Episode 45. Podcaster Dennis OZ from the podcast Remodeler Success interviews Paul about his background, his business and marketing strategies and what he sees for the future.
If you want to learn about Paul’s design philosophy this podcast makes it crystal clear. Paul tells some funny stories about past remodeling projects. He describes the tools and strategies he uses to manage Main Line Kitchen Design and to create the kitchens that win so many awards.
Dennis asks Paul about his design and style predictions for the future. Paul gives a realistic evaluation of where the kitchen market is heading.
Dennis and Paul discuss the intricacies of marketing using social media, geofencing, Pay Per Click advertising, and the analytics involved in evaluating campaign results. Paul explains why his blog is one of the most popular kitchen design blogs in the world. He explains how he uses his blogs to gain attention and inform the general public.
Finally, Paul explains the origins of his podcast. He speculates that in the near future, using artificial inelegance, Main Line Kitchen Design’s podcast’s content will allow the website to answer visitors questions in his distinctive Brooklyn accent even after he is gone.
Outline
Kitchen design industry with Paul McAlary.
- Paul McAlary shares insights on innovative kitchen design and marketing strategies.
- Paul McAlary studied Computer Engineering but dropped out and started building decks.
- He transitioned to renovations and eventually started his own kitchen design company.
- After being laid off during the housing crash, he started his own company and found success.
Design philosophy, awards, and client centric approach.
- Paul McAlary shares his design philosophy, emphasizing cost-effective solutions and maximizing the layout of a kitchen.
- Paul’s company has received numerous awards for their design work, including a project that involved moving a wall and changing a doorway.
- Speaker 1 shares a personal project story, highlighting creative design solutions and a near win at a national award.
- Paul McAlary shares his client-centric design approach, qualifying clients through deep understanding and empathy.
Kitchen design software and tools for efficient processes.
- Paul McAlary emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs and preferences in the design process.
- He encourages designers to challenge customers’ assumptions and help them see the trade-offs in their design choices.
- Paul McAlary uses 2020 design software for kitchen design. 20-20 has become more sophisticated over time but still allows him to create 3D drawings quickly and easily.
- McAlary appreciates the efficiency of using computer software for design. It saves time and allows for greater flexibility in design changes.
Designing a kitchen with a homeowner who wants to make changes to their initial plans.
- Paul discussed challenges of designing kitchens without computer-aided programs, sharing examples of difficult projects they’ve accomplished with creative solutions.
- Paul’s wife prepared clients for their direct yet helpful approach. Emphasizing the importance of starting with the best design for the space.
- Paul McAlary presents design options to a homeowner, who is hesitant and resistant throughout the process.
- Homeowner eventually selects a design that is different from their initial expectations, but is pleased with the final result.
Kitchen trends and design preferences. With a focus on moving away from white and gray and towards more variation and boldness.
- Dennis Oz and Paul McAlary discuss trends in the kitchen industry, with McAlary sharing his insights on past and future trends.
- Paul McAlary discusses 15 years of designing kitchens with white countertops and Shaker doors, and how people are now moving away from this trend.
- Despite predictions of a contemporary design surge, kitchens in the suburbs tend to be less bold and more focused on updates like better appliances and knife pull-out drawers.
Marketing strategies, geofencing, and targeting ideal customers.
- Speaker 1 thanks Paul for sharing marketing insights and discusses the importance of reaching the ideal customer avatar.
- Paul explains that marketing is a science and art that involves analyzing ROI and utilizing social media platforms.
- Speaker discussed geofencing and its potential for targeted advertising at events like the Philadelphia Home Show.
- Speaker’s company used geofencing to advertise to attendees’ cell phones without having to be physically present at the event.
- Paul McAlary discusses using geofencing to target homebuyers with ads.
Marketing strategies, including geofencing and blog creation.
- Speaker shared personal experience with geofencing, finding it effective in driving targeted traffic to their booth at an industry show.
- Speaker’s blog on kitchen design is one of the top-rated in the niche, with successful topics including “ideal customer avatar” and “geofencing marketing techniques.”
