It’s 2018! Times have changed, and with the times, the tools have changed as well. Nail guns have replaced hammers on large projects. Screwdrivers and hand-saws have been exchanged for cordless drills and jig saws.

While the methods of building have changed, old-school contracting values and principles have remained the same. Lay a solid foundation. Build strong. Build secure. As long as the principles of contracting are unchanged, the quality of work produced (regardless of tools) stays the same as well.

Changes in Marketing Technology

Just like contracting and construction itself, I think we can all agree that marketing technology has changed a lot over time. Think of all the various platforms businesses have used to promote themselves through history—

• City Forums
• City Gates
• Storefronts
• Carrier Pigeons
• Telegrams
• Newspaper Ads
• Radio Ads
• Direct Mail
• Brochures

Now, take all those mediums and think about the change that has taken place over the last ten years. From the beginning of the twenty-first century until now, each of those different aspects of marketing has been moved onto the Internet. For example …

• Instead of networking events like the city gate or the marketplace, we have social media.
• Instead of a storefront, we now display a website
• Instead of the telegram, we have instant messaging on our phones.
• Instead of the newspaper, we write our news on blogs or have our own newspaper right on our websites.
• Instead of Yellow pages and directories, we have online directories employing search engines to find the information we need at lightning speed.
• Instead of direct mail, we use email.
• Instead of radio, we now listen to podcasts. There’s a mass movement of people switching from radio to podcasts in their cars.
• Instead of billboards displaying ads to everyone, we target the exact people we want to see our ads.

With internet marketing, all the historic mediums for marketing your business are now available at your fingertips.

Marketing Principles Haven’t Changed

While the technology for marketing is constantly morphing and developing, the principles of marketing do not change. Build Trust. Build a Relationship. Tell the Truth. Sell your Work. However, you do not grow a twenty-first century business on the last century’s technology. You need to keep up with the changes that are taking place today.

What Does This Mean for Contractors in 2018?

Simply put, it means if you haven’t already…Get Online! Having an online presence is one of the pre-requisites for building trust in today’s business economy.

Your potential clients will be confused, frustrated, and suspicious if they cannot find you after a quick Google search; people today want to be in control of their own research—reading reviews, evaluating your online content, seeing photos of past work—each of these things are crucial to establishing a relationship between yourself and your potential customer. None can be accomplished without some type of online presence.

The BASICS of an Online Presence:

• Website
• Google Business Page
• Social Media Account

Any of these platforms gives searching potential customers something to research, learn from, and make a decision based on information provided. Make sure that your information online is accurate, trustworthy, and easy to understand.

Learn 5 Reasons To Build Your Online Presence Here

Marketing with Today’s Technology

Direct mail, telephone ads, advertisements in the Yellow Pages—those methods of advertising are seldom effective in today’s internet-centric society.

Today it’s ads on Facebook, Google, Instagram, Twitter, etc that will get seen by your potential customers.

It’s also blog posts, providing value to your future clients.

It’s YouTube videos of Do-It-Yourself Projects, helping your target audience solve their own problems until they need your help in the future.

It’s a high quality Instagram feed full of high quality photos that wets their appetite for a sparkling kitchen remodel of their own.

It’s the ability to send direct messages on any social media to answer any questions your future customers have about your business.

No Excuses

Today’s marketing technology is fast. It’s accessible on any smartphone and any computer. There’s no excuse to not be using it to the advantage of your contracting company in some way. Just because it’s fast and accessible, doesn’t mean that marketing is always easy.

Of course, it’s not.

Successful online marketing requires planning, studying algorithms and target audiences, and taking time to edit photos, write up text, and respond to messages.

Summary

If you already have an online presence and developed marketing technology to fit today’s economy—kudos to you. Take this blog post as a pat on the back and an inspiration to keep up the good work.

If you’re a contractor in 2018 with no significant online presence, take this blog post as a push in the right direction. Join the crowd of fellow contractors using the internet and modern technology to advance their businesses and get in front of their target audiences! Your company will thank you!

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Thank you for joining me today. If you have any further questions or comments, please join the conversation in the comments below.

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Follow me on Instagram for behind-the-scenes stuff. And if you want to go deeper with marketing your business, you may get a free copy of my new book, Contractor Marketing Simplified.