Marketing Your Low Carbon Services

Stephanie Moore / Liz Warren September 2011

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Do I need to do marketing?

“I don’t have enough time”

Why should I bother?

“I’m getting business leads already”

I don’t know how to go about it

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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

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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

Benefits of Marketing Plans

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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

The Guide

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Writing a marketing planStep 1

Understand your market, customers and competitors

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?

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Writing a marketing planStep 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’

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Writing a marketing plan

Product / service

Price

Promotion

- Advertising

- Public relations

- Direct marketing

- Sales promotion

- Personal selling

Step 3What's your product/service and price, how you are going to promote and deliver it

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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 5Evaluation - measure your success!

Step 4Implementing your marketing plan - schedule of key tasks

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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 yearsVaries by life stage – families with children most receptive to low carbon retrofits

Landlords

5 types: buy to let, Businesses, HMOs, student and institutional landlordsLandords of HMOs, student accommodation and those with portfolios of more than ten properties are more likely to plan a refurb.

Target audiences

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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.

Trigger points & key messages

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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

Ploughcroft Case Study

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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

Ploughcroft Case Study

Find out more in the new Institute for Sustainability guide: Identifying opportunities and promoting low carbon retrofit services

Any questions?

Stephanie MooreRed Earth PR

Tel: 01363 860070Email: stephanie@redearthpr.co.uk