Glass & Mirror Marketing: How to Leverage your partners

Think Outside the Shower

In a previous article “Don’t Sell the Shower, Sell the Bathroom” I outlined the exact sequence that we used to help market one of our glass and mirror clients sell shower doors and other glass amenities. That strategy (like this) uses glass & mirror as our example, but the concept is consistent across many industries.

The final step was presenting the type of offer that requires the consumer to engage with you in order for them to take advantage of your offer. That’s where this article picks up….

So there you are, your customer has downloaded your “Lead Magnet” offer of an eBook, you’ve now captured their email address, and your marketing automation set-up is pre-programmed to send them your pre-written emails at predetermined times. You send them some free tips, and maybe even a companion checklist to the eBook they originally downloaded. Big Whoop…now what?

Well you can email them to death until they’re far enough in their bathroom remodel that they are finally ready to start thinking about shower door installation and some of the other glass amenities that you sell. Or you can insert yourself a little earlier in their process.

You can send them coupons, or add-ons, but unless you become part of their plan from the outset, those offers may be forgotten and go unused by the time they get round to the actual remodel.

Your customers aren’t even thinking about you

We typically think about marketing directly to our customers, but sometimes our customers aren’t ready for us (yet). While you’re thinking about your glass products, the homeowner is thinking about remodeling their bathroom. So how do you insert yourself early in their process?

Why not relate to the consumer at the stage they are currently in? If they are in the bathroom design phase, help them design the bathroom. Here’s one of the strategies that we’re using to promote one of our glass & mirror clients:

1. We start with a “Lead Magnet” or “hook” that the consumer downloads in exchange for their email address. In my previous article we used an eBook about bathroom remodeling.
2. We use marketing automation to send them valuable content (tips, additional eBooks, checklists, coupons, etc.) at pre-scheduled intervals.
3. We know that they’re at the consideration phase of their remodel, and are probably coming to the realization that the need some help thinking this through and making some choices. That’s where the opportunity for personal engagement comes in.

But we don’t remodel entire bathrooms?

No you don’t remodel bathrooms, you sell and install glass products. However you probably work with designers, architects and contractors who are closer to the design process than you are.

Now suppose that instead of promoting your products, you promote a free one-hour brainstorming design session with a local designer? At this point you aren’t trying to sell anything. You aren’t takers…you’re givers.

This is not a feel-good, help someone and maybe they will help me someday strategy. If mapped out properly, this is a well thought out strategic process.

Who wins?

The homeowner wins because they received valuable information and a personal consultation to help them make their purchasing decisions.

The designer wins because they received a free lead from you to engage with the homeowner. That relationship may expand well beyond the bathroom.

You win because the designer is now your agent, promoting your products and services as they guide the homeowner through the remodeling process.

The strategy of taking a back seat while you promote your partners can give you direct access to the consumer EXACTLY when the time is right for them to engage with you. And it comes complete with a built-in advocate (the designer). All while building credibility with the consumer, and strong partnerships with other businesses that can promote you.

The nuances go a little deeper than this overview, but it’s the concept of partnering with other businesses to position your business at the exact moment the consumer is ready for you that I want you to take away.

This strategy is not unique to glass & mirror, we use it to promote our own business. We’re a digital marketing agency, but we promote business consultants, and even other website developers who don’t offer the marketing strategy that we do. In return, they introduce us to their clients when the time is right.

Can you think of any strategic alliances where each of you become relevant in a natural sequence of events? 

What other ideas do you have to engage the consumer early in the process? I’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback.

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