If you’re thinking of starting your own plumbing business, you’ll find that there are a lot of benefits. You get to make your own hours, although 24-hour emergency calls are becoming the norm. You also get to reap higher profits, offer a service that everyone needs and there is ample opportunity for growth.
IBISWorld estimates that the market is worth $102 billion, with a forecast growth between 2017 and 2022 of 117,776 people.
Business owners that are entering the field have a lot to look forward to in the future of plumbing, but there is also a drawback: competition.
There are plumbers starting their own dream of owning their own business. You’ll also have to compete with plumbers that have been up and running for decades in some cases. What can you do to compete?
Advertise properly.
The three key methods of advertising to focus on in 2018 include:
1. Print is Still Strong, But Not in the Way You’re Thinking
Print is still a strong form of advertising. You’ll still find signage and billboards along major interstates. I am a sucker for the flyers that are in diners or the placemats that have local businesses listed, too.
All of these methods have their own place.
But one form of advertising that you may have been seeing more often – I know I have – is print on vehicles. You don’t need to add a huge logo on the hood of your vehicle, but it doesn’t hurt to have a logo on the side of your vehicle.
Tradesmen in general will do good to have:
- Logos with their number on the side of the vehicle
- Logos with their number on the rear of the vehicle
Your business’s number should be large, bold and easy to read. You can also have your website URL and email address printed. QR codes are also becoming a very popular choice. The idea is to use your vehicle as a form of advertising as you go from job-to-job.
It’s free advertising that will help you increase brand awareness on the local level.
Vehicle wrapping can cost $1,500 – $4,000+, depending on what you want done. There are a lot of variables to consider, such as the size of the vehicle, so keep this in mind when pricing your vehicle wrapping.
2. Online Advertising Via Traditional and Content Marketing
You can’t ignore the Internet. Search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising and promoting on online newspapers will remain important. Facebook ads work well, too, especially in markets that aren’t oversaturated.
But you need to do a lot more to attract visitors and clients organically.
Yes, we’re talking about content marketing. It’s a concept that is being shoved down everyone’s throats, and while it may drive you crazy, it’s a mainstay that you need to start implementing into your marketing plan.
If you’re wondering how you can possibly perform proper content marketing in the plumbing industry, take a look at this home page.
You’ll see that the company doesn’t promote their services immediately. Instead, they have a list of their latest blog posts, such as:
- Why is Hydro-Jetting So Effective for Pipe Cleaning?
- Can You Repipe a Pressurized Water Line?
Use these headlines as an example of what your audience wants to read and may already be searching for online. It’s a great way to generate ideas and create content that can help you generate solid leads.
3. Online Review Sites
Yes, we just mentioned online advertising, but review sites are so important that they deserve their own section. Review sites are pure gold, or they can cause you to lose customers. Review sites are visited by 97% of consumers.
Bad reviews can hurt a business just as much as no reviews can harm a business.
So, what can you do to get reviews?
- Send out emails to clients asking them to leave a review.
- Send out text messages asking for reviews from clients.
- Provide clients or customers with a flyer that asks for a review.
You can’t pay for reviews or provide an incentive to leave a good review – it’s against advertising laws. But you can ask a customer to leave a genuine review on Google and Yelp, among many other sites.
Good reviews are key if you want to lure in leads from the Internet.
