your marketing activities • Step 4 • Implementing your marketing plan - schedule of key tasks • Step 5 • Evaluation - measure your success!

  10. Target audiences • Businesses e.g. list of approved/recommended installers and service providers • Households Trend towards home improvements rather than moving house. 1 in 5 is planning a major refurb in the next 3 years Varies by life stage – families with children most receptive to low carbon retrofits • Landlords 5 types: buy to let, Businesses, HMOs, student and institutional landlords Landords of HMOs, student accommodation and those with portfolios of more than ten properties are more likely to plan a refurb.

  11. Trigger points & key messages Make the most of your marketing budget – target at the right time and in the right place. • Householders e.g. when moving house, change of circumstances, property in need of repair • Landlords – property will need to be empty so e.g. summer will be optimum time for retrofit works to student housing; changes in regulation; availability of grants. • Saving money is the main driver for action. • Back it up with other benefits of low carbon retrofit e.g. warmer, more comfortable home, or reducing impact on environment. • Avoid catastrophic messages about climate change.

  12. Ploughcroft Case Study • A family business that delivers innovative roofing projects • Four divisions – Roofing and building; Solar PV Installations; Training; Eco Roof Visitor Centre and ‘Rooferman’ franchise • Recently secured £120,000 from Dragon’s Den

  13. Ploughcroft Case Study • Marketing aim: to double their sales during 2011 • ‘the most accredited solar company in the UK’ -invested in their employees, working practices, NVQ accredited training centre and apprenticeship scheme. • Focused on providing the highest level of service to their customers in every area. Look professional with corporate livery, uniforms and customer care service. • Website has examples of work, testimonials, info on grants • Won numerous awards and formed prestigious partnerships e.g. Plumb Centre, N Power, British Gas • Public Relations e.g. press releases, events, live demos of solar panel installations at exhibitions e.g. Eco Build, Earls Court

  14. Find out more in the new Institute for Sustainability guide: Identifying opportunities and promoting low carbon retrofit services • Any questions? • Stephanie Moore • Red Earth PR • Tel: 01363 860070 • Email: stephanie@redearthpr.co.uk

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