Using PR to drive sales enquiries at building products manufacturer Steadmans

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Testimonial

Ian Hodgson, Steadmans’ sales and marketing director: “Brand8 PR has provided us with the integrated processes, consultancy and implementation needed to raise awareness of Steadmans amongst our key audiences. By being able to link the PR activity directly with enquiries we can clearly see the value it is delivering and the benefits that it brings to our business.”

Objectives

Building products manufacturer Steadmans appointed Leeds PR agency Brand8 PR to undertake a PR campaign to deliver the following objectives:

• Enhance awareness of Steadmans and its roofing, cladding and structural products and services amongst the key target audiences of specifiers and installers
• Reinforce the company’s reputation for manufacturing outstanding products underpinned by excellent customer service
• Create product enquiries for the sales team to act upon

Response

Leeds PR agency Brand8 PR created an internal process within Steadmans that enable project case studies to be collated and evaluated. Those that are felt to best demonstrate the company’s products and capabilities were developed and relevant business-to-business and trade media targeted with the case studies.

Simultaneously, visits by journalists to Steadmans main facility in Carlisle were arranged and opinion and thought leadership articles relating to the roofing industry were also created and placed within relevant online and print media. Activity was also carried out around specific products, which included a re-launch of Meta-Slate, a slate effect metal roofing sheet system.

Leeds PR agency Brand8 PR has also introduced Steadmans News, a twice a year six page newsletter which contains product, project and service information which is distributed to a targeted list of 10,000 installers and specifiers throughout the UK.

A key objective of the media relations activity was to deliver increased enquiries. When Brand8 PR started working with Steadmans it enlisted the help of Your Response which allows website enquiries to be accurately tracked, capturing data and enabling automated responses. Your Response’s technology was integrated with the Steadmans website to enable accurate monitoring of enquiry levels.

PR activity has also been presented to Steadmans’ internal and external sales teams in order for them to understand the important role they play in generating case study opportunities and how the campaign is focused on generating sales enquiries for them. Ongoing communication with the sales team ensures that there is a constant flow of material that can be used to enhance the reputation of the business.

Results

The ongoing media relations campaign has established Steadmans as a trusted source of information with relevant business-to-business and trade media. Positive coverage is consistently achieved each month in leading titles including RCI, Building, Roofing, Building Products and Specifier. Site visits by journalists have all led to positive follow up pieces on Steadmans and its products.

In a 12 month period since Leeds PR agency Brand8 PR was appointed and Your Response was integrated with the Steadmans website there have been a total of 7,434 enquiries. Respondents are able to request literature downloads and leave contact details including telephone numbers enabling the sales team to call them and create a commercial opportunity from a warm lead.

It is also possible to track a direct correlation between a particular product being publicised and an increase in enquiries for it. This has been particularly evident with the re-launch of Meta-Slate which was the most requested product during 2009 with over 900 enquiries.

There is also a regular flow of information between the internal and external sales teams and Leeds PR agency Brand8 PR, providing consistent opportunities for the company to raise its profile. The teams recognise and understand the role that the PR activity plays in supporting their roles by creating the environment for sales.

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