BRISTAN BUSINESS BLOGS: 5 WAYS SOCIAL MEDIA CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS.
Over the last few years, digital usage has rocketed. Whether it’s Smartphones, the internet or social media, it has become part of our daily routine – so much so that it’s hard to remember life without it. 
According to Ofcom in 2019 ‘nearly every adult in the UK uses a mobile phone’ and nearly 9 out of ten of us now use the internet, so using social media to promote your business and plumbing expertise is a great idea. 
Whether you’re an apprentice just starting out or an-existing business trying to expand, social media is a good way to keep On Tap of trends, news and your competitors. 

Here’s 5 ways social media can help your business:

1.    Everyone is on social media! 

It’s now uncommon to meet someone who doesn’t use social media. If you’re a Facebook fan or an avid Twitter user, why not use that to your advantage? 
Creating a social media profile dedicated to your business will help you to reach a larger audience in a shorter time, so you could boost your customer base or take a look to see what your competition is doing in your local area. A good place to start is a Facebook page. Facebook has over 1.62 billion daily active users so finding your target audience, could be as brilliantly simple as installing an Easyfit kitchen sink mixer.
If you need inspiration, check out the Bristan On Tap Plumbers Facebook Group to see how likeminded plumbers are using social media to advertise their business. 

2.    Helps to build loyal customer relationships. 

Another way social media can help your business, is by giving you the opportunity to get to know your customers and build relationships with them. Brand loyalty is a sought-after commodity, and this is often built up after a customer feels personally connected to your business. 
Social media can also help your business by building a loyal customer relationship because you can post pictures of your jobs which helps them to see the standard of your work. If they can see what you’ve been getting up to, they’re more likely to trust you to do a great job for them. 

3.    It’s not as expensive as other advertisements! 

Rather than placing an advert in a magazine or local paper, social media can help your business in two ways – it saves you time, and money. Social media is typically free, and simple to use. 
However, if you have a bigger budget, it’s possible to spend money on your own social media and advertise your own posts – whether that’s a job you’ve recently finished or promoting your contact details. You can choose however much you’d like to spend across most popular social media platforms, and who sees it – potential customers, retailers, friends or competitors. 

4.    You control your online presence.

Unlike relying on word of mouth, social media can help your business because the more active you are, the easier you will be to find across Google and other search engines. If you’re active on social media, and always speaking to your customers, as soon as someone Googles ‘plumbers in my local area’, your name and profile is more likely to be at the top of the list. 
It can also help control your online presence by signing up to Google My Business. For those in the trade, it’s a great platform to put your name out there. It’s free and easy to use. But it’s more than a business listing, your Google My Business profile lets you connect with customers across Google searches, Google Maps and by verifying your business information, you can help customers to find you and tell them why your business is great.

5.    Can offer customer service. 

In the digital age, people want services fast. Bing social online can help your business because you can interact with your customers in real time, addressing their concerns right away. It’s important to consider how you respond to customers and why your business is better than someone else in the local area. If you’re friendly and responsive, your audience is more likely to trust you and come to you as soon as they experience a plumbing problem or a fault. 

To find out more about how social media can help your business, sign up to the Bristan On Tap Plumbers Facebook Group where you can meet likeminded people and share tricks of the trade.