July 2019 - Oregon Web Solutions

Digital Marketing Internship

Have you thought about joining the marketing industry? Look to any business and you will see direct evidence of their marketing efforts. Their signage? Marketing. Their website? Marketing. Their radio/paper/online ad? Marketing. It’s hard to get away from it. In the digital age, it can feel like everything and everyone is marketing themselves all over the place, all of the time. With a generation whose eyes and hands are often glued to their computer or mobile device, we are constantly consuming even when we don’t think we are. With that being said, some may argue that marketing is dead. Or, at least, traditional marketing is dead. Back in 2012, The Harvard Business Review published an article titled “Marketing is Dead.” But, we don’t think that’s necessarily the case. Sure, marketing has evolved into an entirely new concept with the introduction of an internet and social media crazed generation, but at the end of the day, we believe marketing is still alive and well. While the description may look slightly different, we believe marketing is on its way to becoming more effective than it’s ever been.

In the age of social media, it can be hard to stand out amongst the crowd – this could be one of the reasons many company CEO’s and execs think marketing is on its way to becoming a dead industry. Consumer habits and the way they find and purchase things is changing rapidly along with technology. We can agree that traditional marketing tactics may no longer be effective for everyone, but marketing as a whole is quickly evolving and becoming more important than ever. With technology advancing consumers are changing and it is marketers jobs to ensure they are staying relevant, and up to date with new trends and consumer tendencies. In other words, the marketing world’s future is brighter than ever and advancing quickly. If you have ever thought about taking the jump into this industry, the time has never been better than now.

If everything we said above didn’t scare you off yet, chances are you are at least semi-interested in a digital marketing internship and what that career entails. One of the best ways to test the waters is to get a marketing internship. Whether or not you seek out a paid internships, summer internships, or full-time internships is up to you and who you are looking to work for. Marketing is at a dynamic crossroads – it is evolving and so is its role in companies and the digital landscape. Read on for all of the information we’ve compiled on marketing, and becoming a marketing intern.

What Exactly Does a Marketer Do?

While the way companies market themselves is ever-changing, they way they analyze their customers is simple: collect relevant information and apply that to your companies products/services and how you can make them appeal to your customer base. While there is no set job description, at the end of the day, anyone looking into a marketing internship or career should probably have a stats driven work ethic. Marketers generally analyze the public demand for their product or service and turn those results into strategies to promote directly to their specific customer base. As they say, someone who is marketing to everyone is actually marketing to no one. Knowing your companies customer base is crucial to your marketing plans success.

As for marketing interns, they will typically operate under the supervision of a marketing manager or CMO (Chief Marketing Operator.) Their duties can include a multitude of things depending on who and what they are marketing for. If you’re on the hunt for a marketing internship, we suggest checking out any prospective employers online presence, social media, etc. to ensure their values align with your own. After all, it can be hard to promote a company or product you aren’t completely on board with.

What Skills Do Great Marketers Have?

Problem Solving

Marketers need to be continuously finding “solutions” to the “problem” of selling a company or product. The ability to be adaptable based on feedback or market changes is crucial to any marketers success.

Detail Oriented

A good marketer should know all the ins and outs of their company and product/service they offer. More importantly, they need to know the ins and outs of their target customer base to avoid accidental slip ups and turn-offs. Any gap in knowledge can result in unsatisfied customers.

Time Management Skills

Marketing plans and all that they entail often have very specific parameters – one of them being timelines and deadlines. For example, if you have a new product launching on a specific date in 6 months you are likely doing market research, planning, etc. for quite some time beforehand. Putting any aspect of your plan off until the last minute can be detrimental to the entire launch. You know what they say… being three hours too soon is better than being even one minute late.

Creativity

While being artistic isn’t necessarily a marketing job requirement, you do need to be able to see the “bigger picture.” With ever-changing trends, a good marketer will need to be able to think innovatively and keep their company ahead of its competitors.

Communication and People Skills

A huge aspect of marketing is being a “people person.” You don’t need to be the most outgoing person ever, but this job is all about making connections and getting people on board with your idea. In addition, being capable of communicating with people (consumers, your marketing manager, and co-workers) clearly and personably is crucial to your success. You will not only be communicating ideas, strategies, etc. with people at all levels of your company, but you will be communicating your brand value to consumers everywhere.

