January 2013

Marketing for Masons

The Alpha Moment: Is This Yours?

By Tom Frank

An Alpha Moment is the point in time when all the puzzle pieces fall into place, and the key to more success becomes vividly clear. It’s the moment when you discard conventional wisdom and do things in a way that works for you.

The time-worn process of finding business in the construction industry is twofold. First is establishing and utilizing the relationships you have with area general contractors and construction managers. The second is looking for projects that are “out to bid.” Of those two, only the establishment of relationships holds major importance.

For mason contractors, the moment of solving the puzzle has arrived. It’s time to step forward, make the connections and allow your business to flourish.

You’re probably wondering what this key to success is. The answer is quite simple: effective marketing for the mason contractor.

Marketing is a business component that is often overlooked, perhaps even disregarded. But in these days of technology and competition, making a commitment to include active marketing in your business can be the difference between mediocrity and superiority.

Now that you’ve had that Alpha Moment and recognize that active marketing is the key to transformation, let’s talk about the mindset and steps you can adopt that will reposition your company as a leader and dramatically change your ability to garner new and profitable business. Marketing is fundamental to success in the construction industry, and that’s what the new leaders are discovering.

Getting started
The first thing you need to understand is the way people make decisions on important projects. I’m talking about the private, invitation-only projects you currently only hear about when you see the grand opening on the local news. These people are looking at their construction project as a machine they are putting together from lots of available pieces.

They are going to invite only those masonry contractors that have a demonstrated track record and reputation for professionalism, expertise and project success. In fact, they’re actually betting their jobs and their companies on the “construction team” that they are assembling to come in, deal effectively with the inevitable chaos, and complete the project in a timely manner and on budget.

Guess who can craft a sterling reputation and cause leaders of important, invitation-only projects to call and ask you to join the project? The answer is you and your effective marketing.

Given the impact marketing can have on your success, it’s something that should be a part of every workday. Not only is marketing about establishing a reputation, it’s about gaining an audience, creating and maintaining relationships, and keeping perception management top of mind.

Begin by crafting a story that shows the things your company does on a jobsite: great work, organization, uniformed workforce, adherence to safety, and testimonials from happy/satisfied customers.

The majority of your competitors are not doing this, and if you do take this path you can and will emerge as the dominant force. The Alpha Moment is realizing that the only thing holding you back from telling your story and positioning your company for success, is you.

Making this a reality
Below are some key areas/components to consider when creating your marketing dialogue:

Corporate Identity
Brand. Create an identity for your company that is appropriate for your audience and the services you provide. This will require you to identify your clients, understand the challenges facing their businesses, and determine how you solve those challenges.

Value Proposition. Define the benefits of doing business with you, and the key differentiators that separate you from the competition. Develop your story or “pitch” that can be delivered in 30 to 60 seconds to maximize your networking effectiveness.

Website
Your website should be a living, breathing and constantly updated representation of your company that clearly demonstrates why you have the solid reputation you commands. Get found with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques, and craft a message and visual support for the work you do, where you do it and satisfied clients you have done it for. 

Social Media (Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Etc.)
Time and again, I hear that “word of mouth” is the most effective marketing. Social Media is the new word of mouth, and it is widespread. It’s not if you should be doing social media, the question is how much of your workday should be spent on it. It’s that important.

E-Mail
If you do not have a custom domain for your email, you need one. The days of This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it being OK are long over. Professionals have email addresses that match their company web domains: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . It’s simple, fast and necessary to do this, and only takes minutes to set up.

Video
People are busy. If given a chance, people would rather watch a video of your company than read dozens of pages of text. You need an overview video that is an encapsulation of your company, and eventually project videos, specialty capability videos, customer testimonials, employee bios, etc., are good video enhancements to include.

These things may seem like a lot to do, but really they are well within the grasp of any company. It’s just a matter of committing yourself to the importance of marketing and managing what people see and learn about your company. The approach is no different than how you would approach a project.

Create a solid plan and marketing strategy, and then implement the strategy and track its results. When opportunities arise, be flexible enough to capitalize on them by adjusting your strategy when you need to. Marketing is not an expense, its and investment. Be aggressive. Realize your Alpha Moment.

Tom Frank is a sales professional and communications expert in the construction industry, providing actionable insights into marketing strategy for the construction industry. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 317-660-6471.