Standing Strong as a Premium Deck Builder in any Market

April Edwards (0:44) Hey, here we are. Well, I hope this time of day is a little bit better for people to pop in and ask some questions a little solo here today, but I have a pretty important topic to go over today on the We Love Deck Builders Podcast. So I’m your host. April Edwards, owner of DeckBuilderMarketers, where we help deck builders grow their business through strategic digital marketing. We are on a mission to help 300 deck builders double their revenue. So we are aggressively trying to make a difference in this industry.

April Edwards (1:21) Today, I want to talk about something pretty important. Something that some of you guys have been facing. It really kind of depends on where you are in your business, in the market. But, we want to talk about competing against lower priced deck builders or even general contractors who are just trying their hand at, you know, building decks. I think that this kind of came about a lot during or right after COVID, during and after COVID, a lot of people had some, you know, extra funds and some more time to really make the lifestyle that they wanted. I do think that, you know, some of the prospects that I talk to different deck builders who aren’t clients, you know, they’ve seen a little bit of a dip this year, and so I really hope that you stay tuned to listen to some different areas or some different ideas in order to, you know, help your business move forward.

April Edwards (2:12) So what I really want to focus on today is how you can stand your ground as a premium deck builder and attract the right clients and continue to grow your business. So whether you’re dealing with price competition now or not, this episode really should give you some strategies to help you stand out. So anyway, let’s dive in.

April Edwards (2:31) So the first thing is, let’s just start with the price competition issue. I know that in some areas, deck builders are facing more competition, like I said, from maybe general contractors that are trying to take a stab at building decks, or smaller companies, maybe those that are just starting out and they can underbid you, they don’t have the experience, they don’t have the overhead, and so they’re able to come in with cheaper bids. But that’s where you need to remember, that competing on price alone, it’s not sustainable. And I know a lot of you guys don’t do that. I mean, you build amazing outdoor living spaces, and there’s a premium cost for that. You specialize in this. You are not a general contractor, or some, you know, somebody that watched, you know, some YouTube videos and decided they could build it back. You have the experience, you know what works for longevity, and hopefully you have an amazing experience for your customers as well. But the point is is these lower priced competitors, they’re not offering what you are offering. It’s not just about building a deck, like I said, you’re selling a complete experience, and that’s really what sets you apart. So I always like to use the restaurant analogy. So think about going to a restaurant. It doesn’t just have to be some fancy place, but it’s a restaurant that gives you more than a meal. You know, maybe the staff is friendly. I went out to eat last night with my husband. We went to this Italian restaurant. The freaking server was so amazing. His name’s Giuseppe. He’s working at this new restaurant. Now he was working at another restaurant, and honestly, wherever he works, I’m gonna go, because he gives you such an amazing experience. He’s totally on top of everything, and he ensures that, you know, everything is to the team.

April Edwards (4:14) Anyway, I digress. The point is, that you know, if you go to a restaurant, that creates that good experience and ambience is inviting. The staff is good. You leave feeling like you had a great experience, not just a good dinner, right? So that’s the difference. You need to communicate to your clients. As a premium deck builder. You’re not just building a deck, you’re creating an outdoor living space where… listen to this. They create memories, they host family gatherings, they enjoy quiet moments. You know, maybe it’s like me, a busy mom. I just need, I need my mom’s space, right? So when clients understand that they’re investing in an experience, you’re not just selling a product, and price becomes less of a factor.

April Edwards (5:09) So here’s some examples. And by the way, if anyone’s listening in, ask some questions, and I’m doing the live Q and A so leave feedback, ask a question, I’m here for you. So instead of saying, we build premium decks, you could say, imagine stepping out into a beautifully crafted deck where you’ll host summer barbecues, relax with a cup of coffee, or watch your kids play in the yard. It’s more than a deck. It’s the heart of your outdoor living space where you’ll create memories for years to come. Whoa, emotional connection sparked for me. I don’t know about you, that’s a lot better than just saying we build amazing outdoor living spaces, right? Like, that’s really taking it one step further to really paint a picture.

