Tag: <span>Social Media</span>

Tag: Social Media

How to market your roofing company in a digital world

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By RT3 member Art Unlimited/Kandi Hamble.

We are living in an increasingly digital world. I can still remember life without the internet, and my how things have changed! Art Unlimited has been around longer than the World Wide Web, and now we find ourselves fully immersed in this fascinating, always changing digital space.

It seems like every day there is a new rhythm to learn, and we often see companies fail to thrive when they don’t keep up. This may seem like a scary monster to fight off, but it can be easier than you think to join the circus without going crazy. All you need is a plan. We’re here to help you with that plan!

Step one: Go digital.

Living in a Digital World

First impressions for your brand were once limited to yard signs, vehicle wraps, flyers, and direct mail – also known in the marketing world as ‘traditional marketing.’ However, when the first website launched in 1991, the marketing world began to shift. Having a presence online is no longer optional—it is necessary to thrive and grow.

Here are four areas we will discuss:

  • Internet Presence – having your own website and having company profiles on third-party websites (such as GMB, Yelp, BBB, etc) is an essential way to manage and share your brand.
  • Fresh Content – major search engines, like Google, give priority to websites which are always updating. Paying attention to your SEO and posting regular, quality blogs can assist in keeping your website ahead of the pack.
  • Social Butterfly – choosing 1-2 social platforms to have a strong presence in can give your brand visibility, and give you a leg-up on your competitors.
  • Paid Ads – having digital paid ads geared towards your dream customer can help you grow your brand and change digital interactions to in-person customers.

Benefits of Going Digital

We must continue to learn new things or risk becoming stagnant. A solid marketing strategy is no different. In the movie Tron, Dumont says, “All that is visible must grow beyond itself, and extend into the realm of the invisible.” Adding digital components to your marketing strategy may seem like growing into an invisible world, but they will give you enhanced visibility to potential customers and raise your brand awareness. Greater brand awareness can then bring you more leads while also lowering the cost to gain them.

Extend Your Internet Presence

If you don’t already, having a presence across the internet is a must to thrive in the competitive landscape of hardworking, talented roofers.

  • Your-domain-dot-com – A website with your company name as the domain is like a business office which is always open. Having your contact information, hours, available services, and photos of previous projects can help a person choose you over a different roofer. Adding one of the many AI bots means searchers can even ask questions – whether you’re manning the phones or not!
  • Third-Party Websites – Creating or claiming your company’s profile on websites such as Google my Business, Yelp, and BBB will give your brand an even further reach. Your information should be the same on each site, as well as your own. This will let search engines know you’re trustworthy so they start sharing your information in searches. It allows previous customers to leave reviews for potential customers to form a positive impression of your business before they even pick up the phone.

Creating Fresh Content

Search engine bots are constantly scanning websites to see what new information there is to be consumed by the billions of people entering queries. According to stats compiled by an internet statics company, Google processes over 7-10 billion search queries a day worldwide, and 15% of those queries have never been searched for on Google before. The algorithms used to find content to answer these searches are changing almost every day.

Is it any wonder that a website drops in search ranking when it is not publishing new content regularly? How can you stay on top of keeping your website current and relevant? The good news is you don’t have to make changes every day! Publishing 2-3 blogs each month about topics you are an expert in can go a long way. If you don’t know where to start or are crazy busy, you can hire someone to write and publish blogs for you.

Working on your website’s SEO value a little each month can also help immensely. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) can seem tricky, but let me explain it this way: Search engines are always on the lookout for answers to the questions they receive. SEO is making a website visible to the search engines (by updating relevant pages with the keywords and content people are looking for)…much like introducing friends at a party!

Becoming a Social Butterfly

Being a social butterfly generally means flitting from event to event, interacting with whomever you meet, and being an asset to the lives you are interacting with. Now, owning that strong social presence could include having profiles on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, or Pinterest, to name a few. We have seen how building a brand on social media isn’t often used by roofing contractors.

What does this mean for you? If you build your brand on one or two social platforms (no need to spread yourself thin!) you could have a presence and be an asset to your community in a place where your competitors aren’t focusing – giving you the upper hand and a pool of leads for your company!

Paid Ads

There is a right way and a wrong way to do paid ads. Knowing who your dream customer is and what they are searching for when they need roofing help can help you dial into where to place your ads and how to word them. As they are tooling around the vastness of the internet and seeing your brand in strategic places, they will start thinking of YOU when their roof springs a leak.