How To Prepare For A Marketing Internship

The marketing landscape is more competitive than ever. In this field, employers are looking for someone that has a multitude of talents and characteristics that ensure you fit their job description and will find success within their company. We touched on what skills a great marketer possesses above, but the perfect candidate would have a blend of them all. While not everyone is perfect, you can be the most prepared. So, how do you prepare for a marketing internship?

Consider What Type of Marketing You Want To Work In

Have you considered what type of marketing internships you are interested in? Summer internships, paid internships, unpaid internships? Also, have you considered what areas of marketing interest you the most? There are so many different areas of work that fall under the term “marketing” that it can be tough to pick just one. Are you interested in Market Research only? Public Relations? Digital Media? Brand Management? Web Development? Check it out and do your research! The only thing worse than not securing an internship is securing an internship doing work you hate. Put in the work beforehand and reap the benefits of loving your job later. For digital marketing internships, companies rarely require hands-on experience as the point of your internship program is to learn and explore the marketing field.

Check Out and Prepare Your “Personal Brand” Beforehand

Have you ever Googled yourself? Chances are that’s what your potential employer will do when looking to hire you for their digital marketing intern. While a quick Google search of your name may or may not come up with anything even related to you, it’s worth checking out. This includes reviewing (and editing!) your social media accounts to reflect your professional self, updating your LinkedIn/other online portfolios and ensuring there’s nothing iffy they can pull out of the woodworks. After all, a lot of marketing entails being on the interwebs and you want to position yourself there strategically and accordingly.

Write a Resume and Cover Letter That Stand Out

This may sound obvious, but a great resume and cover letter can go a long way! Some employers look for such specific cues on resumes and cover letters that they won’t even review ones that don’t meet their standards right off the bat. While you should always keep it quick and concise, this is your chance to make a first impression before even meeting them. A few rules to keep in mind: don’t repeat your resume when writing your cover letter, use language related to the job you are applying for, and use results-driven work examples when possible.

Actually Prepare For Your Interview

Again, this one may sound obvious but you can never be too prepared. Some helpful tips on how to better prepare yourself for you interview are:
- Do some research on the company and your interviewer if possible. Find out more about their brand, their mission statement, work they’ve done, etc. Doing so can help you make personal connections and help you relate to the company on a personal level.
- Consider reaching out to your marketing agency, interviewer, or the company CEO ahead of time to relay your appreciation for even being offered an interview. This can go a long way and keeps you at the forefront of their minds.

What Is A Paid Marketing Internship?

While internships are typically unpaid, it is not unheard of to secure a paid internship. While they can be scarce depending on the area you live in, and the career you are seeking, a little bit of research can help you find internships near you. Choosing between the two may seem like a no-brainer (who doesn’t want to get paid for work?) there are many factors you should take into consideration when applying, and deciding where you will intern. Depending on your circumstances, and if you have the resources to support yourself whilst NOT being paid, unpaid internships can usually offer more hands-on experience as they are usually within smaller companies. Another perk? You are more likely to secure a paid internship down the line if you have an unpaid internship under your belt already. Depending on the field of marketing you are seeking work in, your duties as an intern will vary greatly. Internships typically run on the same work schedule as your superiors (typically Monday – Friday) but events, errands, and more may add some variation to your working hours. While it can be hard to committing to working a full-time job unpaid, we recommend checking out both paid and unpaid internships. Both have perks, and both will benefit you as you continue your education in the marketing field.

Summer Marketing Internship Ideas

While you can find some marketing internships throughout the year, most companies offer more opportunities in the summertime to give college students a chance to get intern experience while working towards their degree. And as you know by now, marketing is a pretty broad field of work. You can do market research, brand management, development, and so much more. So, the type of marketing internship you should seek (and hopefully secure) should be related to your desired field of work. If you are looking into conducting market research, an internship promoting a brand via social media, etc. likely won’t be beneficial to you. Ask yourself, are you interested in working in the analytical field? The creative field? Be sure you are seeking internships and opportunities that will teach you these skills, and hopefully give you hands-on experience in your desired field of work.