April Edwards (5:50) So let’s talk about positioning yourself. So now that we’ve talked about the experience, let’s focus how to position yourself as the premium builder in your market when you’re competing with lower price builders, you need to make sure that your brand is strong, and it’s not enough to say we do great work. You need to show why your work is worth the investment, and this starts with your online presence when potential clients are doing their research. And trust me, they are going to drop 1000s of dollars on a space. It’s not a necessity. It’s a luxury item. It’s a luxury service that you’re selling. They’re going to do their research. So you need to be the name that shows up on top, and that means that your website needs to reflect the quality of your work. It should be professional, clean, showcase your best projects. Guys, don’t just go up there and throw a bunch of photos up. I also say don’t throw work in progress photos on your website. You can show like before and after photos. We do these cool little sliders that you know, the homeowner can use to see what the space looked like before. And then, of course, after, just show the projects that you want to get more of and make sure that they are nice photos. Don’t have hoses in there, you know. Don’t show just try and put yourself in your homeowner’s shoes and say, Hey, would this photo inspire somebody to want to drop $60,000 with me. Always try and put yourself in their shoes. So what happened the other day? Oh, I was actually on a call with somebody today, and I do free marketing reviews, and I check out your site, and I really, you know, give you kind of a game plan, and if it seems like we’re a good fit, you know, then I’ll tell you about our programs and what I think would be the best option for you to reach your goals. But while I was doing that analysis on their website, I mean, when you first go to it, we first of all, I’m going to tell you, you need to have the best picture of your favorite project right front and center, or an amazing video of your work. Period. I don’t even know how to stress that anymore. I had to scroll quite a bit in order before I even saw any photos. And it was weird. It was like they hid some of the photos on mobile. You know, a lot of people are going to research on mobile. So that was kind of weird after you started to look at it, and you could get through all of the freaking pop ups that were happening, and they had a sticky header. If you know what that means. It basically means that, like the logo and the navigation and stuff staying in the same place as you scroll, so you can access it, like no matter where you are on the page. After you got through all of that, then you could see that they had an amazing process that, you know, like a proven process. I like to call it. They had beautiful pictures of their work, and you could really start to understand them better. But I had to get through all of that, and then once I clicked on something, the whole rest of the website was broken. So how do you think that reflects I want to tell you. We provide a marketing service, and if we don’t get our stuff right, our potential deck builder clients are looking at us like is that what you’re going to do for me? So you guys, your website has to do the same. If it looks bad, if things are broken, if you have bad pictures up there, it’s not going to inspire them, and they’re going to lose trust. So I cannot stress on how important that is.

April Edwards (9:21) You also really need to make it an ongoing project, to make sure that you’re getting reviews number one, but also that you know your value. New Way of construction said, Know your value. I’m going to talk about that too. I’m so glad that you said that. Let me put this on the screen so everyone can see. Awesome. So yeah, treat that as a project. Make somebody accountable, gather the reviews. It’s really important from an online visibility standpoint, I don’t need to press on that anymore. I always do. But don’t forget about testimonials either. Let your past clients speak to the value you provide. Get video testimonials, all of that, and think of your website and your online presence like the menu at a restaurant. People see it before they experience this. Food and if it looks good, I’m gonna tell you I’m so picky about menus because I’m a designer, if it’s got like crap all over the menu and stuff, Oh, I’m so repulsed. But maybe I’m becoming more of a Karen as I get older, I don’t know. Anyway, if they look at the menu right and it looks good, they’re more likely to choose you just like your website. So if your website’s outdated or it doesn’t reflect the quality you offer, potential clients will move on to the next option, and I will tell you, as some of you guys are starting to slow down or getting ready to you know, within the colder months and stuff like that, it’s a really good opportunity to double check your online presence and make sure that your website is up to speed, make sure that you’re promoting your best work. Put in some time to try and get video testimonials or videos of your work in general, or just reviews or testimonials. Post your best projects and make them case studies on your site. We always do a project section on our client sites, and we always say, like, whatever type of projects you want to get the most. Those are the ones you feature. You know, you don’t want to put like, we had a client, that it’s a new client, and they’re a deck and fence builder, and they gave us fencing pictures. And so naturally, we put the fencing pictures on the site. But we always have a monthly strat, like, basically a strategy session with our clients every month. It’s so funny, if Alejandra is listening, I don’t know why. We’ve never called it that we called a reporting session, but the truth is, it’s kind of a strategy session where she comes to the table and says, Hey, this is the good, the bad, the ugly. This is what we’re doing. Is there anything different in your business? And during that call, they’re like, You know what? We just, you know, it’s okay if we get fence leads, but ideally we just want to get the deck leads. And I’m like, why are we posting pictures of fences on your website? So it’s kind of funny, like sometimes you need that outside perspective to think of those little things. The point is, you know, make sure that you are only showing the type of work that you want to get, all right.

