When you run a business, especially in the construction industry, communication is important. A client that decides to take you on is usually investing significant amounts of money and trusting you to bring a project not just to completion, but at a level of quality that will serve that client for years to come. Keeping the lines of communication open can often mean the difference between a client calmly watching the project progress, or being angry and confused while demanding updates wanting to know what’s going on.
While most people regard social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter as places that are used for social networking, maybe even marketing, social media can also serve as an important business function. It can be a way to maintain communications between yourself and your client, and here’s how.
It’s Public
This is both a blessing and a curse, but if you’ve got the “gift of gab” online, or have a staff member that is social media savvy, letting people gifted with social media use that account can be a way to reassure clients online. At the same time, it shows the public at large that you’re a company of character, reliability, and maybe even a little bit of fun.
Since social media is a popular platform that people use, it’s often checked more frequently than email. Using it to your advantage in this way can often show more initiative, but can also double as a marketing tool to others that may be thinking of engaging your services.
It’s Easy Engagement
One great thing about social media, especially ones with deliberate limitations, such as Twitter, or a specific focus, such as Instagram, make it easy for you to be responsive while keeping things brief. When you’re limited to only 280 characters on Twitter, for example, replying quickly, but succinctly is mandatory, a client won’t and can’t expect a detailed, multi-page response on Twitter.
On the other hand, if you’re using something image-based, like Instagram, when a client wants an update report, you can show both the client and the public at large the progress on a project so people can see the quality for themselves. Image-based social media platforms like Instagram now make it fast and easy to use a phone to take a photo and immediately share it. One of the great things about social media is that it gives you a chance to be responsive, but it shows not only your client how responsive you are, but it can also show other potential customers, which can come back to you in the form of more business interest.
It Shows Who You Are
Authenticity is the key to good social media usage. When you have a website, where you show off your services, this should, of course, be as informative and professional as possible. However, that cold, detached approach doesn’t work in social media. If you’re more casual, friendly and approachable, that’s exactly the kind of thing that works well in social media, and you should embrace that when using it.
This means that clients who see your social media updates or responses to their social media queries see the real you, as a person who is thinking about their project putting in the time and effort, rather than a faceless business that is quoting facts, figures and financials. By attaching a personality to your social media communications, you become more approachable.