How Relevant Is Your Brand?

by | Jun 17, 2022 | Blog, PR & Communications Tips

How to make your brand stand out amid a sea of competitors vying for your customers’ attention.

Brands age. It’s a simple fact. Only sometimes they don’t age like a fine wine that gets better over time. All too often, brands get stuck in the era in which they were created. They bullishly hold onto outdated logos that have no equity, taglines that no longer serve them, and messaging that rivals Ambien in its soporific qualities. Without realizing it, company names and the way they present to consumers gets outdated. Sadly, this happens quite a bit in our industry, especially among residential technology integration firms.For one, I feel strongly that we, as an industry, need to focus on reaching a much larger audience. To do this, the brilliance of everything our industry does must be more easily recognizable to mainstream consumers. To accomplish this, we need to look inward and consider the overall presentation. This starts with the names of companies, but is equally important for taglines, descriptors, and imagery. To attract more consumers and the adjacent trades we must get away from relying heavily on acronyms like AV and the use of terms that are really only meaningful to those in our trade. “AV” is our commonly used acronym, but to others it could mean anti-virus, aviation, or aperture value. “Controls” can be HVAC. “Systems” can be computers. “Electronics” can mean anything from a toothbrush to a toaster. The use of these kinds of words can confuse, intimidate, and ultimately turn off potential customers.So how do you keep your brand relevant? Before I give you some tips on that, it’s important to define what a brand is and isn’t. A brand is not a logo. It’s not products. It’s not your tagline. And it’s not your Pantone colors. I particularly like how brand strategist Steven Picanza defined a brand in a recent newsletter. He says, “Branding is the Swiss-army knife of an organization. Multiple uses and an item you never want to leave home without…ultimately, it isn’t what you say it is. It’s what they say it is.”

In other words, your brand is the impression you leave with those who engage with it. This can take the form of tangibles like artwork, content, logos, colors, and the like, but it can also be influenced by your reputation and how you are known for things like customer service and core values. You can’t force someone to buy the brand you craft for them.

To be clear, there is no magic bullet to brush-up your brand. You can’t just redesign a logo or rename your company and expect a change in the way the market perceives you. Logos stand on your business’ core values. Without those, they are completely hollow and meaningless. The effort has to be more grassroots than that.

My team and I have helped many companies tackle rebranding efforts. Companies usually want to start by rewriting the company’s core mission statement. We guide them to go deeper than that, and it morphs into an exercise of what the client or customer needs and wants and how the brand can best serve those needs. For example, you can craft the words you think your customers want to hear, or you can be armed with that information to inform your rebranding effort. The latter makes a lot more sense, doesn’t it?

So, when you are thinking about refreshing your brand, which you should absolutely do periodically, here are some things to take into consideration. Remember, this is not the be-all and end-all of rebranding pointers, just some ideas to get you percolating on the subject.

  • Talk to your customers. Have you asked your customers how they think about you? You should! It can start with a “how did you hear about us?” but it should go far beyond that to determine their overall impression of your business in the market. Get on the phone. Do a survey. Ask them in person when you’re on a job site. More than likely, you’ll be surprised by some of the results and can adjust your marketing and fundamental purpose accordingly.
  • Be a brand to believe in. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: People are looking to do business with companies that have core values that align with their own. For an integrator, this might be something like supporting local schools. For a manufacturer, it could be having green initiatives or giving back to the global community.
  • Be transparent. It’s always important to be completely transparent with customers. Consumers are savvier than ever, and they don’t tolerate an ounce of BS. If you make a mistake, own up to it. If you have policies that you think your customers need to know about, post them on your website.
  • Be relatable. Don’t get too cute with your words. You need to tell your customers who you are, what you do, and how you’re different within seconds of their first interaction with your brand. Otherwise, you will lose them. Period. Taglines and descriptors need to be succinct, using language that’s familiar to the outside world. Your brand’s voice is where you can be a little more unique, even clever, but there’s a fine line between funny and offensive.
  • Be intentional. Stay away from acronyms, jargon, and industry-speak. Instead, use common phrasing that aligns with search terms and phrases people are likely to use and get to the point, fast. One of my all-time favorite examples of this is Aurum (https://www.aurumhometech.com/), whose homepage opening statement says, “You’re a discerning homeowner. We’re the experts in home technology. This feels like the beginning of a beautiful relationship.” Boom. Nailed it.