- Paul McAlary’s blog on kitchen cabinet ratings is the most used information source for US homeowners, with over 50% of traffic coming from this one blog.
- McAlary responds to every comment on his blog, often with a humorous tone, and has received praise and criticism from cabinet companies.
Creating successful blog and podcast content, with a focus on the IKEA effect and tailored advertising efforts.
- Paul McAlary shares insights on creating successful content, including the importance of personality and making it entertaining.
- Paul McAlary’s blog on the IKEA effect incites strong reactions from readers, leading to high click-through rates on his website.
- McAlary’s team tailors advertising efforts on different platforms to target specific demographics, including new home buyers between ages 25-45 in specific locations.
Starting a podcast to address customer questions and share knowledge.
- Speaker 1 discusses starting a podcast with a guest, Paul McAlary, to share insights and reach a wider audience.
- Paul McAlary’s blog became popular, leading to numerous calls daily.
- Recording podcasts discouraged callers, allowing Paul to field all calls and create a better podcast.
Using AI in podcasts for customer service and building authority.
- Paul McAlary plans to use AI to answer questions on his podcast after retirement.
- Speaker 1 notes that providing extensive information on their website can lead to some customers using it as a resource to avoid hiring them.
- Speaker 1 believes that the best customers are those who let them help, as they don’t have an invested interest in a particular kitchen design.
Using negative keywords in Google ads to filter out unqualified customers.
- Speaker 1 discusses the importance of filtering customers through their website and other marketing strategies to attract only the most valuable clients.
- Speaker 1’s company uses a $150 deposit to weed out customers who are not serious about purchasing a kitchen, allowing them to focus their time and resources on more valuable clients.
- Paul McAlary shares a negative keyword example: “free kitchen cabinets”
- Speaker 1 learns the power of negative keywords for ad targeting
Marketing strategies for a kitchen design and remodeling business, focusing on establishing authority through blogs and podcasts.
- Speaker discusses importance of being the best known in the market, not just the best remodeler.
- McAlary prioritizes establishing authority through marketing to attract qualified customers.
Kitchen design career paths and sales strategies.
- Paul McAlary suggests starting a career in kitchen design at a home improvement store for training and low pay.
- Paul McAlary shares insights on kitchen design industry, emphasizing the importance of being a good designer and salesperson.
- Top-performing designer at Lowe’s made over $300,000 in 2020, highlighting the potential for high earnings in the field.
- Paul McAlary provides multiple ways for listeners to reach him with questions or comments.
- Paul answers questions on his blog and during his weekly podcast helpline.
Call into our Friday helpline and podcast most Fridays between 2 and 4 pm Eastern Standard Time. We review designs and give design help. Call 610-5OO-2O56 then leave a message and we will call you when a line opens.
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Paul
Paul’s bio from the magazine Kitchen and Bath Design News:
Paul McAlary possesses a voice that resonates far beyond the boundaries of Philadelphia’s western suburbs and the city’s prestigious Main Line – the location of his well-established Delaware Valley design firm.
McAlary, president and senior designer of Bala Cynwyd, PA-based Main Line Kitchen Design, is an internationally recognized kitchen design authority who has won more than a dozen local and national design awards, including being named a 2017 Viking Appliances Designer of Distinction.
Beyond his achievements as a designer, McAlary has also forged a burgeoning reputation as the creative force behind the “Main Line Kitchen Design Blog,” a unique online forum and social media resource that is read by more than 40,000 people each month and has been honored as one of the top kitchen design blogs in the world. Main Line Kitchen Design’s videos and blogs address a wide range of kitchen/bath-related topics aimed at sparking a constructive exchange of ideas among both consumers and design professionals.
McAlary, whose kitchens and comments often appear in trade magazines and on social media sites, is sometimes at odds with the kitchen design establishment, but he maintains a distinct sense of humor and is known as a fierce advocate for design standards, ethics and transparency in the kitchen design trade.
Subscribe to Main Line Kitchen Design’s Blogs and podcasts here.
