| What do "social media" mean for home service | | | | still not as trusted as a recommendation from a |
| businesses? How can plumbers, electricians and | | | | friend, or traditional word of mouth. |
| heating and air conditioning businesses take | | | | Facebook and Twitter are becoming are |
| advantage of this new communication tool? We | | | | becoming more like communication tools than web |
| hear every day that social media is revolutionizing | | | | sites. They offer an interesting opportunity for |
| the way business is done. It has already changed | | | | businesses to communicate directly with their |
| the way news is reported. How often do you | | | | clients. A home service business can build a |
| hear reporters quote Twitter or Facebook? There | | | | company page or profile, which is similar to |
| are TV shows dedicated to You Tube videos | | | | posting print add. They can use these profiles to |
| created by ordinary people. Social media is | | | | gather reviews from past costumers, just like |
| becoming the new word of mouth. With all of | | | | any referral service that credits a business |
| these changes going on, a home service company | | | | through its history of past work references. The |
| has to make sure it stays in the loop. | | | | biggest added advantage to these new social |
| Traditional advertising is, for the home service | | | | media is that they allow customers to |
| industry, losing its effectiveness. Print advertising | | | | communicate within their social circle, which |
| only communicates in one way. The Internet now | | | | provides a comfort zone that allows people to |
| allows a costumer to post in a public forum about | | | | "speak" candidly about their experiences. |
| the businesses they like and dislike, so why would | | | | As a company, the main benefit has been the |
| a costumer go to the Yellow Pages or the | | | | viral growth of our customer base. When a |
| newspaper to find a contractor? A Google search | | | | costumer becomes a fan of our company page, |
| will provide them both then names of local | | | | they are announcing to their friends that we are a |
| businesses and consumer reviews. These reviews | | | | trusted company. When clients post about work |
| can supply an added level of trust that every | | | | they have done, they are both reminding their |
| home owner wants before inviting someone in to | | | | friends of work they might be considering in their |
| their home. | | | | own homes and providing us with a reference at |
| The reviews that you find on Google, Yelp and | | | | the same time. This is digital word of mouth at |
| City Search provide for the home owner a higher | | | | work. |
| level of trust than any print add. Web reviews are | | | | |