No matter what field of marketing you join, it is undeniably an industry that is alive and well. And as time progresses, less and less companies are requiring applicants to have degrees in marketing. Technological and societal advancements will only continue to grow this position as it has for decades before. Whether you want to be crunching numbers and analyzing data, or curating the perfect online presence, there is a digital marketing internship for you.

Most Popular Cities For Digital Marketing Internships

– Portland, OR

– Seattle, WA

– Miami FL

– Tampa FL

– San Diego CA

– New York NY

– Chicago IL

– Los Angeles CA

– San Francisco CA

– Washington DC

– Austin TX

– Lehi UT

– Dallas TX

July 23, 2019/by Matt

How To Get Wedding Video Clients

Internet Marketing

Wedding videography is a great way for video creators to get top dollar for their work. Unlike other video production niches, wedding videos involve creativity which means your price you can charge per job is higher. In fact, good wedding videographers can make $10,000 or more per video. In this article, we are going to give you tips and tactics for landing high-ticket wedding videography clients. Wedding video production is a great niche for new filmmakers because the barriers to entry are very low. Most newly engaged couples have low expectations for their wedding video and it’s a great way to get your foot in the door. Just about everyone knows someone getting married and by offering to do the video for free you can begin building your videography portfolio.

Reach Out To Friends And Family Who Are Engaged

This may seem obvious to most, but this is a great place to start looking for clients. Unlike photography, a large portion of couples see their wedding video as optional so in most cases, they don’t mind taking a risk and giving you a shot. The important thing to remember is that if you’re going to charge a fee to film someone’s big day, it’s critical that you get it right. You only have one chance to capture the big moment so don’t screw it up. The best way to ensure that you get it right is to do a lot of planning ahead of time. It’s always important to be prepared, but when your filming weddings this is even more important. Make sure you get to the venue earlier and scout the train. Brides are almost always on the left side so it’s important for you to be positioned on the right side. At the end of the day, the bride is more important than the groom so make sure you portion yourself to film her. If you have multiple camera angles then position your primary angle on the right and secondary angles centered or not he left side. Ideally, you would have at least three camera angles so you can capture the magic moment from multiple angles. Another tip is to go to the rehearsal and make sure that you understand what will be taking place during the ceremony. In some cases, the crowd will be asked to stand up which can block your entire shot. If you can’t go to the rehearsal then make sure you communicate with the pastor or wedding planner to find out exactly what’s going on. Finally, always make sure you have extra batteries in case the worst case happens during the ceremony.

Create A WordPress Website And Google My Business Listing

Another great strategy for finding wedding video clients is to create a website and optimize it for search engine optimization. In most cases, the bridge will be searching for the wedding videographer and if she doesn’t already have someone selected, she will search online for someone. The idea here is to position your business in front of your potential client when they come looking for your service. This is best accomplished by having a high-quality WordPress website and a Google My Business Listing set up. If you’ve decided to make wedding videos your primary niche, then it helps to have wedding related keywords in your name. This will make appearing at the top of Google Search much quicker and easier. Make sure you use a variety of wedding-related keywords throughout your website and copy to ensure maximum chance of being found. These means don’t just focus on “Wedding Videographer + City” but instead have a variety of different versions of those keywords. If your website is set up properly it’s time to work on your Google My Business Listing. Remember, GMB’s are focused on a local area so setup your GMB in the primary area you want to serve. In most cases, wedding video creators will not have an office or physical location so you will need to set up a service location.

Network With Wedding Photographers And Ask For Referrals

Your best source for wedding video clients is to create relationships with wedding photographers. If they are good, they will have a constant stream of new clients and this is a great resource to tap into. Compared to other client acquisition strategies, referrals are a great source of clients because the sales process is much easier. In other words, instead of a cold lead, referrals are what is called a warm lead and there will already be a certain amount of trust form the client. If the wedding photographer is referring you then it usually means you have been pre-vetted and are going to do a good job. Now, this may or may not be the case, but in sales perception is reality. When looking to develop a relationship with a photographer it can be challenging to find more than one person to referring clients to you. The reason for this is because in most cases they will expect you to send them leads in return. This begins to get complicated when you’re working with more than one person. The best strategy here is to build a relationship with one really good, and busy, wedding photographer. That way you can just focus on building one good relationship instead of multiple.