Aurum Web SiteIt’s not easy to change the language of your company or brand, but consider what might happen if you do. Using more common language makes your brand, your firm, and your people more approachable and, therefore, more likely to get the inquiry, the bid, and the sale.

Aurum absolutely nails it with this statement, in my opinion: “When you live in an Aurum Integrated Home, everything just feels better. You know you’re connected. You know you’re protected. And you know you can throw one hell of a party.”

I don’t have a working relationship with this firm, but I can tell you, from the moment I read this and went through their site, I fell in love with what they do and have never forgotten them. Isn’t that what you want from every visitor to your site and with every interaction people have with your brand?

Need a little help wrapping your head around a rebrand or refresh? Drop me a line at [email protected]  — KMB is here to help!

The original article can be found here: https://www.residentialsystems.com/features/secrets-of-success/how-relevant-is-your-brand

A 25+ veteran of the residential tech & AV integration industries, Katye McGregor Bennett is the CEO of KMB Communications, a boutique communications firm that anchors the intersection of technology + design by connecting brands, buyers, and prospective audiences through creating compelling content and conversation that elevates and amplifies. In addition to co-hosting Design Uncut with Veronika Miller, Katye hosts two popular podcasts, Connecting Tech+ Design and AV Trade Talk. She is part of the DesignHounds influencer group and also serves on the NAHB Custom Technology Work Group, is a strategic advisor in the CEDIA, HTA, and AVIXA communities, a frequent contributor to Residential Systems, Connected Design and founder of the AV Yoga group.

Jump Out of the Nest and Soar

by | May 16, 2022 | Blog, PR & Communications Tips

Getting out of your comfort zone can bring sudden and unexpected opportunities.

The custom-integration industry can be insulated. Some of us are nestled all warm and snug in our comfort zones, not necessarily taking the steps we need to infiltrate the Design-Build industry that we all talk about wanting to connect with so desperately.The problem is you can’t just talk the talk; you gotta walk the walk. That means putting yourself “out there” in the Design-Build community. I have been passionately advocating for our collective action in this industry for years, but it wasn’t until recently that I got tangible evidence — a case study, if you will — about what can happen when integrators step out of their comfort zones and leave the cozy confines of the nest to venture out into the wild.The integrator I’m talking about is Melanie Niemerg of Integral Systems, a firm that serves the luxury residential market in Tampa. Niemerg was presented with two unexpected opportunities at Design + Construction Week in Orlando in early February. As a nearby Florida-based integrator, she was asked to do a brand-related introduction of the Control4-sponsored talk “THINK BIG! Understanding whole-home technology to optimize your K&B Projects” in the DMM Talks Lounge (a collaboration between Design Milk and Modenus Media that featured presentations and conversations centering around design business and residential technology during KBIS). She was also a panelist for “Tech Point: The possibilities for total tech integration with leading tech experts,” in which technology integrators from our world were featured on the KBISNeXT Stage to present the best tech finds at the show. Other panelists included Josh Christian of HTA and Heather Sidorowicz of Southtown Audio Video.

KBIS 2022 Panel
On the KBISNext stage (l-r): Arlen Schweiger, CE Pro; Heather Sidorowicz, Southtown Audio Video; Josh Christian, HTA; and Melanie Niemerg, Integral Systems.

When approached, Niemerg was, as she told me, initially reluctant to put herself in the limelight as a thought-leader on technology. Even though she was previously an educator with loads of experience being in front of an audience, she was nervous.

“I had to remember that, while I’m not out in the field and in the thick of what happens on installations and programming, I had something valuable to offer designers: I could speak in layman’s terms,” says Niemerg. “That can make people who are standoffish more comfortable in the conversation. After all, that was the goal: to give a wide overview of technology and design so that designers could understand that this is an area they need to familiarize themselves with.”

