Danbury, Connecticut’s American Pavement Specialists just might be the most well-known paving contractor in the United States. And it's all thanks to the company’s social media videos, which showcase down-to-earth takes on owning and operating an asphalt paving business.
But American Pavement Specialists is not a big corporation with hundreds of employees paving roads all over the country. Bill and wife Colleen Stanley run the company in their hometown and surrounding area with 20 employees, including three of their sons, and a fleet of the latest equipment.
In this episode of The Dirt, second-generation employee Matt Stanley sits down with host Bryan Furnace to discuss how social media has benefited their construction business and how they are using it to inspire the next generation of blue-collar workers and fellow contractors.
“We don’t rely on social media for work. We never did; we never will. We rely on referrals and word of mouth,” Matt says on starting the company’s first social media account over a decade ago. “But fast forward to 2020, and word of mouth is social media now.”
Matt says that by opening the doors of their business, they have already built a level of trust with new employees, customers, vendors and inspectors.
Beyond promoting the family business, Matt is also the brains behind the “Raised on Blacktop” brand. The flashy videos paying homage to the muscle and sweat that goes into paving have not only built a community of dedicated followers but also caught the attention of manufacturers. Special edition Raised on Blacktop equipment from LeeBoy and Mauldin can be found across trade show floors and in the field.
Bill, who has become an online sensation in his own right, has supported Matt’s online endeavors since day one, calling social media “one of the best tools in the history of business.”
“It’s free – it’s free to take your phone out and take a video or take a picture and post it online,” Matt says. “The level of reach we’ve been able to grasp is insane. You wouldn’t do that with an ad in a local paper or sponsoring the coffee cup at a local diner.”
To learn more about how social media can improve your reputation, attract new customers and employees and enhance the culture at your company, check out the video above.
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In This Episode:
00:00 - American Pavement Specialists (APS) and Raised on Blacktop
00:38 - Why Did APS Decide to Start Posting on Social Media?
01:35 - How Has APS’s Social Media Impacted Their Business?
03:55 - Has a Good Social Media Presence Helped With Hiring?
05:04 - The Most Exciting Part of Building a Successful Brand
06:52 - What Does Matt’s Dad Think of Their Social Media Presence?
11:55 - Authentic Content and Family Businesses
14:29 - How Should Contractors Get Started With Social Media?
15:58 - Final Thoughts