Growing your brand and converting digital interactions to in-person customers is a long-term process. Patience is a virtue, even in this digital age. If you want to learn more about how to include digital marketing in your strategy, give us a call today. Art Unlimited has the experience needed to assist roofing contractors across North America to help them create a solid digital presence and surpass their goals.

Stay up to date on the latest roofing industry trends when you sign up for the RT3 Smart Brief e-newsletter. 

Source: Art Unlimited

RT3 member RoofersCoffeeShop® wins at 2019 Folio: Eddie & Ozzie Awards

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RT3 member RoofersCoffeeShop®, the award-winning place where the industry meets for technology, information and everyday business, announced that it is a winner of the 2019 Folio: Eddie Award for Website B2B Building & Construction.  They also received an honorable mention in the B2B Social Media/Online Community category.

As a 2019 winner, RoofersCoffeeShop (RCS) is recognized among the crème de la crème in the publishing industry. This year’s awards saw publishers, editors, content creators and designers competing from across all forms of print and digital publishing.  Winners were narrowed down from more than 2,500 entries. The Coffee Shop has been an industry staple for roofing professionals since 2002.  In 2017, RCS also received an honorable mention for B2B Website/Online Community in the Construction & Manufacturing category.

For more than 25 years, the Eddie & Ozzie Awards have recognized excellence in uncompromising journalism and gorgeous design across all sectors of the publishing industry—and 2019 was no different!  Over 300 magazine and digital media professionals from all over the country gathered in New York City on October 30, 2019 at the Folio: Eddie & Ozzie Awards to celebrate the B2B, consumer and regional brands who competed for the prestigious honor.

“We are incredibly proud,” stated Vickie Sharples, RoofersCoffeeShop Partner.  “We have worked very hard to create strong content and interesting information that helps roofing contractors every day run a better business.  We also think it is critical to celebrate the roofing industry, the professionalism and character of the men and women who make this trade strong.  To be recognized for that by Folio: Eddie & Ozzie Awards is a great honor.”

RCS continues to grow with its addition of the RLW – Read Listen Watch initiative, tri-lingual website, classified expansion into Canada and a full analytics dashboard.  The ongoing coverage of the roofing industry by the RCS team continues to inform, educate and entertain. For more information visit RCS at www.rooferscoffeeshop.com .

About RoofersCoffeeShop.com
As an award-winning website and online community, RoofersCoffeeShop is committed to being a roofing professional advocate by supplying consistent information, education and communication avenues for all roofing professionals, and especially contractors, while promoting the positive growth, education and success of the roofing industry overall. Visitors to the site continue to find excellent opportunities for sharing information while participating in important ongoing conversations concerning new technologies, safety and the overall roofing trade. From the rooftop to the board room, RoofersCoffeeShop.com is “Where the Industry Meets!” For more information, visit www.rooferscoffeeshop.com.

About Folio
Folio: is a multi-channel resource for the magazine and online media industry. Our primary mission is to help media companies generate revenue and increase audience engagement.  For more information, please visit www.FolioMag.com.

How To Manage Your Social Media Marketing

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By Art Unlimited.

Did you know that for 45% of consumers, social media is one of the first channels they go to if they have questions or issues?

This fact alone makes it essential to have a strong social presence and digital marketing strategy (after all, they need to see you’re active and engaged). We’re here to help you through the first steps of launching a successful social presence.

Social Media & Your Website

If you’re starting your social media journey because you want it to drive tons of website traffic and conversions, be patient! Social media is, by definition, social. Badly presented sales content won’t make people like you, especially if they don’t know you yet. It’s wiser to start with a focus on brand awareness, customer relationships, and showing your values.

It’s true that connecting your social channels to your website (and vice-versa) will strengthen your website’s SEO and increase website visits, but a successful social media strategy takes time, effort, and consistent engagement to grow.

Get a Handle on It

When you’re ready to start, even if you’re launching only one social channel at a time, try to claim a good username (handle) on any social media platform you may later want to use. Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, etc., are all good places to have a presence. As your brand or business becomes more popular, people are more likely to snatch up the good names and leave you with a long, messy handle.

Why Social Media?

Social media is not only another way to ‘be found.’ According to PwC, “Social networks are the biggest source of inspiration for consumer purchases, with 37% of consumers finding purchase inspiration through the channel.”

