Finishing the BuilderScrap series on helping small business contractors,  today we’re discussing marketing.

One reason it’s so hard for some contractors to say no is that they have no plan for generating business except to take whatever comes along. In other words, they don’t market their services. For companies that started in the 00′s, marketing may be a completely foreign concept. After all, the phones started ringing at the end of the 1991 recession, and, in most parts of the country, they only stopped ringing six months ago. Unless you actively do something to keep customers interested they will stop. Don’t take your reputation for granted. Even satisfied customers will forget about the wonderful job you did for them if you don’t keep in touch with them two or three times each year. It doesn’t take much — free maintenance check-ups in the spring and Autum, a card at the holidays, a phone call after a big storm to ask about damage — but you have to make the effort.  Some business happens by itself, but it’s not always the right kind of business.

If you know what kind of work is most profitable for you, market to prospects who are most likely to hire you to do it. Begin with past clients, then ask for referrals. It won’t hurt to spend a little money on a brochure and postage for a mailing, or a spot at the local home show, or sponsorship of a football team. Spending 2% to 3% of total revenues on marketing will pay for itself many times over in new and repeat business.

Sage advice yet again!

The fourth post in our series on helping small business contractors, BuilderScrap makes a very quick but important point!

We understand that it’s almost impossible it today’s economic climate to turn down a contract. But sound accounting and estimating practices won’t save you if you’re taking on jobs that you shouldn’t be doing. Early on, it may make sense to take every job that comes along. But don’t be fooled into thinking that all projects are equally profitable and all customers worth working for. Nobody is good at everything. By comparing profit figures for different types of jobs — and then comparing job size — you’ll begin to see a pattern. Focus on the types of work and the project size that nets you the most profit. Remember, bigger isn’t always better — it’s the percentage you put in your pocket when it’s over that counts.

Focus on what you do well, encompass all the other aspects detailed in this series. Balance these factors to help with the decision making process.

Good Luck

This week in the offices of BuilderScrap.com we’ve been reading Asko Sarja 06/30/2006 article ‘Predictive and Optimised Life-Cycle Management’

This article sets out methodologies to meet the demands of the current trend towards sustainable civil engineering and building.

It discusses the encompassing aspects of construction practice, from design through to demolition and the recycling of materials, Sarja provides tools for optimal property-value protection, including a description of an integrated and predictive Life-Cycle Maintenance and Management Planning System (LMS), which employs a wide range of techniques.

Clear and practical, this provides effective methodology required to change a reactive system of management to a predictive one, which will benefit practitioners and students involved in construction, from the architect to local and government authorities; from design engineers to facility managers.

The basis of the article lays down a clear path of how we should set out a buildings evolution, making sure it doesn’t date, and uses the right sustainable materials.  From it’s conception period making sure sustainablity of the building and environmental considerations are balanced at all stages.