Smarter Building Materials Marketing

It’s time to talk numbers again: about the housing economy and building materials, and what the housing recession means for manufacturers. (Note: It’s not all bad news.)

We’re bringing John Burns on to the show again this week for a temperature check. With words like “recession” and “risk” on everyone’s mind, we wanted to explore what’s happening in the market with an expert who sees the opportunities ahead.

We’ve always said your online presence should be your best salesperson, and our guest this week indulged us with a great discussion on the world of eCommerce. Building materials brands have a huge opportunity when it comes to online sales, and we think everyone will want to learn more.

The CEO of DecksDirect, Blair Budlong, joined us for an in-depth look at eCommerce and how brands can sell better (even faster) to their online audience. We got some great ideas and insight into the world of selling online and what the future holds for the building materials market.

After the pandemic, homeowners across the United States have discovered different ways of living, working and playing in their communities — and developers have taken note. This week, we talked with a mixed-use developer whose innovative, EPIC projects are getting noticed.

McKenzy Braaten is the Vice President of Communications for EPIC Companies. The Fargo-based firm is a commercial and multi-family developer with a big vision and bigger plans for mixed-use construction. We were thrilled to have her on the show to talk more about how manufacturers can improve how they sell to developers.

How can our industry be more effective in adding — and elevating — women to our organizations? This week’s show is all about how building materials companies can grow and succeed in ways that bring in more women to the industry.

This week, we welcome Amy Smiley, Vice President of Marketing for 84 Lumber. She talked about how manufacturers can help grow the industry by hiring and empowering more women in the workforce, and it’s a conversation we’re excited to have.

One of the biggest questions in building materials today is how shifts in the housing market will impact building products. There's a lot of uncertainty about what's going to happen with the economy, and that can dictate the way you market and sell your product.

Greg Brooks is the Moderator for the Executive Council on Construction Supply and a member of the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. He’s got connections in the industry and tons of insight into what dealers need to know about today’s housing market and economy.

In building materials, one of our biggest audiences is architects. This episode is all about how to not only target one of our favorite communities but how to educate and engage the modern architect.

Stephen Martin is the Managing Director of Professional Development and Resources for the American Institute of Architects. His work with AIA gives him more perspective than most on the world of architects — and his background in education makes him a great guest for this week’s show.

What does it mean to build a brand with purpose? This week’s podcast is about creating building materials businesses for the greater good and leading people through conflict. Whether you’re managing a team of two or 200, this is an episode you’ll want to hear.

Toby Bostwick is the VP of Product and Brand at Fortress Building Products. He’s helping to grow the highly successful Texas-based brand and part of his strategy is leading and managing his team more effectively.

We’re diving into digital marketing, supply channel conflict and industry prediction with Mark Mitchell, one of our favorite experts in the building materials industry. You’ll want to take notes when you listen to this one!  

Mark, who is also known as the “The Whizard,” brings decades of experience and a ton of perspective to product marketing, the labor shortage and the future of construction. 

The future of the building industry rests on the technology we’re using today. This week’s episode looks at the growing landscape of 3D-printed homes and how building materials companies can help builders and pros to adapt to a new kind of construction.

Michael Woods, CEO and COO of Black Buffalo, is committed to making the building process more efficient with their 3D printing technology by helping to revolutionize the process of construction. Michael shares with Zach how they are introducing builders to the idea of 3D-printed homes and converting them to use their technology.

LinkedIn has over 800 million users in more than 200 countries today. It’s a powerful community where marketing and sales professionals in the building materials space can share content and support their business growth, all on one platform. And many of us could be using it more effectively.

There’s a way to reach out to potential customers on LinkedIn, and there’s a way not to. Venveo’s Ashley Stevenson and Zach Williams talk about the platform and strategies for outreach so that you can make authentic connections and build your building materials business.