Gary Potter uses every channel he can think of to reach clients. He participates in three home shows every year. He showcased his company's work for the last 10 years in a remodeled home tour. Recently, he joined a remodeled kitchen and bath tour. This year, he's going to try advertising on a billboard.
Besides the marketing budget, he also has an education budget. His designers use it to take kitchen and bath classes for certification, and his production crew uses it to attend conferences and seminars. “I give them an assignment, and they have to present a report when they get back,” Potter says. He also pays for trade magazine subscriptions for his crew.
Members of his sales team both sell and design projects. “I have three who produce volume on a monthly basis so I don't need to be the primary salesperson,” Potter says. His job is to lead the team and keep track of day-to-day work that will affect monthly goals and budgets. The salespeople use CAD software and a projector to show clients their designs. “The three-dimensional renderings are in color and are almost life-size,” Potter says.