Interview with a Contractor: Social Media Success

Many who follow us on social media, especially on Instagram, also know Jorge Boror (“Tito”), at least through the social app. Tito has been building his
wood flooring business, Rende Hardwood Flooring in Providence, R.I., for more than a decade. He fired up its social media pages in 2012.

In recent months, we saw Tito’s Instagram account (@callmetito) blow up. He had a very respectable 2,500 followers one day. Then after he posted a photo in May, showing a hexagonal
tile-to-wood installation with N.S. Builders in Boston (@nsbuilders)
… Man, he hit a new level. That photo alone got almost 3,000 likes and well over 100 comments. Less than seven months later, Tito’s Instagram
following is approaching 15,000.

Social media isn’t magic. This one example with Tito doesn’t mean it happens that way for everyone, or hardly anyone. But think about this: Tito’s “overnight”
social media marketing success was four years in the making.

And it happened because of the wood flooring business he’s been building since 2006, the skills and partnerships, like the one with N.S. Builders. Social
media has been a tool to help highlight those foundation pieces, not the other way around.

To make his social pages successful, Tito is consistent, responding to customers and industry pros looking for help. He shows who he is, floor man and
fisherman, and shares what he knows and admits what he doesn’t.

Most recently on Instagram, he’s making a bigger move into videos and has started a friendly community for contractors to connect (#floortalk).

We asked Tito about his social success through Instagram direct message.

Tito’s path to social media success …

I remember 15 years ago, working full time sanding floors out of high school, I was always bored with no outlet to anyone else in the industry. The NWFA was around, but I thought they were geared for manufacturers only. I was very lonely. When I quit and started my business, I still felt lonely (I do enjoy my down time, but I enjoy interacting with people more). The loneliness didn’t start to evaporate until 2012 when I joined Instagram and started posting pictures of my 2006 HUMMEL.

There were only about 4 or so floor guys I would communicate with on a regular basis back then, but just those 4 guys made me feel less lonely. Social media has always been an outlet to the world for me and something I’ve enjoyed. I started posting about my daily life and work. Slowly, social media made work fun again and, eventually, the fun turned into the white-hot passion it is today.

My main goal originally with social media was to get leads. I posted floors and floors and more floors in hopes that potential floor owners would like what they saw and call. It worked.

However, most recently I have been getting lots and lots of engagement from other wood flooring contractors all over the globe. I’ve received an overwhelming amount of support, enthusiasm and feedback from new and veteran contractors on Instagram. Because of them I’ve decided to switch it up and make my entire feed for the contractor.

I don’t want to go the machine and finish review route, that’s not me. I’d rather chat shop and experiences. That’s why I started #floortalk, to give guys an outlet, the same outlet I was looking for in the 90s when I was employed, lonely and bored.

I make content for them. I have been a contractor long enough that I know every struggle we face. I answer every DM I get when someone has a problem or question. I’ve inspired a lot of guys to be better and they’ve inspired me to be creative, provide content and put up posts for them to check out while they take breaks from edging or running the big machine all day.

We’ve been successful on turning Instagram leads into paying and returning clients. The clients that find us on IG seek us out because of the passion we show for the trade. Often times these leads are open invite and we aren’t bidding against anyone else, and close ratios are high.

They are as organic and high quality as a lead can get. When I arrive, they feel like they already know me, they expect to see me deliver the same enthusiasm I show on all jobs. They ask about the TRIO and expect me to deliver an experience. It’s such a fun feeling closing a sale that came to be because of Instagram.

My latest thing is IG videos. I recently had one follower request that I start posting more videos. This was a few weeks ago. I have no idea why his request struck such a chord with me, but it did and since then, I’ve made it my responsibility to fulfill his request.

The latest efforts of mine stem from wanting to support my fellow wood flooring contractor. Ultimately, my goal is to make guys rediscover their passion for wood floors and support the new guys that want to break in the industry.

Learn Benefits + Tips for Successful Social Marketing

To learn how to boost your own social media marketing game, read “Social Media for Wood Flooring Pros.” It includes nine benefits
to marketing your flooring business using social media and three tips to make it a success without taking a lot of time.

Join Lägler North America Instagram, Facebook, Twitter + YouTube

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