Refreshing Your Construction Personas for 2025: A Strong Construction Marketing Strategy
Since we first introduced our construction personas in 2017, they have become one of our most valuable and widely used resources. Responding to customer demand, we have continued to expand and refine these personas, now covering 11 key roles in the construction industry. Regular updates ensure they remain relevant in an evolving market, with the most recent updates reflecting industry shifts in 2023 and 2024.
Understanding the motivations behind buyer decisions is essential. Construction personas provide insight into the challenges and goals of decision-makers, helping you understand why professionals specify your product—or why they choose a competitor. Taking the time to analyse each customer type is a powerful tool for refining your communications strategy and enhancing engagement. A well-defined Construction Marketing Strategy ensures that these insights translate into actionable plans that drive business success.
Developing Construction Personas
Much of the information needed to develop your construction personas is readily available within your organisation. However, some aspects may require more in-depth research, involving collaboration between sales, marketing, and technical teams. Our persona templates are designed to give you a strong foundation for building your own construction personas, covering each member of the decision-making unit throughout the year.
Each template includes desk research to set the scene, alongside guidelines on how to gather insights that personalise your persona. Completing this exercise is a vital step in shaping any Construction Marketing Strategy. It ensures that your marketing efforts are targeted effectively and aligned with the real-world challenges of your audience.
Avoid Guesswork: Understand What Construction Professionals Need
We strongly advocate for regular customer research to inform decision-making. Even a simple and quick research initiative can address fundamental marketing questions:
- What motivates customers to use our product?
- How well do customers understand our company and its offerings?
- What do customers value most in terms of service and product development?
- How can we create more engaging and relevant content?
Fortunately, research doesn’t need to be costly or time-consuming. Online surveys, for example, provide instant responses that can be monitored in real-time, keeping costs manageable while offering valuable insights.
There are several effective methods for gathering data to refine your construction personas:
- Surveying your frontline sales team – They interact directly with customers and can provide valuable anecdotal insights.
- Third-party research – External agencies can conduct unbiased research, leading to more honest and actionable insights.
- Brand strength analysis – Tracking brand performance against competitors and marketing initiatives to gauge shifts in perception.
For additional marketing insights and best practices, you can refer to the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).
Informing Persona Marketing with Perception Research
A perception study is one of the most effective ways to understand how your target personas view your company. The results provide invaluable data for developing a marketing communications plan that directly addresses the needs of specifiers.
To maximise effectiveness, perception research should extend beyond your existing customer base to include potential customers, key influencers, and suppliers. This broader perspective will highlight your strengths, weaknesses, and areas where awareness is lacking.
A well-structured perception survey should include four key elements:
- Identifying the key factors that matter most to your audience.
- Measuring how your organisation is perceived in these areas.
- Benchmarking your performance against competitors.
- Assessing awareness of recent promotional activity.
By benchmarking perceptions, you gain a clearer understanding of how your company and products are positioned in the market, allowing for strategic adjustments that drive engagement and specification. These insights are a crucial part of any Construction Marketing Strategy, ensuring your messaging and positioning align with industry expectations.
Conclusion
Regular customer research is essential for tracking progress and refining your marketing and business strategies. Insights gained from research ensure that your communication efforts remain aligned with the needs of construction professionals, ultimately enhancing your market position.
Data-driven marketing is an investment that pays off. A fully informed strategy backed by research not only improves engagement but also delivers measurable ROI, making it a valuable business asset.
Don’t rely on assumptions—use research to understand what your customers truly want and deliver solutions that meet their needs.
Updated Construction Persona Templates Available
- Understanding the Construction Client
- Understanding the Public Sector Client
- Understanding the Large Housebuilder
- Understanding the Architect
- Understanding the Quantity Surveyor
- Understanding the Interior Designer
- Understanding the Civil Engineer
- Understanding the M&E Engineer
- Understanding the Main Contractor
- Understanding the Specialist Contractor
- Understanding the Facilities Manager
Stay ahead of the competition by leveraging these updated personas to drive engagement and specification in 2025 and beyond.
