Marketing 101: Ideas for Promotions in the Painting Industry

Every business needs marketing in order to get well-known and effectively stand out in the crowd. Without eye-catching marketing strategies and campaigns, there’s no chance that any business will reach success anytime soon. The same goes for the painting industry. The fact of the matter is that every house or condo owner will need an exterior or interior paint job sooner or later. Sure, young people and new couples may try to do it themselves, but when their DIY paint job doesn’t turn out like they wanted it, they’ll call for professionals to fix the mess they’ve made.

That’s why you need to market your painting business and let people know that you have the best services available at their disposal. Mix a bit of traditional and digital marketing to let people know you’re the leading business in the painting industry. Here are a few promotion ideas that will boost your marketing efforts.

Good Old Advertising

Traditional advertisements are still a powerful way of promoting your business, especially for less digital industries, such as painting businesses. In addition, you don’t have a niche-specific target audience. Instead, every homeowner is your desired customer and that’s why local advertisements can prove much more effective in promoting your business than other marketing strategies. Based on your budget, you can advertise in the local newspaper, billboards, TV stations, radio and Yellow Pages.

You can also print out leaflets and brochures that you’ll hand out to people on the street. It’s a good idea to target neighborhoods with older building and homes – 10 years old or older, because they’re most likely in need of a new paint job. Improving awareness and visibility in your local area will give your painting business the necessary push to help it grow and expand further.

Use Direct Mail

Direct mail is another traditional marketing method where you design and tailor your message specifically for your potential customers. The main reason this marketing method is so effective is because it avoids all the noise in the digital world and goes straight to the consumers. However, this method is a bit costly, since you need to print out and mail material, but once it hits the mark, your business will get the desired attention. There is the risk of people oftentimes throwing direct mail into the garbage because they consider it spam.

Still, it won’t hurt to try out direct mail, especially since it holds great potential. You can design a catalogue of your previous work and include discounts and personalized offers. Also, make sure you create a message that will describe your work and your offer in the best and most convincing way possible, so that it has better chances of getting people interested.

Check out SendOut Cards here for follow up ideas!

Try Partnering with other Businesses

There are plenty of other businesses in the vicinity that are trying to stay on top of their game. These non-competitive businesses may be the key to mutual growth and prosperity. You can partner up with other business and combine resources, as well as marketing efforts to promote each other more effectively. For instance, local carpet cleaners, plumbers and electricians can add you to their advertisements and word-of mouth recommendations, and in return you can do the same for them.

Maintain an Online Presence

As beneficial as traditional marketing can be for less digital industries, there’s also a benefit in taking a digital approach. Creating an online presence can help expand your reach, as well as your influence. A good way to do so is to leverage social media platforms and build your presence on networks such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

That way you can showcase your work and promote your business to online audiences. This will help grow your customer base and may even help grow your business outside the local area you’re currently operating in.

 

The painting industry requires good marketing like any other industry. Without good marketing, there’s no valid way to promote your business or to attract customers. However, if you’re creative and innovative, you’ll be able to develop an effective promotional campaign that will not just make your painting business well-known, but successful and profitable as well.

My name is Alex Williams, born and raised in beautiful Sydney. I am a journalism graduate, and a rookie blogger trying to find my luck. Blogs are the perfect opportunity for presenting yourself to wider audience, getting the chance to showcase my expertise and receiving recognition. I am a regular contributor at BizzMark Blog.

The post Marketing 101: Ideas for Promotions in the Painting Industry appeared first on The Blogging Painters.

5 Ways Auditing your Blog will increase Organic Traffic

If you are looking for ways to strengthen your blog’s web presence, a full-fledged SEO audit can do wonders. SEO stands for search engine optimization and helps to send relevant and contextual signals to search engines that allow increased visibility of your blog through keywords.

But the world of SEO is quite complex and before deciding to implement any strategy, you should have clear goals. This is when an SEO audit can help you immensely. It not only updates you about your competitors, but also provides you a way to overtake them in search results. SEO auditing is an excellent benchmarking tool that can add a lot of valuable followers to your blog.

