There are a wide variety of factors that result in the creation of a successful construction company, including effective time management, budgeting consistency, quality of workmanship, skilled and reliable workers, and an effective marketing strategy. It is relatively inexpensive to kick off various marketing campaigns for your contracting company online through an active web site and an active social media presence, but there are other ways to stretch your marketing budget. Here are some effective suggestions to enhance your present advertising and branding efforts that can pride alternate methods of driving revenue.
Accreditation
Nothing screams “trustworthy” more than having your construction company accredited, and some clients won’t even consider working with a company that isn’t. Those customers will use accrediting agency databases to weed out businesses that fail to measure up. The best accrediting agencies for companies in the construction and contractor trades include your local Better Business Bureau and the Home Builders Association. It’s worth it to get your business accredited — your company will gain legitimacy in the eyes of potential clients, and accreditation can help to drum up new business.
Search Engine Optimization/AdWords
The higher your ranking on Google, the more visible your company is, and the more web traffic will be driven to your site. The more people see your site, the higher the likelihood of potential customers seeing your brand. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Google AdWords are great ways to increase your Google ranking. By using SEO carefully on your web site you can identify and target the most commonly used keywords in your specialty, and rank higher in the search engine. With Google AdWords, you actively compete with competitor websites for keywords by paying a set amount each time a viewer clicks on your ad. This is an effective and affordable way for contractors to gain new leads online.
Community Involvement/Local Networking
Community involvement is a really underutilized marketing tool. In fact, if you lend a helping hand or offer free services to popular local charities, you gain more exposure to a wider audience than a typical marketing campaign would. Not only does it get your name out in the neighborhood, it shows that you are interested in your community’s well-being as well as your company’s growth. Likewise, research consistently shows that local networking is one of the best marketing methods for contractors, as it can easily result in word-of-mouth referrals. Three popular local social networking sites are:
Facebook Groups – Join an existing group or start your own group and invite other local businesses to join.
Chamber of Commerce – Join your local Chamber of Commerce. They offer local meetings and events and can help you connect with other companies in the area.
Meetup.com – This website allows you to join existing groups and attend events, or to host or sponsor local events in your town.
Customer Testimonials
Don’t forget to utilize customer testimonials in both your advertising literature and on your website, in order to showcase client satisfaction with your product, service, or projects. Make sure you have an active Yelp listing and respond to all reviews in a positive manner. Customer testimonials about their own experience in their own voice add a layer of trust which helps to market your brand. Angie’s List and other similar sites that focus on services can help get the word out about the quality of your brand and reach new customers for potential future projects.
Social Media Marketing
Internet marketing is now one of the most efficient, successful, organic, and inexpensive methods of communicating with your target audience and marketing your brand across the globe. Social networking platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube are easy to use and free of charge. It costs nothing to post content, information, photos, and videos daily, and every time a follower re-posts your content, it’s free advertising!
