Categories
Plumbing SEO

20 Low-Cost Ways to Get More Plumbing Customers (and Keep Them Coming)

Get more plumbing customers without breaking your bank account with these actionable tips

Plumber and client shaking hands.

Acquiring new customers is the bane of many plumbing contractors. While sometimes it may be simple as finding a homeowner searching for a specific plumbing service, other times it can be more challenging. The standard method to get more plumbing customers is from marketing to the right people down to closing the sale. For many plumbers, this may be a daunting task, particularly when their efforts don’t achieve the desired results.

Clients are the lifeline of your plumbing company. If your phone is not ringing, then your plumbing expertise will be of no use. You won’t generate any revenue and thus your company will close its doors. So, it is crucial to maintain a consistent flow of customers to your plumbing business.

The amazing thing about running your plumbing company is understanding that there is a huge demand for your services at all times. Wherever people reside, pipes are very crucial to their everyday life. Sometimes, something goes wrong with their piping system and they have to repair it urgently. That, said, as there might be a higher demand for plumbers, there is always a need to get more plumbing customers by using the appropriate marketing strategies.

If you are wondering how to get more customers to your plumbing business, we got you covered. This post will share in-depth strategies that will hands down – assist you to get more clients for your growing plumbing business. Want to be booked several months in advance? Here are our inexpensive ways to do it.

1. Get More Plumbing Customers by Marketing Your Services

Female and male plumbers with their client.

Marketing is essential in any plumbing company. You cannot generate revenue in your plumbing business without money and time in marketing your plumbing services. This aspect is no different in the plumbing industry. You will never secure any new customers if you don’t invest in plumbing marketing.  Target customers must know that you are a plumber and the services you are providing.

If you want to expand your customer base, you need to boost your marketing efforts. Homeowners should know that you are a plumbing contractor. Only through this strategy can you obtain clients to work for. So, consider implementing a marketing strategy that will boost your plumbing brand in your area.

A successful plumbing marketing strategy will attract various kinds of clients – whether they are panicking from a pipe that has just busted or are performing research online to find a reliable plumber for their new bathroom installation.

Related: 15 Plumbing Marketing Ideas, Strategies, And Tricks To Grow Your Business

2. Get More Plumbing Customers by Building a Professional Website

Plumbing maintenance landing page website.

Having a plumbing website not only increases your visibility among plumbing clients but also makes you more trustworthy and reliable.  In the modern digital world, online presence is crucial. Search engines like Google or Bing are the first stopover when it comes to searching for a service or product.

A homeowner will turn to Google to find a plumber before looking for one in their backyard. If your company doesn’t have a website, you will miss the opportunity to secure a job. For this reason, you should hire a reputable plumbing web design agency to get your site built especially if you are not familiar with web development and design.

Put information about your plumbing company, where you are situated, the number of years you have been in the plumbing industry, your working style, and what makes your business stand out from the competitors. Consider having a plumbing company blog to help you establish a connection with your clients.

Read more: Plumbing Website Optimization:14 SEO Tricks Your Business Needs For Lead Generation

3. Get More Plumbing Customers by Focusing on SEO

Search Engine Optimization

Even if your plumbing company is small, there is a high likelihood that you have a website. If you don’t, we highly recommend that you solve that problem ASAP. If you don’t have a plumbing website, then you are missing out on major opportunities of getting found by homeowners searching for plumbers online.

In the infant stages of the Internet, a plumbing website alone was enough to help a business, secure new clients. But things are different nowadays. Now there is stiff and cutthroat competition online. If you want to grab the attention of your potential clients online, you will require more than a website to achieve that. You will require an actual plan.

That’s where search engine optimization for plumbers comes into play.

Search engine optimization sounds complicated and very technical. And in actual sense, it can be. But at the most fundamental level, SEO is the process of creating a plumbing website that directly and clearly addresses the problems your clients have when they conduct searches on the internet.

Generally speaking, you can handle the SEO of your plumbing website alone, making this an inexpensive option for generating qualified leads. In fact, it is possible to take a DIY approach to plumbing SEO and see great results.

Related: How To Improve Your Plumbing Website’s SEO

But you must be willing to commit time to learn the ins and outs of the process. Poorly executed SEO can adversely affect your business, so you will want to perform some serious research to make sure that your plan is solid before implementing it.

Or you can partner with a plumbing SEO agency to help you throughout the process. If you have the budget to afford this kind of service, we highly recommend it.

4. Carefully Manage Your Online Reputation to Get More Plumbing Customers

Client reviews

Another way to get more plumbing clients/leads is to manage your online reviews carefully and consistently. Most prospects search for reliable nearby plumbing businesses with great online reviews, and always try to avoid low-average star ratings or negative reviews before scheduling a service appointment.

