You can’t escape social media and the internet these days, even if you are on a job site that is nowhere near a computer. Is it important for a Tradie business to be online? Why?
Your businesses online presence is a culmination of all your social media accounts, websites, blogs and reviews pages that your business has, it’s a visual CV for you and your business. It’s about being online and giving customers the chance to start recognising you or your brand and associate that with your business and in turn starting to build trust. The more consistent and authentic you are with your online presence the more trust you will gain from viewers and followers and eventually convert them into customers.
1. Credibility and Trust
When your business has an online presence, you gain credibility and your customers (and potential customers) have the opportunity to build a relationship with you. It’s all about TRUST. Customers want to see evidence that you are a real person and that your business is legit, this builds trust and leads to sales. By sharing images of yourself, your team and your work you are showing customers who they will be dealing with if they use you for a project. Tradies have the opportunity to show customers before and after pictures of completed projects, putting your awesome work right in front of potential customers.
2. Easily accessible information and contact details
These days everyone googles to find recommendations and details for businesses and what if you are not online? You are missing opportunities.
If a customer needs to find you it is VERY easy if you have an online presence. Even easier if you have a website with good SEO. A customer could contact you on Facebook messenger, send you a direct message on Instagram, email, call, subscribe to your newsletter… the list goes on.
3. Brand identity and brand awareness
Your online presence will be an extension of your businesses brand, so if you are online, you are putting your brand identity in front of more people, so they start to recognise and identify with your brand.
4. FREE marketing
Social media is free, so why not take advantage of the reach your social media accounts have and advertise your business. Get your business and the services that you offer out online for free (can’t argue with that).
5. You can track metrics
Tracking metrics means that you can gather data for your audience, so you know who you are communicating with and how to create content for your audience based on this information. You will have access to data on age, gender and location of your followers. You will also have access to insights about each bit of content that you post, so you can see which posts have reached the most people.
Social media and an online presence may be a bit overwhelming but the main things to remember are:
- You need to be your authentic self, remember that customers want to trust you and your business so it’s all about being real.
- Be consistent and post regularly (but that doesn’t necessarily mean every day, it could be once, twice three times a week – as long as you are showing up).
If you need a bit of help with getting your online presence sorted, you can book a call with Amanda to chat about what it is that that you need. Virtual Coastie offers both Social Media Management services as well as website design and maintenance. Visit our website for more details.
