With the advent of Social Media Marketing, does traditional marketing still have a place?

Marketers have for years, preached about the pitfalls of running ad-hoc, singular marketing campaigns which tend to yield few results. They have told us that our marketing plans should contain detailed information about who we’re targeting, how and when to communicate with them and what it is we want to say. Our messages should be consistent and transmitted across a variety of tactics.

That’s all very well for organisations with a significant reputation and budget to match, but not so easily done with smaller construction firms – firms who are struggling to gain projects, market share and indeed sometimes, even revenue.

Which is why social media marketing  for those smaller construction companies can be used to your advantage.

Traditional marketing methods of buying targeted data, having literature printed, posting out information, advertising in key press – once all valid techniques, have pretty much had their day.

That is not to say that marketing campaigns should not be integrated, of course. Social media marketing, like all other communication methods, cannot stand alone and must be supported by other means, whether this be through PR, advertising, sponsorship or hosting events; timely activities which will add to the overall campaign’s effectiveness and strengthen the company’s brand image.

The good news is that instead of spending hundreds or even thousands of pounds on several activities, you can focus your resources on one or two which, although they may require a significant cash outlay, are likely to deliver the best results. These can then be supported by social media campaigns, online articles and blogs – costing precisely nothing.