Are you a contractor?
If you manage a construction business, then you need to read this.
We’re a construction consulting and estimating company, we talk to dozens of contractors around the US every day.
We’ve seen contractors working out of the back of their truck transform into very successful professional companies firsthand.
And now you can find out exactly how they did it.
Sign Up for These Lead Generation Services
First up, sign up for either of these lead generation services:
We’ve done a lot of research on which construction lead generation service is the best, and we’ve come down to either of those 2.
The most important thing a small construction company needs right out of the gate is leads and opportunities. So in the beginning you’re going to want to invest in these services, they’re very affordable and can give you an extremely solid foundation for your business.
Plus, most, if not all, professional GCs use bidding software for their hiring process, so you’ll have to get it eventually anyway.
Outsource Your Estimating and Start Submitting Bids at Rapid-Fire
This can be done with or without a lead generation service but it’s most effective when combined with one.
It’s simple, hire an estimating firm to create professional estimates and bid proposals for you and submit them to different potential clients.
We’ve personally worked with dozens of contractors who did only this and quickly found themselves landing million-dollar jobs.
It’s one of the most powerful strategies in securing more project work, and after doing research on other estimating firms, we can confidently say no one does it better than us.
Here’s how it works.
First, go to our homepage at I AM Builders.
Then, click on Upload Now on the top right corner. Or you can just click this link, https://www.iambuilders.com/upload
Next, submit any drawings or documents of the project you’re interested in bidding on, and we’ll review and send you a quote to get started!
IMPORTANT:Make sure to include your scope of work when submitting your project. And feel free to call us at 305-433-6432 for anything you need. We’re here to help. |
Get in Front of Prospects Through Email/Visit/Call
One of the most valuable things a construction business owner can have is a list of contacts.
A long contact list on your phone, a big network of contractors who know you, or an email list.
The truth is most contractors never take advantage of one of the strongest forms of keeping long-term clients in the industry, follow-up.
Follow-up should be used in 2 ways for contractors:
- Reach out to GCs or Developers and ask what projects they’re working on.
- Showcase what projects you’re working on and how your company is doing.
Need people to reach out to? Here’s a free way and a paid way (the paid is a little better).
Get Potential Clients (Free)
Go to Google and type in “general contractors near me”. [This depends on what you and your company do, but we’re just going to use this term as an example.]
You should see something like this. Couple ads on the top and a map under it with a lucky few contractors being featured.
Click on “More Businesses”.
And just like that, you have a long list of potential clients to reach out to.
Go down this list of businesses and reach out to each one through phone call or email. Introduce yourself and ask to get on their bid list for future projects.
Get Potential Clients (Paid)
Alternatively, you can subscribe to a construction lead service and get a nice list of qualified contractors more suited to your business.
This is the main advantage over the free method. Using Google you won’t get as much control over the contractors you see on your screen, but through these programs you definitely can.
You can put as many filters as you want until you find the perfect project to bid.
Once you find a project you like, you can find the contact info for the Source putting the bid out. It’s very straightforward and easy to figure out.
Connect with Someone Different Every Day
You should be having lunch, chatting with, or visiting potential clients frequently.
This happens naturally most of the time, as you inevitably develop relationships with other contractors you work with.
But this is a bit different. This is about actively pursuing those relationships.
Want to see some proof this works?
Check out this million-dollar construction company owner explain that one of the biggest things he recommends contractors do is “taking someone to lunch every day.”
Ask for Referrals After Every Project
There’s a famous concept called the 6 Degrees of Separation. It states that if you know 6 people, you can be connected to anyone on the planet by means of association.
In construction, this is extremely relevant. You can quickly gain access to many different projects just because you know the contractors in your local area.
Just imagine, a really good friend of yours is a GC in your area, and he needs a solid painting contractor for a job he’s working on. You recommend him a painter you know very well and then 6 months later that same painter recommends you to another GC for a project he’s working on.
See how it works?
To get the ball rolling, ask for referrals after every single project you do a good job on.
This is a very quick way to get access to projects in your area to bid, and combined with an estimating firm pumping out your bids for you, this is a powerful system.
Cold Call Potential Clients on Your Free Time
This goes perfectly with the “Get in Front of Prospects Daily” section. [SEE ABOVE]
A successful contractor is one that’s consistently putting himself out there to expand his network.
This is for you, or someone working for you, to pick up the phone and start calling different contractors and potential clients in your area to introduce yourself and ask to get on their bid list.
