Objectives

What did we hear from stakeholders regarding change?

Shifting Needs and Preferences​

There has been a shift in desires and priorities amongst target audience groups primarily due to advancements in technology. The effects of these advancements include:​

• Speed of access to information, delivery, and execution has become a greater priority​

• The increased need for more specialized expertise and offering different methods of communication and planning (some groups are more tech-savvy than others)​

• Younger contractors are starting to prefer working with project-based manager vs. outside salesperson

What did we hear from stakeholders regarding challenges?

Reinforcing Our Advantages​

There is a general lack of awareness amongst target audience members of Ferguson’s full list of capabilities including:​

• Digital tools and features​

• Project planning and management functionalities​

• Dedicated national team of resources and local knowledge

What did we hear from stakeholders regarding end goals?

• Drive Online Adoption​

  • Generate greater awareness and understanding of digital tools to empower customers, alleviate their pain points, and keep up with their needs.​

• Tout Our Strengths​

  • Position Ferguson as an invested partner that collaborates with customers to build better projects and through doing so, helps grow their business. ​

• Recruitment And Industry Leadership ​

  • Grow the technical knowledge of their subject matter experts and broaden recruitment efforts to include the engineering community.

What did we hear from our customers?

Preference for Partnership​

Digitally Distressed​

Digitally Distressed, But Not Adverse​

Passive Industry Involvement​

Strategy and Execution

Strategy

Reach

• This is intended to pull the audience in and reinforce our understanding of the industry space.
• Increase awareness and promote recognition of all audience segments through industry, brand, and project messaging in a celebratory and relatable manner.
• Content should stand out in the feed and assure the audience that we see and “get them”.​
• Champion The Trades

  • There are several job types within the industry, each having its own set of unique challenges and expectations. Ferguson has the opportunity to show appreciation and true understanding of all industry segments to further solidify perception of the brand.​

    • Acknowledge and celebrate the important work each of the trades is responsible for​

    • Initiatives for filling the skilled trade ​shortage + STEM

• In the Works

  • Excite and appeal to the various audience segments by highlighting work across the different fields. Sharing the current happenings in the space gives them behind-the-scenes views they seek.​

    • Show exciting and unique jobsites or projects​

Deepen

• This will position Ferguson Waterworks as a thought leader and invested partner.

• Strengthen Ferguson’s standing within the industry and in the minds of customers.​

• Content should be informative but not overly sales-y and aid viewers in understanding all that Ferguson has to offer.

• Service + Support

  • Showcase the Ferguson Waterworks range of product and service offerings.​

  • Digital feature and resource how-tos​

  • Product highlights and features​

  • Event participation and announcements​

  • Continued education and trainings opportunities

• Ferguson POV

  • To show the depth of Ferguson Waterworks’ understanding and impact in the industry.​

  • Ask the expert posts ​

  • Share content on the industry and its future​

Magnify

• This is the opportunity to prove your expertise and ability to problem solve.

• Validate Ferguson Waterworks’ position as the most valuable supplier and partner in the industry.​

• Content should tell the stories of how Ferguson brought value to a project or solution to a problem.

• Portfolio Pieces

  • Real-life examples of Ferguson Waterworks projects verify your capabilities – building trust in the brand and its offering.​

  • Featured project case studies​

• Expert Profiles

  • Spotlight Ferguson Waterworks’ biggest strength, its people.​

  • Add a layer of humanity to the feed by giving Ferguson experts a platform to share their stories and insights.​

  • Stories of overcoming obstacles on difficult projects​

  • Award and recognition announcements

Results

Waterworks successfully launched 97 posts throughout the calendar year of 2021. 

Of those 97 posts:

• 25 featured Champion the Trades (Reach)
  • 24% Engagement Rate
• 26 featured Service + Support (Deepen)
  • 19% Engagement Rate
• 11 featured In the Works (Reach)
  • 11% Engagement Rate
• 10 featured Ferguson POV (Deepen)
  • 9% Engagement Rate
• 10 featured Portfolio Pieces (Magnify)
  • 8% Engagement Rate
• 9 featured Expert Profiles (Magnify)
  • 23% Engagement Rate
• 6 featured other A/B testing topics
  • 6% Engagement Rate

By organizing our LinkedIn content based on a set of priorities and goals that laddered up to larger business goals and initiatives for Ferguson Waterworks, we can successfully say that we have positioned Ferguson Waterworks as the foundation of a better build. We were able to bring this to life by creating content that compels users and our ability to be the guiding voice and thought leader for the Waterworks industry started with the content we pushed out into the world.​

Media