If you’re marketing to a younger audience, it’s worth knowing that social is the most relevant advertising channel for 50% of Gen Z and 42% of millennials.

Channel

The channel, or platform, of social media you use greatly forms the outcome you will receive from your marketing tactics. Places like Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter can allow you to send indirect messages to long-time customers as well as prospective clients.  The key is knowing what your message is! When you’re creating an account and planning out your content (whether for a week, a month, or a quarter), use this as your starting point:

[Social platform] is where {target audience} can find {what content}. 

A rural resort could fill it out this way:

{Instagram} is where {adventure-seeking 25-35-year-olds} can find out {about our fun vibes and local attractions/activities}

This can be the same for more than one channel, or it can be different for each one! As you watch your audience’s engagement rates, you may find the people you’re picturing aren’t the ones loving your content, and that’s okay too. In the world of social media, where a post rarely matters more than 24 hours, it’s vital to be flexible in your game plan.

If you don’t know which channel (or channels) to choose, start with this general guide:

  • Facebook –  97% of social advertisers chose Facebook as their most used and most useful social media platform in 2018, and Facebook is the second favorite platform for consuming videos after YouTube! Have a lot of video content and a slightly older demographic? Start here.
  • LinkedIn – Recognized as the top-rated social network for lead generation, LinkedIn is especially useful for B2B (business-to-business) companies. Why? It’s chock full of decision-makers.
  • Twitter – How many times have you heard Twitter is going out of style or that people don’t really like it? In truth, Twitter is still growing rapidly and becoming increasingly popular as a customer support channel! Twitter is more of a niche platform than some others, so it may be wiser not to favor this channel if you don’t have a schedule which allows you to engage with your followers in the moment.
  • Instagram – This platform is becoming increasingly popular for all ages, but over half their user base is people from ages 18-24! If you’ve got strong visual content (Instagram is all about photos) and a younger demographic, get started now! 80% of Instagram’s users follow at least one business account. Better brush up on your hashtags!
  • Pinterest – This visually pleasing, unique channel is usually the odd one out in a social media line-up, but 90% of weekly active users are utilizing Pinterest to make purchasing decisions. Also, it’s actually the 4th most popular social media platform in the US! They’re still growing, and they recently expanded their advertising options to make them more versatile for marketers. While your average tweet is relevant for about 18 minutes, content on Pinterest can often last 1-3 months!

Post

Your account is set up, you know your ideal audience, and you’re ready to roll! Except, what do you post? In your social media work, it’s important to strike a balance between fun, educational, and more business-oriented content.

Many social media professionals employ the 5.3.2 rule: for every ten posts you create, five should be interesting content from other sources, three should be educational, non-salesy, relevant information for your follower base, and the last two should be fun company-culture posts.

Unless you have a great deal to deliver to a warm audience, an outright sales call is almost never the way to go. Gain your followers’ trust, teach them how your product can solve their problems, and nudge them in the right direction so they’re free to seek you out when they’re ready.

Reach

The number of people who have seen your posts and updates is commonly called the reach of the post. Reach is tied closely to engagement; if people are engaging with your content, the social platform rewards it for being interesting by giving it better reach.

The more people see you on social media, the more people will be drawn back to your website. And even if they don’t convert off the first visit from social, or the second or the third, you’re in the front of their mind. They’re likely to Google your company by name and convert later!

Engagement

Engagement is when someone interacts with your social media account beyond looking and scrolling by. To engage, they click a link, like a post, retweet, swipe through photos, or comment on your posts. People are on social media to be entertained, so make sure your content appeals to them and encourages them to interact.

Schedule

You want to post when the most people are online, or just before they get there so your post is already nestled in the newsfeed. On most platforms, you’ll be able to find these activity metrics somewhere in the platforms own insights. While your social channel is new and hasn’t collected enough data to display these metrics, follow a guide, or in general, plan to post in the afternoon between 12 pm and 5 pm (stick to later times on the weekends).

To maximize the flow of traffic to your social media page, get in touch with Art Unlimited to help give you the right marketing techniques to get ahead of your competitors on the web (and on social media!).

Source: Art Unlimited

Ways to Build a Strong Digital Marketing Strategy

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By Steve Eastlack, Surefire Local.