Use Facebook Ads To Target Newly Engaged Bride & Grooms

This is my favorite tactic for getting consistent wedding videography clients. Essentially, this strategy involves using a highlight reel or wedding video you’ve done previously to directly target brides or grooms that have just got engaged. This works well because Facebook has very advanced targeting systems that allow you to conserve advertising spend and just focus your efforts on your potential customers. Once they see the video it’s wise to set up a landing page that directly speaks to their want and desire to have a high-quality wedding video. If you do this correctly you can easily get a steady stream of new clients. Like all other marketing strategies, this tactic works best when you have a great highlight reel or wedding video that shows you are a good videographer. Plus, if you can tap into the emotion of their special day, you can easily set up a system where you will have unlimited new wedding clients coming to you. If you’d like more information on how to set up this entire system then check out our training below. We go through step by step our exact strategy for creating the wedding video advertisement, landing page, how to invoke emotion, and of course how to close the client with ease. If your new to wedding videography and are looking to get started this is a very simple and efficient way to land your first few clients. If you’re a seasoned professional this is a great way to keep a consistent flow of clients coming so you can get top dollar for your work.

If you’d like more information on the 5-Days To Unlimited Weddings System then click on the link below:

https://www.sethmorrisey.com/wedding-course

In conclusion, wedding videography is a great niche for videographers looking to get top dollar for their work. If you want to charge more per job or hour, you need to focus on niches that allow for creativity and you need to master them. That will allow you to stand out from the crowd and begin to build a name for yourself. Video creators that focus on wedding videography for any length of time usually find those wedding clients are easy to land and their price per wedding job will continue to rise.

July 15, 2019/by Matt

General Contractor Marketing Strategy – The Definitive Free Guide

Contractor Marketing, Internet Marketing

The Definitive Marketing Guide

Marketing your construction company is critical to your long-term success. The nature of the construction industry is that you need a steady stream of new leads and jobs in order to stay in business. No one job lasts forever and each new project you start will eventually reach completion. It’s critical for contractors to have the next job lined up in order to cover your fixed expenses and keep your employees working. In order to do this successfully, you will need to develop a system that will consistently bring in new leads and potential clients.

Passive Vs. Active Contractor Marketing

Marketing strategies can be broken into two categories: Passive and Active marketing and it’s important that you know and understand both types. Passive strategies are things on your website, Google My Business listing, and directories that customers seeking the services you provide will potentially find. Active marketing strategies include things like website retargeting and paid advertising on Facebook and other platforms that we “push out” to potential customers in the hope that they will reach out to our business and potentially become a client. The best marketing strategies include a strong passive framework in conjunction with a strong active marketing campaign. In this article, we will reveal tips and strategies for a holistic campaign for your business.

The 4-Pillars of Success Contractor Marketing

Building a solid passive framework is the best way to capture new client leads on auto-pilot, regardless if you have money in the marketing budget for advertising. The best way to do this is to set up a system that captures leads from clients that are ready to buy and searching for a company to do business with. We call these Intent-based leads and our 4-pillars system goes through the framework of how to capture the maximum amount of these leads. Watch the video below to learn the 4-pillar system:

The 4-Pillars of Successful Marketing:

