Construction companies face unique challenges when it comes to marketing their services. Not only are there a limited number of ‘buyers’ but most of them already have a stable of reliable contractors that they use on a regular basis. This makes it increasingly difficult to break into an existing circle of providers and expanding your market share.
So, owners often ask, "How do I grow my construction company?"
There are several marketing tactics that have been proven to produce results over time. The most successful approaches involve personal relationships, referrals, and networking. Simply put, people like to do business with people they know and trust, which is a result of having a relationship, often based on mutual benefit and respect.
Attending industry networking events and joining (and participating in) trade associations are great ways to meet fellow construction industry professionals and begin to build such relationships. These are ‘door-openers’; they typically do not directly result in business, but they create visibility and opportunities to meet potential clients. Building a foundation on a social platform can often lead to business opportunities and more professional one-on-one meetings that can lead to business.
Another way to build your brand is through trade shows, both local and national, depending on your company’s size and geographic footprint. Having a colorful, entertaining booth with impactful branding, engaging sales collateral, and fun promotional items, coupled with a strategy that keeps people at your booth engaged in conversations is a winning blend of marketing, sales, and relationship-building that you want to aim for.
Your website is your company’s resume and should be treated with care and thoughtfulness. Don’t just throw up a homepage with a pretty picture and your contact information as this looks unprofessional and makes you appear like an amateur. Just like your own resume, use your webpage as a calling card and sales tool. It should be professional, versatile, responsive and informative. It needs to have the right blend of pop, information, curb appeal and functionality.
Your sales collateral (brochures, flyers, capabilities statements, pamphlets, folders, business cards, etc.) should also be informative and eye-catching. A great logo, branding/theme, and company colors should be pervasive across all your media, both digital and print. You want everything to ‘work together’ to promote your company as a brand, not just a collection of disjointed pieces. Having specific marketing materials for specific types of work, vertical markets, and geographic areas are all things that can make a difference, along with a comprehensive, versatile piece that can be used in many different situations. Be sure to have print and digital versions available to hand out or email as needed. Check out our Portfolio to see some samples.
You should also invest in a simple but functional and friendly CRM system to track contacts, marketing and sales activities and potential deals. There are many cost-effective solutions available as web-based services, including Hubspot (which we use). Your CRM is a great tool for tracking activity, scheduling follow-up tasks, tracking opportunities, and sharing sales and marketing info with your team.
As your company grows, you may want to consider hiring a full-time business development professional to represent your company. These people have a book of business and relationships that they can leverage to bring in new opportunities and clients.
Ascent Consulting specializes in helping construction companies grow their business through all of these strategies and many more. You can download our Strategic Marketing Infographic here.
We’d love the opportunity to discuss your strategies for growth. Contact us today to learn how we can start helping you to grow your business.
If you're ready to start working on your business, let's talk!
Ascent Consulting’s mission is to Build Better Construction Companies.
We are committed to delivering impressive results in the areas of
profitability, performance and growth.