Home Remodeler Grows 287% With Inbound Marketing Plan

Case Study Overview

Tilghman Builders, a family-owned and operated home renovation company contacted LAIRE to reach more high-quality prospects online and increase revenue.

When we first met them in 2015, they handled all marketing themselves, which was limited to direct postcards and a self-made website. They were paying an SEO firm a large monthly retainer to “keep them ranking” but saw little to no return on their investment.

We implemented an aggressive content strategy, inbound marketing, rebranding, website redesign, and digital advertising to help them reach their goals.

Growth Timeline at a Glance

• In 2015, Tilghman Builders came to LAIRE seeking marketing support but wanting to start "small" with social media posts.
• After six months, both our team and theirs decided it was time to take things up a notch, implementing a custom inbound marketing strategy that included a rebrand and full website redesign, HubSpot website integration, ongoing content marketing and optimization, and more.
• In 2018 and then 2021, we ramped up paid advertising on Facebook and Google search respectively, driving more traffic to their site and qualified leads to their contact list.
• In 2022, Tilghman Builders expanded their home remodeling services, and we created lead generation-focused content to bolster the initiative.
• Now, through our partnership, the company saw over seven times as many marketing-qualified leads in 2023 than in 2016 — and has more than tripled its revenue. What’s more, Tilghman Builders has positioned itself as a force to be reckoned with in its local market.

Who Is Tilghman Builders?

Tilghman Builders is a family-owned and operated home renovation company. The owners, along with their employee-based team, deliver high-quality residential projects, from second-story additions and in-law suites to kitchen renovations, exterior remodeling, and garage conversions.

The Problem in 2015: Lack of Marketing Strategy and Consistent Branding Hindered ROI

When Tilghman Builders first came to us in 2015, the company had up to $1.5 million in annual sales.

They were making an impact in their community, with raving clients and beautiful results, but only received new business from referrals. Their average job size was just under $100,000, which is representative of a large kitchen remodel.

While the team did have some higher-valued additions, their schedule was primarily filled with smaller projects that required just as much effort but resulted in considerably less profit.

From brand awareness to lead generation, Tilghman Builders struggled to meet their goals. At the time:

• Their website was outdated and did not convey the superior quality of their HGTV-worthy projects or provide useful content to generate leads.
• Their portfolio and featured projects were not representative of their capabilities and were not helping them land larger, more modern projects.
• Their direct mail marketing postcards used outdated images with no conversion opportunities for the reader besides making a call.
• Their social media presence was minimal with only a few posts a year.
• There were little to no lead nurturing efforts in place to facilitate communication for prospective customers in the consideration phase (which can be a year or more) of a home remodel.

Our Strategies to Target More High-Quality Leads

Starting Small With Social Media Marketing

In 2015, Tilghman Builders wanted to increase their revenue and maintain an emphasis on larger projects without dramatically altering their established brand.

To accommodate this, we started small, managing social media to improve their brand image and presence at a pace that worked for the Tilghmans. We began posting regularly on Facebook and Instagram, highlighting their recent projects, team, and client testimonials.

Website Redesign and HubSpot Integration

While keeping the logo and general branding the same, we updated the website to show Tilghman’s wide variety of projects, prepared it to hold future marketing content, and added marketing conversion points.

Part of this process also included moving their website to the HubSpot platform to streamline their website efforts with future inbound marketing strategies.

A Focus on Remarkables

As part of our website redesign, we focused on what made Tilghman Builders remarkable in their messaging.

Aside from their high-quality craftsmanship, their team is what sets them apart from their competitors. While other home remodeling companies hire contract workers for their projects who often lack loyalty and pride in their workmanship, Tilghman Builders has a team of employees who are centered around a culture of trust, quality, and dedication. This message was incorporated in all possible places - website copy, email marketing, social media posts, sales materials, and paid media.

Content for the Entire Buyer Journey

From 2016 to 2022, we zoned in on content optimization. The company’s blogs, website pages, and content offers were created from scratch or updated to boost search engine optimization (SEO) and align with buyer personas.

That said, our initial content plan centered around local and industry keywords and frequently asked home improvement questions so we had a strong foundation of blogs and resources to share with the builder’s growing contact list.

After building resources to nurture existing relationships, we moved on to inbound marketing and preparing strategically aligned content to help prospective customers make buying decisions.

Tilghman’s content strategy evolved to include eBooks and case studies on their website. These resources are curated to be helpful and center around showing Tilghman’s high-dollar projects, budget recommendations, specific project guides, and more.

Direct Mail, But With a Facelift

To get in front of new prospects and showcase Tilghman’s stunning work, we’ve elevated our direct mail postcards over the years, updating images and finetuning messaging that focuses on homeowner pain points and providing inspiration.

The most recent postcard mailers for Tilghman Builders developed in 2023, feature promotions for interior and exterior renovation services. The unique value Tilghman can provide for home projects based on their background, process, and staff are listed on the back.

By targeting neighborhoods with a higher average income, we were able to narrow in on specific pain points to generate leads and implemented a QR code to drive prospects to a unique landing page.

