Karen Clough, Conservatory Outlet marketing director

Wakefield-based Conservatory Outlet, a leading home improvement product supplier, has pressed the button on an £100,000 digital marketing drive to boost its UK-wide network of retailers in 2022.

The company is working with DigitalKOG to develop the latest lead-generation focused websites that will be tailored to all 27 retailers that exclusively sell their conservatories, extensions, doors, windows, and orangeries.

These sites will feature enhanced product collections, improved navigation to support the customer journey and a clearer insight into company values, including what makes them different, quality standards, manufacturing processes and helpful guides.

They will also have a dedicated ‘careers’ section that will help the sector overcome the significant recruitment issues it is facing.

Karen Clough, Conservatory Outlet marketing director, said: “The pandemic has really highlighted how important digital marketing can be to our business, with more than a third of our £28 million sales generated through email or website enquiries for our retailer network.

“Last year, our collaboration with DigitalKOG and our retailers generated over 46,500 enquiries, a 7% rise on 2020 and a massive 150% increase on 2019. Website hits also registered 1.8 million for the first time in our history, as more consumers decided to spend their time and disposable income on improving their homes.

“Interestingly and proving that people still like human interaction (especially during Covid-19), over 73,035 potential sales calls were received, while showroom visits were also significantly up.”

She added: “You can’t stand still in our industry. We wanted to build on 2021’s momentum by investing £100,000 into our next digital marketing campaign. This will create new websites for all 27 firms in our network, and we are also facilitating a major marketing event in Manchester in February to develop strategies for the next 12 months.”

Conservatory Outlet, which recently secured the ‘We Invest in People’ accreditation for the first time, focused on seasonal offers and specific dealer advantages, such as new products, showrooms, finance and living experience case studies.

Individual customer brands were also strengthened, while social media campaigns explored Instagram more and split-tested different Facebook approaches, including lifestyle animations and real-life video case studies.

Ms Clough continued: “We firmly believe that leads are best generated directly and exclusively for our individual customers, as opposed to being passed on from a central source. It is all about building strong brands that make an impact in their own right.”

“The past two years have taught people that their homes are more important than ever, and for that reason they are willing to spend on improving them.

She concluded: “We believe this trend will continue. Although the industry has been hit with multiple significant price increases and extended lead times, people are still very willing to purchase — it is all about buying from the right company, so trust and service are top of the list.”