Posted by mel on 29. July 2010 07:16
Welcome back to part 2 of my interview with Josh Brottlund of Brush Masters. Make sure you check out Part 1 to learn about the tools he uses and the results he's received.
Behind the Scenes: the marketing strategy and policies around social media
Q: Does your company have a policy on social media?
A: No currently, we do not.
Q: What is your marketing strategy?
A: In the typical year, Brush Masters participates in several tradeshows, has heavy involvement with local construction associations (BATC – Builders Association of the Twin Cities, NARI – National Association of the Remodeling Industry, MHA – Multi-Housing Association, MN GreenStar, Builders Club), and contributes to several fundraising and community service activities. We also place a few magazine and publication ads and hosts several of our own events.
Q: How do you integrate social media and traditional marketing?
A: We have found the best way to connect with people on social media is to sit down after a traditional marketing event (award ceremony, networking event, trade show, etc.) and connect with people right away on social media.
Q: How many of your employees actively participate in the company’s social media activity?
A: It's mainly just me. I am responsible for social media. Our sales team is on social media and we have several employees who use it though it is mostly for personal. I have two great bosses that support social media, one of presents the “Get Social” class we hold on a monthly basis as well as variations of this class to different groups.
Q: Social media can take up a lot of time. How do you handle that?
A: By using tools such as Hootsuite and Alerts, and by time blocking for content brainstorming, creation, editing, and distributing. We also ask for guest or expert contributions on relevant topics.
Q: How has social media helped your company that traditional media has been unable to do?
A: As a result of being at the forefront of social media in the construction industry, Brush Masters has a higher level of visibility and brand awareness to current customers and potential customers. In addition, Brush Masters is able to get feedback on ideas quickly; dispel myths about our services and to whom they are provided. We hear on a regular basis from current and new customers that Brush Masters is everywhere...they see us on all the online platforms as well as offline events. Social media allows us to successfully accomplish this at a lower cost when compared to strictly using traditional media.
Q: What has been your biggest challenge with using social media?
A: Creating great content is a matter of several elements coming together at once. It’s a matter of having the right idea, the right execution, the right timing for our readers, and the right message. The idea is to get feedback on the different content that people want to know about; being inspired to create great content; knowing the best way and time to deliver it to our readers. Getting this to happen on a consistent basis is always an exciting challenge.
Q: Do you have an interesting customer service story to share?
A: A local high-end jean manufacturer started using actively engaging in Facebook after attending our “Get Social” class. They have success asking “Fans” or “Likers” what they like and don’t like about particular products. The first time they tried this they had over 20 responses in less than thirty minutes. The best part is that the feedback was FREE and was used to drive some good decisions moving forward.
Q: Are their new products, technologies, services or tools that your company will focus on in the next 18 months?
A: The “Social CRM” space looks very interesting and promising as a way to effectively engage brand/company advocates. The emerging media space offers some interesting possibilities.
Posted by mel on 27. July 2010 07:48
As construction companies begin to embrace social media, some are finding it harder than others. So to encourage using social media, I am sharing with you construction companies who have already had success with it. Today's interview is with Josh Brottlund of Brush Masters Painting, Drywall, and Pr-Finishing.
The Tools: Social media tools that are used and how they are utilized
Q: Please introduce yourself Josh, the company, and tell us about your responsibilities.
A: Hello, my name is Josh Brottlund, Business Development at Brush Masters Painting, Drywall, and Pre-Finishing. I have been with the company for over 6 years and am responsible for identifying new business opportunities and social media marketing
Q: When did your company start using social media?
A: After a quick dip and retraction, we fully jumped in March 2009.
Q: What social media tools are you currently using?
A: Initially we chose Facebook for its professional feel, security options, active user base, and high growth rates. Theoretically, more customers would be on this medium. Then we began to use Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Wordpress, and Flicker.
Twitter allowed us to, easily connect with people that normally were hard get in touch with. Communication snippets are short, which is nice, and usually packed with good information. Since Video and photos are the most widely viewed content on the web; we wanted to engage customers visually; YouTube and Flicker are the places to be to do that.
