Stop Making This Social Media Mistake

The other day, I followed an old client from several years ago on Instagram.

They’re a home restoration company. I helped them clarify their message with StoryBrand, wrote a new website, and built their website.

By all accounts, they’re doing really well.

I can see they’re dabbling in social media lately with some Instagram stories.

First of all, major props to them for diving in. Social media can be intimidating for those who aren’t regular users.

However, they’re making a huge mistake that is very common in the home services industry.

They’re showing their work, but not telling a story.

• They’ll show pictures of a kitchen…
• Then pictures of that kitchen torn up…
• Then a picture of that kitchen put back together.

What are they missing?

The STORY! What happened? What were the stakes?

Here’s how to fix the problem without much effort and capture the attention of potential customers.

Follow this simple storytelling framework.

1. Problem: What went wrong, and what are the stakes?
2. Solution: How are you helping solve the problem?
3. Success: How is life better for your customer now that the problem is solved?

Here’s how I would handle their kitchen restoration with a made-up story (because they didn’t provide one).

1. Problem: A family of 4 called us due to a recent water leak above their kitchen. They were concerned about mold and their family’s health. After inspection, we found significant mold growth behind the cabinets. (picture of the kitchen before)
2. Solution: Our team got right to work sealing the room in plastic, removing the cabinetry, replacing the damaged drywall, and remediating the mold. (picture of mold growth hiding behind the cabinets).
3. Success: We successfully remediated the mold and restored their kitchen to look better than ever. Now they can sleep well knowing their home is safe and healthy for their family. (picture of restored kitchen with smiling family if they’re willing)

You see how easy that is?

It’s just the facts of the situation laid out using a simple story framework.

You could do this with text over the images in an Instagram Story or Reel, or TikTok.

You could do a very simple voiceover using video and pictures from the work site.

You could expand it with more pictures and video for a great YouTube video.

The point is that potential customers will see themselves in the story. They’ll feel the fear of hidden mold growth and the potential consequences for their family.

If they have ANY real reason for concern, they’re probably going to call you after seeing that post.

Don’t just show your work, invite your customers into a STORY!

Any time your potential customers can step into the stories of your past customers, they’ll be more likely to take action and hire you.

How are you using story to capture attention on your social media or website?

I would love to hear what has worked for you!