INDUSTRY NEWS 6
SOCIAL MEDIA SOLUTIONS FOR THE PRECAST INDUSTRY T he broader populace walk on their
contributed to dwindling investor con-
power ful solution that should be
feet, but live on their smartphones,
fidence and placed fiscal limitations
added to every construction com-
which begs the question whether the
on public expenditure.
pany’s marketing mix.
built environment is utilising digital
• Private sector – economically. In the
marketing in an effective manner that
first quarter of 2019, the economy
conversions in the market is shrinking,
fully harnesses the leverage of industry
saw a 0,8% drop in household con-
technology in the f orm of industr y
association influence.
sumption spending on a quarter-on-
association-driven social media marketing
The construction industry has func-
quarter basis that contributed to a
is enabling industry association members
tioned on the same principles of market-
0,5% contr action o f the over all
to gain valuable insights in order to
ing for the past few decades. Billboards,
G D P. T h e d e c l i n e i n c o n s u m e r
construction banners, word-of-mouth
Although the number of customer
better convert leads.
spending is attributed to household
Industry associations provide a rel-
and TV commercials were the
deb t, c o s t s o f ser v icing
evant and structured platform for the
“go-to” places to find poten-
the debt and access to
efficient marketing of various construc-
tial clients because the mar-
additional credit, which is
tion-related building materials, tech-
ket was conducive. But the
being exacerbated by poorer
nologies, supplementary products and
economic and technological
employment prospects.
equipment. With close co-operation and
landscape has changed and
Household income rose by
effective strategies, industry associa-
social media platforms such
0,6% in 2018 – which means
tion marketing places products in front
as the Concrete Manufactur-
that slow-rising disposable
of the target market through social me-
ers’ Association channels
income and high indebtedness
dia and increases online awareness of the
now offer more cost-effec-
do not leave much room for
brand involved. Industry associations are
tive and targeted solutions
consumer spending.
in possession of industry-related educa-
for the construction industry to remain
• Technology has grown in complexity
tional, technical and general information
informed. The statistics below are a grim
since it has been layered into research,
which can be leveraged to the benefit of
reflection on the state of the economy
design, finance and manufacturing. The
the members of the association.
and should serve to remind company
inception of social media also con-
T he r eal benef it of social media
heads that effective marketing will in
tributed sociologically to an immense
originates from the modern reliance on
future be critical to increasing revenue:
change in human social interaction.
social media networks to source quality
• Public sector – economically: SA’s
However, the sociological change
products and quality service, and to form
public infrastructure expenditure
also spread to the business sphere
opinions by reading reviews. Working
peaked in 2014/16 (approx R250 billion)
by providing a smorgasbord of new
with industry associations can mitigate
and the public-sector infrastructure
communication channels, as well as
the effects of the current economic
spending as a share of GDP has been
a new manner to facilitate business-
climate and help companies get more
steadily declining since 2009/10.
to-business and business-to-
bang for their marketing. In addition, it
State-owned enterprises have caused
customer marketing practices. As
strengthens the association and ben-
a drain in the Treasury Department,
a result, the linking of social media and
efits all its members.
with large amounts of money being
digital efforts with industry associ-
funneled into parastatals. This has
ation channels is becoming a new and
(Above left): Liandré Bezuidenhout of the CMA.
PRECAST | ISSUE ONE | 2020
