Welcome to the Neighborhood!

Recently, I discovered an app that allows me to interact with people in my neighborhood who are looking to buy or sell things like electronics, furniture and clothing. The concept isn’t exactly groundbreaking (craigslist has been around for a while, after all), but there’s something about this app that sets it apart from the others I’ve tried: the community aspect. Since everyone who uses it lives and/or works in the same area, there’s a real sense of fellowship in the interactions I’ve seen. I mostly use the app to share Diamond Certified companies with neighbors who have specific needs. For example, if someone is looking for window coverings, I’ll give them a link to a nearby company’s Diamond Certified Company Report page—it makes them feel confident in my referral and I usually get thanked for my advice.

This got me thinking about the community aspects of the Diamond Certified Resource, which we’re currently expanding in numerous ways. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll be part of something special: a community of local businesses that have been independently rated Highest in Quality and Helpful Expertise. And what’s the best way to foster positivity in your community? By being there for your neighbors and doing whatever you can to help them.

I’m excited to announce a powerful tool that will help you do just that: the newly redesigned Diamond Certified Portal. We’ve had this Portal for several years, but our plan has always been to expand it beyond its initial capabilities and turn it into a social platform for Diamond Certified companies to use for a variety of purposes. That’s exactly what we’ve accomplished with this new design. Now, if you qualify for Diamond Certified, you can use the Portal to network with other Diamond Certified companies, which will lead to more business and closer professional relationships.

The Diamond Certified Portal makes it easy to connect with your Diamond Certified community wherever you are.

A Portal to Your Community
We all know how important networking is, but sometimes it’s difficult to set aside the time to attend meetings and follow through with appointments. That’s why this Portal is so useful: Everything you need to effectively network with top rated companies is available digitally, which greatly simplifies the process. Also, if you end up working with another Diamond Certified company or refer leads back and forth, you’ll feel confident because you know the company has been through the same rigorous ratings program that you’ve been through.

In addition to sharing leads with other Diamond Certified companies, you’ll be able to use the Portal to:

Market to each other for special promotions
Find subcontractors for projects
Upload photos of your recent work
Update your Diamond Certified Company Report articles
Post links to articles or blogs about your company
See detailed analytics on your Call Tracking Number(s) and web traffic to your Diamond Certified Company Report page
Watch training videos on how to use various aspects of the Diamond Certified Resource

Diamond Certified Helps Build the Long-Term Value of Your Company
You know how important it is to bring in new customers who appreciate your services and recommend you to their friends and family. If you qualify for Diamond Certified, you’ll receive a steady flow of new customers who care about quality and are willing to pay for it. We spend more than $1 million every year to make sure Bay Area shoppers can find you through newspaper, radio, TV and online ads. You’ll also be featured in the Diamond Certified Directory (which generates new calls every quarter) and the newly redesigned Diamond Certified website (which has all the information consumers need to choose your company). You’ll receive call and web tracking that proves customers are using the Diamond Certified Resource to find you, web tools that improve your SEO, and marketing tools that generate referrals. And as a Diamond Certified Expert Contributor, you’ll be positioned as a helpful industry leader, which will attract more consumers to your company. Most importantly, you’ll build the value of your company for the long term.