Setup Your Home Base – Your home base is your website. This is the place where client leads are converted to new customers. The best platform for building a construction company website on WordPress. The WordPress platform gives you increased functionality and control for superior search engine optimization, design, and plugin installation. A great website includes clear calls to action (CTA’s), easy navigation, customer testimonials, reviews, and a form to collect potential customer contact information.
Get On The Map – When it comes to local search Google My Business listings are your #1 source for new client leads. When a potential customer searches for your business on a mobile device, most likely the Google Map Pack is going to pop up first. This means that in order to be competitive in your local marketplace you will need to have your company appear in the top 3 positions in the Google Map Pack. It’s also helpful if you have your happy customers leave reviews directly on your Google My Business listing. This will improve both your click-thru rate (CTR) and your customer conversions.
Build Your Brand – Brand search is important when converting potential clients into paying customers. If you track the conversion path that most new customers take it will include doing a basic brand search in Google with your company name. In other words, these potential clients are “checking up” on your company and making sure your legitimate and have positive reviews from other happy customers. It’s important for all construction companies to control their brand search by soliciting 5-star reviews, creating social assets, and adding their company information to business directories.
Get Em Talking – Studies show that happy customer testimonials are the deciding factor when people decide to do business with a company. Unfortunately, most customers will not leave a review of your business unless they have a negative experience. In order to combat this phenomenon, it’s critical that our contractor marketing strategy has a process in place to get reviews from happy customers. This usually involves simply reaching out and asking.

Search Engine Optimization Strategies & Opportunities

Search engine optimization or SEO is the process of optimizing both on-site and off-site factors to appear at the top of Google search engine results. The actual process is very technical but involves the keywords and backlinks from related websites. Studies show that appearing at the top of the Google search results is the most effective way to consistently drive new client leads and customers to your website. Unfortunately for most engaging in DIY search engine optimization is beyond the scope of their expertise and will most likely need to be outsourced to professionals. Hiring a professional search engine optimization company is usually a significant investment, but when done properly can produce a great return on investment.

The Top Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Secrets For General Contractors

If you’re looking for SEO services for your business, my agency Oregon Web Solutions would be happy to give you a no-obligation estimate and price quote. If you’re interested in learning more just fill out the contact form at the bottom of this article.

Why Contractors Fail To Successfully Market & Promote Their Companies

The Construction industry is a labor-intensive occupation. It involves a ton of paperwork, numerous legal requirements, and complex management and coordination services. All this gets in the way of marketing. However, considering all the opportunities popping up in real estate, as well as the rising competition, contractor marketing is now simply indispensable.

Unsurprisingly, most general contractors do not know how to handle their marketing. This comprehensive marketing guide will get you up to date on the most effective strategies for your marketing.

Contractor and construction businesses, by their very nature, are labor-intensive and marketing is usually the last thing considered.

Between giving quotes, going on jobs, completing jobs, and acquiring new customers, there seems to be little to no time to plan out a solid marketing strategy that can increase your reach to potential customers while engaging your current customers.

While contracting and construction businesses operate differently from other businesses, a planned and well-researched marketing strategy is still imperative to your business’ success and should be at the core of every effort to connect with new customers and grow your business.

Why Marketing In The Construction Industry Is Different

Marketing in the general contracting and construction industry is slightly different from marketing for other business types.

One advantage of being a general contractor is that you can get before and after pictures from your clients in order to promote the quality and success of your work. This is part of what will help you properly Market in the construction industry. It doesn’t just help you with gaining new clients, it can also help you with partnerships when it comes to referrals from other businesses or creating an affiliate program with other businesses who are in a complementary industry.

Best Advertising Strategy For General Contractors

There are many options that contractors have when it comes to advertising. One of the best ways is by getting a website and getting your business and information online. It’s important to remember that a website alone will not just bring in new business for your company. In order for your website to be found by potential customers, you must optimize it for the keywords that your customers are searching for. This process is called on-site search engine optimization.

Another good option for contractors to advertise their business is by going to trade shows. There are many options that you can choose from when it comes to attending a trade show and getting a booth at one. But, what you want to remember is that not all trade shows are created equal. It’s important to ask questions as far as the cost of the booth in relation to how much foot traffic will be coming through the trade show. If you find that the trade show seems to have more speakers on their stage than attendees who are walking through it, then it may not be the best option for your business at this moment.

Paid advertising strategies can also be an effective form of marketing. Paid advertising includes things like Facebook Ads, website retargeting, Google PPC, and any other paid advertising platforms. It’s important to note that before you spend money on paid advertising strategies you make sure you have sufficient knowledge on the advertising medium, and strategy you are looking to execute. Paid ads have a higher level of risk because you can spend a lot of money very quickly with very little results if you’re not familiar with the advertising platform.

