As a contractor, how do you know that you are respected in your community? Is this demonstrated by the number of new clients that you are bringing in, or by the number of customers who choose to use your services again?
While you may be steadily adding customers to your database and keeping your technicians busy each day, it may be difficult to know how and why your customers selected you to be their provider, or even whether they will continue to use your company's services again in the future.
The easiest way to answer all of these questions is by developing a relationship with the members of your community. This process goes beyond just providing coupons or amping up your advertising campaign. The key to developing community relationships lies not just in having your company's name recognized, but having it linked to actions. While you might feel that your services in the field speak for themselves, even your best efforts may be going unnoticed by the community. This occurs because in a service situation, you are often only dealing with one person at a time. Even if that person shares their great experience with others, there will always be something lost in the translation. In order to gain true community recognition, you also need to place yourself in situations where you are in contact with groups and networks, rather than simply individuals.
Right off the bat, there needs to be some clarification. Running a booth at a trade show does not qualify as reaching out to a group. Unfortunately, this is the route most commonly taken to get in front of a large number of people and gain exposure. While this certainly is a great way to do blanket advertising, most of your interactions in those situations will be one-on-one with potential clients, if attendees even make eye contact with you at all.
Meaningful community involvement involves being sensitive to your community's needs and wants, and finding a way to be the provider that delivers solutions. Ask yourself what some of the hot topics are within your profession and determine which municipalities or companies you could reach out to and partner with to address these issues or concerns.
A common concern when searching for ways to get involved within the community is the potential cost involved in such an undertaking. It is crucial to recognize that this type of project does not have to be a costly endeavor. Community involvement can be as simple as providing an educational workshop at a local library or as involved as providing free or reduced services for a local charity organization.
Do not be afraid to reach out to municipality leaders, community program developers, and other local public service providers. Introduce yourself, describe your qualifications, and ask how you can be of help. Be prepared to offer suggestions. Teaching hands-on workshops or informational classes might be a good fit for one company, while another contractor might be better suited for other opportunities. Be creative and don't be afraid to think outside the box.
When I first started looking for ways to get involved within my community, I looked around my city to determine some of the main concerns that citizens had. Living in the desert, water conservation was an obvious area of interest. Being a Green Plumber, this was a clear place for me to start. I had contacts in the multi-housing industry, so I made a few calls and offered to give free water-saving workshops to their residents. I gathered together a few "props" to use, and started making the rounds whenever I had a free Saturday. The residents loved having the freedom to ask questions to a qualified professional, listened keenly to what I had to say, and engaged me in lively debates. Once I narrowed my program down to the most popular topics, I contacted manufacturers for samples to create more hands-on displays, and soon manufacturers were even calling me to offer products to demonstrate at events.
Not only did these workshops deliver more business to my company (I can't tell you how many times people told me how happy they were to finally meet a plumber who knew his business and that they trusted), but I soon had other members of the community calling me to ask me to provide workshops at other venues — everything from environmental fairs, to community library programs, to city-sponsored events. Nowadays, I get paid to give workshops in my community, and I am continually building community trust and the reputation as an expert in my field. Additionally, there is no better way to keep my finger on the pulse of what the people in my city need or want in terms of services and fixtures.
What does community involvement such as this have to offer that just advertising your services doesn't? For one, you immediately demonstrate your confidence in your company's abilities. In doing so, you encourage others to do the same. Personally reaching out to local leaders shows your commitment to the community and instantly set you apart from the rest of the list of contractors in the phone book.
Once you begin to put your programs in place, you will find yourself communicating with more and more potential clients on a much deeper level, developing relationships and trust along the way. Often, this will open doors for other opportunities to showcase your business, all while providing a useful and much-appreciated service to society. Community involvement can be a rewarding experience on many levels, all while establishing yourself and your business as experts to be sought out within your field.
John Smith is vice president of business development, Green Plumbers USA.