The Ultimate Resource Guide for Construction Marketing
by admin on March 10, 2010
in Construction Blog, Construction Marketing, Construction News, Contractor Marketing
Welcome to the ultimate construction marketing resources website. If you’re a contractor… you’re in the right place. Grab a cup of coffee, relax, and take a look around.
There is a whole vault of resources here to help you improve your marketing skills.
- Free report: Construction Marketing Overview.
- Guide to internet marketing for contractors.
- The Marketing Manual for Contractors.
- Educational videos.
- Audio tutorials.
- Hundreds of informative blog posts on marketing for contractors.
So feel free to take a look around and see if you can find that one valuable tip you can use today to land that next project!
Is Pay-Per-Click Marketing Effective?
by admin on November 20, 2009
in Construction Marketing
A Google Adwords Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaign is an excellent way to get instant, targeted traffic to your website.
In fact, recent marketing studies have shown that potential customers who click on Sponsored Links on Google are more likely to make an immediate decision to purchase.
With our PPC campaign management service, you can control your own budget, and know what you can expect from day-to-day.
Benefits of PPC Management:
- You pay for your clicks at cost.
- No mark-up, just one flat monthly fee.
- We build you an asset that you own (your own Adwords campaign with a high Quality Score.)
- Your cost per click gets cheaper over time as your Adwords campaign matures.
- It’s all hands-free, done for you.
- You can turn it on and off at will.
- You set whatever click budget you are comfortable with, and you can raise and lower it any time.
- You get weekly reports showing you where your leads/customers are coming from, click data, and more.
- You can call us any time and speak directly to us to resolve any issues.
Contact us for more information about starting your own PPC campaign.
FREE – Download our Pay-Per-Click Checklist (pdf) on how to manage your own Google Adwords Pay-Per-Click campaign. To download, click here.
Get a free Pay-Per-Click consultation from a Google Adwords Qualified Individual.
America’s 20 Strongest Building Markets
by admin on September 21, 2009
in Builder Marketing, Construction Blog, Construction Jobs, Construction Marketing
Where They’re Still Building Strong in the US.
In this recent article from BusinessWeek, we get the inside scoop on America’s 20 Strongest Building Markets.
Some are due to recent storms, some because of an influx of population; and yet others are due to factors such as recovery funds and even *GASP* a strong economy.
Builders: If you’re miserable where you are and your market is in the tank for the foreseeable future…do you ever think about picking up and moving to where the action is?
Those of you who live in these areas are cursing me right now. But, well, sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands and take some action, right?
What do you think?
Grandpa Learns of the *Magic Computer Box*
by admin on August 21, 2009
in Construction Blog, Construction Marketing
I keep getting a kick out of how so many people keep talking about Twitter, Facebook and social media (et al.) like they are ridiculous time-wasters, unable to be comprehended by a reasonable, practical, effective person.
Are you one of “those people?”
I got the headline for this post from an article in Wired Magazine, talking about the difference between Jimmy Fallon interviewing a Twitter guru, compared to Charlie Rose doing the same. Rose’s interview is referred to as seeming like an episode of “Grandpa Learns of the Magic Computer Box.” Jimmy Fallon, on the other hand, is doing his best to stay current and understand these modern social tools.
Which camp do you fall in? Social media hater, or social media participant?
The Case Against Social Media
For those of you pessimists, you can read this article about how Facebook may risk the effects of “infantilizing the human brain.”
Quote from the audio in the above article:
“Every generation is phobic about the effect of new technology on the morals of the next.”
She goes on to discount the application of this phenomenon concerning social media, and why this time it’s different.
So, you can find good information in both camps.
My point, relative to Construction Marketing, is this:
You can either grump around, refusing to understand or participate in the new social media trends, and fall behind. OR, you can experiment and try to find cool new ninja ways to use this stuff to expand your relationship base and perhaps even grow your business.
It’s your choice. If you want to remain a grinch about it, I totally get it.
But the truth is, this social media stuff is all just a new, very powerful way of communicating with the world. And it’s trending like a juggernaut.
So ask yourself: Do you want to waste time throwing a futile tantrum about how you think it sucks, and you want to go back to the “good old days” of wasteful, one-sided shotgun marketing?