Positive client feedback on review platforms such as Facebook, Google, and other business review and social media websites can make a noticeable difference when clients decide which plumbing contractor to hire. According to a Consumer Survey, more than 90% of clients cited positive reviews as a factor that makes them more likely to hire a particular business.

Real clients who give your business positive reviews help to establish trust in your plumbing company. Your prospects read an average of 10 reviews before trusting a plumbing business, and more than 80% of those people – trust online reviews as much as recommendations from their family or friends, according to the survey. If you don’t have the time to manage what customers say about your plumbing business on the Internet, hire a plumbing online reputation management agency to help you out.

5. Get More Plumbing Customers Via Paid Advertising

PPC

Pay-per-click advertising gives your plumbing business a chance to bid on famous keywords that homeowners use to search for a plumbing company like yours online.  Your plumbing SEO plan is what drives the organic (or FREE) web traffic. That’s people who find your plumbing company website through a simple search on Google. But there is another (typically faster) option for grabbing the attention of your potential customers: paid advertising otherwise known as pay-per-click advertising (PPC).

Based on various factors like a maximum bid for every keyword, landing page score, or your ad copy, then your ad is shown to prospects or clients looking for plumbers in your area. Pay-per-click advertising comes in multiple different forms, which may include but is not restricted to;

Search ads: Search ads are the most crucial and common type of PPC ads for plumbers. You will normally see them at the bottom and top of the search engine result page with a small logo that says “Ad” next to the results.  It is a way to jump at the top of your competitors on search engines, ahead of all organic search results that took a lot of effort and time to be seen.

Display ads: This will show your plumbing ads across all the sites that partner with Google. You can select a specific target market or website where your ads will be visible.

Remarketing ads:  Do you know that great feeling that a business is following no matter where you go on the Internet?  That’s not by accident, it’s retargeting or remarketing. A plumber knows that you are interested in a specific service (since you had visited their website before) and re-engages you with an ad.

Social media ads for plumbers: Just like display ads, you can target a particular audience, using the vast data of the social profiles you could purchase from, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and even Instagram. The right image is crucial to conducting a great social media PPC ad.

6. Claim Your Free Google Business Profile Listing to Get More Plumbing Customers Online

Google Business Profile

Claiming your Google Business Profile will assist your plumbing company to appear on the local search results page, skyrocket your website traffic and make it easier for potential clients to find your plumbing services online.

Your Google Business Profile offers visitors a snapshot of your company and services, including your logo, contact information, service area, client reviews, and pictures of successfully completed projects.

Read also: The ultimate guide to Google Business Profile for Plumbers

Here is what your Google Business Profile will appear like when a new client looks for a plumber in your service area.

7. Use Social Media Marketing to Get More Plumbing Customers Online

Social Media Marketing

From TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram to Facebook, just about everyone is on one social media platform at some point. Social media apps help people to stay connected, keep informed, and above all entertained.

And folks spend a lot of time on social media.

The average American spends over one hour on social media each day. This explains why social media advertising is one of the common forms of internet marketing.

Since anyone with a social media profile can utilize that profile to advertise, marketing on social media is technically free. But just like PPC ads or SEO, the most successful plumbing social media advertising efforts need a budget and specialized skill set.

Plus, social media marketing for plumbers takes time. Likely, more time than what most plumbers think.

Not only will be required to create and publish posts regularly but also remain active with your target audience or market. When they ask questions or leave comments, you should be able to respond to them promptly. That implies you have to be on your preferred social media networks a lot, yourself.

If you had already spent a good time on social media, this could be a surefire way to generate plumbing clients or leads. Otherwise, you may be required to hire a social media advertising agency for plumbers to help you out.

8. Invest in Email Marketing to Win More Plumbing Customers

Email Marketing

Another great way to obtain plumbing clients is by using targeted email marketing campaigns.

Sending regular emails to your client list promoting your plumbing services and reminding them of your top-notch services (such as plumbing system maintenance) keeps you on top of their mind. So when the client requires plumbing services, you are the first plumber they remember.

Targeted plumbing email marketing tends to be cheaper than conventional advertising and keeps your business top–of–mind for clients. To make email marketing work for your plumbing company, figure out the particular topics that will resonate with your target audience.

For instance:

  • Share informative and helpful tips to establish brand loyalty (e.g., signs that your water heater is failing)
  • Remind clients of recommended maintenance
  • Provide seasonal reminders to help clients keep their plumbing systems running optimally and smoothly.

9. Build a Plumbing Brand Your Clients Will Recognize and Love

Plumbing Brand

Creating a brand for your plumbing business is one of the best ways to attract and impress potential customers.

