WHEN MONEY IS TIGHT, it can be tempting to slash the marketing budget first. But for Fun Outdoor Living, that wasn’t an option.
“Before the recession, we would simply have a high volume of hot tubs sold and not a whole lot of effort put in to move that product,” says John DiFiore, owner of the Indian Trail, N.C., store. “The buyers were coming to you. During the recession, we really had to knuckle down and get into some grassroots marketing campaigns in order to help stimulate demand in the marketplace.”
DiFiore would advertise with road signs, classified ads, even fliers in mailboxes they had printed themselves. “We couldn’t even afford to have them professionally printed,” DiFiore says. “You can never stop marketing; you just need to find more cost-effective ways to get the message out when times are tough.”
The approach worked, and in 2009 the company moved from a warehouse concept to a retail approach. At the end of 2012, DiFiore says they “graduated” into the Hot Springs marketplace and began selling the high-end brand.
In 2004, DiFiore’s wife, Debbie, purchased the company from friends. Although she had no experience in the hot tub industry, she had done plenty of retail and sales work. By 2006, the business was doing well enough that John left his work in the home-remodeling industry to work with her. His experience has proved useful, as Fun Outdoor Living can provide its customers complete backyard construction.
“We went from being just a straight-up warehouse hot tub — load it on the back of your truck and take it with you — to full-service, white-glove delivery,” DiFiore says. “We’ll put new mulch and plants around your hot tub, build a deck or pergola, and that grew into complete patios, outdoors kitchens and fireplaces.”
DiFiore is able to give customers a “grand plan” with the option to complete sections as they can afford. “We’re able to give an estimate on the entire project and offer the opportunity to do it in phases,” DiFiore says.
“For example, we’ll get the hot tub and flatwork installed today and then do some stone-surround steps next year. We’ll add landscaping into it as we move forward.”
Not losing sight of marketing, Fun Outdoor Living has increased its budget for home shows and events and closely monitors the results. “I see the American public starting to loosen up from where we were in 2009,” DiFiore says. “The general public is much more open to the idea of buying something.”
One of the primary reasons Hot Spring Spas has such tremendous customer loyalty is because of the efforts of dealers such as Fun Outdoor Living in Indian Trail, N.C. the expectation of excellence is deeply embedded in their business culture. Fun outdoor living not only demonstrates extraordinary service, but also a sincere commitment to meeting the needs and preferences of their customers.
Mike Dunn, executive vice president, Hot Spring Spas