Customized Package Effectively Educates Consumers and Grows Spray Foam Contracting Business

CHARLESTON, SC – August 21, 2014 – A great product is only as good as the marketing campaign that sustains its performance. Even though spray polyurethane foam is increasingly being acknowledged as a high-performance type of building insulation, there are many who remain unfamiliar to SPF's benefits. Therefore, it is important for spray foam companies to find easy ways to market this complex product. In hopes of educating potential customers about spray foam in a more comprehensive manner, Energy One America (EOA), a South Carolina-based spray foam contractor, developed a means for consumers to get a grasp on SPF – literally.

EOA’s box mailer campaign consists of sending out small packages that contain actual spray foam samples, along with illustrations of open and closed-cell SPF installations. Unlike postcards and flyers, which are limited in providing appealing information, the box provides the consumer with a tangible sample of the product. The box also includes a map of the recipient’s area that indicates the houses that were upgraded with SPF insulation by EOA, as well as card containing testimonials of those EOA's customers. Additionally, key facts about SPF's benefits are printed in the interior of the box.

"We basically wanted the box to stand out from your average junk mail," said EOA's Reid McCall. "We wanted to have a miniature trade booth sent to people's houses and have people understand that retrofitting their home with spray foam insulation is the right thing to do. Our intention was to have people spend more time with this box, so they could consider SPF as a viable option. That's the approach."

McCall noted it is especially important to bring this information to residents of 30-year old plus homes, which were built to traditional standards and specifications, and more than likely don’t have a robust air and vapor barrier.

"You have to worry about energy efficiency and realize that during the summer and winter months, the bills can get very high," said McCall. "If the wind is blowing through the attic, the windows, the crawlspace and the walls of the house, it's hard to keep an ideal climate inside a home without significantly consuming energy. Spray foam can directly alleviate that problem, and we think going a step further than pointing that out on a flat piece can be powerful."

The purpose EOA'S initial campaign wave was to reach consumers in South Carolina markets where EOA had already carried out numerous SPF projects. Each box was tailor-made to the neighborhood it was sent to, featuring a map of the local homes that had been serviced with an SPF application. EOA's intention was to let these homeowners know that their neighbors were saving a substantial amount of money while enjoying optimal indoor climates by retrofitting their home with SPF.

According to McCall, EOA started receiving bids for jobs a few days after the boxes were sent out, and the campaign continued to be successful in the subsequent months.

"We witnessed a spike in leads that came from neighbors of folks we serviced on the initial test run," said McCall. "These neighbors didn't even receive a box, so in all probability, they saw our rig outside a job site, became curious, and proceeded to get feedback from their neighbors."

Since the initial test run of the campaign was a success, EOA plans to launch a second wave of boxes in the near future. McCall notes that this time EOA will be looking to target specific demographics as the company expands its test markets.

"We plan to send boxes to the areas where we've already had success, and also to new areas where we can target accurate demographics of homes that could potentially need an SPF retrofit," said McCall.

McCall explained that since the Box Mailer campaign proved effective, EOA would welcome the opportunity to work with other SPF contractors around the country by showing them how to utilize this method to grow their business.

"Most spray foam companies don't do use this marketing approach, so we just want to convey that we are open to help with the design, the packaging, and the formatting of the boxes," said McCall. "I'd like to see other SPF companies jump on board. We are open to collaborating with them in their respective markets, we want to learn from them, if they want to learn from us."

About Energy One America: Energy One America (EOA) prides itself on being a leader in the spray foam industry and the largest residential spray foam insulation company in the United States, as well as the fourth fastest growing business in South Carolina. A locally owned and operated business, EOA is committed to the development and use of products that ensure improved and increased efficiency in heating and cooling, act as a sound barrier, and prevent the growth of mold or the entry of rodents throughout the residential and commercial building industry. Uniquely qualified, EOA offers customers a 25-year fully transferrable warranty on their mold prevention product, spray foam insulation that provides lasting comfort and saves the homeowner money, as well as a host of ancillary services. For more information on EOA's Box Mailer campaign, please use the contact information provided below.