A fully integrated digital approach for VDD

The client

Who is VDD Project Development?

This unique project developer from Bruges gives the past a future. They do this by repurposing and revaluing historical (heritage) sites at prime locations. Some of their prestigious projects are ‘Weylerkazerne’ and ‘Huis van Hamme’ in Bruges, as well as ‘The Dome’ and ‘de Mérode’ in Brussels. You can find more information about VDD at www.vddprojectdevelopment.com

The Grand

The latest project from VDD is the former ‘Le Grand Hôtel’ in Nieuwpoort. As one of the last historical buildings on the coast, it survived the war, fell into disrepair in the 60s, and is now due for a unique renovation. VDD has appointed the world-renowned architect Sir David Chipperfield to design the project and is determined to restore the protected monument to its full glory.

The mission

The objective? That was simple: generate leads! The path to get there was a bit more complex. Let’s walk you through it. In January 2021, a press release went out into the world. Interest in the project soared tremendously even though there was no talk of sales or even a permit at that time. The leads started coming in quickly. It was up to us to keep those leads warm until July 2021: the start of sales.

How did we approach this?

With the marketing automation tool Active Campaign (of zich we are partner). Trough our extensive content plan and the automation funnel, all leads regularly receive mailings with information about the project and its progress. Based on their behavior and through lead scoring, we isolate the 'hot prospects'. We then show this group different messages, more sales-oriented. New leads - cold audience - are kept engaged with storytelling about the rich history of the project, the architect, or the future plans. Over the course of six months, we send out more than 20 different types of emails based on various strategies.

In addition to email marketing we also focus on social media and online advertising. Remarketing campaigns keep 'The Grand' top-of-mind and help maintain interest. We reach new audiences with targeted messages via social media, Google Ads, De Tijd & Sabato newsletters, bannering and more. Dozens of target audiences and thorough A/B testing maximize conversions. By early July, we have accumulated over 1000 leads. This group then receives exclusive information about the project and the start of sales.