There are some businesses out there that really need a more tailored approach. Doing things like mass-produced social media ads or generic cold emailing that everyone hates isn’t going to cut it. One of these industries is contractors. While not all contractors are private, a lot of them are, like roofers, repairmen, HVAC, installers, well, you get the idea. But even the little guys like these need some help marketing themselves. 

While old-fashioned word-of-mouth marketing certainly works, it doesn’t always get the job done, and usually, this just stays in a tight-knit of people. So, if you want to help them market their business, then you have to market yourself first! Besides, as a marketing professional, attracting contractors to your business involves building trust, showcasing value, and understanding the unique aspects of the construction/ home renovation industry. With that said, what would you need to do properly? Well, keep reading on to find out!

You Need to Speak Their Language 

It’s basically like trying to cater to any audience; you need to speak their language in order to really get the job done. So, go ahead and craft a brand message that resonates specifically with contractors. You’ll, of course, need to highlight your understanding of the construction industry. Actually, if you don’t know much, then you need to do it ASAP because you need to help them

get results, and if you don’t “speak their language” and understand certain services, then you’ll only be doing way more harm than good. 

You have to do research on proper terms and meanings, so looking into a glossary HVAC or even blogs/ YouTube videos that give out information will help. But overall, if you don’t know anything about the industry, you won’t be all too helpful. So make sure you keep this in mind and start learning if you haven’t already! So, to sum it up, learn how your marketing services can address their unique challenges and contribute to the growth of their businesses. Use language and visuals that showcase your familiarity with the construction sector.

You Might Need to Niche it Down

So “contractor” is fairly vague; some of these might solely focus on bathroom remodeling, others may only do kitchen remodels, and some solely do HVAC, pools, plumbing, you get the idea. By all means, there are some who are jacks of all trades, but not all of them. So, it’s best to develop a website that reflects your specialization in marketing for contractors.

You’ll need to clearly outline the services you offer, case studies of successful contractor collaborations, and testimonials from satisfied clients. But overall, a niche website helps contractors quickly identify your expertise and understand how your services can benefit their businesses.

You need to Provide Value in Your Marketing

While you want to help them make sales, you need to get them to make a sale to you first. So, you should go ahead and create content that addresses the specific needs and pain points of contractors. This can include blog posts, articles, or videos that offer insights into effective marketing strategies for construction businesses. 

By all means, you’ll need to establish yourself as a thought leader in contractor marketing by providing valuable, industry-relevant information. They need to know that you know exactly what you’re talking about; they need to know that they can get value from you, which in turn means they get value from their customers/ followers.

You Need to Engage in the Construction Community

Ideally, don’t cold email or “slide into someone's DMs”; no one likes to be sold to. So, you need to do this elegantly and engage with them in the best way to win trust. So, it’s a smart idea to just go ahead and engage with contractors on social media platforms where they are most active. This should include sharing relevant content, participating in industry discussions, and showcasing your expertise. 

Plus, platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram can be particularly effective for reaching the construction community. But overall, you’ll need to use targeted advertising to reach contractors in specific geographic locations.

Consider Creating Webinars or Online Workshops

The amount of marketing you can do from the comfort of your own home is amazing, right? One of them could be easily creating webinars or some type of online workshop or class. These should be specifically designed for contractors, however (might be ideal to be a tad vague for these). So, in these, you’ll want to go ahead and share practical tips on marketing in the construction industry, highlight successful case studies, and provide actionable insights. 

Offering educational resources not only positions your business as an authority but also establishes a connection with contractors seeking valuable information. It’s all in the name of gaining their trust, so you’re proving to them that you know exactly what you’re talking about. 

Attend Networking Events

So, this one might be challenging because major companies usually attend these, and these are more commercially focused. However, there’s still the chance that small contracting businesses and private individuals who own their own businesses might attend these events. It’s just hard to say how successful this one might be. But at the end of the day, it’s face-to-face interactions build trust and credibility. So these events still might be able to help you. 

Target Your Locality

Even if you don’t plan on leaving the house for your business, you’ll still have more luck targeting your locality. Besides, search engines prefer this too. So go ahead and optimize your online presence for local search. For the most part, many contractors operate in specific geographic areas, and they often search for marketing services locally. So, you’ll need to ensure that your website is optimized for relevant keywords and claim your business on Google My Business to enhance local visibility.

Offer Free Marketing Audits

This is controversial since you’re doing something for free, so you need to be cautious with how helping your free service is. The whole point is to get them to gain trust in you. This personalized approach allows you to identify areas for improvement and showcase your business expertise. So, presenting actionable recommendations tailored to their business can be a compelling way to demonstrate the value your services can bring.