Contractor Marketing 101: How to Market Yourself as a Contractor

• Build trust and credibility by gathering and showcasing client testimonials, managing your online reviews, and featuring compelling before-and-after photos of your work.
• Establish a professional online presence with a mobile-friendly website that includes your portfolio, and claim your Google Business Profile to ensure local customers can easily find you.
• Use social media to share your projects and expertise, and consider running targeted Facebook ads to reach specific homeowners in your service area.
• Turn your happiest clients into your best source of new business by implementing a simple referral program that rewards them for spreading the word.

You can expertly tackle any home project from building kitchen cabinets to renovating master bathrooms, and you know your team is the best around. But how can you prove it to potential clients?

That’s the first goal of contractor marketing: positioning yourself as the expert you are in your service area. And it’s not as hard as you might think — you don’t need to become a marketing expert or hire a marketing team. With a few key strategies like gathering testimonials and compelling before-and-after photos and perhaps running a few ads, you’ll be able to market yourself online in a way that will get you more leads and grow your client base over time.

1. Gather testimonials

Perhaps the most powerful digital work you can do is collecting, publishing, and sharing client testimonials. Known as word-of-mouth marketing, it’s the modern-day version of gathering around the water cooler. Think about it: Would you go to a restaurant if all the reviews mentioned food poisoning and long waits? Would it matter if you never met anyone who wrote the review? Of course not!

First, you’ll want to collect reviews from satisfied clients. If your website isn’t already filled with glowing testimonials, start sending emails to your previous clients asking for feedback or reviews of your work. Collect the reviews that best represent your services and add them to a “Testimonials” page on your website, or highlight them on your homepage.

You also need to be active and vigilant when it comes to online reviews on Google Maps, Yelp, and other online forums. Always respond to any review in a timely manner. Be sure to stay polite and respectful, even when reviewers are unhappy. Use any opportunity to offer the best customer service — future clients will notice.

2. Showcase yourself

While you’re updating your website with new testimonials, look critically at the values and visuals you present online.

Craft an engaging “About Us” page with your personal story, showing what sets your company apart from the competition. Be sure to include attractive pictures of your work in an easy-to-navigate layout.

Consider creating some blogs or videos around topics that your prospective clients might be interested in learning about. You can share what you know about basic repairs, seasonal maintenance, or common products and processes.

Don’t forget to use search engine optimization (SEO) best practices when creating your content. SEO is a strategy that professional marketers use to rank higher when people search online for specific terms, but it’s simple to learn the basics on your own. Creating and sharing content with a few of these strategies in mind can help your website get more traffic, which translates to more customers for your business.

3. Manage your online presence

Before you delve any deeper into your marketing strategy, you’ll want to make it as easy as possible for new customers to find you.

Visit Google My Business and Yelp to claim your listings and make sure that your hours, location, and contact information are all up to date. You could be losing business simply because you never realized that your phone number or location was incorrect on Google.

Once your outside web presence is updated, make it easy for customers to hire you. Include an email sign-up form on your website and highlight all the best ways for customers to get in touch with your team.

Website essentials

Before any other online outreach effort, you need to publish a website that you can use to draw in prospects. Consider your website your digital HQ, and it should feature:

• A well-organized portfolio of your completed projects
• Obvious call-to-action elements, such as “Get a Quote Now” 
• A case study presentation about the work you’ve done
• Testimonials
• Landing pages for the services you offer
• A written history of your company (including your personal story, if relevant)
• Contact information
• Links to your social media accounts, Google Business Profile, and other listing sites

Importantly, you’ll also want to make sure the website works on smartphones and tablets as well as desktop computers. This is known as mobile-responsive design, and it’s crucial to your success. You know how annoying it is when a website doesn’t work. You don’t want to annoy your prospects!

SEO for construction

Search engine optimization, or SEO, is a marketing strategy that draws people to your website. It goes hand in hand with content marketing, in which you publish helpful blogs for free and integrate specific keywords that people search for on Google. 