April Edwards (11:54) So let’s talk about targeting your ideal client. So your website’s great. If you build it, they will not come. You have to do work to get people to your website. But let’s talk about how… Here, I’m going to put this up too. I’m really glad Nathalia gave this to me. You could check this link out if you just go to a resources section on our website, we have a guide for website conversion, and it’s going to tell you all the things that you need to know in order to get more juice out of the squeeze with your website. So definitely check that out. So it’s stack buildermarketers.com, forward slash. This is a long URL, but I think it’s just forward slash resources or learn Anywho. So you want to make sure that you’re attracting the right clients, right you don’t want to get a bunch of work for people that are looking for you to fix a crappy job that they tried to do on their own, or, you know, somebody looking for stain or repair or something like that, right? You want only the ones that value the premium experience that you offer. And so first you have to get really clear on who those clients are. These are obviously homeowners that aren’t just looking for the cheapest option, you know, they want quality, reliability and a deck that’s going to stand the test of time. So this is kind of funny, because it’s not funny. I just, I think that you a lot of guys I talk to like they subconsciously know this, but they’re not applying it to how they’re presenting themselves online, which is the first touch point in building a relationship, right? Is somebody kind of getting to know you first. And so you just need to make sure that you’re reflecting that stuff on your site. You know, once they know who you are, you need to make sure that you’re reaching them. SEO is a big part of getting people there. You need to be able to rank for terms like custom deck builder, deck builder near me, outdoor living things of that nature in your particular area. But it’s not, you know, it’s not just about being found. When they land on your website, they need to see that you’re an expert here. I got the right link, everybody. It’s deckbuildermarketers.com/resource/. So just remember, when you’re marketing to these ideal clients, to focus on how their life will improve with a new deck. It’s not just about the product that you create, it’s about the way their outdoor living space will transform. The more you can tap into that emotional connection, the less price becomes the deciding factor. So I really would love to hear from anybody. Please chime in and kind of let me know your thoughts on some of this, maybe some things that you’re doing. Everybody knows that I always say, I hate just hearing myself talk. I want to hear from you guys so it could be as helpful as possible.