(It is also one of the effective ways of outranking the competition)

Once you have settled on the visual elements of your brand (like fonts, logo, and colors) ensure that you use them consistently throughout your plumber marketing efforts to assist new and existing clients recognize your business.

Related: 9 Inexpensive And Super-Effective Tricks For Branding Your Plumbing Business

10. Get More Plumbing Customers Through Content Marketing

Content Marketing

Content marketing involves crafting and distributing important information across multiple digital channels. Content, from blogs to videos to online reviews has profound impacts on your potential customers. They are one of the efficient ways to create a positive first impression on your target audience or market.

Quality content creation combined with great keyword research makes sure that your content is read and understood. You must set aside a section for a blog on your website where you can write quality SEO content related to the plumbing niche. If you handed over the task to a plumbing marketing agency, they will perform a competitor analysis to see what other plumbers are writing about.

But your content creation should not be restricted to blogs only; there are multiple ways to use your plumbing business’ content. For example, you can create infographics, videos, short films, and more with content strategies and promote them for appropriate channels for maximum reach. With numerous content marketing tools available, you can easily make sure that your content resonates with your target audience.

11. Get More Plumbing Customers with Local Service Ads

Local Service Ads

Local Services ads from Google are focused on small plumbing businesses that want to be rated highly and build the respect and trust of local buyers. Via the Local Services platform, plumbing contractors are able to buy advertising inventory that is best has the best search engine estate: the #1 spot of search results.

This is particularly helpful for mobile searches; which contribute to more than 60% of all online searches. That number is expected to increase over time.

Local service ads for plumbers get your business affordable customers from people actually looking for your services.

But you must apply for this service. If you are accepted, then you should set up a campaign while allocating a good budget. If you are still on the fence about what your budget should be, schedule a free discovery call with Blackstorm Design + Marketing to get started.

12. Get More Customers Through Plumbing Lead Generation Websites

Plumbing Lead Generation Websites

Another proven way to get more plumbing customers is by paying a lead generation company to do all the hard work for you.

If you have a good marketing budget that allows this option, then it makes a lot of sense to use it.

Listing your plumbing company on pay-per-call lead generation websites can put you in front of wallet-out prospects who are actively looking for your plumbing services- with minimal effort on your part.

These platforms are perfect if you provide kitchen or bathroom remodels and maintenance services. Just bid on the jobs you want and send quotes to potential clients.

You can also use them to collect client reviews and enhance your brand’s reputation (both online and offline).

13. Use Retargeting Ads to Get More Plumbing Customers Online

Have you ever noticed when you leave a specific website and then head over to Facebook, you will see an ad from the site you visited down on your feed? That’s retargeting in action.

Retargeting presents yet another way to get more plumbing customers in the form of pixels. Pixels are minor snippets of code you can put on your landing pages to record and track information about the behavior of users.

With such data, you can develop personalized service recommendations and retarget prospects with custom ads that show as previous website visitors browse other sites, like Google, Bing, and Facebook.

For example:

Retargeting Ads

If a prospect visits one of your plumbing service pages and clicks off without filling out a form or calling your business, then you can retarget only those people with ads that contain client testimonials, for instance, across other websites in the Google Display Network or even social media networks such as LinkedIn or Facebook.

Remember, most people don’t purchase plumbing services on their first visit to your website, so utilizing retargeting is a free and smart marketing strategy to re-engage non-converting leads and visitors.

14. Get More Plumbing Customers Offline Using the Following Strategies

More Plumbing Customers Offline

Ask for Referrals

Referrals are one of the inexpensive ways to get new plumbing customers-but if you sit down and wait for your existing customers to refer their family members and friends to your business, you could be waiting longer. Take charge by actively requesting referrals from your satisfied clients. Include a referral-generating activity in your sales process. For example, send out a follow-up email asking for a referral after you have completed a client’s plumbing project successfully.  Have your sales representatives ask for referrals when they follow up to answer questions after completing a project.

Network with Other Plumbing Contractors

Networking is crucial in each field.

Networking is crucial in each field. The approach helps you connect with other stakeholders in your industry. However, many plumbers don’t want to engage with their peers or colleagues. They wrongly that having a good relationship with their rivals is a bad idea.

If you hold the same school of thought, then you are wrong. Networking is a great way of expanding your client base. It assists you to get some tact in the plumbing industry because your colleagues can refer their customers to you in case they have excess on their end. You too can have sought their help when you get a client beyond your scope or service reach.

