UP DECKING SALES VIA CO-BRANDING

------------ BY BRANDY ZIMMERLE

BRIDGING THE BRAND EXPERIENCE FROM POINT A TO POINT-OF-SALE

THEY SAY YOU only have one chance to make a first impression and, for decking dealers, that first impression is most often made online where contractors and homeowners typically begin their research. Connecting the dots between that first impression and the final sale is a journey with numerous touchpoints and opportunities to either land—or lose—a prospective customer. The key to effectively capturing and converting those leads in your favor lies in your ability to carry them from one point to the next in their decision-making process without disrupting the factors and feelings that attracted them in the first place.

I have become a firm believer in the power of co-branded marketing. Co-branding is a powerful strategy that can take your business to new heights by:

• Increasing your customer base

• Enhancing credibility/recognition

• Strengthening customer loyalty

• Boosting sales

National-to-local co-branding occurs when a local business partners with a nationally known brand. The goal of this partnership is to increase national brand awareness while increasing small business revenue. For decking dealers, partnering with a nationally recognized brand can help boost consumer confidence and facilitate a smooth transition for prospective buyers from Point A to the point of sale.

At Trex, we work with our channel partners to execute a three-pronged co-branded marketing strategy focused on delivering a consistent brand experience from inspiration to installation.

1. Online

Like most consumers, decking contractors and homeowners tend to begin their project planning online. Thus, our co-branded marketing approach starts at Trex.com where visitors are introduced to our brand and products. If they like what they see, they can click a convenient “Where to Buy” button that is visible at the top of every page to be directed to local dealers and retail locations in their area. Dealers with co-branded pages on their websites are then able to continue the brand experience uninterrupted via messaging and visuals that mirror the national brand site.

When executed as a cooperative effort between branding partners, the transition from the national platform to the local destination should be so seamless that visitors don’t even realize that they have migrated from one space to the other.

2. Showroom

Decisions about decking are not typically made without at least one visit to a retail store or dealer showroom. Unfortunately, this is where things often fall short. A showroom cluttered with conflicting messages, outdated collateral, and displays in disarray can be overwhelming and counterproductive. To keep potential buyers excited and engaged during this critical point in the purchase process, make sure your showroom is playing off the first impressions created online. Consistent messaging, branding and visuals from the online space to the physical showroom space are key!

We find that dealers who fully embrace the co-branded marketing approach are most successful when it comes to converting leads into sales. One dealer reported a $30,000 sale driven by the impact of a co-branded in-store display. The lifestyle imagery echoing the national advertising campaign, combined with product brochures and board samples featuring visuals and messaging consistent with our website, armed the showroom sales team with all the tools needed to pay off the brand’s promise and close the sale. In just a matter of days, the display had more than paid for itself in booked projects.

3. Local Advertising

One of the most effective ways to help area consumers learn more about your business and the prod- ucts and brands you carry is through advertising. This is the third prong in our co-branded marketing strategy. Each year, we spend millions of dollars in national advertising to drive brand awareness and preference among consumers. Our most successful dealers are those that leverage these national assets by tagging our national commercials, using imagery from our national campaigns in their local advertising efforts, and taking advantage of a whole host of other assets at their disposal.

By leveraging the profile and reach of a national partner, co-branding campaigns can deliver more leads, buzz and awareness for your business, with a lot less work. They also allow manufacturers and retailers to collaborate more closely on the creation of marketing strategies that connect the dots for consumers from the first brand impression to lasting local loyalty. MM