man watching phone

Lead generation for construction businesses

Marketing

A comment I hear from a lot of people in the construction industry at the moment is that the market is significantly quieter than last year and they need to increase the flow of sales leads. Those business owners who have invested time and money into their marketing over the years are a lot better off, but many people rely too heavily on word-of-mouth marketing for their opportunities. 

While a solid, long-term marketing plan is best, for those who need more leads quickly, I have outlined a few options in this article to broaden your marketing reach and support word-of-mouth referrals.

risk reward balance

Risk management – Getting the balance right

Owner

The construction game is a risky one. Probably don’t have to tell you that but it needs saying and it also needs to be proactively managed. On the other hand it can be a very rewarding industry and you can have a great life if done well…..and a bit of luck. No business however is risk-free. 

Part of your role as a business owner is to think about the risks in your particular part of the market, prioritise what risks to reduce first and put processes in place to manage those risks. Also decide on what level of risk you are comfortable with and not try to reduce all risks to zero. Here are the seven most important areas of risk for a construction company and some strategies for managing them effectively

All Blacks core values

Act Like The All Blacks

Profitability, Your team

One of the main foundation stones I help my clients develop is a written set of core values, the company culture. I believe it is a vital element of a successful company and one that is often left to chance, or ignored altogether. Get it wrong and it can help to drive away your best customers and your best team members. You may have had one of these situation in the past:

A team member with a bad attitude who constantly complained about your company and its managers. 
You been part of a team with a person who didn’t work as hard as the rest
You worked for a company in which one old-timer is not required to follow the rules or learn new systems and technology
Any sound familiar? These people drag down the atmosphere to their level and make it unpleasant to be around them. To develop a happy, productive and positive company, everyone has to work together, follow the same rules and maintain positive attitudes.

Taking some lessons from top sports teams can be the best place to learn. Read on….

The Leader in You

Are You a Good Leader?

Owner

Are you a leader just because you run a business? Not automatically. But you need to be. Without leadership, the ship that is your business has no captain and no rudder and eventually will founder.

A leader is one who DOES THE RIGHT THINGS. This compares with a manager who DOES THINGS RIGHT. Both are important in a business, but a good leader will take a business and make it grow. Anyone can be a leader, even if the only person they’re leading is themselves.

But you can’t become a leader just by saying you are. Leadership needs to be worked at. There are many virtues to leadership that you can focus on and improve. Here is my top 5 and I invite you to challenge this list and suggest what you think are the most important qualities and skills of a great leader.

Dealing with serial sickies

Your team

The classic ‘sickie’. It’s part of New Zealand working folklore, and while most people can honestly admit to ‘chucking’ the occasional sickie, others can stretch the limits of their employers by frequently taking sick days for vague or elusive reasons. In some cases it can get to the point where they are no longer reliably showing up to work.

Sick leave is a legitimate entitlement, and many people genuinely need that time to manage their health or chronic conditions — both mental and physical. In those cases employees should be fully supported via the applicable employment entitlements.

But what if you suspect an employee is misusing their sick leave?

I’d Rather Juggle Chainsaws

Uncategorized, Your team

Labour is biggest maker or breaker in project profitability in the construction industry. A 5% swing either way can cause a 50% swing in net profit.  This is particularly true for renovation projects, where the labour component typically represents a higher proportion of the total cost, compared to new builds.  The work is also more…

Why Have Staff Meetings?

Uncategorized

The staff meeting — or “stiff meeting” as it is sometimes known in many companies — can become a colossal waste of time. Many consider staff meetings a practical alternative to work; as a place to think about this weekend’s fishing trip or to refine their doodling skills. All because there is too little thought invested in…

The Power of Checklists

Owner

I was watching a BBC documentary the other day on reductions in the death and serious incidents rates in surgery and it struck me how the key idea was very applicable to construction.  That idea? Simple checklists. The program featured a top surgeon, Dr Atul Gawande from the US who was asked to investigate the death/serious incident…