A member of the Construction Marketing Ideas linkedin.com group
yesterday asked a rather challenging and important question. (The writer’s identity is clearly visible in the group, but since she hasn’t given me permission to post it publicly here, you’ll have to join the group to find out who she is. There is no cost to participate.)
My company is launching a product that targets subcontractors and suppliers. Is there an efficient vehicle for communicating to this audience? Do they engage in social media?
The answer to the second part of your question is: “Yes” even though (like most aspects of online marketing for the construction sector) you will find the majority are still not that connected, so I am not sure if you can say you can find an “efficient vehicle” for communicating, yet. However, I think you should waste no time integrating yourself and understanding the social media process if you wish to retain a key principal marketing advantage: Leadership within your niche by being the first to mind.
We are currently at the stage within social media where some thought leaders have already grabbed the lead. These are not necessarily the first or earliest adaptors. When I present my observations about social media at the CSC Ottawa meeting later today (if you are in town, you can still attend by registering late online or just showing up at the Royal Canadian Legion (Branch 638) Hall 70 Hines Rd., Kanata (just off March Rd.) at 3:30 p.m. I will share the story of how I captured some parts of the social media process early and successfully followed through (blogging), and learned how the social media integrates with other marketing channels and relationships.
One of our employees, Daniel Smith, will be running the camera. He had been an active user of Twitter two years ago, and I hired him with a linkedin.com jobs ad then, long before most people knew the media existed. But I didn’t grab the lead — people like Tim Klabunde and Patrick Nagle are now far ahead of me in this space.
Look at Nagle’s Remodel Buddy Facebook page and you’ll see how he’s effectively encouraged client endorsements– leading to credibility for potential new clients, and references from the network of existing clients. This works, of course, because Nagle has delivered his services so effectively that his clients are willing to speak out in his favor. And he benefits from another element of this process. Once a few clients speak openly in favor, and virtually no one else disputes this contention, virtually everyone else falls into line. (You can see this effect, for example, when you try to sell raffle tickets for a non-profit. You can go areound the hall trying to get one client — then when a single person orders, dozens in the immediate area will purchase because of the initial validation.)
Tim, meanwhile, discovered Linkedin.com groups before most of us (I’m talking about eight months to a year), and set out to form the Design and Construction Network. He then allowed and encouraged others to assume leadership spaces within the group, either as subgroup leaders or within specialized areas, and combined this with multiple connection points, including face-to-face live networking events. He asked me to produce an online magazine for the group, The Design and Construction Report (http://www.dcnreport.com). The result: He is now in the enviable place of a first-degree leader within the niche.
So, here are my recommendation for social media. This advice applies to reaching subcontractors and suppliers, but can be applied to anyone.
1. Get started. After reviewing Facebook pages and Linkedin.com groups (you should by now have personal accounts with these services), and setting up a Twitter account, decide your key market, and then start a fan page for your business and a Linkedin.com group directed to the interests of your key market group. You’ll build the initial base of members from your existing clients. Invite them to write testimonials and/or ask provocative questions you can answer effectively. Blog if you are comfortable with the visibility and you have the ability to write (or video) effectively without worrying about corporate rules and restrictions and can maintain discipline. Regarding Twitter, I’m still trying to figure it out (I admit), and this is despite having the support and mentoring of Daniel Smith, who showed me Twitter two years ago.
2. Consistently engage yourself in the space, and set a reliable and routine presence. I’ve seen many marketers join forums and groups, seem to contribute a lot, and then disappear. The reason is either they think they’ve milked the group for all its worth, or they simply don’t get the fact that you don’t build lasting trust or real relationships that way. You need to maintain your involvement and perspective.
3. Remember, this is a giving not selling exercise. You will turn people off if you try to promote overtly (or even make self-promotion your primary aim). I realize this is contradictory, because the reason you join these groups is to attract business. But real business in the social networking space occurs through trust and respect, rather than selling stuff. Ultimately, your network is well-developed and your karma is positive enough that you will find people start buying from you. You can still, nevertheless, score some early and profitable hits.
4. Social media is part of the picture. It isn’t the entire story. You need to continue to develop relationships and first-degree connections off line. As I indicated above, your best chance within social media is to work from a base of your currently enthusiastic clients. You will also find that your highest and best results occur when you pick up the phone, send personal emails, and attend conferences and events. You need to relate your relationships developed on line to real off-line connections before they achieve real significance.
So . . . find your way and learn how the groups work, set up the relevant pages and blogs, and then encourage your loyal clients to support and participate with you as early users of your pages/sites/groups. And with this interaction, begin building out to new and enhanced relationships. Your business will thrive in the new era. But be patient. Especially among subcontractors, you will still be speaking to the minority. However, you will be ready to catch the wave of popular participation/connection when it happens (and I don’t think it will be too long, now.)
P.S. I encourage you to join and sing your praises for this blog on the Construction Marketing Ideas Facebook page.