Ever wonder why so many businesses struggle with their online marketing? If you think you’re one of those companies implementing tactic after tactic but not quite seeing the results you expected, then you’ve come to the right place. The reason many companies fall short of achieving excellent results from their online marketing is because they lack a clear, smart digital marketing plan. That’s it, plain and simple.

In our recent webinar, ‘LIVE Q&A: Building a Winning Digital Marketing Strategy’, we answered some of the common questions business owners have when it comes to planning and establishing their digital marketing strategy. Below are some of the key takeaways from the webinar:

Learn how to diversify.

Running your business on referrals? Consider this as an accomplishment in itself because it speaks to your brand. However, you don’t want to run your business on a single channel. The solution? You need to diversify. Start by investing in Google Advertising. It is the channel where your ad dollars are best spent on, especially in the first stages of your business growth. It’s the only channel where people are proactively searching for you and the services you provide. Once you start, you’ll find it’s easy to use, easy to learn, and easy to see if it makes sense with regards to your business growth and lead generation.

In addition, don’t forget to invest in a comprehensive, mobile-responsive website. Make use of a content strategy, using blogs, videos and other types of content, to lure leads in and turn them to actual customers.

Identify the platforms that will work for your business.

To know which platforms are best for your business, you need to determine your goals, identify your target locations and know your audience. Some of the platforms you can use depending on your objectives are:

  • Websites
  • Local Search
  • Lead Generation
  • Ratings and Reviews
  • Directory Listings
  • Google Ads/Facebook Advertising
  • Content
  • Social Media
  • Rising Trends and Platforms

Note that not everything might work for your business. Be sure to consult your trusted digital marketing expert to identify the right solutions for your marketing efforts.

Reach out for help.

Contrary to what some people might think, creating a foolproof digital marketing strategy isn’t a simple task. Much like a home improvement project, it requires careful planning, in-depth research and active cooperation with a specialist. Assuming you’ve recently hired an expert to help you with your digital marketing, it pays to know you’ve hired the right team for the job. Here are some of the questions you should ask to your digital marketing partner:

  • How am I doing based on the key metrics we’ve established?
  • How many leads am I getting and how is that progressing?
  • Can you show me the processes you implement to make sure I’m meeting my goals?

By this time, you should already be prepared to build a winning digital marketing strategy for your business. You have the knowledge you need, the assets, and a rough structure in mind.

Source: Surefire Local

How to Use Mobile Technology for Your Business in 2019

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By Kate Foster, AccuLynx.

Your smartphone can be used for almost anything these days. From ordering food to getting a lift to the airport, there’s an app for it. So why shouldn’t you be able to run your roofing business from your phone or tablet? Here are some ways roofers can make the most out of mobile technology for their businesses.

Marketing with Social Media

Everyone is on social media nowadays, making it one of your most valuable marketing tools. Social media apps can be accessed from anywhere, making them incredibly convenient.

Say one of the jobs you just completed is top-notch work and you want to share it. Snap a quick picture and post it to your Facebook or Instagram page for all your followers (and potential customers) to see. You can also spread the word for events, special promos or new services using social media.

The bonus to these mobile marketing opportunities is the amount of people who will see them. No longer do you have to send out individual emails or snail mail. Instead you can reach thousands with a single post.

Mobile-Friendly Website

Mobile technology is not just for the company end of your business; it can help make your company more accessible to your customers as well. Have you ever clicked on a website on your phone and only part of it pops up on your screen? In that moment it seems like there is no greater annoyance. Help your customers avoid this nuisance by making your website mobile-friendly.

This will potential customers to see your information in the correct scale, so they will not have to scroll and zoom to find what they were looking for. Making your website compatible with mobile devices means you can make the most of technology because it allows for easier usage and accessibility for your customers.

Access Business Information Instantly

One of the largest benefits of mobile technology is that you can use it from anywhere. You can navigate your company’s website, respond to emails and update social media at any time.

Mobile devices also have access to the cloud, allowing you to carry all of your important documents and information with you wherever you go. You’ll never forget a document back at the office or have to lug around heavy paper work again. Having access from anywhere also helps you answer clients’ questions or show them plans on the jobsite, improving your customer service and leading to a happier, well-informed client.

Having the flexibility to work from anywhere and access your information no matter where you are is a huge benefit to your business.

Mobile technology’s ability to simplify the use of your services, connect directly to social media, and provide access to your documents from anywhere make it a must-have tool for your company.

