9 Sales Promotion Ideas for Your Construction Business

In the business of construction, promoting sales isn’t always as easy as it is for some companies. You can’t just offer a 10% discount on labor this week—you could, but you’d have to be sure that you could afford it and deal with the potential of people who want rainchecks or demand to get the discount even after the period has lapsed. But, we digress. Promoting your construction business is all about figuring out what your audience wants. 

Fortunately, you’re not alone in that endeavor. We have taken the time to study the best sales and promotion ideas for all kinds of businesses, including those in the construction sector. You don’t have to do anything major, and you might be surprised at just how effective some simple ideas can be. Or, you can outsource your sales outreach, to help you make the most of your construction sales promotions. Here’s what you need to know. 

1. Partner with related businesses or brands 

Partnerships can go a long way in the construction business. People love knowing they’re getting trusted resources, so if they already have a window guy that can recommend someone to do insulation or update the doors, for example, most people would be inclined to go with their recommendation rather than trying to find someone on their own. Create as many of these partnerships as you can and make sure that you’re giving what you get. That way, everyone wins, including the clients. 

2. Direct mail marketing 

Whether it occurs to you or not, direct mail marketing is still one of the most effective sales promotion tools available today. People are over email marketing, for the most part. It’s still effective, but not nearly as good as a direct mail campaign when done correctly. You could send postcard mailers, discount and deal flyers, and more. Perhaps you’ve got a company anniversary coming up—send out a celebratory reminder and offer an incentive along with it. 

3. BOGO offers 

If you are a contractor that works with materials like windows, flooring, cabinets, etc., it could be a good idea to run buy-one-get-one deals. It doesn’t necessarily have to be buy-one-get-one-free. You could offer a 10% discount on the second room when you do flooring in the first, for example. Perhaps you want to upsell by offering a bigger discount on bigger jobs—people might choose to recruit you for more work that way. However you do it, make sure that you’re focused more on what you’re giving than what you’re getting. 

4. SMS promotions for existing customers

SMS promotions are a good marketing avenue for almost every business. Although many construction businesses might not think it’s relevant, it can do a lot more than you realize. Today, all types of customers enjoy SMS marketing. For existing customers, you can send reminders of upcoming events or holiday specials. Perhaps you’re offering a discount on labor costs for Labor Day, for example—SMS is a great way to get the word out and get people’s attention in a unique way. 

5. Post YouTube videos to promote your expertise

YouTube is quickly becoming the preferred platform of home improvement professionals, DIYers, and all kinds of construction pros around the world. A simple search will result in thousands of different videos for every type of construction project you could imagine. Now, you’re not doing this to try to give people DIY instructions—that would put you out of business in short order. Of course, you can always recommend small DIY tasks and then refer them to the pros (that’s you) for bigger or more complex jobs. 

6. Use previous jobs for remarketing specials 

This one is great for contractors and construction businesses that have a good customer base and who are trying to improve retention. You can rely on the jobs that you’ve done for people in the past to tailor a custom remarketing solution for them now and get their business again. For example, if you have a client that upgraded their bathroom last year, perhaps you’ll suggest an upgrade to their other bathrooms at a discount to match. 

7. Run social media promotions

This is another great way to promote your business through digital marketing. Even though a lot of contractors and construction businesses still doubt the effectiveness of social media marketing, contractors are getting better jobs and landing new clients left and right because they’re utilizing their social media channels. Give people a discount when they mention a certain social media post, or invite people to “Like” or “Follow” your business to earn a discount or other promotion. 

8. Offer incentives for reviews 

Word of mouth is one of the best ways to drum up good business. And fortunately, it’s not that difficult to get. While some people are happy to post reviews without prompting, others may need a little push. If you offer some type of deal or discount for those who post a review, it could help you build your reputation in more ways than one. Just make sure that you’re doing this from a helpful angle and not a salesy angle. 

9. Create a partnership for outbound sales and support

Whether you’re a solo contractor or an enterprise-level construction firm, you can benefit in several ways from partnering with a team like the virtual receptionists at Smith.ai. In terms of sales promotion, our 24/7 virtual receptionists can help with outbound sales and support, outreach campaigns, and so much more. You’re in the business of construction, after all, so while you’re on the job, we’ll take care of everything behind the scenes. 

Partnering with outsourced solutions like the Smith.ai team will give your construction business the edge it deserves. We’ll even help you create the perfect strategy for managing your needs, no matter how big or small they might be. We’ll also assist with lead intake, appointment scheduling, and driving any promotions that you have to improve conversions, retention, and more. 

To learn more about how Smith.ai can help your construction business, schedule a consultation or contact us at hello@smith.ai or (650) 727-6484.