What’s the difference between a construction company that’s growing and one that’s stagnant?
The answer: a killer marketing plan.
But not just any old marketing plan.
Your construction company needs a marketing plan that is tailored to your industry specifically.
You've come to the right place.
Here we’ve rounded up three great marketing strategies to include in your construction marketing plan.
Implement them to attract more prospects, acquire more leads and win more customers.
1. Improve Your Local Search Presence
When your prospective customers are starting their online search for construction services, their first thought will most likely be: “What’s around me right now?”
Our deep reliance on mobile devices today has resulted in explosive growth for “near me” searches—and that’s especially true for service-based industries like construction.
Boosting your online search presence not only captures more leads but also higher quality leads who are more inclined to click in the moment.
To capitalize on this, you’ll want to be sure you’re focusing on your local search presence.
Start by setting up your business listings through online tools like Google Business Profile (formerly called Google My Business) and Moz Local (shown below).
Make sure you have a listing (it's free), then maintain and keep your listings current. Don't forget to modify phone numbers, hours of operation, and your business address as needed.
You’ll also want to have a dedicated resource who can respond to and watch customer reviews, as negative reviews can affect your Google ranking. More on local SEO strategy here.
2. Construction Content Marketing: Be Sure to Include DIY Content
Many would characterize the AEC or construction industry buyers as a highly hands-on audience—and we tend to agree!
That gives your construction company a distinct edge when it comes to content marketing.
How-to blogs and video tutorials can be a vital piece of your marketing strategy, and a perfect way to engage your audience.
When done right, this type of content is a very effective way to build trust among your online prospects who are searching for the construction services in which you have expertise.
To create content that really strikes the right tone with your target audience, it’s hard to know where to begin.
A good starting point?
Think about the questions that your customers are trying to solve.
For example, how do I install or maintain an HVAC? What are the steps to repair a gas furnace?
You can rely on tools like Quora (shown below) for much-needed content inspiration.
From there, it’s best to work with a writer who can help you create content around those questions.
Then be sure to promote that content through social channels that cater specifically to the DIY crowd: Houzz, Pinterest, YouTube, and LinkedIn Groups.
Finally, a good keyword optimization strategy will help ensure your content rises to the top of search results.
Does content marketing sound like a daunting task? Keep in mind: a good construction marketing agency can bridge the gap to combine YOUR industry expertise with THEIR marketing savvy.
If you’re vetting marketing agencies, be sure you inquire about their approach to content creation and promotion—and make sure it’s aligned with some of the best practices listed here.
3. Construction Company Lead Gen Marketing: Scratch That Niche!
Your AEC or construction business can’t be everything to everyone—what do YOU want to be known for? Do you have certain qualifications? Is flooring your specialty? Do you possess specialized equipment that your competitors do not?
A study conducted by FMI found that construction companies that specialized in serving a particular segment won bids nearly twice as often as those that did not.
Additionally, according to HubSpot, there are only “a finite number of places people can go for information specific to that area”—and promoting your niche helps you target a smaller but more qualified pool of online searchers, ultimately yielding better results.
Learn more from HubSpot on inbound marketing for your niche business.
So, what does that all mean for your business? You may want to kick off your marketing efforts by really homing in on your niche.
Then, learn more about the wants and needs of the prospects within that niche by developing buyer personas.
This step is key; buyer personas will better shape your marketing efforts to pull in more qualified leads.
Time to Partner With A Construction Marketing Agency?
Keep in mind, that this blog touches on just a few top strategies relevant to construction marketing.
There are plenty more strategies to consider that might be a good fit for your business. For example, does your business have a long sales cycle? Does paid media, such as a pay-per-click strategy, make sense for your particular business?
If you are ready to grow your business through a tailored marketing plan, but have little time (and limited resources) to actually implement some of the ideas here, it may be time to consider outsourcing. Just be sure to partner with an agency that doesn’t push its own suite of marketing services onto your business.
Instead, try developing your own list of construction marketing must-haves before starting the conversation—and you’re likely to find a marketing approach that best fits your needs.
Think you're going to outsource your marketing but still need a little more information?
Check out our 8 Signs You're Ready to Outsource Your Marketing guide and see if it's right for your business!
