Each year, the Construction Marketing Association (CMA) conducts a national survey of marketers and executives in construction-related industries, from commercial contractors, to building products manufacturers. The results of the survey are presented at an annual marketing outlook webcast, with a corresponding report.
Marketers plan to increase Activity going into 2020
Beside the report, the webcast includes “New Year’s Marketing Resolutions,” which is a summary of trending marketing imperatives.
Following is a summary of survey results, along with 2020 marketing resolutions.
The first question asks whether marketing activities and/or spending will increase or decrease in the coming year. Not surprisingly, 88% of marketers surveyed intend to increase marketing activities in the coming year, down from 92% in 2019, but still bullish.
2020 Traditional Marketing Plans
Question 2 asks about 2020 plans for traditional marketing activities with publicity leading all increases at 81%, followed by advertising at 59%. Not surprisingly, direct mail had the greatest decreases in planned activities with 36%.
2020 Digital Marketing Plans
Question 3 asks about 2020 plans for digital marketing activities with social media leading increases at 76%, closely followed by content marketing at 71%, and web development at 59%. Only paid search (PPC) decreases at 12%.
2020 Lead Generation Marketing Plans
Question 4 asks about 2020 plans for lead generation tactics. Sales prospecting leads increases at 82%, followed by online reviews (50%), and local SEO (41%). While construction lead services (and similar subscription services) are not leading tactics, as only certain types of companies use them, each are still significant for investment, with little decreases reported.
2020 Marketing Resolutions
Beside the survey, the webcast shared key marketing imperatives including digital marketing excellence, scaled marketing and self improvement.
The foundation of digital marketing excellence is a brands website. In 2020, website priorities include user experience (UX), security, and privacy. User experience is the website design, along with content and resources. Security is now a search engine ranking factor that requires a website SSL certificate and corresponding HTTPS. Search engine optimization (SEO) including local citations remains important, along with content, and ongoing social media.
Scaled marketing requires the aforementioned digital marketing excellence, along with high volume, high frequency, multi-channel marketing. Using a charitable cause is becoming important for consumer-facing brands, and can be leveraged by business brands, along with educational content. Both cause marketing and educational content marketing can feed publicity, build awareness and preference to hasten sales results.
Scaled marketing requires marketing technology or MarTech to manage, test, optimize, automate and report on increased marketing activities.
Last but not least, self-improvement involves getting involved in communities like the Construction Marketing Association, undertaking training, and possibly professional certification. The Construction Marketing Association offers a Certified Construction Marketing Professional (CCMP) program and designation that uses a 200-page study manual and online examination. For more information, go to www.constructionmarketingassociation.org.
Neil Brown is chairman of the Construction Marketing Association, and chief marketing officer (CMO) of Modern Marketing Partners, Naperville, Ill. Over his career, Brown has provided marketing to some of the most successful brands in the construction sector including Emerson Electric, USG and Bosch Tools. Prior to the agency-side, Brown was a brand manager at Reliance Electric and Ideal Industries. Later he served as CMO of an architectural metal’s manufacturer. Neil is a frequent speaker, author and contributor to Advertising Age, Marketing News, Adweek magazine and many others. In 2011 he published the book, “Tools of the Trade: Modern Marketing for Construction Brands.” In 2014, he authored “Breakthrough Branding: Brand Naming Tips & Trade Secrets.” Brown earned an MBA from Northern Illinois University, and a BS-Marketing Cum Laude from Southern Illinois University, and is a Certified Construction Marketing Professional (CCMP).