April Edwards (14:39) All right, so let’s talk about economic challenges. Now, I know I’ve talked to some prospects that are in particular areas where they’re seeing, you know, an impact with the economy. I hate to boast, but a lot of our clients are not, and it’s because they have made a conscious decision to invest in their brand, and that’s insurance. For your company, you guys. Anyway, I’ve been hearing about how the economy is affecting some guys, and the thing is, is when things get tight, people start cutting back. And it can feel like luxury services are the first to go. But the truth is, even in tough times, there are still clients out there willing to invest in quality. You just have to double down to try and reach them. So this is where you need to stay resilient. I think there is a book called the hard things about hard things. And I not remember the author’s name right now, but it’s a really, really, really, really good book for any entrepreneur in order to read. And it basically uses the analogy of war time and peace time. I’m actually going to give this speech to my team during our we call it a quarterly growth huddle. We’re going to do on Friday to talk about, you know, what we did the last quarter, what we’re going to do for the next quarter, and make sure that everybody is still on the same page with our core values and our vision. Anyway, I recommend reading that book. And when the economy is rough, it’s wartime, baby, and you need to stay resilient. So I know none of you guys want to lower your prices to compete, and I hope you’re not focus on showing the value of what you do. Luxury markets never completely disappear, and people who value craftsmanship and longevity will still be looking for someone they trust to build their dream deck. I mean, there’s still a ton of people out there that have money, right? So when you’re marketing yourself as the go to expert, the one who delivers not just a deck, but a lasting outdoor living space, for instance, you’ll attract clients who understand that the investment is worth it. So I just want to take a minute maybe we close our eyes, if you’re in your truck, if you’re in your comfy space, in your home, close your eyes and just visualize how you’re doing this right now. Are you doing it? What are things that you maybe could be doing differently to make that connection and make sure that you’re standing out for me. You know, maybe I would go and check out some of your competition and see what they have going on in their website and how they’re presenting themselves. Community service is awesome to host things like that. Obviously, having your reviews. There’s one deck builder in Michigan, and I’m not going to say who it is, but I know on their website they have a picture of their dog, and their website’s really sexy. It’s beautifully designed, and it’s just really cute how they feature their dog as, like the mascot, and it just stands out. Everyone likes animals, not saying, Go and put a picture your dog on there. But get creative. You know, do something to stand out and really reflect your personality. Is more so what I’m talking about here. So now let’s continue the conversation and talk about inspiring people to invest in the lifestyle. So I think that’s something to really leverage and make sure that you double down on, which when you’re at time of war, you gotta double down. You know, something I’ve seen work really well is inspiring your clients to see their deck as more than just a home improvement project, right? If it’s that simple, it’s going to be about price, right? You need to help them create a lifestyle, and obviously that starts with the consultation, maybe. And I know a lot of you guys kill it here, but you also have to paint that picture before they even decide to schedule that consultation with you. So if you frame your services in this lifestyle type of way, it just makes the decision to invest in you much easier. Also, I have to say, I think that it’s also we use the term in our business, we say we need to drive the bus. Our clients don’t want to figure out marketing when they come to us, but they also don’t understand it totally. And there’s a lot of things that we do that they just kind of want to know where they are in the process and what to expect. Because when you start to build your brand, it’s not like the next day you’re going to the type of marketing we do is long term, and so you’re not going to invest in like the next day. You’re going to get an abundance of leads. It’s going to take a little bit of time, but we create a really good experience in helping our clients, like guiding our clients, and trying the best that we can to mitigate them, asking us questions, we try to be proactive in the information that we share, so that they don’t feel that they have to project manage us, and you don’t want your clients to feel that way either. So if you start planting some seeds with some really cool ideas for them, and just stand out in the way that you know, obviously you communicate in the experience that you bring to the table. I mean, I’m repeating myself, but that’s it. You’re gonna make the decision so much easier. So one thing is, I see a lot where people like, it’s not about you. I mean, it is, obviously people want to trust you, but it’s what is in it for like, I. Mean, we kind of live in that world, right? It’s like, what’s in it for me, and so when you are constantly talking about everything that you do and how you’re so awesome people, I know doesn’t spark an emotional connection. So what I’m trying to get at here is, instead of, like, focusing on maybe the features of the deck that you’re building, talk about how their life will change. Okay, I know this might be a little Woo, woo, but I’m telling you, it works. It’s not just the deck, it’s where you’re going to host those parties and have that morning coffee and watch your kids playing outside. Right? Sometimes you have to inspire people that have considered it. But maybe they’re feeling like anxiety from other people in the world. Maybe they have money and they’ve been wanting to get a deck project done, but they’re feeling influenced by all these other things happening, you know, election, you know, freaking natural disasters, all of these things. Maybe they just kind of need reminded why it was that they were considering doing that in the first place. So, you know, again, it’s just that it’s the kind of messaging that connects with, you know, your potential clients on an emotional level. It’s funny how business, in a lot of cases, is kind of psychology. But when you can, again, I’m saying the same thing, if you can show them that investing in a premium deck isn’t just about the structure, but it’s about enhancing their everyday life, then they’re much more likely to choose you, even if it comes at a higher price tag. I hope you guys are following me on this. I really do. I hate talking to myself here. I want some feedback. I want to know what questions you have. Please share.