Personally, I’m going to keep my eyes on the horizon, and scoop up what I can along the way.
Now go follow me on Twitter. 
On eProductivity – Applying Inbox Zero To Your Construction Marketing Plan
by admin on August 19, 2009
in Construction Blog, Construction Marketing
BONUS Tutorial: How to Make a Funny Video
Merlin Mann of 43Folders.com and InboxZero.com talks about the book he is writing on productivity, in your inbox and in your life.
I’m Writing a Book. from Merlin Mann on Vimeo.
For those of you contractors and construction marketing enthusiasts who are trying to get good at using online video to market your blog and/or your business, there’s more: Pay attention to how to be compelling with just yourself, the wall behind you, and whatever food you have on your desk.
Sales Resources for Real Students of Construction Marketing
by admin on August 13, 2009
in Construction Marketing
Jeffrey Gitomer says he often introduces himself as “The Best Sales Trainer in the World.”
Read, listen to, and watch his stuff, and you will end up believing it!
Take this video as an example.
Free Sales Training
by admin on July 31, 2009
in Construction Marketing
The power of today’s internet and it’s impact on marketing for construction companies is just downright exciting. There are free marketing and sales tools and resources everywhere you look, and some of them are downright awesome.
To me, sales is an extension of marketing. And if you’re like many contractors, you are both Marketing Director and Sales Manager, as well as your own top salesman.
So, when a great free sales training resource is available in a convenient package, I will always find time to work it into my busy day. How about you?
Bill Caskey and Brian Neale pump out the Advanced Selling Podcast free of charge. I find their podcast to be an excellent primer for getting into a good sales mindset.
To me, a good sales mindset consists of three key elements:
1. Focusing on building an environment of trust.
2. Positioning yourself in an adviser role, earnestly looking out for the best interest of the client in a “detached” way (meaning, you are not desperate to get the sale above all else.)
3. Being bold enough to show your prospect that you can lead them where they need to go.
After listening to almost all the episodes of the Advanced Selling Podcast, I believe Caskey and Neale have these three principles at the core of what they teach.
Also, and perhaps more importantly, they show us a model of generosity that works like gangbusters as a marketing tool.
They publish a free podcast that anyone can grab at any time. This indirectly promotes their sales training services to those who might be interested in such a thing.
Theres no pushing, no salesy B.S., and no direct promotion. It’s all content. But if you have a need for sales training on an organizational level, then your ears are definitely perking up listening to their stories. (And guess what? It’s also entertaining! Great job, guys.)
I wish everyone marketed themselves in this way. It is the way of the future, and it’s time to get on board.
Provide value. For free. Don’t be salesy. Targeted customers will come through the woodwork if you are generous with your knowledge and expertise.
Now, go listen to the podcast. Learn about selling in an ethical and effective way. And, if you pay attention, you will no doubt think of some awesome ways to use the generosity model in your own business, and get results.
(You can download all the Advanced Selling Podcasts on iTunes right now for free.)
NOT a Good Construction Marketing Idea (ha ha)
by admin on March 24, 2009
in Construction Blog, Construction Marketing
Mark Buckshon taught me that awesome content is awesome content, even if in posting it you do have two similar posts on two similarly themed blogs right next to each other in the search engines.
Boy, this “Change Order” image is fun, isn’t it?
Hilarious, even.
Although, my first instinct is, “Boy, I’m glad this isn’t MY boat. I would have a hard time looking my clients straight in the eye.”
How about you?
Maybe, if this boat really belongs to a contractor, the guy is retired and no longer has to sell jobs. Or, perhaps it doesn’t really belong to a contractor.
Nonetheless, the picture is funny. But, if you want my advice, I would advise a reduction in cockiness is usually a good thing.
I would love to hear your thoughts. (And I would love to know if the guy who owns this boat is still laughing in this recession.)
If nothing else, sending this image to a contractor friend might lift his spirits during a time when good spirits are of utmost importance. It’s good to laugh, don’t you think?
