Best Marketing Practices for Contractors

On top of running your business and completing jobs, you may be thinking: I don’t have time for marketing! If you can only dedicate a small amount of time to improving your strategy, we know how you can get the most value. The following best practices are key to good marketing, and you can work on them little by little—and grow your business in the process.

Figure Out Who’s Looking

The quickest way to waste money on marketing is to dive in without setting a target. Your potential customers should be the focus of your marketing tools and engagement, so that you can craft more effective content and advertisements. As a seasoned professional, you probably already have a good idea of who is shopping in your industry and who isn’t.

Consider your own customer base.
Analyze the traffic coming to your website.
Look at existing statistics to figure out who you’re talking to.

For example, the HomeAdvisor True Cost Report has statistics on who is driving the home improvement market these days: baby boomers and millennials.

Have and Maintain a Website

Your website offers a huge opportunity to develop leads and gain new business. If you don’t have one, or even if you don’t keep the one you do have up to date, you’re missing out on a cost-effective marketing tool. And you’re probably giving an inaccurate presentation of your company. Your website should look and feel the way that you want your business to appear and operate. It’s unlikely that you want your business to appear outdated or inaccessible, so your website shouldn’t be that way. Keep your website current, and put your best foot forward with features like:

A photo gallery of finished projects
Testimonials from actual customers
An easy-to-navigate page of services you provide

Build a Reputation

You’re already building a reputation by doing consistently good work. However, there are other ways to give your reputation a boost.

Network: Many business owners praise the value of being part of an industry association and networking, both at conferences and with other professionals. It’s the best way to stay on top of what’s happening in the industry and to develop relationships within it.

Be Responsive: Take the time to respond to reviews online, whether they are good or bad. Be grateful when you get a compliment and be helpful and responsive when a review isn’t so great. A helpful response can drastically reduce the impact of a negative review.

Engage Your Audience

An active internet presence will make you stand out against the competition. When your potential customers visit your Facebook profile and find a recently posted photo of your staff or a project, you’re showing them that you’re engaged—that you’re real and accessible. Engage your audience with:

Social media activity
A frequently updated blog
Email marketing
Visuals like graphics and videos

Own Your Territory

Marketing locally is still a vital part of growing your business. You can’t provide service to someone who loves your latest blog if they don’t live in your service area. With the following advertising methods, you have a great chance of reaching customers in your district:

Social media (Facebook, Nextdoor, and Craigslist are great places to start)
Pay-per-click (Learn all about PPC from Wordstream)
Radio
Newspapers

Some contractors may get through these tips and feel ahead of the game, while others may feel very far behind. Wherever you are on your marketing journey, if you’d like to learn more or expand your knowledge, take a look at this guide to marketing your contracting business for great resources and information.