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Content Marketing: The Construction Industry Must Shift Gears or Stall

February 25, 2019 by Brian Fraley

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Content marketing has gotten traction and it’s stealing market share from traditional advertising. Have you heard of it? This is a foreign concept for the construction industry unless your job involves marketing.

So why should you care if you distribute construction equipment, move dirt, or build towers? Because it represents a pendulum shift in the way marketing works in today’s world. Traditional advertising is taking a back seat; buyers are more sophisticated and it takes a bit more effort to earn their business.

The No Frills Definition of Content Marketing

One of the most widely accepted definitions comes from Joe Pulizzi, the pioneer of content marketing:

“Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.”

Don’t get too hung up on the concept itself. Like any movement with multiple parties jockeying for position, there are many interpretations and agendas. Instead I want you to focus on why content marketing is getting traction, the changing expectations of buyers, and how it applies to the construction marketplace.

A Departure from Traditional Advertising

The construction industry spent decades solely focusing on interrupting our prospects, which was the very nature of traditional advertising. We ran ad after ad, telling them them our service or product was the best.

That was fine because we were living in a world where information wasn’t as readily available as it is today. Not to mention everyone was looking at the same magazines. Today we can do a Google search and find out whether the market agrees with your assessment of your offerings before we even get a call or email from your salesperson.

What happened to traditional advertising? Perhaps buyers became numb to the number of options available and unable to distinguish between them. Or maybe we became jaded by disingenuous, and in some cases, outright false advertising. The stage was set for content marketing.

Serve Up Content to Serve Your Market

Creating valuable content is another way of serving your market. We’re going to make them pay for that information, you say? That approach worked 20 years ago, but here’s the thing. This is 2019 and your customer can find out virtually anything they want with a Google search. In fact, it’s possible there’s a YouTube video explaining how they can do the job themselves.

It’s time to start looking at creating valuable content as a way to differentiate your construction company in the marketplace by sharing your expertise. You may balk at that but what if your competition doesn’t? Might the extra points they score win them the business? Are you willing to take that risk?

Times Have Changed, So Too Must Your Marketing

The truth is that I’m not sure if the term “content marketing” will exist in 20 years, but what I do know is that the market has changed. The internet has given your customer access to that information you once jealously protected.

There are lots of folks with agendas predicting the death of (insert name here) because it serves their own personal agendas. Let me be clear that advertising always has and always will exist, although the approach might change. Content marketing and advertising will continue to coexist.

The way that your audience shops for your product or service has changed. So, too, must your strategy. Content marketing is that strategy for now.

Are you practicing content marketing? How about advertising? Why or why not?

Do you need help getting started with content marketing? Click here to start a discussion.

Brian M. Fraley Bio Graphic

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Categories: Construction Marketing, Content Marketing, Digital Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Public Relations, Writing

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We found Brian and his team easy to work with and they did an outstanding job on our website. Brian offered editorial work when needed and his team put together a great layout and format for our site. Once we decided to get serious with the content, our site came together quickly and now we have a more professional representation of Earth Engineering on the Internet. I highly recommend Fraley Construction Marketing for anyone involved in the engineering or construction industry who wants someone… Read more
Ward McMasters, P.E.PresidentEarth Engineering Inc.
Brian was there for us when we had just a few days to put together a complex proposal for a P3 bridge replacement project we were bidding that involved detailed technical and financial plans. As a contractor, we had no experience in putting together the marketing and narrative pieces that the proposal required. Brian not only walked us through the process, he helped us put together a complete and professional looking proposal. His extensive experience and knowledge of construction and engineerin… Read more
Mark EckmanPresidentJ.D. Eckman Inc.
I’d like to thank you for the job you did redesigning our website. The site is more modern and MUCH easier to navigate. You listened and brought our ideas to life.
Bob HessPresidentFaddis Concrete Products
The services Fraley Construction Marketing provided to us were top notch.  We’ve hired photographers across the country to obtain photos of our equipment in use on various job sites, but Brian’s talent shined in this particular project.  He went above and beyond, was very informative and did a great job scheduling and coordinating with the jobsite.  We are very happy with the quality of his photos!  We would be more than willing to use his services again in the future.
Gretchen TremmierSecretaryPile Hammer Equipment
Fraley Construction Marketing has taken KB’s online presence to the next level. Brian utilizes multiple social media platforms to engage with our industry and drive traffic to our website. They also manage our e-mail marketing and we anticipate many long-term benefits. Fraley is a truly innovative online marketing firm.
Mark WaltersMarket ManagerKB International
We are extremely pleased with the work Fraley Construction Marketing has done. We had a massive amount of website content that needed to be edited and written within a tight schedule and it was all done in a timely manner. Brian is a great communicator and talked me through the entire process to make sure everything was exactly to our liking. 
Caitlin KitchensCommunications SpecialistSuperior Construction
We are very happy with Fraley Construction Marketing’s services. Brian helped us get into key industry trade publications and did a fantastic job writing the story of an unconventional project we performed. His experience and understanding of the construction industry is inherent. We continue to work with Brian, whose knowledge and hard work has raised our online presence!
Kay MiluskiPresidentCompaction Grouting Services
Fraley Construction Marketing has achieved incredible results in our company’s marketing efforts. Brian has taken our social media and press releases from zero to overwhelming. This is due to Brian’s industry knowledge and exemplary communication skills. His skill and guidance have led us beyond our expectations.
Ben DuttonPresidentEquipment Corporation of America
I was looking for an effective and precise way to market my new Black Splitter log splitting products to potential customers and that’s exactly what I got with Fraley Construction Marketing. Brian exceeded my expectations by suggesting a project application story instead of a standard new product press release, and identifying and getting it published in at least six industry trade publications. I will be doing more marketing projects with Brian in the future.
Eric RansomeOwnerRansome Attachments
Brian Fraley is an asset to any business that desires a stronger emphasis on construction marketing. In the past year, Brian crafted two job stories, opening doors to more than 10 publications, including PileDriver, Piling Canada, Deep Foundations, Foundation Drilling and Pile Buck to name a few. His in-depth knowledge of the construction industry, writing and photography skills, and relationship with trade magazine editors makes collaborating on stories a pleasure and helps ECA promote the cap… Read more
Jeff HarmstonVice President - Sales & MarketingEquipment Corporation of America
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