In the latest episode of The Snoball Effect Podcast: Marketing Playbook Series, host Todd Jensen welcomed Cindy Nuredin, a seasoned marketing leader at Modernize, a platform that connects homeowners with trusted contractors. Cindy shared her marketing journey, insights from Modernize’s 2024 Homeowner Insights Report, and actionable strategies for navigating the complexities of marketing in the home services industry.
Cindy shares five strategies marketers can implement today to stand out, build trust, and drive results.
Key Takeaways
- Understand the empowered homeowner. Cater to homeowners who value both expert guidance and independent research by offering both.
- Provide interactive tools. Engage homeowners with resources like cost calculators and comparison charts to simplify their decision-making process.
- Lead with education. Transparency and education build trust and long-term relationships.
- Showcase success stories. Use testimonials, before-and-after photos, and referrals to instill confidence in your brand.
- Be empathetic and authentic. Focus on personalized communication and avoid rigid sales scripts.
The Power of Understanding and Empathy
Meeting Homeowners Where They Are
Cindy explained that marketing to homeowners requires a nuanced approach because no two customers are the same. “Homeowners are very complex,” Cindy shared. “Homeowner A, Homeowner B could be wanting the same roof replacement, but their personalities, what drives them, their motivations, their availability… could be completely different.”
Cindy Nuredin
Senior Marketing Manager @ Modernize
"Homeowner A, Homeowner B could be wanting the same roof replacement, but their personalities, what drives them, their motivations, their availability… could be completely different.”
Understanding this diversity, she said, is key to creating effective marketing campaigns. “You need to be extremely versatile, and you need to be digitally savvy. You need to have resources for multiple personas.”
Empathy: The Secret Ingredient
Cindy emphasized that successful marketers in this space don’t just address the homeowner’s project needs but also empathize with their broader challenges. “You can’t just be another checklist,” Cindy explained. “You have to be able to listen to the homeowner, open yourself to that empathetic side of what are they going through? What challenges are they facing outside of a window replacement or solar installation?”
5 Marketing Strategies for Home Service Companies
Cindy shared valuable tips drawn from Modernize’s 2024 Homeowner Insights Report, which surveyed over 150,000 homeowners to uncover trends in behavior, preferences, and motivations. Here are five practical strategies she offered:
1. Offer Research Tools
“Homeowners are not just relying on your word,” Cindy said. “They want to figure it out for themselves as well.” She explained that about half of homeowners value contractors’ expertise, but many still prefer to verify information and conduct their own research.
To meet this need, she recommended offering tools like cost calculators, comparison charts, and interactive guides. “Create, publish, comparison charts, cost calculators, interactive tools - something that would help the homeowner on their journey,” Cindy suggested.
2. Simplify Decision-Making
Marketing to overwhelmed homeowners requires simplifying their experience. Cindy highlighted how long, drawn-out pitches can be a turnoff. “I’ll request a quote. These guys come in, and the salespeople will tell me flat out, ‘I have to be here for at least two hours.’ Like, I don’t need you here for two hours. Just give me the pitch.”
By making it easy for homeowners to review materials and choose products, marketers can create a better customer experience.
3. Educate Through Content
Cindy stressed the importance of leading with education. “Content is king - or queen, depending on your titles and your preferences,” she said. This means providing homeowners with information that explains the entire process, from research to installation to post-project follow-up.
“Anything, anything at all that would benefit them - because the more that they know, the more involved they feel,” Cindy shared. “Then it feels like a true partnership. It doesn’t feel like a sale.”
4. Highlight Success Stories
One of the most effective ways to market home services is through testimonials and referrals. Cindy recommended sharing before-and-after photos or creating a system that lets potential clients connect directly with happy past customers.
“If you’re able to have a homeowner referral, like where your homeowner has a phone number with that completed project… that would definitely guarantee a sale,” she explained.
5. Be Transparent and Authentic
“Majority of homeowners that are going with certain companies and sales reps - it’s not because of your pitch,” Cindy said. “They don’t like pushy, unprofessional people.”
Instead, she advised marketers to listen carefully to homeowners’ needs and cater to them. “You want to be transparent with them. You want to listen to them and cater to their needs, not your script,” Cindy emphasized.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Home Services Marketing?
Cindy shared her thoughts on how marketing will evolve in the home services space. For B2B marketers, she predicted an emphasis on partnerships and credibility-building. “Events, conferences, in-person or digital meetups with other thought leaders… I have a really strong feeling that partnerships as a whole is going to snowball into something bigger.”
On the B2C side, Cindy highlighted the importance of relationship-building and tailored digital resources. “Being at homeowner events where homeowners are, and you can give your two minutes with your demo… that’s definitely going to be a big one,” she said.
Despite the rise of digital marketing tools, Cindy believes human connection will remain central. “There’s still a beating heart to marketing,” she explained. “I don’t see [traditional methods] going away anytime soon.”
Advice for Aspiring Marketers
Cindy left listeners with a powerful piece of advice: “Great marketing starts with empathy for the people that you’re working with, for the people that you’re targeting.” She encouraged marketers to focus on understanding the challenges, motivations, and pain points of both their teams and their customers.
“Understanding pain points, motivations, and bettering those around you - whether it’s your colleagues or your target audience - is key,” Cindy shared.
Get the 2024 Homeowner Insights Report
If you’re ready to elevate your marketing, Modernize offers resources and tools to help you better connect with homeowners. Check out the 2024 Homeowner Insights Report to dive deeper into homeowner behavior.
Want to learn more? Visit the Modernize website for additional resources and support.
Catch the full episode of Cindy Nuredin on The Snoball Effect Podcast to explore more actionable insights for home service marketers.
