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Questions With A Social Media Expert

Which social tactic is a must for businesses?

Leveraging existing customers to increase reach and to build brand credibility is an incredibly effective tactic for scaling business growth. Businesses that are leveraging their customer base are building brand advocates—and, ideally, these advocates would organically share their experiences with a business’ work performance, amplifying their overall satisfaction to their networks on their social channels.

Now is not the time to be shy. When the job is done, ask for the review, video testimonial or for the ‘follow’ on Instagram. Be honest and share how important these types of endorsements are to keeping your business going and employees busy. But also feel empowered to take the lead by capturing your own work, sharing it on your own company social platform and tagging customers where you can, as this will encourage them to re-share the work you did for them on their own social accounts, ultimately increasing word-of-mouth referrals from social media.

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How can brands show up authentically on social platforms?

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First and foremost, by establishing and following your company’s brand guidelines. Think about who your business would be if it was a person and use those attributes to fuel your brand guidelines. Would they be buttoned up and serious, or would they be more casual? What would their tone be like? Authoritative or consultative? What are they promising: fast turnaround or painstaking craftsmanship?

Whatever you land on should serve as the lane lines for your social messaging. Staying consistent with your messaging will help define your business for potential customers and instill comfort and confidence around your brand. But most important, make sure that your brand guidelines are a reflection of your brand values, the work that you do, and what makes you different from competitors. The key to being authentic on social media is just showing up in a truly genuine way.

What are effective ways to engage with customers on social media?

First, follow your customers and join any groups where you might find prospective customers on Facebook. Keep an eye on what they’re posting and doing and insert yourself in conversations where relevant. This might look like a like, a share, or if appropriate, a comment. If you can create a meaningful, helpful conversation, go ahead.

You may even want to follow other painters who offer services in your area. Don’t hesitate to provide feedback, such as a ‘great job!,’ as this can help build affinity and could even lead to a referral.

Most important, schedule a time each week to go through all your feeds to stay on top of the likes and comments, as this is the ultimate and most organic way to engage with customers. When you fail to engage with a customer who has engaged with you, you are missing an opportunity to foster a long-lasting professional relationship.

What should businesses steer clear from doing on social platforms?

Avoid inserting yourself into risky and topical conversations, as your goal should always be to ultimately add value to conversations—not risking tarnishing your brand identity. If you see something viral going on, think before you act. Consider how it got started and by whom. Look at how other brands—local or national—are responding. And get a gut check from someone you trust about it and how you might respond, if at all.

What skill is most important for social marketers in the painting industry?

Content creation is essential. This doesn’t mean you have to become a writer or videographer. Just show what you’re working on and explain your process or time line. This demonstrates your skills, builds credibility, makes people trust you before they even meet you, and creates an opportunity for customers to engage with you on social media.