Construction Marketing: How will you drive value in 2021?
This year has seen some severe lows … have we had any highs? I’m sure there’s been a few but it’s been pretty dreadful due to the pandemic. That’s enough looking back, now we look forward to 2021 and creating a positive future. We need government, business and entrepreneurial intervention at scale to get to the other side!
Your 2021 Marketing Budget
Putting together your 2021 marketing budget will help form strategy for the year. But what if you’re uncertain as to how to invest your marketing budget? It’s more important now than ever to have a strong online presence and this is something which MUST be budgeted for. With people no longer meeting face to face, your first impression isn’t in person, it’s online. If your shop window, that is your website, LinkedIn company page and other online media aren’t best representing your business then your prospective client may well go to your competitor who have a new website, showcasing their services and projects, instilling trust in their brand. Do you want to be in front and competing or do you want to be left behind? It’s time to push forward yourself and your business.
Be Prepared, Spend Wisely
2021 will see you adapting to the ‘new normal’ and this includes marketing. As always, your relationships with clients are paramount, but you also need to be making new connections, building trust in your brand and making sure you stand out against your competitors. Easy? No, nothing worth having is ever easy. However, you can make things easier on yourself.
Be prepared to provide value and plan for budget cuts. Make sure you are not surprised by anything and instead are prepared. You may rely on client retention, but when these clients cut their budgets and reach out to more of your competitors to gain the best rates where does that leave you? Make sure you are opening other marketing channels to win new business.
Up to 70% of senior marketers say their budgets have been cut as a result of COVID-19, according to a survey by Dun & Bradstreet. Yet, 76% are facing an “increasing pressure to deliver leads since the COVID-19 outbreak”. It’s about being smart with your budget.
You need to know which costs can be eliminated, which costs are essential and must be shielded and those where greater efficiency and ROI can be delivered. If you are unsure, it’s time to talk to a professional. Invest in a consultation today and save money tomorrow.
So, to conclude:
Prepare in advance – expect disruptions, don’t hide away from them. Re-evaluate your budget, know what to invest in and where cuts could be made. Sometimes it’s not where you expect and it’s important to get it right.
Accept change instead of trying to avoid it. You will have to make difficult decisions and different issues require different responses.
Move fast, move now – the world isn’t going to wait for you to catch up, you need to be proactive and get ahead or lag behind.
Get help from the professionals – invest in people who know how to market businesses effectively and successfully, so you can get on with doing what you do best.
Believe in the strengths of your business – know your strengths and weaknesses and concentrate on utilising those strengths
Keep smiling – stay strong, positive and be proactive.
“Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do.” – Jim Rohn