[Jackedup]

Has anyone in the general contracting industry actually gained solid leads from Facebook?

 

[jaydee]

Yes from referrals from my followers.

Never have tried the advertising though.

 

[BenLanders]

I've got several remodeling clients that have generated not just leads from Facebook, but actual booked jobs. That said, I think it's a big mistake for any home service contractor to rush into social media with marketing in mind.

Like with most things, doing it "right" takes time and requires effort (yours or someone else on your behalf). There are no short cuts.

Ben

 

[BrentD]

I have had leads from face book. I have booked a few jobs too. One was a friend that didn't know I was in the business until he saw some pictures then that job landed me a job with a friend of a friend because they loved the pics I posted. You still get tire kickers but that happens with any advertising.

 

[CyFree]

Many of the companies I work with do get leads from Facebook without advertising or promoting posts. I noticed that the most successful integrate Facebook with all their other online and offline marketing activities. They also use the platform as a way to connect and support their local communities, talk to existing customers, answer questions from prospects and provide valuable information. The leads and referrals come as a result of all these many efforts.

 

[98crewcab]

we have grown strictly from facebook....posted that we were a new construction company, started posting jobs we've done, invited all of our (wife's friends and my friends), and it keeps growing from there. All referrals have at some point come from a facebook view. and we close about 70% of our calls.....booked 1.5 months out right now...

 

[Jackedup]

Thanks for your insight guys, I'll keep on trucking then!

 

[CyFree]

Awesome success story!

Hi 98crewcab,

I looked at your Facebook page. Congratulations! :thumbup:
You are doing an amazing job with it.
I would love to hear more about your Facebook experience! Is it your biggest online lead source or your biggest lead source in general?

Do you advertise/promote posts at all?

The interesting part is that your page doesn't have millions of Likes, but yet, you get all the business you need from it, which means the bulk of your page audience is tuned into your message.

That kind of makes the case for relevance trumping popularity, or quality over quantity. Could you tell us more?

 

[98crewcab]

CyFree, it is the only advertising we do. Other than keeping a stack of cards with me that I hand out when some one asks. Face book has been an incredible lead source for us. We do not promote posts, nor do we pay for any of the extras they offer....Every lead and like is organic through followers and past clients. I cant tell you how often I hear, "I saw the Kitchen remodel you did for blah blah blah on face book, and I want that too!!!" All we do is post every thing we do, minus all the boring dry rot jobs (dont want them to unlike us do to seeing the same thing over and over again...).....seems to keep us in followers minds, then, when they comment on some thing they like, their friends see it, we get an extra like or two, then gain a few more followers... its been great. Every now and then we get a job from someone that never saw our facebook, but was referred by some one who did...lol

and as far as the millions of likes....I found that the ones with millions of likes are paying for their promotions. So "like" farms are just adding to their numbers but they wont actually gain any leads from some one who liked them from "germany" or what not...I might have 4 or 5 likes from guys on here......that wont gain any leads from due to distance, but I still appreciate the support from them. And I have liked several of theirs just due to the slight connection from here, to keep up with how they are doing.

I cant tell you how it is working....but I have noticed that most of the guys on facebook dont post regularly. We try to post every single job. And we post in stages if what has been finished for the day seems to be interesting enough to catch attention. Kinda like mini shows...."stay tuned for tomorrows line up of...." For instance, there is this guy that I follow. He is another contractor that I was going to start doing some work for but we never seem to be able to get our schedules lined up.....but he will post a before pic of a kitchen or bath that he is starting and you wont see another post from him about it. Kinda makes you think "what happened? did you finish it? did it turn out nice?" so we want our followers to see the start, progression, and the finished piece.

Our facebook page has been slow the past 2 weeks as we have 4 kitchens, 2 baths, 1 office remodel, and a pretty hefty set of built ins for a library all getting priced out now.. been home the past week just getting all the proposals out and already signed the one kitchen and both bathrooms. the office should be signed today upon drawing approval, and will be a busy couple weeks after that....lol

and thanks for asking about it....Just gave me a thought. Maybe posting on face book all the sketch up drawings of these kitchen, bath, and remodels will help spring ideas to people as well....

hmmmmmm........



edit....WOW, sorry for the long read....lol

 

[CyFree]

98crewcab.
That is inspiring! Thank you so much for sharing your experience and tips!
By the way, I like the idea sketch up drawing posts! Personally I would love to see them. Your "story telling" approach with pictures is a pretty powerful combo. People love stories, and they love pictures.
I know I do.

 

[PoleBarnsNY]

If you are friends with the same demographic as your customer base it works.