Creating Content That Answers Clients’ Needs

Ugh, you say. I’m not in the business of painting kitchen cabinets. But, your prospects want to know about it. So can you create content that tells people the pros and cons of painting cabinets at home, explains factory finishes and why they are more durable?

A recent Google AdWords keyword tracker showed there were 246,000 Global Monthly Searches in the U.S. for kitchen remodeling, 1 million for kitchen design, 823,000 for kitchen designs and 368,000 for kitchen pictures. Are you fulfilling this need for information?

Other terms that come up frequently in searches are budget related, i.e. kitchen remodel costs, kitchen remodel cost, cost of kitchen remodel, and, sorry, cheap kitchen cabinets. Okay you say, I don’t sell cheap cabinets. But obviously budget is a major concern. And rather than bemoaning the fact that prospects may be unrealistic about budgets, you can guide them through budgeting, all the while building credibility for your business.

Another popular topic on HGTV kitchen and bath chat rooms is “small kitchens.” Are you addressing this concern with your content?

Think about your customer’s problems. What are they searching for, not just online but when you talk to them face to face in your showroom?

Use their vocabulary, not yours. They probably aren’t coming in to buy a lav. But they may well be searching for a bathroom sink or vanity. Avoid techno speak. How do customers describe what you are offering? Thermostatic shower valve? Probably not. “A shower that keeps me from getting scalded when the toilet flushes” may be more like it. Jetted tub or whirlpool bath?

“All too often the packaging of information fails to address the specific need, want or problem the customer is trying to solve. You have to understand how customers frame their questions,” Hadley and Chapman caution.

They recommend copy that emphasizes verbs and action-oriented words, which helps us imagine ourselves taking action.

Avoid buzzwords and marketing mumbo-jumbo. Have a personality and a point of view. Tell stories about how you designed a kitchen or bath for someone and how it solved their problem. “We remodeled this kitchen to include an informal dining table and now the whole family enjoys Sunday breakfast together.” Be conversational. Don’t be afraid to be informal.

And finally, know that creating content is an ongoing, regular activity. “The key to keeping them coming back is new, fresh and relevant content,” Hadley and Chapman stress. “The moment you stop publishing is the moment you start losing your community.”

Leslie Hart, based in New York, NY, is a partner with O’Reilly/DePalma, a full-service marketing communications agency serving the kitchen, bath and building industries. She can be reached at 212-989-4629 or at leslie.hart@oreilly-depalma.com.