Businesses have long had social media presence, for sure. Restaurants with drool-worthy photos of food, sports teams giving you slice-of-life profiles of your favorite players, stores running flash sales and specials — have dominated the social media game. Bringing up the rear, with a few exceptions, are the small business and labor-focused contractors.
In this article, we’ll explore why it’s essential for contractors to build a strong social media presence in order to showcase their work, build trust with customers, and, ultimately, grow their business!
Why Contractors Shouldn’t Ignore Social Media
It’s completely understandable — you’re pressed for time, you don’t really like social media (why is it anyone’s business what you had for lunch?) and it doesn’t really matter as long as you do a good job with your customers. Right?
I respectfully disagree. Your business is no beautiful plate of spaghetti, but it’s drool-worthy, too. There are customers out there waiting to see how great your work is and pay you for it. You just have to show them.
Try this quick test: Open a new window and do a Google search for your company. Odds are your website will be the first listing (and if it’s not, invest in an SEO strategy—it should be at the top of the page!). But odds are also that, somewhere on that list of results on the first page, is your company’s Facebook profile. If you don’t have Facebook, try a search for a competitor who does.
Your website is, of course, the most valuable piece of digital real estate your company has. You need a good, functioning, mobile-friendly website. But your social media presence is just behind that in terms of necessary tools. Why?
The Value of Social Media
Your website is all about information. You can have some voice on it, for sure, but its goal is primarily to give your customers, existing and potential, all the information they need to set up a time to meet you.
As a contractor, your position is a little different than many businesses, in that the work you do tends to be more of an interactive process with the customer, rather than a single impersonal transaction. Your customer will want to experience a different level of trust with you than they do with a supermarket.
It boils down a lot more to the customer buying YOU, not just the thing you sell or the service you perform. So how do they get to know YOU? Social media.
Your social presence is the perfect way to give people a taste of who you are in addition to what you do. You can have a lot more fun with social media than you can on a website. While some posts can and should be service-centered, you have a lot more flexibility in what you publish in social media.
Get Creative on Social Media with CompanyCam
We’d be remiss if we didn’t suggest a few ways CompanyCam has been a super helpful tool for White Castle Roofing on social media. Here are a few ways White Castle Roofing is getting creative on social media using CompanyCam:
1. Annotation & Photo Markup
White Castle Roofing utilizes CompanyCam’s Annotation & Photo Markup feature to markup a photo on their Instagram post. This feature allows them to highlight their expertise and roofing services. By marking up photos directly in their posts, they’re not just showing off their projects — they transformed a normal photo into an education post on roof health.
2. Before & After Photos
White Castle Roofing also took advantage of CompanyCam’s Before & After Photo feature to create a #TransformationTuesday post. This feature simplifies the creation process by allowing contractors to easily take the photo, select their preferred layout for the image, and download the composite photo. The result is a perfect #TransformationTuesday post that highlights their work effectively.
3. Behind-the-Scenes Photos
Using CompanyCam to take photos of the people in your company is always a great thing. Your business is made up of the amazing individuals you hire, and social media is your opportunity to turn your boring business into a group of people your customers can relate to.
When your customers can get to know the people they’re considering contracting, that hiring decision becomes a lot more personal. Take your customers behind-the-scenes by showing your employees, especially having fun and enjoying their work, is a perfect use of social media — and again, you’re already taking those photos, so you might as well showcase it on social media!
4. Contests & Giveaways
Along those lines, rolling out something like White Castle Roofing’s Grand Giveaway on social media can turn standard customer interactions into genuine community connections. Your business isn’t just about providing services; it’s built on a foundation of hardworking individuals who genuinely appreciate their customers. Using social media to spotlight your giveaway not only showcases your gratitude but also brings a personal touch to your brand.
These are just a few ideas — but find what works best for your business, chart it out on a calendar (there are lots of apps that make scheduling posts a breeze), and have some fun letting your personality shine!
Addressing Feedback on Social Media
Most customer interactions still happen over the phone, but increasingly, people prefer more detached methods like emails or online requests due to convenience. Similarly, word-of-mouth referrals are becoming online reviews (and we’ll cover that more in just a minute). People often avoid direct confrontations, opting to express issues through social media instead.
You might wonder why you’d want more complaints. Well, addressing these effectively can transform negative feedback into positive outcomes. Disney Institute’s Chris Blackmore suggests turning a “pow” moment into a “wow” moment.
When issues arise or expectations aren’t met — whether genuinely or perceived — the customer will likely discuss it online, especially with an active social media presence. This gives you a chance to address concerns directly, requiring an active and responsive social media strategy.
On the upside, happy customers often tag businesses in positive social media posts, offering free publicity. An engaging social media page can thus expose your business to a wider audience when customers share their positive experiences. Don’t miss out on leveraging these moments!
Leveraging Online Reviews
For most businesses — and especially contractors—customer reviews are the gold standard. We’re all after them. Businesses have been established to help you get them. And social media offers an easy, highly visible place for you to be reviewed.
Reviews lend a lot of credibility to a business, and Facebook reviews are super easy to do. Most people have an account, and while it might not be a deal-breaker if you don’t have any Facebook reviews, it will sure add credibility to your business if you have some good ones.
But here’s the thing — no one is going to leave a Facebook review on a neglected page. Giving people a place to leave the review — and thanking them for it — is incredibly important. Maintaining your social media page regularly will prompt people to leave you a great review, and open the door for future interaction, too.
Regular visitors to your page are going to be more likely to leave you a review, so your first job is to give them a reason to click on your page. You can only do that if you’re posting content regularly! Additionally, you can use these reviews as material for social posts, highlighting customer satisfaction and showcasing real feedback to attract new clients and build trust.
Maintaining Your Social Media Presence
Hopefully, you are convinced now that your social media profile isn’t just an extra task to get to when you have time — it’s an important tool that is paramount to your success in an ever-digitizing world. Maintaining a presence online doesn’t have to be rocket science, especially if you’re using CompanyCam already.
Social Media Maintenance Checklist
- Daily: Check your inbox, and make sure you’ve responded to anyone who contacts you.
- Weekly: Set aside an hour to create and schedule 2 – 3 social media posts. Use CompanyCam to help you. Aim for at least one post that shows your work and at least one that shows your people. Tip: Use a scheduling tool so you can get them ready all at once!
- Monthly: If you haven’t already, thank anyone who has reviewed you on social media.
A vibrant, active social media page increases your brand’s exposure and allows you to reach a broader audience. It provides a platform where you can showcase your work, share testimonials, and celebrate your achievements with a community that grows with every post and interaction.
Take the plunge. Make it Facebook official. Your business will thank you. When you make your social presence official, you unlock a host of opportunities to connect with your audience in a more personal way.