As a professional platform, LinkedIn helps us stay connected to our business relationships (via status updates), up-to-date on news and business interests through Groups. Our blog allows us to create longer communication pieces. It’s a great place to have a rich communication experience because it allows us to combine the written word with pictures and videos all in one place.
Q: How did you learn to use the tools effectively?
A: I learned from a variety of offline and online resources blended with a good dose of trial and error that I think everyone needs to experience. I attended the Twin Cities Chapter of “Social Media Breakfast” http://smbmsp.ning.com/, networked (online and offline) with people who use the tools effectively to learn from their experience as well. I also read several books and magazines, like Dave Evans “Social Media Marketing: An Hour a Day”; Inc. Magazine, and Fast Company Magazine. Chris Brogan and Darren Rowse of “ProBlogger” are also great resources.
Q: What results or outcomes has the business received from using social media?
A: Over the past year, in a down economy, our sales are up 24% which we can, in part, attribute to social media along with several other strategic initiatives. In addition, our website traffic has grown upwards of 47% without any major updates; with a majority of that traffic coming as a result of social media
Q: Tell me about how you use social media to help your business?
A: On a monthly basis we offer a social media class called “Get Social” at our offices. This class has reached over 200 people. The class gives attendees a high-level overview of social media and several of the platforms; ideas on how they can use social media to run their business effectively. Our main focus is to reach out to the construction industry in hopes of leaving people with a better idea of who Brush Masters is, how we support the construction industry, and how we can help their businesses succeed.
In addition to the classes, we offer affordable and flexible consulting services arrangements to help others avoid our mistakes. In terms of social media content, people tend to “like” and share updates that support their interests and companies. We get a lot of response to posts on award announcements and various updates that hit an interest of one or several readers.
Q: Are there other tools, websites or communities that you utilize as well? If so, what value do they provide you?
A: Yes! We use Hootsuite to aggregates updates and to efficiently post to one or all of the following social media tools: Twitter, Facebook personal page(s), Facebook company page(s), and Blogs. Google Alerts is a great tool for monitoring online reputation management of our company name and/or brands using keyword alerts. TwinBox for Microsoft Outlook is invaluable! It allows us to get Twitter updates “tweets” directly into our Outlook Inbox and EventBrite allows us to set-up events, communicate our various events, and track attendees.
Q: Where can we find you?
A: Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/BrushMasters
Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/BrushMasters
YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/BrushMasters
LinkedIn – http://www.linkedin.com/companies/brush-masters
Blog – http://BrushMasters.wordpress.com
Flickr – http://www.flickr.com/BrushMasters
Website – http://www.BrushMasters.com
Part 2 of my interview with Josh is available here!
Posted by mel on 15. July 2010 08:16
Welcome back for part 2 of my interview with Jane Regan, CEO of HB Design Inc. Just incase you missed it, here is part 1--where you can learn about the tools she uses and how she uses them.
Behind the Scenes: the marketing strategy and policies around social media
Q: Does your company have a policy on social media?
A: We have not set a policy on social media. We don’t have that many people in the office, so use of personal Facebook and email isn’t a problem. It’s a good question, and one I need to think about and probably should add a couple of paragraphs about it in our Employee Manual.
Q: What is your marketing strategy?
A: Our marketing strategy is primarily online marketing, plus we use a couple of lead services from Service Magic and Contractors.com that need to be kept up to date with information on us. They also allow us to track success rates with the services. We send one outbound newsletter, “Home Report” a month to our mailing list of over 1000. We do community service and are actively involved in Senior Coastsiders in Half Moon Bay, one of the best run in the country.
We have many, many seniors 80 + 90+ that are active on a daily basis, play cards, or go to shows. We participate in the Home Rehab day and our whole crew volunteers to build ramps, hang doors, paint, clean, do plumbing, or gardening—whatever is needed. And we do it during the year too.
