Dwight Sailer (left) and Bryan Soth (right) know that “marketing” is not synonymous with “advertising.” “When you place an ad in a magazine, your message is going out to no one in particular,” Soth (locate) says. The opposite of that is HighCraft Builders’ “known-to-known” marketing approach. “The best example is a referral,” he says, “but it also happens through community involvement. People will always feel more comfortable being our clients if they know who we are.”
Elbow-rubbing boosts the company’s success. Lead tracking shows that 40% of HighCraft Builders’ work comes from referrals and 20% from home shows and public involvement. “We’ve taken advantage of our location in Old Fort Collins, downtown, by inviting past clients over to the office for cocktail parties, then taking everyone to a play at the community performance center,” Sailer says. “It reinforces our relationship in the community and gets people talking about us and our work.”
Encouraging involvement companywide, Sailer and Soth have held board positions with organizations such as the symphony, theater, and hospice, as well as professional and industry associations. They connect with clients through HighCraft’s Facebook page, and sponsor the local National Public Radio “Morning Edition.” “It really boils down to staying present with the people you’ve been associated with before,” Soth says.
“It takes effort to take some time out and participate in these groups and events, but it shows our clients that we care about the community we all live in,” Sailer adds. “That translates into a respect for their homes.”
- Lauren Hunter
