Matt Risinger has over 750,000 builder and contractor followers on YouTube, In this article, I cover how he does it and what you can learn from him to improve your own customer communications.
I started my career in building materials before the internet. Back then, companies would pay well-known people for testimonials or product endorsements. Bob Villa from This Old House was frequently used.
Companies would shell out tens of thousands for these endorsements. I always questioned their value. First of all, most of the testimonials came off as “I’m being paid to say this” instead of a more authentic “I really believe this.”
They also had a very limited reach. Without the internet, you could have a great video endorsement with no way of showing it to more than a few hundred prospects.
Fast forward to the digital world we live in today. We now have influencers who have large followings and are respected for their knowledge.
If you want to sell your building product to builders or contractors, Matt Risinger is the best influencer I know.
I met Matt years ago at an IBS show. I was working in a client’s booth when this guy walked over and started talking to the client. It was clear that they knew each other and I got curious. Who was this friendly, casualty dressed guy being followed around by a cameraman?
I listened as Matt asked the client if he would like to talk about his product on video. Of course, the client said yes. Matt then asked the client if he could help him cover some of his expenses. The client agreed.
My first impression of Matt was that he was more interested in creating good content for his audience than seeing how much he could charge the manufacturer.
In hindsight, I think Matt saw where the world was going before the rest of us did.
Since I first met Matt, I have followed him as he grew his influencer business.
Why do I think Matt Rising is such a good influencer?
Here are a few reasons.
1. Credible. When he discusses a product, you get the sense that he really believes what he is saying. If he didn’t believe in a product, I don’t think he would say something positive about it, no matter how much he was offered. He can also swing a hammer and is very comfortable getting his hands dirty and working with just about any building product. How many people do you know who would share a video titled “7 DUMB Things I did when I Remodeled my House?”
2. Doesn’t take himself too seriously. Matt isn’t some overly pompous expert. He regularly makes fun of himself. He’s easy to listen to and relate to. He even shares the negative comments he receives.,
3. Solves problems. Many building companies present the benefits of their product to the homeowner or homebuyer. Matt shows how a product benefits the builder or contractor.
4. Creative. Many people fall into ruts when they talk about building products. They end up saying the same handful of things over and over. Matt always takes an original approach to how he shows a product.
5. Focused on the builder and contractor. Many influencers are focused on the building materials company – the ones who pay them money. Matt, on the other hand, realizes that his value to companies is his focus on his audience.
6. He gives it away. Where many people are constantly trying to monetize everything, Matt continues to make his content freely available.
7. Doesn’t ignore small companies. Instead of just working for larger companies with bigger budgets, Matt also works with many smaller companies who have interesting products that may not get noticed if it wasn’t for him boosting them.
Another Way to Look at Matt Risinger
Like the auto industry in the 80’s and 90’s, the building materials industry is very slow to change and accept new ideas. A lot of companies have the attitude that they deliver a product that’s good enough – and that’s just fine. The less they change, the lower their costs.
Most of the innovations in cars didn’t come from people designing everyday vehicles. They came from people who were pushing the edges of performance. The world of automobile racing gave us product improvements like disc brakes, better tires, wind resistance and better fuel mileage.
I see Matt Risinger as a Formula One team for building materials. From what I see, he will consider anything in his quest to be a better builder and help others be better. Who else would consider walls made of hemp?
Like a Formula One team, Matt is constantly looking for better ways to build. Sometimes companies bring him a new product, but he also finds them on his own.
If Matt finds a product that he feels is a better way to build and shares it with his vast audience, other innovative builders and contractors will start to use it. If it really is a better way to build, it will gain wider use and eventually could be the new status quo.
That kind of influence is extremely powerful. It shows just how far we’ve come from the old days of celebrity endorsements.
Instead of just putting their name on a product’s packaging or appearing in a video, top quality influencers share products they’re genuinely passionate about. They know their stuff and their audience can see that.
That can’t be dismissed. Creating good relationships with influencers should be an important part of your marketing strategy. It can mean the difference between your product being the hot new thing and it getting drowned out in all the competition.
If you want to learn more about Matt Risinger and see what great influencer content looks like, I recommend subscribing to his YouTube channel along with the 741k people who already do. And be sure to join the 86k people who follow him on Instagram. You can also reach Matt at his email, matt@risingerbuild.com
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