Hidden Branding Tips For Home Repair Contractors
Today I want to talk about 3 hidden parts of your brand. If you are a home repair contractor, these are the 3 things you are probably overlooking.
When I say “brand,” I’m not just talking about the definition of what people say about your company or your brand when you’re not around. I’m also talking about how people feel when they research your company, how they feel before they call you.
1. How people contact you
The first one is how people contact you, and how you schedule appointments. Nowadays many people want an option to fill out a form, or go ahead and book their service online, or message a Facebook page. If you’ve followed my videos or blog for any amount of time, you know that I’ve always said that we love to use our phones for everything, except making a phone call!
Obviously, you have to have some way for people to call you on a phone. But I want you to take some time to think about the different ways the companies can perceive an inquiry. People are busy, and they want to reach out quickly for that first contact. It’s vital to make sure that someone is monitoring your Facebook page and the info@ email address for your website. Think about looking into some booking or scheduling software, in which all of that can be done without someone having to pick up the phone. If you have things set up for people to call you if they prefer to call, you absolutely must have someone available to answer the phone. It is death in the service industry to have your phone go to voicemail! You must have some kind of system in place for someone to answer your phone, every time.
2. How customers pay you
Yes, this is a hidden part of your brand, something you might easily overlook! I have an incredible lawn fertilization company that helps with my yard. They leave me an invoice on the doorstep, and my only option to pay that invoice is to physically write a check and go to the post office. I would so much prefer it if they would just keep my credit card on file and bill me, or if I could go online to pay it.
You may still accept checks and cash, and that’s fine. But also think about clients who do everything through their debit and credit cards, or who prefer to pay online. The less friction, the fewer steps someone has to take to pay you, the better! Yes, you may have fees with online payments, but you have to figure that into your cost of business and your pricing. But you should be all about how you can make people want to use your company over and over again and to refer you over and over again, and ease of payment plays into that.
3. Your online presence
I’m not just talking about posting on Facebook. I’m talking about having an actual conversation with people through your online presence. I mentioned this earlier but let’s take Facebook Messenger as an example. If someone messages your page, what are they going to get back in return? Is your page a ghost town? If someone fills out your online form, how many days does it take you to respond to them?
If you’ve been in business long enough, you know that most people buy with their gut, not with their mind. Someone who is willing to pay a little bit more is not just going to go to Google, call in, get the three first bids, and pick the cheapest one. They’re checking out your brand. They’re checking out your Facebook presence and going through your website. They want to make absolutely, positively sure they can trust your company. They want to feel confident that they can trust you going into their home. If you don’t have an active online presence you won’t be able to give them that comfortable feeling.
That’s where I come in. I love to show off your company and your brand with videos, pictures, nurturing emails, and all the things that will help customers know that they can trust you.
Recap
To recap, keep these three things in mind when you’re thinking about your brand: How can people contact you? Can they contact you in the way that they prefer? Is it easy for people to pay you in the way you prefer? And how do they feel about your brand when they research you online?
I hope these tips help, and I hope they not only help you to get more customers but better customers—the ones who are willing to pay for the quality of your service, and not just the cheapest bid.