Some content marketing strategies can include:

• Blogs that demonstrate your expertise
• Project guides and construction resources
• Before-and-after project stories
• Video content such as walk-throughs

Have you ever searched for a local business using the phrase “near me”? This is how local SEO techniques work. You can fill your website with blogs featuring interesting information about your industry or business and weave them with localized phrases like “home builders in San Jose” or “home construction near me.” 

Email marketing 

Email marketing has one of the best returns on investment of any digital marketing strategy, so start collecting the email addresses of your current and potential customers. Add an email list sign-up form on your website to boost your lead generation. You can automate a welcome email and even create separate lists for different kinds of clients.

This strategy can include sending promotional emails about new offers or services, as well as the more traditional newsletter. When your customers are used to staying in touch with your company and know your brand, it’s easier and smoother to enhance customer loyalty and track transactional communications.

4. Get active on social media

Effectively managing your online presence also means getting your business on social media.

Social media marketing serves as both another point of contact for potential customers, and an effective way to promote your business. By sharing your blog posts, videos, and photos through social media, you can naturally expand your reach and grow your customer base.

Set your company up with profiles on a few of the most common social media sites, like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. You don’t have to use all of these channels, but it’s worthwhile to get comfortable with as many of them as you can.

Use your posts to offer handy information and share pictures of recently completed jobs. Ask your customers to tag you in any posts they make about your work, so that their friends, family, and associates know how to find you when they need their own projects done.

Social media is also an ideal place to launch a paid advertising campaign. Creating online ads using Facebook for Business or Google is a simple, affordable, and effective way to draw in customers with minimal effort on your part.

Choose the right platforms

Start by understanding where your target audience spends most of its time online. For example, first-time homebuyers may be on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube, getting ideas about construction projects. On the other hand, corporate executives may be spending more time on LinkedIn. Go where your audience is and invest your time wisely.

Here are some ideas for each platform:

• LinkedIn: Use professional networking to connect and engage with C-suite decision-makers.
• Instagram: Offer project showcases and behind-the-scene looks at your most impressive work.
• Facebook: Build a community by sharing valuable tips about construction that position you as the expert you are.
• YouTube: Create a series of project demonstration videos to show clients the steps they’ll be taking when they work with you.

Create engaging, shareable construction content

Whichever platform you choose and however frequently you decide to post, always remember to keep the interests and concerns of your target audience as a priority.

Often, small business owners share what they find interesting — but it’s better to consider all social media posts as a kind of community service. The more you offer to help your followers, the more they will come to trust and respect you. If you provide the kind of content that gets them talking with their friends, all the better!

5. Build on your success

As you continually reach out online, your business should start to pick up. Build on that success! Have a section on your website that highlights the latest updates to your business, and don’t be afraid to toot your own horn.

Marketing is about staying consistent and making the most of what you have, so start by taking some time to plan and budget your strategy. Make regular posts on your blog and social media, create a monthly budget for paid advertising, and brainstorm new ways to keep people engaged with your business online.

6. Evaluate your methods

Once you’ve been following an online strategy for a month or more, take a moment to analyze your progress. Have you gotten more leads? Have you been able to turn those leads into more clients?.

There are a few different metrics you can choose to track, and there are plenty of free online tools you can use to help you measure your performance. One way you can evaluate your website’s traffic is through a tool like Google Analytics. You can also measure the success of your Facebook and Instagram advertisements through the Facebook for Business backend.

7. Advertise on Facebook

Social media is a great place to engage with people who already follow you, but what about all the potential customers in your town who haven’t heard of you yet? This is where Facebook ads come in. They’re an affordable way to get your business in front of the exact right people in your service area.

Start with a clear goal and audience

Before you spend a dime, you need a plan. First, what’s your goal? (“Running an ad” is not a goal!)

