It’s unlikely you became a contractor so you could spend your days writing marketing emails and posting photographs on social media. But the work you do building your brand and reputation is as important as the work you do on the job site. Successful marketing, advertising and promotion helps your construction business grow and bring in a steady stream of clients so there will be projects in the pipeline once the current job is completed.

In this article, we discuss the importance of learning how to market a construction company, tips for putting a strategy to work and which tools will make your marketing most effective.

Click on a link below to jump straight to the section you’re most interested in:

• Benefits of Learning How to Promote A Construction Business
• How to Market a Construction Company in 9 Steps
• More Tips on How to Promote Your Construction Business
• How to Advertise your Construction Business on Houzz

Benefits of Learning How to Promote A Construction Business

Marketing provides many benefits as you grow your business and brand. Here are a few key ones:

• Increase Sales - The main purpose of any type of promotion is to win clients.You want your construction company to grow and ideally, to develop a sales funnel with leads along every stage of the sales process. Doing this requires marketing and advertising that stands out from the stiff competition in the home renovation business. Learn more tips about How to Increase Sales in Construction.
  
• Create Brand Awareness - A total of 46% of U.S. respondents to the 2022 Salsify Consumer Research Survey say they will pay more for brands they trust. Getting new and repeat clients depends on building a recognizable brand that is respected and trusted. Branding a construction company means creating a distinct identity. It involves setting both a visual tone and a tone of voice in your public-facing materials — marketing, communications, presentations — as well as within your company, reflecting your values and goals. Learn more about How to Brand Your Construction Business.
  
• Find More Qualified Leads - Creating a strategic marketing approach includes taking the time to define your target audience and then aiming for that niche. Who are the clients you are trying to reach? Answering that question and then designing your advertising and marketing to reach them, helps you attract more of the leads you are seeking and fewer of the ones that do not fit your criteria. Learn more about how to generate construction leads.
  
• Manage Your Reputation - Be in the driver’s seat when it comes to maintaining the reputation you have built around customer service and excellent work. This means putting the word out about your reputation through advertising, marketing and customer testimonials. It also means addressing any issues early on so that complaints do not end up in public reviews or through word of mouth.

How to Market a Construction Company in 9 Steps

Learning how to advertise a construction business can seem daunting at first, but breaking it down into steps simplifies the process. Here are nine steps for identifying your target customer, developing a brand identity, building a website for your business, leveraging social media and newsletters, investing in advertising and creating partnerships.

1. Identify Your Target Customer - The sea of potential clients can be vast and it’s easy to waste energy treading water on the wrong leads. The first step is to figure out which are the best fit for the services and style of construction work you offer. Know your ideal project budget range, consider what type of construction you want to do, and where to find your target customer. 

2. Understand Their Wants & Needs - What does your ideal client look like? Where do they live, how old are they, what is their target budget? Find out who the decision maker is for a project and who is collecting information for it and where they are looking to do that. Are they searching websites, perusing magazines for inspiration or asking their neighbors?

3. Develop a Brand Identity - Knowing which clients are ideal for your business is a stepping stone to creating a strong brand identity that will attract them. Build on this by taking the next steps:

• Create a Mission Statement - Make a list of the values and purpose of your company and the value that it offers clients. Then, use the list to draft a mission statement for your company. Once you are happy with the statement, share it on your website (more on websites to come) and with every member of your team. 
• Develop Brand Guidelines & Standards - With your mission statement as your north star, your brand guidelines will serve as the standard for how you run your company and communicate what your brand stands for. This ensures consistency in the image you convey both within your organization and to the marketplace.

4. Build a Construction Website - Having an online presence is hardly a choice in today’s digital world, but a requirement. Chances are most of the clients who are considering a home renovation will have searched online to find you and your competitors. Therefore, you want to wow them with a construction website that includes stunning photographs of past projects, positive customer reviews and details of the services you offer. 