Source: AccuLynx.

Using social media to market your roofing business

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By Heidi J. Ellsworth.
As roofing professionals, many contractors look at Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ as something from another planet. But contractors are finding that going forward social media will be one of the most important tools in their marketing program.

Upfront, don’t try to conquer all social media at once. There are some trends that are helping contractors decide where to start. It really depends on your type of business. For residential contractors, Facebook continues to grow in popularity. It is a great referral tool, letting your customers speak for you.

There are some great partners already on social media that can help jump start your efforts. One organization for residential contractors that has taken a unique and altruistic approach to social media is No Roof Left Behind (NRLB). This organization was started by Jay and Dena Elie of Ridgecon Construction with the vision that by working to provide help to those in need they would be able to help their business too.

“It is really about everyone winning,” stated Jay Elie, president of No Roof Left Behind. “We wanted to understand social media but we also wanted to help our community. Living in Detroit there is a lot of need. We were able to combine the two and have seen extreme success.”

Now, NRLB has been sharing their success with contractors across the country teaching them how to leverage the promotional value while also helping their local communities. And for the residential roofing contractors, that is the true power of social media, creating buzz and interest in your own community. Facebook continues to drive that success.

For commercial contractors, many have found better opportunities on Linked In. Linked In is a professional, networking website that allows contractors to connect with other businesses, facility managers and property owners. It is a great way to offer educational articles from manufacturers, technology providers and distribution. Showcasing successful and difficult projects along with awards will only verify and build a strong reputation.

The site is also an amazing research tool. Take the time to look through Linked In locally and see who can become a contact. Read the articles that are being posted. Join the same groups that your potential customers are a part of. It is just the type of business intelligence that can make a huge difference for that next commercial bid.

As noted, don’t leap into too many social avenues at first. In all honesty, depending on your business there are several that you may never be involved in. But, one medium that is becoming critical for not only social media success but for website search engine optimization is Google+. Google+ is a social networking site owned and operated by Google, Inc. Google is giving Google+ content a higher ranking than the websites that have similar content. Google+ is indexed immediately for search. So whatever avenue you choose – Facebook or LinkedIn – take a few extra minutes and post your content in Google+ also. It will also help to register your business with Google+ Local in addition to other online directories.

“Google Plus is imperative,” says Vickie Sharples, owner of Roofers Coffee Shop, an online community for roofing professionals. “It is amazing for Search Engine Optimization. Basically, when you post in Google Plus you are hitting the top of Google searches. Creating strong content is the key.”

“You need to do a couple key things every day,” continued Sharples. “A great practice is to get your sales team to take pictures with happy customers, with approval of course, and post it. It makes it personal. If the homeowner is willing to let you post to their Facebook you have instant referrals.”

Sharples, who has seen great success with www.rooferscoffeeshop.com and supporting the site through social media, has gathered some key items that can make a large difference when it comes to social media success.

  • You need interesting content and the best content a contractor can find is in the everyday things their company already does. First, think about the questions people ask when they phone in or write a post on that question. Just as you answered a question to your caller you are answering a question for your social friends.
  • Among the most interesting things are photos and the king of all content is video. You don’t have to be Steven Spielberg and please don’t make it long, but almost anyone can shoot a video with today’s technology. Send your employees to work with a camera.
  • Use a photo or video to show how you put paper under your truck to prevent oil leaking on a client’s driveway. Show how you care about your client’s safety by putting cones behind your trucks. Show a unique item from a roof that your team worked on and what is causing leaks. This is your chance to talk about your company values through photos.
  • Remember that people don’t want to hear from “You” on how great your business is, they want to hear from past customers. They want to hear from others that your company offers high quality that it stands behind. Post testimonials and encourage happy customers to give the company a nice review and then share it.

These are all good content ideas that you generate every day without realizing it. Interactive content to spur active responses is key but it is also important to let current and past customers know you are on social media. As they “Like” your company, word spreads that, in turn, not only makes the telephone ring but increases your social media presence.

Social media is all about sharing what you already are doing well. Traditional marketing can be very expensive. Social media offers the opportunity to send a message out to the public in a new way that is currently highly regarded. Social media marketing brings them to you and all it costs is a little time.

Photo by Freestock.org on Unsplash.

Roofing and Social Media Success

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By Heidi J. Ellsworth

So, what is the big deal about social media anyway?

