Alan Slaney has worked with manufacturers , specifiers , contractors and trade associations to help many UK construction names build enduring brands . Among those he has represented are Dulux , Velux and British Gypsum . In an industry worth over £ 110,000 billion per year supporting over three million jobs , and 10 % of UK employment , the building services and construction industry offers massive commercial opportunities . So , what is it that determines which brands become prevailing landmark structures , while others often offering

similar products and services , crumble and fall ? According to Alan , if we are to liken a brand to a building , the essence and strength comes from the inside . It is the building ’ s core , the foundations and steel girders that keep it upright and maintain high performance . Similarly with a brand , the facade of glossy marketing brochures and digital ‘ wow ’ factor may be eye-catching in the first instance along with flashy price promises , but it is the substance within and the ability of the brand to consistently deliver upon a promise , that will ultimately determine if it is built to last .

Consistency is everything To succeed within this particular marketplace a building brand must be trusted by the trade and must deliver upon expectations one hundred per cent of the time . A tradesman relies upon his professional tools and supplies to do a good job . Otherwise it is a poor reflection upon his own professional skillset . Therefore , a good brand experience will create a loyalty from that building professional . Once brand loyalty and trust have been earned they will almost always trump any marketing tactics , including aggressive pricing strategies when

specifying building materials . For the building professional , business comes from reputation , so inconsistency or variable quality products can prove too high a price to pay to be sustainable in business . Trust permeates the entire supply chain and extends far beyond the product . More so than any other industry , this is a people business and good relationships are the absolute bedrock of that business . Alan commented : “ Successful brands make Customer Relationship Management ( CRM ) the crux of communication strategies in this industry . It is crucial on both

sides - a tradesman needs to know that there is support and back up from the brand , and the brand needs the tradesman ’ s feedback . Also , any savvy building brand will know that their customer is ultimately their most valuable marketing tool . Word of mouth is very powerful and this type of third party endorsement cannot be bought , only earned . The holy grail of communication is when the manufacturer , supply chain and tradesman work in total harmony . A good CRM system can help facilitate this as it has empathy for and looks after the interests of each party creating effective channels of communication .” Developing a building industry brand differs significantly from other industries , even those that demand a similar level of brand loyalty to thrive , such as retail . Unlike retail , endorsement in this sector is very personal to the end customer . If we consider the type of language used to refer to a tradesman it is usually possessive : a customer will refer to ‘ my builder ’ or ‘ my plumber ’. This is also one

Alan Slaney

of the few industries where a service provider is invited into a customer ’ s home - so trust is always paramount . Despite traditional roots , the building services sectors are open to change . Business is increasingly competitive and tradesmen will do what they can to stay ahead of the game , including embracing new technologies , if they can save time and become more efficient . Although challenger brands may find building services a difficult market to crack , with loyalty and consumer trust the foundations upon which orders are placed , there is room for development especially if they are offering something unique in either their products or service . Starting with the cornerstone of consistency , companies in the business of building a brand should start stacking their building blocks and assembling communication strategies based on reputation management and industry endorsement to help them take the first steps on the construction industry ladder .

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