Google My Business Listing Construction Industry Best Practices

To set up the Google My Business Listing for your General contracting business, visit Google.com/Business

while logged into a Gmail account. This will take you through a series of steps that will help you properly set up and optimize your Google My Business listing. The most important thing is to fill out your profile completely with all the information that’s available to you. This means adding your name, address, phone number, hours of operation, website URL, and any other relevant information. Next, go into the photos section and add as many photos as you can to your profile. By filling out the profile completely you are giving your business an advantage over the competition. Finally, take the time to get as many 5-star customer reviews as possible using the strategies outlined below.

Social Proof & 5-Star Customer Reviews

The best way to convert potential clients into paying customers is to leverage the power of social proof and customer reviews. Getting reviews from happy customers usually involves reaching out and making the process simple for them. There’s a number of useful tools on the market today that you can utilize to make this process easier. One of which is a review tool called Grade.us. Grade.us will allow you to send a link to clients that will take them through a simple process for leaving you’re a review online. The reviews can be posted on a number of different review sites including Google, Yelp, Facebook, and a number of others. The tool also allows you to screen potentially harmful reviews and send the customer to a questionnaire where you can solicit information about why they were not happy about your services. If you’d like more information on Grade.us you can watch the video.

How To Automate Customer Reviews

How To Get a Direct Link To Your Google My Business Listing

If you prefer to manually build 5-star reviews to your Google My Business Listing then it’s important to send a direct link to your customers. The goal is to limit the amount of work and friction in order to have the maximum amount of customers follow through and actually leave the review. I’ve created a video to give you a step by step guide in finding a direct link to your Google My Business listing.

Contractor Marketing Strategies That Get Results

Remember that marketing strategies for general contractors are not just about having a good website or nice business cards. The best strategies include a holistic approach that includes all aspects of marketing your business.

In the marketing world, there is a saying that it takes approximately 7 touches for a person to see an advertisement to have a response and sign up for the service that they viewed through your advertisements. This is just an estimate and it could take more or less depending on the effectiveness of your advertising.

With that in mind, it’s important to make sure that your contractor marketing strategy is considering all aspects of your business in any way, shape, or form that people may come across it.

Things like your logo, a wrap design for your company vehicle, flyers and signage that you use when you’re handing out information in the community. All of these are part of a smart strategy and should be well planned and executed before you move on to the next stage – using other outlets to Market your business.

Social Media Marketing For Construction Companies

One of the key strategies in marketing your business will be the proper use of social media through both organic posting and advertising.

Organic social media posting is a great way to keep your business “top of mind” for your potential clients. This form of social media promotion can be labor and time-intensive, but when done correctly can result in a steady stream of new customers for your business. Facebook and Instagram and constantly adjusting their algorithm to make it harder to reach your customers organically, so you will have to think outside the box to effectively promote your business. The best strategies usually include providing value or even giving things away for free, in exchange for likes, shares, and comments from your followers. Social media marketing strategies that rely entirely on self-promotion will usually fail because your engagement will be little or non-existent. It’s important to think of your social media promotions not as a direct sales tactic, but instead a long-term branding initiative.

Online ads and paid advertising, when done properly, can increase your business significantly. It’s important to remember that using ads online as a contracting company should be done with great care and planning. If you’ve never worked with social media ads before, then it’s imperative to hire a professional who has worked with an online advertising campaign within the contractor industry. The best-paid social media marketing campaigns leverage high-quality content that fits the medium and channels that it will be delivered to the audience. For example, platforms like Instagram are strictly phone-based, to your paid advertising should fit within the aspect ratio and specification with which your audience will consume it. On the other hand, YouTube is watched primarily on computers and in a wide aspect ratio, therefore wide versions of videos work best. In order to be effective with your paid advertising, it’s best to pick a platform that will work best to promote your business and focus the majority of your advertising spend there. I always advise contractors to go deep on one platform rather than using a shotgun approach on multiple platforms.

