It’s no surprise that advertising and marketing agencies disguise themselves from one client to the next in order to get more work – that’s just how it is. Construction, pharmaceutical, food, hospitality, high tech, cosmetics, automotive… Swap out a few portfolio pieces, and no one sees the difference. But when agency principal Julie Childers hands over a business card printed on solid plywood, you can tell her specialization is the real deal.
Domicile Experts provides marketing insights and communication tools to help the home building and improvement industry connect with customers through the most profitable channels. After growing success in Montreal and Toronto, the agency has recently opened shop in Olympia, WA.
This local operation is headed by agency principal Julie Childers, a licensed civil engineer for ten years and proud resident of the Greater Seattle area.
A brief history
The agency was not always this specialized. Like many other shops, it started with a handful of designers with a knack for branding and a very diverse client base. Looking for a way to differentiate itself from competitors, the agency hired marketing consultant David Baker for a business review. His main recommendation? “Your best clients all revolve around homebuilding and construction: that’s what I’d focus on.”
Only two years after David Baker’s visit, Domicile Experts’ client roster includes an impressive lineup of general and specialized contractors, building material manufacturers and real estate professionals.
This commitment to serving the homebuilding industry exclusively led the agency to gain valuable industry insight very quickly and recognize common mistakes many contractors make. The agency has penned several articles for industry magazines Construction Today and B&C Canada on topics such as positioning, active business development, advertising and branding for the construction industry.
Learning from the Canadian construction boom
“While the US construction industry is still struggling to recover, the Eastern Canada market has been booming for the last three years” says agency principal Julie Childers. “Investing in efficient branding and an affordable but professional website you can update yourself can make all the difference when trying to secure new business – especially the more profitable, high profile jobs.”
When resources are scarce, the idea is not to slash budgets, but to invest more wisely. “There’s been a steady shift towards smaller quantities of digital printing. Clients can’t afford to pay for boxes of brochures who end up in the recycling bin. Many builders are even hiring us to design iPad presentation apps now, which they can update whenever they need rather than redesign and reprint every time.”
For sample portfolio pieces and over 50 blog articles on construction marketing, branding and other topics, visit www.domicileexperts.com.
For more information
Julie Childers
Tel.: 360 701-7858
Domicile Experts
SEATTLE + TORONTO + MONTREAL
209 East 4th Ave., #208
Olympia, WA 98501
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