Posts By: Stuart Dinnie

5 Ways to Increase your Online Lead Generation

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First and foremost let’s get the definitions out of the way. What exactly is a lead you say? Well, a lead is simply a company or group of companies that you have identified as expressing some kind of interest in your products and/or services.  Lead generation is the marketing term for the process of creating and generating the interest of potential prospects. It occurs when a visitor to your site (or other company touchpoints) takes action and makes additional contact with your company.  There are several ways to increase lead generation and the main 5 will be discussed in further detail in this post. The purpose is to offer your target audience a wealth of relevant information that will shorten their buying cycle and convert targeted traffic into ‘hot’ prospects. This can be done through establishing your business and your team members as thought leaders in your industry.

*** If you are a construction product manufacturer that has all the necessary (and more) product information on your website, including online applications such as product selectors, pricing guides, downloadable brochures or product specification datasheets, you are making an architects’ or specifiers’ product selection that much easier. Good, relevant technical information creates loyalty amongst those who specify products or require assistance from those who manufacture products.

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Why your Construction Website needs Targeted Landing Pages

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Studies have shown that nearly begin the buying process by searching on the Internet. They use specific keywords to find companies that provide the products and services that they are looking for. Since they have a specific need in mind, they do not want to spend hours searching through large amounts of jargon and useless information. Instead they want valuable facts, information, results and most importantly, why they should pick you over your competitors. What makes you stand out? What is your USP? Your website represents you, your company and the products and services that you provide to your target market. Each page on your website has a different purpose with a set objective. Therefore all pages need to be optimised to work effectively and communicate your brand message to visitors.

A landing page is a page that prospects reach either through a direct link (maybe sent through email), search engine results, online advertising banners or PPC campaigns. Landing pages are not a website’s homepage but instead are separate pages that contain keywords matching the search phrases used by visitors. They should be designed to give visitors all the necessary information in one place so that it is easier for them to make an informed purchase decision. Visitors do not want to click through various website pages to find what they are looking for. They will simply move on and find one with a targeted landing page. There goes yet another missed opportunity! Therefore, targeted and optimised landing pages need to be a core part of your online marketing strategy to maximise lead generation.

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A list of UK Architects on Twitter

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For many construction marketers who are creating social media plans or are already participating in social media, their first task should have been to find out whether their audience is using Twitter (or not) as a communication tool. If they are, then there is potential to engage with this audience and achieve valuable business goals such as lead generation, brand awareness, relationship development, research and general networking.

So how do you go about finding your audience?

I came across this handy tool the other day called Follower Wonk. It basically allows you to find Twitter users by searching for keywords within their biographies. Most professionals’ bios contain their job title, who they work for or which industry they work in.

So to help product manufacturers to kick start their social media campaigns, we have created a list of Architects within the UK on Twitter using Follower Wonk.

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The #Ecobuild hashtag provides a unique Marketing Opportunity

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Ecobuild is one of the largest events for the construction industry and the build environment. With more than 1,300 exhibitors, 750 speakers and 50,000 visitors expected over the three-days event focusing on the sectors biggest challenge: creating a sustainable build environment. This blog posts looks at the marketing opportunities created by such a huge event and how the #ecobuild hashtag can be used to connect with exhibitors, fellow visitors, speakers and allow those not able to attend a chance to ‘get a piece of the action’.

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A week in the life of a Specification Manager using Social Media

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Meet Steve. He is the new Specification Manager for a company that manufactures and supplies rainwater harvesting systems for the commercial sector. Steve has just started using social media to connect with specific audiences online and his objective is to tap in to those Architects and Designers who communicate online and don’t respond to his emails or cold calls. We take a look at how he is getting on……..

MONDAY 4th JUNE 2011

8.47am – Got into work, started searching for some Architects on Twitter using the Twibes website. Very interesting, found a large group of Architects and then some smaller niche architects who specialise in specific areas of design and architecture. I found the category ‘Environmental Architects’ which has about 150 architects within the group, or ‘Twibes’ as they call themselves. Maybe they are the ones I should follow. Give it a try.Read More

CIMCIG ‘Social Media Marketing to Architects’ Presentation

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CIMCIG kindly invited me to present at the Marketing to Architects half-day seminar on the subject of ‘Social Media Marketing to Architects’. Majority of the audience were marketers from Product Manufacturing companies and a handful of marketers from software providers and design services. 89 marketing and business development professionals attended the event which was great news for the organisers and presenters. The event provided a unique networking opportunity and gave delegates a chance to learn about enhancing existing communication channels and integrating new channels into their marketing mix to target and communicate with Architects more effectively.

