Promoting Your Commercial Construction Business
Promoting your construction business
While promoting your commercial construction business falls under the umbrella of marketing, don’t get it confused with your other marketing strategies and tactics.
Briefly, a few things your marketing can include are paid ads, social media, blogging, sponsoring, and promoting.
Plus, while we’re removing some confusion, I hasten to add that promoting is NOT the same as having a promotion.
Think of it like this – promoting is long-term and relational, while a promotion is short-term and impersonal. Going to participate in a promotion? Get out the coupons. Going to promote your business? Get out your best behavior.
There are 3 phases when you can promote your subcontracting business and they all involve dealing directly with your potential and present clients. But before we dive into them let’s look at why you need an excellent website.
Promoting your construction business on your website
Remember, good GCs are going to do their due diligence before considering your bid. Therefore, a basic starting point is to maintain your website with your target audience in mind. What do they want to know about you? What will help them see you as a responsible addition to their team? How will they quickly gain insight into what you do and how well you do it?
A portfolio of your past jobs
Testimonials from former clients
Photos of your team in action
Pictures of your company vehicles
Easy to find contact information – with phone numbers and email address taking front stage
Links to your social media channels (which should also be well maintained)
Include on the first page, in an easy to spot space, this type of sentence, “If you would like to find out more about our company or to request that we bid on your projects, please contact us.” (Be sure to make the contact easy by providing the proper link.)
Promoting your construction business before getting the job
In the before phase take time to do your own bit of due diligence. Determine if the GC is someone you want to work with. Do they have values which align with your own? Is it apparent they pay on time? Is it their practice to deliver excellent work?
We all know there are some GCs who are simply not worth the trouble. Skip them. In construction as in life, there are plenty of fish in the sea.
Because promoting your construction business is about relationship there isn’t likely to be a list you can check off and call each step done. Yet, there are a few things to keep in mind as you enhance your promoting skills.
Attend GC sponsored meet and greets
Peruse all building plans
Visit the job site
Ask questions
Get bids in on time and present them in a professional manner
Provide all necessary documents with bid
Maintain your integrity
Also, be quick with compliments, congratulations, and thanks. Keep complaints and criticism to a minimum.
Promoting your construction business after getting the job
The most important ingredient to include in your mix of promoting your construction company to the GC is to treat everyone as you want to be treated. That simple. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
Do what you said you would do
Realize that helping your GC make a profit is the bottom line – for both of you
Be sure to answer or return their phone calls quickly
Keep all your appointments – on time
Be certain your employees understand what is expected of them – written standards must be in place
Maintain written standards for your subs – great contracts support great relationships
Communicate with your suppliers, vendors, employees, and subs, just as you expect your GC to communicate with you
Pay your suppliers, vendors, employees, and subs on time and as agreed
Be of good character
Dwight Moody said, “Character is what you are in the dark.”
Promoting your construction business when the job is complete
Stay in touch with the GCs you want to work with. Here are a few ways you can do it:
Send a thank-you note
Give referrals
Ask what you can do to improve
Give leads
Attend mutually beneficial conventions or events
Suggest suppliers or vendors
You promote your business by performing to the best of your ability and getting the word out to those who matter. You must be conscious concerning your efforts. And, don’t think others will do it for you.
They won’t.
You and your team are the voices which are heard and seen.
Promoting your commercial construction business is pretty easy if you keep the golden rule in mind during all your business interactions.
It is our desire this article (among our growing library of construction-centric informational articles) is helpful in assisting commercial construction contractors build better building businesses.
Because we are a virtual “corporate accounting office” for commercial construction businesses we can assist you no matter in which of the 50 United States your business is located. We invite you to get in touch here.
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