Talk like a Pro, Not Like a Robot

Today, as everyone in the building industry is suddenly discovering and adopting AI tools to help you write everything from emails to requisition letters, I thought it would be good to take a step back and revisit something fundamental to standing apart from your competition and bringing in new business: messaging.

(Listen to full podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Soundcloud)

The Slippery Slope

With AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude.ai, and Gemini becoming go-to solutions for speeding up everyday writing tasks, it’s easy to see the appeal. But there's a risk: I’m seeing more and more clients rely so heavily on these tools that they start replacing their own original insights with AI-generated content.

That’s a slippery slope. Remember, anything produced by a language learning module (LLM) is pulled from somewhere else online. It might sound polished, but it’s not unique, it's not original, and it certainly doesn’t reflect your hard-earned expertise or perspective. That’s what truly sets you apart from the competition, and it’s exactly what your potential customers are looking for.

Messaging isn't just marketing jargon. It’s the deliberate, strategic way you communicate your unique value to your client across every touchpoint, from your website to your proposals or price sheets, even to talking with your customers on the phone or email or on the job site. It’s made up of several components constantly reinforcing who you are, what you offer, and why someone should choose (and stick with) you over the other guy. 

A Key Selling Point

Your messaging communicates the verbal portion of your company’s DNA (aka brand).

First, your brand promise is the central message that you want your audiences to remember. Through the thick and the thin, the ups and downs of the industry, they can always count on you to deliver the same level of service, quality or whatever makes you uniquely valuable.

If you are a home remodeler, a good brand promise example is, We help clients reinvent their living spaces to complement the next chapter of their lives.

Your brand story is a concise paragraph that weaves together your promise, history, team, values, and unique competitive advantage. It should be clear, compelling, and focused on what truly matters to you and your audience—no fluff, just a meaningful, impactful message.

Your tone of voice is how you make yourself sound to your audience, which is just as important as what you are saying. Should your company adopt a more formal, institutional tone? For example:

Our comprehensive preconstruction phase meticulously integrates feasibility analysis, detailed budgeting, design coordination, and permit facilitation to ensure seamless execution and absolute alignment with client objectives prior to project mobilization.

Or should it be more casual and approachable? 

Before we swing a single hammer, we’ll sit down with you to make a game plan—figuring out the budget, design, timeline, and all the nitty-gritty so there are no surprises and everything runs smooth from the start.

Both voices are appropriate, but you have to know who you're talking to. Get crystal clear on your audience. Are you targeting a procurement manager in an enterprise-level manufacturing company? An architect? A selection committee?

Speak to Your Different Audiences

Consider the people who influence them, too. The homeowner couple. The HOA members. The property developers. Think about what they care about and how they like being talked to. Are they expecting a lot of detailed information or do they just want an overview to feel comfortable about the process?

If your messaging is just transactional, you'll fade into the noise. But if it connects with your prospects and current clients’ goals, their values, or their frustrations, that’s when they remember you. In their mind you become the trusted, authoritative partner, not just another replaceable vendor.

Be Confident

Once you’ve developed strong messaging, you can’t keep it in a binder on your desk. You need to share it with your whole team. That includes your leadership team, your project managers, estimators, salespeople, and even the crew on the job site. 

I’m not saying you need to script them, but they should understand the essence of your messaging and the role they play in delivering a consistent brand experience. This is what strengthens your brand. It creates continuity. It gives your customers, vendors, and partners something they can rely on—even when the economy’s unpredictable or timelines get tight.

Messaging isn’t a slogan. It’s not a paragraph you wrote on your website five years ago. And it certainly isn’t something you want to lean on the latest AI tool to manage. It’s the way your company shows up in the world, day after day, communicating across every channel and interaction. If you can stay true with clear, consistent, and human messaging, you’ll stand out in a sea of generic, AI-generated content.

Listen to podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Soundcloud and see what you think.

Written by Rusty George, with no help from Artificial Intelligence. Well, maybe he used one little app to check his grammar from time to time, 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 build a powerful unique value proposition to get an edge on the competition.