If you are still on the fence about how to get more plumbing customers, consider contacting local small businesses in your area. Most of them will be glad to use you or team up and refer their clients who require plumbing services to you as long as you are willing to return a favor. Some of the few businesses you can contact include; home inspection companies, pest control, pool companies, real estate agents or investors, and more.

Offer Superior Services to Your Customers

Prioritize customer services

There is no doubt that customers are the number one sales representative of any plumbing company. Your clients will bring their colleagues and peers to your plumbing business. But this will only happen if you offer satisfactory services.

If you want to get more plumbing customers, always provide exceptional customer experience and services. Remember, happy clients are equal to the more new business plus the introduction of more customers. So, prioritize customer services and you will experience an increase in your customer base within a very short timeframe.

Attend Trade Shows

Plumbing Trade Shows

Attending industry trade should be on top of your to-do list of plumbing advertising ideas. They not only offer tons of solutions for how to book more plumbing jobs and how to scale a plumbing company but also helps you to spy on your competitors, boost brand awareness and establish new business partnerships.

To make the most out of the trade shows, you should offer some irresistible to visitors, like a freebie or another incentive like contests, giveaways, coupons, and more.

Lastly, make sure that you are writing down the contact details of interested visitors and following up to advertise your plumbing services.

15. Get More Plumbing Customers Through Strategic Alliances

Strategic Alliances

Another great way to get more plumbing clients for free is to partner with other local businesses in your service area. That could be Lowe’s Home Depot and others. Creating a strategic partnership implies they will recommend you to their clients, display your marketing materials or business cards, and offer a steady stream of exclusive plumbing leads. So, get to networking!

16. Send Direct Mailers to Get More Plumbing Leads/Customers

Email marketing

Here is another plumbing marketing idea that can withstand the test of time; direct mailers. Yet another ‘prehistoric’ marketing strategy, but it is not ineffective. At present, people are more excited to receive postcards and mail than to obtain promotional emails from plumbing companies.

Use postcards to stir interest and grab attention. As many plumbing companies have abandoned the mailbox, you may also find direct mail as a unique way of standing out from the competition. Make sure that you hire a graphic designer to ensure that your direct mail gets the attention of your audience while enhancing your brand’s image.

17. Use Branded Plumbing Marketing Materials

Plumbing business card

Always ensure that you have something physical to give a prospect to carry with them and remind them of your plumbing company. The bare minimum would be to print business cards with your website name and URL on display.  Taking it a notch higher with swag like branded clothing and stationery is also a famous medium of getting your brand out there.

18. Wrap Your Plumbing Van to Make a Lasting Impression

Plumbing van wraps

Which one seems professional according to you?

A beat-up, dirty van with tools in the bed and no signage?

Or a well-maintained, clean van with a sleek logo on its side?

The one with a sleek plumbing logo, right? Adding a magnet or wrap to your work vans is an efficient way to make them appear more professional, while also leveraging the benefits of free advertising space. Your work vans are fundamentally billboards on wheels, so why not use it?

19. Get More Plumbing Customers by Canvassing the Area

Canvassing an area to get more plumbing clients for free.

Canvassing an area to get more plumbing clients for free may seem like an old-school marketing strategy, but your ideal plumbing customers are likely to book jobs with you and remember your business when they connect a face to your company. If you want to try canvassing, try it after you have completed a nearby project.

To achieve great results, remember to:

  • Always be courteous and polite, even if you don’t obtain the reaction you want.
  • Set a goal for every interaction: obtain their contact details, give them your business card
  • Have a script ready so you are well prepared
  • Follow up with prospects after getting their details-you could include them on your mailing list.

20. Use Nextdoor to Get More Plumbing Customers in Neighborhoods with Older Homes

Nextdoor website

Nextdoor is nowadays being utilized in more than 90% of American neighborhoods to find local home service providers, such as roofers or plumbers, and can be a goldmine to get new plumbing clients. What makes this app attractive is its verification process, which ensures that the people who are listed in the Neighborhood actually reside there.

You can use Nextdoor to scope out neighborhoods with older homes that are likely to require new pipes, new buildings that require plumbing installations, and neighborhoods that have a history of offering large-scale plumbing jobs.

To get started, register on the platform and get verified. Then, watch out for posts where users are asking about plumbing service contractors. 24% of all posts are homeowners requesting for home improvement service providers, so you should be able to book more plumbing jobs with this app.

Frequently Asked Questions on How to Get More Plumbing Customers

FAQs

How do you get more plumbing leads?

There are several strategies that you can use to generate plumbing leads including creating a professional plumbing website, using SEO to make it easier for people to find your site, email marketing, social media advertising, online reputation management, and more.

What is plumbing lead?

A plumbing lead is a prospect expressing interest in your services by submitting their contact details via a phone call or submitting an online form.

