Setting up a business as a trade contractor is easy. The challenging part is marketing your contractor services to potential clients. Marketing is a key factor in gaining business and winning home improvement contracts. With the right tips and advice, marketing your construction company to establish an online presence and attract new customers can be easy.
1. Build a professional website that serves as your portfolio.
Building a high-quality construction company website is a great way to show potential customers the quality of your work. Customers want to see examples of the type of construction projects you’ve completed, information on the construction services you offer, and most importantly, customer testimonials. Your construction website is the first impression customers have of your business.
The best option to advertise your new business is to work with a website builder who specializes in custom website design. The professionals at Contractor Gorilla have years of experience with construction website design. They can build you a new website that’s SEO optimized and creates ROI results. Their responsive website designs are optimized for viewing on mobile devices to give a seamless user experience. The website builders focus on creating a design that generates leads, drives web traffic, and results in more closed sales.
2. Capitalize on what makes you unique.
Think about what makes your new business unique, and capitalize on it. Whether you specialize in fixer-upper projects, home renovations, or green building practices, highlight what makes you different from other contractors. Niche markets aren’t as big as mainstream markets, which means your pool of potential clients is smaller. Make sure you offer a healthy balance of products and services that will keep current customers coming back.
Many homeowners enjoy the idea of taking on DIY home improvement projects to breathe new life into their homes. There are many inexpensive ways to improve the look of your home and improve your home’s value. Art Mission presents several easy ways to improve your home for not much money. There are plenty of weekend home renovation projects you can do, such as applying a fresh coat of paint or adding crown molding to a room. Rugs, pillows, and textiles are a great way to add a pop of color. You can make a significant impact on the kitchen by refinishing cabinets, changing out the hardware, and adding new light fixtures.
The best way to give a good first impression of your home is by focusing on the exterior of your home. A home’s curb appeal is the first thing potential customers notice. A good option is to improve your landscaping. Remove debris from the front yard, trim back hedges, shrubs, and bushes, mend the backyard fence, liven up the front porch with planters, install window boxes, and add some new mulch to your flower beds.
Other ways to increase the curb appeal at minimal cost include changing your house numbers, upgrading the mailbox, laying new pavers in the walkway, fixing cracks in the driveway, refreshing your shutters, painting the front door, and garage door replacement. There’s no limit to the DIY home improvement projects that homeowners can take on.
3. Hire people who are more experienced than you.
Building credibility as a contractor takes time, and you may not have the skills or expertise to handle all the demands of a home renovation project. Hiring people who have more experience than you goes a long way towards growing your general contractor business. Working with more experienced professionals helps you get the job done with minimal supervision and creates a learning opportunity. The construction industry is full of contractors and subcontractors with different specialties. It’s important to outsource talent for large renovations to ensure you deliver results on time.
4. Make yourself available.
Potential customers value the ability to talk to a person and not a bot, especially during the business day. It’s a good idea to send business calls to your personal phone when not in the office. Clearly state your business hours on your voicemail, website, and business cards, and set up an automated email and social media response to non-business hours messages. The best way to attract new customers is to make yourself available in the early stages of your new business.
Homeowners take on home improvements to increase the functionality of their home. Both small projects and full-scale renovations increase the value of your home. The first step in taking on a home improvement project is to explore what financial products are available. Original Icons presents a brief guide to financing home improvements. Unsecured personal loans are collateral-free, based on your credit score, and have varying interest rates.
Home improvement programs subsidize the interest of a home improvement loan to maintain and improve the area’s property value. The most common type of loan is a home equity line of credit (HELOC). It’s an open line of credit based on the home equity you have available. HELOC’s offer lower interest rates and larger loan amounts because they require collateral rather than good credit.
These are some of the most effective methods you can gain new customers as a contractor. Build an online presence that highlights what makes your construction company unique, hire the right talent, and always make yourself available.
