Construction Marketing Messages are Critical to Success
If you read any of my blogs, you know I’m an advocate for creating strong marketing messages. Recently, I’ve done several analyses for prospects and found a common thread –all their content is alike. Obviously, I know companies in the same industry will have similarities in promoting services or products. However, to stop at basic messaging is weak marketing. Messaging needs to separate and distinguish you from competitors, and this is especially critical in construction marketing messages. Messages that have depth and distinction are the foundation of truly effective marketing and branding.
Understanding construction marketing messages
I believe messaging is so essential that at Conach, we include it as part of our clients’ brand. When we look at branding, we combine message and visual image (logo plus the design of lead generation and sales material). Just as you wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) copy a competitor’s logo, you need to differentiate your company from other contractors. This approach promotes why prospects should award you the contract and inspires your employees to live up to the standards it sets.
How to develop construction marketing messages
Whether you’re a new business or an established one and want to work on your messaging, begin with research. Look at competitors’ websites and review their messages, logo, and its design to avoid copying these brand elements and to help get ideas on creating unique messaging. There are also multiple message development techniques that we use at Conach, such as Pain Point, Target Market, and Proof Statements.
When working on construction marketing messages for clients, I think a critical one is Company Personality. This message promotes who you are as a company and how you work with clients. Let me give you an example from my career.
At one time I worked with over ten construction clients across the country, seven of those in Michigan. Two of those contractors were in Saginaw and had been in business for decades. Both had stellar reputations and could build top quality buildings. The way I helped both grow despite offer similar services and experience, was Company Personality messaging. One company’s personality was very corporate and “take charge”, the other more personal and “take the client by the hand”. We determined that the first appealed to Fortune 100 companies and large school districts. The second to churches, family businesses, and healthcare practitioners. Through Company Personality messaging and other tactics, the first won a renovation contract with an international fast-food chain and its first of many school projects. The second broke into the church and healthcare market, growing from $30 million to $100 million in sales. While this was a period of strong activity in the construction market, it also came with increased competition. During this time, many clients came to us with the idea that they had to be the lowest bid to win the project. Focusing on unique and messages that aligned with potential customers helped them be awarded jobs on value, not just price.
Why focus on construction marketing messages?
Those are just two examples of how creating powerful construction marketing messages help to connect with and convince potential customers your company is the right choice. Our approach of employing multiple messages to promote your services and experience while highlighting your unique strengths, sells your advantages eliminating the need to rely solely on cost.
About the Author
Paul Kowalski (or Pappy as he is called around the office) spent over two decades working at other agencies before opening Conach Marketing Group in 2008. The early part of his career was working with Fortune 500 clients at different agencies. However, working with smaller clients was his preference. This choice was because of the impact on a client’s business growth and forming closer, personal relationships.
About Conach
When he was creating Conach, his goal was to bring those Fortune 500 strategies along with years of B2B marketing experience to small business marketing clients. As a result of focusing on business to business marketing, Conach specializes in construction marketing, financial marketing, and industrial marketing. Even though we are in Mid-Michigan, Conach provides marketing services to clients across the country.
For more information visit conachmarketing.com or contact us or call 989.401.3202.