Company e-Store platforms have burst forth in the procurement world, supporting every possible form of purchasing and enabling enterprises to centralize their spend and operate more profitably. I thought it worth a blog post to talk about how our e-Store Platform helps Builder Marketing Teams use their lean budgets cost-effectively. So here's an overview followed by real life examples of what our clients say about the support they get from their virtual marketing team at Builder Promotions.
Builder Promotions has a procurement platform that enables Builder Marketers to purchase all the branded marketing supplies they use throughout the home selling cycle. To make life easy for our busy Builder clients, the e-platform is divided into categories that align with the home buying process.
- Sales Center Merchandising
- Model Home Supplies
- Community Event Marketing
- Customer and Realtor Engagement
- Closing Process and Homeowner Welcome
The majority of our clients use our e-Commerce enabled Builder Brand stores to procure their branded marketing supplies online. We've married centralized control and buying power with hyper-localized service. Divisions get the benefits of local support and all the advantages of their corporate buying power and branding to market their new home communities. Builder customers tell us that they have peace of mind when they use their Builder Branded store. They know the products are vetted and brand approved, which immediately simplifies the buying process. They love the click n' mortar hybrid platform that give them digital tools and human response whenever they need it. It's all about choice.
When our customer experience team talks with clients about how we are doing, Marketing clients always take time to share their views. Most are happy that we stopped and took the time to ask them "How was your experience? How are we doing? Did we meet your expectations? How can we improve?" Here's what they are telling us:
- A Division Marketing Manager recently shared with us that she loves the access to e-Commerce ordering. She orders her supplies every few weeks on a Saturday morning. It's what works for her schedule and she appreciates the flexibility.
- Another Division Marketing Manager shared that our BP Custom Shopper team had spent quality time with her on the phone developing a custom product she envisioned to brand the closing/signing event. She uses e-Commerce services to buy marketing supplies from her Builder e-Store. And, she loves having the attentive service of our BP Custom Shopper team to develop new products.
- We work with a Marketing Coordinator who is also a graphic artist (great combination!). Her team had been using a USB drive to distribute video content to qualified home buyers. She was able to shift that project to BP, because we could take her graphic concept and deliver it more cost-effectively through our Global Sourcing program. 10+ communities each received their own custom branded USB drive showcasing the community brand in combination with the Builder Brand. We preload video content for all communities and sales staff are able to preload specific e-brochures depending on their prospect's interest.
- Another Marketing Coordinator was delighted to find out that she could opt-in for BP GroupBuy. She now receives an auto-notification when her Division colleagues are purchasing products she uses.
- Marketing Managers for a top Builder, are all excited about the e-Store refresh that added 30+ brand-specific products to their Builder Brand e-Store. When we interviewed these Managers as part of the store refresh process, they all told us they were enthusiastic about getting real localized support and having another way to meet their collective SG&A goals too. They like the ability to collaborate even though they don't always have the time to share ideas. Their store will share ideas in a central location they can all access for creative support and cost-efficiencies.
- A VP called to "deal with" getting doormats for her new Models because she had not yet replaced a Marketing Coordinator who would normally handle this transaction. Needless to say, she was busy and could only talk for about 30 seconds. We directed her to the site and she ordered from her iPad that evening. She was relieved that she could handle the purchase online from the comfort of her home office at a time that worked for her busy schedule.
- The Construction Department for a top 10 builder shared that through their new e-Store, they were able to easily access high-quality apparel from known retail brands. They were able to make everyone happy with apparel that employees will wear confidently.
