Category: Branding

Reputation Marketing for House Painting Companies PART 2

What is your reputation online?  

If it’s 

  • Bad
  • you don’t have one or 
  • you don’t know what it is

Then, this article is for you!

Last time, we covered the basics – we talked about the definition of reputation marketing and the benefits to implementing it.  If you missed Part 1, check it out here.

In Part 2, we will cover the amazing impact of online reviews and how to get them on a consistent basis.

So, let’s get started!

What Is The Impact Of Online Reviews?

Good internet reviews are critical for a company’s long-term existence. Negative client feedback, on the other hand, might have devastating consequences for your business. It is common practice for consumers to research a product or brand using search engine results, social media platforms, and other sites such as Angi or Yelp.

No one wants to waste money on a service that will not satisfy their needs. Hearing about a great experience from others is a good indication that your offered services are worth it.

Did you know that 85 percent of consumers place the same faith in online reviews as they do in personal recommendations, and that 73 percent of consumers place greater trust in a local business when they read favorable reviews from other customers?

This demonstrates the importance of online reviews and how they have a direct influence on your brand’s reputation.

For your reputation marketing efforts to be successful, you must first get positive third-party content, like 5-star Google reviews or the “Thumbs Up” on Facebook. Online reviews should always be taken into consideration for your marketing plan as well as your 

Here are a few pointers to keep in mind:

ENCOURAGE GOOD REVIEWS

Don’t be afraid to approach your customers and ask them to submit a nice review of your company! When a customer is satisfied with a product or brand, they are more likely to post a fast review about the product or brand. If your company has a physical shop, you may display a sign or window cling directing them to your page on your website, in emails, and on social media accounts.

KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR REVIEWS

You can’t improve your online reviews if you don’t know what kind of impression you’re leaving. Keep an eye on what others are saying about your home services company on the internet.

REPLY TO REVIEWS

While you have no control over what people say about your business, you do have power over how you respond to both good and bad reviews. This creates the appearance that your company values consumer engagement and is willing to listen to legitimate issues about your services. 

If you are dealing with poor reviews, keep a level head and try to tackle the problem at its root as much as possible. This may mean you contacting the individual on a private basis, offline.

How To Create A Successful Reputation Marketing Campaign

With a sound reputation marketing approach, your house painting business will be able to stand out in search results and increase consumer awareness of your brand. Despite the fact that there is no one universal method that works for all sorts of firms, there are a few fundamental components that every reputation marketing plan should have.

Keep these ideas in mind as you work on a reputation marketing campaign for your business:

ASSESS YOUR STARTING POINT

It all starts with taking a close look at the existing status of your company’s image. Businesses are always changing, so it’s important to keep an eye on the pulse of your brand, company, and workers. 

Is your goal for your company consistent with the way others perceive your organization?

Does it appear that you’re getting good or negative feedback?

CHECK OUT YOUR COMPETITORS

Another thing you should do is investigate your rivals and examine their brand reputation and presence on the internet. Observing how rivals identify with their clients can provide you with a better understanding of what practices need to be improved and which practices should be avoided.

IDENTIFY IMPROVEMENT AREAS

Once you’ve identified the areas of your home painting business that require the most attention, you can concentrate your efforts on enhancing those spaces. Try evaluating the following areas:

  • Reviews
  • Ratings
  • Articles
  • Business Listings
  • Local SEO
  • Regular SEO

Want more tips on getting Google Reviews?  Check out our article on “10 Proven Ways to Get More Positive Online Reviews for Your Business”.

MONITOR, MAINTAIN & GROW

Savvy business owners keep an eye on their reputation at all times to ensure that everything is running well and that their consumers are satisfied. If you regularly watch your brand, you will be able to intervene and take action as soon as unfavorable reviews or comments begin to come in.