Traffic-Driving Digital Ads

Throughout the years, there have been several avenues of digital advertising that LAIRE has supported to help Tilghman Builders achieve their goals. There were often two primary campaign focuses; promotions to boost desired projects and promotions for project openings Tilghman had in their schedule.

In 2018, we leveraged Facebook ads to reach homeowners in specific zip codes, targeted by their interests related to home renovations, to drive traffic to the company’s website portfolio and introduce new conversion offers.

Then, in 2021, Google search ads were added to the mix to attract prospective customers seeking to invest in home renovation projects. Using trending search queries revolving around home remodeling, the ads drove increased traffic to the Tilghman Builders website.

Then, in 2021, Google search ads were added to the mix to attract prospective customers seeking to invest in home renovation projects. Using trending search queries revolving around home remodeling, the ads drove increased traffic to the Tilghman Builders website. This effort generated eight new high-quality leads in just four months with a modest spend.

Expanding Efforts and Offerings

While the Tilghmans started as an interior home remodeler, they expanded their service offerings to include exterior remodeling in 2022, such as roofing, siding, and windows.

We added content and keywords to their website to build awareness and drive traffic, as well as enhance search engine rankings for these service offerings. Through these efforts, we generated 71.6% more contacts in Q1 of 2022 than in Q1 of 2021.

We also began to increase focus on social media, specifically Instagram, which enabled us to use video stories to highlight the Tilghman Builders team and their quality of work.

A Rebrand to Convey Timeless Quality

Tilghman Builder’s original brand image did not convey its modern, creative approach to interior and exterior design and remodeling.

Our goal was to maintain Tilghman’s family-oriented feel while conveying the “Tilghman Builders Experience,” where workmanship is of the highest quality and hassle-free.

As part of Tilghman’s rebrand, LAIRE created an updated logo with a font and color palette that conveys elegance and high esteem as home renovators. The updated colors are grounded by black and white, with soft blue and green accents, a calming palette that provides a sense of trust and approachability.

Like their logo, the company’s website was not reflective of their high-quality, varied home renovation capabilities. LAIRE saw the opportunity to further showcase Tilghman Builders’ projects and expertise through a brand-aligned website redesign that included a robust, user-friendly portfolio and resources like their Home Remodeling FAQ.

We completed in-depth research of their brand and their buyer personas to ensure messaging, imagery, and content resonated with Tilghman’s desired prospective customers and felt helpful to their home renovation journey. We worked closely with Tilghman to capture their warm, family feel, coupled with their eye for clean, modern design and skilled craftsmanship.

The brand’s presence applies well across digital and print platforms and sets the company up for success in future marketing initiatives.

The Results: More Website Visitors, Qualified Leads, and Clients

Since our partnership went into full force in 2016, and up through December 2023, Tilghman Builders has seen 617.14% growth in marketing-qualified leads, 783.07% growth in organic website traffic, and a 0.92% average in web traffic conversions to contacts.

With more than 213,000 website sessions and 1,859 new contacts generated through website sessions alone from the beginning of 2016 to December of 2023, the impact of our marketing strategy and tactics is apparent.

2023 (YTD*)
*1/1/2023 - 12/20/2023

• Website Traffic (Sessions): 40,047
• Session to Contact Rate: 1%
• Marketing-Qualified Leads: 251

2022

• Website Traffic (Sessions): 39,656
• Session to Contact Rate: 0.86%
• Marketing-Qualified Leads: 186

2021

• Website Traffic (Sessions): 52,069
• Session to Contact Rate: 0.77%
• Marketing-Qualified Leads: 186

2020

• Website Traffic (Sessions): 38,431
• Session to Contact Rate: 0.64%
• Marketing-Qualified Leads: 138

2019

• Website Traffic (Sessions): 16,114
• Session to Contact Rate: 1.22%
• Marketing-Qualified Leads: 104

2018

• Website Traffic (Sessions): 15,890
• Session to Contact Rate: 1.13%
• Marketing-Qualified Leads: 89

2017

• Website Traffic (Sessions): 6,468
• Session to Contact Rate: 0.8%
• Marketing-Qualified Leads: 30

2016

• Website Traffic (Sessions): 4,535
• Session to Contact Rate: 0.97%
• Marketing-Qualified Leads: 35

Our Impact on Tilghman Builders’ Bottom Line

As our long-time client, we’ve nurtured a wonderful partnership with Tilghman Builders. We have been their trusted marketing partner through both strong and slow economies, adjusting our tactics based on their specific needs at a given time.

Their lead quality, job size, and revenue have all grown exponentially in our time working together. In fact, the company brought in $5.8 million in 2023 — with nearly $2.1 million of that directly tied to marketing efforts — and a 2024 projection of $7.5 million. The 2023 annual revenue data point shows a 286.67% increase over the $1.5 million they earned at the beginning of our partnership in 2015.

We’ve not only helped build the brand but have also rebranded it along the way to align with their evolving needs and the evolving client base, helping them navigate through various economic landscapes and stages in their growth.

Are you a home builder looking for marketing support? We can build a strategy for success for your business from the ground up. Get a free 1:1 consultation from our CEO to learn how we can help you.