We also have traditional marketing tools such as brochures, postcards for mailing and we participate in two home shows a year. They bring in great returns! We had 40 leads that converted after the last trade show. We maintain membership in our Half Moon Bay Chamber of Commerce, and NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry) and NAHB (National Association of Homebuilders). I am also a member of the NKBA and ASID design associations, and we are rated by the BBB A+.
Q: How many of your employees actively participate in the company’s social media activity?
A: I am the only one currently handling Social Media for the company.
Q: Social media can take up a lot of time. How do you handle that?
A: Social media allows potential customers who are evaluating several contractors for a job to see exactly what we do, how we do it, and what our customers think of us. Instantly.
Q: What has been your biggest challenge in using social media?
A: My biggest challenge right now is getting access to my website to be able to update it more frequently without having to pay someone else to do it. It should be as easy as Word Press. In addition, I would love to find someone to work a couple of hours a week to schedule tweets, as well as look forward as to how we can continue to build our presence on Facebook.
Q: Do you have an interesting customer service story to share?
A: Becoming a thought leader and gaining business in the Aging In Place market has been the biggest ‘story’ I tell about using social media. Another is that I was selected as an Awardee for the Make Mine a Million $ Business contest last February, sponsored by WIPP, AMEX and Fed Ex in Houston. I was also, via the Internet, nominated and won “Independent Businesswoman of the Year” in October 2009 from The Women’s Initiative. And just this month, HB Building and Design was selected as #3 Contractor in the SF Chronicles annual “Best of the Bay” online contest.
Q: What has been your most effective communication strategy with your customers?
A: We communicate by phone and email with new clients. But we follow up to make sure they’ve seen our work on line. I also use the old standard of sending out a brochure with a list of references every time we call or see a new lead. I’ve found that even if they don’t use us right away, when they have the brochure around with our website and other information, they do call back about 40% of the time.
Q: Are their new products, technologies, services or tools that your company will focus on in the next 18 months?
A: The project I am working on for our company is to be able to “design on line’ using 3D rendering. This has been a pet project of mine for two years now, and I know someone will see the value and help me bring it to market. For one price, the homeowner will be able to configure and purchase “BATH PACKS: Designed on Line; Installed on Time™” and it will include all the fittings, tile, etc., and the price of installation. I have the website done, and a prototype of the design tool. I just need some big bucks to finish it!
In addition, I want to start doing more video, YouTube stuff, and taking videos of our clients and the jobs as they go. I really see these two things – buying construction projects online, and viral videos, as the next things to focus on.
Posted by mel on 13. July 2010 07:56
As construction companies begin to embrace social media, I wanted to encourage the effort by featuring companies that have already has success in using it. Here is an interview (part 1) with Jane Regan of HB Design Inc.
The Tools--the actual social media tools that are used and how they are utilized.
Q: Please introduce yourself, the company, and what your responsibilities are.
A: I am Jane Regan, the CEO of HB Building + Design. The company, was founded in 1999 as a General Contracting firm. In 2004 I joined the business as head designer and business manager. We have 9 employees, and I have added the duties of CEO to my design practice.
Q: When did your company start using social media?
A: We have had a website since inception and in 2004, we began to embrace social media and improving our websites.
Q: What social media tools are you currently using?
A: We are using an on-line lead generation tool from Service Magic. We also use: Twitter, Tweet Deck, have Facebook Business Page, utilize Constant Contact, have a Business Blog (The Home Report), and are currently developing a video for the web in conjunction with City Space. We also have a fully articulated representation on Google, and have defined our business on Yelp. I also use the Hoot Suite site.
Q: How did you learn to use the tools effectively?
A: At first I used a marketing consultant, but recently I have been attempting to do this myself, and have been was very successful. I find it simple, clear, easy, and I have more control over the content. My current challenge is figuring out an easy way to add email addresses and names, especially since we collect 7-15 cards or leads a week. I am looking for a summer intern right now to catch us up here! As for Facebook, I had set up a Facebook business page, with little action, but then attended a seminar through the “Make Mine a Million $ Business” group I belong to and afterwards was able to quickly beef up the number of followers and content of the Fan page. Twitter I was able to set up and use on my own, but a friend told me about Tweet Deck, and that has been a very useful tool. For help with both Twitter and Tweet Deck I have turned to websites, webinars or online support groups.