Reputation Marketing Helps Painting Businesses Convert Prospects Into Clients

A good reputation is earned via ethical, well-rounded, and high-quality business operations, and it is the most important asset a company can have. Keep track of what is being said about your company on the internet and maintain a professional image in order to maintain a good reputation.

Promotion, monitoring, and acquisition of good brand material are all part of the reputation marketing strategy that allows firms to take control of their reputation. The proactive strategies outlined above can assist you in distinguishing your brand from your greatest rivals and painting a picture of your firm that matches with your organization’s overall goal.

For more information on winning clients over with your online reputation, check out this article.

Get the Top 3 Social Media Post Templates for Painting Companies to Grow Your Following and Get New Clients

Engage with prospects and save time with your FREE Canva template kit. This kit features the top 3 social media posts for painting companies and directions on how to brand them for your own business in 5 minutes or less.

Enter your email below and get the templates sent directly to your inbox along with an instructional video on how to make personalized edits.

The Top 18 Social Media Post Ideas For Painting Businesses To Engage Your Online Audience and Save You Time

Posting organic content in today’s world is crucial for social media success. Keeping up with posting daily to your social media sites can be very time consuming – and you don’t want to be spending all of your valuable time creating content that your social media followers might not even see or want to read.  This is especially crucial if you, as the painting business owner, are creating this content.

In order to simplify the social media process, we have put together this easy to follow social media post ideas list. These top post ideas will help you stay relevant and engaging on social media while saving you time.

Before you start posting though, you need to get to know your audience!

Discover Your Audience In Depth

Knowing who your audience is will make creating content for your social media THAT much easier!

You’ll want to know your audience’s

  • likes and dislikes
  • interests
  • pain points
  • biggest questions
  • age

If you are trying to figure out who your target audience is, check out this blog post on how to define your target audience where we walk you through a few steps that will help you identify who is already engaging with your company (and your competitors) and how to utilize that information to establish a clear target group.

To get you started, most painting businesses have an active audience that mainly consists of women 35-65 that live within 20 miles of your location.  They are normally the primary decision makers in a household.  Also, the household income is in the top 40% in the area.

Now, the age may skew younger or older depending on your location, but this is a good jumping off point.

Top 18 Social Media Post Ideas

When creating your social content, you want to focus on creating a system where you can efficiently produce content.

With social media marketing, there are some concepts you can use to make your social content engaging and unique for consumers. This will, in turn, will improve your brand and get you more customers!

The following social media post ideas will help you quickly make effective social posts. The key to the posts we are going to discuss is that while you are keeping your audience interested, you can get to know your audience better without having to directly ask them anything. It’s like a bit of Jedi magic!

You will gain insight into what your followers like and this will allow you to further develop content ideas that will be relevant to your audience.

Most importantly, you can use these ideas to help you save time when planning social media content.

So, with that in mind, let’s get started.

 

1. This or that

As a painting business, you can ask people what cabinet color they prefer in a kitchen. This dark set or that bright white set. 

There are a number of things that you can compare using the “this or that” post option.

2. A, B, C or D

This type of post is similar to “this or that” but instead, you are giving them four different options to choose from. You could post a question such as “If you could choose one thing to update in your home right now, what would it be?”

 With this question, post four images such as a new kitchen, interior painting, exterior painting and bathroom remodeling and have them share their feedback.  This can help you figure out ads to run and pain points to touch upon in upcoming posts.

3. Customer Review

Customer reviews are one of the most impactful posts you can put out there, yet you rarely see it being done by most businesses. This type of post allows you to toot your own horn a bit while letting others know that your previous clients have been absolutely satisfied with your services.

You can showcase reviews that have been left for your company on Facebook, Google, etc., videos that customers have shot on their cellphones, or even emails or text messages that you have received about your work.Does your business not receive many reviews? Here are 10 proven ways to get more online reviews for your business!

4. Story Time

There is nothing more engaging to the human race than storytelling.  It goes back to the time of cavemen.  So, why not use this to help liven up your social media?

