Black Friday is over and Cyber Monday has passed, so what’s next? While the month of December seems to come and go in a flash, there is still ample time to give a quick boost to your marketing efforts.
As the year winds down, contractors and construction professionals have a unique opportunity to evaluate their marketing strategies and lay the groundwork for a successful year ahead. With the right combination of reflection and preparation, you can amplify your brand visibility, strengthen client relationships, and generate leads to kickstart the new year. Here are seven actionable marketing tips tailored to construction professionals:
1. Review Your Year in Marketing
How did your marketing strategy perform in 2024? Now is the perfect time to take stock of what worked and what didn’t in your marketing efforts. How? It’s simple: Analyze key metrics like website traffic, lead conversions, and social media engagement. Review and identify campaigns that drove the most value so that you can replicate, and even improve upon, their success in the coming year.
Pro Tip: If you are not already doing so, use free and easy tools like Google Analytics or social media insights to track performance.
2. Refresh Your Website
Social media aside, your website is most often the first impression clients will have of your business. For this reason, it is critical that you take time to review it – make sure that it is updated with your latest and greatest projects, testimonials, and contact information. Do you have new products or services? Have you added a new location? Now is the time to add and update as necessary.
Additionally, you can work with your website manager to optimize content and loading speeds and ensure mobile compatibility—many prospects and clients will run a search for your company or services from their mobile devices, so at the very minimum you should check how your content and website looks from your phone.
3. Update Your Portfolio
With so many projects and locations, it is easy to overlook and forget about sharing new project successes. Showcasing your best and most recent work is crucial in the construction industry. Take some time to update your portfolio with high-quality photos, videos, or even drone footage of completed projects. Don’t forget to document the job from the start so that you can include before-and-after images that can make for a compelling story that highlights your expertise.
4. Launch a Holiday Appreciation Campaign
The holidays offer an ideal opportunity to thank clients, vendors, and industry partners. Whether you choose to send personalized holiday cards or deliver small gifts, a little gratitude can go a long way in fostering loyalty and referrals.
Pro Tip: Include a discount or special offer for repeat and/or loyal clients in the new year.
5. Create Videos
Videos are a powerful tool to showcase your work. According to HubSpot, the number of digital video viewers worldwide is more than 3.3 billion, and in 2024, 89 percent of consumers confirm that they want to see more videos from brands.
Not sure where to start? You can take first steps by creating short clips of ongoing projects, client testimonials, or behind-the-scenes tours. Social platforms including Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube can help you reach a wider audience.
Pro Tip: Highlight eco-friendly practices or unique techniques to appeal to socially-conscious clients.
6. Invest in Local SEO
As most construction professionals are aware, construction is a hyper-local industry, especially for smaller operations. For this reason, it is vital that your business makes efforts to rank high in local searches. To do this, simply update your Google Business Profile with accurate information and encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews. Believe it or not, it can just take an ask or small incentive to motivate clients to provide positive feedback; share direct links to your google business profile to make it a “one-click” process.
Pro Tip: Use location-specific keywords like “best roofing contractor in [city]” on your website and social media.
7. Attend Industry Events and Network
Winter is a great time to participate in trade shows, conventions, seminars, and community events. You can utilize these networking opportunities to showcase your expertise, distribute branded marketing materials, and potentially expand your reach.
If you have been following this blog or HBW on social media, then you know that HBW follows and shares a variety of upcoming industry events. Follow us to get industry related event details delivered directly to your inbox or social feed.
Pro Tip: Take pictures at these events and share them on social media to boost credibility; don’t forget to tag companies and clients as appropriate.
By reviewing and improving your marketing efforts before the new year, and implementing some of the above listed tips, construction professionals can position their businesses for growth and success. Remember, consistency and authenticity are key in building a lasting brand. Start planning now, and you will see the benefits throughout the new year.
For more information on construction business marketing tips, stay connected with the HBW Blog. To get ahead of construction activity and gain access to the latest permitting data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW for more information on construction data reports and industry leads.