So what is your bigger issue today, to get more quality employees or to get more quality customers? Your answer may differ depending on the economy, the season or perhaps your stage of growth. The reality is your marketing efforts should be equally focused on both.

Marketing is not just about getting new customers, it is also applicable to get more quality employees too. So many contractors do not realize their dormant image inadvertently does not attract all the people who would possibly look to work with them, whether that be future customers or future employees.

Unfortunately marketing many times take the back seat for most construction contractors, but it is the smart ones who position for their future opportunities, regardless of the time of season, and regardless of whether business is booming or not.

So many contractors think they deserve better workers (and customers), yet they fail to realize the people who are looking for work are in control. These future workers want to find employment with a respected and progressive employer. So they should use marketing principals to help solicit new employees and new customers – they go hand in hand.

Too many make up so many excuses about not having the time to market themselves. Why would a potential employee (who clearly has the upper hand in a tight economy) select your business over the countless other places to work? Just like a potential customer, a potential employee will look at your website, possibly your reviews, possibly your Facebook or YouTube accounts. They may simply pass on considering you just like a potential customer because you look stagnant.

When it comes to positioning for new opportunities, employees and customers, so many construction contractors simply forget about marketing all together. So many complain about finding new workers when things are busy and then they complain about finding new customers when the work seems to dry up overnight. Stop complaining and start positioning yourself as a businessperson to handle the ups and downs of running a business. The right thing to do is to simply ensure marketing is part of the overall business plan, and not just a reaction as things are too busy or start to slow down.

Look at the picture of this company. Imagine you being a potential worker looking to join a remodeling company. Or imagine being a homeowner looking to hire someone? If you were looking for work, would you want to go work for the company above or your company? Answer honestly. If you were a homeowner looking for a contractor to hire, would you want to hire the company above or your company? Answer honestly.

Of course a picture does not tell it all. But marketing correctly helps all areas of the business. When your business looks dead, it looks dead to potential employees as well as potential customers. Marketing can help build and sustain yourself for customer opportunities, as well as get more quality employees. Many of those complaining aren’t necessarily doing what is right to get the workers they seek out.

Here is a great example of how a leading remodeling contractor is successful getting good workers. Of course there is so much more than what meets the eye in the picture. Perhaps it them having a mobile oriented website. Maybe they have a lot of Search Engine Optimization topics covered. Perhaps they continue to heavily engage their customers on Facebook. Perhaps they simply took a step back and created a marketing plan that encompassed all of it and simply followed through on keeping it active? Yes, MyOnlineToolbox can take credit for website education and positioning this remodeling contractor with a marketing plan. But the contractor has done a lot of work to accumulate all the content and be consistent with their updates. There is no silver bullet answer other than having an education foundation, a plan of action and the desire to execute the plan on a continuous basis.

Are you one of those companies complaining about finding good workers, getting good leads or both? I smile knowing this customer of mine referenced here can address both expansion and contraction issues as the economic environment changes. They have positioned themselves to be able to focus on getting more quality opportunities, customers or employees.

Ask yourself, are you more comfortable just sitting around the water cooler complaining try to get more quality employees (and customers) without taking an approach to address it? Or are you ready to take a step back and seriously address the challenge of embracing marketing as an important part of the business? Each season and each up and down of the economy will lead to the same questions waiting for an answer from you. Tick Tock.