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Author	Comments
Melvin Chandler Posted: Sep 30, 2006 12:05 AM	Promo ideas We're trying to get things rocking in our area but are running into a lot of resistance from G.C.'s. Nobody seems to find the value in foam. Part of the reason is because, right now, we have the cheapest power in the country. There are some owners that do their homework and really want foam but it's such a tuff sell at 3 times the cost of batt. What are some things that have worked for you guys that help win over the "non-believers?" We are doing a booth at an energy expo and hope to pick up some of the "Green Builders."
Mike Glace Posted: Sep 30, 2006 08:28 PM	Hey I feel ya on that gc thing all they care about is price. We just got done a energy expo and the outcome was great very very happy. There was alot of green builders there and also alot of energy saving types of people. Basically I dont go for any builders that use fiberglass, I target all energy saving builders and target homeowners directly. I dont sell them foam I educate them about the product, and what its benefits are I do more educateing then I do selling. Beileive it or not it draws them right in then when I do decide to switch to selling it, its way easier and there not sticker shocked. I also use some lead sources which is about 50% of our sales right now people looking for insulation post there needs and I address them some still go for fiberjunk and some switch to the allmighty foam I usually get more to switch though which works great for use.
Melvin Chandler Posted: Sep 30, 2006 11:35 PM	What type of lead sources? We are hoping that our relationship with one vendor turns some leads our way. Hope our web gets some leads. Don't want to spend the $$$ on TV or Radio but that may be the best way to plant a seed. It might take a few years to get fertilized but at least someone has seen it somewhere and knows it's available.
Posted: Oct 01, 2006 11:36 PM	Is it really worth the time targeting future new construction homeowners? I know somebody has to explain the benefits when asked which is fine. But it seems like actually spending money targeting the future homeowner would not be the way to go. Isn't the GC the real decision maker and likely to just use his own guy anyway? Unless the market is such that the GC's aren't even hooked up with a spray foam company yet.
Posted: Oct 02, 2006 05:45 PM	I have found that most builders wait until a customer requests foam, before they will try it. After that, they use it alot. Targeting the homeowners works well to help get it introduced to new builders.
Gerry Wagoner Posted: Oct 05, 2006 06:34 AM	When people say "This is three times the cost of fiberglass" I chuckle and say "Only three?" as if I'm amazed. It leaves an impression. I get 6 calls per month from people who have fiberglass in their walls and they are dissatisfied with it. They are looking for something better, and I don't have any good news for them at all. I tell new homebuilders that they have one shot at their wall insulation. Get it right the first time.
Timothy Sonney Posted: Oct 28, 2006 02:35 PM	We just did a Promotion with a local radio station here, and it brought in a bunch of new business. We got together with another company here localy, and put the promotion together. The radio station pushed it for 14 days, and I even spent about 20 minutes on the air with the morining DJ's talking about our company and the advantages of Spray Foam Insulation. We gave away some insulation as the grand prize, 2nd place got a Snow Blower, and 3rd got a leaf blower. We have 10 contestants roll some Dice that I made out of Foam, and the first 3 to roll a 7 were in the running for the prizes. The contestants had to sit on a block of ice and melt it to get to a Dice that we froze in the center to win. It took about 6 hours of sitting, and rubbing the ice until we had our winners. The entire time the radio station broadcasted live from our location. It did cost us some money, but the amount of business it created was well worth it. We even made the 5 & 11PM news casts, and the local paper even covered the event. We did however have to send out a Press Release for the media to come to our event. All in all, we will do it again.

Author

Comments

Melvin Chandler

Posted: Sep 30, 2006 12:05 AM

Promo ideas

We're trying to get things rocking in our area but are running into a lot of resistance from G.C.'s. Nobody seems to find the value in foam. Part of the reason is because, right now, we have the cheapest power in the country. There are some owners that do their homework and really want foam but it's such a tuff sell at 3 times the cost of batt.

What are some things that have worked for you guys that help win over the "non-believers?" We are doing a booth at an energy expo and hope to pick up some of the "Green Builders."

Mike Glace

Posted: Sep 30, 2006 08:28 PM

Hey I feel ya on that gc thing all they care about is price. We just got done a energy expo and the outcome was great very very happy. There was alot of green builders there and also alot of energy saving types of people. Basically I dont go for any builders that use fiberglass, I target all energy saving builders and target homeowners directly. I dont sell them foam I educate them about the product, and what its benefits are I do more educateing then I do selling. Beileive it or not it draws them right in then when I do decide to switch to selling it, its way easier and there not sticker shocked. I also use some lead sources which is about 50% of our sales right now people looking for insulation post there needs and I address them some still go for fiberjunk and some switch to the allmighty foam I usually get more to switch though which works great for use.

Melvin Chandler

Posted: Sep 30, 2006 11:35 PM

What type of lead sources? We are hoping that our relationship with one vendor turns some leads our way. Hope our web gets some leads. Don't want to spend the $$$ on TV or Radio but that may be the best way to plant a seed. It might take a few years to get fertilized but at least someone has seen it somewhere and knows it's available.

Posted: Oct 01, 2006 11:36 PM

Is it really worth the time targeting future new construction homeowners? I know somebody has to explain the benefits when asked which is fine. But it seems like actually spending money targeting the future homeowner would not be the way to go.

Isn't the GC the real decision maker and likely to just use his own guy anyway? Unless the market is such that the GC's aren't even hooked up with a spray foam company yet.

Posted: Oct 02, 2006 05:45 PM

I have found that most builders wait until a customer requests foam, before they will try it. After that, they use it alot. Targeting the homeowners works well to help get it introduced to new builders.

Gerry Wagoner

Posted: Oct 05, 2006 06:34 AM

When people say "This is three times the cost of fiberglass" I chuckle and say
"Only three?" as if I'm amazed. It leaves an impression.

I get 6 calls per month from people who have fiberglass in their walls and they are dissatisfied with it. They are looking for something better, and I don't have any good news for them at all. I tell new homebuilders that they have one shot at their wall insulation. Get it right the first time.

Timothy Sonney

Posted: Oct 28, 2006 02:35 PM

We just did a Promotion with a local radio station here, and it brought in a bunch of new business. We got together with another company here localy, and put the promotion together. The radio station pushed it for 14 days, and I even spent about 20 minutes on the air with the morining DJ's talking about our company and the advantages of Spray Foam Insulation.

We gave away some insulation as the grand prize, 2nd place got a Snow Blower, and 3rd got a leaf blower. We have 10 contestants roll some Dice that I made out of Foam, and the first 3 to roll a 7 were in the running for the prizes. The contestants had to sit on a block of ice and melt it to get to a Dice that we froze in the center to win. It took about 6 hours of sitting, and rubbing the ice until we had our winners. The entire time the radio station broadcasted live from our location.

It did cost us some money, but the amount of business it created was well worth it. We even made the 5 & 11PM news casts, and the local paper even covered the event. We did however have to send out a Press Release for the media to come to our event.

All in all, we will do it again.

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