No More Bad Clients: The Contractor’s Guide to Landing the Right Jobs Every Time

As a General Contractor, you might hear “social media marketing” and want to run for the hills. 

I don’t blame you, social media can be a huge undertaking. 

Have no fear though, you don’t have to perform TikTok dances to create a successful social media strategy that reaches your target customer

Social media and construction have one major thing in common — the industry is constantly changing, which is a challenge to keep up as a business owner. 

In the past, word-of-mouth marketing happened when a satisfied customer told their friends and family about their experience with a company. Today, there is a much more effective way of finding clients.

Digital Word Of Mouth 

But the statistics speak for themselves about the potential that lies in social media.

According to Statista, there are 3.96 billion (2024) social media users worldwide, and that number is projected to reach an estimated 4.41 billion by the end of this year.

Just think of the pairs of eyes that can be on your construction business if you’re on these social media channels.

Seeing that seal of approval or recommendation from someone you trust can be a deciding factor in making a purchase.

This remains a very powerful marketing tool for businesses.

And thanks to the internet, word-of-mouth is now more amplified, as customers are likely to post about their experiences on social media or leave online reviews.

Many contractors can tell you the niches where they are strongest, their websites have a page called "What we do", "Industries", or something similar, and they use this as their filter for project compatibility. 

The challenge with using something as broad as an industry is that it glosses over too many factors that could change the calculus on whether or not a given project is a good fit. 

For example, a "healthcare" builder could be a company that does small renovations to clean up after a water leak inside a hospital, or it could be the company that builds the hospital itself from the ground up.

Building a more detailed project profile of what an ideal project looks like for your business allows you to more accurately predict if an opportunity will have a successful outcome for you and your client.

How Do I Find The Perfect Client

The second half of the go/no-go decision centers on the customer. An ideal project with a bad customer is still likely to end poorly.

Similarly, a bad project with an ideal customer could result in a bad outcome that damages a relationship.

Some clients are fast and loose, where a handshake is as good as a written contract.

Other clients might carefully scrutinize every penny on a pay application, but pay in full on time every time. 

Finally, there's the people willing to pay extra for companies with a track record of sustainable jobsite practices.

Two important considerations when thinking about what an ideal customer profile looks like for your business is the potential for repeat work, and most importantly their ability to pay. 

If a client has potential to create additional opportunities beyond the one you are currently looking at, either directly through a new contract with the same owner, or indirectly through referrals. 

All else being equal, a client who is capable of providing future opportunities is far more valuable to your business than a client that is one and done.

Now It’s Time To Double Down

By taking the time to look at potential opportunities through the eyes of your ideal client and project, you set yourself up for smarter, more strategic decision-making.

Instead of chasing every lead, you focus on the ones that truly align with your strengths, values, and profitability goals. 

This not only protects your time and resources but also ensures that the work you take on is fulfilling and impactful.

At the end of the day, saying "no" to the wrong projects is just as powerful as saying "yes" to the right ones.

What To Do Now?

Opportunity cost is real - every pursuit you choose to take on comes at the expense of something else.

Knowing if you are a good fit for a project before you start estimating or preparing a proposal will improve both your win rate and your profit margin.

If you want me to take a look at your account and what I could do for your business, get in touch with me here: Free Marketing Analysis | AMSconstruction. 

No other marketing company guarantees results. I’m so confident we can beat your current ads that we have a simple guarantee.

We beat your current ad performance in 30 days OR… you don’t pay me anything.

Easy. Simple. Clear.

So, if you’d like to know what I’d be able to do for you, get in touch and let’s have a talk! Won’t cost you anything and I’m not going to annoy you with high pressure sales tactics. 

Talk soon,

Aaron Secaur

AMS Construction