November 7, 2023
If you’ve ever searched YouTube for “plumbing”, you’ve probably already met our guest…we welcome Roger Wakefield, “The Expert Plumber”, to To The Point!
Roger is a highly influential “blue collar influencer” on social media, successful owner of a plumbing company, and has a 50+ year career in the trades. If you’ve somehow never heard of him, it’s time to get familiar!
Back in 1980, a teenage Roger was managing a burger joint. One of his friends asked him if this is what he would do for the rest of his life, and it got Roger thinking. That same friend had mentioned that his dad and brothers were all plumbers and made great money. Only a few weeks later, he got in touch with them, asked for a job, and immediately fell in love with plumbing.
Roger tried out a few other things after graduating high school, but he couldn’t stay away from plumbing. That began a long and storied career, leading up to running and eventually selling his own company – Texas Green Plumbing – of which he still retains part ownership.
His start in social media was really born out of necessity. Roger wasn’t getting any calls coming in for his business, and he felt like social media might just be the solution…but he never thought he’d be the one in front of the camera! After attending a social media convention, he dove right in and never looked back.
The calls immediately started rolling in as Roger and his team churned out content, building trust and their brand with each and every video. Today, Roger has millions of subscribers across various social media platforms.
Roger is quick to point out that we all have phones in our pockets with amazing cameras. Just turn it on and record! It’s as simple as filming your crew on a job and asking some questions or explaining what you are doing. You could also start out with a simple “origin story” video where you explain who you are and what you’re all about as a company. This content shouldn’t really be sales-focused, but rather a way to build a relationship with your potential customers and establish your brand as the one to trust.
You can find a lot more information about Roger with a quick search in YouTube, and connect with him through any of his social media channels like Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn. Be on the lookout for an app he’s working on, too – it’s going to be focused on helping people get into the trades and teaching them how to be the best tradesperson. Visit the Wakefield App website and sign up to be the first to find out when it launches!