• What to Include - The most important page of a construction website is, of course, its entrance. Lay out the welcome mat with a homepage that draws in visitors and makes it easy for them to go deeper. An “About” page detailing the services you offer and with photos of your team members provides crucial information and puts faces behind the names. Pages for testimonials, and your portfolio help potential clients match up their renovation dreams with your past projects. And don’t forget the all- important contact information. Make it as easy as possible for clients to find you and reach you. 
• Optimize- A website that is SEO optimized, especially for the geographic area where you are casting your net, and the type of services you offer, is key to helping the right clients find you. 
• Be Mobile Friendly - Clients search for websites while standing in check out lines or waiting for their morning coffee. Make sure your website is optimized for mobile so it is easy to use from anywhere and on any device. 
• Get Inspired - See how other contractors are putting their best digital foot forward. Read 7 Inspiring Construction Websites Ideas to Grow Your Brand

5. Create Email Content - Incorporating construction email marketing campaigns into your marketing strategy can help attract your target clients, and keep the past ones coming back for more projects. It is a proven marketing method with one of the highest return on investments - as much as $44 for every dollar spent.

• Emails that Resonate - Emails that go beyond pure promotion, but provide useful information, are more likely to get read. The easiest way to start is with a welcome email that covers who you are, the work you do, the history of your business - what inspired you to be a contractor and more. Other email topics can include customer testimonials, special discounts, and more. Decide on a regular schedule for sending emails and stick to it.
• Newsy Newsletters - Consider sending a regular newsletter to your contacts which covers topics relevant to clients, past, present and future. Tips are always valued. Change it up with various topics such as what to look for in a kitchen remodeler, how to pick the best paint colors, or finding the best lighting for your home office. Pick those that are most relevant to the work you do. Other potential topics could include client profiles, the latest news within your company, and testimonials. Decide on a cadence for sending newsletters.
• For more tips, read  How to Do Email Marketing for Construction.

6. Leverage social media

Chances are your clients are scrolling some type of social media every day or multiple times of day. Social media is an effective tool for marketing your construction business. Creating social media accounts for your business can raise brand awareness, improve your website’s search rankings and help you generate leads and communicate with clients. And, it is free!

Posting photos of your work, and your team helps personalize your business, and it is an ideal place for conveying  announcements and news of your company. Most social media puts a heavy emphasis on visuals to attract users. Use photos that are visually stunning and professional-looking to increase the impact of your social media presence.

• Develop a Strategy - Define your goals and then review the various platforms out there to see which ones work best for meeting them. Find out which channels your clients use most frequently. Don’t feel like you need to be on every type of social media. Decide how you will measure success, and then, pick one or two platforms and start posting. Setting a schedule will help get you in the habit of doing it regularly, and there are tools available that let you schedule posts so they go up automatically.
• Learn What’s Working - Referring back to the goals, see which channels are providing the biggest boost. If the goal is to increase the number of followers, measure if that is happening. Or perhaps, you want more engagement and shares of your posts. Whatever your objective, using data to determine how effective your social media strategy is, and comparing outcomes can inform decisions going forward. Many platforms offer their own analytics, and third-party software is available that aggregates data from different platforms in one place.
• To help get you started, read more about Social Media for Construction Businesses 

7. Invest in Paid Advertising

In the long run, most construction companies cannot thrive on word of mouth alone, and paid advertising can effectively supplement organic efforts. There are many types of advertising available today with various pay structures. These include advertising through social media channels, and other digital advertising in which the price you pay depends on the number of times the ad is clicked on.

Paid advertising has its advantages over other types of marketing because you can target it specifically to the demographics you are seeking, the services you offer and more. For example, you can place ads on search engine results pages for people who are searching for specific services. And, it is easy to measure and track the results. 

8. Create Partnerships

Working with trusted vendors and other organizations to build a list of partners can expand the reach of a construction business. These strategic partnerships in related, complementary industries expand your audience by capturing theirs too. And, by posting the list on your website, the benefits are reciprocal by providing exposure to the partner businesses and organizations.   

