By: David Auger-Villanueva M.A.
I’ll bet the premise of this blog doesn’t seem obvious, right? Good! It’s not meant to be. But, here’s the thing. If a business doesn’t have some sort of strong internet footprint these days; be it through social media (preferred), strong SEO results, powerful banner presence, etc. run, don’t walk, away from them, because it means you’re dealing with a dinosaur.
Here’s the thing; the business model has changed. That’s as true for the construction business as it is for any other – maybe even more so. What’s the connection you ask? Here are some reasons why this matters to you when you’re looking for a General Contractor.
- Professional Development: The modern contractor makes every effort to keep up with the newest trends in terms of techniques, materials, design, and other considerations. In 2021, almost all of these things are addressed exclusively on-line.
- Better Communication: A G.C. who is tech-savvy, is going to be far easier to reach when you need him. He’s also going to be able to reach out to you more easily and more quickly. Might seem like a minor factor – until you have an emergency!
- Reputation and Verification: I don’t know about you but I don’t have the time to start calling a sheet of references to check out how my contractor did on his last job. Besides, he’s only going to provide you with favourable ones anyway. Nothing replaces a random, unprompted Google review. To have a bank of unsolicited reviews of your potential hire, right at your fingertips, is invaluable
- Advertising and Publicity: When you partner with a really good G.C. you can benefit from some free promotion at times by simply agreeing to allow your G.C. to use your project in their own advertising. Think about; a busy General Contractor who features your establishment in his company deck or booklet, is giving your business an incalculable number of free views. It’s a win/win for both sides.
- Partnerships and Networking: Again, this one isn’t so obvious, but it’s really important. If you function as a partner with your General Contractor and share in their on-line presence as well as allowing them to share in yours, you will not only be exposed to lots of potential new customers, you will also be exposed to many, many other businesses and organizations who may never have known you existed without this step. This presents you with a tremendous opportunity to branch out, potentially discover new revenue streams and business opportunities, and maybe even bring you public recognition and accolades.
So, make sure your General Contractor has a strong on-line presence. It doesn’t just benefit him; it can benefit you as well.