Niemerg did a fantastic job. Beyond the general recognition she got by moderating this panel in both the AV and Design-Build communities, she garnered a couple immediate wins from being on these panels. For one, unbeknownst to her there was a professor from Pinellas Tech College in the audience who had specifically come to the show to see this presentation…with her students in tow!

“The professor was so happy to see a woman speak on technology, and that I was from her city. She invited me to come and speak to her students enrolled in a brand-new program for integration,” says Niemerg.

Niemerg is now not only aware of the home automation program at the school, but has the connections to actively recruit from the college when she needs employees. With the labor shortage in our industry, we all know how valuable this type of connection is.

“In return, I can help encourage the students of these two programs, as well as get them relevant resources they need to be successful,” she adds.

The second great thing that came out of the show was that Niemerg now had the added confidence and hard evidence of thought leadership under her belt to lay her imposter syndrome about being a “techie” to rest for good. This newfound confidence allowed her to approach builders and interior designers she’d been wanting to speak with for years; she just didn’t know how to make the connection.

“I reached out to an interior designer recently in Tampa who replied back that she is wanting tech in her own new build but also put me in touch with a custom builder she works with,” says Niemerg. “We did a walk-through and now have a proposal in the works. I’ve been wanting to talk to this particular builder for a couple of years!”

The moral of this case study? Make yourself available as an expert and provider of solutions for the Design-Build community. Put some skin in the game, and by doing so you’ll continually remind and reinforce to the Design-Build community the importance of our trade and why they need us! You must be part of the conversation.

Niemerg agrees: “The results were 100 percent worth it and not at all what I saw coming. Saying ‘yes’ to something out of my comfort zone has proven to pay off in wonderful ways.”

Do you want to get out of your comfort zone and let your light shine a little brighter? Drop me a line at [email protected] and let’s chat.

—

Original article was posted here: https://www.residentialsystems.com/features/jump-out-of-the-nest-and-soar

A 25+ veteran of the residential tech & AV integration industries, Katye McGregor Bennett is the CEO of KMB Communications, a boutique communications firm that anchors the intersection of technology + design by connecting brands, buyers, and prospective audiences through creating compelling content and conversation that elevates and amplifies. In addition to co-hosting Design Uncut with Veronika Miller, Katye hosts two popular podcasts, Connecting Tech+ Design and AV Trade Talk. She is part of the DesignHounds influencer group and also serves on the NAHB Custom Technology Work Group, is a strategic advisor in the CEDIA, HTA, and AVIXA communities, a frequent contributor to Residential Systems, Connected Design and founder of the AV Yoga group.

Design & Construction Week — A Call to Action

by | Apr 18, 2022 | Blog, PR & Communications Tips, Trade Show news

The custom-install industry is (still) only minimally represented at the KBIS and IBS shows, and we need to change this, fast.

The National Kitchen + Bath Association (NKBA) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) have been putting on Design and Construction Week (DCW) for nine years now. This year was a tipping point for the custom-install channel, and we must start considering these shows as important to our businesses — whether you are an attendee (great!), an exhibitor (even better!), or an integrator, association, or manufacturer.

IBS 2022 – NAHB Booth
A scene from IBS 2022. Photo: Nick Hagen Photography

Why? It’s simple: While every other aspect of the home is represented there, what we do and the technology we serve still isn’t being broadly shown at DCW, and that’s giving the wrong impression to the trades we are (still) trying to attract — including designers, builders, architects, and specifiers. This must change, and fast!

This year’s DCW, held in February, was one of the largest in-person events since the start of the pandemic. Together, the connected shows featured 1200 exhibitors, occupying 750,000 square feet, and beat projected attendance plans with 70,000 attendees representing all areas of the new construction and residential remodeling industries.

Sadly, there were maybe 10 brands from the residential technology space at DCW, and out of those brands, Nortek, Savant, and Wall-Smart were really the only ones that brought fully stocked booths, plenty of staff, and treated the show like a major trade event worthy of attendees’ time and attention.

