If you are a small to medium sized business in the building industry marketing may be the furthest thing from your mind—well, unless you are having trouble booking jobs. Then marketing your business is likely the top thing on your mind. Whether you’re a one person show, or you have a dedicated marketing person(s), the industry comes with its unique challenges. From the dangers of the job to competing for the larger projects with other companies, it is important to not let your marketing strategy sit on the back burner while your competitors capture all the jobs. So, what can your construction company do to stand out? Here are some building industry marketing tips to out-book and out-build your competitors.
1. When you are busiest is precisely the time to be doing the most marketing.
Overlooking your organization’s marketing efforts when you are up to your eyeballs in work is one of the most common missteps we see countless small to medium size construction firms make. In construction, and any industry for that matter, you must always be thinking two steps ahead. And while your company may have more work than they can handle today, what about tomorrow? Taking time to develop strategies and allocate a budget to keep inquiries coming in can help you avoid the up and down construction cycle and keep your business steady and growing for years to come.
2. Now that you understand the importance of marketing, take the time to define what makes your construction business better than the rest.
In order to achieve success, you need to be clear on what exactly it is that makes you so different from your competitors. Whilst it’s crucial to identify who and what you represent as a group internally, you also need to know from your customers why it is that they come to you.
How easy is it for them to make an inquiry about your product or service?
Do you provide specification tools that others don’t?
What advantages does your product or service provide against others within the industry?
Answers to these questions will provide the foundation for your company’s marketing plan and help identify your competitive advantage(s).
3. Visibility is the next piece of the equation.
This is where having an easy to find and navigate website come into play. Did you know that 63% of customers primarily use a company’s website to find and engage with them, and 30% do not consider a business that does not have a website. Having an attractive, simple, and easy-to-navigate website that helps your potential clients get the information they need without feeling overwhelmed or turned off is critical for building industry marketing success.
There are a few industries where phone calls are still relevant, however, construction is one of them. Whether it’s a local homeowner looking for help remodeling their kitchen or a big development company looking for a construction firm to take on some larger projects, your leads won’t get in contact with you if there are too many barriers. To get as many calls as possible, ensure you have a well-managed phone number, and it should be tied directly to the name of your company, whether you’re appearing on a Google search, jobsite signage, or on a social media search.
4. Additional ways to increase visibility include creating compelling video content, social media advertising, email marketing, and regular blog posts.
With one-third of internet activity being spent watching video, it is clear that video is a marketing strategy that cannot be ignored. This is especially true in such a visual industry like building industry. Often, many beautiful things result from construction projects so why not show them off with engaging video content? Video is also a great way to give your brand personality. A video showing off your projects, a time-lapse video of the construction process, or a fun company culture video showing off the unique personalities of your team could all help make your company more personable and help build your audience.
Digital advertising can be just as effective for B2B companies, as it is for B2C companies. Aside from generating brand awareness, paid ads make it easier for clients to find your company and help it to stand out from the sea of competitors. It can even help with SEO! While paid ads have been popping up on Facebook or Instagram for a few years now, it’s the sudden increase in allocated marketing budget for these which has been the most recent change. Millions of small to medium size businesses are utilizing the various social platforms, and successfully gaining visibility and therefore, market share via carefully managed social media campaigns.
Email marketing if implemented correctly can be personalized, targeted, and helps to expand overall reach, making it a critical tool in your marketing toolbox. Applications such as Mailchimp and Constant Contact enable easy management of your audience and campaign metrics, giving you the ability to monitor what’s working and what isn’t. And best of all, email marketing is often low cost, if not free!
You may hear the word “blog” and think of food bloggers, fashion bloggers, or even business blogs—but is a “construction blog” really a thing? The answer is not only is it “a thing,” but it is a super smart and compelling way to build trust and bring in more customers. In the building industry, people do a great deal of research, and having a website that is a resource for people can lead to potential clients who want to work specifically with you after getting help from the information you post. Blogging on building-related topics can not only build your credibility, but it can also help you strengthen your websites quality and back links, leading to more organic traffic and better SEO. Really, the benefits of a strong educational blog are endless for building industry organizations.
If your company needs help with reaching its goals and establishing proven successful marketing solutions, contact BLDG Creative Company at info@bldgcreative.com or 619-796-2560 to schedule a consultation today!
