Like any industry, the construction industry has its ups and downs. It’s also a major indicator of how well the local, state, and national economies are doing, with new development tied to economic health and optimism. And it’s certainly a competitive industry. But even when things are trending upward, it’s never a good idea to just sit back and wait for new jobs to come to you.
Whether you do residential construction, commercial construction, or both, effective marketing separates you from the competition, keeps you fresh in potential clients’ minds, and sells your brand. With it, you can make the most of busy times and often avoid those slower periods when the industry at large is in a downturn. These tips for marketing a construction company help ensure continuing profitability and growth, regardless of the broader market conditions.
Tips for Marketing a Construction Company
- Incorporate social media marketing into your strategy. It’s a powerful tool for brand awareness and direct advertising, and the construction industry has been generally slow to adopt it. Which means opportunity. Facebook is a great platform for affordable, highly targeted advertising. LinkedIn is the best place for professional networking and B2B marketing.
- Invest in your website. If you don’t have a mobile-responsive site, you’re already losing lots of leads. Your company is being vetted by people on mobile devices, and you won’t inspire trust if your site doesn’t look modern, clean, and professional—traits everyone wants in a construction firm. Also, maintaining an informative, well-written blog does a lot to build your brand authority.
- Use highly visible testimonials. Positive reviews by happy customers make for some of the most powerful marketing available. Post them on your website and include them in your printed marketing collateral. Attribute them to real people (and the business or agency they represent for commercial building); otherwise, they lack credibility. Ask clients for testimonials, and encourage them to mention tangibles like completing the project on or ahead of schedule, on or under budget, etc.
- Invest in professional photography. High-quality pictures of your completed projects make a compelling visual case for using your construction services. A pro has the right equipment, captures shots from the right angles and in the right lighting, and otherwise makes sure the images work hard to sell your abilities. Use these photos in digital and print marketing campaigns and collateral.
- Post highly visible brand signage at job sites. Make sure that everyone passing by your construction sites sees your company name. It puts your name in people’s minds—and keeps it there if they pass by regularly. And being at work on a project instantly instills a certain level of credibility.
- Get your company name into the community via sponsorship. Tying your brand into the local community is an effective way to generate new contracts. Get involved in regional charities, sponsor fundraisers, donate to get your company name on a wing of a community or religious center, sponsor a local youth sports team, or find other ways to achieve great PR via sponsorship.
- Volunteer or donate to help with community projects. Similar to the above, this is a potent way to build brand awareness and encourage local patronage while helping your community. Donate supplies or manpower to help with community improvement or beautification projects, renovations on community or religious buildings, and other undertakings.
- Try reciprocal promotions with local noncompetitive contractors or businesses. You can each offer discounts to your customers for the other’s services or products. This can be an easy way to get new leads sent right to you, especially if you’re smart about finding businesses that intersect with your potential clients.
- Consider specializing in a niche. If your construction company specializes, it’s easier to become better known and to be considered a go-to expert in your focused area. This in turn makes it easier to get referrals and win contracts in your niche. This also helps you target your advertising and other marketing tactics, which makes them more effective—and cost-effective.
