By Patrick Hogan, handle.com

Construction is a high-touch industry. Success in this arena is more than having the skills and practical know-how to deliver on customer expectations. Projects involve working with a multitude of businesses and professionals from varying backgrounds and experiences–making networking imperative for any professional and business involved in construction.

Networking doesn’t only happen during networking events – opportunities to build relationships with others in the industry are ever-present. And, yes, it’s worth making an effort to engage and be present in these conversations. In this article, we’ll go over the benefits of getting involved with professional networking in the construction industry.

Gateway to new opportunities/projects

Networking is a great way to gain new opportunities in construction. Maintaining good relationships with everyone you encounter is essential. This includes former clients and prospects, subcontractors and GCs you’ve worked with, different vendors and providers you’ve dealt with within projects or even on the inquiry stage–these relationships are worth nurturing if only for the fact that you’ll never know who works with who and you’d always want to leave a good impression. 

It’s not unusual even for those considered competitors to maintain some friendly professional relationship that could result in volleying overflow work between each other. There’s always enough work for everyone if connections are kept healthy. Just the same, helping others is a big part of networking. Making meaningful introductions between people and businesses that benefit from each other will pay off, especially for those who view working in construction strategically and not just as a money-making gig. 

Gaining new insights and ideas

Networking is also an excellent avenue for discussing new ideas with like-minded individuals in the industry. Most people are keen on putting their best foot forward during networking events and any professional setting where conversations are encouraged. Gatekeeping information is rarely the smart move. People who have been in business long enough know that raising the quality of work industry-wide benefits everybody and is good for business. This is why sharing information about new technologies, new methods of approaching projects, and fresh techniques in managing jobs are commonplace in professional settings, even among businesses and professionals who could be considered competitors. 

Sharper people skills

One of the most valuable skills to succeed in construction, no matter what portion of the big machine you’re working on, is knowing how to deal with people. Networking events and any setting where you could engage with others in the industry are great opportunities to practice having meaningful conversations and sharpening your people skills. Especially in this age where a lot of conversations happen virtually, both in-person and online networking opportunities where the emphasis is engagement and building professional relationships are welcoming spaces for you to flex your conversation muscles around people looking to do the same.

The returns of constantly sharpening your people skills cannot be overstated. Vendors with the same certifications, experience, and track records compete for the same jobs. What spells the difference between landing a project and not is often reliant on the relationship you’ve established with the prospect and how easy or difficult it is to discuss and transact with you. Learning how to navigate this portion of business is valuable for anybody looking to get ahead in the industry. 

Better understanding of the immediate market

Putting faces on names you only see in emails and marketing materials is one of the most significant benefits of directly engaging with people in the industry during networking events and other social functions. In-person functions are especially helpful in getting to know people and businesses in your local market–from different vendors to clients and other stakeholders in commercial and residential construction. 

Forging relationships and getting some facetime with them is valuable in getting intimate knowledge beyond what you find out from business news and even trade association meetings. The cumulative knowledge of the community is often shared during these face-to-face events–local trends, market projections, new opportunities on the horizon, feedback on specific vendors and providers, and even cost-saving strategies that could be local in the market you’re operating in. 

Networking can also give you more insight into what not to do and what to avoid. These bits of information may not be presented in a straightforward manner in that they’re often not in the form of hard numbers or enumerated facts as reported in newsletters. You get a better sense of the people operating in your locality and their views on how different aspects of construction are faring, allowing you to make better decisions in your business.

Establishing your profile

Whether you’re part of a business operating for decades or a new player in construction, consistent networking is helpful in regularly establishing and reintroducing your profile in the industry. Anybody in the construction business knows that reputation is a big deal, and being visible and present as a reliable resource or source of expertise, even in more casual events and conversations, will pay off for you in the long run. 

Networking is worth the effort

Building relationships is one of the cornerstones of a successful construction business. It’s a mistake to overlook and neglect being visible in the community and getting involved in conversations that may seem mundane or unneeded. Taking the time to build bridges with potential clients, existing customers, vendors and providers, and other industry stakeholders is a worthy investment–the returns may be difficult to quantify in concrete numbers but can be measured in the continued success and growth of your business.

About the Author:

Patrick Hogan is the CEO of Handle.com, where they build software that helps contractors and material suppliers with lien management and payment compliance. The biggest names in construction use Handle on a daily basis to save time and money while improving efficiency.

Photo: https://drive.google.com/file/d/182x0h2EqLpUTaA4KQxWm-Ddb0p-bALrs/view?usp=sharing