Winning over residential specification!
How do you reach specifiers with a targeted communication strategy and tailored content?
To nurture its relationship with the players in residential specification and build brand preference, Schneider Electric called on Convergence to develop a sharp communication strategy tailored to each of its targets.
Following extensive work on "product and technical" communication tools, the manufacturer needed our support to find a common thread and focus its energies on a targeted, effective strategy.
Our objective? To make Schneider Electric THE benchmark brand for the specifier target in the residential housing sector.
BrandSchneider Electric
SectorConstruction – housing
BusinessConnectivity, electrical equipment
Website se.com
Building relationships to build brand preference
To carry its ambitions on the market, Schneider Electric set out to address all the players in collective and individual residential specification:
- Social housing providers
- Property developers and builders, single-family housebuilders
- Architects, interior designers and decorators
- Design consultancies, quantity surveyors
With regard to these targets, the manufacturer gave us the mission of raising the brand's visibility by focusing on 3 priority areas:
- Establishing messaging centred on its values (comfort, energy efficiency and safety, sustainability and the environment)
- Expanding its market coverage (opt-ins, sales contacts, etc.)
- Showcasing its solutions for connected, sustainable housing
The challenge here was therefore to develop a genuinely relational and engaging approach with the targets. To do so, we needed to devise a communication strategy based on creating high-added-value content — an approach we firmly champion if you want to reach your specification targets.
In concrete terms, this means moving away from an overly navel-gazing (i.e. product-centred) approach to communication, and refocusing on an approach that puts the targets and their concerns at its heart. In this strategy, content and communication materials become genuine tools for helping specifiers build their skills. This upskilling must rest on concrete elements:
- Insights into their markets: offering perspectives, sharing knowledge
- Abandoning the advertising approach in favour of one that demonstrates expertise and benefits for the targets — genuine evidence-based messaging
- High-added-value content that can be leveraged across multiple channels
- Content focused on meeting the targets' real needs (staying informed, saving time, building skills, discovering new perspectives, presenting and specifying new solutions)
- An omnichannel approach suited to the specification target, moving easily from digital to physical according to their needs
Analysing specification practices
Analysing the conversational and behavioural data collected delivers valuable insights
Schneider Electric wanted to underpin its approach to residential specification with an audit. A preliminary study was therefore carried out to analyse the targets' expectations, practices and behaviours. Analysing the conversational and behavioural data collected gave us valuable insights:
- The flagship topics the targets search for (eco-design, case studies, sector news, the health crisis, transformation of the profession, etc.)
- Their main information channels (print and digital media, social networks)
- The formats they like best (long-form articles, interviews with opinion leaders, sector news and challenges, photos, technological innovations)
- Their appetite for topics that inspire them and help them innovate
The communication tools we recommended and rolled out for Schneider Electric are therefore aligned with this philosophy: materials that allow the brand to build relationships with its targets by focusing on their needs and practices.
- Perspectives, an e-magazine (or enriched newsletter)
- Interviews with opinion leaders from the sector
- Project guides (or case studies)
- An evolving web page
Perspectives, an e-magazine (or enriched newsletter)
Perspectives, an e-magazine (or enriched newsletter) offering a fresh approach for developers and builders committed to the housing of tomorrow, presenting original viewpoints and first-hand experience. This content both creates a regular fixture (and therefore a bond), while enhancing the brand's position as an opinion leader. It is a genuine "mini-media outlet" championing a sharp, well-argued journalistic approach. Each issue explores a chosen theme linked to the targets' current concerns.
The newsletter makes a strong comeback: for several years now, newsletters have been back in the spotlight in B2B! Find out why they are particularly well suited to construction markets in our article
Interviews with opinion leaders from the sector
Interviews with opinion leaders from the sector: in connection with the current e-magazine theme, the agency runs the Schneider Electric blog through interviews with figures well known in the industry, discussing a hot topic with them. The objective? To gather their analysis and question them on their longer-term vision, in order to inform the targets AND prompt them to take action.
Interview with an opinion leader on a regulatory topic: A real audience success, this interview with Hervé Chavet, Technical and R&D Director at Hexaôm, illustrates the influence potential of this format.
Project guides (or case studies)
Project guides (or case studies), whose objective is to demonstrate through evidence Schneider Electric's ability to offer its targets innovative, sustainable and connected solutions. Through a flagship worksite, the guides present the brand's solutions by giving a voice to the project's stakeholders (architects, developers, installers, etc.). Combined with a download form, these case studies are genuine contact "magnets". They spark the interest of specifiers who, in exchange for their contact details, gain access to premium content. A virtuous, high-quality and non-intrusive way to gather leads!
Schneider Electric project guide – Le domaine d'Adèle: Project guides are an effective tool for showcasing one of your projects in a pragmatic way, as we did for the Domaine d'Adèle project.
