Scaling Successfully

When you’re an up-and-coming business competing against giant multimillion-dollar corporations, survival seems impossible. How is a privately owned company, run by a small team — including the founder — that provides for friends and family, supposed to go toe-to-toe with the big guys without getting squashed?

Small businesses don’t always have the biggest budgets, but they do have authentic stories and person-to-person goals that resonate with everyday people. Combined with the right marketing and advertising plans, small businesses like Floorz LLC can carve out their own niche in competitive industries.

Honesty. Integrity. Servitude.

Brian Erickson is a father, family man, and floor industry expert of over 20 years. By combining his life and work experience with his personality and dedication, Brian’s created an unmatched customer experience through his company, Floorz.

When you enter the store, you’re welcomed by Floorz’s personable team of industry experts. You may visit with an idea of what you want but don’t realize that your dog will scratch up the hardwood, or that the carpeting you love isn’t toddler-proof. At Floorz, Brian and his team can help steer you to products that are right for you, your family, and your lifestyle.

Brian partners with leading brands offering manufacturer’s and installation warranties to protect his clients and employees. On the off chance that an installation goes awry, Brian covers the mistake himself.

Not many businesses are willing to make that commitment to their clients. With Floorz, you can trust that they’re going to make it right.

Advertising for Advertising's Sake

Mean Joe first connected with Brian after a referral from another partner, Chad Howman of Bath R Us. At the time, Brian had been working with a local advertising agency but wasn’t satisfied with their results.

He felt they were only doing the minimum, weren’t being productive, and lacked creative ideas. They helped Floorz advertise to advertise, without a real game plan or goal in mind.

Advertising without smart, measurable goals won’t get you far, regardless of the size of your advertising budget. But small businesses can’t afford to be reckless with their ad dollars.

To be competitive in the home improvement industry, Floorz needed strategic advertising.

To develop that strategy, Mean Joe Advertising met with Brian for a needs analysis. By discussing Floorz’s unique market value, pains, and goals, the Mean Joe team familiarized themselves with the business and its processes to craft a custom advertising plan.

Making Things Manageable

Much like Mean Joe’s strategy for Northeast Factory Direct, Floorz needed a campaign that offered them awareness, frequent leads, and the opportunity to separate themselves from the competition.

Some businesses want reports on every insight being tracked. Brian and his team, however, were concerned with being overwhelmed by granular metrics. Brian focused on the “big picture” when it came to Floorz’s success. “As long as I’m generating enough sales to cover my advertising costs and make some profit, that’s good,” he said.

We adapted Floorz’s advertising strategy to operate at Brian’s comfort level, taking as much work off his plate as possible. With less time spent stressing over insights, Brian focused his energy on running his business and serving his customers.

Small Business Strategies

To complement Floorz’s conservative advertising budget, the Mean Joe Team deployed a custom blend of advertising channels, generating positive brand sentiment, and driving in-store traffic. The radio channel WFHM The Fish, with its family-friendly format and endorser, Sara Carnes, was a perfect fit for Floorz.

Sara’s passion for interior design let Floorz speak directly to The Fish’s audience of women and moms looking to upgrade their homes at affordable prices. We then paired radio with TV, creating short infomercials to run on WEWS, Channel 5, also featuring Sara, along with Brian. Not only did this sync the ad channels, but it also gave Sara hands-on experience with the products that she shared with her audience.

Finally, we crafted a digital advertising campaign through search and PPC. While new to digital advertising, Brian didn’t hesitate to trust the plan and went after the goals we set. By diversifying advertising channels, Floorz kept its cost per lead low — complimenting its budget — while generating enough revenue for long-term growth.

Results You Can Trust

Brian and the Floorz team made this strategy successful with their energy and willingness to go all-in. As a result, Floorz has opened a second store, expanded its office space, upgraded its warehouse, and is opening a third location. An example for small businesses everywhere, we’re proud to be a part of this fantastic company’s growth and excited to see what Floorz achieves next.

Need help with your advertising?

Our advertising partnerships are what separate us from other agencies. The relationship we have with partners like Floorz, accompanied with our strategies and custom creative deliver qualified leads that convert. Let’s set up time to talk about your business and how we can create a mutually beneficial partnership.