Survey Results! Lead Generation for Construction

Lead Generation is Important!

With both commercial and residential construction down by double-digits in many markets from pre-recession highs, sales lead generation has never been more important to marketers targeting construction decision makers, whether construction firms or building product manufacturers. This fact is reinforced by a recent Construction Marketing Association survey—2011 Construction Marketing Outlook—which ranked Lead Generation as one of the top priorities for next year.

So to understand where construction marketers are with lead generation—a baseline—we conducted another survey and share the results here.

Survey Says

Our recent (November 2010) survey about lead generation in construction conducted by the Construction Marketing Association via SurveyMonkey posed the following questions:

1) What lead generation techniques or sources do you use in marketing to the construction industry?

2) Which lead generation technique/source has shown the best results for your company?

3) Which lead generation technique/source has shown the worst results for your company?

4) Which lead generation technique/source do you foresee using more in the future?

5) What type of company are you?

Regarding the types of lead generation techniques/sources used, Sales Prospecting ranked highest with 70% of respondents using, followed by Trade Shows/Events (60%), Internet registrations (58%), Email (57%), Search Engines (45%), LinkedIn (44%), Advertising (40%), Publicity (38%), Social Media (37%), Direct Mail (34%), Per-Per-Click (PPC, 23%), Training Programs (21%), Reed Construction Data (17%), other Lead Services (15%), and Telemarketing (13%). Dodge Reports, Networking via associations and Referrals tied at 11%. Specification services like ARCAT, CSI and e-specs were used by 4% of respondents.

Regarding which lead generation technique/source has shown the best results for your company, Direct Sales ranked highest at 23%, followed by Referrals (19%), Trade Shows (13%), and Website SEO (11%). Networking events and Reed Construction Data tied at 6%, followed by Dodge, other lead services, Email and Direct Marketing at 4%. Other mentions included Telemarketing, PPC, jobsite visits, LinkedIn and channel promotions at 2%.

Regarding which lead generation technique/source has shown the worst results for your company, Advertising led all at 28%, followed by Trade Shows and Yellow Pages at 11%; Pay-Per-Click and Direct Mail at 9%. Telemarketing and Dodge Reports followed with 4% of mentions.

Regarding which lead generation technique/source do you foresee using more in the future, not surprisingly Social Media led all at 30%, followed by Internet (12%), Email (9%), Telemarketing (6%); Association Networking, PPC, Referrals, Dodge, and Training Programs and tied at 4% each. Reed Construction Data and Trade Shows follow at 2%.

Regarding type of company, 19% of respondents were building materials (manufacturers or suppliers), followed by 18% commercial construction, 15% construction service providers, 13% architectural engineering, 11% residential construction, 9% for both construction equipment and remodeling, and 2% construction technology or property management.

Our new white paper, Lead Generation Best Practices for Construction, includes these survey results, along with an evaluation of the largest construction lead services (Dodge Reports and Reed Construction Data, and identification of many other construction lead services. This white paper is available free of charge to Construction Marketing Association members, and is available in our Resource Databank. Non-members can purchase the white paper via credit card by calling CMA at 630-579-8383

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