Galia Ben-Dor, co-CEO and founder of Wall-Smart, comments on how the show was important to her company and business: “Wall-Smart participated in IBS [International Builders Show, part of DCW] for the first time this year — our first in-person exhibition in two years. The show exceeded all our expectations! The number of attendees was high. We collected many leads and had extraordinary meetings with potential partners. We were happy to meet the design-build community, both builders and designers, and the match was fantastic. We are looking forward to IBS 2023!”

Representatives from CEDIA, the Home Technology Association, and the integration community at large were at the show doing Home Tech Zone presentations, KBISNeXT Stage talks, and Design Milk X Modenus Talks Lounge presentations about technology and how to connect with integrators. This is a step in the right direction because the custom-install industry was given space to talk about important issues relating to technology and be the subject-matter experts. And it resonated deeply with many in attendance. I personally experienced this and have had many follow-up conversations with designers, builders, and specifiers about brands, integration firms, and how to find the right ones to partner with.

IBS 2022 - Lighting Booth
A lighting booth at IBS 2022. Photo: Nick Hagen Photography

Jamie Briesemeister, vice chairperson of CEDIA and CEO and co-founder of Integration Controls, was there representing our community, presenting on stage, and networking with adjacent trades. She deems it crucial that integrators and the custom-install community are part of KBIS and IBS and the larger conversation about design, and I couldn’t agree with her more.

“[DCW] crosses into markets, products, and opportunities that we have not taken advantage of in our industry…from a networking perspective, product solution development perspective, and beyond,” she says. “There is so much opportunity. [The design-build] community needs and wants us, and if we want to sell to them and truly cater to their needs, we have to change how we interact with them.”

Another inroad, the KBIS Awards feature a Connected Home Technology Award, which LG Electronics won this year for its PuriCare AeroTower Air Purifying Fan. While this is a very cool and timely technology-based product, it’s also an appliance. Imagine what the custom-install industry could bring to KBIS and IBS that would really knock judges’ socks off! We just have to actually bring it. While small victories are great, we need to do more as an industry to engage, guide, and sell to this important market.

Amanda Wildman, owner of TruMedia, attended the show to support our industry and her local builders, some of which were receiving NAHB BALA (Best American Living Awards) Awards. She walked the show with her builders, showing them products and brands on the show floor they should consider and the benefits of working with qualified firms and brands in the custom-install channel.

“Even if a designer sees technology and says, ‘This is really cool, and yes we want to do it,’ the question becomes, ‘But how do I make it work?’ As an industry, we need to hear what manufacturers are promising so we can make it all work. We can’t do that if we aren’t at these shows and we aren’t having those conversations,” she says.

Heather Sidorowicz of Southtown AV participated in several talks, not the least of which was sponsored by LG and facilitated by Elizabeth Parks of Parks Associates. During the talk “Smart Appliances: The user experience and home services,” Sidorowicz shared insights about technology integration and the role our channel currently plays and how we, as a community, can be more effectively involved in the future.

Melanie Niemerg of Integral Systems also attended and was a panelist for one of the tech-driven talks taking place during the show. In the audience that day was a teacher who brought students from nearby Pinella Technical College who are enrolled in an Electronic Systems Integration & Automation course. A few weeks later, Niemerg was invited to present to this same class at their school, showing them the opportunities that exist in our channel and how they can apply their new skills. What a fantastic way to inspire the next generation to join our community!

So, consider this a call to action, one that will benefit your business and the industry as a whole. KBIS 2023 and Design & Construction Week is January 31–February 2, 2023, in Las Vegas, NV, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Mark your calendars now and commit to it. Eighty-three percent of exhibit space for next year is already sold, so if you plan to exhibit, act soon! I’ll see you there!

Curious about the opportunities that exist in the design-build space for brands, integration firms, and associations? Drop me a line at [email protected] and let’s chat. I’ve dedicated a large portion of my time to building bridges and establishing meaningful connections with the design-build community and am here to help you do the same.

