Everyone needs plumbers, but that doesn’t mean all plumbing companies are thriving due to the demand.
While the demand for their services is never-ending, plumbers need to market themselves just as much as anyone else.
There are countless plumbing marketing strategies out there. However, focusing on the basic ones is always a good way to begin. Here are some tips plumbers are sure to find useful when trying to grow their customer base.
Create A Great Website
We live in an era where businesses don’t stand a chance without an online presence.
A plumbing business, just like any other, needs a good website that appeals to potential customers and provides them with clear information in terms of the services you offer.
It’s important to have an up-to-date website as it is often the first port of call for those looking for a plumber. The site can also serve as a base that connects visitors with social media profiles— Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, for example.
There are a few other factors to consider when building your website. Two examples are:
- Whether your site is mobile-friendly: almost everyone these days uses mobile devices to connect to the outside world, which makes having a mobile-friendly website non-negotiable. For plumbers, this is even more important, as people will often search for your details online when they’re in a hurry or facing an emergency.
- What your domain name will be: a good domain name for your plumbing business would be something short and sweet. Another tip is to use a word/words that are easy to spell.
Expanding Your Online Presence: Social Media
Having a website is a must, but if you really want to attract more customers you need to expand your online presence.
Using different social media platforms allows you to reach different demographics. Some examples of social media platforms are Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, and Flickr.
Use Social Media To Reach The Correct Audience
The amount of effort you want to put into your social media depends on your plumbing marketing goals. Different platforms target different people, which means you need to focus your attention on reaching your target market where they feel most at home.
In terms of the demographics of your target market, everyone needs plumbers now and then. But some groups are more likely to use your services than others.
Homeowners, tenants, real estate agents, small businesses, restaurateurs, and builders are a few examples of the plumbing target market, suggesting that you’re looking at an age range of 18 to 20 years and above. Surveys show that US business owners, for example, have an average age of 44, while the highest rate of homeownership falls in the age range of 70 to 74 years old.
Why Is This Information Important?
It allows you to focus on the social media platforms that are used by your target market. Facebook appeals to a relatively young audience. Those between 25 and 34 account for 31.5% of total users. This holds true for Instagram, but platforms like TikTok and Snapchat are used predominantly by a younger age group. Social media marketing is highly effective when tailored to the audience it reaches.
Using Lead Capture Forms
Lead capture forms are great when it comes to turning your website traffic into customers.
Lead-capture pages aim to capture the details of consumers who visit your website—typically their contact information. This can be “rewarded” by granting them access to perks such as a free e-book, a one-time discount or entry into a giveaway.
Adding A Blog To Your Website And/Or Social Media
Publishing content on your website and other online profiles can attract many customers when done right.
People who visit your pages appreciate the chance to get a better understanding of the issues they’re dealing with. A blog can also strengthen the connection between customers and your business, as they “get to know you” through your posts.
Keep posts relatively short and easy to understand. People generally aren’t interested in spending a solid five minutes of reading about plumbing. However, they do value useful nuggets of information communicated in a straightforward manner.
The Importance Of SEO
Search engine optimization is an integral part of plumbing marketing.
Implementing an effective SEO game plan means that your website and social media profiles will rank higher in Google searches. One eye-opening fact about online searches is that 75% of people don’t go past the first page, so having a solid SEO strategy is absolutely essential if you want to reach consumers.
Another branch of SEO that is becoming more established is LSEO—local search engine optimization.
This is great news for small businesses like plumbers, as it directs traffic towards geographically relevant websites instead of a broader collection nowhere near the searcher’s location. This means that your small plumbing business can be found on the first page, and not the fiftieth.
When local people search for a local plumber, they’re looking for someone in their neighborhood, not someone who lives on another continent but has a great SEO strategy.
Customer Referrals
Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most effective ways to bring in more business.
Something like plumbing, especially, thrives off this strategy, as prospective customers always want to know that your work is top-notch. Research has proven that roughly 92% of people trust personal recommendations more than any other sort of promotional material.
There are a few factors that boost customer referrals. Engaging with consumers, making your business visible, and encouraging satisfied customers to spread the word are the top three.
There are many ways of incentivizing people to review your business and send referrals your way, such as giving discounts for successful referrals or giving customers free entry into a giveaway if they post about you on social media.
Online Reviews
Nine out of 10 consumers prefer to read online reviews before hiring a service. Customers said that they trust online reviews as much as word-of-mouth reviews by a trustworthy person.
This shows how positive reviews of your business online can really impact the sales of your business.
You can always encourage your existing customers to write feedback on your service online. You also need to make sure that even if the review is negative, you should always respond to it. This shows that you care about your customers, which ultimately leaves a positive impact on potential clients.
The Bottom Line
Looking at plumbing marketing strategies is much the same as doing so for any other venture.
The basic building blocks must be in place for growth to occur.
Despite the fact that online promotion is becoming (or has already become) the norm, your focus must remain on the relationship between you and your target market. Learn about them, engage with them, and you’ll be on your way to success.