Once you have decided to run an SEO audit, choose a reliable SEO audit tool that can help you figure out strategies to increase the organic traffic of your blog. There are many available in the market such as Growth Robotics, SEO Auditor, Seomator and others. An SEO audit covers the current rankings, competitor comparison, keywords, meta data, formatting, coding, content and links of your blog.

Let us take a detailed look on the ways in which an SEO audit can increase organic traffic for your blog:

1- Increased conversion rates

If you are running an e-commerce business through your blog, increasing conversion rates might be one of the biggest challenges that you face. An audit can help you restructure your website design, landing pages, calls-to-action and content so that you can maximize conversions.

An SEO audit can help simplify the process of restructuring your website through proper planning, testing and analysis of the current SEO rankings of your blog. These changes can help you reach maximum organic traffic, consequently increasing the overall conversion rates of your blog.

2- Better SEO

SEO is one department that you can’t ignore, if you aim to run a successful blog. If you follow an organized content marketing strategy, you can see up to 2,000% increase in blog traffic and upto 40% increase in revenue, according to a research by Marketing Sherpa.

But the secret behind a successful content strategy depends on good SEO. With Google making more than 500 changes to its algorithm per year, it is difficult to stay on top of the game. This is why, an SEO audit will evaluate your SEO and give relevant suggestions to improve content quality. High quality content can help you provide a better user experience, hence, increasing bounce rates and repeat visits on your blog.

3- Enhanced functionality

There is nothing more off putting than a poorly designed website. If you fail to provide a user-friendly interface on your website, you can lose a lot of traffic. And, according to a recent research, it takes even less than two-tenths of a second for a customer to form his first impression of your website. This is why, it is important to convey reliability and professionalism through your website’s design. A website audit can pinpoint areas of improvement so that you can redesign the structure and content to increase your blog’s functionality and organic traffic.

4- Relevant content

Click here to get yours!

Technical terms such as bounce rates, time on site, page views, etc. are extremely important but at the end of the day people will re-visit your blog only because of high quality content. If you have relevant and unique content to offer, nothing can stop the traffic from coming towards your blog.

A website audit will help you identify the most trending topics so that you can design your content accordingly. It can also help you come up with content presentation ideas like words, images, video, channels, etc. Your content strategy will be much more focused after the audit and you can produce content that your followers want to see. A happy user will increase overall organic rankings in search engines automatically.

 

5- Better organic search visibility

If you want to increase your blog’s SEO rankings, you have to decide some criteria in which you want to rank it. A good way to make this happen is by maintaining a strong keyword strategy. Once you have understood the competing market in detail, you can redefine your SEO strategies that incorporate targeted keywords within all the content of your blog.

Google analytics can help you decide what your website should rank for, based on your blog’s current content and on-page optimization. A website audit can help you include better keywords and will provide a strong SEO research. Use this information to amplify traffic towards your website and also include it in your offsite blog marketing channels.

Conclusion

With so many benefits, it has become necessary to invest time and money in a website audit, so that you can increase organic traffic towards your blog. The everchanging search environment needs an expert approach, and even small changes can create a strong impact on your blog’s SEO performance and conversions.

So, start thinking about performing a website audit soon!

Audrey Throne is a mother of a 2-year old and a professional blogger by choice. Throne is passionate about health, technology and management and blogs frequently on these topics.

Find her on Twitter: @audrey_throne.

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20 REASONS 20 YEAR OLDS MIGHT CONSIDER STARTING A PAINTING BUSINESS

 

1. You will learn how to work. Developing a good work ethic – a willingness to work hard, to work with your hands – are abilities that will serve you for the rest of your life.
   