As roofing professionals, many contractors look at Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ as something from another planet.  But contractors are finding that going forward social media will be one of the most important tools in their marketing program.

Upfront, don’t try to conquer all social media at once.  There are some trends that are helping contractors decide where to start.  It really depends on your type of business.  For residential contractors, Facebook continues to grow in popularity.  It is a great referral tool, letting your customers speak for you.

There are some great partners already on social media that can help jump-start your efforts.  One organization for residential contractors that has taken a unique and altruistic approach to social media is No Roof Left Behind (NRLB).  This organization was started by Jay and Dena Elie of Ridgecon Construction with the vision that by working to provide help to those in need they would be able to help their business too.

“It is really about everyone winning,” stated Jay Elie, president of No Roof Left Behind.  “We wanted to understand social media but we also wanted to help our community.  Living in Detroit there is a lot of need.  We were able to combine the two and have seen extreme success.”

Now, NRLB has been sharing their success with contractors across the country teaching them how to leverage the promotional value while also helping their local communities.  And for the residential roofing contractors, that is the true power of social media, creating buzz and interest in your own community.  Facebook continues to drive that success.

For commercial contractors, many have found better opportunities on LinkedIn.  LinkedIn is a professional, networking website that allows contractors to connect with other businesses, facility managers, and property owners.  It is a great way to offer educational articles from manufacturers, technology providers and distribution.  Showcasing successful and difficult projects along with awards will only verify and build a strong reputation.

The site is also an amazing research tool.  Take the time to look through LinkedIn locally and see who can become a contact.  Read the articles that are being posted.  Join the same groups that your potential customers are a part of.  It is just the type of business intelligence that can make a huge difference for that next commercial bid.

As noted, don’t leap into too many social avenues at first.  In all honesty, depending on your business there are several that you may never be involved in.  But, one medium that is becoming critical for not only social media success but for website search engine optimization is Google+.   Google+ is a social networking site owned and operated by Google, Inc.  Google is giving Google+ content a higher ranking than the websites that have similar content.  Google+ is indexed immediately for search.  So whatever avenue you choose –  Facebook or LinkedIn –  take a few extra minutes and post your content in Google+ also.  It will also help to register your business with Google+ Local in addition to other online directories.

“Google Plus is imperative,” says Vickie Sharples, owner of Roofers Coffee Shop, an online community for roofing professionals. “It is amazing for Search Engine Optimization.  Basically, when you post in Google Plus you are hitting the top of Google searches.  Creating strong content is the key.”

“You need to do a couple key things every day,” continued Sharples.  “A great practice is to get your sales team to take pictures with happy customers, with approval of course, and post it.  It makes it personal.  If the homeowner is willing to let you post to their Facebook you have instant referrals.”

Sharples, who has seen great success with www.rooferscoffeeshop.com and supporting the site through social media, has gathered some key items that can make a large difference when it comes to social media success.

  • You need interesting content and the best content a contractor can find is in the everyday things their company already does. First, think about the questions people ask when they phone in or write a post on that question.  Just as you answered a question to your caller you are answering a question for your social friends.
  • Among the most interesting things are photos and the king of all content is video.  You don’t have to be Steven Spielberg and please don’t make it long, but almost anyone can shoot a video with today’s technology.  Send your employees to work with a camera.
  • Use a photo or video to show how you put paper under your truck to prevent oil leaking on a client’s driveway.  Show how you care about your client’s safety by putting cones behind your trucks. Show a unique item from a roof that your team worked on and what is causing leaks.  This is your chance to talk about your company values through photos.
  • Remember that people don’t want to hear from “You” on how great your business is, they want to hear from past customers. They want to hear from others that your company offers high quality that it stands behind.  Post testimonials and encourage happy customers to give the company a nice review and then share it.

 

These are all good content ideas that you generate every day without realizing it.  Interactive content to spur active responses is key but it is also important to let current and past customers know you are on social media.  As they “Like” your company, word spreads that, in turn, not only makes the telephone ring but increases your social media presence.

Social media is all about sharing what you already are doing well.  Traditional marketing can be very expensive.  Social media offers the opportunity to send a message out to the public in a new way that is currently highly regarded.  Social media marketing brings them to you and all it costs is a little time.

4 Tips to Increase Engagement on Facebook

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Getting engagement on Facebook can be a challenge for contractors.

