Are you looking to expand your marketing efforts for your construction contracting business? Or have you simply run out of marketing ideas? Spreading the word about your contracting company is key to getting more work. If potential customers don’t know you exist, they can’t hire you.
Here are some marketing ideas specifically for contractors:
1. Website
If you don’t already have a digital footprint, the first thing you need to do is set up a company website. It doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming to create a website. There are many services that will allow you to create a site quickly and easily, or you can hire someone to help you with it.
The key information to include on your website is your company name and the type of work you do, your contact information, projects you’ve completed, testimonials from satisfied customers, and a blog, if you have one (see #6 below). A website will allow potential customers to find you, see what type of work you do, and contact you if they are interested.
2. Social media
The best way to spread the word about your company and find customers through word-of-mouth is to have a social media presence. You don’t have to be on all the platforms, and you don’t have to post every day. But you should concentrate on the platforms where your customers hang out and post on a regular schedule to keep them informed.
Start with one or two of the social media platforms and build up from there. Residential contractors can focus on Facebook. Commercial contractors should focus on LinkedIn. Twitter and Instagram are good for both types of customers. Set up a profile for your business, and then start posting, at least twice a week. If you’re looking for ideas of what to post on social media, read on.
3. Photos
It may be a cliché, but it’s true: a picture is worth a thousand words. Nothing showcases your work like photographs. Before and after photos can tell a complete project story in just two shots. If you want to highlight your craftsmanship, take photos of details and finishes you’re proud of. If you overcame a challenge on a job site, take a photo and tell the story.
Photos can be used throughout your marketing campaign, whether it’s online or in a brochure. Post photos on your website to highlight your projects and your work and share them via social media.
4. Video
These days everyone carries a camera with them on the job site, so creating marketing videos is easier than ever. They don’t need to be professionally produced or edited. And your videos don’t have to be long, 2 to 3 minutes is often long enough to tell the story.
Short video ideas:
-demolition work (people love to watch things get destroyed)
-quick tour of a job site
-interview your customer
-grand opening ceremony
-employee spotlight
-highlight community events that you’re participating in
For longer videos:
-job site tour
-longer interview with your customer
-highlight your mission statement and company values
-talk about what it’s like to work with your company
Videos can be distributed through many channels, including your website and social media platforms. Videos do particularly well on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Longer videos should be hosted on your website or on a YouTube channel.
5. Case study or project highlight
Case studies are a great way to highlight specific projects that you’ve worked on. They generally involve telling the story of a project from beginning to end. The study can highlight the challenges that were overcome on the project, the quality of the craftsmanship, and the owner’s reaction to the process. Case studies often include photos of the completed project, project owner quotes, and a listing of the contractors and designers that worked on the project. They can be used to show the variety of work that you perform and the quality of your customer experience.
Case studies can be included on your website as articles or web pages. You can also share them on social media. If your area has design or construction contests, they can be used to enter into these contests, as well.
6. Blog articles
The purpose of a blog article is to provide your customers with information about what you do. Your articles should educate potential customers on what it’s like to work with you and the benefits of working with your team. You can write about different types of projects, the design process, or thought leadership, and industry trends. The goal is to not be “salesy.”
Blog articles are usually posted on your website and can be shared by social media. You’ll also want to target specific search terms that potential customers may use when looking for your service. The process of defining these search terms and including them in your articles is called search engine optimization or SEO. By researching the terms that users search for you can tailor your content to meet their needs.
7. Press releases
Press releases are a great way to share news that’s related to your company. The news may be related to a new line of work, a new hire, or a change in the type of work you perform. Press releases are written like news stories with most of the information at the beginning. They also
provide background about your company in case someone has wants more information.
Press releases are often sent to industry news websites and local press locations, such as newspapers and magazines. You can also put them on your website and share them via social media.
Simple marketing ideas
Marketing your construction company doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming. Creating a website and posting content on social media are great ways to get started. Once you build up a following, vary the type of content you provide to include videos, blog articles, and case studies. Depending on the size of your budget, you can do most of these ideas yourself, or hire someone to help so you can concentrate on your business.