Why hire a marketing agency to get more plumbing customers?

Plumbing marketing agencies have numerous tools and expertise that can assist you to understand your client’s preferences which informs your advertising strategies.  An agency will also help you save money because you will not have to commit all your time doing keyword research, or paid ads in which you are unsure of your performance.

Let Blackstorm Design + Marketing Help You Get More Plumbing Customers (Offline and Online)

A good plumbing lead generation campaign fuels your sales funnel.

Any of the strategies discussed above can be a game-changer in getting more clients for your plumbing business.

A good plumbing lead generation campaign fuels your sales funnel and ensures that you have no shortage of new customers. If you are still unsure about how to get more plumbing customers even after reading this article, we are here to help you.

Blackstorm Design + Marketing is a premier internet marketing agency for plumbers and home service contractors. Our team specializes in running plumbing marketing campaigns that generate exclusive leads for plumbers across the country.

Schedule a free discovery call with Blackstorm Design + Marketing to learn how our experts can help take your plumbing marketing campaign to the next level.

Categories
Plumbing SEO

15 Cool Methods to Generate Plumbing Leads for Your Business

Proven strategies to generate qualified plumbing leads without breaking your bank account

One of the major challenges for any plumbing business is generating qualified leads. The key to booking a steady flow of service jobs is getting hot (and working leads). Without plumbing leads, your company won’t grow. In fact, without new leads, your business may not even survive.

After one decade of helping countless plumbing contractors like you, we have learned that one of the most effective ways of generating leads for your plumbing company is through appearing in online searches when prospects require your plumbing services.

Generating leads for your plumbing company

According to a recent consumer review survey, 90% of customers used the internet to find a local business, with more than 30% searching online every day. The plumbing space, like other home service trades, is unique, in that its huge challenge is not marketing and sales but lack of skilled labor.

However, getting qualified plumber leads is the engine that generates new business. In this post, we are going to share 15 ways to generate residential and commercial leads for your plumbing business.

Without further ado, let’s dive into our post!

Types of Plumbing Leads

different types of leads you will come across at the top of your sales funnel

If you are a plumbing business owner, you understand the need to generate leads to help your company grow. But what are plumbing leads? How are they classified? And how should treat the various kinds of leads?

But before we dive into transforming prospects who are down in your sales funnel. Let’s explore the different types of leads you will come across at the top of your sales funnel.

Here are the eight kinds of leads that you can expect to find in your plumbing sales funnel:

Cold, Warm, and Hot Leads

Cold Plumbing Leads

A cold lead has not shown any interest in your plumbing services yet but suits your ideal client profile perfectly. These leads are typically generated through conducting comprehensive research or lead generation software. Regardless of how they got into your list, they are on the list of potential sales. Cold leads are regarded as one of the hardest leads to convert into prospects. But, they are the most common kind of leads, so you need to know the art of communicating with them.

Warm Plumbing Leads

A warm lead is already familiar with your plumbing brand. They may have found your plumbing company by following your blogs, watching your videos, or even a referral from a trusted friend or family member. No matter the source, these warm leads for plumbers are easier to convert into potential clients than cold leads.

Hot Leads

It is the type of lead that has expressed interest in your plumbing services in one way or the other. Perhaps they watched a demo your business offered or even contacted you directly, wanting to learn more about your plumbing services offerings. These kinds of leads need prompt attention since their interest may fade away when you take too long to address or respond to their queries. There is a higher chance that they may be reaching out to your competitors to find the best plumbing solution for them. Therefore, you should aim to strike the iron while hot.

Qualified Leads

Qualified leads have expressed a lot of interest in your plumbing services

A qualified lead is one that is just starting to research a solution for their plumbing problem. They are usually generated when they fill out a form whenever they want to download some resources from your plumbing websites such as webinars, free books, reports, and more. These leads have expressed a lot of interest in your plumbing services and are ready to book jobs with your company.

Exclusive Plumbing Leads

Exclusive leads are those contacts that have not been exposed to your rivals.

Exclusive leads are those contacts that have not been exposed to your rivals. They are typically generated organically and contact a specific plumbing brand or business directly. This means that they are already on the market for a specific plumbing service and have some insight of the plumber they are searching for. They are one of the most valuable plumbing leads available since they have the highest conversion rates and generally create the most repeat clients.

Shared Leads

Many plumbers concentrate on obtaining shared plumbing leads only

Shared leads are generated from third-party brokers who sell information concerning various potential clients to multiple plumbing businesses. Such leads may not lead to higher conversions, and generally, most clients are those with repeat business. Many plumbers concentrate on obtaining shared plumbing leads only due to the myth that they are easier to get.