Cold-calling is direct, straight-forward, and it’s one of the simplest ways to get more project opportunities.
Showcase Your Work on Social Media
Get a LinkedIn account (if you haven’t already).
Most contractors focus on Facebook, probably because it’s what they normally use in their free time, but LinkedIn is where business deals actually happen.
This is because practically everyone is looking to progress in their professional career, so the connections you make in the platform are intended to produce business transactions.
I recommend posting your completed projects and reaching out to potential clients through direct message.
If you’re comfortable enough, feel free to get creative with this. You can post virtually anything about your company. Many contractors choose to document how their projects go or some even tell funny stories of things that happen on the Jobsite.
Overall, it’s important to have a good reputation, and having a broad network of people who see you as someone who can get the job done can do a lot of great things for your company.
Build a Good Website
I see dozens of residential contractors everyday operate their business without a website, and it’s a huge mistake. Here’s why.
When you sign up for construction lead generation services on sites like:
You’re owned by their platform. You depend on them for all the exposure your business gets.
And if all the exposure you get is from people who are looking at 5 other contractors who offer the same services as you, what are the chances you’ll secure work in that competition?
But when you have your own well-done website, it’s different.
You can refer people to your page where they can see all your project experience and about who you are. And combined with a professional design you’d be surprised how often a website can sell all on its own.
Would you rather buy from this site:
Or this one:
We can clearly see from this example that design plays a huge role in what you think of a company, and can make or break a first impression.
[MOST IMPORTANT] Do a Good Job on the Project
This is the most basic and also the most important.
It’s also much easier said than done. Construction management can get very stressful, very quickly.
That’s why we created this extremely detailed guide to help the busiest contractor free up his time and grow his business.
Check out this guide on how to manage a construction business.
To Sum Everything Up
Marketing for construction companies doesn’t have to be difficult.
The foundation to it is always the same. Develop a wide range of contacts and relationships in your local area, and handle projects so well that your reputation starts to win you jobs.
By the WayAre you missing bid dates because you have no time to submit bid proposals? Estimating is one of the most important parts of construction business. But most contractors don’t have the time to sit down and perform takeoffs or create estimates. It doesn’t have to be that way! Reach out to us at info@iambuilders.com for more information on how we can help you with your estimating so you can finally focus on growing your business. |
Are you a contractor?
If you manage a construction business, then you need to read this.
We’re a construction consulting and estimating company, we talk to dozens of contractors around the US every day.
We’ve seen contractors working out of the back of their truck transform into very successful professional companies firsthand.
And now you can find out exactly how they did it.
Sign Up for These Lead Generation Services
First up, sign up for either of these lead generation services:
We’ve done a lot of research on which construction lead generation service is the best, and we’ve come down to either of those 2.
The most important thing a small construction company needs right out of the gate is leads and opportunities. So in the beginning you’re going to want to invest in these services, they’re very affordable and can give you an extremely solid foundation for your business.
Plus, most, if not all, professional GCs use bidding software for their hiring process, so you’ll have to get it eventually anyway.
Outsource Your Estimating and Start Submitting Bids at Rapid-Fire
This can be done with or without a lead generation service but it’s most effective when combined with one.
It’s simple, hire an estimating firm to create professional estimates and bid proposals for you and submit them to different potential clients.
We’ve personally worked with dozens of contractors who did only this and quickly found themselves landing million-dollar jobs.
It’s one of the most powerful strategies in securing more project work, and after doing research on other estimating firms, we can confidently say no one does it better than us.
Here’s how it works.
First, go to our homepage at I AM Builders.
Then, click on Upload Now on the top right corner. Or you can just click this link, https://www.iambuilders.com/upload
Next, submit any drawings or documents of the project you’re interested in bidding on, and we’ll review and send you a quote to get started!
IMPORTANT:Make sure to include your scope of work when submitting your project. And feel free to call us at 305-433-6432 for anything you need. We’re here to help. |
Get in Front of Prospects Through Email/Visit/Call
One of the most valuable things a construction business owner can have is a list of contacts.
A long contact list on your phone, a big network of contractors who know you, or an email list.
The truth is most contractors never take advantage of one of the strongest forms of keeping long-term clients in the industry, follow-up.
Follow-up should be used in 2 ways for contractors:
- Reach out to GCs or Developers and ask what projects they’re working on.
- Showcase what projects you’re working on and how your company is doing.
Need people to reach out to? Here’s a free way and a paid way (the paid is a little better).
