Social Media has become a game changer.

Travel back in time with me to a time when you were considering having work performed by a contractor or company of any kind.

Think about the process that you went through in order to select the person who you felt was qualified and offered you the best value. You probably asked to see photos of their work, references from their previous clients and more.

As a contractor we have been accustom to providing this information and in fact most of our clients  volunteer to speak to any of our prospective clients. But recently this all changed.....

Thanks to Social media sites like Facebook, Potential clients have access to not just our selected group of references or the photos we choose for our slide show presentation.

They have direct access to our clients
They have direct access to our photos of our work.
They have direct access to how we interact with our customers.


For us, that is a good thing !
We work very hard to maintain a positive relationship with all of our clients and consider most of them friends.

Our clients/friends will tell you that.

We are active in our community,
We are active in education,

Social Media Sites like Facebook give a potential client the ability to do some homework on our company before they ever contact us.

Recently we had a potential client:

• found us online   www.pondtastic.com
• found us on facebook
• looked through our photos
• contacted our clients 

all of this before we ever met them....

we just completed their pond and it is amazing. They are overjoyed with their decision and they feel good about the entire process. That the best advertising money can buy ! 

Do you know what your clients are saying about your business? Do you like it?

We do !

Individuality...

First let me tell you that this has absolutely nothing to do with ponds...or does it...

Websters defines Individuality as:

1 total character peculiar to and distinguishing an individual from others
2 the quality or state of being indivisible
3 separate or distinct existence

When we think of individuality it usually is used to define someone who resists the norm or is different than everyone else. Something or someone that does not " fit in" is the causal definition of individuality.

For instance how many of you have a 6' tall ostrich in your living room, complete with decorations,(seasonal outfits), funky multi-colored socks, shades, a captains hat and high top converse sneakers? I will go out on a limb here and say... none of you probably have that. but that's what I found as i entered a home for a consultation last week.

Of course I asked permission to take a photo and talk about it on my blog because I was immediately forced to smile as I entered this home.

THIS IS INDIVIDUALITY !

These parents of 2 teenagers and 1 preteen are teaching their kids a life lesson here in my opinion. These kids know that it is "ok" to have a 6' ostrich in the living room. They know it is "ok" to not do,say or act the "norm".

Dont everyone run out and buy 6' ostriches for your living rooms......maybe I am reading too much into this.
I have to admit... I do not have an ostrich in my living room.

Individuality is important.. not being afraid to march to a different drum, to be "yourself ".

I left this home with a smile of my face... isn't that a good enough reason to get an ostrich?