Marketing your general contractor business: A guide to success

In this blog post, we’ll look at the most important aspects of branding for your general contractor business and offer practical advice for marketing your business with a brand-building focus.

Define your brand identity

The first and most important step in branding your general contractor business is to define your brand identity. Your brand identity should accurately reflect who you are as a company, what you stand for, and what you offer your target audience.

Begin by investigating your company’s values, mission, and unique selling points to define your brand identity. Here are a few key questions to ask yourself:

• What distinguishes you from your competitors?
• What do you want people to know and remember about your company?
• What are your company’s primary goals and objectives?

Once you’ve considered these questions, you can use your answers to craft your overall brand identity.

Develop your brand elements

Once you’ve defined your brand identity, the next step is to develop your brand elements.

Keep in mind there are both visual and non-visual elements to your brand. The visuals are easy to recognize. They’re your logo, tagline, images, colors, typography, designs, and other visual elements. The non-visual elements are more subtle and include your company’s values, customer service, offers, tone, and personality.

All together, these elements create your brand message. Your brand message encapsulates the essence of your general contractor company and should be clear and concise. It needs to communicate to your target audience the unique value you provide to your customers and the benefits they can expect from working with you.

And here is the most important point: to have an effective brand message, your brand elements must be consistent across all marketing materials and communications. These include your website, print materials, social media, and any other channels your general contractor company uses to communicate and collaborate.

Here are the elements to carefully develop for your brand:

1. Logo:
   Your logo is the key visual representation of your brand. It should be simple, memorable, and easily recognizable. Make sure it works in any size, in color, in black-and-white, in print, and online on any size of screen.
2. Tagline:
   A tagline is a short, memorable phrase that summarizes your brand’s message. Keep it brief, easy to remember, and pertinent to your intended audience.
3. Website:
   Your website is your online storefront and showcases your company. It should be simple to use, visually appealing, and search engine optimized. Make sure your website clearly reflects you and your company’s desired brand identity.
4. Marketing materials:
   Your marketing materials include any printed materials (brochures, flyers, business cards) or your online tools (website, social media, QR codes). Regardless of the combination you use, make sure all your marketing materials are in sync. This is the only way they can present a strong, clear brand.
5. Social media presence:
   Your social media presence would be your website, Instagram, Twitter feed, Facebook page, Pinterest, YouTube channel, or any other online tool you use to share content and network. Again, your brand message should be clear and consistent. And don’t see it just a selling tool. Treat it as an opportunity to be personable, engage online, and build relationships.
6. Customer service:
   Customer service is the support you offer before and after a customer has purchased your product or used your services. It should be consistent throughout your team and accurately reflect your brand’s message and tone. Carefully train your customer service team and consider offering them a script for handling frequently asked questions.

Establish your online presence

Creating an online presence is an important step in developing your general contractor brand. With the majority of consumers searching for products and services online, having a strong and consistent online presence is critical.

Here are some strategies for establishing your online presence:

1. Website:
   As mentioned, your website is the online representation of your brand. It should be professional, visually appealing, and contain all pertinent information about your company. It should also be simple to navigate and search engine optimized to increase your visibility. Most importantly, your website should inspire confidence in your services. Trust is the most powerful selling tool of all.
2. Social media:
   Social media is an excellent platform for reaching out and connecting with your target audience. Select the platforms most relevant to your company and clientele and develop a consistent brand image and voice. Share project updates, industry news, and behind-the-scenes content to give your followers a glimpse into your company. Use social media to demonstrate your personality as a company.
3. Online directories:
   Listing your company in online directories such as Google My Business, Yelp, and Angie’s List can help increase your visibility and attract new customers. Make sure to include current and accurate information, such as your business hours, contact information, and services offered.
4. Online reviews:
   Many consumers read and rely heavily on online reviews. Make a point to encourage your satisfied customers to leave a review on sites like Google and Yelp. Know that positive reviews increase your credibility and visibility in search results.

You can reach a larger audience, build your brand’s identity, and attract new clients as a general contractor by establishing an online presence and utilizing the many online tools available.

Create marketing materials

Developing marketing materials is an essential step in branding and marketing your general contractor company. Marketing materials allow you to communicate your brand message to potential clients while also showcasing your work.

