Starting a building and construction business is an exciting time. With the right tools and strategies, you can grow a successful building and construction brand and keep customers happy for years to come.
While you may have the practical skills behind you, growing your business can be a completely different ball game to working for an employer. Developing a trusted brand takes time but its never too late to start.
Before launching your business, make sure to consider the relevant health and safety laws and everything else from your logo, branding and taxation requirements. A business plan is key to ensure everything is set up correctly and your business has a clear direction.
It’s important to be aware of the procedures and laws that affect you. Get familiar with employment laws, health and safety regulations or local government policy, the last thing a growing business needs is an expensive legal mishap. If needed, contact a professional for advice.
These aren’t the most exciting parts of your business, but they’re definitely among the most important. Just like in building and construction, a solid foundation is key!
There’s no point having a business if you don’t have clients. Marketing is one of the most effective ways to grow your business.
Word of mouth marketing is incredibly useful, so make sure that all of your family and friends know about your new business. Once you build up a happy customer base, you’ll have a great source of word of mouth referrals.
Take advantage of local council small business resources and keep an eye out for any free marketing or grant opportunities.
Social media and online service directories are a savvy way to make sure potential customers can find you online. You may choose to invest in a professional website or search engine advertising. A smart way to build authority (and optimise your site for search engines) is to write ‘how-to’ articles for your website and social media.
Joining authorities or industry groups such as HIA (Housing Industry Authority) means you can use their logo on your marketing and benefit from any support or resources that they provide.
When working for yourself, your income is directly linked to how much work you’re completing. It can be tempting to take on as much work as possible, in the hope that your business and profits will grow faster.
However, this is not always the best strategy. Remember that quality work is always the top priority and the better your work, the more referrals you’ll get (and the better your reputation will be). A top-notch reputation can open doors for higher paying jobs or bigger contracts in the future.
Constantly ask for reviews or testimonials from customers. These are great to use on your website and quotes as they build trust with potential clients.
If you’re working with employees, building staff morale is vital to support a growing business. The happier your staff are, the harder they will work and the longer they will stay with the business. Make sure to give employees adequate time off, be flexible with working arrangements and most of all, appreciate the hard work your staff put in for your business.
It’s important to set clear guidelines so that staff know what you expect of them. These could include dress codes and vehicle maintenance standards or even rules surrounding the types of music you allow on site. These all contribute to your brand’s overall image. Branded uniforms and accessories will help maintain a professional appearance.
You may already have the skills or qualification to carry out your chosen trade, but if you’re starting a business, brushing up on other skills like business management, human resource management or business administration can be a smart way to learn important skills and cut down on costs by reducing the need to outsource. An RTO like the College for Adult Learning provides online courses so you can study part-time while you’re working.
Starting and growing your building and construction business doesn’t have to be difficult and with the right qualifications and know-how, you can create a successful company brand that you’re proud to call your own.
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