A good reputation has always been a driver for strong business success and the construction industry is no exception. But in today’s market, reputation alone isn’t enough.
With increased competition and clients doing more research before hiring, construction companies need more than just word-of-mouth. They need a marketing plan.
Whether you're a solo builder launching your own business or growing your team, having a plan for promoting yourself can help you attract the right clients, land better projects, and stand out in a crowded marketplace.
What is a Marketing Plan?
A marketing plan defines who your ideal client is, how you’ll reach them, and the messages that’ll encourage them to work with you. It guides your efforts across your marketing channels. These include your website, social media, project proposals and word-of-mouth referrals.
Why You Need a Construction Marketing Plan
Construction is a high-trust, high-investment industry. Clients want to hire companies they can rely on. A solid marketing plan will help you:
attract the right clients and the kind of projects you actually want.
build trust before the first phone call by showing how you work and what you stand for.
grow sustainably by staying visible and credible, even between projects.
Your marketing plan doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does need to be intentional. Without one, you’ll be left hoping for work instead of building a steady pipeline of projects that align with your skills, expertise and company goals.
3 Questions to Ask to Start Building Your Marketing Plan
Knowing how to build your marketing plan starts with three key questions:
Who is your ideal client and/or project?
What kind of projects do you want more of? Residential renovations? Commercial fit-outs? Government infrastructure? Be specific.
Knowing your ideal client helps you tailor your key messaging and marketing efforts to attract more of the right work. It can also be helpful to jot down who you don’t want to work with or the projects you’re not interested in for clarity around this, even just in your own mind.
How are they going to find you?
Think about where your clients spend their time. Are they searching online? Asking for referrals? Browsing Instagram or LinkedIn? Your plan should include how you’ll get in front of them in those spaces. For example, if it’s mostly by Googling, you’ll need to think about what your website needs to include with a focus on SEO, blogs, and making sure it’s clear what locations you work in.
What sets you apart from the competition?
What do you do differently (or better) than others in your field? Is it your communication, reliability, innovative processes, or speciality in a specific build type? That’s your unique selling point (USP), and it needs to come through clearly in your marketing.
Common marketing mistakes construction companies make
Marketing can sometimes be about trial and error, and it’s okay to try something and learn that it doesn’t work for you. But we’ve been in the business long enough to know there are some things that don’t work for anyone.
Waiting for projects to be ‘finished’ to showcase them.
Having polished images and videography at the end of a project is great, but don’t forget to show off the process. Progress updates are a powerful way to show your process, communicate your expertise, and connect with clients. Even when things don’t go perfectly, showing how you problem-solve builds trust and creates realistic expectations.
Telling a ‘story’ no one really cares about.
Yes, clients want to work with good people, but that doesn’t mean your social media should be about your kids, dog, or what you got up to over the weekend. Instead, focus on your company's story: what you build, how you build it, and why it matters. That’s what wins business.
Being too broad.
You might be open to all kinds of projects (especially as you get started and grow), but your marketing plan should focus on the clients and projects you want to do more of. Keep it tightly aligned to this and don’t try to go too broad.
Not having a plan at all.
Even a basic one-page plan that you build on over time, can make a difference, especially when it comes to growing your business (and client base).
An Easy Way to Get Started
Whether you're starting out or scaling up, our customisable, easy-to-use marketing plans are designed to help you confidently hit the ground running.
Check out our available guides or chat with us to save time, stay on track, and focus on what you do best: building.
