Don’t Wait for the Storm to Pass - Build Through It

When the market gets stormy and clients start hesitating, that’s not the time for builders to go quiet. It’s the time to get louder.

If you run a construction, manufacturing, or materials business and you're feeling uneasy about the economy right now, you're not alone.

I was at the Master Builders Association Housing Summit in Puyallup last week, and the vibe was—let’s be honest—familiar. I joked with my tablemates that every few years we seem to hear the same chorus from the forecasting experts: the "perfect storm" is coming. Again.

And sure, there’s truth behind the hand-wringing. Material costs are rising thanks to tariffs and supply chain volatility. The labor shortage is real—fewer young people are entering the trades. Red tape from NEPA and other regulatory hurdles make projects harder to start, let alone finish.

Add to that a frozen housing market: most homeowners locked in 3% mortgage rates in 2020 and aren’t eager to let go. Meanwhile, the median home price in Western Washington is hovering around $700,000—pricing out a whole generation of first-time buyers.

So yes, it’s rough out there.

Hope springs eternal

But as an expert in marketing in the building space - and having survived a headwind or two, I have to insist that this is exactly when you should lean into marketing. While others retreat, hesitate, and wait for permission, you have the chance to take the lead. This is your opening to show confidence while everyone else pulls back.

Think Warren Buffett’s old playbook—be bold when others are nervous. If you haven’t started a real marketing plan yet, now’s the time. And it doesn’t need to be flashy or expensive. You just need to be consistent, visible, and relevant.

Here’s what we recommend

Start with a timely landing page that speaks to current concerns. Show how your product or service helps during uncertain times. Back it up with real-world case studies, money-back guarantees, and testimonials. Finish with a clear, confident call to action.

Then, drive traffic to that page using Google Ads. Yes, even now. Especially now. People are still searching for solutions, and if you’re not showing up, someone else will. Even a modest campaign puts you ahead of the builders who paused theirs.

Social media—especially Meta’s platforms and LinkedIn—remains one of the smartest ways to build visibility. Target homeowners on Facebook and Instagram; connect with trade partners and developers on LinkedIn. Post simple updates, project photos, team insights—whatever shows your momentum.

Video is another major asset. YouTube is the second-largest search engine, and a quick walkthrough of a recent job or a short team spotlight can go a long way. Pair high-quality videos with smartphone clips to keep things authentic. Share them across platforms, and consider short bumper ads to stay in front of your target audience.

And here’s something most people overlook: physical mail. A professional letter and sample packet is one of the most effective ways to cut through the digital clutter. In an AI-saturated world, effort stands out.

(There are plenty of other ideas we have, but you are going to have to talk to us to find out more!)

At the core of it all, your brand needs to speak directly to what your audience is feeling right now—uncertainty, hesitation, and a need for clarity. This is your moment to show up as the calm, confident expert who gets it. Use your website, your emails, your social posts and all other channels to reassure, educate, and inspire action. Your tone should be steady and human, not salesy or slick. Give them a reason to believe that moving forward with you is not only safe, but smart as well.

The need is still there

Your prospects may be cautious, but they’re still planning, still researching, still spending. What they need is reassurance. That’s where you come in—not just with capability, but with clarity.

For remodelers, this is a unique opportunity. With fewer people moving, more families are staying put—and often merging generations under one roof. That means real demand for kitchens, ADUs, and accessible layouts. If they’re not moving, they’re improving.

And if you’re a manufacturer or supplier, now is the time to showcase your homegrown advantage. Our client Richlite, for example, makes its cladding and surfaces right in the Port of Tacoma. No tariffs. No overseas delays. Just local, dependable materials—and that’s exactly the kind of story people want to hear.

Bottom line

Don’t wait for the economy to give you the green light. Get in front. Stay visible. Be the steady hand when others waver. That’s how you win business now—and build a stronger brand for whatever comes next.

Written by Rusty George, with no help from Artificial Intelligence. Well, maybe he ran a few paragraphs through the rinse cycle to check grammar and tighten them up from time to time and, after an exhaustive search for a cool stock photo of a crane in a stormy sky didn't produce any good results he maybe might have generated the hero image in ChatGPT, but hey - he's only human.

Rusty George leads a branding, website design and marketing agency serving Seattle and Tacoma area construction companies, subcontractors, manufacturers, material fabricators and suppliers. His goal is to help the building industry become more attractive to the skilled workforce of the future. Reach out to us at any time to discuss how you can start cranking on a marketing plan to get ahead of your hesitating competitors.