In 2018, effective construction marketing ideas will keep you ahead of competition. This year, construction companies will have lower marketing budgets compared to other industries. 'The CMO Survey' shows marketing has 13% of total budget in construction companies. That is less than what packaged goods industry allocates which is 24%. Inexpensive construction marketing ideas are a must when we try to stretch our budget to the max.
10 Inexpensive Construction Marketing Ideas to Add to Your Marketing Strategy this Year
- Nurture Client Relationships with Email Marketing
- Increase Your Presence on Social Media
- Keep Your Construction Company Website Up to Par and Up to Date
- Add a Complete Projects Portfolio to Your Website
- Create DIY, Tips, or Advice Content on Your Blog
- Keep Your Brand Consistent
- Partner with Non-competing Businesses
- Network Face to Face on a Regular Basis
- Create a Referral Program
- Get Involved in Local Community Projects
Client Nurturing and Potential Client Outreach Ideas
1. Nurture Client Relationships with Email Marketing.
Stay top of mind with your clients by reaching out to them on a regular basis. We have to remember that a nurtured lead increases sales 20% more than a cold lead. Nobody wants to receive a sales call, but your clients will enjoy seasonal updates. They can be news about a new service you offer or your latest construction project success. Or how current weather is impacting the construction industry. When you hear email marketing, you may think it will be a costly effort. But not all construction marketing ideas have to be. MailChimp for instance is a great solution for email marketing. A free account will get you a long way with nurturing client relationships.
2. Increase Your Presence on Social Media.
Social media platforms are great outlets to show the personal side of your business. When executed with consistency, social media marketing is a great tool to reach potential customers. You can also communicate with existing clients via mentions and current project updates. Social media is at the top of our construction marketing ideas list because it is free and has a wide reach. Make sure you research which platforms your target audience uses before you invest time in building a presence there. And remember, if you don't engage with people on social media on a regular basis, you are missing out on great opportunities to grow your business.
Web Presence Tips
3. Keep Your Construction Company Website Up to Par and Up to Date.
It is old news that every company needs a website. But to stay ahead of your competition, your website needs to be up to standards and provide fresh content. A great example is Olson Lewis + Architects' website. Analyze your website to make sure it is mobile friendly. Google will move you down in search results if your website doesn't render well on mobile devices. Use Google's Free Mobile Test for your web pages and resolve any issues you may see in the report. To keep your content fresh, include a blog on your website and offer helpful tips. DIY articles that include videos have proven to increase web traffic. Also update your construction project portfolio on a regular basis.
4. Add a Complete Projects Portfolio to Your Website.
Number 4 on our construction marketing ideas list is your online project portfolio. While keeping it up to date may be time consuming, it is important to update it on a regular basis. Every new page you create on your website will constitute fresh content. But if you have thousands of completed projects, this may be impossible to achieve. In this situation, a good example is this Sprinklermatic Fire Protection portfolio. This company added all their projects to a map and created as many portfolio pages as possible.
5. Create DIY, Tips or Advice Content on Your Blog.
Videos and DIY content have proven to increase web traffic for construction companies. Any helpful tips you share with your audience will build trust and interest in your company. You can create videos on how to install something or how to inspect an existing system. Or you can create articles that give advice on what you're best at. Whichever type of DIY or Tip content you'll create, be sure to share it on your social media platforms.
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Brand Consistency Best Practices
6. Keep Your Brand Consistent.
When we talk about brand, we have to always remember that a brand is much more than a logo or a business card. A brand is an experience. A brand is your company's identity, what services or products you offer, and the essence of what your company stands for. To achieve great brand impact, keep your look and feel consistent. Your color palette, imagery, graphic composition, they should always evoke the same feeling. If your main colors are blue and green, design your business cards with these colors. Wear branded T-Shirts that are blue or green and have your service vans painted blue or green. You also need to keep your message consistent. Develop messaging to help you communicate with online and offline audiences in a consistent manner.
Partnering, Networking and Face-to-face Marketing Ideas
7. Partner with Non-competing Businesses.
When we talk about effective construction marketing ideas, partnering your firm with others is one of the best ones. If you want to expand your business in a new market, a strategic partnership with a non-competing firm can be key. Look for a partnership that would benefit both sides. Your clients will enjoy your partner's services and you can market your services to your partner's customers.
8. Network Face to Face on a Regular Basis
Even though it may be time consuming, face-to-face networking is still one of the best construction marketing ideas. The main reason is because it usually results in at least one referral. Investing time in face-to-face meetings is definitely worth it. And you don't have to attend costly conferences. You can join Meetup Groups for inexpensive networking. Or you can find Construction Conferences that are within your budget. And last but not least, you should never eat alone. It is best if you find someone outside your company to join you for lunch at least once a month if not once a week.
9. Create a Referral Program.
Word of mouth is and will be the most powerful marketing tool we have. And a referral program facilitates word of mouth better than any other method. Which means a client referral program should be on your list of construction marketing ideas. There are many ways to develop a customer referral program. From offering complimentary services to existing customers for every referral. To giving discounted services or reward points. Referral saasquatch has a great list of referral program examples you can start with.
Like word of mouth, volunteering in your local community is another great construction marketing idea. Regardless of which program you select or how much you get involved, there are great benefits. Make sure you keep your brand consistent as mentioned above and share your involvement on your social media channels. Besides the obvious exposure that you get from the program itself, you will also get recognition from your followers.