If you’ve been thinking about using social media to promote your window cleaning business, there’s several things to consider before you start.
For window cleaners one of the most powerful marketing tools is word of mouth, and in some cases, social media incorporates all the benefits of this, but on a larger scale. It can provide greater customer engagement, increase visitors to your website and reduce marketing costs -however it may not be appropriate for every business. If you launch your social media presence without proper planning, you can waste a lot of time and money.
1. Choose the right platform
Choosing the right platform for your window cleaning business is important, as is knowing your audience and what platforms they are using to connect. There’s no point in deciding to set up an Instagram account, if all your customers are using Facebook, but equally the way you manage your business, and your time, may help decide which is the platform you feel will benefit you the most.
Facebook is one of the leading social networking platforms with a huge volume of users. You can create a customised Facebook page for your business where you can upload pictures and videos, direct people to your website or contact details, and (if you want) have people review your service. Of course, you can also post updates about your business and service offerings. As a social network with a stronger individual focus on personal, rather than professional use, Facebook is particularly handy for connecting with everyday consumers and generating residential business.Â
Twitter only allows posts up to 140 characters, and is therefore best used for delivering short and simple messages. It’s like an elevator pitch – you can post your updates with links to a product or a certain topic with the intention of directing readers to your website. As a business you are able to share your status, a promotional deal, or a hashtag, to keep your customers and leads caught up with what is happening with your window cleaning business. Twitter has an excellent balance between professional and personal users, making it an ideal platform for window cleaning businesses that deal with both commercial and residential work.
LinkedIn is a networking platform that allows people to connect with each other for professional reasons. With more of a business to business focus, it can be a powerful tool to help you connect with your industry, source leads for commercial and contract work and identify new suppliers for your business.
2. Making time to monitor
Social media is immediate and in most cases, will need to be monitored daily. If you can’t actively manage your social media account, you are unlikely to see much benefit. Social media users expect quick responses from businesses so it is important to take this into account.
3. Plan how you’ll engage
Social media can be a great way to attract new customers, but this is most effective when your content and messaging is varied and engaging – ideally more so than that of your competitors! Plan ahead as to how you intend to engage with your followers and networks to avoid falling into the trap of posting generic, repetitive content sporadically. Once you have attracted a good following you can also focus on more personalised social media interactions.
4. Plan to deal with negative behaviour or complaints
Potential customers will often turn to social media to research your business and it can be a great way to get positive customer feedback and reviews, however there is also the risk of unwanted behaviour or negative feedback and this will need to be dealt with appropriately. Plan how you’ll deal with this in a positive way, to best minimize the impact it has on your social media presence.
Managing your social media channels correctly could increase customer loyalty and help your window cleaning business to grow. Even if you feel social media is not right for you or that you don’t have the time, simply logging on to see what your competitors are doing, or finding out what your customers are saying about you and your industry will be an interesting exercise.
