Suppose you were contracted to frame a large, valuable piece of art on the wall of a client’s house.  Upon walking in to the house, what would be your first step? Would you get the drill, eyeball the wall, make a few holes, and hang the piece, hoping for the best?  Hopefully, the answer is no.
As a contractor that prides himself in his work, preparing for the task at hand probably takes longer than the actual job itself. Before picking up that drill, you’d probably measure the dimensions of the wall, choose the appropriate drill bits and screws, and find the perfect center, among other things. Perfect preparation will give the client the outcome that he envisioned when he first agreed to hire you – a perfectly mounted piece of art that will create an everlasting experience every time he walks into the house.
Growing your business should be looked at with a similar lens. As you research contractor marketing ideas to effectively build your client list and sales, your focus should be on choosing the tools that will give you the best chance for success.   In order to do this, it’s necessary that you take a deep dive in to every aspect of your business and choose methods that will be most applicable to you.  Here are few things to start with …
You’re a contractor—of what?   
It’s great that you’re skilled at a number of things, but what one or two things are your absolute specialties?  Which jobs have produced the most sales and client satisfaction? The point here is not to shun all of your other skills, but instead, to shed light on the things that you do amazingly and create a brand around that.  There are plenty of contractors out there, but if you’re known specifically as the contractor who specializes in window replacements and door installations, for example, you’ll have created a niche and give people something to remember you by.
What’s your target audience?
Are you a high-end contractor for the rich and famous that uses only the finest materials, or do you focus on providing high quality, moderately priced services for the average Joe?  Knowing your target market is important because it gives you insight into how you should approach your marketing strategy.  As you think about what population you want to serve, remember the old adage that “you can’t be everything to everyone.”
Where are you located?
Are you based in New York City, where you’ll likely be servicing more apartments than houses, or in a suburb, where the landscape differs considerably?  How will this location affect the services your provide?
These are just a few of the questions that you should ask yourself before rushing into marketing your business. Creating Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter pages, or sending email blasts without a targeted focus, is the equivalent of opening up the yellow pages and cold calling people in hopes that they’ll need your services.
At LBMS, we specialize in creating digital marketing strategies from creation to implementation. We help you figure out your business identity and work to create an approach that best suits your needs. To learn more about our process and how we can help, click below and download our free guide on the 4 marketing systems each contractor must have in order to survive in today’s marketing place.