It really doesn’t work! Especially in the construction industry. In fact it never really worked. You know what I mean, the slick sales people coming out with all the predictable sales pitch jargon. It still happens sometimes when the telesales people get you on the phone! Some of them still read from a script and if you ask them the wrong question, they can’t speak!

Marketing for construction is all about building relationships – not about cool cliches.

http://www.makingconstructionwork.com

Most people find “cold calling” difficult. If you are marketing in the construction business, or any other for that matter, hard luck! Its part of your job and you had better get used to it!

However, most of the work you will do on the telephone will be Business to Business calls, and if you have warmed up the recipient with a good, personal sales letter, your approach is made much simpler.

I spend a lot of my time on the phone to people – these are some of the tips and tricks I use to make it a positive experience:

1. Smile! Your positive attitude will come through in your voice
2. Be confident, even if you are rejected
3. Be polite, even if you are rejected
4. Never hang up!
5. If you need to conclude the conversation, physically stand up! Your body language will have an impact on the call
6. Never use a script! If they don’t have one you will die when they ask the wrong question!
7. Make the conversation open ended – so you have the opportunity of calling again
8. Listen to them! Listen to them! Listen to them!
9. Don’t try to save the world on the first call
10. Be business-like but personal – make sure you are properly briefed
11. Don’t address the person using their first name – unless you know them well and have a good relationship with them.

How to get through to the right person: Usually the first person you speak to will be the receptionist. Pick their brains! In the course of conversation, you can discover who does what in the company and who the key decision makers are.

They will often answer the phone using their first name: “Good morning. My name is Natasha. How may I direct your call?” Something like that. Feel free to address them using their first name. “Good morning Natasha. I wonder if you can help me.” Make sure you keep a note of their name for your follow-up call.

There are a variety of ways to get through to the right person:

1. “Natasha, I have been in touch with (prospect’s name) requesting to tender for (project) and am calling to track the progress of the project. Can you help?” It is unlikely they will have details, so will attempt to put you through to your key person.

2. If they have details, they will let you know – keep a note. Then ask to speak to the person directly, thanking them for their help.

3. If you end up with a voicemail, leave a short, polite message reminding them that you wrote a letter to them requesting to tender for (project) and ask them if they need further information, leaving your direct line contact details.

4. If you speak directly to the person, apply all the telephone techniques listed above(!) and start to build a relationship with this person. Keep note of the conversation and ascertain more details about the project they are dealing with. Think: you want to offer them a solution not a product. So as they are speaking, use some discernment. What is it that they need more than anything else for this project. What are they looking for in terms of a contractor? What are the criteria they think important in this selection.

5. If you only have the first name initial of the key decision maker, it is worth getting the full name of the person for future reference. For instance, if you know the initial is “A”, then use any name beginning with “A” when phoning. Say to the receptionist: “Good morning, my name is (your name) from (your company). Could I speak to Alan Evans please?” She will say, “Do you mean Andrew Evans?” You say, “Oh yes, I’m sorry, I meant Andrew Evans.” Job done!

6. When you ask the receptionist if you can speak with this person, it is better to use their whole name: Not: “Can I speak with Mr Evans please.” Say this: “Can I speak with Andrew Evans please.” This is formal but with a personal touch and gives the impression that you know this person.

So don’t be afraid of the dreaded cold calling. Telesales can be challenging, but also a lot of fun if you apply the right strategies.

Steve Flashman
http://www.makingconstructionwork.com

There has never been a time when marketing for the construction industry was so important. However, those of us who are involved in this crucial aspect of business development are acutely aware that the industry has been notorious at making huge blunders in its marketing efforts!

On of the top five blunders people in the construction industry make when trying to grow business, is in the way it deals with prospective and current clients.

Most business development professionals recognise that all marketing for construction begins and ends in one simple principle -
knowing how to build relationships.

It is at least 5 times easier to win a new contract from an existing client than to go out and find a new one! That is not to say that we should not be extending our client base because this is essential for ongoing company growth and to ensure a healthy sales pipeline.

However, if you are producing good quality work, you should find that 70% to 80% of your turnover comes either directly from current or past clients, or from referrals and recommendations from clients you have worked for. You need to spend a lot of time developing relationships with these key people as they can become your best marketing tool.

Current and past clients are like gold dust to your business. Your existing client base also forms potential sales revenue for backend products and services.

If you have no track record with your potential client, you need to be able to demonstrate that you are trustworthy. Endorsements and testimonials from people you have built relationships with, are crucial to substantiate this. It is also important to be available to your prospects so that they can have a face to face meeting with you. This is crucial even at the highest management level of your company. This will build confidence and reassurance because they are dealing with a real person and not just a marketing consultant with an ulterior motive!

There are many ways that relationships can be built:
1. Run a Lunch Club for your project team at completion.
2. Hold Continuous Professional Development Training Seminars with guest “experts” in the industry
3. Promise less, deliver more
4. Make sure there are open lines of communication
5. Give you workforce “Customer Relationship” Training
6. Distribute a high content newsletter
7. Open a Social Networking forum
etc., etc.,

You will find that if you apply these strategies every day, you will reap the benefits.