However, using the right plumbing marketing strategies can assist you to get exclusive leads easily as well.

Another classification of plumbing leads includes B2B and B2C leads.

Residential plumbing Leads

B2C leads

B2C leads are residential customers and are generally cheaper than B2-B leads, and this is because residential potential clients are not as complicated as commercial ones. In this case, the plumber lead generation strategy may not be as comprehensive as those used for commercial leads.

Commercial Plumbing Leads

B2B leads

These are B2B leads for commercial clients and industrial businesses looking for plumbing services. These clients generally have some knowledge of various plumbing lead generation strategies that may be employed to reach them, and it is more difficult to convert them than residential leads.

Lead sources are resources, platforms, or tools that plumbers can use to attract and find leads for their company. They can be an effective way to obtain new clients, but they can also be expensive.

What is Plumbing Lead Generation?

Lead generation

Lead generation is the process of cultivating a customer’s interest in your plumbing service with the aim of converting that person into a paying client. Most often, that can be achieved by gathering their information via a form on your plumbing website so that you can follow up with them after they click off your website.

Lead generation is essentially the process of identifying, attracting, and finding potential clients into your sales pipeline so that you can interact with them, tell them about your plumbing services and move them through the funnel. You can generate plumbing leads online in various ways and on many different channels.

You can get leads at any stage of your sales funnel. In fact, you should ensure not to concentrate on one stage only. Ideally, you want to have ways to reach clients who are in the Evaluation, Awareness, and Conversion stages.

Why is lead generation for plumbers crucial?

You should attract the attention of potential customers and prove to them that you are worth being contacted.

For some businesses, such as eCommerce sites, transactions are simple, quick and dint need much back and forth.

For building or plumbing contractors, that’s not generally the case. The homeowner has to know that the plumber can meet her or his specific requirements and will do it affordably and reliably. And since many plumbing businesses are competing for the attention of the same potential customers, they have to research and weigh their options before making a final buying decision.

In order to be even an option, though, you should attract the attention of potential customers and prove to them that you are worth being contacted. This implies that you should try to strike a balance between generic and hard sales pitches and informative marketing messages. If you focus on either of the two extremes, you will not be able to gain new plumbing clients.

Lead generation is crucial because it helps you to narrow down your focus to qualified plumbing leads and sharpen your unique value proposition. It also assists leads to knowing about your plumbing company and gaining more confidence to hire you for plumbing services.

Without a well-defined lead generation plan, plumbers aren’t able to identify their target market and locate them online and as a consequence, struggle to drive relevant traffic that can be converted into sales appointments and quote requests.

Best Lead Sources for Plumbing Contractors

There are different lead generation sources for plumbers, from paid ads, content marketing, and email marketing. However, you should research how your clients act online and what platforms they frequent most. From there, you can create a targeted campaign to generate plumbing leads. First, look through your existing client database and website visitors to know who is your target market and how they interact with your plumbing business.

Once you have sifted through your business data, identify long-hanging opportunities. For instance, collect the email addresses of your past customers and run a targeted email campaign for a seasonal plumbing offer. Inversely, if your target market is not residential, partner with B2B plumbing marketers to develop an email campaign that brings value to your contractors. Simply put, leveraging your business data will produce the highest conversion rate at a minimal cost. The major problem with this lead source is scale and volume, and you will probably hit the ceiling quickly.

Lead sources work by offering your business a list of potential clients who might be interested in your plumbing services.

Your business then contacts these potential clients and attempts to sell them their services, or prospects contact you if they are interested in what you have to offer. Here are two types of lead sources you need to know:

Organic Sources

The first lead generation source for plumbers is through organic search.

The first lead generation source for plumbers is through organic search. Search engines like Google or Bing are a very active form of digital media. Implies that people search for plumbing services they require right now.

For instance, millions of people search for “plumbers near me” every month. In your local marketplace, thousands of homeowners are searching for plumbing services. If your business can rank at the top of the page for organic plumbing searches appearing frequently, there are a lot of opportunities to get new jobs every day.

Organic lead sources are typically free and generate leads naturally, attracting prospects who have become interested in your plumbing services.

This occurs when clients conduct research online or use online directories to find plumbing solutions and come across your content. This could be articles, SEO, social media posts, email campaigns, and blogs.

Unlike paid plumbing leads, organic leads are not marketing or advertising messages that have been pushed on to potential clients. Instead, they are people who have discovered your plumbing company via a third-party source and decide to book a job with your company.

All you require is to craft high-quality content that will grab the attention of potential clients. Furthermore, organic leads are more likely to convert into paying clients than paid leads, so they are a low-cost way to grow your plumbing company.

