Our goal is always to be the most helpful metal roofing manufacturer we can be and part of that commitment is to share information that is relevant to our customers - contractors like you. In these uncertain times finding and retaining customers is a prime concern for everyone.
We are starting a series of articles sharing what we have learned about marketing and more importantly what our contractor partners tell us about their marketing efforts. The end goal is to discuss the types of things that are (and aren't!) working for contractors like you!
So let’s start at the beginning and define some terms.
What is marketing?
Marketing is defined as the process of interesting potential customers in your products and/or services. Successful marketing attracts potential customers and educates them which generates interest.
The most important part of this marketing definition is the idea that marketing is a process.
Marketing involves research, consideration, sales, delivery, and ensuring the customer’s success with your products or services. Successful companies build a marketing strategy that covers all of these different stages that buyers go through.
Marketing Strategy
Marketing strategy consists of all of the plans, goals, and objectives combined into a focused effort to interest, engage, and ultimately convert target prospects into customers.
Marketing strategies fall under one of three main types: owned, earned, or paid marketing.
Owned marketing occurs on platforms or places you directly control and include:
- Websites (including mobile), content, and SEO or inbound marketing
- Blogs
- Local digital marketing - review sites or business directories
- Co-branding, working with a manufacturer (getting listed on the McElroy Metal find a contractor page, for example)
- Direct selling, cold calling, or call services
- Emailing your contact list
- Social media publishing
Earned marketing, or free marketing, refers to media or publicity gained by promotional efforts that are not paid for directly but are shared by others, including:
- Public relations (P/R)
- Ratings and reviews
- Mentions in social media posts, news publications or shows, print stories, or online articles
- Word of mouth of referrals
- Paid lead generation services
Paid marketing is placed on sites, platforms, and locations that you buy directly:
- Advertising (print, radio, TV)
- Google, Facebook, remarketing, retargeting, display, and other online ads
- Banner ads on an industry-focused website
- Paid social media campaigns
How the three types of marketing strategies overlap
Integrated marketing strategies create momentum in all three areas The goal of paid marketing, for example, is to drive prospects to your owned media (like your website) where they can learn more about their problems and how you can help them. As well as provide various avenues to connect with you - phone, contact form on your website, chat, etc.
Earned media builds credibility for your company because it is generated by other people and carries more authenticity than your owned media in many cases. Think of how important local reviews and ratings are to your business.
Paid media is a good way to promote your content (another word for your helpful ideas and educational offerings) in order to generate more awareness and ultimately drive traffic to your owned media, typically your website
Strong owned media puts your company in front of prospects who already know what they want and are looking for the best option to move forward with into the purchase consideration stage. If your website is optimized for local search terms that relate to your business, terms like “metal roofing contractor”, then you will attract people who are specifically interested.
You can check this by Google searching relevant terms and seeing if your website shows up on the first page of results. If you show up your website link gets clicked. If you don't appear on the first page of results then your chances of getting a click to your site from the searcher are very low.
If your website is well built, then those that find it will call or reach out to you at a much higher rate. We will discuss the key elements of a well built website in a post in the near future but a few key elements are:
- Easy to find your contact information
- What you do stated clearly and who is your best type of customer
- Mobile friendly design
- Secure site (one that does not result in a warning popping up that you are entering an unsafe site)
- Clean, updated design
- Photos and videos of your best work
An integrated marketing strategy includes all three types of marketing. Successful contractors think of all three types of marketing and develop specific plans to consistently invest in them.
Our plan is to continue this series with posts digging into specific detail about the various types of marketing options for contractors.
About McElroy Metal
Since 1963, McElroy Metal has served the construction industry with quality products and excellent customer service. The employee-owned components manufacturer is headquartered in Bossier City, La., and has 14 manufacturing facilities across the United States. Quality, service and performance have been the cornerstone of McElroy Metal’s business philosophy and have contributed to the success of the company through the years. As a preferred service provider, these values will continue to be at the forefront of McElroy Metal’s model along with a strong focus on the customer.
Topics: Marketing for Contractors
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