“So what is it that you do?”
This question is what many of your website or social page visitors ask themselves when they scroll through your sites. They don’t understand what services you provide because you use confusing industry language instead of simple explanations with complimentary pictures.
As Shawn Van Dyke says (in the TikTok below), “a good contractor does what they say they’re gonna do AND has the evidence to show you what they did.”
With pictures you can capture what your company does, catalog all of the unique projects, and most importantly, you can show the impact that your work has on your customers.
In this post, my goal is narrow down five types of photos that you can use as a contractor to better communicate with your potential or existing customers.
Here are the five different types of images:
1. Signs of Failure
For contractors that focus on repairing damaged homes or buildings, there are never enough photos of the spaces you are walking into that are damaged. This documentation clarifies the problems you can solve for your potential customers.
So whether you are restoring a roof battered by a recent hail storm or walking into a bathroom remodel, there should be proper photo documentation.
2. The Process
Before starting my career, I spent much time with my father, a carpenter. I grew up watching houses go from simple framing to family homes. There was something magical about watching the construction of those homes.
For experienced contractors, it might not seem as magical anymore. Because of this, they often arrive at job sites, do the work, and leave. When the job finishes, there isn’t any documentation of the process.
I get it! But remember that we can capture this process through photos, and it tells your audience a story of how you build.
So whether your client is a homeowner, business, or government municipality, having photos of the entire process develops trust and credibility that shows you stand behind your work.
3. Your People
Have you ever been asked what separates your company from others like your own? You likely market your top-notch services, but this alone will not separate you in a meaningful way from your competitors.
So what does separate you from the other guys? Your employees and the work they do.
When people deliver a remarkable experience, those customers reciprocate by sharing their experience with friends and family. If you are or strive to be a market leader, you should put these extraordinary employees on display.
Also, what’s better than posting photos of your employees instead of relying on stock photography? Do any of these contractors look like one of your own?
4. Craftsmanship
Have you ever heard the story about Steve Jobs’ father? He was a mechanic but a builder at heart.
His father taught him about the importance of detail. This focus on detail was apparent in many of Steve’s products, and he went as far as sanding the inside of early Apple computers. This attention to detail would be unseen to most future Apple computer owners.
What does that say about his and his team’s pride and craftsmanship in their work?
Now, what does craftsmanship look like at your company? Is it a stone finish on the interior of the home? Is it a home transformation? Or could it be as simple as returning landscaping to a better state than when you arrived?
Document this, please. It will put your pride in your work on display and separate you from your competition.
5. The After
The after picture is an obvious one. But here are a few reminders when shooting them:
- Make sure that your shot is in the best condition without any tools or equipment lying around. Nothing distracts from that finished job than the smashed Red Bull can on the ground.
- Since you’ve followed the steps above, you’ll have plenty of progress photos from the job. Use those images as a reference and then get matching after shots. Or use the CompanyCam Before/After feature.
- After capturing the before and after pictures of the completed jobs, inform others in your company. Trust me, they will be pumped to have these images.
Now what? Execute on all five of the photo types above!
We all need to remember WHY these images are essential to telling our company’s story: Without these photos, we become just another contractor in a busy marketplace.
Use the power of photography and the camera in your pocket to win and retain loyal customers.
