No one needs to tell you how important return clients are to the construction business. Chances are, if you do a great job, your client will think of you the next time they have a project. But that doesn’t stop other companies from whispering sweet nothings into their ear in the meantime.
If your client gets a quote that’s lower than yours, they might be tempted to take it. If only there was a way to keep you in the forefront of their minds, a reminder of just how much quality and expertise your company has to offer them.
Well, you’re in luck! Such a thing does exist. It’s called inbound marketing.
What is inbound marketing? And how is it different from traditional marketing?
Traditional marketing bombards your prospects with advertisements, while inbound marketing is all about building a relationship with them. Some words that go along with inboudn marketing include: conversation, engagement, personalization, and value.
Traditional marketing is you talking at them, while inbound marketing is about talking with each other.
So what can you, as a construction company, do to develop clients into loyal customers?
Be a resource.
Your clients have questions and problems just like any other business. And you know what? Many of their day-to-day worries deal with issues you know a lot about. So why not make yourself the trusted, valuable, go-to source when your clients need to know more about construction?
I’m not talking long phone calls that cut into your lunch hour—direct personal contact is important, but you don’t always have the time. I’m talking about web content: articles, blog posts, white papers, etc. Yes, these things take some time, too. But trust me—they’re worth it.
Steps to Becoming an Online Resource for Your Clients
- Find out exactly what they need to know.
This could include everything from the latest industry practices to making the most of their construction budget. Do your research and really get to know and understand your client. - Translate your wealth of knowledge and expertise into web content.
It’s writing time. This is the step where you take particular care not to bore your clients to tears. You need to be knowledgeable and relevant, but you also want to be entertaining, funny, inspiring, and relatable. This is the difference between producing content your clients see as a valuable treasure trove of information, as opposed to something little better than spam they’ll never read. - Publish your content online.
On your website, through guest blogging, on social media, in e-mail newsletters—you’ve got to put it out there where people can find it. Oh, and this isn’t just a one-time deal. In order to be a truly valuable resource you need to be publishing a consistent stream of relevant, engaging content.
“Do you mean we have to do this every day?”
Maybe, but not necessarily. Every company is a little bit different. While bi-weekly content may cut it for some, others might find themselves publishing three times a day. It’s a matter of finding out what works best for you.
The resources you provide aren’t limited to content, either.
Developing an online tool, web utility, or application may take more time initially, but it is a resource that your clients can come back to again and again. For example: if you are a home remodeling company you can develop a tool to allow customers to preview materials on a virtual home.
Have a friendly chat with your clients, send them a Christmas card, do lunch, go golfing—but don’t underestimate the effectiveness of inbound marketing for customer retention. Be a partner in their success, and you too will be successful! What are you doing to actively reach out to clients? How do you keep them coming back for more? 