How to Use Instagram To Promote Your Contracting Business

Instagram is one of the most popular social networks and is still growing quickly. The nature of construction is it is very visual, making it the perfect tool for contractors to promote their business. Plus, Instagram is still one of the few social networks that you can get significant organic reach without having to pay for advertising, and that’s why I recommend it for marketing. In the video below I show you step by step how to use Instagram to promote your business.

Instagram Marketing Strategy For Contractors

New & Innovative Construction Marketing Ideas

Successful marketing campaigns always include out of the box thinking. In order to promote your construction business to a wider audience, you could use email marketing, video content, and personalize interviews with past customers. Most of these strategies will be beyond the scope of what your competitors are doing and will set your business apartment. Of the three outside the box marketing strategies discussed above, past customer interviews will no-doubt be the most effective.

These are some ways that contracting companies are using in order to promote their business in a new way. As we move along in this article, you will see more ideas to utilize in your new marketing plan.

Marketing your company is not hard, but it should be planned and thought out thoroughly. Use some of these suggestions, do your research, and understand what direction will work best for your business.

How To Use Branding To Make Your Construction Company Stand Out

There are thousands of contractors in the construction industry, but only a handful really stands out in the busy marketplace. Branding is the key differentiating factor between those who succeed long-term and those that fail.

Your branding campaign is the face of your business. It is what your clients identify with. It represents your business’ virtues, beliefs, and so much more. Consequently,

it is also a pivot point for any marketing strategy. As such, it is prudent to begin by building the ideal brand for your business. You will need to take several factors into consideration including an image that represents your business, a motto to go with it, values and virtues that you stand for, and more. You should also take a personal brand into consideration if you are an independent contractor.

How To Get A Great Logo On A Budget

Your logo is the most important part of your overall branding campaign. The logo you choose will be the visual representation of your business to your customers and the sub-contractors you work with. There are no hard and fast rules for logo design except to pick a logo and stick with it. It’s important to not fall into the trap of constantly changing your logo because this will only confuse your potential clients and erase the majority of the branding work you have done previously. One strategy I like to use for logo design is to mimic the color and look of popular logos that already exist within your industry. For example, you could use the same color yellow as the Dewalt power tools. This color is already associated with construction and will make your logo recognizable almost instantly in the mind of your potential customers. If you’re on a budget and you’re looking to get your logo done at a reasonable price, then watch this video for some quick and easy tips to getting a high-quality logo designed at an affordable price.

How To Design a Contractor Logo On a Budget

Final Thoughts On Contractor Branding

Your audience will identify better with your brand more than it will identify with you or just simply a business name. Great branding can make you stand out in a busy marketplace and will instill a sense of trust in your customers. Once your logo is designed it is important to prominently display your brand identity on all your marketing material. There are many different ways to promote your brand including vehicle wraps, custom shirts, hats, business cards, and more. Utilize your logo anywhere you can and make sure your branding is consistent across all advertising platforms both physical and virtual. When properly executed, branding will help drive more leads and customers to your business.

Marketing Summary

In the digital era, most businesses have found a way to make revenue online. The construction industry is an exception because it is entirely physical. However, smart contractors can still use the internet to market their services. The construction industry includes a wide variety of different trades including general contractors, electricians, plumbers, roofers, gutters, HVAC, concrete, foundations, tile layers, cabinet makers, and many more. All of these trades can benefit from a complete and robust digital marketing strategy. To effectively promote your business online follow the below framework.

Build a Stylish and Functional WordPress Website

When you decide to get a website for your contracting business, you will want to choose a WordPress website design company that can help you build a stylish and functional WordPress website. This will help you rank better in Google search and give clients a place to learn more about your business and the services you provide.

Every professional business needs a website – it is like your very own entry in a vast virtual directory. Your website speaks for your business. You can use it to list the products and services you offer in a detailed manner. It can also function as a receptionist whereby your clients can hire your services directly through the website.

It is not enough to just get a website – you will need a website that outranks your competitors’ websites. As such, ensure that you get the best web design services for your website and utilize the best SEO strategies to ensure that you rank at the top of search results.