Are you trying to get more traffic to your website, generate quote requests, or build your email list with local homeowners? Facebook’s Ad Manager will guide you, but having a clear goal makes all your other choices easier.

Next, who are you trying to reach? This is Facebook’s superpower. You can target your ads with amazing precision.

• Location: Show your ads only to homeowners in the specific zip codes or neighborhoods you serve.
• Demographics: Target by age, income, and even life events like “Recently Purchased a Home.”
• Interests: Reach people who have shown an interest in home improvement, remodeling, or related topics.

Don’t try to be everything to everyone. A specific ad aimed at a specific audience will always get better results.

Create an ad that stops the scroll

You’ve only got a second to grab someone’s attention as they’re scrolling through their feed. Your ad needs to be visually appealing and have a crystal-clear message.

• Use great photos or videos. Show off your best work! Before-and-after shots are perfect for this. A short video walking through a finished project can be even more powerful.
• Write a clear, compelling headline. Speak directly to your target audience. Try asking a question like, “Ready to finally update that kitchen?” or highlighting a specific benefit, like “The easiest way to boost your home’s curb appeal.”
• Have a single call to action. Tell people exactly what you want them to do next. Whether it’s “Learn More,” “Get a Quote,” or “Call Now,” make it obvious and easy.

For more in-depth guidance on how to create Facebook ads, check out our guide to Facebook marketing. (And keep in mind, if you’re a Constant Contact user, you can use the built-in Facebook & Instagram Ads tool to create and manage your ads from the same dashboard where you manage your email marketing.)

8. Use referral programs to generate more business

Your happiest clients are the best advertising money can’t buy. They already know, like, and trust you. So why not turn them into your best salespeople?

A simple referral program does just that: it thanks clients for spreading the word and brings in high-quality leads. (Think about it — who’s more likely to hire you, someone who saw a post from you on Instagram once or someone whose friend raved about the new patio you built for them?)

The key is to keep it simple. Your offer should be easy to understand, like a $100 gift card, a cash bonus, or a discount on future work. Then, make it incredibly easy for people to participate. Create a simple form on your website that clients can fill out in under a minute.

Mention the program at the end of every job, add a link to your email signature, and post about it on social media. Making it an easy and highly visible part of your process is the best way to make it work for you.

9. Run local community promotions

Being known as “the local contractor” is a big advantage. Getting involved in your local community is a great way to build trust and get your name out there. Try one of these ideas:

• Sponsor a Little League team. Your company’s name on the back of those jerseys is seen by hundreds of local families all season long.
• Partner with another local business. Team up with a real estate agent or a hardware store. They can recommend you to their customers, and you can do the same for them.
• Set up a booth at a local event. Whether it’s the town’s spring festival or a home and garden show, being there in person lets you shake hands and answer questions. These local event marketing examples are a fantastic way to find local clients.

10. Show before-and-after project transformations

Nothing sells your skills as a contractor better than a dramatic before-and-after photo. It’s the ultimate way to show potential clients what you can do.

A stunning “after” shot is nice. But it’s the contrast with the messy “before” that really tells the story. That transformation from a dated, dingy kitchen to a bright, modern masterpiece? That’s what gets people to pick up the phone and call you.

So, make it a habit. Before you touch a single thing on a new job, pull out your phone and snap a few “before” pictures. Then, once the job is done, share those transformations everywhere. Post them on your social media, create a gallery on your website, and feature them in your email newsletters. Let your work speak for itself.

Grow your contracting business with smarter marketing

Marketing your contracting business doesn’t have to feel like rocket science, and you don’t need to do everything at once. Just pick one or two of these ideas, get started, and go from there.

The key is consistency. By showing up for your customers online and in your community, you’ll build the trust that turns into more clients.

Ready to make your marketing even easier with an all-in-one tool to handle email marketing, social media posts, paid ads, and more, plus AI tools to get it all done faster and with less effort? Start your free trial of Constant Contact today.