Oftentimes when it comes to home projects, people aren’t proactive. They’re reactive, meaning that they think about protecting their gutters, repairing their roofs, replacing their siding or windows only after a disaster has occurred. It’s not always top of mind.  People tend to use Facebook more for checking in with their family and friends, and less so searching for a local home pro.

Having said that, it doesn’t mean getting engagement and building a following of loyal evangelists on social media is impossible. There are a few tricks available to home services contractors that are effective.

1) Share educational content. Sharing 1/3 company-related content and 2/3 engaging content strikes a good balance. At Surefire Local, we encourage all of our clients to always share educational content. You want viewers to come away with learning something no matter what you share. If your business publishes great blog content and on a consistent basis, you can create custom images with key takeaways, tips, quotes, etc. from that content which you can post along with a link to the individual blog post.

2) Share photos and videos. Whenever possible, learn towards sharing photos or videos over text updates. We’ve seen video perform the best of the four types of posts you can share (link, text, photo, video). For home services contractors, a great source of video content that is easy to produce (using only a smartphone) is completed projects. Showcasing your previous work is the best way to convince someone who’s on the fence about your company to trust you. Similarly, you can turn multiple photos from the same project or a few projects of the same job into a slideshow movie and add a fun jingle.

3) Look at Facebook Insights. I highly recommend looking at Facebook Insights on your business page’s settings. Here you’ll find the exact times when your audience is most active. Each audience is unique. While you may hear 3 PM Eastern on Wednesdays is the best time to share content on Facebook if your audience is most active at 8 PM Eastern, why not schedule your posts to publish then and increase your chances of having your content viewed organically in the newsfeed?

4) Utilize Facebook Advertising with specific targeting. My final tip would be to utilize Facebook Ads. You can see great results on a relatively small budget too. We have many clients spending $300 a month on promoting their content with great success. You’re able to target people specifically within your service radius by zip code and people with specific characteristics such as being interested in home improvement, own a home, home value, income, etc.) The more targeted you can be with your audience and ad copy, the better results you’ll see.

If you would like to see more engagement and take your social media presence one step further, I recommend downloading this eBook: Making Social Media Work for Your Local Business (it’s free!)

This article first appeared on Surefire Local’s blog and the full post can be viewed here.

Marketing Technology Tools for Contractors – Part 2

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By Heidi J. Ellsworth, HJE Consulting.

For residential and commercial roofing contractors, there is an ongoing need to not only attract customers but to sustain them over long periods of time.  Marketing automation provides contractors with a way to nurture leads and customer to ensure their business stays top of mind.

There are multiple buzzwords in the marketing world and currently one of the biggest is Marketing Automation.  The question many are asking is “What is it?”  Marketing Automation Times, http://marketingautomationtimes.com, an online publication states that marketing automation is a subset of customer relationship management (CRM) that focuses on the definition, scheduling, segmentation and tracking of marketing campaigns. The use of marketing automation makes processes that would otherwise have been performed manually much more efficient and makes new processes possible.

That definition is just the tip of the iceberg.  Yes, it is about automating processes such as email, blog, and web tracking but it is also about building relationships with customers and potential customers that change the dynamic from chasing leads to attracting leads.

For residential and commercial roofing contractors, there is an ongoing need to not only attract customers but to sustain them over long periods of time.  Whether it is homeowners or building owners, they need to be nurtured to stay top of mind when customers have roofing needs or referral opportunities.  A strong, up-to-date list of customers maintained through software automation is critical.  Contact information including emails that are sitting in filing cabinets and not in an up-to-date CRM are useless.

Once a CRM program is in place and information, past and present has been loaded it is time to begin thinking about marketing automation.  What needs to be communicated to customers?  What are the profiles of customers, i.e. residential, exteriors, commercial?  If both residential and commercial services are provided by the roofing company it is important to segment the customers.  For example, a commercial-oriented newsletter needs to go to building owners and will most likely be wasted on a homeowner.  It could even be labeled spam by that homeowner, hurting communication efforts.  In reviewing the communications plan, it becomes increasingly important to make sure the company is sharing information the customer cares about.

 

Social Media

The groundwork is crucial before starting any marketing automation project.  One popular tool for communications is social media.  Different social media works best for specific audiences.  Facebook has a stronger following amongst homeowners while LinkedIn is preferred by business.  Remembering that a building owner most likely is also a homeowner creates dual opportunities for exposure at both the home and business.

