I’m a sucker for a good ad campaign, and one of my favourites?

This doozy from the New Zealand Tourism Department:

We all know the role search engines can play in connecting you with people looking for what you do and what you offer.

But the truth is, plenty of kitchen retailers are dipping their toe in Google’s waters but not getting the return they want.

And - frankly - a lot of the time, it’s because they’re dabbling rather than doing it properly, fully committed.

It’s a funny old time right now.

Every time we think things are getting back to ‘normal’, something else happens.

The Queen’s died, schools are back, the Ukrainian conflict is in the balance, the pound’s dropped to an all-time low, the list goes on.

All set against the ‘cost of living’ backdrop.

With all of these external pressures, it’s no surprise that many kitchen retailers feel it’s quieter than they’d expect entering autumn.

In the digital world, it’s easy to get waylaid. Distracted. Sent on wild goose chases.

You’ve got Google, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok; the list goes on, and on, and on.

(And on.)

And with the sheer abundance of digital media available, it’s easy for kitchen retailers to forget what marketing is all about – generating positive awareness with the people you want to do business with and acquiring leads and clients as a result.

For good reason, I've banged the drum for Google many times over the past few years. Google is most often the first port of call for today's modern kitchen buyer, and if you're not there, that can be a big problem.

A couple of interesting situations for us recently highlighted - once again - that there are good Google searches, and then there are great Google searches.

I’ve said this many times this year:

In 2022, Google is a non-negotiable part of a successful KBB marketing strategy.

While there’s still a place for offline media, Google has superseded so much of it, hoovering up a vast proportion of people looking for new kitchens.

And if you ignore Google, you’re missing the primary way people begin their search for a kitchen company.

Pretty obvious, right?

What’s less obvious - and where independent kitchen retailers often get stuck - is the HOW.

Whenever we sit down with a new kitchen client, we always ask this question:

“What marketing are you currently doing, and how is it working?”

The answers vary. Sometimes it’s leaflets that are working well, sometimes they’re getting good results from Google Ads or lifestyle magazines, and often they get a lot of business from word of mouth.

But in almost every case - regardless of what they’re doing - they’re not doing as much of it as they could be.

I’m sure you’ll recognise lines like these:

“Our skilled team our second-to-none at creating beautiful kitchen spaces.”

“We’re highly experienced when it comes to designing and fitting kitchens.”

“We can work with any space or budget, big or small.”

Stock standard marketing copy - the likes of which you’ll find on websites, brochures, and other kitchens-related marketing collateral.

There’s nothing much wrong with them, but on their own, they’re not particularly powerful.

Because why tell someone how good you are when you can show them?

You’ll know better than anyone that buying a kitchen isn’t an impulse buy. Someone doesn’t just suddenly decide to get a new kitchen, drop by your showroom, and hand over their credit card.

Instead, each customer goes on a journey – from not thinking about a new kitchen at all, to vaguely considering it, to actively researching it, and – finally – to reaching out to a company that can help them.

I’ve repeatedly said that if you run a KBB business, Google is non-negotiable.

The simple truth is that in 2022, Google is where most of your prospects start their journey, and if you’re not there, you’re nowhere.

Chances are you agree with the principle, but it still begs one big question:

HOW?

I’ve been in marketing for many years, but I still know the ultimate truth of this statement:

If you can’t close deals, all the marketing in the world won’t help you grow your kitchen business.

Sounds obvious, maybe, but far too many kitchen retailers are so focused on ‘generating leads’ that they forget to consider the number of sales appointments and deals they actually get over the line.

There’s a question that we regularly get from our clients and other independent kitchen retailers:

How do we compete with the national brands?

It’s not an easy question to answer.

After all, national brands have millions to throw at advertising, plastering themselves all over TV, radio, newspapers and billboards. So what chance have you really got?

Well, you’ve got more hope than you’d think, especially when you deploy the independent kitchen retailer’s secret weapon.

It seems that things may have slowed down a touch.

Working with scores of kitchen businesses and having visibility on search volumes and online activity across multiple platforms, we're seeing a reduction in demand for kitchens and bathrooms over the past month or so.

There'll be several factors…

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again too:

In 2022, Google is vital to successfully marketing a kitchen business.

Maybe a few years ago, you’d have been able to get away without using Google. But, if you’re serious about growing your business beyond word of mouth and your immediate circle, it’s now essential.

The question is: how do you crack it, especially when competing with the big brands?

It’s all systems go here as we prepare for kbb Birmingham this weekend.

After a couple of years stuck behind screens, we’re really looking forward to getting out there, talking to independent kitchen retailers, and helping them improve their marketing, generate more leads and win more business.

And what I’d love to know is: are you coming to the show?

Somebody threw a question to me last week:

"You talk a lot about digital marketing for kitchen retailers; is there any point doing anything offline?"

An important question, with an easy answer: "Yes".

Two different kitchen retailers asked me a very similar question in recent weeks, and it’s one worthy of some serious thought:

“What percentage of my marketing budget should go on people buying right now, and what percentage on people buying in the future?”

Great question.

If you've got plans and goals for 2022, chances are you're keen to hit the ground running this month.

You've probably got a strategy all mapped out for how you're going to get the customers you need this year (if you haven't, hit reply and we'll be happy to assist).

So, I’ll share something with you that isn't really part of a long-term marketing strategy.

We’re already halfway through January.

Before you know it, we’ll be seeing pictures of Cupid as Valentine’s Day rolls around. And it won’t be long after that before the temptation of Creme Eggs rears its ugly head.

Time moves fast, and if you don’t move with it, the chances are you’re not going to achieve all you want to this year.

I did a fair amount of reflecting over the festive break.

I thought a lot about the year we’d just had – what went right, what went wrong, what we’d do differently with that time again.

But I thought even more about the year that we’re right on the cusp of - 2022.

This time of the year is an obvious time to think things through and make plans. That’s why so many people make New Year’s resolutions and decide on big goals for the year ahead.

From speaking to several of our KBB clients over the last couple of days, I know that I’m not alone.