The great construction marketing game. How do you play it?

For some individuals in the architectural, engineering and construction community, marketing is like a game of chance.  Roll the dice, and hope the strategy or method pitched to you by a consultant (or worse, a telemarketer) will provide profitable leads and sales.  Usually, when the dust settles, you feel you've been taken for a ride.  If you aren't very bright about marketing, you may fall for the same mistake again and again (as I notice repeat ads from contractors in worthless police association journals -- won't they ever learn!) or, worse, just say "marketing is a waste of money" and give up, instead "relying" on repeat business and referrals.

No one can change your perspective if you choose not to change.  Realistically, if you provide a worthwhile service, treat your current clients well and price things fairly, you probably can get by without thinking too much about marketing.  Of course, if you "rely" on one major customer, ignore economic storm clouds around you or fail to manage your business effectively, you will end up on the business road-kill pile.

There are better ways.  I advocate some solutions in my Construction Marketing Ideas book.  (Yes, this is a marketing pitch for it -- and you can purchase it electronically for $20.00 and, on Amazon.com, not much more in print.)  But you can find other ideas and resources which may be better for your business.

Roll the dice if you wish.  But before you invest serious money and resources in any marketing strategy -- or any telemarketer tells you that you really need to support a police association or charity by spending several hundred dollars on an ad -- take a few minutes to think, read, and consider the options.  There are better ways.