Growing Your Slice: Market Share Tactics CEOs Applaud
The Second Critical Challenge CEOs Want Solved
In our previous article, "Revenue First: Marketing Strategies CEOs Actually Value," we explored how forward-thinking companies are transforming their marketing departments into revenue engines. Now we turn to the second most pressing challenge CEOs want marketing to address: market share expansion.
45% of CEOs rank market share growth among their top marketing priorities, and with good reason. While revenue growth can come from price increases or selling more to existing customers, expanding market share represents sustainable, competitive growth that positions companies for long-term success.
However, many marketing departments focus too narrowly on lead volume metrics without addressing the fundamental strategies that drive genuine market share gains. In today's competitive landscape, simply generating more leads isn't enough, you need strategic approaches that capture a larger percentage of the available market while delivering better quality opportunities.
Let's explore the proven tactics that building products companies are using to expand their market share in meaningful, measurable ways.
Beyond Lead Generation: Strategic Approaches to Market Share Expansion
1. Identify and Target Underserved Market Segments
The most direct path to market share growth often lies in identifying segments where competitors are underperforming or neglecting customer needs altogether.
Strategic Implementation:
Conduct comprehensive market research to identify underserved or emerging segments
Analyze competitor positioning to find gaps in product offerings or messaging
Develop segment-specific value propositions that address unmet needs
Create specialized marketing campaigns targeting these segments with tailored messaging
Consider product modifications or line extensions to better serve these audiences
Real-World Impact: A manufacturer of commercial flooring products identified restoration contractors as an underserved segment with specific needs distinct from new construction. By developing specialized products and marketing materials for this segment, they captured 23% market share in this niche within 18 months, a segment previously dominated by just two competitors. (Source: Construction Marketing Association, "Specialty Segment Marketing Study," 2023)
2. Expand Your Geographical Footprint
Many building products companies have significant market share in their home regions but limited presence in other geographical areas, representing a major opportunity for expansion.
Strategic Implementation:
Analyze market potential and competitive landscape in target expansion regions
Develop market entry strategies appropriate for each region's unique characteristics
Build distribution networks through strategic partnerships or direct expansion
Create region-specific marketing campaigns that address local preferences and regulations
Implement local search optimization and geotargeted digital marketing tactics
Real-World Impact: A regional siding manufacturer expanded from their three-state home territory into seven additional markets by implementing geo-specific marketing campaigns and targeted distributor partnerships. In two years, they grew from 2% to 12% market share across these new territories while maintaining their 28% share in original markets. (Source: Home Innovation Research Labs, "Building Products Distribution Patterns," 2022)
3. Leverage Digital Transformation to Capture Share from Traditional Players
Building products companies that embrace digital transformation often capture market share from slower-moving traditional competitors, particularly when targeting younger contractors and homeowners.
Strategic Implementation:
Develop robust digital platforms that simplify specification, ordering, and project management
Create visualization tools and configurators that help customers envision finished projects
Implement e-commerce capabilities with appropriate channel protections
Build comprehensive content marketing programs addressing the entire customer journey
Utilize marketing automation to nurture prospects with personalized, relevant content
Real-World Impact: When a traditional window manufacturer implemented an end-to-end digital experience: including visualization tools, easy specification processes, and contractor-friendly mobile apps, they saw a 17% increase in market share over 24 months, primarily taking business from competitors who maintained traditional sales and marketing approaches. (Source: Forrester Research, "Digital Transformation in Building Products," 2023)
4. Create Channel Partner Advantage Programs
For building products companies relying on distribution channels, market share growth often depends on securing preferred status with dealers, contractors, and distributors.
Strategic Implementation:
Develop comprehensive partner programs with meaningful benefits beyond volume discounts
Provide exclusive marketing support and lead generation services to preferred partners
Create certification programs that help partners differentiate their businesses
Offer business development resources, such as estimating tools and project management software
Implement joint marketing initiatives that benefit both manufacturer and channel partners
Real-World Impact: A major insulation manufacturer implemented a tiered contractor certification program with enhanced marketing support, lead generation, and business tools. Certified contractors increased their share of local markets by an average of 31% within one year, directly expanding the manufacturer's market share by 7.6% nationally. (Source: Harvard Business Review, "Channel Partner Programs: Construction Industry Case Study," 2022)
5. Invest in Brand Differentiation Based on Customer Pain Points
Generic product messaging rarely drives market share growth. Companies that differentiate based on solving specific customer pain points consistently capture share from competitors with feature-focused marketing.
