This is not another article about the importance of PR and marketing during COVID times. We can all agree that we’ve felt the impact of the pandemic and that it’s time to move on.
Moving on is exactly what this article is about, especially for any business involved in the built environment. As we move past the multitude of trials and tribulations that the pandemic has thrown at us, we need to look at economic recovery and getting back to some state of normalcy.
The Australian government has made it very clear that it wants to stimulate the economy through infrastructure projects, putting the built environment sector in the hot seat to drive real change over the coming decades.
With this new potential of prosperity comes increased competition for all types of companies in the built environment, from bidding for major government projects down to consumers choosing what builder to use for their new home.
This means that those businesses need to put PR and marketing back on the table. This is especially true for businesses that may have put PR and marketing on the backburner during the pandemic (and we’ve seen that happen a lot in this sector over the past two years).
There are some very compelling reasons to put PR and marketing back on the strategy table so you can capitalise on this economic recovery. These reasons include:
Standing out from the crowd
Gone are the days when you can rely on your old rolodex of contacts to drum up some new business. Your brand and your message needs to be in front of the right people that matter to your business.
Buying behaviour, especially for more complex products and solutions, has evolved over the past decade. People buy from brands that they trust, and you build trust through how you conduct business and how you show your expertise. If you look like a bit of a cowboy who is just in business to make as much money as possible (rather than genuinely help your customers), then that will likely come across in how you convey yourself. Potential customers will pick up on that. If you can show that you’re there to help with the unique knowledge and skills that your company possesses, then you get one step closer to building up that trust.
The real key to successful PR and marketing programs is the ability to consistently show up in the right places with the right messaging. It’s incredibly valuable to do some basic research about where your key audience/s like to consumer their media—be it certain social media channels or niche publishers—and plan how to create messaging that will stand out on those platforms.
Another key aspect of being able to stand out is your tone of voice. We find a lot of brands, especially within B2B, fall into a default corporate voice, which is safe and won’t rock the boat. But this safe voice can also make you seem like everyone else. Looks at ways that you can show empathy and honesty with your audience; they will respect you all the more for it.
Thought leadership in the built environment sector
At the bigger end of town for the built environment sector (building and construction, engineering and industrial trade firms), it’s important to ensure that your deep sector expertise is on show, constantly. In a highly competitive market, you can’t rely on just having the best products or the lowest prices, you need to be able to demonstrate that you are THE expert in your industry.
Your people are the main point of difference, so they need to be front and centre of your communications. However, while you may be blessed with well-respected experts within your business, they might not be the most media-savvy or able to write compelling copy. Media training programs and professional copywriters can help you on your way to ensure that those key experts are shown in the best light.
You also want to consider the right content formats and channels for your audience. If you deal with a largely conservative audience then they might not engage with your latest TikTok video or Instagram story. In saying that, don’t fall into the trap of just producing a series of lengthy and stuffy whitepapers. Consider other formats where your audience might better engage with your thought leadership, like video or podcasts.
Don’t build your house on rented land
Social media is great for audience acquisition and engagement and might well be your best bet for reaching certain key audiences. Many a marketing strategy involves trying to build up a large following on one or more social channels, but it’s important to remember that you don’t own any of the data regarding your followers and the rules of engagement can change at a moment’s notice.
That’s not to say that you shouldn’t use paid and organic social media to engage with and build a relevant audience, but you should also look at strategies alongside that on how you can move those users into your own environment.
The same can be said for using publishers to distribute your content on their platforms (be it through earned or paid media opportunities). You want to ensure that you have powerful calls-to-action in place to drive those users to your own web property, but also have a means of capturing their data once they’ve arrived on your platform.
Optimising your website and investing in marketing automation software are two keys areas that you must consider as part of your overall strategy, as building your own database of contacts and prospects is key to any future marketing success.
Where to next?
Write Away has been helping businesses in the built environment increase their audiences, tell compelling stories, and create new opportunities for more than 30 years. We can help your business with any or all of the above ideas.
There is an awful lot of potential revenue up for grabs over the coming years, so it’s key to start planning now and make sure you’re in the mix. Having a strategic PR and marketing plan is crucial.
Contact us for a confidential chat about how we can help maximise your PR and marketing strategies.
