How PR Can Establish Your Trade Business as the Trusted Local Expert w/ Heather Ripley

If you’re feeling stagnant in your trade business and need a boost, or you’re feeling like your company isn’t receiving the attention it deserves, public relations should be your next area of focus.

With the right PR, your company can go from being easily forgotten to never forgotten again. It can provide you with the exposure you need to attract new customers, position your company as a trusted local expert, and give you tools to grow and scale for years to come.

In this episode, Lynn welcomes Heather Ripley, CEO and Founder of Ripley PR, a public relations agency serving national B2B clients in construction, franchising, healthcare IT, home services, manufacturing, and technology. Heather has been in the skilled trades industry, specifically HVAC, plumbing, and electrical, for 16 years, which has given her a strong passion for helping business owners like you thrive.

PR is a totally different ball game than marketing and advertising. It tugs on the heart strings of your local community and shows them a different, more relatable side to the people behind your business. These are the stories that can elevate contractors like you and position you as a reliable expert in your community.

In this episode of Transforming the Trades, Lynn and Heather discuss:

• The top 3 trends contractors should be aware of.

• How to use PR to stand out as an expert contractor in your local market.

• How Ripley PR is using AI and why they’re very cautious of using it for content creation.

• How AI can improve customer service & How to prevent AI from harming your business.

• Should I have an AI customer service agent for my home service business?

• How does PR benefit contractors?

• What PR strategies are successful for home service businesses in 2024?

  
  

Actionable Key Takeaways for Trades Operators:

• With more of Gen Z skipping college, contractors have a major opportunity to be visible to potential candidates and prepared to offer the proper onboarding and.

• Technology is changing and home service businesses can benefit from AI. “We don’t yet know exactly how AI is going to impact the industry, but it’s definitely something to watch,” Heather says.

• Before implementing AI for customer service or investing additional funds in AI-driven marketing, it is crucial to understand the potential consequences. Perhaps investing in PR is the smarter, better choice!

• Sharing stories of charitable giving can benefit your home service business by attracting local attention. Additionally, it helps the charitable organization gain PR that they may not be able to afford.

• Even if you don’t think you have news to share or stories to tell, you most likely do! Reach out to Heather or another PR professional to uncover your next PR strategy.

The resources mentioned in this episode are:

• Get in touch with Ripley PR: https://ripleypr.com

• Connect with Heather on LinkedIn

• Email her: [e-mail]

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📊Looking for more assets to optimize your operations, customer service, and financial practices? Download my free resource filled with 13 top resources for growing your business. Sign up here: https://transformingthetrades.net.

More content from Lynn:

Transforming the Trades Podcast Website: https://transformingthetrades.net

Podcast YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TransformingtheTradesPodcast

Contractor in Charge Website: https://contractorincharge.com

This episode was produced and brought to you by Reignite Media.