Pioneer Millworks’ Marketing Campaign
Repositioning a Leader
Pioneer Millworks is one of America’s largest sellers of reclaimed timbers and lumber. Demand for reclaimed wood has increased rapidly, and with it, Pioneer’s competition. In the rush to meet demand, Pioneer’s marketing efforts floundered and losses were mounting. It became important to distinguish Pioneer as the industry leader, with its greater inventory and quality control, in order to maintain its margins and fight declining market share.
Image from Pioneer’s architectural photography library (I spent a week in Aspen, Colorado photographing Pioneer’s installations)
My relationship with Pioneer started by doing an inventory of existing marketing efforts and resources. After careful analysis I developed a working plan to rebuild Pioneer’s marketing program. By making evolutionary refinements, instead of revolutionary changes, I maintained continuity with their earlier sales materials. This patch lessened the pressure to do everything all at once, which preserved cash flow.
The first project was to build a photo library from the vast collection of snapshots and professional photos that were already on hand. By editing thousands of images down to about one hundred keepers, I was able to clarify and strengthen Pioneer’s visuals. I went on to fill in the blanks by photographing installations and Pioneer’s craftspeople. All of these images were cataloged and distributed online and via CD. Salespeople could now attach photos to their emails and presentations. And I had excellent materials to work with.
I redesigned their logo and identity, and published online guides to help their staff maintain a consistent and professional brand. Business cards and stationery followed shortly thereafter.
My website design achieved number one Google search engine results within three months of its relaunch.
I redesigned their website from scratch, building a fast and easy to edit website that achieved top search engine results thanks to its proper use of alt-tags and objective, descriptive language. I tested the site with an ad-hoc focus group of inexperienced or older Internet users, who found the revamped site to be faster and easier to navigate than any of Pioneer’s competitors.
Island ad for Fine Homebuilding magazine
To answer Pioneer’s customer inquiries I designed and wrote a 16-page gatefold catalog. While many reclaimed wood companies have rudimentary literature, it was important for Pioneer to present their products as being top of the line, in the same league as high-end household items like Viking Stoves and Sub-Zero refrigerators. I used dramatic, large-format photos, in full bleed spreads, to make a forceful initial impact, while using a high-quality matte, recycled paper and tasteful typography to keep it from being overblown.
With all of the background elements in place, it was time to launch a new ad campaign. Prior to my arrival, Pioneer had bought dozens of repetitive fractional ads in magazines ranging from Old House Journal to the Robb Report. I ended this scattershot approach and consolidated all of the advertising into a single campaign of large ads in America’s leading building publication: Taunton’s Fine Homebuilding.
The end result? Within six months Pioneer’s sales were up by 50% over the previous year, in spite of a slow national economy. With their return to profitability, Pioneer added jobs and new products.
My marketing program had exactly the same budget as the previous year’s program. However, my work delivered a 50% increase in sales within the first six months.