Social Media for Businesses Done Right: Martell Home Builders
Many companies have jumped on the social media bandwagon, but not all of them are doing it right. The good news is that some are using social media in unique, creative and successful ways. One of those companies is Martell Home Builders.
Martell used to rely on real estate agents to advance their business, but since they started using social media, they created a direct-to-consumer model and were able to cut out the middleman.
His online marketing efforts began with a primarily blogging strategy that focused on meeting the needs of his customers by writing articles such as “14 Must-Have Tools for New Owners.” They increased their readership by providing an opportunity for people to subscribe to blog posts via email.
They also placed GPS tracking devices in their contractors’ vehicles so customers would always know where the contractor was, putting customers at ease.
To make the home building experience more social, they put up photo galleries of homes being built. This allowed homebuyers to watch the progress of the home and also allowed them to share their excitement with friends and family. Not only did this please their customers, but it also provided an opportunity to gain social proof and visibility through photos posted online.
Martell added the Facebook Like box to his website. This widget updates in real time and pulls content directly from Martell’s Facebook page every time they have a site visitor. The Likes box is also a great opportunity for social proof because it shows how many people have liked your page.
One of the best things about the Facebook Like Box widget is that website visitors can become fans on Facebook without ever leaving a website! Being able to like a Facebook Page without ever leaving a site is a great way to encourage visitors to stay on a site longer.
Providing photos of the houses as they were being built and letting clients know where the contractors were at all times were creative ways to build trust with their clients.