This could be a story about you and how you started your business.  It could be a story about one of your clients and their story of how you have made something in their life better through your services.  It could even be a story that discusses why a client chose you over someone else to tackle their home project.

The story post allows you to connect with your audience on another level while establishing yourself as a personable brand.  It’s a very humanizing post type.

5. Showcasing Styles

If you offer a wide range of choices in your work, let them know! Show off various styles and options within the services you provide. If you are a home remodeling company, show off a few different kitchen styles and ask your audience which they would pick for their own home. 

Showcase your abilities to your audience will help them understand exactly what your company is about and the kind of work you do.

6. Transparency

When creating this type of post, you’ll be taking something that isn’t typically discussed in your industry, and share it with your social media audience.  You’ll need to make it very clear for the customer to see, such as how your business operates or how you estimate work with integrity.  Offer them a deep dive into your processes.

Transparency posts are engaging because they help you build a relationship with your audience. Discuss topics on which your followers are desperate to learn more about.

7. Business Details

If you are a painting company, including business details such as the process of making an estimate or how long it typically takes to complete a project can attract social media followers who are in need of your services. This is a topic that not many companies speak openly about.

You could also share the training process for your employees and how you only hire experienced professionals. Your followers will be glad to know that there won’t be just any average joe painting their home.

This type of post gives you an opportunity to showcase your professionalism.

8. Customer Spotlight

This post can be focused on one of your customers and the project that you helped them with. Shining the light on a customer will make them feel great, and more likely to share your social media post with other potential customers. This is a great way to get your business in front of new eyes.  In fact, try to tag the customer that you are highlighting if possible.

This also shows how much you care about your clients and helps them to feel more connected with your company.

9. Quick Tips

Quick tips are social media posts that showcase a helpful tip or trick for something relevant to your industry. These can be beneficial as they will provide your audience with the knowledge they need to take advantage of a daily situation.

With someone who has as much experience and knowledge in your industry as you do, start sharing some helpful tips! If these valuable tips will help somebody, they are going to think of you every time they use it.

10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

FAQ social media posts are great because they answer the questions you get asked most often! This is perfect for businesses that have social media accounts that get a lot of comments or messages. Instead of replying to each message, share it with your social media audience so everyone can get the answers to their questions without having to ask them.  

[Bonus Tip – If a question is really popular, be sure to add it to your website as well to help with your SEO]

Ask your question in the opening line of the content with the answer written out below. This is how you turn frequently asked questions into questions that are no longer asked, saving you time in the long run.  These work really well as videos too.

 

11. Before and After

As a home services business, before and after posts are a must! Showing your social media audience the before and after of a project will help them to understand how your services make a difference!

If possible, be sure to use a picture taken from the same angle with similar lighting.  Try to use images that have stark contrast, such as going from light paint to dark paint or vice versa.

12. Feature Your Employees

We can guarantee your employees will love the fact that you take the time to showcase them, what they do for you, and how much of an asset they are to your company. When you share social media posts that include the team members, it helps to provide a friendly face behind your business and that will make your audience feel more connected!

People want to do business with people.

13. Comparison

The comparison post can relate to anything within your industry and it simply compares one thing to another. This could be comparing different brands of paint and how they are used, types of flooring, the quality of one painting process vs. another etc.

14. Pros and Cons

Anything that relates to your business can be a comparison with benefits and drawbacks. This can be in relation to your industry, your competitors, or things that your customers are doing.

What are the pros and cons of hiring a company who specializes in kitchen remodeling over a general contractor? What about one coat of paint vs two?

Be sure to highlight the situations where your business comes out on top!

15. Customer Generated Content

This is a piece of content that was created by someone who has used your services. This could be a photo of them in their new kitchen or a testimonial that they may have written about your business on their personal profile. Anything that is published by one of your customers is customer generated content.

When customers see you sharing their posts about your business, this encourages others to do the same!

