Roofing Contractors and Social Media

April 5, 2012 - PRLog -- The Internet and the rise of social media have changed the way roofing contractors market themselves to their consumers. Even smaller roofing contractors can use the new tools provided by the World Wide Web to attract new customers and form lucrative connections with customers in their city. The social media site, Facebook, provides a number of ways through which roofing contractors can generate new leads as well as expand their online presence.

When approaching Facebook to generate new leads for your roofing business, it’s important to keep in mind how the average person uses the social media site. Realistically speaking, a normal customer is not going to become Facebook friends with a local roofer, but they will be inclined to research a contractor online before calling one for service. It’s becoming increasingly common for people to research a business like a roofer beforehand, and creating a Facebook page keeps you in control of their first impression of your business.

Your Facebook page can also be a valuable resource for customers to post positive experiences they’ve had with your business. Unlike websites like Yelp or Google Reviews, which also allow customers to post comments and feedback, a Facebook page remains completely within your control. A negative review on Yelp or Google Reviews will remain posted on their site indefinitely, only allowing a business to post a reply. On Facebook, you remain in complete control of all posts made to your page. This means that positive feedback can be brought to the front of your page, allowing new customers to gather an impression of your business. With respect to negative feedback, maintaining control of this content allows you to handle it as you see fit. If a customer’s grievance seems legitimate, you now have the ability to directly communicate back to them and find out what you can do to change their impression of your business. You also have the option of simply not allowing negative reviews to be posted in the first place.

A Facebook page can also allow you to connect with other contractors in the area that could potentially refer new customers to you. Facebook can be used as an icebreaker of sorts to network with other business owners and create partnerships. For example, your Facebook page could become friends with other contractors in the area (carpenters, electricians, etc.). http://www.roofingcontractormarketing.com uses this strategy to expand it's connections with other contractors as well.  Having friendly relationships with other contractors is key to obtaining new leads, and Facebook is a good first step in creating these business relationships.

The other advantage of using Facebook in this way is that it allows you to expand both your web presence and your outreach in the local community. As more contractors and municipalities are using Facebook to post news and information, becoming friends with these Facebook pages allows you to create a stronger presence both on the web and in your community. Making your business one that appears involved with events and happenings in your community is a great way to increase your brand’s name recognition and come across as a business that is connected with the community at large.

Finally, Facebook can be used for more than just a generic business page. It can also be used as a way to promote a positive and friendly image to your customers. Facebook allows users to post items like blog posts and Youtube videos onto your main page. Consider using these tools to create a better image in your community. Why not have a blog where your staff can post funny and interesting stories from on the job? Maybe produce a short video where we can get to know all the members of your staff. These and other simple online marketing tools can help put your customers at ease about doing business with you before you even talk with them, and that is something you can’t measure in dollars.

When an average person thinks about having to call a roofer or any sort of contractor, they will worry about a number of things. Will this be more expensive than I realized? Will they find something else wrong that I’ll need to have repaired? Can I trust this company to charge me fairly? Promoting a positive and friendly business image can go a long way towards alleviating these concerns. After all, there’s a reason people find a car mechanic they like and keep using them. Customers enjoy feeling like they’re more than just the next item on the to-do list, but someone who is being treated honestly and fairly. Use Facebook to show potential customers that your business is a friendly and personable one.

By using a Facebook page to promote your roofing business, you can generate new leads by creating a positive, friendly and informative web presence, and network with other contractors in the area.

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Roofing Contractor Marketing specializes in custom marketing systems for Roofing Companies. Web Design, SEO, Social Media and more, RCM has a powerful marketing solution and plan to fit your roofing company.