Whether you’re a generalist or a specialist, understanding your target market is critical to connecting with potential clients and winning more bids. Once you’ve done the groundwork, though, you need specific steps to bring in leads. That’s where tactical marketing comes in.
Tactics Make Your Strategy Happen
The term tactical marketing is used in contrast to strategic marketing. Strategic marketing is your first step in building a marketing plan. It’s about deciding who your ideal clients are, what information to present to them, and how to present that information. When you’re clear on that, it’s time to move on to tactical marketing – executing specific tasks to put your strategy into action. For most construction firms, that means using tactics such as cold calling, placing ads, and building a lead-generating website.
Strengthening Your Tactical Marketing Game
Beyond cold calling, there are a few other highly effective construction lead generation techniques worth adding to your tactical marketing plan.
Ad campaigns – Because construction services have such a long buying cycle, a single ad with only your company’s name and phone number is unlikely to get attention. A complete ad campaign, however, helps you attract leads by zeroing in on their interests. Start by creating an offer tailored to a specific segment of your target market. Publish ads that promote your offer and take prospects to focused landing pages where they can sign up.
Referral program – A structured referral program encourages word of mouth. Create a simple form you can offer your satisfied clients after you’ve helped them solve a problem and when their project is complete. Consider offering rewards for client referrals.
Strategic alliances – Partnering with businesses that offer complementary products or services lets you tap into a whole new audience. So if you specialize in warehouse construction, you might partner with a warehouse equipment company. You can create a useful giveaway, such as a tips sheet or checklist your partner can offer their clients, or even work on a joint project.