2. You will learn a skill. Learning a skill is developing an asset. You are that asset. You can leverage your skills to make money over the course of your life. It is an investment in yourself. Mastering a skill is key to enjoying a high level of job satisfaction.
3. You will learn the importance of creating value. This is a critical life lesson many self-absorbed people never get a chance to learn. Cold hard truth: For most of us, no one is awaiting our arrival. Our success depends on our ability to create value in other people’s lives. Leave your sense of entitlement behind and shift into the entrepreneurial mindset. It will help to stop waiting for permission and acceptance, get out there and make things happen. A valuable attitude that will benefit you in whatever you pursue later in life.
4. You will learn to problem solve. You will come to see problems as opportunities. Challenges will present as solutions. You will learn to solve your own problems and create your own opportunities. You will learn to solve other people’s problems, while creating opportunities for yourself.
5. You will learn to prioritize amidst overwhelm. What is essential here, now?
6. You will learn to manage stress. Your ability to handle stress will increase and you will develop strategies for minimizing stress. You will learn to handle problems with less emotion. You will learn how to limit your exposure to unnecessary stress, setting boundaries for yourself  and others.
7. You will learn that complaining and feeling sorry for yourself adds zero value to your life. As a good friend once told me: ‘Don’t complain unless you are willing to change.’
8. You will learn that learning never ends and is a lifelong pursuit, not an objective or a destination. ‘Getting an education’ is not the goal. Constantly learning, building new skills and adapting will be normal. And you will learn a lot, everyday.
   
   
9. There is plenty of work out there. The industry is not threatened. There is a skilled labour shortage. Baby Boomers are the wealthiest generation in the history of mankind and they are retiring. Often, their most prized asset is their home. The knowledge based economy is snatching up a lot of industrious young people. This all adds up to high demand for painters, and low supply.
10. Soft skills you acquire are transferrable to so many other jobs. You will benefit from these skills for the rest of your working life: social intelligence, self-management, team management, value creation, problem solving, sales, organization, intentionality, willingness to get the job done, integrity, attention to detail, money management, communication, self motivated learning, etc.
    
    
11. Hard skills are transportable to any location you may choose to move to. Want to move to a more prosperous area where opportunities abound? Want to move for family reasons? Want to help with disaster relief work? Want to move somewhere so you can transition into another career? If you run your own business and have the skills to start up again, where you live is largely in your control.
12. Minimal barrier to entry. Compared to other trades, the start up costs are lower. There are less certification and permits required. You don’t require a lot of expensive tools.
13. You will learn accountability. Not just to others. When you have a job you are accountable to your superiors for certain results and procedures, as you are to your clients when self employed. However, becoming accountable to ourselves is a more powerful concept that few learn. Depending on others for direction, acceptance and reward can be a difficult cycle to break. As a business owner, you are primarily accountable to yourself for results. No excuses. No permission. No barriers. That is the so-called ‘freedom’ so many seek in starting a business – the autonomy to make decisions and actualize your intentions, own your results both in business and in your personal life. Own your days. Own your business. Own your results. Own your home. Think like an owner. Freedom = Accountability.
14. You will learn to let go of perfectionism. Perfectionism is a bad thing. It sucks the joy out of life and profit out of business. Reasonable clients don’t expect it. Craftsmanship and attention to detail are very important, but you will learn to balance that with letting go of perfectionism.
    
    
15. You will enjoy the deep satisfaction of seeing the results of your hard work on a daily basis. This is profoundly important to our well being and self respect. You will see tangible, visible results each work day. You will see the impact your work has on your clients as they marvel at the results of your skills and efforts. You will see the good results of providing for yourself and your family. And in a larger sense you have the opportunity to contribute positively to your community.
16. Novelty. Can you imagine the soul crushing experience of working in a cubicle farm under the artificial lighting all day, day in day out? Whereas getting to work on unique projects, in different places and for a variety of people is rewarding in itself. We all need new challenges, need to meet new people, have new experiences.
    
    
17. You get to listen to music, or podcasts while you work. Certain types of music are proven to enhance your mental well being. Podcasts cast help you learn something new everyday. You can even take university courses via podcast. Get smart, be happy, make money. Not a bad way to spend the day.
18. Tax write offs. Lower your taxable income by being able to right off more expenses against your employment income. Fuel to and from work, cell phone, internet, etc.
    
