In early 2019, the board of directors of Horizon Construction identified the need to review its approach to marketing to support the next stage of its business development strategy. This case study looks at how Grundon Marketing undertook a full review of their business and marketing function to implement an effective, results-driven marketing strategy and marketing plan.
About Horizon Construction
Horizon Construction is a medium-sized construction firm which had undergone significant growth since 2014 following an upscaling of operations and a focus on larger construction contracts. The company was established in 1999 by two directors and employs over 50 people, with offices in Colchester and London. It operates across the South East, East Anglia and London, and has a turnover of circa £35m.
How do we better understand marketing to support business growth?
It was identified by the board of directors that its approach to marketing was no longer adequate to support the firm’s continued growth and business strategy. The company had grown to a size which required a more formalised structure, including processes and activities, in its marketing function. Although marketing activities had previously taken place, albeit on an ad hoc basis, there was insufficient understanding and expertise within the business of how to further develop the marketing function to better support its growth ambitions and to further unlock the business’s potential. Except during the restructuring period in 2014, their approach to sales and marketing, including the tools and assets they used, hadn’t changed from when it was a smaller company.
Horizon Construction was at a pivotal point where it needed further transformation, assisted with a new approach to marketing, to deliver its business strategy.
How to implement a marketing strategy and marketing plan
Grundon Marketing was selected to meet with the Board to listen and learn about the challenges they faced, to fully understand their existing approach to marketing, the systems and processes they used to support sales and client relationship management activities, and their business objectives and strategy for the next 5 to 10 years.
We conducted the initial meetings to determine and subsequently advise on the necessary improvements to the marketing function. The members of their Board were construction experts and openly admitted their lack of understanding about marketing as a business function and how it can improve the business’s performance. However, they recognised the marketing function was integral to the firm’s future success.
It was agreed their corporate identity and marketing lacked energy, formalisation, structure, transparency, collaboration (both inside and outside the business), and a plan of regular activities. Previous digital marketing practices weren’t being monitored, measured and reviewed. The company’s online presence was small, especially when compared to its competition. The existing website wasn’t effective, lacked analytics and was not suitable for the business and marketing strategy. The (marketing) communications to clients and prospects had nearly stopped and there was no direction with its use of social media.
Therefore, the next stage of the process involved establishing a formal marketing strategy which supported the objectives of the business strategy. The marketing strategy provided a thorough analysis of the business e.g. its environment, competition and markets, target audiences, proposition, and desired position in the marketplace. It included thorough research and identified core areas for immediate and longer-term development. Many people at Horizon Construction were interviewed during this process.
Formalising the marketing function was going to establish new channels of collaboration and communication across the business. The marketing function was going to be the conduit for necessary cultural change to ensure the new corporate brand identity and personality were delivered.
Once the marketing strategy was agreed upon, a scheduled programme of marketing projects and activities was developed and maintained, including a regular cycle of new content and communications – ‘the marketing plan’.
New marketing systems were implemented and training was provided. A key component was the implementation of a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) application to replace the use of ineffective spreadsheets and other disjointed digital processes to proactively collaborate on managing sales, leads and business relationships. Systems were customised to suit new sales and marketing processes. Data was gathered, cleansed and improved to create segmented business contacts.
A new corporate identity was developed, along with a formal personality, including brand values, brand positioning slogan, vision and mission statements. This involved a comprehensive questionnaire with all staff, which was extremely useful in identifying further areas for development in the business.
A key addition to the new corporate identity was the recommendation of a new trading name, “Horizon Construction Group”. The use of “Group” aimed to improve the awareness and understanding of the business by external parties which incorporates different company entities (using variations of “Horizon Construction …”).
New branded document templates were produced, as well as detailed guidelines for branding. The roll-out of the new identity included changes to office email systems, addresses and signatures, new corporate stationery and branded documents, and new sales literature and promotional assets.
Digital marketing activities included the development of a new fully supportive and modern corporate website to showcase the group and its construction expertise. General improvements were made to the group’s entire online presence and to ensure all areas were integrated.
The plan for new (marketing) content and communications included a range of marketing activities to ensure a regular flow of targeted engagement with clients and prospects across a broad range of media, platforms and digital marketing channels.
What does a successful marketing strategy look like?
Grundon Marketing has supported Horizon Construction Group since implementing the marketing strategy to maintain the momentum in business development activities. We have worked with everyone in their team to help create a structured, formalised and well-communicated marketing function, which includes working seamlessly and collaboratively on a regular, if not daily basis, with members of their marketing department, business support team and Board members.
Since working with our client, they have achieved ISO certification and won several industry accolades. An independent ISO auditor assessed the marketing function and remarked that the quality of strategy, processes and communications was the same as a Tier 1 construction firm.
Regular content is created and delivered across all their digital marketing channels (e.g. website, email and social media). Website traffic and social media engagement have grown exponentially, and the analytics are regularly reviewed to monitor performance and to continuously identify improvements.
Over this time, the trusted relationship with Grundon Marketing now delivers a wider mix of expertise, communications and services for the construction group. These include guidance on the implementation and management of a marketing budget (including variance analysis), continued development of the marketing plan, design and production of all external communications (including graphics), branding of construction sites (including site safety signage), all corporate photography and video production, marketing policies and procedures, and mentoring. Grundon Marketing provided strategic communications about operations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Due to our expertise in IT systems development and digital communications, Grundon Marketing also implemented the extended use and wider adoption of Microsoft 365 services across the business. This project involved new Microsoft 365 services to create efficiencies and new collaborative working environments between staff, departments and external parties. The development of Microsoft SharePoint, Teams and Yammer and other applications created an enriched and modern working environment. Dedicated SharePoint sites provide the construction team with controlled, as well as automated, workflows and repositories to improve the management of projects, as well as to involve external parties (such as architects, project managers, contractors and clients) where needed. Grundon Marketing oversees the administration and continued development of these Microsoft services.
Grundon Marketing is delighted with the way its relationship with Horizon Construction Group has grown and is entrusted as a key advisor to their business. Amongst many achievements, the construction group is now positioned as one of the region’s leading and most recognised construction brands, maintains a strong pipeline of new enquiries (includes sector-leading developers), and has been awarded its largest construction projects to date.
Additional information about Horizon Construction Group:
- Website (hcgroup.uk)
- Social Media: LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube
- Grundon Marketing’s Client Showcase
Related information:
- What is a marketing strategy?
- Is it time for a marketing strategy?
- Why should you choose a part-time Marketing Director?
- Grundon Marketing services
Contact us to discuss your approach to marketing and to discover how we can drive performance in your business.
