Why Custom Builders Need to Think Beyond their Business Cards

As far as marketing is concerned, word of mouth is extremely important. But if you are a custom builder, you don't really have to wait for your old clients to pass your visiting card to their friends or colleagues. Custom builders don't have model projects to show. They don't have an in-house marketing team either. As a result, most of them rely on their reputation. As for marketing, their business card is their only tool. However, a smart custom builder can use several other promotion techniques as well.

So, instead of waiting for the clients to come to you, you should reach out to them. Try to engage with your community. Understand what people want and try to offer solutions. Try to position yourself as a resource for designers and architects. They are the people who bring business to you.

Create goodwill

You should share your knowledge with people who will benefit from it. You don't necessarily have to promote yourself. Instead, grab every opportunity to share your expertise. Let people know that you are an expert and they will readily seek your service.

Conduct workshops

You should also conduct free workshops for the general public. Such events can be used to discuss topics such as building a green home or undertaking a remodel. The key is discussing a topic that might spark an interest. This requires an understanding of your audience.

Don't expect an immediate return on your investment, but over the time, these people will come back to you and give you business.

Your website

Your website is one of the most potent weapons in your arsenal. You can use your website to differentiate you from other builders. Add useful articles and how-to guides. The goal is to build a relationship with potential clients. Once you build trust, they will readily leave their contact information. Write about how you can solve their problem.

When you promote your business online, you should be willing to provide high quality photos of your products. Good photos of your past projects or computerized images can bring your project to life. 3D images allow you to create multiple angles of the property even before it is fully built.

High quality images will appeal to a buyer's imagination. The home may take one-and-a half years to build and until it is complete, the buyer has no idea how it will look. Using computer aided graphics you can show the buyer what the finished product will look like.

Offer tours

Another technique that many custom builders employ is that they let their prospects tour the project during the construction and just before the client moves in. This gives potential clients an opportunity to assess the quality of the work before hiring the builder. During these tours you can also point out how your projects differ from others.

Remember that when the work is complete, a green home doesn't look any different from other homes. So if you incorporate green features, you should encourage prospects to tour the property during the construction stage itself. This will allow you to point out the structural and functional differences that will make your home healthier and more energy-efficient.

Leads Direct provides quality business leads at 40-80% off retail prices so you can grow your business quickly and increase your ROI. Contact Leads Direct today!