Making Demand Generation work in the Construction industry

Demand Generation Making it work in the Construction IndustryConnecting brand owners, merchants and their customers

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connecting brand owners, merchants and their customers

Around 93% of UK builders are recognised as heavy internet users, and 70% buy products for work online.

The only constant is change whether people are buying in a consumer environment or business-to-business, the way they go about their buying is different now. the influence of the internet is everywhere.

changes in buyer behaviours, attitudes and working practices mean that progressive marketers have to review existing strategies and perhaps make fundamental changes to take advantage of the opportunities change has brought about.

if you’re identifying with this train of thought, you’ll be interested to read on.

How change is uncovering new opportunities

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What is the state of construction industry marketing today?Just stop for a moment and consider this. how often are your communications delivered to a ‘type’ rather than an individual? how committed are you – really – to the notion that the trade is closed to anything but the most traditional marketing approaches? how well do you know your end customer? how well would you like to know them?

and then there’s your merchant base. what do they do well where your brand is concerned? what could be done to improve things, to increase footfall, to encourage more sales and greater loyalty? how can you work more closely with them to their needs and enhance the bottom lines of both parties?

if the answers to some of these questions make you uncomfortable, that’s a good thing. because you have the power to change things, too.

Some home truths about the construction industry at workthe simple fact is, the changes we’ve mentioned above are out there, they’re happening, and brands like yours can look to capitalise on them.

Technology is driving the changestoday’s on-the-go technology gives your end customers the ability to access all the information they need, order products and potentially manage their entire business whether they’re on-site or watching tV.

When looking for new product solutions, your buyers are likely to be 67% through their buyer journey before interacting with suppliers.

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A better job, in less time, at lower costsFor construction industry professionals, the laptop is unlikely to be their main screen. by centralising their business tools into a single device such as an iPhone or smartphone, they can now work smarter on the go. this kind of click-and-collect access keeps them on top of jobs, with the materials they need pretty much on-demand, meaning they can spend less time organising and more time doing.

Social beyond the pub Your customers are increasingly engaging in social media as a source of information and more importantly, recommendation. it’s not just about quick conversations in the pub or yard car park any more.

they’re getting input and information from all sorts of sources online. and you can’t control these conversations about your brand, good or bad.

Blocked communications channels are stopping you from fulfilling your brand’s potentialwithout strong relationships with your merchant base, it’s unlikely that you’re getting your marketing messages through to the people paying money for products.

this is particularly problematic within the construction industry, as the products tradesmen use are a direct reflection of their workmanship, which they value above most other things.

when customer satisfaction is fundamental to word-of-mouth recommendation, they need to know and trust the products and brands they’re using. You can make this happen.

The stereotype needs reviewing many brands within the construction sector still believe the typical stereotypes are an accurate representation of today’s tradesmen. they’re not, and maintaining this mindset will leave your brand at the mercy of competitors.

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Nurturing buyers who aren’t ready to buy or try a new product straight away can increase your sales leads by 50%.

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The challenges and the opportunities

Brand Owner:ChallengesYou’ve got some great brands, some of which are the go-to in the marketplace. but though this is the case, you struggle to develop and maintain relationships with your end customers.

also, your customers are creatures of habit, sticking to what they know. or are they? with 40% of brand decisions made at point-of-purchase, your customers are open to trying new solutions if they have the right information to hand at the merchants.

Opportunitiesbridge-building. simple as that. if your product is good enough, customers will appreciate it.

by working together, you and your merchant can turn transactional relationships into longer-lasting relationships developed through meeting known customer needs.

social media is just one new platform through which to engage with your target audience. and in the new paradigm where collaboration brings its own success, you can work with merchants to make both your jobs more rewarding.

95% of tradesmen use search to begin their journey to purchase new products. 80% look for guidance on social sites.

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Merchant:Challengesin an environment where footfall is the only true measure, what are you doing to get the trade coming through the door? chances are, your branches are operating reactively to perceived customer needs rather than proactively, driving value through in-branch cross-sell opportunities, for example.

conversations and stocking policy is more often about short-term targets and numbers rather than more long-term strategic issues.

Opportunitiesit doesn’t have to be this way. why should a builders’ merchant not use some of the tricks retailers use to generate sales? new platforms enable you to connect in new ways up and down the supply chain, for the benefit of all. and cross-sell/up-sell strategies help to increase sales and encourage more brand loyalty in a traditionally fickle marketplace.

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End Customer:Challengesthis link in the chain is crucial, as this is where the cash lies. traditionally seen as creatures of habit, tradesmen buy the brands they know and trust, based on product quality and reliability. they’re demanding and hard to please – let them down at your peril.

they’re also coming to realise that technology offers them a whole new way of getting jobs done. it’s easier to buy, easier to get the views of peers about particular products or problems that need solving.

Opportunitieswhile there’s no substitute for a brilliant product, there are of opportunities to engage with this audience on their own terms, to get to know them and build loyalty and liking beyond the products of yours they use.

Only 4% of B2B budget is spent on social media, yet 65% of companies have acquired a lead through LinkedIn, and almost half via Twitter.

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Connecting with more opportunities

Having rich, lasting relationships with your end customers based on common values might sound like an unrealistic vision from where you are right now. However, it is possible with communications to the right people, in the right places, at the right times. And this applies as much to your merchant base, too.

as we’ve outlined, tradesmen have already embraced the potential of new platforms. online makes their jobs easier, social gives them an outlet, a forum where they can express their views on industry issues, products and people – and these views will be of the good and the bad.

in a world where buyers can get what they want in an instant, whether from you, your merchant or a competitor, it pays to be prepared. You’re probably doing what you can do, if anything, in terms of direct sales right now. otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this guide.

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Whatever power they do have, without your brands, your merchants limit themselves to what they can offer their customers. Sounds like a pretty good place for some collaborative working.

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About Ledger Bennett DGA

We are a B2B Demand Generation agency that uses sales and marketing know-how to help customers increase revenue by deploying Inbound Marketing, Content Marketing and Marketing Automation strategies. Our highly focused Demand Generation programmes drive our customers’ business performance, helping them to:

n Generate more opportunity

n Convert that opportunity into sales

n Retain customers and grow their value

Using more measurable and cost effective techniques than traditional full service marketing agencies we are able to maximise business revenue in the modern world where the internet has fundamentally changed the behaviour of the buyer.

www.LBDGA.com

Telephone: +44 (0)8458 383883 Email: [email protected]

Milton Keynes:

Ledger bennett dga tungsten house, warren road Little horwood, milton Keynes mK17 0nr

London:

Ledger bennett dga 1st Floor centric house 390-391 strand, London wc2r 0Ltshare