[doctordirtpro]

Facebook isn't for everyone, but if most of your customers come from the same geographic area in which you live, and you do quality work, I would highly recommend a Facebook page for your business.

Much easier and cheaper to set up than a website, Facebook has the advantage of letting your happy customers write a testimonial or compliment you online. You might even want to leave a note with every customer you visit, asking them to visit your Facebook page and "like" your business if they are satisfied, and tell them you will pay $20 for direct referrals of people who tell you they heard about you directly from a friend.

This only works if you do quality work -- it will backfire if you have disgruntled customers, and you will need to shut your Facebook account down quickly if someone goes on a tirade about shoddy workmanship.

[johnjh2o]

Originally Posted by doctordirtpro

Facebook isn't for everyone, but if most of your customers come from the same geographic area in which you live, and you do quality work, I would highly recommend a Facebook page for your business.

Much easier and cheaper to set up than a website, Facebook has the advantage of letting your happy customers write a testimonial or compliment you online. You might even want to leave a note with every customer you visit, asking them to visit your Facebook page and "like" your business if they are satisfied, and tell them you will pay $20 for direct referrals of people who tell you they heard about you directly from a friend.

This only works if you do quality work -- it will backfire if you have disgruntled customers, and you will need to shut your Facebook account down quickly if someone goes on a tirade about shoddy workmanship.

Bad idea. There will always be a clown that gets his kicks trashing you. There is no short cut to building a service business. The best advertisement you can get is customer referral. Treat them fare and give them the service they expect. Answer your own phone and do what you say your going to do.

John

[doctordirtpro]

But what percentage of your business is "planned" plumbing work and how much is the customer reacting to an immediate need they have?

Trust me -- a growing number will turn to Facebook and Yelp and other online directories of businesses than will ever call around for "a good plumber". And as the population ages, that number will quickly become the majority of your potential customers (if they aren't the majority already).

[johnjh2o]

Originally Posted by doctordirtpro

But what percentage of your business is "planned" plumbing work and how much is the customer reacting to an immediate need they have?

Trust me -- a growing number will turn to Facebook and Yelp and other online directories of businesses than will ever call around for "a good plumber". And as the population ages, that number will quickly become the majority of your potential customers (if they aren't the majority already).

And what keeps some A** hole from bad mouthing you on facebook for the fun of it? That could do you more harm then good. Think about it who would you use someone that had a add on facebook or someone your friend recommended? Besides the customers that you get from a add are in most cases shopping. The ones you get from referrals already have made up there mind that they what you to do the work for them. Trust me I have been doing this for a long time and it has served me and my family well. You can take this advice or not it's your choice.

John

[phishfood]

Actually a very relevant topic for me, as I work to get a micro plumbing business up and running.

I have a FaceBook page for my business, that I have had some technical issues with. I am about to start work on setting up an online presence outside of FaceBook.

The worst part is, I am not very computer savvy. I am good at plumbing, good with people, but I sometimes have trouble dialing my phone.

[doctordirtpro]

Yea..I feel for you. Harder to find a tech-savvy person you can trust than a plumber you can trust. But some of the tools are getting easier to use all the time. Suggestion: see if your local high school or community college has classes in web design or development and email or call the teacher to see if the students sometimes need ideas for websites and will work on one for free. Trust me, they often do. Could be a win-win.
At the least the teacher will know local inexpensive people to help.

As for someone bad mouthing you...believe me, if some plumber does a lousy job for me and I feel screwed, my entering that opinion on their Facebook page ONCE is nothing compared to the stories I will tell about that plumber to anyone who will listen until the day I die..

[johnjh2o]

Quote: (As for someone bad mouthing you...believe me, if some plumber does a lousy job for me and I feel screwed, my entering that opinion on their Facebook page ONCE is nothing compared to the stories I will tell about that plumber to anyone who will listen until the day I die.. )

The answer to that is to screen the people you hire. And when you do find a good employe treat him good as there getting harder and harder to find.

John

[LiQuId]

it can be the small things too, like ensuring you leave a spotless clean project. this can be the difference between getting the next call and them trying another company. always shine up finish chrome. the abundance of work in years past made many poor tradesmen, it is a hard thing sometimes to find employees ( and employers in some cases ) that take pride in their work, and believe in doing things right.

[Plumbero007]

I just run google search for:
Lake County, Florida plumber
Where are you.....???
For now forget about social marketing, firs fix that gaping hole.
Get a website you can update yourself, dead static and boring website will not do.
For tradesmen who is not network savvy try this link:

www.squarespace.com/

They provide you with hosting, excellent service and superior software on line to build, and maintain your web site. No coding, no HTML no Java no CSS.
Learning curve is not to steep, you can get your website going tonight. and improve and update every night after that.
Get your domain name. Go to name.com, lakecountyplumber.pro. com is taken but .pro is better.
Print your web side address on every thing you got.
Promote your website and update it at list once a week, projects done, weblog etc.

That will be a good start.

[phishfood]

Thanks!

I am about to start working with someone to get an internet presence, hopefully within a week or less I will have something up and running. I will definitely post up links so everyone can let me know what they think.