9. Consider Print & Other Promotional Marketing

Flyers, business cards, and other promotional materials can also be an effective tool for getting your brand name out there. Handing out business cards is still a common practice at events or upon meeting potential clients. Are there strategic locations or events where having a stack of flyers would help attract more customers? Get creative. Whether it’s handing out t-shirts to your crew, or putting your logos on coffee mugs, find the promotional efforts that provide the best return on your investment. 

More Tips on How to Promote Your Construction Business 

Now that you know how to advertise your construction business, here are more suggestions for maximizing your promotional impact. The longer you are in the business, the more you will know which promotion efforts are the most effective ones for growing and thriving in the construction industry. 

Get Personal - Perhaps no investment is more personal than a home, and homeowners put a lot of trust in the contractors they hire to work on them. Connecting with clients on a human level can increase the chances that they will choose your company over competitors. Don’t be afraid to be a little friendly on your website or in social media. Including a photograph of you and other key team members is one way to put a face on your company.  

Experiment with Video - Visuals such as videos are becoming more and more important as evidenced by the many social media sites that emphasize this type of content. Try shooting video of your team at work, create a welcoming video, or make one around a tip of the week. 

Invest in Photography - High quality imagery elevates your marketing game on every level. Stunning photographs of your work makes your website attractive and professional looking. Plus the investment  in professional photography pays off over and over because the same visuals can be used on social media and in other marketing materials. And, don’t forget, for every job, schedule shoots at the start and finish of a project to build a strong portfolio of those coveted before and after photos. 

Referrals - Your past clients can be your best marketers. Stay in touch with them through email marketing and newsletters, or more personal home checkups. Seek reviews from them to post on your website and ask them for testimonials as needed. Some construction pros have formal referral programs that reward clients for providing their feedback.

Be Transparent & Authentic - The word promotion can sometimes conjure up negative connotations. But when done right, it is informative, honest, and makes things real for clients. High quality marketing also means that a company can stand behind the claims it makes.

Highlight Your Expertise - One of the best ways to promote your company is to convey your experience and expertise. This signals to clients that they are hiring a pro to do the job.

Celebrate Success - Remember to celebrate the wins within your team. But also consider a more public celebration for recognition such as awards or the completion of a high profile project or one for a public-facing organization. Newsletters and social media are a great place to share the news. Depending on the impact of the project, you may also want to contact the local media or a national home design and build website or publication to see if they are interested in the story. Even if they say no, this is a first step toward developing a relationship with the media and learning what type of features and columns they are seeking. 

Involve Your Entire Team - Everyone involved in your company, no matter their position, can be an ambassador for it. Make sure they know the mission and values of your business, and provide them the tools they need to market your brand.

Engage with Community - Be a part of the community you serve. Besides joining the local chamber of commerce or other organizations, consider sponsoring local events, teams, roadside cleanups, and other activities that benefit the community. 

How to Advertise your Construction Business on Houzz

You don’t have to learn how to promote your construction business alone. With a community of more than 60 million construction and home design pros, and enthusiasts, Houzz is where homeowners come to find professionals to take on their renovation projects. Advertising on Houzz helps home remodelers and contractors generate leads with the target audience they are seeking.

Houzz provides tools for you to build brand recognition for your business in the local market you are in. Here are some ways it helps you showcase your company and reach your ideal clients better than sites that require you to pay per lead:

• With Houzz Pro, you can have pictures, videos, badges and more standouts on your listing.
• Homeowners go through more steps to get matched with the right Pro compared to other advertising sites.
• Homeowners are shown photos from your portfolio when you match their project’s criteria. Something you won’t find anywhere else.

Marketing & Advertising That Works

Yes. Most contractors would rather be devoting their time to clients and their remodeling projects than spending it learning how to advertise a construction business. But creating a marketing strategy can help you build a brand that is respected and sought after for years to come.

Explore the ways Houzz Pro takes the mystery out of marketing and helps construction pros fill their pipeline with more qualified leads. Start a free trial today.