Leads flow almost effortlessly to Osborne Co. Like many other remodelers, the Springfield, Va., business capitalizes on its membership in a respected trade organization. Nearly 55% of its leads come from either the Web site of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) or the local chapter magazine, says the company's president, Ben Osborne.
The NARI site (www.nari.org) lets consumers search for professional remodelers by ZIP code, then link directly to sites such as www.osborneremodelers.com. This is “absolutely a strong marketing tool,” says Gwen Biasi, NARI's director of marketing and communications. Consumers learn about NARI through public relations efforts and public service announcements, she says, and visit the site “because they're looking for professional, ethical remodelers.”
Osborne's membership in NARI's Metro DC chapter generates additional leads, through articles in Remodeling Today, the chapter's free consumer magazine, and through links from www.narimetrodc.org.
Members of the National Association of Home Builders' Remodelors Council have access to similar marketing tools. The Council's consumer Web site, www.nahb.org/remodel, has a searchable remodeler directory that brings up member contact information, as do the sites of many local chapters. Therese Crahan, the Council's executive director, says the consumer site will soon provide direct links to members' Web sites.
Both NARI and the Remodelors Council also provide members with linkable logos they can place on their own Web sites.
NARI has 7,000 member companies. The Remodelors Council has 7,500.
