Last month I had the honour of being invited to join the list of guest speakers at the launch of @Boutique’s Home Masters Club, a closed private group for marketing and business leaders from brands within the Home and Garden space. It was held in the beautiful private dining room of Iberica, in Leeds where Chatham House Rules could be observed.
The Home Masters Club is a fantastic initiative from @Boutique. It provides an opportunity for leading marketers in the category to get together and share their insights, knowledge and experiences. What struck me most was that there was no sense of competitiveness between those in the room, just open honest discussion about the current state of the market, their businesses and the challenges and opportunities that present themselves.
I’m pleased to say my contribution on the role of brands and retail in the path to purchase was very well received (it’s always a good sign when your slides are photographed!). The attendees all said how useful it was for us to be able to share a few consumer truths from our broader observations having worked extensively in the DIY sector over the past few years.
Our projects have covered many home improvement categories, from lighting and décor to space management, tiling to gardening, and often the path to purchase for each of these follow a similar pattern. Consumers typically begin with a lot of excitement and anticipation at the possibilities that lie ahead, but quickly encounter disappointment, confusion and stress along the way as people struggle to turn their home improvement visions into reality. The challenge for brands and retailers is to understand what role they can play to help close the gap and to build their confidence through great advice and assistance. However, in order to do this, it is essential to have a clear and detailed understanding of their customers’ underlying triggers, motivations and needs.
We love working in the DIY space (not least, all the inspiration it has given me for my own home!) and we are thrilled to be supporting @Boutique once again at their upcoming Home & Gardens Conference in May.
