There are certain hard truths that apply to just about every business in just about every industry. One such hard truth is that to grow a business you need to market it. This universal business truth applies equally to businesses across most industries, including bricklaying small businesses working in the residential or commercial construction sectors.

If your aim is to reach, connect, and engage new customers and generate a steady flow of new leads for your bricklaying business, marketing can be your best friend.

When it comes to marketing your bricklaying business, today there are many marketing levers that you can pull to reach new prospects. There are traditional media formats such as broadcast advertising (radio or television) and print advertising (newspapers, construction B2B publications or tradie industry magazines).

There are also online and digital marketing channels such as targeted advertising through social media, display ads on related websites, video ads, and search engine optimisation (SEO) strategies that you can leverage to market your bricklaying small business. Here are five points that you may consider when building a plan to market your bricklaying small business.

Understand who the key decision makers are

Sometimes it can be hard to figure out who is actually responsible for making key decisions on large construction projects, including who is responsible for outsourcing certain work to tradie subcontractors such as yourself. But this is an essential part of successfully marketing your bricklaying business.

Targeting your marketing efforts at someone who doesn’t actually have anything to do with the contractor hiring process will likely lead to a dead end. There’s no point creating marketing activities aimed at the business owner if it’s the project superintendent or project manager who has final say over selecting subcontractors such as bricklayers.

As such, as a bricklayer it can be in your interest to find out who makes such decisions on large construction projects that you want to be a part of. As a subcontractor you may also benefit from identifying certain superintendents who are known for creating a great project environment or for getting the job done in a timely manner.

Get personal with your marketing

What is it that this specific general contractor or superintendent that you want to target is looking for in their subcontractors? Do they want subcontractors who are able to complete their project quickly and efficiently? Or are they seeking the lowest price? Is there a certain type of work that they’re most interested in, and that you can offer them?

By taking the time to examine exactly what they are looking for, you can personalise your marketing communications to show how your bricklayingbusiness can not only meet their needs but exceed them. Avoid making generalised statements such as, “quality work you can trust” or “we’ve been in business for 25 years”. Be specific about how your skills and experience match the needs of the customer.

Play the long game

Marketing is a long game – even if quick wins are certainly gettable. New connections won’t necessarily turn into sales quickly, so it can be important for bricklayers such as yourself to play the long game when it comes to nurturing leads for your bricklaying business.

Keep top of mind with potential clients by developing those connections and relationships. Periodically check in with them by sending them promotional materials for your bricklaying business. Don’t be afraid to put in a phone call or email every now and then to see if there’s anything you can help them with.

Send cards in the lead up to Christmas thanking clients for their business and reminding them that you are ready, willing, and able to contribute to their next construction project should they need the services of a quality bricklayer.

Get your timing right

When it comes to marketing your bricklaying business, getting your timing right can be critical. While marketing is a long game, so too is construction. Bear in mind that construction project managers usually work to long lead times, especially on larger projects.

At any given moment project managers are mulling over upcoming jobs in their pipeline; they’re not thinking about the jobs that are already in progress. As such, upcoming projects are the ones that your bricklaying business should be focusing on right now. Before tendering for a job begins, ensure that you can provide a detailed plan for how you will deliver the best results for the project.

Take aim at preferred construction companies

Are there certain builders that you don’t currently have a relationship with but would love to work with? They may represent the epitome of quality in the industry; they may deliver the greatest number of individual projects every year; or they may have an artistic flair that makes each of their projects truly one of a kind. Or they may truly respect their subcontractors and provide a great working environment for their contractors.

Whatever they do, if you view them as a preferred construction company and you want nothing more than to contribute your bricklaying services to their projects, why not try and build a connection and relationship with them by pre-targeting them with your marketing?

Pre-targeting can be an effective way to proactively target preferred builders who you want to align with. Start by reaching out to them and sharing information about your bricklaying business. Demonstrate your passion and enthusiasm for your craft and outline the value that you can offer to their projects and clients.

How are you managing the risks to your bricklaying business?

As a qualified bricklayer, you know well the risks that can be encountered on construction sites. Business insurance for bricklayers, such as insurance for bricklayers, also known as bricklayers insurance, can help reduce the risks that bricklayers face on site every day. Common business insurance cover that bricklayers may consider include:

BizCover helps bricklaying small business owners throughout Australia to reduce the risks to their business through business insurance made easy.
With BizCover you can compare competitive quotes online, get covered in minutes without breaking a sweat, and get on with your day without skipping a beat. Learn more about insurance for bricklayers

by visiting the Public Liability Australia website.

*This information is general only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. It should not be relied upon as advice. As with any insurance, cover will be subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions contained in the policy wording. © 2022 BizCover Pty Limited, Public Liability Australia is a business name of BizCover Pty Ltd (ABN 68 127 707 975; AFSL 501769).