By Tom Snee, content director
Whether you’re a master developer looking to unlock vast swathes of land for regeneration, an SME aiming to grow to the next level, or a start-up wanting to disrupt the industry, getting your construction PR & marketing and external perception right is mission critical.
While it is not just exclusive to the construction industry, it is too often that marketing is seen as some sort of nebulous, creative wing of the business that doesn’t have particularly strong impacts on other areas.
This couldn’t be further from the truth.
In reality, observing your marketing, branding and overall communications is usually the first experience people will have with your business, putting it at the absolute top of the sales funnel and responsible for driving leads, enquiries and sales.
Creating good quality marketing and communications for the construction and the built environment can be a challenge, but having a structured and methodical approach that takes into account the best options for external support can really set you apart from the pack.
Longer leads vs reactive opportunities
One of the most critical considerations for construction marketeers is that of who their core audiences are, how to access them, and when to strike. Central to this is a fundamental understanding of the brand and its messaging – this will underpin the entire strategy, and help ensure that any external support required can be briefed quickly and efficiently.
Once you have that understanding, you can create a balanced marketing plan has planned opportunities with longer lead times, but also leaves you with the flexibility and agility to jump in and be reactive on topics that are relevant to your industry expertise.
Your team is your biggest asset
Making use of your team is one of the most underrated tactics when it comes to marketing your construction business to a wider audience. It can often be the case that you – and by extension, your team – don’t really recognise when you are doing something that is interesting or newsworthy, especially if it is something that feels “day to day” for you.
This is where an external sounding board can come in handy. Working with an agency can give some much-needed outside perspective on which of your projects, services and capabilities are the best to shout about and – more importantly – how to do it.
Don’t stick to your regular content cycle
Too often, companies in construction and the wider built environment can get stuck in a cycle of using the same kind of content in the same cycle for every project. While this approach does have its benefits in terms of creating a drumbeat of content – contract win, start on site, completion, case study – it can quickly become tired and turn into background noise.
However, by expanding your horizons and considering other content types and approaches, you can achieve greater cut-through and a better connection with your audience.
Our clients have had a lot of success recently with whitepapers, addressing key topics in their relevant industries and taking a deep dive into the intricacies and nuance behind it to create a deeper understanding.
These have not just been insightful reads, but also excellent lead generation tools as downloads can be gatekept to garner contacts from interested parties. Check out our projects with past and current clients to see how we can help your business.
Need a construction marketing agency?
If you’d like to know more about how we can support your construction marketing activities, contact us today and talk to one of our construction PR and marketing experts and our dedicated content marketing team.
