Contact
Derek Cormier, CEO & Founder of Climate Experts Air, Plumbing, & Electric
Is social the secret sauce you’re missing? On today’s episode of To The Point, we welcome Derek Cormier, CEO & Founder of Climate Experts Air, Plumbing, & Electric. Alongside hosts Chris Yano and Chad Peterman, Derek unpacks how contractors can use social media to recruit talent, improve culture, and grow their business.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your marketing, Derek’s strategies prove you don’t need a Hollywood production budget to crush it on social. Listen now!
Using Social to Accelerate Growth
Derek started out working for his dad doing framing, roofing, and construction work at the age of 18. He didn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps, however, and became a police officer. That didn’t end up being the right fit, and so he jumped back into the trades. Now, Climate Experts is pacing for $10M after starting up in 2019 and doubling in size every single year.
How did Derek achieve such steady growth? He attributes a lot of it to social media. Today, everyone is constantly on their phones to stay distracted. They’re scrolling through social media for hours and hours. Derek and his team have focused on creating relevant, engaging content that both entertains and educates and they’ve seen massive success. Best of all? It costs almost nothing other than a bit of time and willingness to jump in!
- Starting out in the trades, becoming a police officer, then rejoining the trades
- The Gary Vee inspiration to post every day
- Why social media is the new TV
- In-house vs. outsourced marketing
- Employee participation & culture videos
- How Derek’s team cut recruiting costs by 60% using TikTok
- The role of entertainment vs. education in creating engaging content
- Tips for smaller contractors who don’t feel “funny” or “creative” enough
- Practical tips for contractors starting out
- And more!
Don’t Overcomplicate It
Upping your social game doesn’t need to be difficult. Derek suggests simply going on Instagram or TikTok and searching for some trending videos. Consider it research! You can narrow things down by looking for trending videos in your area, and even by similar trades.
The main thing is that you’re authentic and consistent. Your focus is on educating and entertaining, but be yourself! And if you’re not comfortable on camera, that’s a great chance to bring your team in and find out who is. You don’t need a professional setup, either. Just grab your phone and start filming, and see what resonates with your audience. That’s it!
Until next time…NO. ZERO. DAYS.
