In the serene depths of a lake, underneath where surface waves dance in the sunlight, lies a hidden boundary. Somewhere in the murky depths a drastic shift in temperature occurs, marking the “thermocline”… a point where the energy of surface motion no longer penetrates.
This phenomenon – where warmth gives way to chilling cold – offers a powerful metaphor for the challenges faced by businesses in today’s turbulent markets. Just as a thermocline signals a point of no return for surface energy, brands can experience an analogous decline… where customer engagement and revenue can drop precipitously.
It’s vital to understand the complexities of this phenomenon – and as top “learning organizations” continue to realize – the strategic marketing practices, which are crucial to navigating and overcoming these situations.
It’s no secret that a variety of industries across the globe have reached a current stasis… if not concerning pattern of decline. Whether it’s a lingering result of the post-pandemic recession, the effects of a trade war – or simply market saturation – today, many building product brands are reporting some insecurities.
Businesses Have Thermoclines Too
On the surface, everything can seem static. Like the sunlit waves, initial metrics may appear in line with expectations. However, beneath these still waters, shifts are occurring. Digital viewership is conflicted. Streaming subscriptions are falling. And industry leaders are consolidating. Marketers are struggling with audience loyalty.
And traffic is diminishing.
The question is: What causes this fear? Is it potential signs of stagflation, macro trends, the lingering effects of the past… or something more nuanced?
“Believe nothing you read and only half of what you see,” a motto that resonates in our saturated media landscape, aptly describes the complex opportunity.
Solutions are abundant… yet there remains a lack of genuine connection. Many businesses adopt a blanket approach, aiming to attract everyone without catering to specific niches. Yes, results are paramount – and careers hinge on metrics – but oftentimes the deeper context is elusive. Stakeholders focus so heavily on the waves… that they may tend to lose sight of the encroaching signals from below.
Indeed, modern industry has cultivated a culture that relies so thoroughly on top line analytics that, even at the highest level, leadership can’t always observe the obvious. And in pursuing results, it’s often easy to lose audience trust through a series of (at a glance) small changes in priority to driving numbers. Before too long, a brand can nudge up against a thermocline of its very own. In homebuilder marketing, this translates to missing crucial shifts in sentiment of audiences.
Navigating Through Stagnation
According to research and insights from Sarah Lethbridge, a Dean at Cardiff University, the key to preventing this decline is consistent communication. Customer feedback – often difficult to acquire and analyze – is vital. Brand teams who receive this feedback often stop reporting repeated issues, for fear of “broken record” fatigue.
Yet, these actionable insights are invaluable. Transparency is crucial. Team members must remember that they are part of a community. And it’s vital to recognize shifts, as they occur.
Everyone’s affected by industry trends and reminding audiences – including ourselves – that we are all connected is essential. Inviting new ideas and establishing innovative loyalty retention programs can bridge the gap.
Yes, communication is a two-way street with communities and brands seeking to speak up… reaching out and working together. Building mutually-rewarding relationships that maintain positive energy, designed to cultivate and preserve valuable connections. For construction business marketing, this means engaging with micro-size target markets and addressing their concerns – sometimes in unique ways – with new solutions.
There’s a similar trend in problem-solving that is being applied (mainly, at least so far) in New York called “congestion pricing”. The city charges a variable fee for roads during optimal hours to reduce traffic. When measuring the effectiveness of this implementation, the city of course relied upon tangible observations like traffic data, accident counts and commuter reports. Recently, city officials began to analyze more elusive phenomena:
Cars honking less… due to a lack of traffic jams.
Interviewing doctors reporting fewer patients being late, based on decreased traffic.
Even residents who live near tunnels – cleaning less soot on their windowsills – from cars passing by.
Listening and Adapting
Our team at Kleber & Associates leverage trending data and qualitative research for our clients in similar fashion… providing actionable insights in ways that less discerning eyes might overlook.
Recently, we uncovered a growing trend in multigenerational living arrangements. We recruited an influencer who was in the process of building an addition on her home to house her mother-in-law. We arranged for product integration campaigns from two of our clients in exchange for promotional consideration in the renovation. Our PR and Content Marketing teams crafted and successfully secured a series of feature stories about how Lexi Poer and her family took on the challenge of multigenerational living and the beautifully-renovated home where this extended family now lives.
It’s more than mere trend spotting.
We value communication in our peer-to-peer marketing and specialize in networking that puts your brand and the customer first.
Effective communication is not just about relaying information… it’s about listening and adapting. It’s about observing the less quantifiable phenomena – the subtle changes in consumer behavior – evolving preferences and the undercurrents of sentiment that signal deeper shifts. By understanding these nuances, brands can avoid the plunge into their thermocline.
If you’re concerned about whether your brand’s momentum might be leading you into less still waters, we are here to help. Please feel free to contact Steve Kleber at sk@kleberandassociates.com for a complimentary evaluation of your building product brand’s unique opportunities.
