I recently attended an association event about social media for small business. The speaker was a fairly renowned guy who certainly had the credentials of a true social media expert.

Contractors, builders and remodelers are increasingly finding themselves confronting the beast of “how can I generate new business online.” And social media is a construction marketing hot topic nowadays.

The presentation was OK. For many, I think it created more questions than it answered. Of course, that might have been his objective: he sells social media services to companies.

I guess by getting the audience all riled up and yearning for more, he might have a chance to land some new clients. Cool, no problem. We’re all trying to land new clients every day. That is a beautiful thing. But here’s the problem:

His entire presentation was preaching the importance of building relationships by helping people, enhancing the conversation, and “giving in order to get.”

This is great stuff, at first glance. I talk about these effective ideas loud and often.

So what’s the problem?

He didn’t deliver.

He spent the whole speech selling the audience on the idea that “social media is here to stay.” And he didn’t really give any good ideas of how a busy construction small business owner could use social media to market his business.

Well, he’s right. Social media is here to stay. Because social media is all about lubricating communication between people and within groups. And the people on this (sometimes) friendly old earth are social creatures. So anything that makes communication easier and more effective will last until something better takes it’s place. That’s all the proof I need to feel confident in the endurance of social media.

But the audience was already sold on that fact. It was a sold out crowd of hungry business owners. They showed up to an event entitled “Social Media and the Relationship Economy.”

These people already know that social media is where they want to be. They just want to know how.

He didn’t give any good, solid advice as to what a bewildered small business owner can do, right now, to use social media to get new business. That’s how he could have “given in order to get.” That was a way he could have added real value, instead of stirring up a buzzing room full of “bewildered business owner” bees.

So, I’ve begun to compile a report that answers this question:

“How can a busy construction business owner use social media to get new business? Today? Without spending too much time fussing with it?“

Because, I know a busy contractor does not have time to spend hours a day on Twitter. And I know it wouldn’t help him if he did, unless he had a clear, practical plan of action.

So, stay tuned for my upcoming report. In the mean time, read this to start wrapping your mind around the tools you need to dominate your local market online.

Pass it along: If you know someone who could use help with website promotion and online marketing, feel free to send them a link to this page, or link to it on your own website.

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