Many established contractors have built successful businesses through strong relationships, quality work and a reputation for delivering on their commitments.
Those strengths remain essential. But as companies grow, markets change and management objectives evolve, the marketing and business-development approaches that have served them well in the past may need to change.
Recognizing when that change is necessary—and determining what to do about it—isn't always straightforward.
Six Business Situations That May Call for a Different Approach
01
When Established Relationships Aren't Enough.
Relationships are fundamental to business development in construction. Many successful contractors have built their companies through repeat business, referrals and long-standing relationships with general contractors, owners and other industry participants.
But those relationships may not always provide the opportunities needed to support a company's future objectives.
A more deliberate business-development approach can help identify prospective clients, establish new relationships and create opportunities beyond the company's existing network.
The objective isn't to replace relationship-driven business development. It's to strengthen and extend it.
02
Entering a new geographic market, pursuing larger projects or developing relationships with different types of clients can require more than simply making the company's capabilities known.
Contractors need to understand the competitive environment, identify the organizations and decision-makers they want to reach, and determine how best to establish credibility with them.
A thoughtful marketing and business-development strategy can help management evaluate those opportunities and establish priorities before committing substantial resources.
Pursuing New Markets or Clients
03
Many established contractors have strong capabilities, experienced people and impressive project histories.
Yet prospective clients may have difficulty distinguishing one qualified contractor from another.
The challenge is often not a lack of strengths, but an inability to communicate clearly which strengths matter most to the clients the company wants to attract.
Identifying meaningful differentiators and expressing them consistently can strengthen positioning, qualifications materials, proposals and business-development conversations.
Standing Apart From the Competition
04
Contractors operate in markets where project opportunities, bidding activity and backlog can fluctuate.
While marketing cannot eliminate those uncertainties, a more systematic business-development approach can help management identify prospective opportunities, evaluate client relationships and focus attention on the markets and projects that best fit the company's capabilities and objectives.
The goal is not simply to pursue more work. It's to pursue the right work with greater intention.
Managing Unpredictable Growth
05
A company may have a website, produce qualifications materials, participate in industry organizations, maintain a social media presence or undertake other marketing activities without a clear understanding of how those efforts contribute to business development.
The question isn't necessarily whether the company should do more.
It's whether its current activities are supporting management's objectives, whether resources are being used effectively and where changes might produce greater value.
Sometimes the best recommendation is to strengthen an existing effort. Sometimes it's to redirect resources. And sometimes it's to stop doing something that no longer serves a useful purpose.
Marketing Without a Clear Direction
06
Adapting to Changes in Leadership or Business Priorities
Ownership transitions, new leadership, acquisitions and changes in strategic direction often create a need to reconsider how a company presents itself and develops business.
The business may have new objectives, different capabilities or opportunities that weren't priorities in the past.
These circumstances can provide an appropriate time to assess existing marketing and business-development practices, clarify positioning and establish a strategy aligned with the company's new direction.
Determining What Needs Attention
Not every business circumstance calls for a major marketing initiative. Sometimes the most valuable first step is an independent assessment of what's working, what isn't and where management's attention would be most productive.
My role is to help contractors make those determinations, evaluate their alternatives and develop practical strategies aligned with their business objectives.
The starting point isn't a predetermined solution. It's understanding the business well enough to recommend what makes sense.
Starting a Conversation
If any of these circumstances sound familiar, I'd welcome an opportunity to discuss your business objectives and whether an outside strategic perspective might be useful.