Original article was posted here: https://www.residentialsystems.com/features/secrets-of-success/design-construction-week-a-call-to-action

A 25+ veteran of the residential tech & AV integration industries, Katye McGregor Bennett is the CEO of KMB Communications, a boutique communications firm that anchors the intersection of technology + design by connecting brands, buyers, and prospective audiences through creating compelling content and conversation that elevates and amplifies. In addition to co-hosting Design Uncut with Veronika Miller, Katye hosts two popular podcasts, Connecting Tech+ Design and AV Trade Talk. She is part of the DesignHounds influencer group and also serves on the NAHB Custom Technology Work Group, is a strategic advisor in the CEDIA, HTA, and AVIXA communities, a frequent contributor to Residential Systems, Connected Design and founder of the AV Yoga group.

Products that Go Easy on the Eyes (And the Earth)

by | Apr 18, 2022 | Blog, PR & Communications Tips

There is no question that homeowners prefer hidden technology these days. Add sustainability to the mix and you’ve got a winning combination consumers are eager to buy. Global research conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) last year (commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund) shows a staggering 71 percent rise in popularity of searches for sustainable goods over the previous five years, with continuing growth during the pandemic. Consumers are paying attention to the choices that they make that impact the planet and are making better ones. So which home technology products, companies, and categories get gold stars for being easy on the earth and the eyes? Here are a few favorites from the field.

Screen Innovations (SI) Lithium-Ion Powered Shades

“In manufacturing, we often see the worst of the worst in terms of waste and disregard for the environment, and it can be tempting to cut corners to increase margin or for some other benefit, but at SI, we will simply never lower our standards,” said Ryan Gustafson, SI founder and CEO.

While other battery-operated motorized indoor and outdoor shades still use up to nine large D Cell batteries per window, SI Shades use lithium rechargeable batteries, which operate for up to two years on a charge and can be recharged 500 times. When they’ve finally reached the end of their lifespan, they can be recycled, unlike D Cells. On the design front, SI automated shades are easily specified and installed, feature a much smaller housing, are designed to eliminate light gaps and are just fun to have and use.

Sonos Speakers 

Sonos packs a one-two punch when it comes to sustainability and helping tech be less visually obtrusive. Offering a software-driven sound experience, users not only get access to a wide range of music, podcasts and other content but also the peace of mind that their system is always up to date. That’s because Sonos was designed to continuously refine its software and provide updates over the air to enhance the experience without interrupting it. That’s not only cool, but it’s also incredibly user-friendly.

On the sustainability front, Sonos claims its hardware “lasts much longer than other consumer electronics,” said Sarah Atkinson, national business development manager at Sonos, citing results from their ‘Listen Better’ report on social responsibility and sustainability. The results of the survey, let alone the fact that they host a website dedicated to the cause, is not only a testament to the quality of Sonos hardware but their corporate culture and commitment to action. Sonos actually has many green initiatives, like endeavoring to be neutral by 2030 and net zero by 2040.

Smart Everything and Superior Sustainability

Savant leads by example with the recent unveiling of its Vegas Modern 001 showcase home, a 15,000-sq. ft. residence designed with concealed technology and sustainability in mind. The home also features the largest residential solar array in the region, a fully automated power panel, as well as Savant Energy’s microgrid technology.

In this design-forward home, the Savant Energy app tracks daily energy production as well as usage, with a full history log by load type. Savant paired with the vast solar infrastructure can maintain operation of the home under normal conditions for up to eight hours or nearly 24 hours if only essential devices are active. Most critically, Savant’s microgrid works day and night to intelligently optimize the consumption of power under all conditions. To conceal tech, “gutters” were integrated into the walls and other surfaces for not only cable runs but to house speakers and other tech so that it’s virtually out of sight.

Samsung Bespoke Your Home Refrigerator, The Frame TV and Studio Stand

Over the years, Samsung has responded to consumer demand and has dramatically improved its accountability. In 2017, Greenpeace gave Samsung a D- for environmental friendliness. However, just three years later, in 2020, according to the EPA’s ranking, they ended up using 1,246,201,605 kWh of green power from various sources, which made up 99 percent of their total power use — a dramatic difference to the only 1 percent of their operations used power from renewable energy sources in 2017. They just announced a commitment to plant millions of trees to fight climate change at the beginning of this year, and are now collaborating with Patagonia to keep plastics out of oceans.

