Why Feet could be your best asset in Construction

Marketing in Construction – What benefit does it offer your business?

(Probably one of the most misunderstood concepts)

The 'Walk Away Option'

Having been directly involved in Construction Marketing for 20+ years, then less directly connected in the last 11+, I am still surprised as to why companies do not ‘get’ the benefits of promoting your business.

The biggest, in my view, is that it gives you the ‘Walk Away Option’. The whole Construction sector is shaped not by the best, but by the cheapest. Your margins are dictated by those who ‘Need’ the business not those who WANT the business.

Companies who do not promote themselves correctly end up having to ‘buy’ business which drags down the market price. The businesses scraping the barrel are encouraging potential clients to encourage the race to the bottom. This means they are setting the price, taking on clients who are not looking for quality or value, just bottom line.

There are also the M/C’s or ultimate clients who are bad payers, or indeed, Non-Payers, who have a queue of suppliers/contractors knocking on their door for work, because they ‘Need’ it.

These are pretty typical of the short termism in the sectors, which sadly set the parameters everyone else has to work in. These companies may not invest in training staff but will be happy to take staff from others who have.

So what has this got to do with ‘Marketing?? Good Question

OK, Marketing means you are promoting your company to raise its profile. It should mean you get more enquiries, so you can select those you want to price, and let the aforementioned scramble for those you don’t want. Generally companies who understand Marketing understand the difference between Profit & Turnover. By having an excess of enquiries, you can set a criteria when pricing. Better Margins, Better Clients, Better Payers.

Anyone can achieve Turnover but once you ‘Need’ the business you are more likely to take on ‘New’ clients, without really knowing their history.

If you are working on low margins, it HAS to impact either on the quality of your products, or your service. This in turn defines how much repeat business you gain, it defines if you build relationships or if you are continually working with strangers.

I’ve had Landscape & Civil Contractors complain because they lose business to contractors who don’t do a ‘Proper’ job. However the finished project looks the same to the client. The reason for this is that ‘Marketing’ should also educate clients. We ALL sell SOLUTIONS, and the client can only buy yours if they fully understand what your Solution is. Sadly with the above sectors, the solutions are covered up so any shortfall only becomes apparent many months, or even, Years later.

Promoting your business gives you OPTIONS, and the whole industry will only improve once companies take the Option to WALK AWAY. Walk Away from contractors who want you to take Quality Shortcuts, H&S Shortcuts and who really prefer not to pay you at all.

Promoting your business has other benefits, it can cement reputations, ‘word of mouth’ is still the biggest Sales factor in our business. If you are able to work as partners and build relationships then the ‘Supply Chain’ will transfer from project to project and your business will be one of the links.

Promoting your business is also Promoting your Sector and Your Industry. You not only have to promote your business to potential clients but also to Potential New Recruits. Staff and Skill Shortages are exactly the issues which drag Construction, in all its formats, back.

The WHOLE INDUSTRY needs to promote itself better to attract new recruits. “Oh young people today don’t want to work”. I can count how many times I’ve heard this from so many people, Well THEY DO, and they would want to work in this incredible industry, if only someone REALLY told them what opportunities there were. I’ve heard students say Landscaping is cutting grass and planting flowers or Construction is ‘Bricklaying’

WHY,

Well, the only ‘Construction’ people they come across are the ‘Builders’ their parents use. Van full of The Sun, Daily Star, McDonalds Containers and Cardboard Coffee Cups, with very debateable Dress Codes.

There are other industries falling over themselves and fully respecting future employees. Marketing is selling your company but also selling your industry.

It won’t change until we stop the people at the bottom from setting the agenda, but the biggest benefit of promoting YOUR business is the ability to Walk Away.

Paul Scott

Front Elevation Construction Photography

www.frontelevation.co.uk