16. Talk About Trends

There are trends that are relevant in every industry, which is why social media users are so engaged with content that discusses them. Trends can be anything from popular paint colors to tile and flooring patterns and accent walls.

If you have your finger on the social media pulse, share some of these trends with your audience and provide some insight about them. They may just see something that catches their eye!  This also sets you apart as an expert in your area.

17. Long Form Content

You want to make sure that you are also posting long form content here and there. This consists of longer videos and blog posts that allow you to really share your message. Longer form content can be used when you want to explain something that is beneficial for your social media audience and internet browsers alike!

Some popular long form content topics that we have seen work for painters are as follows:

  • Popular color trends for the year
  • Tips for painting children’s rooms
  • One coat vs two coat
  • Warranty explanation
  • Pros and cons of certain paints or paint brands

18. Community Related Posts

If you are a local business, you should absolutely be talking about community-related activities. For example, you can talk about projects that your business has completed around the community.  So, when people see that your company has done work on a common spot around town, they are going to think of you every time they see it!

You should also post about any charity work that your business has done.

Want To Know More?

This is just the start when it comes to creating engaging content that helps get you more clients!

If you need help creating social media content for your business or if you would like it done for you, contact IFTS today at 412-715-6266 to discuss a social media plan that is a good fit for you and your business. 

Get the Top 3 Social Media Post Templates for Painting Companies to Grow Your Following and Get New Clients

Engage with prospects and save time with your FREE Canva template kit. This kit features the top 3 social media posts for painting companies and directions on how to brand them for your own business in 5 minutes or less.

Enter your email below and get the templates sent directly to your inbox along with an instructional video on how to make personalized edits.

How To Build a Website for Your Painting Business + 5 Alternatives

A professional website is an essential element for every business’s brand strategy. Apart from being an authoritative platform on which the company communicates its brand, it also helps considerably with engagement and conveying your services.

Having a website makes it very easy for people to find you and discover what you do. It also makes you stand out as a professional in your field.

Then, there’s marketing. Through website analytics, a business owner can quickly tell the demographics of those who show interest. On-page and off-page SEO also goes a long way in building online visibility and search engine ranking.

But how do you actually build a website? And what are other options if you can’t afford one?

Before we get started.. We have 7 simple steps that will help you get your business in front of the right customers, downloadable as a free guide.

The Painter Marketing Broad Brush Effect

Get a FREE download of our 7 simple steps that will bring in more painting customers than you can handle in 2021 and beyond.

Ready to roll?

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

How Do I Build A Website For My Painting Business?

There are various ways to go about building your painting business website. And frankly, anyone can create a website these days with a good Internet connection. Here are your options:

Template-based website builders

These require no design or development skills at all and are exceptionally popular when it comes to building a website on a low budget. Some of the best website builders out there include:

Do keep in mind that you will still need to pay for things like a domain name, business email, hosting, and customized themes. There’s also photography to take into account, or the purchase of stock images. You will additionally need to put in some time and effort to learn the platform of your choice. WordPress, in particular, is the trickiest but also the best when it comes to ranking on the search engines.

Seek out a freelance web designer/developer

It is not a secret that you can hire freelancers online these days for a fraction of the price you would pay your local creative agency. This again applies to those on a small budget who are also short on time and other resources.

Some of the most popular freelance outsourcing sites include:

While this is an affordable option, finding the right freelancer will take some time and effort. To streamline the process, make sure you create an ad with specific details about what you want, so that the freelancer can bid on it knowing all the specs of the job. 

Don’t hire someone simply because they’re cheap; check out their profile and portfolio first and have a look at what projects they are currently working on (you would want to avoid anyone already working on 27 other projects!).

Before you decide to hire, hop on a video call with your candidates to verify that they are not scammers or fake profiles — unfortunately, this does tend to happen when there is no supervision or control over who creates a profile.