    
19. The cash flow is pretty good. There is no ceiling on your income. There will be more money flowing through your hands than if you worked a part time retail job. You will learn to manage money quickly.
20. You will stand out from the competition. There are not a lot of younger painters with the initiative to be in business. Potential customers will notice, and many will want to support you. If you are a young woman, the opportunity is even greater as some people may be more comfortable with a woman working in their home, and it is even more unique – different in a legitimate way, not contrived. Different is good.
21. Imagine getting paid to learn all this and grow as a person? That is the opportunity awaiting a young person willing to work hard. You will get paid to learn all of these real world skills, versus paying to learn theories in school.

None of this is easy. In fact, it is all difficult. It can be very difficult – dangerous working conditions, toxic substances, heights, heat, financial risk, potential for conflict, complicated steps to getting started, accounting and taxes – it can be overwhelming, especially at the outset. But life is difficult and the sooner you learn the skills required to thrive, the better off you will be.

You may want to eventually transition into work that is less physically demanding or dangerous, work that creates exponential value, work that is more sustainable as you get older. But the value of learning a skill and running a business when you are young is a wise investment in yourself. If you like to work hard, are a quick learner and have some motivation, I believe in you – you can do it! Now get out there and make it happen! There is nothing that can stop you.

Simon Kuhl is a professional painter working on beautiful Vancouver Island, BC. He owns Sombrio Painting Co. and specializes in custom painting, staining and plastering solutions. He also operates Micro Contractor Blog in support of other small independent painting contractors. Beyond business, painting and writing, Simon loves spending time with his family exploring outdoors, reading and portrait photography.

 

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Inspired by Wanderlust, Sherwin-Williams Names 2018 Color of the Year

Introducing ‘Oceanside:’ an opulent and mysterious green-blue color that evokes optimism

CLEVELAND (OCTOBER 3, 2017) — A fusion of rich blue with jewel-toned green, the 2018 Color of the Year, Oceanside SW 6496, represents the growing desire for color that is both accessible and elusive. A complex, deep color, Oceanside offers a sense of the familiar with a hint of the unknown, bridging between old and new, light and dark.

“Green-blues in deep values, such as Oceanside, respond to changes in light, which is a quality that creates intense dimension, It is a tremendously versatile color, and harmonizes with other diverse color groups.”

 Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams.

Bringing the Color of the Year into the home

Blues evoke a multitude of moods and associations depending on hue, shade and application. Despite this variety, they are universally perceived as intelligent, honest and interesting—making blue the most beloved color worldwide. Oceanside’s multi-dimensional look could create a welcoming statement as a lively color for a front door. This green-meets-blue tone can also boost creative thinking and clarity of thought in a home office, or invite meditation and introspection in bedrooms or reading nooks.

“People today have a growing sense of adventure, and it is making its way into even the coziest corners of our homes. We are craving things that remind us of bright folklore, like mermaids and expeditions across continents. Oceanside is the color of wanderlust right in our own homes,” says Wadden.

Oceanside’s versatility allows it to play well with many colors. It is a bright counterpart to equally eye-catching colors, such as Exuberant Pink SW 6840 or Honey Bees SW 9018, or it can rest relaxingly alongside other blues, such as In the Navy SW 9178..

It is also the ideal companion for corals and copper metallic tones. Oceanside is universally embraced by design styles from mid-century modern to Mediterranean-inspired, and traditional to ultra-contemporary.

The Color of the Year in commercial spaces

Oceanside offers familiar inroads to bold color for developers, builders and interior designers. As with other colors found in nature, Oceanside can channel healing and tranquil emotions, but also spur heightened levels of creativity—making for a peaceful first impression in an office or hotel lobby and a bright, imaginative environment in classrooms.

“Oceanside is reminiscent of the multi-tonal blues found in nature, offering a memorable, yet calming effect for public spaces,” says Wadden. “It is a new twist on navy, a common color for use in commercial spaces. When placed correctly, it is refreshing and offers dimension and depth as a statement color.”

Channeling the inspiration of indigenous patterns and artisan styles embraced by many community spaces, Oceanside pairs best in commercial settings with camel-colored neutrals such as Tatami Tan SW 6116 and Tamarind SW 7538. As a base color, it effortlessly accents pops of red, like Heartthrob SW 6866 or Borscht SW 7578.

