NEWS EXTRA: BHETA Are you making the most of influencers?


Will Jones, Chief Operating Officer of The British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA) takes a look at the world of social media and digital marketing and offers advice on how retailers can use it to promote their own businesses.


We know the DIY world


is changing and with consumer perceptions of do-it-yourself improving radically over the last couple of years, the category has been transformed. DIY is once


again a mainstream


activity for a whole new generation as opposed to a mildly eccentric hobby for a minority. A big driver and beneficiary of this positive shift has been digital marketing. Online shopping has become more familiar


even in have this sector


where assisted purchase and product trial have long played such significant role. Many suppliers


reconfigured


their online presence or created anew not only to ensure they had the most effective online routes to market, but also to drive sales and brand loyalty through online tutorials, demos and end user support. It’s been great to see that


BHETA member service providers have been


able


to help with advice on best practice and technical support, wherever needed. One thing that strikes me however is that while DIY suppliers and retailers have embraced digital in general like never before, some are yet to take the opportunity to work with influencers to the same degree as their BHETA counterparts


in housewares and small domestic electricals.


Exclusively Show One difference may be the exposure the latter categories have had to what can seem at first to be a bizarre new world


at respected BHETA’s Exclusively


well- Show


where influencers are a hugely present force. At this year’s show, the popular Brand Showcase area, where the media congregate, welcomed some two hundred journalists, bloggers and influencers to a curated edition of the show as whole. There was an army of ‘cleanfluencers’ and home organisers there


8 DIY WEEK SEPTEMBER 2022


as well as foodies, eco living fans, home décor focussed channels, garden and gift and family channels, all keen to trial and recommend products to their followers. Exclusively is


in fact the biggest press


and influencer event of its kind – with a consumer reach of over twenty million – an eye- watering figure, with a sales driving power which is not to be sniffed at.


For many of these influencers, DIY tools, consumables and techniques are just as interesting a source of engaging content as are cooking and cleaning products. Not only does DIY remain


set of DIY tools and equipment to higher quality brands.


‘on trend’ including


recycling, upcycling, making, mending and re-making, but we now have recognition that like gardening, DIY is good for mental health. And we have many more young people, many self-taught, courtesy of the internet, entering the market with enthusiasm to upgrade their first, lockdown


Strategic approach As with any marketing approach, it is vital to be strategic, on brand and to choose your online collaborators with care – not necessarily just because they are the biggest or shout the loudest. This is about ‘influence’ after all, so it is important to work with influencers who have true engagement with their audience, such that there will be positive outcomes for sales as well as just positive outputs. Whether it’s editorial content, paid for partnerships or gifted collaborations, a high quality and well thought through influencer programme can bring products and brands alive in a really big way. There are some great examples of BHETA DIY suppliers who have really discovered this over the last couple of years and are reaping the benefits. It will be worth at least investigating the


‘For many of these influencers, DIY tools, consumables and techniques are just as interesting a source of engaging content as are cooking and cleaning products’


possibilities of following suit. For


the of


anyone who doubts potential


this


communications channel when well-handled, I would refer them to the many recent articles in mainstream national newspapers on the new breed of ‘DIY influencer’, exclaiming at their talent, savviness and ability to add thousands


to


the value of their homes, and those of


their followers. It’s also fascinating to witness


what seems to a direct link between the emergence of DIY as ‘cool’ with people sharing hacks on socials and DIY retailers identifying this trend and opening new stores in ‘trendy’ hot spots; unheard of just a couple of years ago. As consumers think more about the environments they live in, they are turning more and more to social media for ideas, inspiration and how to videos. We all need to make sure that the DIY sector recognises this and benefits from it.


Even if not every consumer, supplier or retailer warms to the concept of DIY online let alone DIY influencers, in such a changed world and such a changed sector,


it’s important


that the sector is alerted to and enabled to explore the potential and the implications from a position of knowledge and expertise. That is exactly how BHETA through its events programme


and business


service providers can help members.


Find out more… For more information about BHETA, the association’s events and services, contact the BHETA Member Services team on 0121 237 1130 or visit the BHETA website www.bheta.co.uk.


www.diyweek.net


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