close
close

Finding your edge: How to combine in-store and digital marketing to increase paint sales

Posted on by darion

In the fourth quarter of 2023, e-commerce generated $324.8 billion in total retail sales. According to the US Census Bureau, this amount represents a 7% increase compared to the same period in 2022, indicating a shift in consumer behavior towards online shopping. In the digital age, marketing your business online is more important than ever. Grabbing the attention of potential customers through social media posts and online advertising should be part of every company’s overall marketing strategy.

Lumber King, which has four locations in southern Kentucky and one in Tennessee, uses both digital and in-store marketing to target its paint category. Sydney Hupp, Lumber King’s chief marketing officer, manages the company’s social media and, as part of her role, also plans store events. In mid-April, Lumber King hosted its inaugural DIY Night at each location, extending store hours to accommodate customers’ schedules and offering a canvas bag that customers could fill with products at a 20% discount.

“Sometimes it can be difficult for DIY enthusiasts to get to the store, especially when it comes to work and family responsibilities,” Hupp says. “For a DIY evening,
We wanted to be able to support our customers as best as possible, and using the extra time was the most effective way to achieve this goal.”

In a Facebook post promoting the event, Hupp says she intentionally shot the video at the paint counter and included a brush, roller and a gallon of top-quality paint to promote the painting aspect of the DIY evening.

“When I think about a home improvement project, the first thing that comes to mind is color,” he says. “It’s a natural step in the DIY process. If it’s an interior design project, it will likely require some degree of painting.

In preparation for DIY night, Hupp says employees spruced up every part of each store. Although she was the one who came up with the idea
event, Hupp wanted to plan and organize events in cooperation with individual store managers.

“I relied heavily on store managers because ultimately it’s their store and it belongs to their community,” she says. “We created it together
the atmosphere of each store is more inviting and the events are successful.”

Hupp says that at Lumber King’s Oneida, Tennessee location, the store manager reorganized the paint display and counter to improve visibility and attract customer attention.

“The extra punch helped bring more people to the checkout and grab their attention,” Hupp says. “All of our managers did everything they could, which helped them focus on sales.”

In addition to organic Facebook posts, Hupp published targeted meta ads leading up to events, supplementing and boosting in-store promotions
customer traffic both online and offline.

“Whenever we do an in-store promotion, we always pair it with Facebook ads,” Hupp says. “They work really well together and definitely help drive traffic to our website and then our store.”

The social media starting line

If you’re looking for an easier way to manage social media and don’t have a large social media budget, Hupp recommends starting with Meta Business Suite, which is a free, user-friendly program available to anyone who runs a business on Facebook and Instagram. Hupp also says YouTube is the best friend of any retailer who wants to learn more about promoting their business.

“If you’re new to Facebook ads or want to learn about social media, YouTube is the place to be,” he says. “You don’t need to take a course or have a degree to use social media effectively. If you know your customers well and know your products well, you’ll be able to learn relatively quickly how to use social media to the greatest advantage for your business.

Expand your digital vocabulary

Whether you’re an experienced social media user or just starting out, understanding these terms will help you navigate social media to promote your business.

  • HASHTAG
    The symbol formerly known as the pound sign is now used to categorize content and make it discoverable by users interested in a specific topic.
  • DM
    Direct messages (DM) are private conversations sent to your social media platform’s inbox. If you connect your business accounts in Meta Business Suite, you can manage DM from both platforms with one login. You can automate messages so that when a customer sends a message in the chat, they immediately receive the message back.
  • TAGING
    By tagging a page on social media, you associate that person or page with your post. Tagging can be done using the @ symbol.
  • ALGORITHM
    A set of calculations used by social media platforms to promote the content displayed on your feed. Posting frequently is an easy way to get into the follower algorithm.
  • ENGAGEMENT
    How your followers interact with your posts. Engagement is the holy grail of social media and comes in the form of likes, comments, shares or reposts.

Marketing knowledge

In addition to special events, Hupp says to promote the paint department, there is a board at each plant’s paint counter with popular colors that have been sold in recent months.

“The trend color chart is obviously different in each store,” Hupp says. “Our managers will review the most popular colors each month and update their boards. From a psychological point of view, it is interesting to track how customers’ color preferences will change throughout the year.”

Hupp says color charts show customers what others are using in their projects and give them ideas for possible colors to use in their own remodels.

From a marketing standpoint, it’s a reminder to familiar customers that Lumber King is more than just a building materials supplier and also offers paint and other products, Hupp says.

“We actually provide full-service home improvement services, and we want people to know when they come in that we are willing and able to do whatever they need us to do,” he says. “People primarily associate us with wood because it is in our name, but by prioritizing other aspects of our business, we are able to leverage our paint offering.”

Another way Hupp is educating himself on digital marketing is by getting involved with local chambers of commerce in the counties where Lumber King is located.

“Chamber of Commerce locations offer free workshops where business owners can learn about social media, SEO optimization, digital advertising and how to promote their business online,” he says. “If I were a company owner and had no knowledge on this subject, I would definitely use these workshops.”

3 ways to connect with next-generation consumers

Running a successful business requires forward thinking and establishing relationships with the next generation of customers. Social media is a great place to start developing these relationships. Hardware Retailing has put together three tips to make your store relevant to younger generations.

Showcase your personality.

Social media should be fun! Don’t be afraid to post with your team members, customers, or even their pets. Try to find a unique aspect of your store and showcase it.

Keep it local.

Collaborate with social media influencers with shared interests to gain insight into home projects. Consider giving away gift cards or discount codes to businesses in your community to help support business.

Engage the community.

Your loyal customers are your best influencers. Work with your best clients to support events, nonprofits and organizations that matter to them. Consider sponsoring a local sports team or advertising in local restaurants. Getting your name in front of as many people as possible, both virtually and in person, is a great way to grow your brand.