Your average construction project has a groundbreaking, a topping off, and a ribbon cutting. Whether the contractor takes advantage of this low-hanging fruit for exposure is a while ‘nother topic, but the bigger miss for many contractors (and architects) is taking advantage of the partner relationships that occur as a result of these events.
Every partner on a construction project represents a potential opportunity for positive PR exposure. When you think about the average new construction job, it’s pretty amazing how many partners are involved: architects, engineers, the owner, an OPM, the end-users, municipal agencies, financing arms, and various subcontractors. For projects with a lot of eyeballs and/or public impact, elected officials are likely salivating at the chance to show up for a photo op and take credit for your good work.
For many of the CMs I work with, the whole notion of this dynamic often causes them to roll their eyes or want to avoid attending said event altogether. But that’s the exact opposite reaction they should have, especially as it gets harder and harder to secure positive earned media coverage.
For architects looking for positive media coverage, they should be leaning on the CM for exposure; for the CM, they should lean on the architect and owner; for engineers and subs, they should lean on anybody willing to incorporate them into their groundbreaking or ribbon cutting; and for all the project team, they should welcome the involvement of elected and municipal officials, along with any representation from the owner’s side.
The truth of the matter is that much of the media coverage you see today has some connection to politics, which makes elected officials extremely relevant to your average beat reporter. Local reporters are anxious to show how their story relates to larger, national issues, so having the chance to talk to a mayor at a ribbon cutting for your next affordable community project is an opportunity ripe for the taking.
So, the key takeaways: don’t be afraid to partner with each member of the project team on joint PR efforts, and also work hard to understand the interest and impact of your project on local elected officials and other community members. Plan events that entice those key stakeholders to attend, and let media know that your project event is going to be loaded up with business leaders, stakeholders, and elected officials that will make the time spent on your jobsite worth every second of their time.
If you’re struggling to make sense of how to even begin leveraging your boundary partner relationships when devising a PR program, reach out to Pedigree PR and we’ll hep assemble your team with the right partners in place all while developing compelling messaging that every team member can use.
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