The past year has been a tumultuous one for the construction industry. Many residential and commercial projects have slowed down considerably or stopped all together and, while these numbers are starting to rebound, contractors should not sit idly by and wait for the economy to right itself. They need to take action to keep their businesses on past clients' radars and to win new clients for when they're ready to move forward on projects they've tabled until funds became available.
Perhaps one of the most important and effective ways to get your construction business off the ground, or if you've been in business for a while, introduce your business to a wider range of potential clients is employing an integrated marketing program. Traditionally, these initiatives have been focused on print media outlets, but people are no longer picking up the newspaper or phone book to find what they need. They're turning on their computers and plugging what they need into a search engine. Marketing on the Internet has proven to be a valuable asset for business owners looking to reach new and existing clients or gain exposure for a new service. Here are just a few ways to use the Internet to take your business to the next level.
1. Target Your Ideal Clients
Ask yourself who your ideal client is and how your business can benefit them. Doing so will help you determine how to get your services in front of them. For example, if your ideal client is a middle-aged, single-family home owner, think about what services they are going to need to keep his/her property in top form. Then, use these keywords on your website and in your marketing materials as much as possible. The higher the frequency, the better, as it increases the possibility that search engines will turn up your business and these ideal customers will get in touch with you to learn more about what you have to offer.
2. Tap Into Social Media
It's hard to go even one day without hearing someone talk about someone who just "friended" them on Facebook or something interesting they read on Twitter. Even if you've never heard of either of these services, the numbers don't lie-Facebook has more than 300 million active users and Twitter is expected to reach 18 million users tweeting in 140-character increments by the end of 2009.
How can these platforms help your business? Start by creating a fan page or group on Facebook featuring background information about your company, client testimonials and before and after photos of past projects, then send clients invitations to join. If those who view your page are satisfied with the work you've previously done for them and see photos of a renovation or addition that a friend of theirs has been talking about, it's likely they will pass along a page invitation to that person. The more people you invite to join your group, the wider and faster your social network and potential client base will grow.
An excellent example is one of our consultants in the Baltimore, MD, area who began working with a residential contractor in February. The company had no web presence at the time, but since then he has created a fan page for the company's mascot and conducts a contest each month for the page's nearly 1,400 fans to submit photos of the mascot in various locales ranging from inside a central air unit to in the crowd at the Tour de France! These efforts have not only built a strong web presence for the company but have introduced the brand to people of all ages. Now, when someone is looking for a contractor, they'll remember the Facebook page and call this company instead of a competitor.
Twitter is also a great resource because you can see what people are talking about in real time. If you run a search for
