Does Marketing For Contractors Work in Florida?

Since 2020, about 1000 people are moving to Florida every single day. They’re bringing their dreams of a laid-back sunny lifestyle with them and that means any old home is going to need some updates and renovations.

This makes marketing for contractors an essential part of your business plan because as you already know, you’re not the only contractor here.

You can’t depend on referrals. You can’t depend on print mailers (they end up in the trash).

You need to get in front of the 8 billion daily shoppers going to Google looking for products and services. 

But we know what you’re thinking. You’re hesitant to spend more money when marketing for contractors is a new idea for you. The thing is, times have changed. And if you don’t adjust how you bring in new business, you’ll get left behind. 

Read on to see if this is right for you.

What is Marketing for Contractors?

First, you have to understand what marketing is. You need to understand that the goal of marketing and advertising is to drive sales by bringing in and retaining new customers.

If you don’t have an awareness and specific position in the market, your business will struggle. Some people will only focus on the promotion aspect of marketing, which can make the campaigns unsuccessful.

But the thing is, marketing for contractors is a little different because you need industry knowledge that can only come from the kind of experience that comes from working decades in the field. We know what homeowners want. We know what developers want. We know that real estate professionals and architects want. We know how all the pieces fit together.

Now, a kick-ass marketing strategy will make sure you’re seen by all the right people so that your services and products attract and convert leads into customers. While it’s always best to work with a pro, you might be inclined to try a few things yourself. So let’s cover the basics.

Analyze the 4 P’s

The four pillars of a great contractor marketing strategy are the four p’s:

• Product
• Price
• Place
• Promotion

The product is the item that you’re offering to your customers. Ideally, your product should fill a gap in the market, even if it’s a local market. Fully understanding your product and how it fits into the market will help guide your campaign.

The price is also important. But here is the thing: you don’t have to be cheap or race to the bottom to win a gig. It’s okay to be expensive. But you need to be able to substantiate the value. Make sure you check in and identify the quality of craftsmanship. Is it the best? Then charge accordingly. There are plenty of customers in the Sarasota market who will gladly pay top dollar. But just make sure what you deliver is worth it.

You’ll also have to look at Sarasota competitors to make sure you’re positioning your services accordingly.

The place refers to the market and area where you’re trying to sell your products. For example, will you have an actual storefront in Sarasota, or will you be focusing on e-commerce platforms? Local SEO will help you win in both accounts as you become optimized for everything from in-car navigation search, to mobile, desktop, and beyond.

Lastly, you’ll need to promote your products through a consistent marketing campaign.

You can’t stop and start and expect great results.

Just like building a house. You can’t do the sitework then wait a year before pouring a foundation. Then send everyone home for another year before you do the framing. Then wait several months before plumbing, and electrical get installed. On and on. You know that house would be a disaster.

Quality, consistency, and expertise matter. If you don’t have what it takes to do it right, work with a professional team to make it count.

Does Advertising Actually Work?

The short answer is yes, but you need a refined and focused strategy. Businesses in Sarasota are booming thanks to the growing retirement and tourist population, but you’ll also need to understand how the competition and the local market operate.

Quality, consistency, and expertise matter as we said. But you’ve got to understand the competition and the customer.

Pro tip: Create a buyer persona of your target customer in Sarasota and then create a marketing strategy based on that. Don’t just sell high-speed garage doors because you think that might be a good idea. Make sure you know what your customers want and refine your approach to deliver on needs first. Sarasota has a diverse economy with growing industries in retail, hospitality, education, and healthcare, so you’ll want to take that into consideration as well.

It’s ok to have a niche. Being a contractor for healthcare facilities or a remodeler or roofer (or whatever your speciality is) can help you focus on an even more specific type of customer – improving your odds of making the sale.

Learn More About Marketing For Contractors and Advertising in Sarasota

When asking yourself, “Does advertising actually work?”, remember that it does if you have an effective marketing campaign that takes the local population into consideration.

Without a good marketing strategy designed for Sarasota, you’ll have a challenging time bringing in and retaining new customers.

That’s why we’re here to help you. If you’re interested in successful marketing and advertising in Sarasota, contact us to see what we can do for you. We deliver results – or we work for free until we do.