Social media can be like yelling into the Grand Canyon – all you hear is your own voice echoed back. Or maybe it’s like pausing for a moment of silence – except that it’s an awkward “nobody likes me” moment of silence where no one acknowledges what you just said. Or it can be something useful and relationship-building, if a useful, relationship-building strategy is behind your efforts to write posts. For contractors, that looks like this:
Be helpful. Share content that will make your customers lives easier, especially as it relates to your products and services. But be more informational than hard sell. For example, on a mild weather day, post a message with a link to an IAQ report: “Need some fresh air? Open a window! When your home has been closed tightly for summer, your indoor air can get stale. For more info, check this out.”
Celebrate successes. Highlight team members for a job well done or for going above and beyond for a customer. Or congratulate new folks that just came on board or finished their training. Did one of your techs just become a father? Share the news.
Be civic-minded. Talk about your involvement in the community. Have you participated in blood drives, helped with a charitable building project or delivered meals to senior citizens? Encourage others to get involved.
Post job announcements. People like to help others find good work, and these kind of posts get shared. They also show that you’re a growing business.
Plan ahead. September comes every year around this time, right? Be prepared. Plan your seasonal topics in advance so you’ll know what to promote when.
Be patient. Your online community will not grow in a day. Having a post go viral is rare, and not necessarily the goal you want. Focus instead on building relationships with a loyal community. Even if your follower numbers are small, if they’re customers, that counts.