Tips, tricks, news & other wisdom from the team at Inspire.
Last week, I attended the Kbsa 2024 conference. Another quality event organised by and attended by people fully invested in the industry.
Over the day, the organisers and presenters gathered feedback about the state of the industry from the attendeesâseveral hundred kitchen retailers and industry partners.
Some of the poll results were particularly strikingâŠ
Early this year, I made a decision. A sizeable decision that I knew was long overdue.
I'd had enough of operating our kitchen marketing agency under-resourced.
So, with a bit of help, we defined our ideal future organisation chart and set about a course of action to 'fill in the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle'âeven if this meant taking a hit on profitability in the short term.
I donât mean to brag, but when I look at a kitchen website, I can tell who designed it in under 10 seconds flat.
(Thatâs about the same time it takes to make a first impression, btw.)
No, I wonât know exactly who put it together. But, what I can immediately work out, is whether itâs been created by a Website Designer ⊠or a Website Developer.
The two are very different. And the chances are, if the latter built yours, youâre missing out on clients and customers.
As we emerge from the recent UK election with a new government, I'm always struck by how many people apparently wait for political clarity before making big decisions, like embarking on home renovation.
I say 'apparently' because every second kitchen retailer I've spoken to in the past six weeks seems to have felt that things have been a little slower, suspecting the election had some bearing on that.
They may be right.
As you navigate the dynamic landscape of kitchen retail, it's crucial to leverage every advantage available to ensure your business thrives.
Running a successful independent kitchen retail business demands more than just great products, design and customer service. It requires a deep understanding of the market, the ability to anticipate trends, and the skills to engage your audience effectively.
Independent kitchen retailers know the intricacies and unique challenges of our industry. And here's why choosing a specialist kitchen marketing agency can make all the difference:
After a generally positive start to the year, as weâve entered Q2, I have the impression that things may have cooled off in the new kitchen market.
It's a clear reminder of the seasonal fluctuations that affect consumer interest in home improvement.
It's also a sign that the higher interest rates continue to undermine consumer spending, which, of course, is what they're designed to achieve!
For independent kitchen retailers, this cooling period presents a unique challenge and a golden opportunity to refine and ramp up your marketing efforts.
This month, the feedback youâre most likely receiving from your promotional efforts is that most kitchen buyers have their attention elsewhere.
And youâd be right.
December has always seen the lowest month of search volume for the kitchen industry each year.
If only you could turn your marketing down when people arenât interested, then whack it back up to 11 when they are!
Iâve got good news. You can.
Black Friday has come and gone, and the world was momentarily awash with a deluge of offers and discounts for almost everything from the anything store.
However, the excitement of the annual shopping extravaganza was almost entirely absent in our world of kitchen retail.
Why is that?
Because what we do is different. Very different.
If one word epitomises what consumers are looking for these days, itâs âconvenienceâ.
Why go to a shop when the shop will deliver to you? Why buy from any other website when Amazon already has all your details?
Itâs no different in the kitchen market.
The easier you can make it for your customers to do business with you, the more likely they will decide to do so.
And thereâs one thing Iâve already seen making a real difference over the past couple of years that I know will make bigger waves in the industry in the coming years.
In an online landscape where kitchen retailers constantly vie for visibility, getting your business onto the hallowed first page of Google is a big deal.
But even when youâre listed right at the top, the game is far from won because a first-page listing doesnât pay the bills.
You need to make a sale, which means first clinching the click.
I attended The Kbsaâs annual conference last week at The Belfry Hotel near Birmingham.
It was an excellent event and, in my view, their best yet.
Once again, some of the most consistently successful kitchen retailers in the UK were in attendance.
It was a bit different to how itâs historically been.
Yet again, weâve experienced recently that great weather is the enemy of kitchen sales!
However, normal service seems to have resumed with some standard September weather now upon us.
That, combined with the new school term starting, means NOW is the perfect time to reignite your kitchen leads and sales.
Hereâs a key tool to spearhead your efforts. It isn't really part of a long-term marketing strategy. Instead, it's a straightforward, one-off tactic you can use RIGHT NOW to generate kitchen enquiries.
Drop us an email. Weâll be delighted to help.
