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BUSINESS AND TRAINING
Marketing tip – turning shoppers into customers: Blow them away with excellent service. Arrive on time, wear clean uniforms, and tidy up after yourself. Leave a thank-you card or a branded fridge magnet with your contact details. Follow up the next day with a message thanking them for choosing you and ask for a Google review. This shows you care and helps build a relationship with them in which they begin to actually like you.
Rung four of your ladder: customers They have started to trust you and are open to doing business with you more often. You now need to give them a reason to never think of any of your competitors. When they think plumbing, they must think you.
Marketing tip – make your customers members of your business: Stay in touch. Start a customer database and send seasonal plumbing tips or service reminders via email or SMS. Offer a yearly geyser or plumbing system check-up at a discounted rate. Create a‘ preferred customer’ programme with perks like priority service or free callouts for members. This turns one-time jobs into longterm revenue.
Rung five of your ladder: members Members begin to feel like they are part of your business. They start telling their friends and family about you, because they know their friends will get a good service from you, which makes them feel good.
Marketing tip – how to turn your members into advocates. Make referrals easy and rewarding. Offer a simple incentive, such as " refer a friend and get R250 off your next job ". Send digital business cards or WhatsApp share links that they can forward. Share client testimonials on social media and tag your happy customers. The more visible their praise, the more it attracts new business.
Rung six of your ladder: advocates Advocates talk about your business as if it is their own. They become part of your team, without even knowing it.
Marketing tip – recognise advocates and, boom, they are your raving fans. Recognise and celebrate your biggest supporters. Feature them in video testimonials or success stories on your website. Invite them to a behind-thescenes tour or a special event, like the launch of a new team van. Make them feel as though they are part of your journey and success. When customers feel valued, they become champions of your brand.
Rung seven of your ladder: raving fans Raving fans talk spontaneously about your business, bring you up in conversations and tell others how great your business is. Know who they are and stay close to them, they grow your business for you!
Scaling your plumbing business from the garage to greatness doesn’ t happen by chance. It happens when you have a great toolbox full of business strategies and methodologies – and one of these must be marketing using the ladder of loyalty. Treat every stakeholder interaction as a step on the ladder of loyalty. By moving people up this ladder with purpose and consistency, you don’ t just grow your client base – you build a community around your business.
So, start climbing. Your multimillion-rand-a-month plumbing empire is waiting at the top. PA
Coach Craig
“ But how do you grow from a oneman operation in your garage to a multimillion-rand-amonth turnover?”
www. plumbingafrica. co. za November 2025 Volume 31 I Number 09