How can design and construction industry brands effectively use social media? Kitchen and Bath Industry Hall of Famer Hank Darlington quoted me in Supply House Times Magazine  from the content I gave him for an upcoming NKBA business book. Here are the top 10 highlights:

1.    Start by listening. Choose a platform to try and then watch and read what others do and say.

2.    Find your tribe. Most of our industry trade magazines have done stories and profiles on social media leaders, so start by following them and watching their interactions to find more like-minded folks. Make connections through kitchen-and-bath-related groups on LinkedIn and participate in Twitter chats such as #kbtribechat every Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. (Eastern), or the interior designer chat #intdesignerchat every Tuesday at 6 p.m. (Eastern).

3.    Be likeable. Provide a fun, helpful and emotionally uplifting experience at every touch point.

4.    For content, whether it’s a 500-word blog post or a 140-character tweet, follow the 50-30-20 rule:

• 50% of content you share or create should be of interest to others, although it can be loosely related to your brand message. A kitchen designer might relate stories about local food and recipes or comment on food blogs. A bathroom showroom might share stories about wellness or comment on fitness sites.

• 30% of content can be related to your brand message, but in an entertaining way. Examples include images of past projects, videos of how a kitchen remodel happens and tips and tricks for successful remodels.

• 20% of content is your brand message. Examples are sales announcements, client endorsements or information about your team.

6.    Compliment and recognize others. Profiling someone through an interview or images is flattering and eminently sharable.

7.    Think like Hallmark. Greeting card companies create the images and write the prose that makes it easy for people to ke
ep in touch.Create content that people want to share with their friends. Think nostalgia, pets and kids. Post fun quizzes and pose interesting questions.

8.    Professional profiles should be engaging and compelling. Build a likeable profile where people researching kitchen-and-bath remodeling will go in your market area.

9.    Focus on quality, not quantity. Large social media followings can be beneficial, but small can be as well if you carefully cultivate a following just as you carefully cultivate contacts offline.

10.   Use social media to boost your PR. Find local reporters and editors who do kitchen-and-bath stories and follow them to see what interests them. Share and comment positively on their work.

To read the complete article, visit http://www.supplyht.com/articles/97259-how-social-media-can-grow-your-business.