About Sherwin-Williams 2018 Colormix Forecast

A part of the ‘Unity’ palette that was announced earlier this year, Oceanside is one of the colors in the 2018 Colormix Forecast. For more information on the annual Sherwin-Williams Colormix Forecast, visit swcolormix.com.

About Sherwin-Williams Color of the Year

Led by Director of Color Marketing Sue Wadden, the Sherwin-Williams global color and design team travels the world to research and identify key trends that influence the way we interact with color. From those findings, the team selects the strongest influence and then decides the Color of the Year. This is the eighth year Sherwin-Williams has named an official Color of the Year with the 2018 selection, Oceanside SW 6493. A list of colors selected includes: 2011: Indigo Batik SW 7602, 2012: Argyle SW 6747, 2013: Aloe SW 6464, 2014: Exclusive Plum SW 6263, 2015: Coral Reef SW 6606, 2016: Alabaster SW 7008, 2017: Poised Taupe SW 6039. For more information visit SWCOTY.com.

Ask Sherwin-WilliamsTM

For more than 150 years, Sherwin-Williams has been an industry leader in the development of technologically advanced paint and coatings. As the nation’s largest specialty retailer of paint and painting supplies, Sherwin- Williams is dedicated to supporting both do-it-yourselfers and painting professionals with exceptional and exclusive products, resources to make confident color selections and expert, personalized service at its more than 4,200 neighborhood stores across North America.

For more information, visit sherwin-williams.com.

Join Sherwin-Williams on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

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10 Tips for Winning the Sales Appointment

I want to start by saying that the actual Sales Process begins well before you meet the customer in-person for the estimate.

The marketing messages you use; the way you answer the phone and the methods you use to pre-position the customer all set the table for a successful sales appointment.

Here are my 10 tips for creating the most effective estimate possible.  Again, the focus is only on your actual in-person meeting:

1) Make a courtesy call on your way to the appointment.

“Hi, this is Mark from MDF Painting.  I am giving you a courtesy call to let you know that I am on my way to your home and will arrive in approximately 17 minutes.”

I always make this call: when I am on-time, early or slightly late.  Years ago, I would only call if I was running a few minutes late.

Now I call each and every time for two main reasons.  First, it reminds them of the appointment which can be helpful if they are running late or neglected to remember our meeting.  Secondly, it sets the stage for a professional meeting and it separates us from most of our competitors.

2) Make sure you cover the basics

You have heard this all before but it is worth repeating.  Show up on time, wear a clean uniform (for me this is a polo shirt with an embroidered logo), drive a neat, clean vehicle (a stenciled truck would be ideal).

3) Introduction

I always introduce myself with eye contact, a handshake and a smile.  I always say: “Hi, I am Mark with MDF Painting.  Thank you for inviting me to your home to help on this project.”

4) Give a gift

We give out cookies from a local bakery shaped like our logo.  In the past we have given out t-shirts, coloring books for kids, biscuits for pets, etc.  I think that giving a small gift is a subtle way of saying “thank you” for inviting me to your home.

5) Control the order of things by letting them lead the way

Years ago, I would try to get all my questions answered before the customer started to show me the actual scope of work.  Now, I start things out after my introduction by simply saying: “How can I help you?”

This “how can I help you” mentality is really the key to the entire estimate.  By saying it out loud I allow the customer the opportunity to unload all the information that they want me to know.  I think this is important because as we discuss the project they are more open to listening to me and internalizing my questions.

Sometimes when someone has something on their mind to tell you, they tend to subconsciously ignore what you are saying until they have the opportunity to give you all the information.

6) Ask smart questions, every single time

Every successful estimate must include a discussion of: price, past contractor experiences, customer needs (the not so obvious ones) and the homeowner’s decision making process.

The difference between a rookie estimator and a seasoned salesperson is how well you can slip your questions in during a conversation.  I find that if you simply ask your questions one after another in an interview style, you generally lose some trust and make it difficult for the customer to open up.

