Plumbing is quite a saturated industry making it hard to stand out among the competition. Those starting out are up against well-established operations with big budgets. One has to wonder how on Earth can they compete?!
You’re in the right place if you’re looking for ways to grow your plumbing business.
This article shares some of the best strategies for getting found. It also shares how to turn inquiring minds into paying customers. So, if you want more business get ready to take notes — and apply the following.
The Best Marketing Strategies for a Plumbing Business: More Leads, Sales, and Growth
Starting a plumbing business is no different than other trades. You’re exchanging a needed service which puts you in a great position. You’re not convincing people they need your service — you’re simply making sure they know you exist.
How do you get your name out there, drive leads, and make the sale? Well…
1. Narrow and align your services
Are you covering the state or sticking to your town? Do you provide specialty services? Do you cater to specific markets? These questions need answering!
In marketing, we call this defining your niche.
Make a list defining your:
- Serviced locations
- Ideal customers/clients
- Unique capabilities
The answer to these becomes your unique selling point. You’ll use this throughout your marketing material and campaigns. It’s what helps you stand out from the competition — while removing competitors in the process.
2. Build a great online presence
There are three places you’ll want to be:
- Website
- YouTube
All the others? Disregard them until you’ve mastered the basic platforms.
Website
A website needs a domain name, hosting, and site design. You can use site builders like Wix or DIY with platforms like WordPress. Once you’re online, you’ll want to drive people to your site — optimizing the site and creating content.
Here are a few tips:
- Create content answering questions held by your audience
- Optimize each page so it ranks well for a chosen keyword
- Share it around social media and get other sites to link to it
Most of this is DIY if you have time. Or, you could tap services like AdPros Marketing and others for improvements. Some services offer full site management, too, so you can focus on your daily operations.
YouTube
For YouTube:
- Set up a YouTube channel
- Record videos covering must-know topics about your industry
- Publish and share videos across social platforms
Include call-outs encouraging people to visit your site for more info. Or, to contact you directly by providing a phone number. Add this in the description, too, and you’ll get leads from this video platform.
Facebook is largely the same as running your personal account (if you have one). You’ll create a business page and begin sharing thoughts and content.
The content can come from:
- Your site
- News sites
- Facebook posts
- Blogs
Share content relevant to your community. And, get personal to make a connection. You’ll stay on their radar which could have them calling when they have a plumbing problem.
3. Cut through with advertising
You’ll do a bit of both:
- Online
- Offline
Online advertising is a cheaper option since you have greater control. Platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads are two great starting points.
The process typically involves doing this:
- Picking a keyword or persona to target
- Adding creative (images) and copy (words)
- Selecting where people will go (landing page)
- Funding and running the campaign
Offline methods involve your usual fare from business cards to TV ads. Local partnerships work great, too, like exchanging referrals with other trades.
Try this:
- Set up a newspaper and local TV channel ad
- Point people to your website/landing page
- Collect referrals and provide follow-up
And like that, you’ll have people learning about your brand. And, inquiring your plumbing services.
Continue exploring growth opportunities
There’s a whole lot more that goes into growing your plumbing business. The point is to at least work on the basics to create a foundation. There, you’ll have platforms to drive in leads and convey your value.
What’s next? Take the afternoon exploring growth strategies and opportunities.
Learn and vet each strategy so it’s applicable to your business. Then, give it a shot and see what works! That, dear reader, is how you outdo the competition.