Paid Sources

Pay-per-click advertising

Paid sources of plumbing leads are a great marketing tool for plumbers who want to generate new leads. These sources can offer businesses high-quality leads with higher chances of converting into clients.

There are various paid lead sources available, including Google paid Ads, Pay-per-click advertising. Selecting the right paid lead source depends on your company’s budget and needs.

Once you have set up a strong online presence via business listings, search ads, SEO, and social media are your next lead generation frontier. There are two fundamental ways to generate plumbing leads on social media; ads and content. This is a great way to help you generate leads for your plumbing business fast. More specifically, you can create super-targeted ads that describe plumbing promotions to homeowners that actively require your plumbing services.

Get More Plumbing Leads with these 15 Proven Strategies

Generating quality leads

As a plumber, the good you are at generating leads, the more chances to book new jobs you will have. Generating quality leads for your plumbing business that will keep your inbox full, and phone ringing is simple. To consistently book more jobs, we recommend that you try the following 16 lead generation strategies:

1. Create and Optimize Your  Website to Convert the Plumbing  Leads You Want

A plumbing website offers your brand more credibility.

If you have not created a website to generate plumbing leads, this should be your initial step. A Facebook or Instagram page is crucial, but a plumbing website offers your brand more credibility.

Your website is your plumbing company’s greatest tool for converting leads into paying clients.

Sure, you have been obtaining a ton of word-of-mouth referrals. But where do you think those referrals head to the moment someone recommends your plumbing services company?

Your plumbing website. They head over to your website.

If your goal is to increase plumbing lead generation, word-of-mouth referrals should not be your consistent stream of leads. You should start optimizing your marketing strategy and website to draw in more relevant traffic, and you should use conversion tools that can assist you to generate those plumbing leads once new clients land on your website.

Once your plumbing website design is in pristine condition, make sure it’s optimized for search engines. Your aim should be to show up on top of the search engine result pages. Google accesses your plumbing website on several important factors when ranking your website:

  • Keyword usage-make sure to research keywords related to your niche.
  • Integration with social media platforms
  • Routine updates
  • Mobile-responsive functionality
  • Quality content, including blogs or videos

Related: 4 Reasons Why A Responsive Plumbing Website Design Is More Crucial Now To Win New Clients.

2. Put Effort into Local Plumbing SEO to Generate Leads Online for Your Business

Local Plumbing SEO

One of the greatest ways to get more plumbing service leads is to appear on Google when prospects look for your services.

Most plumbing contractors operate within a specific geographical service area. Even if you are a large commercial plumbing business, you are probably restricted to a specific region of the state, like Middle Tennessee or the Pacific Northwest.

While you want to boost your plumbing company’s lead generation, you don’t want to draw in leads that are not relevant to your business.

Leads from other regions or countries you don’t serve are a waste of your time and advertising dollars.

One way to make sure that your lead generation campaigns are only working to draw in the right plumbing leads is to maximize your local SEO efforts.

That implies customizing your online presence – your website and digital listings – to clearly describe where you operate.

Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile is a great place to begin.

Your Google Business Profile is a great place to begin.

Anyone who searches “plumbing company near me” is going to pull up a Google search results page that highlights plumbers with Google Business Profile. For example, we searched plumbers in our area, Murfreesboro, TN, and three plumbing contractors popped up on top.

This is a free profile that Google combines together to assist users to find the best plumber for whatever service they are looking for. It has everything from your hours of operation to pictures of members of your team.

The more optimized your Google Business Profile is, the better.

At the very least, you should claim your company’s Google Business Profile and edit your service area information.

The service area company details help you to say what regions you serve clients in, where your plumbing company is situated, and more.

Related: The Definitive Google Business Profile for plumbers Guide

This assists Google to figure out your actual business location, which in turn helps you. When Google understands where you are and the regions you serve, they are more likely to show your company when a prospect searches for a plumbing company in their area.

When that occurs, you obtain more qualified, local plumbing leads.

Optimize Your Plumbing Website for local SEO

Optimize your site for local plumbing SEO

We highly recommend that you optimize your site for local plumbing SEO too, particularly if you want to rank it ahead of your competitors. This is another effective way of ensuring that you are improving your lead generation efforts for the qualified, right leads. A few ways to optimize your plumbing company’s website to drawn in more local leads include:

  • NAP citations: Make sure your company’s Name, Address, and Phone number are precisely the same across all your digital assets like your social profiles, websites, and Bing/Google Business Profile.
  • Add location pages to your plumbing website: If you serve multiple locations, develop a dedicated page for each, and include every service area unique hours of operation and service hours. This will assist your business to rank in those areas.
  • Develop local plumbing SEO content: Prospects looking to complete a plumbing project in your region may have questions about what they need in terms of local building requirements and codes. Developing localized plumbing website content that address those location-specific questions can help to improve your online presence in local search results.
  • Schema Markup: Ask your web designer to implement a local business schema on your plumbing website.
  • Online reviews: Reviews are crucial to local plumbing SEO. Regularly solicit online reviews and put up strategies to generate more reviews on the search and social profiles.

