ASSOCIATIONS
13
What is the starting point to
market my plumbing business?
By IOPSA
Running a plumbing business has its unique
challenges. Unlike other industries that can target
a specific audience or rely on seasonal upticks,
you need to reach two distinct markets all
year round:
• The panicked customer with a burst pipe or other
emergency who needs to find a nearby plumber
ASAP
• The routine maintenance or install customer, who
takes their time to research and compare plumbing
companies to find the best fit for their project
To grow your plumbing business, you need marketing
strategies to address both types of customer, all while
competing in a crowded market. We won’t pretend there’s
a one-size-fits-all solution. The good news is, you can start
small and still get great results.
What is the starting point to market my plumbing
business?
Online marketing is the best place to start because it’s
easy to scale; you can reach a wide audience with little
cost and effort. Even if you’re just starting your plumbing
business and have little to no experience with digital
marketing, you can still get started without having to hire
an expensive marketing agency.
So, what do I do now?
• Claim your Google Business listing:
Search engines such as Google are the first place
emergency call-in customers will go to find help. If
you want them to find you, you need to set up your
Google ‘my Business’ listing. Setting up your local
listing is easy—all you need is your company name,
address, and contact info.
• Create a plumbing website that converts:
The second step to being found online is to beef up
your online presence. A professional-looking website
will increase your visibility and credibility to help you
get more leads. The trick is to keep your plumbing
website simple, clean and informative so emergency
call-in customers can find the information they
need, fast.
• Set up a Facebook page:
A professional Facebook page is another way to
be found fast. Of all the social media platforms,
Facebook has the most users and the most
conversion-friendly features. Plus, it’s free, easy to
set up and track.
• Gather and manage online reviews:
Positive online reviews are crucial to growing your
January 2020 Volume 25 I Number 11
plumbing business, you’re entering your customers’
home or business, after all, and often in unpleasant
or stressful situations. Before they buy from you, they
need to trust you. Plumbing businesses with bad
reviews will ultimately work against you.
• Use call-only ads: Put yourself in your emergency
customer’s shoes. They don’t have time to research
or fill out web forms—they want to speak to a
real person who can help them now. If you’re
ready to start advertising, try using call-only
online ad campaigns. These ads show up only on
people’s smartphones and offer direct click-to-call
functionality. This is a simple way to target your ad
spend straight at the emergency call-out customer at
the exact moment they need your services.
• Create expert plumbing content:
Plumbing is a specialised industry, and most
consumers don’t know much—if anything—about it.
Help your market feel educated and empowered, and
you’ll win their trust and their business. The IOPSA
and PIRB websites have a wealth of knowledge that
you could use as a starting point for this content.
• Get more leads with work requests:
Unlike emergency customers who want to talk to a
plumber right away, the research-phase customer
will probably want to send a brief description of their
project and find out if you can help. In order to win
their business, you need a system to respond quickly
and professionally to these requests. Emails aren’t a
very good option because it’s easy for them to be lost
in your busy inbox or sent to spam. Instead, give your
customers the option to create a work request right
from your website or social media page.
"Help your
market feel
educated and
empowered,
and you’ll win
their trust and
their business.
The IOPSA and
PIRB websites
have a wealth
of knowledge
that you
could use as
a starting
point for this
content."
• Use customer service as a marketing tool:
Advertising and social media are pieces of the
marketing puzzle, but excellent customer service
is by far the most effective, cost-efficient, and
long-term growth strategy for any plumbing
business, providing impeccable customer service
will help boost good reviews and testimonials which
consumers trust.
• Align yourself with an organisation:
Aligning yourself with an organisation can help
market your business in a multitude of ways.
Showing on your platforms that you belong to an
industry body helps promote professionalism and
trust in your business. These organisations will also
market the use of their members over others such
as the Institute of Plumbing SA who currently has
over 220 customers searching for a plumber on their
system EVERY DAY!
So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get advertising! PA
www.plumbingafrica.co.za