The Importance of Your Construction Company’s Image

Owners of many small and even medium-sized construction companies have faced challenges marketing to prospective customers. It seems to be an industry-wide dilemma. While repeat business and referrals are a mainstay, you still need a steady supply of new customers to maintain a healthy firm. And customers tend to buy from companies that share their values.   If you want your company to compete successfully and grow, you need ways to attract new customers. Your company’s image is part of that effort. Image is the way the public views you and your culture – being successful, innovative, ethical, service-oriented, and other impressions.

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In this free new Applied Software eBook, get tips for marketing your construction company.

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Image can drive as much business as price these days. Your image suggests to prospective customers why your company is more suitable to work on their project than someone else. Your past experience, your safety record and the quality projects you have completed all reinforce that image.

Customers have become more sophisticated and hyperaware of the types of features they can expect in a project, whether that’s sustainability, health and wellness or another trend. More customers are basing project awards on both quantitative cost and qualitative expectations.

Your company can capture business and maintain customers by engaging with them in a variety of ways, and that calls for serious attention to marketing. Now, you may not think of yourself as a “marketer,” but to prosper your company, it’s time to rethink that. In fact, the first time you ordered (or printed your own) business cards, you entered the wide world of marketing.

In construction, marketing efforts are more critical than ever, whether it’s through printed materials, a bid presentation, website, or social media. Your mission – should you choose to embrace it – is to present your company in a favorable and engaging way. That involves selecting and presenting suitable information, commonly referred to as “content.”

In our increasingly tech-focused, digital world, prospective customers face constant distractions and bombardment by content. Within that fierce competition to get noticed, one of your big challenges is setting your company apart. This is your “story.” The pressure is on to invest more time and effort in marketing to achieve that. There are many options for making marketing content interactive and engaging, like videos, maps, links, widgets, and images.

Customers want to be able to find the most suitable contractor(s) for their upcoming project, ideally those that have done similar jobs well. So you need to tell them what qualifies you to do their job. Do your research within your specialty, then let your target customers know that you understand them and their needs. Match your story to those needs. Explain your experience and strengths in a way that tells them “why.”  

Quality, for example, is an attribute that is timeless. Spotlighting your satisfied customers shines a positive light on your company’s work, while instilling confidence in the work you’ll do in the future.

In our fast-paced world, marketers are often under pressure to produce spontaneous proposals, continually manage websites and produce quality content. If you don’t have the time or inhouse talent to produce the right kind of content, you could add someone to your staff or use a contractor. By optimizing your past experience, you can put your name and your projects on the map, leaving your mark on the industry.

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Get FREE tips from marketing professionals in the new Applied Software eBook, “How to Market Your Construction Company.”

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