Every business in the construction industry has a story to tell. Whether a contractor, manufacturer, distributor or consultant, what you do, how you do it and the people that make it happen, makes you unique.  Every business also has goals and objectives, and that typically involves an element of winning new business – something that can be greatly aided by storytelling. Building connections, awareness and understanding by influencing your customers through good communication should be a core component of every construction business – but what makes a good story?

Humans have always been natural storytellers, using stories to communicate, connect, entertain and inform throughout history, sharing experiences, cultural identity and values. These stories don’t belong only to individuals; every business has its own story to tell too, whether it’s a unique history, the launch of new services, innovative products, community involvement, inspiring staff members etc. These stories can be used to communicate important facts that in turn will influence decisions, change perceptions and build trust, which could ultimately lead to business generation.

They tell your customers what you want them to know – makes you different to your competitors, what value you bring to a project, your ethics and why they should work with you.

PR storytelling is an exceptionally powerful tool. You only have to look at a newspaper, a magazine or social media post to see that.  The headlines and images help ensure they grab your attention and the copy has been written to entice you, to make you want to read more and discover what happened next in the story.

Storytelling can evoke emotions and create connections with brands that can influence decisions.  For example, specifying building finishes such as flooring or cladding is more of an emotional decision when compared to the purchase of plasterboard, which can be a technical or commodity decision and one often driven by brand loyalty and preference. As such when it comes to finishes, you’re more likely to choose the brand that provokes that emotional connection.

BENEFITS

Using effective storytelling in your marketing and PR plans and strategies can bring many benefits to your interiors brand:

  • It humanises your brand

People buy into people, so when you share stories about your business and its team members, you’re humanising your brand.  You’re creating content that people can relate to. It allows your business to communicate your values and provides opportunities for engagement.

It puts you above the rest

You can’t copy a good story, and having an effective construction PR strategy can leave a lasting impression on your customers, helping to set you apart from your competitors.  Interesting and consistent messaging makes you memorable.

  • It builds brand loyalty

Effective PR storytelling helps build trust, and if your customers trust your brand then loyalty should soon follow.

HOW TO TELL YOUR BRAND’S STORY

  • Start with a clear brand voice

You should have a cohesive voice throughout all of your marketing content, and a good place to start is by determining what your brand’s mission and values are, and how you want to present yourself to customers and the marketplace.

  • Follow the “hero’s” story

Use engaging plots, characters, and conflicts, using your product, service, or customers as the “hero”.

  • Don’t be afraid to open up

Emotions are what connect us all, and it is vital you connect with customers on a deeper level and entice emotions from them such as excitement, anticipation and curiosity. Remain honest, and real, and audiences will connect.

A FINAL NOTE…

There can sometimes be an assumption that only the larger organisations need to prioritise storytelling in their brand communications, but this simply isn’t true. Companies of all sizes must recognise and act upon the significance of regularly producing quality content in their PR and communications strategy. Such content should relate to the reader and influence their decision making, rather than be surface level content that does not initiate action from the consumer.

In the construction industry, traditional practices often prevail, with specifiers sticking to familiar products they trust based on past successful outcomes. How can we encourage them to break away from established preferences and venture into trying new products? You must influence the decision-making process through the power of effective storytelling.

In today’s fast-paced and highly competitive business landscape, connecting with your audience on a deeper level is essential for success, and incorporating storytelling into your PR and communications strategy can make all the difference. The construction industry has many great stories to tell, so let your brand’s story unfold and watch as it captivates, engages, and inspires your audience.