Pipe Bursting Marketing Ideas for Your Plumbing Business
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.