Hire an agency

Agencies will be your best option when it comes to creating a professional-looking, fully functional website. 

They won’t limit your options with template designs and quick fixes, and they usually consist of specialists, in which case you may be able to get a full package of web design, marketing, and branding services by a team of real experts who know what they’re doing.

But do be aware, these professional services come at a higher cost due to the quality they offer, and a website alone could cost you anywhere from $500 to $10,000!

As a small business that requires an uncomplicated website with only a few pages, consider putting aside $1000-$3000. If you’re serious about your painting business, you will not hesitate at making such an important investment.

At IFTS we work with our clients to make customized solutions for your website development and marketing needs.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you are considering creating a professional website for your painting business.

5 Alternatives to Building a Painting Business Website

Are you hoping to avoid the whole website-building hassle altogether? If you are, you can still build your online brand and presence. It’s only the platform that will be different.

A website is not the only tool that a business can utilize to create an online presence. There are various alternatives you can look at which are much less pricey, too.  Below are some of the most commonly sought after alternatives for painting businesses:

1. Google My Business

A Google My Business page is an all-in-one listing management tool. This tool displays your business information and your business’s location will also appear on Google Maps. 

You can also take advantage of other tools, like Reviews and Insights. You can even create a DIY site if you like and promote events and special offers. It will boost your visibility on the search engine results page when a relevant query is placed. 

A GMB page is responsive, mobile-friendly, and can be optimized for SEO.

Need help creating or optimizing your Google My Business profile? Check out our Introduction to Google My Business for tips on how to set up your profile correctly and accurately.

2. Online Local Business Directories

Yes, you can pay for a listing on your local online business directories such as Yellow Pages and Foursquare.

These online directories allow you to optimize your listing for SEO and showcase as much information about the business as you can. You can also just list the basics – name and contact information of the business and services and working hours, and you’re good to go.

3. Review Sites Listings

Review sites such as HomeAdvisor, Yelp, and Angi are well-optimized for search results. Hence, a listing on these sites will allow you to take advantage of their undeniably impressive business-boosting functions.

The best part of registering your business with review sites is that clients tend to trust any review they read on them! And if you’re low on reviews, you can always invite your current customers to these platforms and have them give their two cents.

Want to know how to win over customers with your online reputation? Here, we discuss proactive tactics for online reputation management to get more clients.

4. Facebook Business Page

Facebook has over two billion active users. It is one of the few platforms that are continuously improving their B2B offerings and helping new businesses promote themselves. 

With a Facebook business page, you can create an ecommerce store, accept payments, book appointments, share content through posts, create promotions, announce events, set up ad campaigns, and do pretty much anything you need to attract and retain customers. 

You can also use Facebook for SEO purposes or targeted advertising. The possibilities are endless!

5. Online Marketplaces

Online marketplaces perform well on the search engines, and a listing on them can significantly boost your presence and sales.

They are also a great starting point for small niche businesses, as you can position your business in front of your target audience without the need to resort to advertising.

For home services business, your go-to marketplaces should be Handy, ProReferral, and Serviz.

Regardless of the options you choose, you must maintain a professional online presence at all times. 

Be sure to craft an online marketing strategy and implement, review, and improve your online marketing efforts constantly.

Click the button below to download our free guide, The Painter Marketing Broad Brush Effect. This guide will walk you through 7 simple steps to bring in more painting customers than you can handle in 2021 and beyond.

If you need help creating a website for your painting business, or figuring out a marketing strategy that drives results, feel free to ask us any questions! Give IFTS a call at 412.715.6266 for a free consultation.

Get the Top 3 Social Media Post Templates for Painting Companies to Grow Your Following and Get New Clients

Engage with prospects and save time with your FREE Canva template kit. This kit features the top 3 social media posts for painting companies and directions on how to brand them for your own business in 5 minutes or less.

Enter your email below and get the templates sent directly to your inbox along with an instructional video on how to make personalized edits.