There are cloud-based software systems available such as Hootsuite where all social media can be controlled from one dashboard.  This type of automation is being used by businesses, non-profits and large enterprises to manage messaging and timing.  Time management is important when managing social media.  With one dashboard, multiple social mediums can receive company messaging, cutting down on the time that it would take to update each medium separately.

 

Marketing Automation Software

Online companies such as HubSpot, Marketo or Act-On are just a few of the companies that offer a full software solution for tracking activity on websites, sending emails and linking it all with social media.  In looking at this type of technology, be sure the company is ready for new processes and increased lead generation.  There is a learning curve to connect the CRM to the marketing automation system and understand how to correlate the content that is being sent out through email, social media or web to sales efforts.  Leads will increase with this type of marketing so it is important to put time and resources in place to handle the return.

There are agencies who offer marketing automation services.  Again, make time to vet their services and ensure they understand the roofing business.  Often marketing organizations outside of the construction industry do not understand the difference in marketing between homeowners and building owners, residential or commercial.  In talking to other contractors, associations or vendors, contractors can get recommendations for good service providers that have delivered results for other companies.

Marketing automation is a strong software tool to communicate with customers electronically.  But, it is just one part of building good relationships through sales and marketing.  Some companies have allowed technology to swing the pendulum too far away from personal relationships.  Marketing electronically is about staying top of mind but it is only a small part of building strong relationships of trust with customers.  Combining electronic communication with person-to-person communications can create exceptional customer satisfaction, referrals and highly sustainable business for roofing companies.  Using marketing automation as one of the tools in a marketing program and linking it to the overall goals and strategies is the winning combination.

 

Customer Portals

For current customers, it is important to continually delight them by creating exceptional customer experiences.  Leading contractors are using CRM programs that offer customer portals where they share data, photos, job progress, inspections and invoices with customers at their convenience.  This type of CRM can be used for initial customer contact and sales along with the ability to track customers over time while storing all projects and related data.

Customer portals create an excellent user experience for customers.  Innovative, web-based software systems are utilizing relational database programs to efficiently help contractors manage everything from project data, work order/invoicing processes and most importantly customer communication and document storage.

Many facility managers are asking for this type of communication.  It offers a 24/7 ability to see what is happening with service, maintenance, and reroofing projects.  Maintenance portals play a significant role for facility managers, allowing them to see exactly what is happening on their roofs.  Understanding that very few managers will have the opportunity to walk all their roofs, portals provide a view of the roof that inspires confidence through ongoing communications, documentation and visual review.  Data storage and the ability to upload unlimited photos or video to the portal is essential in providing real-time documentation for customers.

Portals are also used for more than review.  Facility managers can report a service request through the portal and track the status of the work.  Email alerts can be used to help to keep all parties aware of updates or repair requirements.  As noted earlier, the future is in the speed of delivery using mobile solutions.  Mobile devices on the roof provide expedited communication, the ability to send succinct inspection reports and easy service reporting when linked with the right CRM.

By utilizing custom inspection checklists, roof service teams can quickly communicate roof issues or concerns along with the progress of the repairs.  Custom inspection reports include photos from the roof that correlate with early imagery or even satellite imagery to create a visual timeline for the facility manager.  All of this is shared through the online portal providing an easy way to distribute information to management, purchasing agents or building supervisors.  It creates an ongoing customer experience that leads to referrals and long-term relationships.

There is a strong opportunity for residential contractors to offer the same portals to homeowners.  By making home repair information available 24/7 to homeowners they can be active with the contractor and their home improvements.  Implementing technology that retains all data on a property over time provides an excellent means of retaining homeowner business with ongoing repairs, yearly inspections and potential upgrades.

 

Take the Time

The most important part of incorporating any technology is to take the time to evaluate.  Talk to other contractors through roofing associations or networks and see what has worked for them.  Look at online reviews and utilize free trials to try out and understand the technology.  There is a large commitment in time whenever there is a change or adoption of new technology, so be sure it matches the goals of the company.

Also, be aware that many types of software adoption will have a cultural effect on the company.  Processes will need to be updated, personnel trained and data uploaded.  It is not easy to change software, so create a relationship with the software provider upfront, and develop a high degree of comfort and confidence when initiating the new technology and processes with employees.

It is worth the time to find the right systems to not only grow your company but improve productivity and profitability.