How do you approach the start of the high-demand spring season? This month, we’ll give you practical tips to get in front of target consumers in your market. Read on for an overview of the 2021 MAP Fund and guidance on the Neighborly Done Right Promise campaign launch.
March is here. The Fredericks and Edwards are coming out of winter (or will soon for our northern locations) and are ready to book spring lawn services! Hopefully, you have been preparing by renewing your current maintenance customers and increasing your marketing campaigns in January and February. These early efforts help your business to show up first (be top-of-mind) in your market before the competition does, as the consumer demand rises this month.
But hey... it is OK if you are just now starting to ramp up your marketing campaigns. However, consider acting fast. Remember: If you aren’t delivering messages to your current and potential customers, someone else will do it in your place.
Do you want a magic recipe of how to do that? Well, it isn’t magic, but it IS quite helpful. Check out these checklists to guide you in running full marketing campaigns. We have seen franchise owners simply download one of these lists, check off all the boxes, and they achieve the lead volume needed to meet the season’s sales goals for that service. How easy is that? We also hosted an Online Marketing Overview recently. I recommend starting here too, as it is a great overview of what to focus on right now, how online marketing works, and next steps.
Don’t be a hermit – Be Social Online! Social media is a low-cost way to engage with the people in your market that are interested in your business/services. Being social is part of that “magic recipe,” but worth calling out specifically, as we have seen heightened success in this strategy through advertising and scheduling posts in SOCi. Take time to review this Social Media Calendar, which includes themes to focus on each month and examples posts to consider publishing.
Want extra support in building out a customized local marketing plan and assistance tracking those results?! You’re in luck! We have an in-house local marketing superhero named Keith Sims. If you haven’t met Keith yet, I have included his picture below so you can put a face to the name.
If your Business Forecasting Workbook (BFW) is complete for 2021, reach out to your Franchise Business Coach (FBC) to see if you can get on this superhero’s schedule to start the Local Marketing System process.
What is the MAP Fund up to this year?
Well, if you’re asking, then you may have missed the last few LawnOrder eNewsletter articles. My feelings aren’t hurt that bad...
In all seriousness, I’m so happy you asked and here to tell you...
Rest assured, our national strategies support these local efforts you are working tirelessly to achieve. Embarrassingly enough, I even recorded a 5-minute overview of this year’s 2021 Marketing Calendar, which supplies a brief explanation of all the national strategies planned for this year. Download the calendar to stay ahead of each season with your local marketing campaigns.
One of the national initiatives launching this month is the Neighborly Done Right Promise (NDRP). As previously communicated, the NDRP was soft launched in November 2020. Through a post-lead completion survey, we have found 46% of leads indicated the promise had a positive influence on their action to submit a lead/schedule request.
This promise has already proven to help instill trust and give consumer confidence to choose us in an industry where consumers lack trust as home service providers have let them down in the past. Nationally, we will be launching a few strategies to reinforce this promise to our target consumers and have put together guidance on how you can use the Neighborly Done Right Promise in your local marketing (click here).
Ready to go deeper with a full 2021 marketing plan? (No, it’s not too late!) Our local marketing superhero, Keith Sims, is ready to help. Give him a shout: Keith.Sims@nbly.com.
Want more information about the national plans we have for this year? If so, you are my new favorite franchise owner. (Don’t tell the others.) Ping me: Natalie.Walker@nbly.com.
Monthly Food for Thought Try something new this year. If you don’t take steps forward, you remain in the same place you have always been.
"There are three kinds of people in this world: people who make it happen, people who watch what happens, and people who wonder what happened." – Tommy Lasorda
Digital News: May 2021 Google Core Algorithm Update
As mentioned in our previous communications, Google has announced that a major Core Algorithm update will be rolled out in May 2021. With this update, “page experience” will become an important factor in determining search rankings. In particular, page speed across mobile devices and core web vitals may be critical to rankings once this update rolls out.
The Neighborly Marketing team has analyzed and assessed our brand website and has defined a list of actions to improve page speed (both on the national site and your local site) to mitigate any negative impact from the May 2021 algorithm update. We are working closely with internal and external partners to implement the recommended changes by mid-Q2 – prior to the Google Core update. These technical website changes are already in progress.
The Neighborly Marketing team also began sending us weekly reporting updates to track the progression of the mobile page speed scores as well as core web vitals scores. We expect to see bigger positive shifts across these scores in the coming month.
Neighborly Done Right Promise Promotions Begin This Month
What is a promise? By definition, a promise is assurance that one will do, give, or arrange something. A promise builds trust, promotes confidence, secures commitment, and most importantly, supports Neighborly’s Code of Values. As we begin the official launch of the Neighborly Done Right Promise (NDRP) next week, we are committed to keeping you informed and offering materials to help support you with this program.
RECAP ON THE RESEARCH
Creating this program was a data-driven decision born from consumer research. The research clearly showed that consumers lack trust in home service providers having been let down by our competitors in the past. The NDRP tested as the most compelling way to instill trust and give consumers confidence to choose your brand. Our goal is to win more customers and in turn help grow your business.
From the Attitude, Awareness, & Usage (AAU) Study conducted in 2020, 60% of the general population said a “guarantee” was important and 71% of Neighborly customers indicated it was important. We are also happy to share that results from a recent Neighborly post-lead completion survey (Dec 2020-Jan 2021), 48% of leads indicated the promise had a positive influence on their decision to submit a lead/schedule a service request with our brands.
WHY SHOULD YOU PROMOTE THE PROMISE?
By actively promoting the “Neighborly Done Right Promise” front and center, you fulfill a consumer need to be confident in choosing a Neighborly brand. Research revealed this was the single most powerful thing we could do to instill accountability and trust when consumers are placing a home services provider on their short list for consideration. The intent is to take credit for the way franchise owners already operate satisfying customers with outstanding service. By resolving this concern, you elevate your business above the competition and improve the potential of consumer engagement.
While this is a The Grounds Guys campaign, you also have the unique benefit of being able to leverage the other brands within our Neighborly family. All Neighborly brands are utilizing very similar messaging to promote their services as well. This approach enables all ads to complement each other and allows us to further expand the reach and magnitude of our message.
By leveraging the collective power of our brands, franchise owners, service professionals and associates through social media, digital and traditional advertising, our marketing efforts can be more effective… our voice is stronger and louder together!
NATIONAL EFFORTS AND PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
The following platforms and collateral have or will be updated by The Grounds Guys brand team to include the “Neighborly Done Right Promise” messaging:
- Website Language and Landing Page - complete
- Call Center Scripting - March
- National Facebook Cover Photo – Goes live March 14
- Social media posts – March & April
- Yext Messaging in Business Descriptions (excludes Google My Business and Facebook) – ongoing
- All invoice footers – April
- Three National Consumer Email Messages– beginning the week of March 15
- Local Connect Email Templates – ongoing
- Existing and New Marketing Assets and Business Materials – ongoing
LOCAL MARKETING ASSETS
Local promotional materials (door hanger, flyer, postcard, and yard sign) for the Neighborly Done Right Promise will be available for order on Xpressdocs on March 15. We encourage you to use these materials immediately and throughout the year. You may choose to utilize the “Neighborly Done Right Promise” as a stand-alone campaign or include select assets in your existing marketing plans and ad rotations.
If you need assistance to access these materials, please reach out to Keith Sims at Keith.Sims@nbly.com or reach out to me at Natalie.Walker@nbly.com.
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