By Steve Leslie
The pool and spa industry saw one of the biggest economic booms ever during the pandemic. People could not travel or leave the house, and money was cheap. Further, because of demand, the consumer was at the mercy of the business. This meant companies could be more selective with their customer choices, and marketing campaigns played a relatively minor role. Fast forward to the latter half of 2022 and the “gold rush” was subsiding. However, this does not have to be a bad thing. Despite any negative connotations, there is value in exploring the changing landscape, pinpointing competitive advantages, and emphasizing the necessity for adaptation within the pool and spa industry.
One of the biggest changes amongst homeowners over the past decade has been a shift away from answering the phone. Though pool and spa industry professionals may prefer the personal touch of a phone call, it is not the first choice amongst homeowners.
In 2017, the CRTC released a study indicating more than 30 per cent of Canada’s population had registered to Canada’s “Do Not Call” list, with more registering each day.1 A news story from October 2021 furthers this behaviour. A hiker was lost on Colorado’s tallest mountain for more than 24 hours. Search and rescue teams were reaching out, trying to call him on his cell phone, but could not get an answer. He was eventually found, and when asked why he did not pick up, he said it was because he did not recognize the number.2 Imagine being lost on a mountain, in survival mode, and still refusing to answer the phone for fear of spam. This is just one example that shows how much people hate unsolicited phone calls.
The intensity of people’s aversion to these phone calls may be found within the infamous trademark by author and sales trainer, Jeffery Gitomer. He stated, “People don’t want to be sold, but they love to buy.”3 This is why people have a hard time entering new vendor booths at trade shows, because of the fear of walking into a sales presentation. They would much rather check out a product online. In fact, nearly 60 per cent of all consumers do some online research before they consider even reaching out to a company.4 Navigating the online world might appear daunting, but it does not need to be. Much like building an inground pool, the landscape for marketing and communication may change, but the core principles remain the same. It all comes down to understanding the customer’s preferences.