Leverage Organic and Paid Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing is a great way to keep your brand “top of mind” to your prospective customers. In this article we’ve discussed both paid and organic social media marketing strategies that will help your business grow. Remember, social media is rapidly growing and changing. In a way, it is taking over communication. Billions of people around the world communicate on social media sites such as Facebook, and Twitter every day. For marketers, this creates an opportunity to meet large audiences at scalable levels starting with small localities on a global basis.

Marketing your construction business on social media is no different than any other type of business. The key is to provide value to your potential customers so when they decide to make a purchase, your business is the one they go with. By using the advanced targeting systems available to you on Facebook and Instagram, you can target your audience precisely at the exact moment they are ready to make a purchase. Finally, it is an interactive way to market as your audience can offer honest feedback, thus helping you modify and improve your products and services.

You will need professional social media pages for your construction business on all major social media sites including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. It is also advisable to hire professional social media marketing services for more successful leads.

Setup and Optimize Your Google My Business Listing

Google My Business listing is the most important asset you have when it comes to local marketing. The majority of people searching for contractors on the local level will click on a Google My Business listing first, before navigating to a website or contractor directory. It’s important to not only set up your Google My Business but to completely fill out your profile and make sure you have 5-star reviews. All of these factors will be taken into consideration in Google’s algorithm when deciding your search positioning.

Use Video Marketing To Stand Out From Your Competition

A majority of people would prefer watching a video based on a book to actually reading the book. The same is the case with adverts nowadays – video adverts are more popular than written pieces. They are much more engaging and illustrative. Additionally, they can be fun and enjoyable, thus helping generate more leads. What’s more, you do not have to pay astronomical fees to have your videos featured on TV – you always have video sharing sites such as YouTube.

YouTube gets billions of visitors every day, so your video ads will get great exposure. What’s more, YouTube offers a wide range of features such as geo-targeting, so you can get the most out of your marketing efforts. Another way to utilize video marketing is to get video testimonials of happy customers. These provide positive social proof for your brand and will help you stand out in a busy construction marketplace.

Give Back To Your Community To Promote Your Business

As mentioned earlier, construction is entirely physical. In fact, it can be described as dirty. To this end, there is no better way to showcase your skills than by getting your hands dirty by building things for free. That’s right, utilize your unique skillset by volunteering in your community when the need arises.

Construction makes up a significant part of the public infrastructure, and it is usually never enough. To this end, your services may be needed in upcoming charity events. As such, be on the lookout and volunteer for any charity events in your area that will require your services. Make sure that you make your presence known by doing an excellent job.

This way you can help nurture confidence and trust in your business from members of your community and get more leads. Besides, you have a moral obligation to contribute to the embitterment of your community as a (potential) business leader. If you’re a painting contractor you could help paint your local youth center or library for no charge. If you’re a contractor you could help build a shed or a kids playground. Find unique ways to use your talent to give back to your community and it will pay big dividends in the long run.

Engage in Strategic Partnerships to Promote Your Construction Company

Everyone needs some help to get by especially in an industry as competitive as construction. Considering the nature of this industry, your partnerships should be strategic. Experts recommend partnering with interested third-parties who are not in competition with you. For instance, you can partner with materials suppliers and have them spread the word about your services to their customers. Essentially, make strategic partnerships with other businesses also looking for partnerships and have something to bring to the table. You can also go the extra mile to combine forces with other contractors if your pool of resources is not enough – major construction companies are merging and putting smaller contractors out of business in the process.

Final Thoughts On Contractor Marketing

There are numerous opportunities to exploit in the construction industry. However, most of these opportunities are only accessible to the few who successfully engage in marketing. As such, take some time off your busy schedule to come up with the ideal marketing strategy for your business. The tips in this guide have been tested and proven to work optimally and will put you ahead of the competition.

Contractor Marketing Online Training Course

If you’re a contractor who would like to learn how to do their own marketing then we have the perfect resource for you. We’ve put together the ultimate DIY contractor marketing training that gives you step by step instruction in all aspects of marketing including website design, Google My Business, branding, advertising, and more. The training course includes over 50 video training modules. This training is perfect for the business owner, spouse, or even marketing manager to use to be more effective with their marketing efforts.

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July 12, 2019/by Geoffrey