Here are some examples of marketing materials you can create:

1. Brochures:
   Brochures are an excellent way to introduce your company to potential customers while also providing detailed information about your services or products. Make certain your brochures reflect your brand identity and contain high-quality images. While many might see them as obsolete, brochures are still an effective way of telling customers you are invested and serious about your business.
2. Business cards:
   Business cards are essential for any company. They should be consistent with your brand’s identity and include your contact information, logo, and a brief description of your services. If you attend a lot of trade shows or business associations, try using digital business cards that auto populate smart phones.
3. Print ads:
   By having print ads in local magazines or trade publications, you can reach a larger audience and target potential clients in your area. Make sure your ads are visually appealing and convey your brand message clearly. Make use of QR Codes and special offers to track your ads conversion.
4. Email marketing:
   Email marketing is an efficient way to stay in touch with current and prospective customers. Regular newsletters, promotional emails, and project updates can develop relationships and continue to spur the growth of your business.
5. Video marketing:
   Videos can be used to showcase your projects and demonstrate your expertise. Make short, high-quality videos that highlight your work and services and post them on your website and social media platforms. Video marketing is particularly important to businesses which rely heavily on personal brands. If you’re reluctant to use your own face and person online, consider artificial intelligence tools that simply scan your face and automatically create videos according to a written narration. These are excellent for explainer videos.

Marketing materials are an important component of developing and promoting your general contractor brand. Get creative with print materials, video clips, online communication, and artificial intelligence to make your brand and marketing work for you.

Foster relationships with clients and partners

Relationships with clients and partners are critical in developing a successful and long-lasting brand for your general contractor business.

Here are some strategies for establishing and maintaining strong business relationships:

1. Provide exceptional customer service:
   Your clients are the lifeblood of your company and providing them with exceptional service is critical to developing long-term relationships. Respond to their needs as soon as possible, listen to their concerns, and make sure their projects are completed on time and to their satisfaction.
2. Network with other professionals:
   Relationships with other industry professionals, such as architects, engineers, and suppliers, can lead to new business opportunities and referrals. Attend trade shows and events and consider joining industry organizations to expand your network. If you are not familiar with Business Networking International, go online and find a local chapter. It’s a global organization, and many members have been loyal to the group for decades.
3. Collaborate with partners:
   Collaboration with partners such as subcontractors, suppliers, and other contractors can help you provide a broader range of services while also building your brand reputation. Seek out mutually beneficial relationships and collaborate with them to provide clients with high-quality service.
4. Build customer loyalty:
   Encourage customer loyalty by providing incentives such as discounts on future projects and by staying in touch with clients even after their projects are completed. Responding to their inquiries quickly and providing excellent customer service builds trust that will pay off in future projects and positive referrals.

You can build a positive reputation for your general contractor brand and increase customer loyalty by cultivating relationships with clients and partners. Strong relationships lead to new business opportunities, referrals, and repeat business, all of which will help your company succeed in the long term.

Continuously evaluate and improve your brand and marketing

As your company evolves and grows, it’s important to regularly evaluate and improve your brand. A regular check-in also makes sure your brand is still accurately reflecting your company’s values, goals, and target audience.

Here are some suggestions to help you assess and improve your brand and marketing:

1. Gather feedback:
   Request feedback from your desirable customers about your company. What aspects do they like or dislike? What could you do better? These observations and suggestions can assist you in identifying areas for improvement and making changes that will increase the appeal of your brand to your target audience.
2. Monitor your competition:
   Keep an eye on your competition and see what they’re doing to differentiate themselves in the market. What do your competitors do that you don’t? Is there anything you can take away from their successful branding strategy and apply to your own business?
3. Stay up to date with industry trends:
   Keep current regarding emerging trends in your industry. Is there anything new or innovative you can incorporate into your brand to keep up with the competition?
4. Regularly review your brand elements:
   Review your brand elements on a regular basis, including your logo, messaging, and marketing materials. Make sure they accurately reflect your brand and are still relevant and appealing.
5. Rebrand if necessary:
   It may be time to rebrand if your current brand no longer accurately represents your company or no longer resonates with your target audience. This can be a substantial investment, but it is frequently required to remain competitive and relevant in today’s rapidly changing business landscape, and therefore, worth every penny.

You can keep your general contractor brand fresh, relevant, and appealing to your target audience by constantly evaluating and improving it. This will assist you in attracting and retaining customers, developing brand loyalty, and ultimately driving business growth and success.

In today’s competitive market, consistent and clear branding and marketing for your general contractor business is critical to its success.

Ready to build or re-build your general contractor brand?

We can help! Schedule a free 30-minute call with us. We’ll be able to answer questions and share ideas. From there, we’d be happy to design a more in-depth plan for a successful brand strategy for your general contractor company!