“I’m 40. Social media just isn’t my thing.”
“Why would I need social media? Advertising and cold calls work well enough.”
“It would be such a waste of time. Who cares what their mold guy had for lunch today?”
As someone who works with franchisees and small business owners, I have heard every excuse there is for leaving social media out of the marketing strategy. By far the most popular excuse is “It’s just not for me,” or “I don’t get it.”
I have a hard time with these responses because, well, what’s not to get? Social media:
Puts you in direct content with clients.
Humanizes the voice of your brand.
Provides priceless insight into your buyers’ needs and values.
Helps you establish your expertise and understanding of client needs.
Keeps you in front of customers when they don’t need your services… so they will remember you when they do.
These benefits don’t even include the special features you get with a business page… things like job posting, insights, and reviews.
As if that weren’t enough, social media is free! Participating regularly requires a time investment of maybe ten minutes a day. Why would you not try it?
Just because you’re “too old?”
Or LinkedIn. Instagram. TikTok. Wherever your clients hang out.
Every home services entrepreneur should be using social media, regardless of age. But it’s the older, more experienced professionals—the ones least likely to embrace these platforms—who have the most to say.
If you’re a middle aged restoration professional, think of all the insight you could offer customers on Facebook. You know the checklists they should go through to make sure their property is ready for hurricane season. You can recommend the best plumber in town and share the warning signs of mold. You can offer calming insight in a crisis, share uplifting stories about work you’ve done in the past, and speak openly about what it has meant to you to serve this particular community for all these years.
This type of sharing tells customers:
Advertising can’t do that… not in the same way. You’re not going to waste ad space explaining methods for preventing frozen pipes. A sales call brings a little more humanity into the equation, but you’re still trying to sell something.
Social media, on the other hand, provides an opportunity to set the sales pitch aside and focus on connection. Connection leads to relationships. Relationships turn into leads, sales, repeat business, and referrals.
It’s a long game. But it’s a powerful one. And it’s honestly not as hard as you think.
First, make sure you focus on the right platforms for the clients you want to reach. When you want to increase visibility among potential commercial clients and referral partners, focus on business-centered platforms like LinkedIn. For homeowners, try a more social platform like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
If you have never been on social media before and are not able to pick it up intuitively, get help. I guarantee there is someone in your circle who can take a few minutes to guide you through, whether it’s an employee, a colleague, or a family member.
Once you choose your platform and set up a profile for your business, you’re ready for the question almost everyone struggles with:
Focus on content that is valuable to your audience. Resist the urge to turn every post into a sales pitch. You can make your pitch every now and then—20% is about the right balance—but first you have to demonstrate that you are in this space to be helpful.
You also want to make sure your content is on brand. A low-fat cheesecake recipe would probably be valuable to your audience, but it won’t help them remember you as their friendly neighborhood restoration contractor.
Start by asking that all important question: “Where do their needs and my expertise intersect?”
You might find that intersection through content that informs your clients.
You can also connect with buyers on an emotional level.
You can even draw inspiration from your company values. 911 Restoration is known as “The Fresh Start Company,” because our driving mission is to turn every disaster into a new beginning for the customer. So we focus a lot of our social media content on what it means to #BeTheFreshStart, sharing stories about people all over the world stepping up and using their talents to create a better life for others.
Is it restoration-related? Not usually, no.
Is it on brand? Absolutely.
Cheers,
Idan Shpizear
