Even as the construction industry leans in to better leverage technology, human skills still count. In fact, successful builders find that abilities like listening, building rapport, story telling, and creating community connections are becoming more meaningful than ever. Read on for tips from successful construction business owners.
How Are You?
Though no amount of friendliness is going to make up for a lack of construction skills, relationship skills are essential too. At Minnesota-based demolition, excavation and waste management company, T. Scherber, Missy Scherber, president, credits a combination of hands-on knowledge of the business, and strong people skills, for the success of the $29 million business with 40 employees. As she puts it: “Get to know what the customers care about outside of work and foster honesty not tactics…..Entire industries will be automated in 10 years. Human skills will not….AI can’t replace that.”
Specific ways that Scherber has taken a relationship forward approach to business include:
- Bringing the community (your prospects, customers and their buying collective) into an authentic relationship with you and your business…..Skip the gold shovels and ribbon cuttings at groundbreakings or new openings. Invite kids instead. “When we are your excavator, we bring in this groundbreaking ground breaking. Social media loves it. The news comes out because we’re involving kids. We did it once and got 3 calls the next day about new work.”
- You can also find ways to give back that don’t cost a lot but do generate buzz. T. Scherber has a “Do Good Dumpster” that is donated to nonprofits. On social media, people are rewarded for posting when they see it in different places and it drives more interest.
- It helped to hire a photographer to come take headshots and action shots of all the staff, not just leaders. The drivers and operators with their equipment are on the website, social channels and on the walls in the office. “It’s not just women in the business who are unseen. The men in the field are, too….”
A steady focus on relationship building is an important driver of ongoing marketing efforts for every construction business: warming up leads, communicating about accomplishments that make you proud, and keeping your business on the radar is essential. Rather than spin into a flurry of effort when business hits a lull, construction business owners are wise to keep their marketing efforts continuously humming along. At Construction Business Owner, Michael Monahan shares this perspective on keeping an ongoing drumbeat of marketing activity going:
Marketing encompasses a wide range of activities, from sending out press releases about a project ribbon-cutting to developing a brand positioning statement and clarifying your target audience … .In many ways, marketing activities build the foundation to support a healthy return on investment for paid advertising campaigns. Marketing alone cannot grow your business, but it will help. Marketing efforts can bring in leads for new projects, introduce you to project owners and differentiate you from your competitors. When business is good, your marketing efforts should be running in the background maintaining your brand recognition … .If there is a lull in business, turning up your marketing efforts can help you fill the gap. Relying on marketing only when you need new business is not an efficient or effective strategy. When you market your company well, everything becomes easier, including learning about bid opportunities, winning business, attracting and retaining talent, and connecting with investors.
Taking It To The Next Level
Colonial Surety helps contractors with businesses of every size build their capacity. Our Hometown Bond Program helps local builders get credit based underwriting bonds for up to $250k—no financial statements required.
Growing from there, construction business owners can get in on more action by qualifying for The Partnership Account® for Contractors. Once qualified, you’ll use our power of attorney to issue your own bid bonds, in minutes. Order performance bonds with speed and ease too. Plus, you’ll bid and win more than ever as you leverage your:
- surety line of credit—in writing;
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- daily snapshot of single and aggregate limits
- ability to update work on hand
Surety Bond programs for construction businesses of every size are right here: Bonding Programs at Colonial Surety Company
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