Team up with builders to boost profits

Those looking to grow their businesses have many options when it comes to marketing strategies.

For the reactive propane marketer, marketing may mean running an ad in the phone book and then waiting for the phone to ring. But in the retail propane marketing world there is a largely untapped source for growth – referrals.

It feels great when someone says, “Mrs. Jones told me you have the best service and that I should call you for my propane.” Build alliances with homebuilders, plumbers, heating and cooling professionals, rental store managers, appliance store managers, and many others in your community and you can have that feeling regularly.

By building a relationship with these people, you’ll earn referrals and improve the chances that new homes are built to use propane.

Gas appliances continue to be popular with homeowners. If a home is beyond the natural gas lines, the natural choice should be propane. Getting to know the homebuilders in your market area can help open the door to more homes being designed for propane use.

The homebuilder will be more comfortable recommending propane as the primary fuel for home heating as well as propane appliances if he is comfortable with a local retail propane marketer. A retail propane marketer who is willing to work with the homebuilder every step of the way in the design and building process will reap many benefits.

Central heat, ovens, grills, fireplaces, stoves, dryers, and water heaters are just a few of the key appliances that could require your propane for years to come.

The efficiency of propane is a selling point. The fact that installing a gas system and tank for propane is as easy as installing pipe for natural gas is another key selling point. A retail propane marketer who will install underground tanks will also be well received by the higher end homebuilder.

The Propane Education & Research Council’s Energy Savings Calculator, which can be found at www.usepropane.com, will help make the case for propane regardless of where a person is in the country.

In a world where customers like choice, a successful retail propane marketer and a successful homebuilder benefit from offering a wider variety of choices. If you can help a homebuilder offer more choices, he should appreciate a working relationship with you and your company.

It certainly can’t hurt to pursue such relationships.