469: Five Effective Ways To Find New Construction Clients

Contractor Success Map with Randal DeHart | Contractor Bookkeeping And Accounting Services

This Podcast Is Episode Number 466, And It's About Five Effective Ways To Find New Construction Clients If you want your business to continue growing and thriving, you'll need to find ways to bring in new clients. Before the internet was commercially available, there were just as many experts advising contractors about the layout and design of yellow page ads and which books to spend money on. I say spend money because that is what it was and is now. Many of us who owned and operated construction companies spent thousands of dollars on these experts and, based on their recommendations, spent tens of thousands of dollars annually in full-page yellow page ads as close to the first position as possible.

Nowadays, instead of yellow pages people, I see many well-intentioned people with their minds and hearts in the right place that have a lot of really great ideas on what works and fails in social media. I certainly don't know what works for every contractor; however, I know that every construction company is unique, and what works for your competitor may not work for you.

Spending money is easy; investing money takes work.

Here are five ways you can find new clients for your construction business.

1. Set aside time for marketing

Regardless of whether marketing is your preferred activity, you need to set aside time for it. It's easy to put marketing at the bottom of your priority list, but it makes it more difficult for you to bring in new clients. If you set aside a certain amount of time every week, or even every day–ideally at around the same time or week–you'll be more consistent and successful with your efforts.

Have a list of marketing goals, such as "post three times on social media this week" or "write two blog posts this month," and spend your time working towards those goals.

2. Ask your clients for referrals

Get comfortable asking your happy customers for referrals. Your happy clients are a fantastic source of new leads. They're satisfied with your work, and they can tell their friends and colleagues about how you helped them.

You can do so

• face-to-face, for example, at a meeting where you've just given them great news or a fantastic outcome,
• through email using a pre-written template that talks about how much you enjoy working with them and how you want more clients like them, or
• on social media, where you put out a general call to your happy followers to share your business with others.

3. Join social media groups

Many social media networks enable groups where you can talk to people in your communities. Although you can use the group to pitch your services and directly ask for leads, a better method is to use the forums to educate people and highlight your expertise without selling. People will begin to look to you when they want advice and insights and ultimately turn to you when they need your services.

4. Genuinely get to know people

Sometimes the best way to get a client is simply by talking to new people. Make it a habit of being curious about the people around you. Ask them questions to get to know them, rather than selling to them. Learn about their passions, pain points, and the things they need help with. Then assist them. Showing genuine interest in others makes them feel valued, builds your relationship, and fosters trust. From there, it's easy for them to decide to work with you.

5. Form a partnership

It doesn't have to be a formal business partnership, but reach out to businesses in complementary industries to suggest a referral relationship in which you refer relevant clients to each other. You could also agree to partner up on specific projects. For example, a kitchen remodeler and a flooring contractor could refer clients to each other or work together on projects requiring both skills.

Final thoughts

New clients are vital for growing your business. By being strategic, purposeful, and genuine, you can easily find new clients.

We encourage you to develop your own marketing tracking system, and perhaps you will discover what works best for your construction company and, as a result, increase your sales bottom line profits.

About The Author:

Sharie DeHart, QPA is the co-founder of Business Consulting And Accounting in Lynnwood, Washington. She is the leading expert in managing outsourced construction bookkeeping and accounting services companies and cash management accounting for small construction companies across the USA. She encourages Contractors and Construction Company Owners to stay current on their tax obligations and offers insights on how to manage the remaining cash flow to operate and grow their construction company sales and profits so they can put more money in the bank. Call 1-800-361-1770 or [e-mail]