Steve Flashman
http://www.makingconstructionwork.com

There has never been a time when marketing for the construction industry was so important. However, those of us who are involved in this crucial aspect of business development are acutely aware that the industry has been notorious at making huge blunders in its marketing efforts!

On of the top five blunders people in the construction industry make when trying to grow business, is in the way it deals with prospective and current clients.

Most business development professionals recognise that all marketing for construction begins and ends in one simple principle – knowing how to build relationships.

It is at least 5 times easier to win a new contract from an existing
client than to go out and find a new one! That is not to say that we should not be extending our client base – that is essential for
ongoing company growth and to ensure a healthy sales pipeline.

However, if you are producing good quality work, you should find that 70% to 80% of your turnover comes either directly from current or past clients, or from referrals and recommendations from clients you’ve worked for. You need to spend a lot of time developing relationships with these key people – they can become your best marketing tool.

Current and past clients are like gold dust to your business. Your
existing client base also forms potential sales revenue for “back-
end” products and services.

If you have no track record with your potential client, you need to
be able to demonstrate that you are trustworthy. Endorsements and testimonials from people you have built relationships with, are crucial to substantiate this. It is also important to be available
to your prospects so that they can have a face to face meeting with you – even at the highest management level of your company. This will build confidence and reassurance because they are dealing with a real person and not just a marketing consultant with an ulterior motive!

There are many ways that relationships can be built:

- Run a Lunch Club for your project team at completion.
- Hold Continuous Professional Development Training Seminars with guest “experts” in the industry
- Promise less, deliver more
- Make sure there are open lines of communication
- Give you workforce “Customer Relationship” Training
- Distribute a high content newsletter
- Open a Social Networking forum
- etc., etc.,

As a professional “marketing for construction” consultant, I am
applying these strategies every day – and they get results!

Free Report: “Top 5 Blunders…” available for immediate download at:
http://www.makingconstructionwork.com

Steve Flashman
Marketing Consultant To The Construction Industry
http://www.makingconstructionwork.com

In marketing for construction, as with any other industry, getting in front of the key decision makers is crucial for the development of your business.

The most important rule about appointment-making is to sell the appointment and not the product.

Appointment-making is a skill in its own right. Some construction companies and architects for that matter, use canvassers or telemarketing staff to do this job for them. However, it is far better to use staff internally, or if you are a small family run business or sole trader, you should try to do this yourself rather than outsourcing. That way you have direct contact with your prospect from the word ‘go’. It will also be very useful for you or your marketing person to combine the appointment-making with the  initial researching activity.

When combined in this way it helps to build initial relationships with helpful people in the prospect organisation, and you or your marketing person can collect additional useful information that would otherwise be missed or not picked up by a separate appointment-maker or canvasser.

Sending a well written letter of introduction is a useful and often essential requirement before an appointment can be made. Generally the larger the prospect organisation, then the more essential an introductory letter will be. This is mainly because PA’s and secretaries almost always suggest that any approach to a decision-maker (i.e. the boss, whose time the secretary is protecting) be put in writing first.

Bear in mind that the PA is there as a defence shield for the boss, and rightly so, or the boss would never get anything done! So for any approach to succeed in getting through to the right person, the PA must effectively endorse its credibility. Whether by writing or telephoning, the reason for wanting to meet must be serious and interesting enough, which is why researching and understanding the organisation’s strategic priorities are so
crucial.

General product and service approaches do not work because they are not seen to relate or benefit the prospect’s own strategic priorities. So a carefully thought-through UPB (unique perceived benefit), forms the basis of the appointment approach. If it strikes the right chord the appointment will be granted.

A good introductory letter may win an appointment without the need even to speak to the decision-maker. Remember, the PA often holds the key to achieving an appointment – she certainly holds the diary! In your contact with the PA, do not be pushy or arrogant – the door will close! You should assume that the loyalty and trust between boss and PA are strong, so you need to get him or her on your side.

A point to remember: The PA will generally try to divert the sales person’s approach to a less senior member of staff. So it’s important to tailor the approach to fit with the level of, and functional responsibility of the person being approached for the appointment. On occasions, the sales person will not be granted an appointment with the targeted main decision-maker, but instead will be referred by them to make an appointment with a lower ranking manager or director. If this happens it’s no problem – the sales person then proceeds with the MD’s or FD’s endorsement to develop the situation with the lower ranking contact.

The fact that it’s been referred by the MD or FD gives the sales person vital authority and credibility. Being referred down the line is fine; but trying to refer upwards for eventual purchase authorisation or budgetary approval is nearly impossible, which is why appointment-making should always aim high, with a strategically orientated proposition.

Don’t use a script – it will become your downfall. And also remember, unhappy people can’t sell. So if you are having a grumpy, bad mood day, STAY AWAY FROM THE PHONE! Do some paperwork instead until you cheer up a bit! If you always see the glass half empty, GET OUT OF SALES AND MARKETING! It’s not your thing!

So let your personality shine through and be yourself. Be professional, enthusiastic and straight-forward. Resist any temptation to employ gimmicks, jokes and flashing ties – your credibility will be undermined before you even open your mouth!

Happy sales hunting!

Steve Flashman
Marketing Consultant To The Construction Industry
http://www.makingconstructionwork.com