September: Month of Panic or Opportunity?

Yes, it’s September yet again.

Remember all those aspirations you had in January to finally get a marketing plan in place to hopefully reduce the holiday slowdown? Well, things got busy as usual and now you’re staring down the barrel of Q4 wondering how the year went by so fast.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. We see the September reality slam every year with the building professionals we work with. The good news is that it's not too late to pause, reset and create a marketing system to carry you through the holidays and into 2026 stronger than ever.

The Autumn Opportunity

This is the critical yearly sweet spot when everyone’s locked back into business mode before the holiday chaos takes over. Instead of panicking, seize this moment to establish a strong marketing strategy in order to:

• Finish Q4 strong. There’s still time to land filler projects before the end of the year.
  
• Fill your Q1 pipeline. What you plant today in September often turns into January and February work.
  
• Get organized for 2026. Building systems now means you don’t start the new year scrambling.
  

And keep in mind that your ideal future customers are doing the same thing at this moment. Now is the time to remind them you could be the best partner for upcoming projects.

Things to know

While you were making hay while the sun was shining, the marketing world evolved drastically, especially with AI reshaping how people search, communicate and decide on their building partners. But not everything has changed. Here’s a quick snapshot of what’s new, and what’s holding steady.

What’s Changed

• Keyword stuffing is over. Those annoying websites crammed with repeated service lists and city names aren’t fooling anyone anymore. Google and other search engines have been recently retooled to ignore, and even penalize sites built just to game the SEO system.
  

• AI has changed the game. Although Google still dominates digital search, more people are using ChatGPT and other LLMs to answer their questions, and in some cases suggest potential building partners. The old playbook for getting your website noticed is now out the window.
  

• Short-form video. With shrinking attention spans, trust is being built through fast, entertaining content. Who would’ve thought TikTok would be a viable advertising option?
  

What Hasn’t Changed

• Genuine content is more important now than ever. Search engines prefer to highlight websites that present authentic, helpful content from industry experts.
  

• Consistency wins. Marketing is still a game of showing up regularly, not in bursts. Offering interesting information on a steady basis is key to building trust and being memorable.
  

• Social media is still a thing. As much as builders shun it, the power of social media is only getting stronger. Meta (Facebook and Instagram) run some of the most advanced targeting systems in the world. LinkedIn has become a legitimate hub for finding professional partners. And YouTube now ranks as the second largest search engine. If you want to compete, social has to be part of your business development strategy.
  

• Email still works. A short monthly newsletter highlighting projects or tips is still one of the simplest ways to stay top of your prospects’ minds.
  

What You Can Do Now

When your team gathers for a Q4 strategic planning session, I suggest the following battle-tested action plan before October 1st.

Reflect on the Year’s Best Projects

Take a moment to review this year’s projects so far. Which were the most successful and lucrative? What clients or services did you enjoy and wouldn’t mind working with again? Use those answers as your north star, and shape your marketing strategy to attract more of the same.

Refluff Your Website

If you haven’t touched your website since this time last year, search engines might be ignoring you. You might not have to start from scratch, but just giving it a little refresh might give you a good adrenaline shot to enhance online visibility.

• Update your projects page or rewrite your services section. Make sure they’re still reflecting the kind of work you’re winning now and not stuck showing projects from years past.
• Add three to four pieces of content to your “news” section: a case study, a testimonial, a jobsite video, or even a behind-the-scenes look at your crew. Don’t make it matter-of-fact but talk instead about what you learned or challenges you overcame to improve your performance.
• Review your “About Us” section. Is your mission statement or company values still relevant? Make sure your team members are up to date as well.

Refresh Your Online Presence

Your website isn’t your only tool to attract new business opportunities. It's only one part of a bigger digital ecosystem. Make sure every tool available to you is firing on all cylinders.

• Update your Google Business Profile with recent photos, project details, and fresh posts. More and more, prospects make their decision right from your GBP, often without ever visiting your website.
  
  
• Ask your most satisfied clients for reviews. Even two or three can shift your search engine ranking results.
  
  
• Dust off those social media accounts and begin posting insights or updates. Don’t expect big opportunities to fall into your lap right away, and that’s not the point. The goal is to build a steady rhythm of posting content your future clients will actually find useful.

Retry Some Outreach

The advantage of the professional building industry is that people still value real, tangible contact. Sometimes the smarter move is the lo-fi one: send something custom and personalized they would appreciate.

• Instead of spray-and-pray mass mailing, identify 40 to 100 companies or property owners you’d want to work with next year. Build an outreach list and plan to get in front of them while they too are in 2026 planning mode. Send something customized demonstrating your personal dedication to your mutual success.

• Start a smart Email campaign. Share what you do, how you’re different from your competitors, and include useful insights from your niche experience. Email often enough to be remembered, not too frequently to be resented (or worse, banished to the spam box). Every other week is a solid rhythm, as long as each message offers something new and helpful instead of begging for work.

• Send direct mail. In the building world, print still works. A straightforward business letter with a case study attached can open doors. Or try a creative clutter buster like a mini Lego dump truck or an antenna ball that sits on their desk and keeps you top of mind long enough to spark a call. 

Patience and Persistence

Remember it often takes seven or more impressions before a prospect even notices you, let alone decides to engage. The worst move is to give up too soon before your marketing gets into a rhythm. Don’t get too anxious to see immediate results. Instead, treat this as the start of a habit you will carry through the year to attract better customers and win more projects. Since many competitors give up early, simply staying consistent can make you the one who wins.

Bring on the New Year

September gives you a unique window to get intentional, steady, and visible. Your competitors may be scrambling, but you can be the one building trust, staying top of mind, and lining up the work that carries you into next year.

Don’t let the September panic derail you. Use it as your signal. Call the meeting. Make a plan. Refresh the system. The builders who do will be the ones who end the year strong - and start the next one even stronger.

If you want to talk about how to set up a plan to dominate Q4 and beyond, let’s chat.

Written by Rusty George, with almost zero help from Artificial Intelligence. Well, maybe he used one little app to check his grammar, but hey - he's only human.

Rusty George leads a branding, website design and marketing agency serving Seattle and Tacoma area construction companies, developers, 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 if you ever would like to set up a brand or marketing strategy to make the best of the year to come.

Photo credit: The talented Brittany Southworth from AA Asphalting