April Edwards (21:39) So to wrap things up, price competition can be tough. I know it’s not what all of you guys are experiencing, but I mean, Let’s even say it like this, if I’m a homeowner and it’s up against you and someone else, and you guys both are awesome sauce and build amazing projects, and I can like, I can’t even decide which one, let’s say you guys all have the same amount of reviews and video testimonials. I mean, maybe they do go with you know, the lower price, I don’t know. But if you could stand out and shine and connect with them on more of an emotional level with your messaging and how you do business, I always say it’s not just about, you know, you guys. You guys all do a great job building, you know, building your your decks and your outdoor living spaces. And a lot of you guys do amazing job with customer service and sales and helping them plan, but you need to make sure that they have the whole experience. I’ve said it so many times. It came up again when I was talking to somebody. Hold on. What did Hany say, buddy, I don’t even know if I should put this here. Hold on. What did you say? I don’t know what this means. Haney,
I’m gonna put it up here. He said, You’re so funny. Crack me up. The Viking said, body positive. Can f off deck positive is where it’s at. Thanks for hopping on, man. Shoot now. What was I saying, sir? I forget. I hope it was interesting. Mind work, work, mind. So anyway, you know, just make sure that you’re positioning yourself as the premium option. You know that you’re making that emotional connection, that you’re attracting the right clients that you could stand. Oh, that’s what I was saying. I knew it would come back to me. Okay, so, yeah, if I’m a homeowner, and I’m looking at two different deck builders and well, let’s just say the price is the same. Actually, that’s how I should put the analogy. You guys all have the same reviews, your pricing is the same. How in the heck am I going to choose between the two of you? I know that you both build amazing projects, and, you know, I know a couple of people that have used both of you. How in the heck am I going to choose between the two of you, it’s just how you stand out, and it’s the experience that you make. This is where I was getting it. Actually, I spoke with someone again today, and they had 125 4.8 star reviews. I’m going to tell you, there’s a lot of people I talk to that have like, 105 star reviews, and that is so impressive. 4.8 is so great. But after talking to them, I’m like, You guys are you’re amazing. Like, I can tell you provide a great service. Like, you care a lot about the experience. And you know, they’re forward thinking. They use a lot of technology, but that’s besides the point. I would like to see them at 125 five star reviews. Tell me Hey, if you’re here, because since I see you, somebody tell me why an amazing deck builder would get a not so good review in most cases. I’ll give it a few minutes here and see if anybody, anybody knows, because I know you guys work hard to build beautiful decks. That last long time, and I know you guys do a great job with the customer service, so why? Why would somebody get a bad review? Do you think it’s because they did a bad job? Do you think it’s because one of the carpenters was driving a truck like crazy and honked their horn and made somebody mad? All right? Well, for the sake of everyone’s time, I’ll give you the answer. It’s because the deck builder didn’t decide to work with them because they weren’t an ideal client, or they didn’t get back to them quick enough. The point is, is it’s during the sales process. So even if you decide you’re not a good fit for someone, you still have to go the extra mile to point them in the right direction, to give them the resources they need. And the point I want to leave you with is that you need to maintain Okay. Haney got back to me having ever ending change order requests and expecting the cost. Wait a second so I can’t get a $200 haircut for $10 Awesome! Yeah, but yeah, just make sure that you have an amazing experience. From the time somebody sees you online, the experience they get with your online presence, to the experience that they have during the sales process, to the actual project planning to the project completion, and even thereafter, there are certain things that we do. Haynie said, never ending. There are certain things that we do to even create an amazing world class experience after the project is over. And that is how you build referrals. And the term that marketers like to use is raving fans. So maybe sit down. Maybe your takeaway here is to sit down and, like, map out, just jot down some ideas of what your experience is like for your potential customer, from the time they go to your website until after the project is done and a year later, you guys can still check in with them. I mean, I went and visited a deck builder in Texas, and it was so cool to see the relationship between him and this one customer. He just pops in every now and then, if he’s in town and like, he just says hello and checks in on and see how everything’s going. Like, that’s how you stand out. And people talk about it. Oh, talk about reviews. Here’s another article for you guys. Little bit too long to give you podcast listeners. But if you go to our blog, duckbuildermarketers.com/blog, when you just search for reviews, I think there’s a category for reviews. There’s a how to respond to online reviews and why it’s important for deck builders. And there’s a lot of helpful information in there about how to respond to bad reviews. You need to take that very seriously. And it’s one of those things where you can turn a bad thing into a good thing. So make sure that you check out that article. So if I don’t have any other questions or Haney, if you want to share a funny joke, anything, I’ll probably wrap this up. Okay, here’s our blog, deckbuildermarketers.com/blog, and guys, I’m always here for a free strategy session. I can help walk you through. I mean, I analyze all of this stuff. I do my homework. I go on your website. I play like submit your form. I want to see. Are you giving me a cool confirmation page? Are you sending me something to confirm it via email. Are you sending me helpful information to help me get ready for my call with you? Do you have a chat? What does that look like? Are you getting back to me right away? Now, in most cases, people know who I am, so they’re not gonna call me back. But anyway, I still do my due diligence to check everything out, and I can really walk you through some missed opportunities that I’m seeing throughout all of this. I mean, you know, we’re I’m a marketer. I call myself a growth strategist, because marketing is our tool that we use to help you grow your business. But you know, we need to make sure that you’re well supported from a sales perspective and all kinds of avenues if the work that we’re going to do is going to be successful. So I’m definitely here to help you.

April Edwards (29:05) Guys, Thanks for tuning in today. If this episode resonated with you, make sure to subscribe. And if you have any questions, you could always just reach out. You know, you could hit us up on social media. Hit me up on social media. If you go to the website, there’s a chat there. I even list my cell phone number on the contact page so you can text me if you want. It’s the Getting Started page where you can set up a free strategy session. That’s really the best way to get my time is to book it on my calendar, that way I can do my homework before I get on the call with you, and make it a lot more successful. So remember, it’s not just about building decks, it’s about building spaces where life happens. See you next time you guys!