As for their décor-friendly products, the company’s “Bespoke Your Home” line has such beauties as this BESPOKE 4-Door French Door Refrigerator, which lets you pick the colors of the four doors to create a more custom kitchen. There’s also, of course, Samsung’s The Frame TV, which I especially like atop the Samsung Studio Stand, making The Frame TV look more like a work of framed art on display in a gallery than a standard-issue TV.

Hide It in the Wall (or Ceiling, or Other Solid Surface)

DARK BLUE LIVING ROOM INTERIOR WITH COZY LUXURY LEATHER ARMCHAIR.3D RENDERING

Do you have tech that you feel good about purchasing but don’t necessarily want to see? Then check out WALL-SMART. This designer and manufacturer of custom in-ceiling, in-wall and in-surface mounts for home technology devices, recently released a stylish enclosure for the Sonos Arc and Beam soundbars. This enclosure gives homeowners and designers an elegant installation alternative to placing the soundbar on media furniture or attaching it to the TV. WALL-SMART also makes mounts for Crestron, Control4, Savant, Apple products, Josh.ai and a wide range of networking gear, voice assistants, videoconferencing and security cameras, tablets, touch panels, keypads, and much, much more.

The bottom line? Making tech less obtrusive and sustainability are clearly becoming even more important to homeowners, and consumers in general, who are looking to buy from companies they believe in and brands are responding. I’ll be searching the show floor for ways to make tech less visible at KBIS and IBS and am moderating a panel session at KBIS about sustainability and the audio recording will be available on-demand at www.design-uncut.com. I’m interested in hearing from you, though. What products and companies do you believe in and why? Have any you’d like me to take a look at and possibly talk about in the future? Drop me a line at [email protected] and let’s start the conversation.

—

Original article was posted here: https://connecteddesign.com/products-that-go-easy-on-the-eyes-and-the-earthhttps://www.residentialsystems.com/features/jump-out-of-the-nest-and-soar

A 25+ veteran of the residential tech & AV integration industries, Katye McGregor Bennett is the CEO of KMB Communications, a boutique communications firm that anchors the intersection of technology + design by connecting brands, buyers, and prospective audiences through creating compelling content and conversation that elevates and amplifies. In addition to co-hosting Design Uncut with Veronika Miller, Katye hosts two popular podcasts, Connecting Tech+ Design and AV Trade Talk. She is part of the DesignHounds influencer group and also serves on the NAHB Custom Technology Work Group, is a strategic advisor in the CEDIA, HTA, and AVIXA communities, a frequent contributor to Residential Systems, Connected Design and founder of the AV Yoga group.

On the Value of Human Interaction

by | Mar 23, 2022 | Blog, PR & Communications Tips

Are you hitting or missing the human connection in your marketing?

I’m always in conversation. My job consists largely of meetings, strategy planning sessions, panels, podcasts, and committees. At the end of most days, I’m overflowing with ideas from all the multifarious personalities I encounter. That inspo is the result of human connection, and it’s why I not only make PR, marketing, and communications my business, but love it. It’s also the reason why the last two years have been so difficult for so many of us in the absence of office interaction, travel, events, and tradeshows.

Marketing - Email - Social Media
Getty Images

 

More Meaningful Emails

But why am I going on about how I like to chat with people? A few things surfaced recently that led me to the topic of this column. An integrator was questioning why their emails were getting low open rates and high unsubscribes and looking for guidance. We took a closer look at their database and discovered that the list was riddled with “info@,” “sales@,” and “contact@” email addresses. More than half the list was going to mostly unmanned and completely impersonal mailbox purgatory, just waiting to be opened by a random person in the organization or, worse, lost forever. We asked how the list was being developed, nurtured, and expanded over time. Adding bad practice to bad practice, we identified that the content of the emails was largely sales-oriented, and they weren’t even attempting to personalize them, let alone speak to their needs (more on that shortly).

On the flipside of the coin, another integrator shared they have consistently experienced great success in marketing, garnering a very good open rate of over 50 percent on nearly every email! That’s partially because their list is the result of local outreach and actively working or participating in lead-generating events in the community that serve their target audience. Their leads originated at a point of human interaction where the marketer and the…let’s call them “marketee”…have something in common. For one, they are at the same event, making personalized follow-up a cinch, especially if you remembered what you talked about (hint, take dictation on your phone to remember details!).

