Our weekly Journal Profiles aim to bring you into close contact with the men and women playing outsized roles in the Austin-area economy. This time, we Kyle Frazier is keenly aware that in the digital age, social media is the new word of mouth. And for Freedom Solar Power, where Frazier is director of sales, social media the source of an increasing number of referrals.
“Happy customers go about their business,” Frazier said. “Delighted customers want to tell at least one person about their experience.”
Freedom’s customers have written influential reviews — unsolicited by the company — on social media outlets such as Yelp and Google Reviews. When a homeowner or business owner looks up Freedom Solar or rooftop solar in Austin or San Antonio, those reviews find their way into their search results.
“It’s one validation point that consumers want to see,” Frazier said.
Over the past few months, he said the greatest referral growth has come from customers writing on Facebook’s app Nextdoor, a service that enables residents in a neighborhood to network.
In addition to their social media mojo, Freedom has held “solar block parties” in San Antonio and Austin, along with participating at “vendor days” at large companies such as Rackspace Hosting Inc.
“Customers who often advertise the block parties are advertising on Nextdoor,” Frazier said.