One of the top priorities and challenges for business owners—both new and established—is to acquire and retain new customers. According to our 2021 DDA survey, 69% of respondents are looking to attract new leads to drive more success for their business. The success of a company is dependent upon its sales and business revenue, and the construction industry is no exception.
To consistently pull in a steady stream of high-quality clients for your construction business, try implementing these six strategies for acquisition and growth.
Make yourself known to local suppliers.
Forming a good relationship with local suppliers will go a long way when it comes to acquiring new customers for your construction business. When individuals use the same suppliers time and time again for various household projects, they tend to put a lot of trust in them. They value the supplier’s opinions and advice, so it’s only natural that customers would go to their supplier to ask for recommendations when construction needs arise.
For this reason, it’s good to get out there and introduce yourself to all of the local suppliers. Leave them your business cards, establish a good relationship with them, and stay in touch with them frequently so that when a customer asks for a recommendation, you’re the first name that comes to mind.
Connect with those in the vicinity of ongoing projects.
When working on a project, whether residential or commercial, take the opportunity to connect with neighboring homeowners or nearby businesses. Let them know you will be doing work in the area, leave them a business card, and tell them to contact you if they ever need anything.
Construction projects usually take months to complete. This gives you a good amount of time to not only introduce yourself to as many potential new construction clients as you can in the area, but build a foundation for what could be a great working relationship down the road. It’s also a good way to showcase your work since those in the vicinity of your project will see the progress of what you’re doing from start to finish, giving them a sense of your work quality and your team’s efficiency.
Build a website and make yourself known on social media.
Most people looking for anything these days turn to Google. Build a high-quality website and establish a strong social media presence with details about you and your construction business. Showcase your previous projects using pictures and videos that highlight the types of projects you specialize in, the quality of your work, and your typical process. Consider adding an SEO-optimized blog to your website where you gain organic traffic and leads through industry-related content—for example, a blog post offering suggestions and ideas for various construction and DIY projects.
Your website and social media are also valuable real estate when it comes to highlighting customer testimonials. Encourage previous clients to rate your business and leave comments about the quality of your work.
Lastly, try to get as many followers as possible so that you are reaching as many people as you can and post often so that your construction business is frequently showing up in newsfeeds.
Establish authority through YouTube.
YouTube is one of the largest search engines in the world, second only to Google. Leverage the platform’s massive potential and large user base by creating a thoughtful video strategy that drives discoverability for your business. For example, you can become the go-to expert for those with construction needs by creating short home improvement videos. When it comes to remodeling and construction, this is a great way for potential clients to see you and your team at work.
Not only can you highlight projects through YouTube but you can also offer in-person classes for DIY home projects. If you can teach people how to do simple projects around the house, then they will more than likely turn to you for their construction and remodeling needs.
Offer flexible payment options.
New construction and home improvements can be costly projects. You will lose a significant number of clients if you don’t offer financing services and various payment options for larger projects that clients may not be able to pay for in full at one time. Providing flexibility and allowing customers to pay on a schedule, such as a milestone-based schedule or a completion-schedule schedule, helps make it easier for clients to work with you and could help you beat out competitor bids. Plus, taking partial payments up front as part of a payment plan is a great way to ensure that incremental payments don’t interrupt your business or throw off your cash flow.
On the flip side, it’s important to be prepared in the event that clients are late with payments, as unexpected invoicing delays could cause business slowdowns and put your business in a cash crunch. Make sure that you have strategies in place to ensure timely payments, and when possible, have a backup supply of cash on hand to cover expenses and business operations while invoices are settled.
Actively participate in community events.
Customers generally like to support local businesses, especially those who give back to the community. Consider sponsoring a local race, organizing a collection for donations such as school supplies for those in need, or donating team shirts with your logo to children’s sports teams. Getting involved with organizations and charity events is a good way to support causes that matter to you while getting your business name out there.
Better business banking with no monthly fees and the opportunity to earn high-yield interest.
