Tips to Promote Your Construction Business NOW!

With so many competing marketing messages fighting for attention, it’s hard to determine which strategies are effective. Contractors have tight marketing budgets and a desire to use that budget optimally and efficiently. A carefully developed construction advertising plan should set goals and define your target customers. Your plan should include traditional marketing tools and ways to increase your presence online.

Set objectives

Before you can create a marketing plan that will work for your company, you need to have well-defined objectives. Who is your ideal customer? What is your market share goal? What are your strengths and how do they match up with opportunities within your community? After answering these questions, you can choose marketing strategies that drive results toward your desired objectives.

Tried and true traditional marketing strategies continue to serve construction companies well. Since your business is locally focused it is well suited to the type of tools and techniques that focus on a local audience. You can continue to use these tools to your advantage while also adding digital components that will visually expand your company’s presence.

Is there still a use-case for the book?

The Yellow Pages is a widely debated marketing tool that varies in its usefulness. You will have to judge for yourself, based upon customer feedback, whether you are gaining customers through this channel. If you do place an ad, be sure to include your company website address as well. Take the local directory idea online and sign up for contractor directories and profiles. Register your business on Google, Yelp, and Angie’s List to capture those who are searching online instead.

Print is not dead

Newspaper advertising is another tool that will vary in effectiveness based upon your specific community. Consider including incentives for responding to ads and including your website address to measure results. Take this strategy online with pay-per-click advertisements, Google remarketing, and social media ads.

Brand consistently online and off

If your signage is used the way it should be, your company logo is well known and recognized throughout your community. A professionally designed logo, consistent color scheme, and witty tagline can ensure that people remember your name. Physical signage should be included on your vehicles and storefront if you have one, while your logo can be added to everything from business cards and yard signs to employee shirts and printed materials.

This company theme should be carried online to your website. This is your most essential online marketing tool and must be professionally developed to captivate prospective customers.

As a locally-focused type of business, contractors often make use of direct mail. If you have experienced a decrease in the effectiveness of direct mail, it is time to adjust how you’re using it rather than giving it up entirely. Save blanket, every door campaigns for simple postcard campaigns targeting new homeowners who are more likely to be in the home improvement frame of mind. With a little expert input, your direct mail can be more effective than ever before. Its digital counterpart, email, can also help you stay connected with customers and encourage prospects to give you a call. As with snail mail, email should be targeted and not so frequent that people choose to unsubscribe.

Networking will likely always be an essential element of business success, whether it is done in person or online. Word of mouth recommendations are free of cost but not necessarily freely given. Building relationships with customers and people in your community takes time and commitment that is paid back in a strong brand and customer loyalty. Network in your community through local events and organizations. Online, increase your network through social media platforms. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are ideal channels for connecting with clients and spreading your name to an ever-broadening audience.