If you have a plumbing business, you might find yourself wondering whether your marketing strategies are on target. You have the challenge of finding new customers while simultaneously retaining your existing clients. You want homeowners and corporate properties to retain your services, to recommend your business to their friends and family, and to tell everyone that you offer the most efficient and affordable plumbing services in town. Here are some tips to help you attract and retain more clients and grow your business with satisfied customers.
Company Website
Your company website often creates the first impression of your business. Your website is the first thing most people will check when they hear about your brand. It should also be the landing point for your digital marketing efforts as you guide potential clients to it from direct advertising pieces and social media channels. Your plumbing business needs a simple yet engaging mobile website and user experience that is convenient, intuitive and helpful for current and prospective customers.
Images are an excellent way to engage site visitors. It’s important to use authentic images and avoid overly-staged stock photos. That being said, pictures of you and your staff working on actual properties might not be the best choice but beautiful images of finished projects would be. Use images to introduce yourself and your staff as well. You can also ask clients to submit pictures of their properties or projects you have completed for them along with a quote about your plumbing services. You can hire a professional photographer or keep it casual and use a tech-savvy staff member with a high-quality mobile device.
See our article for more information: The Impact of Images
Another way to ensure your website is user-friendly is to include a Click-to-Text button on the site. This component is a clickable button that’s directly connected to your business phone number making it easy for clients to get in touch with you directly from their cell phones. The easier you make it for people to contact you directly from the platform they prefer, the more leads you’ll receive your site. A click-to-text button should be strategically placed in the footer and header and also on the contact page.
Intuitive navigation positively impacts user experience. The more intuitive and easier it is to use your website, the lower your bounce rate and higher your conversions will be. Your menu should be concise and strategically organized. Consider using a single-page scrolling technique to keep visitors from being overwhelmed with the information being presented. Responsive website design will make sure that visitors can navigate through your site regardless of the device being used.
Search engines rank and display websites according to an always evolving algorithm so, search engine optimization (SEO) is important for any website. Detailed information about various search engines’ algorithms is not readily shared with the public. That being said, search engines, like Bing and Google, have started to share more detail with each major update they push out.
As part of your SEO efforts, pay close attention to your keyword strategies. Brand keyword strategy should include the selection of high-performing keywords that will drive traffic to your website. Highly relevant keywords closely related to your business or industry are essential. Keywords used within advertising can make the difference between a winning and a losing campaign and will determine how well your advertisements rank with search engines.
Social Media Channels
A solid social media presence has become almost an expectation. Consumers have been shown to readily engage with brands on various social media platforms but it is important to keep in mind that people crave authenticity and will quickly reject superficial content. Avoid outright marketing ploys on your social media channels and instead, use the platforms to be social.
Engage followers by listening, commenting, and sharing high-value content. Create a community by asking questions, asking for input and feedback, and utilizing user-generated content when you can. You can post a series of pictures showing a “day in the life of” type things. Chronicle what it is like to be a part of your team. Show what happens behind the scenes. It’s amazing how interested people are in that sort of thing!
It takes time, effort and money to properly establish and maintain a robust social media marketing presence. The goals are simple. Understand if your target customers frequent Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Then let consumers know you exist by meeting them where they are. Show them how your plumbing services are superior to your competitors. And convince them to give your business a try.
Keep an Eye on Your Online Reputation
Online reviews and ratings influence today’s consumers and really shape the way they interact with businesses. Reviews posted on sites like Google allow customers to compare plumbing services based on other people’s experiences. More than 50% of consumers often or always read online reviews and 97% read online reviews when considering contracting with a local business.
You can be proactive about your online reputation by asking satisfied clients for reviews. You can also encourage them to share their experience on social media by including your social media information on your business cards, pamphlets, or any other material you regularly leave with your clients.
Assign someone to regularly monitor all digital channels on which people can leave comments about your business, including Google, Yelp, and so on. While negative reviews are uncomfortable and impossible to avoid, you should still respond to them in a professional and compassionate manner to resolve the issue.
Email Marketing
Email remains to be an effective marketing channel for any business. Include on your website an opt-in form to help build your list of prospective and current clients. To keep consumers interested in your content, vary the types of emails you send. Alternate plain text with images or interactive emails. Consider using a specific format for blogs, another for ads, another for product announcements, and so on.
In order to send relevant information and special offers that will increase engagement rates, segment your target audience. Sending messages to more targeted subgroups allows you to provide value-added information to all your clients and to ensure they have the latest plumbing news for their specific type of property.
Make it simple for people to share your email (and other) content. Include social sharing buttons on all your email communications and encourage readers to share the messages with their friends, family, and colleagues.
For more on effective email marketing strategies, see our articles:
Content for Each Step of the Way
At a Glance: Email Marketing Tips
Wrap Up
Marketing is an ongoing process that involves not only advertising, but also client support, public relations, media planning, and more. Use as many channels as you can – your website, social media, email, direct mail, etc. Your marketing plan should integrate strategies that let you grow your client base over time while still allowing you the flexibility you need to respond to changes in the needs of your existing clients.
The experts at Strategy Driven Marketing are ready to help you with all these efforts. We’d love to deep dive into your business to understand your organizational goals. We can help you determine and execute marketing strategies that will let you recognize progress towards those goals and identify challenges along the way. Contact us today to learn more about the services we offer and how we can create a personalized marketing plan that works with your specific business goals and budget. Let’s get started!