Building a strong business case for marketing investment in the construction sector isn’t just a good idea, it’s an urgent necessity. Our industry is facing a perfect storm of challenges, from a persistent skills shortage and an aging workforce to supply chain disruptions and the relentless pressure to embrace sustainability. Yet, there’s one challenge that underpins them all and is rarely discussed in the C-suite: our collective brand perception.
Shifting the outdated perception
The construction industry is often seen as slow to innovate, environmentally damaging, and an unappealing career choice. This outdated perception is holding us back from attracting the talent, investment, and partnerships we need to thrive. Solving this isn’t just about tweaking our messaging; it’s about fundamentally changing how we present ourselves to the world, and that’s a job for marketing. It’s time to stop seeing marketing as a cost centre and start viewing it as the strategic growth engine it truly is.
Marketing as a strategic function, not just promotion
Marketing is far more than just a promotional tool. It’s a strategic function that can directly address our biggest challenges. Let’s look at the skills gap. How do we attract the next generation of talent, the digitally native, sustainability-conscious workforce, if our industry is perceived as archaic? We need to use marketing to tell our story, to showcase the exciting, technology-driven, and purpose-led projects we’re building. We need to highlight the career paths, the innovation, and the societal impact of our work. This isn’t just about recruitment; it’s about rebuilding our reputation from the ground up.
Building a brand for competitive advantage
Furthermore, in an era of global competition and complex supply chains, a strong brand provides a crucial competitive advantage. It builds trust, attracts high-quality partners, and commands a premium. It’s the difference between being just another contractor or supplier and being a trusted leader. Marketing, through strategic content, case studies, and thought leadership, can position our companies as innovators and problem-solvers. It can demonstrate our commitment to net-zero goals, our investment in off-site manufacturing, and our adoption of AI and automation. This strategic communication turns our operational strengths into a powerful brand narrative.
Of course, a company’s brand isn’t just what it says to the outside world; it’s what its employees believe and live every day. This is where internal communications and marketing’s role in company culture become vital. If we want to attract and retain the best people, we have to create a workplace that embodies the brand we’re selling. Marketing can help bridge the gap between our external promises and our internal reality.
Internal marketing in action
Internal marketing campaigns can celebrate employee achievements, communicate company values, and reinforce the company’s vision. When an organisation’s external marketing talks about a commitment to safety, internal communications should be showcasing safety champions and highlighting best practices. When the brand speaks of innovation, internal channels should be sharing stories of employees who are pioneering new technologies. This alignment creates a unified, purpose-driven culture where every employee becomes a brand ambassador. It boosts morale, increases productivity, and reduces staff turnover, all while strengthening our collective brand from the inside out.
Proving ROI
Making a compelling case for marketing investment requires moving beyond platitudes and focusing on measurable outcomes. We need to demonstrate a clear return on investment. This means tracking key performance indicators like lead generation, project wins influenced by marketing, and brand perception scores. We can show how a stronger brand leads to a higher bid-to-win ratio or how targeted marketing campaigns attract the specific talent needed to fill critical roles.
Your voice, our industry
That’s why Barbour ABI, supported by C&BE Marketing Network and Futurebuild, is launching what we hope will be the largest construction marketing survey ever. This isn’t just another survey; it’s a collaborative effort to gather the data and insights we all need to make informed decisions. We want to understand what’s working, what’s not, and where the industry needs to focus its investment. The resulting report won’t be a high-level overview, it will be a comprehensive guide focused on tangible insights and actions that we can take as an industry.
This isn’t just my opinion—it’s a call to action for every leader in the construction sector. We can no longer afford to operate with a marketing mindset that belongs in the last century. The challenges we face are too significant, and the opportunities we stand to lose are too great. We have a chance to change the narrative, to build a brand that is as strong and resilient as the structures we create.
So, I urge you to be a part of this change. Respond to our survey, share your experiences, and contribute to the collective knowledge that will empower all of us. The findings will be revealed and discussed with an expert panel, creating a platform for meaningful dialogue and collaborative solutions. Let’s work together to prove that a strategic investment in marketing isn’t just an expense, it’s a blueprint for a more profitable, sustainable, and respected future for our entire industry. Let’s build the case for marketing investment, together.
