Means-of-Production

View Original

How A Business Blog Helps Design-Build Firms Attract Clients

How To Write Blogs That Attract Clients

Blogging Will Increase Design-Build Customers Dramatically. We've seen Clients Increase Sales by 15% annually. But Writing those blogs can take a tremendous amount of time. Luckily, we can do it for you.

Generating website traffic and converting visitors into leads should be your number one reason for having a website. Showing a portfolio of your work is secondary when it comes to lead generation and the rest is often times just ego. Updates to content on your website that provides helpful client-focused information will ensure a constant stream of new visitors. Because the clients of design-build contractors, are likely to make only one or two large purchases in a lifetime and will take months or years to choose who they intend to work with, it's important that you are attracting visitors who are qualified and truly interested in your construction services.

A survey of Hubspot's 7000 clients found that businesses which produce 15 or more articles per month generate 500% more traffic to their website. Blogging works for design build contractors, period. The more blog articles you publish about the design-build process, the more visitors you will attract that are seeking design-build services. 

Learn why blogs sometimes fail to deliver.

Maybe you who don't have the time to write 15 blog posts a month; after all you're a running a company. However, blogging isn’t just writing out your thoughts and dreams, it’s marketing, and that is an important part of identifying and securing potential new clients. For a blog to have any value at all, you need to develop articles that contain useful information and answers to your prospects questions.

Here are some useful tips on the best practices that will make you stand out from other design-build contractors and can be used within an overall marketing campaign.

Avoid trying the hard sell

Potential clients aren’t looking for a hard sell; they want to read valuable information that will answer a specific question. Identify yourself as an expert in the industry and they will seek out more information about you.

Marketing focused on one channel

Different clients will look for content in different locations. Ensure that you seeking out those potential clients in all the different areas (e.g. different social media platforms).

Inadequate Consistency

Blogging is a long term commitment. Potential clients will be put off if they see you do a short content marketing campaign and then stop publishing. Instead, be prepared for the long haul and deliver high-quality content at a regular rate over a long period of time.

Images are an important step in creating engaging content and you should utilize that within your blog articles. A photo can tell a story, and images on your blog articles will demonstrate the quality of your work and show how your style is different from other design-build contractors.

You can use social media platforms like YouTube to show ‘how-to’ demonstrations and embed them in your blog. Link your blog to Houzz and Pinterest, where pictures of your work can be seen and shared.

Remember to expand your ideas about blogs. Don’t just write about your current projects; include news from the design-build contractors industry and review new building products that come on the market. You're an expert on all aspects of design-build construction, share your expertise and you'll find that people wiil in turn share it with others. The result is that your blog becomes a lead source. 

If you are struggling to come up with blog ideas, just answer the questions construction clients have that are related to your design-build services.  Answering your clientele's most frequently asked questions is an excellent way to engage your audience.

Set out your ideas and plan at least three months ahead. Some of this will be seasonal or be reactive to latest news - but by having content that is ready to go when time is tight, you’ve always got content to post.

The next problem you will face is converting traffic to leads. Use ‘call-to-actions’ that send potential clients to landing pages that offer a free e-book or whitepaper, if they fill in some information adding to your list of leads.

With this system in place, you can start to see the benefits of a blog and an increase in lead generation.


About Michael Conway

My firm, Means-of-Production, builds Squarespace websites, content marketing and creates advertising solutions for architects, interior designers, design-build contractors and landscape design firms. Our marketing tactics are designed to attract the right clients with exceptional architectural photography and brand messaging that sets you apart from the competition. Contact me for a free video review of your online marketing efforts.