A carefully crafted email — or, even better, a handwritten note — would remind them how you met, include some personal detail about your interaction, and offer a genuine overture to connect further. If you’re honestly interested in cultivating a relationship, they will be, too. Yes, this work is time consuming. Yes, it can be painstaking. The value of leads cultivated with this level of engagement, however, can’t be underestimated. A few hours of outreach and thoughtful follow-up might produce, for example, a relationship in which a local architect recommends your business. Every. Single. Time. That’s some great ROI right there. Our business is niche; we aren’t marketing Coca-Cola to the masses. We must be intentional.

Additionally, when sending mass emails to an already cultivated marketing list, it’s extremely important to deliver content that is relatable, interesting, and useful and not overtly sales-pitchy. If you want to keep them opening your emails again and again, and you do, your content needs to be compelling, creative, and memorable.

Putting Personal Back in Personalization

There is a lot of buzz about personalization in marketing, personalization that is ironically done through automation. Indeed, emails that have first names in the subject line using Personalization Tokens are more likely to be opened. But inauthentic personalization can also fail. Here is a line from an actual email I got from someone pitching services:

“I was looking for a powerful and growing public relations and communications company in Red Lodge, and your name was at the very top of the suggestion list…I help growing companies add additional gasoline to the sales pipeline by creating a cold outreach ecosystem in their business.”

What does this marketing speak even mean? Does this firm honestly think I believe them when they say they are looking for a powerful firm in the very specific and small mountain town of Red Lodge, MT, that KMB calls home? These emails aren’t without their use, however: We send them around among the team and take note of the miss. The moral of the story: Ditch the false attempts at personalization and make your outreach actually personal. If your interest is genuine, they will know. If it’s not, it’s straight to the spam folder or Unsubscribe button for you.

Analog Outreach

Think outside the digital universe when it comes to showing clients that you care or nurturing potential new relationships. Send a handwritten note and it makes a big impression. We had one client send a homeowner a hardcover photobook with professional interior and exterior photography and flyover footage of their home with a thank you note inside. Call a local designer, architect, or builder you’ve connected with in the past and ask if you can stop by for 15 minutes in person. Writing things with your hands or going the extra mile to show someone they are important to you will get you much farther than a rote form email.

Social Is as Social Does

We’ve said it before: Don’t go to the party and be a wallflower. You must apply the human touch to social media as well. We often hear from integrators and brands who wonder why their social posts aren’t performing and their audience isn’t engaged or growing. Sure, it’s important to know about the latest algorithms, platform particularities, best practices for hashtags, and so on, but most of these posts fail because they are written unsociably and are riddled with chest-beating, are dry, or make use the dreaded marketing speak.

Don’t post just to post. Think about your audience and whether they will find your content engaging. Then post.

This is the part where I say, yes, it can be very overwhelming. And you can enlist the help of a marketing team like KMB to consult with you to help hone your message and create that personal touch. However, on a local level, when you are trying to build these relationships, no one knows your business and your community better than you do! Sometimes, a combined effort is just the thing your business needs to get to the next level. As always, I’m here to help. Drop me a line at [email protected] and let’s start the conversation!

Original article was posted here: https://www.residentialsystems.com/features/secrets-of-success/on-the-value-of-human-interaction

A 25+ veteran of the residential tech & AV integration industries, Katye McGregor Bennett is the CEO of KMB Communications, a boutique communications firm that anchors the intersection of technology + design by connecting brands, buyers, and prospective audiences through creating compelling content and conversation that elevates and amplifies. In addition to co-hosting Design Uncut with Veronika Miller, Katye hosts two popular podcasts, Connecting Tech+ Design and AV Trade Talk. She is part of the DesignHounds influencer group and also serves on the NAHB Custom Technology Work Group, is a strategic advisor in the CEDIA, HTA, and AVIXA communities, a frequent contributor to Residential Systems, Connected Design and founder of the AV Yoga group.