Customer retention is about more than just providing a great service. It’s about building a relationship with a customer while staying relevant, and that is where you get repeat business and referrals as well.
Social media can accomplish all of this – and more.
When you think about the amount of time the average person spends on their phone or computer, interacting with various social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, it’s easy to see how this can be used as a tool for more than just sharing pictures of epic fails or videos of puppies. Social media has the power to generate repeat business for your plumbing company, and here’s why.
It’s personal and direct. When managed right, social media can act as more than a part of a company’s online reputation. It can become a company’s online personality. It’s a more familiar type of communication that positions your plumbing company as the top choice in your service area. It builds direct connections with your customers, and that is what transitions into repeat business and referrals.
It’s typically cheaper than other methods. So many parts of online marketing and advertising cost money, and if you’re targeting particularly competitive geographic locations or services, it can add up fast. You don’t have to give up on pay-per-click advertising or other efforts, but you can boost them for little to nothing with the right social media strategy. Post, share, like, and tweet your way into your customers’ minds – and stay there. Chances are, they’ll think of you next time they need an plumber.
It’s a form of customer service. You already know that providing excellent customer service is one of the best ways to get repeat business. But have you considered what role social media might play in a customer’s experience with your company? By monitoring social media, you can keep a close eye on what people are saying about your company and their experience. You can put out the right type of content to keep them engaged. You can even receive and respond to direct messages from existing or potential customers to keep communication strong.
It helps you build loyalty and trust. When you use social media to share your plumbing company’s successes, you’re establishing yourself as an authority in the field. Now, imagine what would happen if a customer shared one of your posts or tweets. That opens the door to completely new business because your plumbing company has been automatically established as a qualified and trusted entity. Make it easy for your customers to spread word-of-mouth marketing via social media. The social media connection can even provide valuable insight into your customers’ interests and backgrounds. What makes them tick? What do they need, and how can you provide this?
It gives you the power to remain relevant and visible. After a customer has used your services, don’t give them the opportunity to forget about your company. Social media helps you remind your customers that you’re there and that you can help them. Talk about current jobs, share positive reviews, and keep your customer base informed about new services you’re offering or certain specials you’re running. This can quickly (and without much cost or effort) add up to new jobs for your techs.
There are so many ways to use social media to your plumbing company’s advantage, but at this point you might be wondering, “Who in the heck has the time to handle all of this?”
Using Plumbers.AI to Transform Your Business
When we designed a business management software for plumbers, we knew it would need to allow plumbers to run every part of their business – including social media. But instead of keeping social media in a corner by itself, we integrated social media into every other aspect of operating your business. View contact forms from Facebook in the Communications Suite, respond to reviews on your Facebook or Yelp profiles in the Reputation Suite, and post videos, photos, or text to all of your profiles across the Internet. From the same place.
No more jumping from site to site, juggling posts and reviews and messages. Use social media to build your business on your terms.
