All home service companies, from HVAC to plumbing and from security to pest management, share a great responsibility – they enter a family’s private property to perform work that preserves and ensures their comfort. Garage doors companies are no different. In a way, as a garage door business, you’re responsible for installing and servicing arguably the largest entrance into someone’s personal world. So, the question is…are you seen as a credible, trusted local expert that can be invited to a home without question? Ensuring that your marketing plan includes a home service public relations strategy can help make the answer a resounding “yes.”
Before you even ask, your garage door company is likely “big enough” to implement proven PR tactics to help with brand building. Even before investing in a partnership with a specialist agency, there are some great strategies you can put in place on your own to create a strong foundation and generate positive momentum.
Creating Trust with Home Service Public Relations
- What do your reviews say about your brand? Most businesses realize that maintaining positive reviews is important, but the need to stay on top of the inevitable negative ones can’t be understated. Almost as compelling as a glowing testimonial is how you handle a response to a disgruntled homeowner upset about a garage door installation or repair. There’s an art to responding that experienced teams will have mastered, but if you’re going it alone, your top priority should be at least responding in a timely fashion.
- Are you engaged with your community? You may say, “Of course I am! We’re in and around homes every day.” Are you participating in local home shows? Involved with the chamber? What about contributing to causes near and dear to your heart or aligned with your company values? You don’t have to give a lot, but making intentional donations of time, money or goods to local organizations will make a bigger impact than writing small checks to national charities. And, if you partner with the right PR team, you can publicize the effort in a non-self-serving way, placing even more of a spotlight on the organization you helped.
- Is your marketing plan complete? It’s so easy to write off a marketing plan as complete once physical mailers, advertising campaigns and social media channels are accounted for. What about earned media? Are you getting coverage, whether in print or on local TV, that you’re not paying for? If not, an agency experienced in home service public relations efforts can help complete your plan and get you coverage that homeowners will trust more than any ad.
If you’re interested in learning more about solidifying your garage door company’s place in your community with a home service public relations strategy, reach out to the team at Ripley PR here or call 865.977.1973.
