It’s an inescapable fact. People spend a ridiculous amount of their time on the web. It’s where we all go when we’re seeking information and your prospects are no exception. If your marketing plan doesn’t include digital marketing, you’re missing out on a lot of potential leads. And if your digital marketing doesn’t take the form of inbound marketing, you’re missing out many times over.
What Is Inbound Marketing?
Inbound marketing draws people to your company’s website by providing content that is easily accessible, relevant and interesting. This is the opposite to traditional “outbound” marketing practices such as radio, T.V. and newspaper ads, which offer no direct value for your prospects.
As a construction company, you rely heavily on word-of-mouth referrals. But what are you doing to actively reach NEW clients? Inbound marketing builds and maintains both new and old client relationships. Relationship, by the way, is the perfect word to represent inbound marketing. Inbound is a two-way street; it focuses on interaction, engagement, and conversation.
So how can you use inbound marketing to generate leads for your construction company?
- Educate Your Audience to Strengthen Industry Credibility
When it comes to construction, you know your stuff. But do your prospects know it, too? They aren’t going to just “take your word for it” that you’re an expert. You’ve got to prove it to them. Providing case studies, testimonials, and pictures on your website is one very effective way to accomplish this, another is through educational material.
Let me provide an example:
Harold is looking to hire a professional home remodeler sometime in the near future, but for now he’s trying to figure out exactly what he wants. He’s considering stone veneer for the exterior, but he doesn’t know much about it. Is stone veneer more cost effective? What types of stone veneer are there? What other options are available?
Where is Harold going to be looking for this information? Let me give you a hint, he won’t be going to his local library. He’ll be searching online, of course!
He goes on to Google and clicks on one of the first likely-looking articles that comes up in his search. He finds a ton of useful information about the pros and cons of stone veneer. Harold notices that the website is run by a local home remodeling company. He’s impressed with the information available on their website and is now interested in their work.
Alternatively, Harold could find a home remodeler’s website that is vague on their abilities and expertise. Which company do you think Harold is more like to contact? Publishing relevant, useful content not only proves you know what you’re talking about—it also pulls people on to your website.
- Be Easy to Find Using the Best SEO Practices
Let’s talk about our pal Harold a little more. Remember how he chose to check out one of the first items returned in his search? This makes Harold typical of most people browsing the internet. It’s a simple fact: if you aren’t on the first page, you probably won’t get hits.
How do you get your construction website into the ranks? SEO
Search
Engine
Optimization
It’s the practice of optimizing your content so that when words or phrases relevant to your company are searched for, YOU come up.
- Provide Engaging Content to Increase Your Brand Awareness
If you want to generate new leads, you’ve got to spread the word! Who are you? What separates you from the competition? The more your prospects know about your company, the more comfortable they will be with the idea of working with you.
- Don’t be afraid to show off some personality. Be creative, be fun, be entertaining.
- Don’t just reword content found on competing sites. Make your content unique to your business and let your personal style and capabilities shine through.
Share the story of how your business was started. Tell them about your business ethics. Write up some interesting employee bios.
Finally, to truly engage your prospects, you need be in more places online than just your website.
That’s right, I mean social media. Tweet about the latest news in the world of construction, post your most stunning before and after photos on Facebook. If you make it relevant, useful, and entertaining, your audience won’t just be willing to read your content, they’ll be enthusiastic about it!
What is your construction company currently doing to generate leads? Is your marketing plan inbound or outbound? Want to learn how inbound marketing can take your business to the next level? Give Marketing Essentials a call at 419.629.0080 and speak to an Digital Strategist today!