Strategic Implementation:
Conduct extensive voice-of-customer research to identify primary pain points with existing solutions
Develop messaging highlighting your unique approach to solving these challenges
Create comparative marketing that directly addresses competitor weaknesses (within legal boundaries)
Build case studies and testimonials focused on problem resolution, not just product attributes
Train sales teams and channel partners to sell based on pain point resolution
Real-World Impact: After researching contractor pain points with traditional roofing materials, one manufacturer repositioned their marketing around installation speed and reduced callbacks. This pain point-focused approach helped them grow market share by 14% in the commercial roofing segment within 18 months. (Source: Architectural Products Magazine, "Market Share Study: Commercial Roofing," 2023)
Quality Over Quantity: Optimizing Lead Generation for Market Share Growth
While strategic initiatives drive market share expansion, lead generation remains important, but the focus must shift from volume to quality and conversion potential.
Implementing Lead Quality Prioritization
Market share growth depends not just on generating more leads, but on attracting the right leads with higher conversion potential and lifetime value.
Strategic Implementation:
Define your ideal customer profile based on analysis of your most profitable existing customers
Develop lead scoring models that prioritize prospects matching these characteristics
Create content and campaigns specifically designed to attract high-value prospects
Implement progressive profiling to gather more qualification data over time
Establish clear MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead) definitions agreed upon by sales and marketing
Real-World Impact: A manufacturer of premium kitchen fixtures implemented lead scoring and ideal customer targeting, reducing their overall lead volume by 22% while increasing market share by 8.3%. Their conversion rates doubled because they focused marketing resources on attracting better-qualified prospects within their target segments. (Source: McKinsey & Company, "Lead Quality Over Quantity," 2023)
Measuring Market Share Growth: Beyond Traditional Metrics
Tracking market share growth requires more sophisticated measurement than simply counting leads or tracking revenue. Leading building products companies use these metrics to measure their market position:
Penetration Rate: Percentage of available distribution points (dealers, contractors, etc.) carrying your products
Share of Voice: Your brand's visibility in the market compared to competitors across media channels
Specification Rate: How often your products are specified in architectural plans (for relevant categories)
Wallet Share: Percentage of each customer's category purchases devoted to your products
Market Share Index: Combined metric tracking your share across different segments and geographies
Using Competitive Intelligence to Track Share
Accurate market share measurement requires understanding the competitive landscape and tracking changes over time.
Strategic Implementation:
Implement regular competitive analysis to track competitor movements and market dynamics
Subscribe to industry research reports that provide market share data for your category
Conduct regular channel partner surveys to gather intelligence on competitor activities
Use digital tools to monitor online share of voice across search engines and social platforms
Analyze win/loss data from sales to identify patterns and market share opportunities
Real-World Impact: One building products manufacturer implemented a quarterly competitive intelligence program that helped identify an emerging competitor gaining share through innovative installation methods. By quickly developing a competitive response, they prevented a potential 12% market share loss and instead grew their share by 4% the following year. (Source: Gartner, "Competitive Intelligence in Building Products," 2022)
The Market Share Growth Roadmap: From Strategy to Implementation
Expanding market share requires a coordinated approach across your organization. Here's how to get started:
Conduct an Honest Market Assessment: Analyze your current position, competitive landscape, and growth opportunities
Identify Your Highest-Potential Segments: Determine where you have the greatest opportunity to capture share
Align Marketing Strategies with Market Opportunities: Select the right approaches for your specific situation
Implement Lead Quality Initiatives: Shift from volume-based lead generation to quality-focused acquisition
Establish Clear Metrics: Define how you'll measure market share growth across segments and channels
Conclusion: The Market Share Imperative
As building products CEOs increasingly demand that marketing deliver measurable business results, market share growth has become a critical priority. By implementing the strategies outlined in this article, forward-thinking companies are capturing larger portions of their target markets while generating higher-quality leads that convert at better rates.
The companies winning in today's competitive marketplace understand that market share growth isn't simply about generating more leads, it's about strategic approaches that capture a greater percentage of the available market while focusing on the highest-value opportunities.
This article is the second in our series expanding on "Marketing Solutions That Drive Growth: What CEOs Really Want." In our next installment, we'll explore the third key challenge: developing competitive advantage through marketing.