Get Potential Clients (Free)
Go to Google and type in “general contractors near me”. [This depends on what you and your company do, but we’re just going to use this term as an example.]
You should see something like this. Couple ads on the top and a map under it with a lucky few contractors being featured.
Click on “More Businesses”.
And just like that, you have a long list of potential clients to reach out to.
Go down this list of businesses and reach out to each one through phone call or email. Introduce yourself and ask to get on their bid list for future projects.
Get Potential Clients (Paid)
Alternatively, you can subscribe to a construction lead service and get a nice list of qualified contractors more suited to your business.
This is the main advantage over the free method. Using Google you won’t get as much control over the contractors you see on your screen, but through these programs you definitely can.
You can put as many filters as you want until you find the perfect project to bid.
Once you find a project you like, you can find the contact info for the Source putting the bid out. It’s very straightforward and easy to figure out.
Connect with Someone Different Every Day
You should be having lunch, chatting with, or visiting potential clients frequently.
This happens naturally most of the time, as you inevitably develop relationships with other contractors you work with.
But this is a bit different. This is about actively pursuing those relationships.
Want to see some proof this works?
Check out this million-dollar construction company owner explain that one of the biggest things he recommends contractors do is “taking someone to lunch every day.”
Ask for Referrals After Every Project
There’s a famous concept called the 6 Degrees of Separation. It states that if you know 6 people, you can be connected to anyone on the planet by means of association.
In construction, this is extremely relevant. You can quickly gain access to many different projects just because you know the contractors in your local area.
Just imagine, a really good friend of yours is a GC in your area, and he needs a solid painting contractor for a job he’s working on. You recommend him a painter you know very well and then 6 months later that same painter recommends you to another GC for a project he’s working on.
See how it works?
To get the ball rolling, ask for referrals after every single project you do a good job on.
This is a very quick way to get access to projects in your area to bid, and combined with an estimating firm pumping out your bids for you, this is a powerful system.
Cold Call Potential Clients on Your Free Time
This goes perfectly with the “Get in Front of Prospects Daily” section. [SEE ABOVE]
A successful contractor is one that’s consistently putting himself out there to expand his network.
This is for you, or someone working for you, to pick up the phone and start calling different contractors and potential clients in your area to introduce yourself and ask to get on their bid list.
Cold-calling is direct, straight-forward, and it’s one of the simplest ways to get more project opportunities.
Showcase Your Work on Social Media
Get a LinkedIn account (if you haven’t already).
Most contractors focus on Facebook, probably because it’s what they normally use in their free time, but LinkedIn is where business deals actually happen.
This is because practically everyone is looking to progress in their professional career, so the connections you make in the platform are intended to produce business transactions.
I recommend posting your completed projects and reaching out to potential clients through direct message.
If you’re comfortable enough, feel free to get creative with this. You can post virtually anything about your company. Many contractors choose to document how their projects go or some even tell funny stories of things that happen on the Jobsite.
Overall, it’s important to have a good reputation, and having a broad network of people who see you as someone who can get the job done can do a lot of great things for your company.
Build a Good Website
I see dozens of residential contractors everyday operate their business without a website, and it’s a huge mistake. Here’s why.
When you sign up for construction lead generation services on sites like:
You’re owned by their platform. You depend on them for all the exposure your business gets.
And if all the exposure you get is from people who are looking at 5 other contractors who offer the same services as you, what are the chances you’ll secure work in that competition?
But when you have your own well-done website, it’s different.
You can refer people to your page where they can see all your project experience and about who you are. And combined with a professional design you’d be surprised how often a website can sell all on its own.
Would you rather buy from this site:
Or this one:
We can clearly see from this example that design plays a huge role in what you think of a company, and can make or break a first impression.
[MOST IMPORTANT] Do a Good Job on the Project
This is the most basic and also the most important.
It’s also much easier said than done. Construction management can get very stressful, very quickly.
That’s why we created this extremely detailed guide to help the busiest contractor free up his time and grow his business.
Check out this guide on how to manage a construction business.
To Sum Everything Up
Marketing for construction companies doesn’t have to be difficult.
The foundation to it is always the same. Develop a wide range of contacts and relationships in your local area, and handle projects so well that your reputation starts to win you jobs.
By the WayAre you missing bid dates because you have no time to submit bid proposals? Estimating is one of the most important parts of construction business. But most contractors don’t have the time to sit down and perform takeoffs or create estimates. It doesn’t have to be that way! Reach out to us at info@iambuilders.com for more information on how we can help you with your estimating so you can finally focus on growing your business. |
