How can Public Relations help to promote Passivhaus-approved products?
Being Passivhaus approved is an objective that many building product manufacturers aspire to achieve. In this blog, we look at how Public Relations campaigns can help companies in the building products sector to effectively market and promote their Passivhaus-approved sustainable building products. Keep on reading and find out how to maximise awareness and generate sales enquiries.
Introduction to Passivhaus
According to the Passivhaus Trust, Passivhaus is a tried & tested solution that provides a range of proven approaches to deliver net-zero-ready new and existing buildings optimised for a decarbonised grid and augmented for occupant health and wellbeing.
Passivhaus is an internationally recognised design standard that focuses on achieving exceptional energy efficiency and comfort in buildings. It emphasises the use of high-quality insulation, airtightness, mechanical ventilation systems and renewable energy sources.
Building product manufacturers play a crucial role in supporting the Passivhaus movement by manufacturing and supplying sustainable materials and technologies that meet its stringent requirements. These products include insulation materials, windows and doors, ventilation systems, renewable energy solutions, plus many more.
What are the benefits of Passivhaus for buildings?
Passivhaus buildings significantly reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions and operating costs while providing a healthier, more comfortable living environment. The Passive House Institute enables easy comparison of products through total transparency in the testing procedures. The products certified by the Institute are regularly many times more energy efficient than typical components currently available on the market and can be found within its Component Database
Why should the building industry invest in public relations?
In the building products sector, where competition is high, public relations can play a vital role in creating awareness, establishing credibility and generating demand for Passivhaus-approved sustainable building products. By using a variety of PR tactics, companies can unlock the full potential of their Passivhaus-approved sustainable products and gain a competitive edge in the market.
Top tips for promoting Passivhaus-approved products
Creating a compelling PR strategy
This includes:
Define your objectives: Start by clearly defining your PR objectives. Do you want to increase brand awareness, generate media coverage, or drive more traffic to your website? Setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives will help guide your PR efforts and measure success. Here our PR team can help you formulate objectives, if you haven’t already done so.
Identify your target audience: Identify your target audience, including architects, builders, contractors, developers, and homeowners interested in sustainable construction. Understand their needs, interests, and pain points to tailor your messaging and communication channels accordingly. Our PR team are experts in recommending the media and online audiences to target. We have well established contacts with editors and bloggers, stretching over the past 20 years.
Develop key messages: Create key messages that highlight the unique features, benefits and competitive advantages of your Passivhaus-approved products. Emphasise the energy efficiency, comfort, durability, and environmental benefits of these materials. Our PR team also develop the key messages at the start of this campaign. These can be used within the boilerplate, as well as any articles or blogs, to ensure we are constantly reinforcing what is individual and unique about your organisation.
Choose PR tactics: Select the most suitable PR tactics to reach your target audience effectively. This may include media relations, thought leadership articles, influencer collaborations, digital PR, case studies, events, and more.
Create a Content Calendar: Develop a content calendar which will help you to plan and organise your PR activities. This will ensure you have a consistent flow of relevant and engaging content across different channels, including press releases, blog posts, social media updates, and email newsletters. Our PR team regularly create Content Calendars for clients, ensuring their websites are regularly updated and that our clients receive a consistent level of media coverage in the most relevant titles.
Establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Define KPIs to measure the success of your PR campaign. These may include media mentions, website traffic, social media engagement, lead generation, and sales conversions.
Build credibility through thought leadership articles
One of the most effective ways to promote Passivhaus-approved sustainable building products is by being seen as an expert and authoritative voice in the industry. By positioning your company as a trusted source of information and insights, you can build credibility and gain the trust of your target audience.
There are a number of ways to do this, including:
Write thought leadership articles: We are experts in writing thought-provoking articles which we negotiate into industry publications, online platforms, and blogs. You will become an authoritative voice on your chosen area of expertise, which could relate to Passivhaus design principles, sustainable construction practices and can discuss in these articles the benefits of using Passivhaus-approved materials.
Put forward a guest speaker from your business for events and conferences: Would your technical manager or Managing Director be willing to be a speaker or panellist at industry events, conferences, and webinars? Using our contacts and connections in the construction industry, we could share their knowledge and expertise with a wide audience, and highlight the unique features and benefits of your Passivhaus-approved products.
Create educational resources: A great way to promote your products and systems is by creating informative and educational resources, such as whitepapers, e-books, and guides, that provide valuable insights into Passivhaus construction and the role of sustainable building products. We have expertise in writing this type of whitepaper or guide and can share these resources through your website, email newsletters and social media channels.
Collaborate with industry experts: We also recommend collaborating with architects, engineers and sustainability experts to co-create content, host webinars, or conduct interviews. This will enhance your credibility and attract a broader audience interested in Passivhaus construction.
Regularly communicate with relevant editors
Media relations play a crucial role in generating media coverage and increasing the visibility of Passivhaus-approved sustainable building products. Our PR campaigns involve communicating regularly with journalists, editors, and bloggers, which means we can secure editorial features, interviews and provide guest blogs.
Engage with influencers and industry experts
Influencer marketing has become a powerful tool for building product companies to reach and engage with their target audience. Collaborating with influencers and industry experts can help amplify your brand message, increase credibility, and drive sales. We have had particular success with engaging with influencers at UK and international construction exhibitions. This includes working with them to review and trial products and carry out product demos on our clients’ exhibition stands, with great results!
Partner with a public relations agency
Promoting Passivhaus-approved sustainable building products requires a dedicated PR campaign that clearly communicates the features and benefits of these products and systems to the most relevant audiences.
Our PR team has the expertise as construction PR specialists with over 20 years’ experience, which means we can create authentic content for thought leadership articles, case studies, press releases, blogs and social media. The end result is raised brand awareness, enhanced credibility and increased demand for Passivhaus-approved products.
For more information about our PR services for the construction and associated sectors, call our team on 0114 359 5341 or email: hello@dragonflypr.co.uk