The Storytellers

Contractors turn project experiences into marketing opportunities

In an era of slick drone videos, AI-generated graphics and the daily avalanche of online content, effective marketing for construction companies is swinging back to a more traditional activity: storytelling.

Telling the stories and showing the results of exquisite craftsmanship, ingenious engineering, mid-project problem solving, and excellent service to clients and communities is helping more contractors stand out in a oversaturated marketing environment.

To succeed, that storytelling has to thoughtfully leverage both digital technologies and traditional marketing tools, target specific audiences, and squarely align with business goals.

Highlighting Impact

“It’s easy to get bogged down doing the same thing everybody else is doing, like project announcements, groundbreakings, ribbon cuttings,” said Lauren Waters, Marketing Manager at Plano-Coudon Construction. “We’ve become more intentional about telling the stories behind our projects, highlighting our clients, project partners, and our team members, and showing how our projects impact the community.”

Long committed to making improvements in the community, Plano-Coudon has shown how the Harper-Tubman Residence Hall will ease a student housing crisis at Morgan State and how the Maree G. Farring Elementary School project has brought vital education and community resources to an underserved neighborhood.

On many projects, Plano-Coudon looks for ways to make a positive impact beyond the construction site.

“We’re currently building an addition to The Odyssey School, and we’ve found opportunities to engage with students and introduce them to the world of construction,” said Cliff Milstead, Vice President. “It’s a great way to connect our work to the community and give students a glimpse into the industry.”

Marketing at Plano-Coudon is closely connected to business development, the company’s strategic plan, and HR.

“The marketing team stays in constant communication with pre-con, operations, business development and HR, asking how marketing can support each department’s goals,” Waters said.

That coordination has helped build relationships with clients and partners, attract talent and expand Plano-Coudon’s presence in the D.C. market. It has also clarified what marketing efforts are worth the investment. Video, for example, can serve multiple purposes across marketing, HR, proposals and website content, allowing the company to get more mileage from a single resource.

Genuine, Personal Stories

Live Green Landscape Associates prides itself on being game to experiment with different modes of communication and produce marketing that isn’t “perfectly polished.” But increasingly, that approach has produced marketing that is genuine and personal.

“One of the biggest learning curves has been moving from simply creating content when something comes up to recognizing and sharing meaningful stories that are happening within the work,” said Taylor Sinclair, Commercial Administrator at Live Green. “We want to show the scale, craftsmanship, technical expertise and variety of projects that our team is capable of completing.”

The posts use specific project details and measurable data, such as the number of plantings installed, square footage of pavers or decking, and quantities of materials, to help audiences better understand the scope and complexity of the work.

Through photos and written content, “we try to show the people behind the work,” Sinclair added.

That focus makes the marketing personal and helps foster relationships with clients, vendors and partners.

To maintain an authentic voice, Live Green produces its marketing inhouse, often relying on field staff to take photos. It also tailors outreach to match the needs and habits of different client types. LinkedIn posts, for example, focus on commercial construction while Instagram posts highlight residential projects.

Compelling Case Studies

Telling behind-the-scenes stories of projects has also proven to be Cole Roofing’s best marketing effort.

“We’ve focused more on project case studies, customer success stories and sharing the expertise of our team members,” said Billy Cole, President of Cole Roofing and Gordian Energy. “We try to communicate specific expertise, lessons learned, project challenges we solved and insights that help our customers make better decisions.”

Cole points to a favorite marketing item which wasn’t a social media post but a case study of a historic project.

“Historic projects require a unique blend of craftsmanship, technical expertise and respect for preservation,” he said. “These projects tell a powerful story about who we are [and] how we approach problem solving and stewardship.”

Case studies may not get high numbers of likes or comments on social media sites, if they get posted at all.

But “we work hard to connect marketing activity to business outcomes instead of vanity metrics,” Cole said. “We try to market why clients trust us with difficult projects, challenging schedules, occupied facilities and critical infrastructure. The result has been stronger relationships with owners, architects, consultants and industry partners, along with a higher percentage of opportunities coming from referrals and repeat customers.”

Featured companies: Plano-Coudon Construction, Live Green Landscape Associates, Cole Roofing & Gordian Energy