The real key is to be genuinely interested in helping them and to slip your questions in naturally during your conversation.

7) How to slip in your key questions rather than interrogate your customer

Most customers want to tell you about the details of the work and many want to physically show you the scope.  This is your time to take notes and listen.

Actively listen and ask smart questions that are scope-related.  At some point while examining the scope you should ask:

“Have you hired a painting contractor in the past?  How was that experience?”

If the customer simply says: “It was a good experience,” you should then ask:

“How could it have been better?”

This question is meant to elicit more information about the customer’s hot buttons.  Their answer tends to tell you exactly what they care about most.

For example, if the customer says that the last contractor was reliable and did a good job but destroyed her plants and then never came back to fix the problem.  This is information that you should definitely use to contract around.  When presenting your price and your recommended scope at the end of your meeting, you should put great emphasis on your set-up process, the steps you take to protect landscaping and the protocol you have in place for daily clean up.  You may also want to talk about your touch-up programs and the fact that you encourage past customers to call you in the future for any issues.

Other questions you should ask include:

“What does your decision making process look like?”

 

“How many other quotes have you received so far?  Were they similar in price or was there a large range?”

 

“What is the most important factor in who you decide to hire as your painting contractor?”

From these questions you will find out who is making the final decision and how important price versus quality is to the customer.  Some customers may be very transparent and tell you exactly what their other prices were but most will tend to withhold that information until after you give them your price.  This is also the time when you should explain to the customer that you will be putting together a detailed proposal with a fixed price while you are still on-site.  You should also be very direct and tell them that you like to talk openly about the price to see if it is something they want to schedule.  This sets the stage for you to review your proposal and pricing later on.

8) Let the show begin

After you the customer has showed you the scope of work and you have asked your questions, you are ready to begin creating the actual estimate for the project.

At this stage, I explain to the customer that it will take me 20-30 minutes to take detailed notes and measurements and then another few minutes for me to enter all the information into my tablet in order to give them a fixed price quote.

I ask if they have any questions right now and then I give them my company packet.

This packet is a professionally printed folder including nearly 100 pages of documents: testimonials, license, certificate of insurance pages, references and tons of information about the products we prefer and the processes we use.

Additionally, I let them watch a slideshow on my iPad that shows jobsite photos and testimonials.

While they review this information, I put on a show of snapping photos, touching surfaces and measuring.

I have been estimating residential homes for over 20 years.  I can often “eyeball” a space and very accurately estimate man hours of labor and gallons of material; however, I will always be detailed in taking notes and measurements.

First, accuracy will help you in determining a price and later in executing the job.  Secondly, being detailed oriented in examining surfaces and measuring will make the customer feel that you are professional and this in turn will make the trust you more.

The more they trust you, the more likely they are to hire you.  You may be capable of “eyeball” measurements, especially when looking at interior rooms; however, always use a tape measure, laser measure or a wheel–your sales rate will improve just by doing this alone.

9) Calculate your estimate and print out a proposal on the spot

PEP Software

Personally, I like using Brat’s Paint Cost Estimator Pro.  This an inexpensive app that you can easily use on a mini-iPad in the field.  I use this simple app along with a WiFi hotspot from my cell phone carrier ($20/month) and an HP wireless printer (under $100) to print out a proposal in my vehicle.  This entire process generally takes me between 5 minutes and 30 minutes depending on the size of the project.

10) Review the proposal and ask for the job

With a printed proposal and an fixed price in hand, you will return to the customer to review everything.

This is the point where you should actively use the customer’s hot buttons as you explain the proposal.  Be sure to highlight your services in such a way that you are focusing more on their needs as you explain your processes.  For example, if the customer is very concerned about her plants, you should spend a lot of time talking about landscape protection and less time explaining all the details of oil-based primers.  You must cover all the elements of your process but should focus most on what is most important to that specific customer.

After reviewing your proposal you should tell them the specific price and ask:

“Is my price right in the range of your other quotes?”

Usually this is the time when a customer will be very transparent with you about their other prices.  They may tell you something different than what they had said when asked earlier about their other estimates.

