In our ever advancing digital age, successful businesses have had to keep up with trends which sculpt and shape our digital landscape.This goes for every business, including sole-proprietors, private contractors and construction businesses.
The days of the handshake deal have waned considerably over time, and though some contractors still operate only by word-of-mouth within their local communities, many are beginning to operate beyond a regional level. Depending on what your business goals are, you have a variety of digital tools at your disposal.
Perhaps you’re wanting to branch out and cover more ground to bring more exposure to your work. Maybe you’re looking to get your contractor license so you can brand yourself as the premier contractor in your area, or statewide.
If these sound like goals of yours, then you’ll need to enlist a few Digital Marketing for Contractors tactics to get you to where you want to be.
Build a Website
Many small contractors (even today) do not have a web presence. For those of you wanting to gain the exposure needed to take your business to the next level, a website is a crucial element for success.
Whether you build small, such as the construction of decks, patios, and simple home additions, or large-scale multi-million dollar projects, having a website is considered the same thing as having a business card. In fact, any respectable business card should have your website listed in your contact info section.
Today, most people are in the process of discovery when they’re seeking out a contractor for their specific needs. In this process, searching the web is often the first action a prospective customer will take prior to making a purchase decision. So, if you’re not a known contractor within your community, how will a potential customer find you?
Having a web presence is the best way to gain exposure in small communities as well as on the statewide and national levels. And the best part is, website design tools are often simple to use on your own. In the case that you’re not too tech-savvy, hiring a website designer is another route you can take to getting your business in front of more customers.
Make Digital Marketing Your Side Hustle
Now, as a contractor I’m sure you have your hands full already. But, unless you have a large team big enough to delegate tasks accordingly, Digital Marketing for Contractors is going to be your responsibility. The good news is, small steps lead to big returns. Even if it takes you months of networking to get a few leads, you’ll be better off having spent the time marketing yourself to gain a few leads versus gaining none.
Digital Marketing for Contractors is a vast space, and many options are available within these spaces such as digital newsletters, email marketing, affiliate marketing, and paid search packages. For the simple crash course, however, getting involved on social media is probably going to be your first move. Instagram and Facebook are great tools for sharing posts such as images of a newly restored home that you contracted for, or of a current project in the making.
With tools such as social media at your disposal, you’ll be able to share your best work, network within your community and get a glimpse of your potential customer base. It’s good to note here that becoming well-versed in social media such as tag usage, when and where to share a post, and other elements will take some time, but it will be worth the effort in the long run.
Build Partnerships
You might have heard the phrase, “No man is an Island.” This is an ideology which comes from the book of the same title by English Poet John Donne, and it basically means that human beings do poorly when they isolate themselves from others. Essentially, you need to be a part of the community in order to flourish.
The same is true in the construction world. If you’re a contractor and want to build bigger, you’ll need to create legitimate and healthy partnerships with others in your industry. This is done by networking, reaching out and putting yourself out there as a reliable and competent partner.
Partnership resources are vast, but it’s best to begin by connecting with your local chamber of commerce or regional business associations. Some states even have contractor associations that you can join and network with, or consider national organizations such as the AGC (Associated General Contractors of America), or you can do it the old fashioned way and look up other contractors to network with using local resources.
Bottom line: Partnerships equal growth, and growth is how your business will flourish over time.
Moving Forward
No matter your business goals, you live in a digital space with nearly all of your potential customers lurking online, looking for someone just like you to fulfill their contracting needs. If business growth is your goal, it’s best to make yourself visible, and doing this means utilizing the wide array of digital tools at your disposal.
The aspects of marketing are vast, but having a marketing plan in any space is critical for business success in any industry.