An evolving web page
An evolving web page, designed as a genuine landmark for all the communications and a working tool for specifiers: it brings together the topics and information that structure the approach, along with an invitation to take action with the brand's solutions. It is a true manifesto for Schneider Electric's approach to residential specification and a focal point for the various marketing actions developed.
A web page as the focal point of the actions: A well-structured web page is essential to give coherence and impact to the full set of tools, and to guide the specification journey towards conversion.
Results
In less than a year, the brand reached out to its residential specifiers
By putting this approach in place, Schneider Electric began building a strong bond with its specification targets.
This is a long-term endeavour requiring consistency and regularity in content production. In less than a year, the brand reached out to its residential specifiers with:
- 8 e-magazines (or enriched newsletters)
- 6 interviews with opinion leaders
- 2 project guides (or case studies)
- 1 dedicated web page
Our finest collaborations, told by the people who know them best
Convergence imagined and delivered the tools best suited to the launch of our Elixair range, thanks to their knowledge of our sector, the quality of their work and their ability to push our thinking ever further. A true partnership of equals where we challenge each other to keep improving!
Katerina V. Global Communication Manager Pam Building
Attentiveness, responsiveness, expertise and creativity are the words that best sum up our collaboration with Convergence. The agency has supported JELD-WEN in developing the brand for several years and has created a genuine campaign tone that quickly became the brand's signature.
Anne R. Marketing and Communications Manager
A responsive, available and highly rigorous team, with solid expertise in the construction sector and consistently sound advice. Their creative approach gave our catalogue a real boost. A big thank you to the whole Convergence team for their commitment and the quality of this great collaboration.
Lauren C. Publishing Manager
A great day-to-day collaboration: the team immediately understood the PUM universe, while bringing innovative ideas to the table. Special thanks to Véronique for the quality of our exchanges and her responsiveness, which make projects smooth and efficient.
Lea C. Commercial Communications Officer
Since I arrived in the construction sector, working with Convergence has been a real asset. Their understanding of the market and its customers, their creativity and the quality of their support bring genuine added value to our campaigns. A trusted partner who is a pleasure to work with.
Valentine G. Marketing Manager
Thanks to Convergence's expertise in the construction sector, we were able to move forward much faster, developing tools perfectly suited to the specific needs of our B2B audience.
Rami J. Marketing and Communications Director
Convergence has been able to adapt to our organisation and has become a genuine day-to-day support as a hyper-specialist in communication for the construction industry.
Maxime B. Communications, Marketing and Specification Manager
When the time came to unveil our new brand platform, Convergence found just the right words to create a clear, impactful identity for us. Clients and employees alike embraced it immediately.
Priscille T. Operational Marketing Manager
Working with Convergence means being able to put yourself in the hands of an enthusiastic, efficient team that understands our business challenges perfectly. Thank you for bringing our projects to life.
Alizée E. B2B2C Marketing Project Manager
The Convergence teams supported us in defining and structuring our new range. They helped us design a universe, messages and tools perfectly suited to our target audience, to convey the key information clearly and powerfully.
Alexandre P. Product, Communications and Digital Manager
Convergence's specialisation makes all the difference! I particularly appreciate their responsiveness, their ability to listen and the thinking they bring to our projects. Their strategic and operational support makes for a valuable, effective collaboration.
Virginie Q. Operational Marketing & Communications Manager
In CONVERGENCE we found much more than a marketing agency: a true strategic partner, able to understand our challenges, take ownership of our objectives and turn them into impactful campaigns, always delivered with professionalism, creativity and positive energy.
Nadine C. & Marion C. Marketing and Communications Officers
Working with Convergence makes a real difference on the various topics that concern us as a construction manufacturer. We don't need to train them — they already know the market.
Stefen W. Communications Officer
Thank you for your support — a successful campaign on every level, with KPIs that put a big smile on our faces 🤩
Anaïs G. Digital Specialist
Convergence provides us with high-quality support, delivered by a responsive and fully committed team. Their excellent understanding of our challenges and specific needs, combined with their creativity and ability to deliver, is a real asset.
Eugénie C. Communications Manager
Beyond the support we receive throughout a project, what is particularly valuable when working with Convergence is the upstream phase: they take the time to analyse the environment and the target audiences, and to take a step back. That is very important for our strategic projects!
Nicolas B. Client Marketing and Training Manager
Convergence stands out for its agile, professional support, offering excellent expertise across all of our launch projects. Strategies are tailor-made to our objectives and communication is always transparent!
Juliette T. Communications Manager
Convergence has supported us for 5 years, on one-off projects as much as on more strategic challenges. Their knowledge of the sector, of our clients and of our challenges is genuine added value, and our collaboration grows richer project after project.
Aurélie B. Client Marketing and Communications Manager
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