Q: What results or outcomes has the business received from using social media?
A: From using social media I have been able to establish myself as a thought leader in the area of my specialization, design for people Aging In Place.. This has brought me relationships with other thought leaders, and I was invited to be a speaker at the Technology + Aging conference at UCLA in October 2009. Since my products are meant to be used by Home Health Care providers and people remodeling and building for AIP, I have built a tremendous amount of credibility through activities like these and personal relationships with people I have met because of social media.
We measure our Social Media success through SALES of course. From when I began doing this work we have doubled our revenue annually, up until 2009, when things went crazy. We still made money, and were more profitable last year than any other year. This year, without the intense marketing effort we have made, we wouldn’t be close to the numbers we’re earning. The thing is, the talking, the estimate, the brochure, the online resources, reviews by others, photos, ratings on line and client endorsements are what set us apart. And we win jobs!
Q: Tell me about how you use social media to help your business?
A:LinkedIn Groups is one of the most important ways I have found to stay connected and get more in depth information than can be shared on Twitter. I get 1-2 requests per week on LinkedIn to connect with special manufacturers. This week it was “Wingits” a revolutionary construction technology to put grab bars ANYWHERE and keep it weight bearing to specs. I also share presentations and other documents on LinkedIn to add to the value of the whole community. I plan to also find a way to be able to update project photos and add new text to the existing sites.
I recently attended a webinar that was invaluable on how to make your Facebook Fan Page work for your business. With the speed of upgrades and changes of both Twitter and Facebook, it was a totally beneficial and eye-opening update on how to get more people to learn about your business through Facebook. And, even better I was able to implement the changes by the next morning before getting the guys off to work with their Google Maps and directions in hand.
Q: Are there other tools, websites or communities that you utilize as well? If so, what value do they provide you?
A: I make certain to take charge of, monitor and control my information on all ‘community’ websites, like Yelp, Merchant Circle, Angie’s List, and most recently, City Search. Through City Search, I was able to make a one minute commercial for ‘free’ and no strings attached. As soon as it is ready, I will post it on our Facebook site, and on YouTube. City Search also monitors and improves my SEO within 3-6 months so that I become a top performer.
Another online community I participate in is strictly for Entrepreneurial Women Business Owners—Ladies Who Launch, based in NYC, offers a wealth of business information and connections online for women who need support for their ventures. I also participate in the Hatch Network, a group of savvy San Francisco based networking women who do training and ‘thinking out of the box’ exercises at cool meeting places, like organizing mini off-sites for the harried solo-preneur. We once went with 25 women by train to Yosemite & back in one day, with a facilitator working on our business problems the whole way there, and in the park. Then we were all either passed out or having a gabfest on the way home. How unique!
My most important, is my membership in Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence. It is headed up by Philanthropist Nell Merlino, who founded ‘Take our Daughters’ to Work Day” in 1992. Her goal is to help the online community of women entrepreneurs, give them the business tools and services needed to become a Million $ Business. I was a recent Awardee of the M3 (Make Mine a Million $ Business) Competition in Houston. It includes lots of benefits, including help finding funding, 3 months of free business coaching, PR support from M Booth (AMEX’s agency) PR in New York, and lots of other things. You track your business earnings and other criteria on line, manage a blog and a record of achievements & setbacks, and stay in touch through the website. It is remarkable!
Q: Where can we find you?
A: Email: Jane@hbdesigninc.com
Twitter: @JaneHBDesignSF
Facebook: HB Building + Design Services
Website: www.hbbuildingandesigninc.com
Blog: www.hbbuildingandesigninc.com/homereport
Stay tuned for part 2 of my interview with Jane!