Construction Website Links
by admin on March 2, 2009
in Construction Blog, Construction Marketing
Anyone who has tried to tackle the beast that is Search Engine Optimization knows the importance of getting high quality links.
If your website has links from high quality websites, Google will rank it higher in the search results.
However, there is so much misinformation about how Google values certain types of links, I’ll post this video for all you builders, contractors, and construction small business owners who are tackling SEO on your own.
SEOmoz Whiteboard Friday – Dude, Your Links Kinda Suck from Scott Willoughby on Vimeo.
Construction Marketers: How to Get a Link to Your Website
by admin on February 18, 2009
in Construction Marketing
-OR-
Mistakes to Avoid When Leaving Comments on a Blog
Tons of contractors, builders, and construction small businesses are looking to online marketing techniques to help them get new business in a tough, hard-scrabble economy.
This is so true in my corner of the construction marketing world that I have hardly had the time to post on this blog lately. (Yikes.)
But I just had to come on here and make this post in case I could perhaps save some people some time.
You see, once your website begins to rank highly in the search engines and become a little bit of an “authority” site for your niche, you will find that more people will begin to make comments on your website, if you allow them a place to do it.
This post is designed to tell you how to successfully post comments, and how to avoid getting your comment deleted with a grunt from your chosen target’s comment screener. (Hint: Unless you are targeting a huge, gigantic blog or website…you will be screened by the blog owner himself. So, there’s your big hint. Use it wisely.)
Construction Website Owners – When posting a comment on a high ranking blog, hoping to get a backlink:
1. Add some value (for crying out loud!)
It’s so freakin’ easy. You are interested in the topic, or you wouldn’t be commenting, right? Add your take! Write something at least one bored, lonely person on earth might want to read. It’s amazing to me to see that people won’t take 10 seconds to think of something worthwhile to say. “Check out my website” is not interesting to the website’s reader. Add to the conversation.
2. Be nice, not negative and harshly critical.
Don’t be jaded, my contractor friend. This is the internet, and it’s fun! So why not be nice and have fun?
You can have a conflicting opinion with someone and still be professional. Or at least literate. Remember that, online, the words you type will come off as seething, whiny, violent, hateful, uneducated, and self-promotional with almost NO effort on your part. Do not be smug. Smugness is assumed unless you prove otherwise by choosing your words wisely. You have to write very politely on purpose in order to not come off as a troll on the internet.
If you’ve ever had even a barely-slightly-negative post or comment made about you on the *infinitely* public internet, you know the cold chills that can run up your spine when this happens. Understand that website owners are people, and just be a kind human being in your posts and comments.
I am dead serious that it really is that easy, and you will see awesome results.
3. Heck, skip the comment and just post an informative article or blurb about the author of your target website (onto your own website.)
Trust me, people (even big wigs–I’ll tell you that story later) check their Google Alerts and their traffic referrals. Your post will be noticed, and you might get an entire feature rather than just a silly little comment backlink which is probably “no-follow” anyway.
In other words, if you post something nice about someone, they will very likely reciprocate. Don’t kiss ass, just be a real man (or woman) and be polite for crying out loud. There are so many trolls and flamers on the internet that politeness will get you everywhere you want to go. Seriously, it’s like freaking magic. Be overly polite and have fun. Watch what happens as a result.
What About Exchanging Links?
I’ve written about this before, and it can work well in moderation. But you have to do it right, or you’re wasting your time.
When requesting a link from someone, think about how you’d like to be approached if your situations were reversed.
First of all, why not just link to his site first, and then see if he reciprocates voluntarily? This works. Try it. Seriously, go try it. Right now. I’ll wait….
But, if it doesn’t work, then try to come up with a way to add some value to the situation. What do you have to offer? Maybe an article on your topic, or a guide of some kind? Offer something valuable with no conditions attached. I bet you you’ll get your link.
Even just a nice testimonial will probably get you in the door.
But my friend – just so you know – if you do the other stuff I described above you most likely won’t have to bother with this part. You’ll get your link, and even save yourself some stress by just having a little fun for once.
Yeehaw.
Thanks for reading my rant! I love you all. Your fun, polite, conversational comments are all welcome here!
Here’s your chance to try out what you’ve learned. 