It is important to always ask:

“I would love to get you into my upcoming work schedule.  Would you like to hire us for this project?”

 

Many painting contractors become very timid when discussing price and they never ask this question.  It is your job to verbally ask this question at every estimate.  The customer may say “no,” but you must always ask.

If the customer does not commit to the job on the spot but says they will “talk it over” or “discuss with a spouse,” then take the opportunity to schedule a Next Step Agreement (NSA).

An NSA involves you writing down an exact day and time in which it would be best for you to call the customer to follow up on the proposal.  Physically take out a pen & paper or open a calendar on your phone and set the appointment up right there in front of the customer. Explain that it is just a friendly 5-minute call to check-in, see if they have any additional questions and ask if they want to get into your schedule before you are completely booked.

Obviously phone, email and mailed follow ups are essential to any sales process.  Additionally, there are many nuances that can be added to each of the steps above but this is the basic format I use to close sales for MDF Painting and it is the same system I teach to painting contractors around the country.

Mark A. DeFrancesco is the president of MDF Painting & Power Washing and founder of PainterMarketingTool.com, a website design and marketing service for painting contractors.  He teaches owners how to create “Set It and Forget It” Online Marketing Systems. Learn more and schedule a free strategy call at www.PainterMarketingTool.com.

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How to boost your painting business via Instagram

If you’re not an Instagram devotee already, you might be surprised to learn just how much time this platform’s users spend ogling the visual content which populates their feeds. With 700 million active monthly users, that’s a whole lot of visual content being consumed…

With such fanatical usage, Instagram is also one of the most powerful social media platforms for businesses looking to market their product or service right now. Selling via this medium is big business, especially for the “Instagram influencers” like Kim Kardashian who make millions from single sponsored posts showcasing particular products.

Right now, 70.7% of US businesses use Instagram 

Double the number using the platform in 2016.

 

Unlike Twitter and Facebook, Instagram feels like a more natural place for companies to run marketing campaigns – especially if they have plenty of visual content to share which users may be interested in. This boon makes Instagram a great outlet for painter & decorators keen to market their services & attract custom.

Want to harness the power of Instagram?

Here are a few tips to get you started…

Get #hashtagging

Hashtags are the route to getting your content discovered. Including around 10-15 hashtags, ideally concealed at the end of your post to prevent your content looking spammy, is widely considered to be best practice. There are some tools you can use to uncover the most searched-for and most relevant hashtags like Hashtagify.me. If you’re short on inspiration, these apps will help you find the right words to get your images found.

Try to keep your hashtags relevant as much as possible, without making them mundane. A broad spread of terminology is best, ranging from the practical to the aspirational. For instance #HighGlossPaint might help you get found by hyper relevant searchers while “Minimalist” might help you get under the nose of a much wider audience.

Get local

If your painting business is a local one, don’t forget to geo-tag your location and add a local hashtag too. Instagram is a very big digital world, so making yourself searchable for others in your area will ensure your business is more discoverable. Reaching out to other businesses in the area, by liking and commenting on their posts, will also help give you are more localised Instagram presence.

Get shared

The most powerful content on Instagram has to be UGC (user generated content). This content has the same effect as “Oooh, I love your top, where did you get it?”. If an Instagram user (be they a real life friend or an online personality) posts images of something you like, you’re much more likely to remember and discover the source of that product.

Persuading your clients to share images of your work on Instagram should be pretty easy – you are an amazing decorator after all! Although the older crowd may not be on board with the platform, many younger clients will be users (the key demographic is aged 18-29). Offering a reward, such as a 5% discount or a nice little extra, in return for publishing an image of their beautifully decorated property along with your Instagram handle will help the the word out about your business to their friends and follower – many of whom may be local.

Share something useful

It’s easy to simply post images and content which are purely promotional, but uploading content which is interesting and useful to your target market, such as guides to particular materials and maintenance or upcoming interior trend alerts, will make you much more followable on Instagram.

 

By Sam Butterworth, blog editor at Regal Floor Paints

 

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