In many ways, a plumbing job is one of those key indicators of just how good a homeowner happens to be at self-maintenance. If they can get some plumbing tasks done, then they’ll feel good about it and themselves. That’s a problem because it means a job that could have been yours won’t be. You’ve got to get the value of your services known so that people will turn to you with a job that needs to be done, right?
The start of this process begins when you offer your services during a time when they are needed. If you offer 24/7 emergency services, you might be up in the middle of the night sometimes, but you’ll be making a lot of cash during the process and establishing a good name for yourself in the process.
Effective Plumbing Marketing Ideas that Work
1. Distinguish Yourself Through Value
The world today runs on the value you can provide someone, which means this is where you must really set yourself apart from the competition. A good way to do this is through a blog where you can help people solve some minor plumbing issues on their own. Talk about how to snake a toilet to make it run faster or which solvents work better to clean a drain and you’ll get subscribers that will contact you when a plumbing task exceeds their skill level.
2. Put Your Branding Everywhere
When someone has a plumbing emergency they don’t generally log onto the internet and research plumbers because they don’t have the time to get that done. You’ve got to have your name or your brand at the top of their mind so that when an emergency strikes, it’s your number that gets called instead of your competitor’s number.
3. Film Demonstration Videos
Sometimes people just don’t have the cash to hire a plumber, but they have a plumbing need right now that needs to get done. With a work demonstration video on YouTube of some basic plumbing techniques, you can give them the skills they need without dipping too far into your profits. In return, you’ll get a lot of extra attention if they pull off the job on their own because you taught them how to do it.
4. Join an HOA
Homeowners Associations are always looking to have a go-to person that can take care of emergency needs and many of them don’t have a plumber on their list. Instead of having them look up reputations and reviews online, be proactive and contact your local HOA’s to see if you can be placed on their referral list. Attend meetings, get active in the neighborhood when you can, and you’ll be the first phone call they make.
5. Be Active on Social Media
You don’t need to sell your plumbing soul on social media to get a lead, but you do need the opportunity to engage people where they happen to be. Hundreds of millions of people use Facebook every day, including a large majority of people in your community right now. Start building relationships and you’ll create a level of loyalty that will help you be the plumber they book when they’ve got a need.
6. Make Sure Your Reputation Is Good
Many plumbers focus their reputation efforts on a job well done and there’s nothing wrong with that whatsoever. You’ve just got to take that up a notch and make sure your online reputation is just as good as your work! If you have a 99% happiness rate, you’re still going to have 1 customer out of 100 leave negative feedback about you and it’ll probably appear online. That means 1,000 jobs will create 10 negative experiences and if those are online without the 990 good reviews complimenting them, people will see only the bad that you do when they search you out online. Encourage good reviews and your online reputation will match the quality of your work.
7. Utilize Post Cards For Target Zip Codes
If the goal is to get your brand in front of someone, then having a quality post card sent to their mailbox can be an effective way to make that happen. Use attractive graphics, make sure your prices are big and bold, and you just might end up having that post card saved for a future need. Even if it is pitched, however, you still got exposure for your brand for a brief moment and that can plant a seed too.
8. Target Your Local Market Online
Online advertising campaigns fail because they are not specific enough with their composition. You can target only local targets with a campaign that you pay just on clicks. That will get your advertisements out onto local computer screens and get clicks from people who generally need your services already.
9. Network In the Community
Commercial money pays the bills as well as residential money does, so get out and network with other businesses in your community. Be active in their promotions and events and you’ll begin to establish a name for yourself that might just have your phone call ringing.
10. Partner With a Builder
Partnerships equal money when the right relationships are formed, so talk with your local builders to see if they could use a partner. You’ll get the chance for some sub-contracting work, especially if your rates are reasonable, and that will help to keep you busy on those slower days.
11. Don’t Turn Down Work
Once you start turning down work because you’re overbooked, you’re losing customers for life. If business is too good, it’s better to take a chance and hire some help than it is to turn customers away and fill the bank accounts of your competition.
12. Have Good White Papers Available
In order to generate good leads, you’ve got to have good information so that you can provide people with an in-depth look at your strengths. Send these papers out to leads when they call, offer them as a PDF on your website, and you’ll get to follow-up with people who are close to becoming a customer of yours.
Although millions of people visit Brandon's blog each month, his path to success was not easy. Go here to read his incredible story, "From Disabled and $500k in Debt to a Pro Blogger with 5 Million Monthly Visitors." If you want to send Brandon a quick message, then visit his contact page here.