You provide quality building materials and competitive prices. So why isn’t your business growing at a faster rate? A good place to start is by implementing these key building materials business ideas. Follow these tips to get on the right track.
1.Communicate Regularly with Customers, and Focus on Each Segment
One of the keys to getting your brand well-established is to communicate regularly with customers. Try direct e-mails and social media.
Communication should be timely and focused on the specific needs of your audience. Don’t just send the same information to everyone. A better strategy is to divide your audiences into categories or segments. For example, create one message for designers, then another for architects and even large-scale contractors and small-scale contractors. Ditto with frequent purchasers and first-time purchasers.
Once you create your segments, send a focused message to each group.
2. Be a Source of Useful Information
Building a business requires a big sales effort, but that’s only one element of success. Build a relationship with your clients. A great way to do that is by becoming a good source of information.
That’s why many building material businesses create blogs, video demonstrations and technical content that answers customers’ business questions. Creating content requires time, but it can help establish your brand and help customers at the same time.
3. Find Out What Customers Need
A smart idea for growing your building materials business is to make your clients’ jobs easier. Reach out to key local players in the building materials industry and ask what they need.
For example, the submittals process is notoriously slow. Identifying ways to make the online submittals process easier can put you ahead of the competition. Show that you’re receptive to altering processes to help your customers. It will earn you a strong reputation and boost word-of-mouth advertising.
4. Make Sure Your Building Materials Website is Easy to Navigate and Use
The most crucial resource you have aside from your employees is your website. Many building materials companies create a website but rarely assess its usability, even as technology changes. Take a critical look at your website and those of your competition. How does your site perform in comparison? Is it clear? Does your online search function return relevant results?
Above all, make sure your website is easy to navigate and use. How easy is it to generate submittals and specify your products? Is information about your products interactive, thorough and well-organized?
Your website should make the buyer’s journey clear and provide detailed product specifications. Technical content should be easy to find and share.
Think about your audience. If customers can’t find your products, they won’t buy your products.
5. Provide Digital Processes That Work for Your Customers
What services are you providing to architects , engineers, contractors and designers in your area? Think about the construction project management process and identify ways your business can streamline it.
For example, if a contractor could submit product specifications online, and your business could provide a detailed price list within 24 or 48 hours, that makes the process easier.
Consider using construction project management software, such as Concora, that allows you to integrate your inventory more seamlessly for major local customers.
6. Utilize Video Marketing
Marketing may not be your strength, but it’s an important building materials business idea to master. Video marketing is growing rapidly, and it’s a great way to stand out from the competition.
YouTube makes it easy to create a channel and reach a wide audience. Think about how people learn. More than half of the population are visual learners. They are more likely to watch a short video than to read a wall of text. Videos have also been shown to improve Google search rankings and sharing of social media posts.
The key is to provide something of value or tell a story. Make a video tour of your warehouse, provide tips on how customers can better manage their supply chain, or do a demo of a featured product. Ask satisfied customers to share their stories in video testimonials.
7. Provide Documentation
By now, you’re starting to see your website as not simply a vehicle for sales but an important information tool for customers. Do you sell building materials that come with detailed documentation? This information should be online. Clicking on a particular item should pull up pricing and product specifications plus other useful information such as user guides.
Consider creating a searchable online documentation library. This can be a convenient resource for anyone who has questions about your products. It can also drive previous customers back to your website. Detailed documentation can increase trust and improve customer retention.
Final Thoughts on Building Material Business Ideas for Success
You know that growing your building materials business requires hard work. Consider implementing these building material business ideas and do more reading to understand the ins and outs of digital marketing. It will help establish you as a trusted expert in the field and create satisfied customers.
Written By Candace Shackelford