Following our successful seminar on ‘social media in the construction industry’ at the North England Build Expo, Neil Malcom, Account Director at BDB, was invited to speak at London Build 2016. Here, Neil gives an overview on the presentation ‘marketing communications campaign planning in construction’ and his thoughts on the current construction landscape:
“Trade exhibitions are a great occasion to meet people in the industry and talk openly about challenges, and opportunities. London Build provided an interesting snapshot of the industry right now, with a broad collection of regional, national and European businesses from across the supply chain.
The communications landscape in the construction industry is changing, and the seminar focused on the importance of planning integrated marketing communications that contribute to achieving commercial success, and supporting business objectives. We took a closer look at:
- What’s driving the need for integrated communications campaigns in construction marketing
- How this approach to planning marketing activity can yield results that link directly to business ambitions – for example, driving sales leads to support market share growth
- How integrated campaign planning can provide a foundation for more effective measurement of marketing communications activity
We also explored what’s changed in construction marketing, and why integrated campaign planning is important. In particular, how the buying process has changed and what we can do to influence decision making within the specification chain. This was supported by a snapshot of b2b marketing trends and how established and emerging communications channels can be combined to generate success.
To provide some practical insights we examined new opportunities in construction marketing, including:
- Broader insights regarding integrated campaign planning, and what advantages the construction industry can exploit
- How construction marketers can use this approach to plan campaigns that make a difference to their business
- A closer look at how marketing communications can support commercial business objectives
Finally, we considered some tips for effective campaign planning, an example campaign strategy to build a picture of how this could work for your business, and how (and what) you should measure.
From conversations with several of the delegates after the session, it’s apparent that the challenge on most peoples’ minds is how to reach their target audience in a creative and engaging way that helps them stand out from their competition. With a clear brand focus, creative stand-out and targeted messaging, this is a surmountable challenge. And judging by the scale of London Build, one which the industry is focused on achieving.”
If you’d like to discuss your construction marketing challenges, then please email [email protected].