Why the Heck Should a Contractor Promote DIY?

You’re a contractor. Home improvement is not a hobby to you - it’s what you do for a living. You paid your dues, put in the time, learned your trade, and honed your skills. So as a professional, why the heck would you should you encourage amateurs to DIY? The answers may surprise you.

Get Your Brand Out There

If you are looking to grow your contracting business (and who isn’t?), then you need to make your brand known to the world. More and more these days, the internet is the place where homeowners go to learn how to do something. Who hasn't typed "How do I unclog my drain?" into their search bar? If you're not online, they'll never find you and countless opportunities to grow your customer base are being squandered.

So get moving and get your name out there!

Here are a few basic steps you can take to start establishing yourself online:

Set up a Facebook page. It's free and it's an instant, accessible platform for self-promotion. Plus, there must be hundreds of DIY groups for you to join and contribute to.
Design a website. If you're worried about cost, there are plenty of services across the web that offer free websites and guide you through the setup and design.
Work with an online lead generation service. It's affordable and, besides for getting leads that can turn into closed jobs, you'll also have a profile page for you to promote your company. Most lead generation services rank near the top of search engine results which will lead to more exposure for your company.

Offer information about simple do-it-yourself projects and you’ll be providing the kind of valuable content that attracts consumer attention and potentially moves you up in the search engine results. And when these same consumers are ready to bring in a professional, you'll be on their radar.

Create a Knowledgeable Image

At Networx, we talk with a lot of homeowners. And they’re not shy to tell us about the type of contractor they are looking for. Something we hear over and over again is: “I want a guy who knows what he’s doing, someone who can explain the situation and tell me what my options are.”

Build your reputation as an expert source of DIY instruction. This will create a positive image of you and your company in the mind of the public. You’ll be proving, in a very concrete way, that you are exactly the type of knowledgeable trustworthy contractor customers want to hire.

Present DIY Info via Social Media

Homeowners, renters, and condo dwellers – everybody loves social media. Video websites like Vimeo and YouTube are an especially good place to upload your do-it-yourself tutorials on home improvement, decorating, or repair topics. If you prefer to offer your help in written format, include plenty of photos to illustrate; then post on Pinterest and similar sites. Whichever type of social media you go for, keep your how-tos accurate, engaging, and easy to follow. Be sure to include clear “Contact Us” details and a link back to your company website.

Teach Your DYIers When to Turn to You

“A little learning is a dangerous thing,” goes the old line. But like so many outdated clichés, this one has gone the way of the pager or the dial phone. Nowadays, it’s useful for your customers to know the basics, how to perform routine household maintenance and troubleshoot common problems in the home. That way they will have a clearer idea of which issues they might want to take on as a DIY project (for instance, installing a thermostat) and what is best left to the attention of a skilled professional like you (rewiring the whole house). Homeowners will be more likely to call you in at an earlier stage in the game, as soon as they detect the first signs of trouble.

Why DIY?

The internet is a goldmine of fantastic opportunities for all types of people and businesses to get exposure and market themselves. There's plenty of internet to go around, so use it to your advantage.

The DIY community is one of the most-popular and fastest-growing information resources on the internet. By building a reputation as an expert source of DIY instruction, you'll be gaining exposure for your company and tapping into a resource that can help catapult your business to new heights.