Do
you own a plumbing business but struggle to expand your clientele outside of
your local area? It’s time to incorporate some expert marketing tactics.
You’ve got a plumbing business that does
quality work that you’re proud of. But, like, any business, your company any
only thrive if you have a steady stream of customers, with new ones on the way.
That’s why marketing is an essential
component of running a successful plumbing business. Gone are the days when you
could rely on word of mouth and existing customers to keep your schedule booked
month after month.
Now you need to have digital marketing
strategies in place so that you rank higher in search results, have an
optimized web presence, and utilize paid advertising services in order to reach
new customers.
It sounds like a lot of work, but there are
actually a few easily achieved, actionable steps you can take.
That’s why I’ve put together this post of
effective marketing techniques for plumbers. So you’ll be able to hone your
plumbing marketing skills, which will then help retain existing customers and
create new ones!
Sound interesting? Keep reading for more
info!
Make Clear Branding Decisions
I know you didn’t get into the plumbing
business to talk about branding. But it will be a huge help to your business if
you have a clear vision of your brand, and it will help all of the rest of your
marketing efforts.
So before you do anything, come up with a
concrete sense of what your business is and what sets you apart from other
plumbing businesses near you.
Even something as small as “we’re the
most trustworthy plumbers in San Antonio” or “we never make you wait
more than 24 hours for an appointment” will start to solidify the type of
branding you’re looking for.
Are there any unique services you provide?
Are you a specialist in any particular aspect of plumbing? What are your core
values as a company? And who are your ideal customers?
If you have solid answers to all of these
questions, you’ll be able to then target customers using that data. Try to turn
all of this info into a tagline.
You’ll also use keywords you generate from
this brainstorming as ways to optimize your website. Of course, if that step
sounds like a headache, you can also turn to a company that specializes in SEO services
for plumbers.
Ask for Reviews
Think about whenever you’ve been searching
for a service from a company online. You’ve probably also search social media
and sites like Yelp for reviews from customers.
So the same should be true for your
business. But here’s the catch. You want the reviews to be real, and you want
them to be good.
So for every job that went well, reach out
in a kind and professional way, reminding them that you have social media and
review sites like Yelp that they can post to if they feel moved to.
You can also encourage them to post that
same review on Google Plus. This is especially helpful because it will be
displayed when someone searches for you on Google. That can make for a solid
first impression from a potential customer.
Email Marketing
It might seem like email marketing and
plumbing have very little to do with each other. But plumbing is a business
service just like any other, and it requires communication with your customers.
Make sure you keep a database of every
customer’s email, and, with their approval, add them to your mailing
list.
When you have something of value to email
out, then touch base. It could be a seasonal discount or a new service you’re
offering. And don’t be afraid to add a little fun in the email, like a giveaway
or a contest.
Be sure your emails are always optimized
for mobile, because if it isn’t, you’ll lose out on everyone who is reading on
their phone’s email client.
And be sure not to overdo it. No one wants
to get bombarded with emails from a plumbing company they work with, nor do
they want to read an email that doesn’t have any useful information for
them.
Facebook (and sites like it) is no
longer only for people to share photos and likes with their friends. It’s
now a major part of every company’s digital media strategy.
And the same is true with the plumbing
business.
First, make sure your Facebook business
page is filled with all of your relevant information as well as your branding
information. Too often people forget to populate their facebook page with their
contact info!
You should also connect with clients
through Facebook Messenger. For people who are on Facebook a lot, this has come
to replace email and texts. So you’ll be meeting them on their turf, so to
speak.
Make sure you have a call to action
somewhere prominent on the page. You can easily add a call to
action button on Facebook, which will help drive traffic from
Facebook to your own website.
Call-Only Ads
As a plumber, you’re in a rare position
where you might be needed in an emergency. You can use this to your marketing
advantage as well.
When someone has a plumbing emergency, they
aren’t going to be scouring the web for reviews and taking their time. They
need someone immediately.
That’s why trying call-only ad
campaigns can be effective. It’s basically PPC (pay per click)
advertising that only pops up on peoples’ mobile phones.
You can set up an ad campaign with targeted
keywords so that when someone searches for something like “Emergency
Plumber Topeka Kansas”, your ad shows up at the top of their phone
screen.
It will have a direct link they can push
that will automatically connect them to you. Call-only ad campaigns are one of
the most target marketing strategies you can make, and plumbers are one of the
few business types they are perfect for.
Marketing Your Plumbing Business the Right
Way
Hopefully, this post has given you a good
sense of some of the ways you can step up your marketing game for your plumbing
business. There are many more steps you can take, but these few will definitely
start you off in the right direction.
And if you are talking to customers and
want to let them know why only a professional should handle their problems, you
can grab tips from this post
on why people shouldn’t DIY their plumbing needs.