Key points from the presentation:

  • Plan and research your audience. Where are they discussing topics online? What forms of communication channels do they use?
  • Take the time to listen to what architects discuss and talk about online.
  • Respond and engage with Architects. Provide them with content which is of value and helps Architects, Specifiers and Engineers to choose your products and establish a relationship with your brand.
  • Nurture Architects and help them through the specification process at various touch points.
  • Don’t always talk about yourself. Provide informative content to Architects.
  • Get other departments involved, social media can be a business tool.

Social Media Marketing to Architects for Product Manufacturers

View more presentations from pauleycreative.

CIMCIG organise and host a wide variety of events aimed at construction marketing professionals. Have a look at what else is happening this year: http://www.cimcig.org/events.php

Construction website design versus usability

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A website creates a global identity for your construction business. This makes website design a critical factor in your success online. Websites are like a first impression, which as you know, are lasting and difficult to change. Visitors need to be attracted to your website within a few seconds because many people do not have the time or patience to go through all the sites that feature in search results.

Give visitors a reason to stay on your site, explore it and hopefully return. You might ask, ‘but how do I do this?’ One of the best tips is to ensure that all the relevant content and information that prospects need to make a qualified decision is easily visible and available on your website. The homepage is like a shop window, if there is nothing attracting you to stay and go inside, you will just leave.Design your homepage so that it guides the user through to the most relevant pages quickly.

If you are targeting specifiers or architects, install simple web applications like product selectors that will make their job easier. Providing a valuable resource for them will instil loyalty as they will continue to visit your site for information which could result in future business. See Richard Burbidge (below) as an example of a construction company making use of online applications to simplify the customer journey, giving them the necessary tools they need and thereby increasing lead generation.

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5 Construction Marketing Trends for 2011

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We have compiled a list of 5 digital marketing trends that we think will affect the construction industry this year. Before adapting any of these strategies, look over your company objectives to determine whether it will work for you and your business. Always have your goals in mind and don’t rush into anything without taking a step back and asking ‘what is my target audience looking for and how will this benefit them?’

1. Social Media Marketing

In 2010 social media exploded onto the marketing scene and several savvy construction companies jumped on board. Now in 2011, social media marketing will evolve from experimental campaigns ‘testing the waters’, to becoming an essential part of integrated marketing campaigns. Social media does not simplify a marketer’s job because, like traditional tools, it still requires investment, attention and innovation to keep prospects interested. But its greatest strength is the ability to reinforce and humanise brands by energising advocates to talk about the company. It helps  foster meaningful relationships with potential clients through online conversations and sharing of industry knowledge.

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Using LinkedIn as a Relationship Marketing tool

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LinkedIn boasts the largest network of professionals on the Internet, with over 70 million members from 200 countries and representing 170 industries. What makes it unique is its focus on ‘networking’ rather than ‘socialising’. This crucial point makes it a key business tool for any industry but specifically the construction industry. Where else can you get unlimited access to so many potential clients, product manufacturers, industry opinion leaders, architects, contractors, fellow marketing professionals and even your competitors? If you are still not convinced, here is a brilliant infographic, designed by Hubspot, which illustrates some surprising statistics about LinkedIn and the way it is used.

LinkedIn Statistics

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A collection of iPhone apps for the construction industry

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You would probably think that there wasn’t going to be that many construction related iPhone apps in the app store, right? Well actually you would be surprised at how many apps are in fact related to various audiences within the construction industry.

They range from calculators and design tools through to guidance books – all available to use on your iPhone. Something I noticed is the lack of reviews for each app which may indicate that mobile apps have not yet been discovered due to poor promotion, over pricing (some are) or just simply not needed on an iPhone. What are your opinions on apps for the iPhone when it comes to our industry? Are there any which you use on a regular basis? Are iPhones, or any smartphones, useful for work related processes?

Here are some apps which I stumbled across within the app store, I am sure there are more so if you know of any please do suggest them within the comments section.

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