How This Fresh Coat Franchisee's Grassroots Marketing Plan Helped Him Grow His Business
Yuri Lorenzsonn's emphasis on community outreach has helped him create a successful painting franchise in Houston.
As a Fresh Coat* Painters franchisee, Yuri Lorenzsonn has spent the past decade building his painting business in West Houston. While hard work and exemplary service have certainly played a role in his efforts, Lorenzsonn attributes a large portion of his success to a strong focus on community outreach and grassroots marketing initiatives.
From placing yard signs to building relationships with local businesses, Lorenzsonn leaves no stone unturned when it comes to spreading the word about Fresh Coat Painters.
Building Trust With Local Businesses
Lorenzsonn's hands-on approach to marketing involves leaving business cards at every Sherwin Williams store in the area. He’s diligent about "quarterly runs" made by the franchise’s project manager and painters to connect with the local Sherwin Williams stores. "We make sure that every Sherwin has our business cards and we make it a point to meet those store employees,” Lorenzsonn said, “so they can associate our logo with us and the quality of work that we do, and more importantly the quality of the products that we purchase."
Of course, outreach is only the first part of the equation. Lorenzsonn noted that Fresh Coat Painters had to put in the work to earn the trust of the Sherwin Williams store managers that they work with by consistently delivering quality results. As a result, these store managers are quite willing to promote Fresh Coat Painters’ services when dealing with other contractors.
Investing in Brand Exposure
Lorenzsonn also works hard to get the word out to the local community about his brand. For example, all of Fresh Coat Painters’ company vehicles are wrapped or adorned with signs. He also places yard signs at all projects, ensuring visibility in the neighborhoods where they work.
"All of our projects have yard signs,” Lorenzsonn said. “We're permitted every once in a while to go in a neighborhood that doesn't allow signs but then we make sure to park the vehicle outside with our logo on it."
Lorenzsonn also employs a tactic that he calls "road signs," which involves placing signs at major intersections throughout West Houston. These signs all have different phone numbers, which allows Lorenzsonn to track their effectiveness. This, combined with strategically placed yard signs, maximizes exposure for the Fresh Coat Painters brand.
Keeping the Clients in the Loop
Before venturing into franchising, Lorenzsonn worked at Home Depot for 17 years. While he was there, he noticed a common issue with the contractors — while they excelled in their craft, they often left homeowners feeling lost and uninformed during the initial stages of a project.
"They would leave the client alone with no guidance — just 'I'm here to pick out cabinets' or 'I'm here to paint your house,’” he said. “This lack of guidance left homeowners confused and overwhelmed when trying to make decisions about their projects.”
This realization led Lorenzsonn to invest in Fresh Coat Painters with a commitment to providing comprehensive support to clients from start to finish. He emphasized the importance of offering clarity and guidance at every step of the process. “We bring the professional into the client's home to select colors,” he said. “We talk about the different products that we can apply. We talk about the different machines. So we bring everything to the client.”
The moment clients book an appointment, Fresh Coat Painters ensures they know what to expect. The team personally visits the home, takes measurements, discusses the project with the client, and provides a detailed proposal during the same visit.
Fresh Coat Painters also provides a color consultant who visits the client's home to assist with color selection and discuss product options, eliminating the need for clients to visit stores like Sherwin Williams or Home Depot.
Lorenzsonn’s goal is to create a seamless experience where clients feel supported and informed without having to leave their homes. “Our client should not have to leave their home to ask questions,” he said.
This commitment to offering a comprehensive service that anticipates and addresses client needs from start to finish is what Lorenzsonn believes sets Fresh Coat Painters apart and contributes to its success. However, it is through strong grassroots marketing that he ensures his great service can reach as many local community members as possible.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/freshcoat/info.
*This brand is a paid partner of 1851 Franchise. For more information on paid partnerships please click here.
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