For this week’s Guest Post Friday, Construction Law Musings welcomes Jay S. Fleischman. Jay is a New York bankruptcy lawyer and legal marketing consultant who helps lawyers using online and offline tools to grow their practices.
The construction industry is going through turmoil and tough times, with small and larger construction companies alike finding it tougher to get work. Financing is difficult to come by and rampant over-building in both the residential and commercial sectors over the past few years had led to a glut in many markets.
So what are the options for a construction company looking to attract and retain buyers? Take them on a journey.
Some years ago my parents decided to have a new home built for their retirement. The contract and design phase went smoothly, the builders were amiable, and the work done well. But to my parents, people who had never owned a place of their own prior to this experience, the best part was watching their dream take shape.
Unfortunately, they were thousands of miles away from the construction site. Without regular updates from the builder aside from the projected date of completion, my folks were left in the dark.
This is the same situation in which most buyers find themselves, but smart construction companies can rip a page from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to leverage existing projects for new business.
What makes this television show so powerful is that is takes viewers on the journey of creating a new living space for families in need.
Every step of the process is explained in detail, allowing viewers to feel as if they’re a part of the action. In doing so, people watching are able to visualize the project as their own, putting themselves in the place of the beneficiaries of the show’s handiwork.
Bringing this to your own business doesn’t need to involve television cameras and big-budget sponsors, though. There is a simple 5-step process to creating excitement abut your projects that will make existing and potential customers more likely to hire you for their next project.
Establish A Base Camp. Buyers want to know every little thing that’s being done on their project, from the delivery of raw materials to the pouring of the foundation. Establish a secure online portal for buyers to access, and fill it with daily updates.
Grab A Camera. My parents were lucky to have a close friend living nearby. Every few days the friend would drive by the lot and snap a picture to send to my parents, giving them a visual play-by-play of how things were progressing. In doing so, my parents felt that they were an active part of the project, standing alongside the crew each day.
Time Lapse Flipbook And Video. Using inexpensive tools it’s simple to take photos and turn them into a video complete with background music. Add to that a 5 minute video tour of the entire project – inside and out. Showcasing the work done to give buyers their own version of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous on a DVD or online once the project is complete gives them something to remember you by – and to pass along to other people who may be in a position to use your services.
Leverage Flickr. By creating a Flickr photo stream for each project (optimized for keyword searches, of course) will help new potential buyers find your work online. Be sure to put your contact information on each photo page so that people know how to reach out to you.
Use YouTube. When people are looking to begin a construction project, they want to know that the company they choose has done good work in the past. Remember that video you gave to your customer? Put it on YouTube and be sure to optimize it for search so that potential new customers have a way to see how remarkable you perform.
Using these 5 simple steps you can begin to differentiate yourself in the market, give your customers a greater role in their own project, and create a path for new customers to walk down when making their own construction hiring decisions.
For more information, check out https://brooksconstruction.com.au/
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As always, Jay and I welcome your comments below. Please subscribe to keep up with this and other Guest Post Fridays at Construction Law Musings.
This is a great way to “kill two birds with one stone.” Documenting construction progress for purchasers is a great marketing tactic, but it is an even better risk management tactic. The homeowners may not care as much about window flashings, but your insurance carrier, legal representative and forensic experts will love those pictures!
Good stuff, as always! I espeically like reading about sales and marketing from a ‘legal’ perspective.
Thanks as always to both of you for checking in. I always appreciate your input and am glad to see an expert perspective from Brian.
Thanks Guys.