Once you selected the appropriate magazine, "vanity book" or other avenue to reach your targeted builder customer, the message must be considered. While a homeowner is most concerned with appearance and performance over the life of their home, a builder customer is most concerned with lead times and your commitment to backing them with a quality product.
| Consumer Concerns | Builder Concerns |
|---|---|
| These windows look nice to me. | Will my customer like how they look? |
| These windows will be easy to open. | These windows will be easy to install. |
| I'll save money on heating/cooling bill. | I can sell the energy benefits. |
| I won't have to paint these windows. | I can sell the low-maintenance benefits. |
| These windows will raise my resale. | They will add value to my home. |
| These windows are guaranteed for life. | I can sell the guarantee's benefits. |
| I'll be OK if something goes wrong. | |
| My windows will be on time. | |
| Can I trust my salesperson? |
As you can see, while the homeowner is most concerned with how the windows affect their well being and lifestyle, the homebuilder is most concerned about their business and how the windows will help them sell a home for more money or more quickly.
Perhaps the biggest mistake by most retailers is producing an ad that looks like something meant for a consumer magazine. These ads do good things for your "image," but have little or no meaning to the builder -- your customer.
The goal for the retailer is to demonstrate their knowledge of the builder's business -- and one way is through advertising. This means ad copy that relates to lead times and quick response -- not pretty windows or "shadows and light."
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