3. Manage Online Reviews Carefully to Get More Plumbing Leads

Manage your online reputation carefully and consistently

Another low-cost way to obtain more plumbing leads is to manage your online reputation carefully and consistently. Most potential clients look for trusted nearby plumbing contractors with awesome online reviews and always avoid plumbers with low average star ratings or negative reviews before scheduling an appointment.

Potential client feedback on review websites such as Facebook, Google, and other plumber social media and business review sites can make a huge difference when clients decide which plumbing services to hire. According to a client survey, more than 90% of clients identified positive client reviews as the main factor that makes them want to hire a particular plumbing business.

Real clients who leave stellar reviews help to establish trust in your plumbing business. Your prospect read an average of about 10 reviews before trusting a plumbing business, and more than 80% of these people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, according to a recent survey.

4. Create Quality Content That Draws in More Relevant Plumbing Leads

More relevant traffic = more leads for your plumbing business

More relevant traffic = more leads for your plumbing business

Content marketing is one of the effective ways to improve your plumbing website rankings. Plumbing content includes everything from videos, blog posts, infographics, guides, and more.

Potential clients regularly seek out information and solutions to their problems online, and you can utilize your content to furnish them with the information they require to become clients.

Leveraging content marketing, you can attract many plumbing leads and users to your website. Once they land on your plumbing website, they can begin exploring your company and the plumbing services you provide.

Creating high-quality plumbing SEO content makes you an authority in the field. When prospects see you sharing nuggets of knowledge, they will trust that you are good and experienced at your trade.

One of the factors that Google considers when ranking your web page is the time prospects spend on your plumbing website. If they dwell on your plumbing website for long, it is a good sign to Google that they love your plumbing website and find it relevant.

If people stay longer on your page, reading your blog, or watching videos, this sends a positive signal to Google that you are reliable and helpful. Content marketing can have a huge impact on driving qualified plumbing leads to your business. You can attract people to your plumbing website by sharing your knowledge, and this is an effective way to establish trust and gain new plumbing leads for your business.

5. Social Media Marketing

It is a great tool to assist you to stay in front of customers

Social media is a lead generation tool that many plumbers tend to misuse or overlook. It presents a real chance for you to market your plumbing business at little or no cost. Many plumbers create a page on Facebook but later abandon it simply because they don’t have content to share. The second blunder you can do on Facebook is to overwhelm your target market with blatant self-promotion messages.

Considering that an average American spends more than one hour on social media daily. Perhaps that explains why social media marketing is the most famous form of internet marketing.

Since anyone with a social media account can utilize it to advertise, social media marketing is free. But much like PPC ads or SEO, the most successful social media advertising efforts need a specialized skill set and budget.

When used properly, social media works perfectly to deliver crucial content that engages your clients. You can also utilize social media accounts to give small nuggets of information, such as a weekly DIY plumbing tip. It is a great tool to assist you to stay in front of customers and showcase your expertise when they don’t need your plumbing services.

If you are already spending a huge amount of time on social media, this could be an effective way to generate plumbing leads. Otherwise, you may require to hire a social media marketing agency for your plumbing business.

6. Get Ready-to-Book Plumbing Leads with Pay-per-Click Ads

Plumbing PPC ads

Plumbing PPC ads are an effective way to get in touch to interested leads. These are paid ads that show up at the top of the search results on Google when homeowners conduct a search related to your ad, like “emergency plumbing services in Murfreesboro, TN.”

How does plumbing PPC work?

Plumbing PPC operates on a bidding system.

Plumbing PPC operates on a bidding system. You choose the keywords and set a maximum bid, which reflects the amount you are willing to pay every time someone clicks on your ad. Your maximum bid, along with other factors such as the quality score, determines the placement of your ad.

Many plumbers like this method since it helps them to control your budget. You will never have to pay more than the maximum budget you set.

This method is an effective way to reach plumbing leads. In fact, more than 60% of high intent searches result in someone clicking your ad. People who click on plumbing PPC are likely to convert since they are already searching online for keywords related to your plumbing business.

Furthermore, PPC ads can drive fast and immediate results, and it is easy to track the number of people that became clients after clicking your ads.

PPC ads is a great technique to include in your plumbing lead generation strategy. You will obtain more qualified leads and drive insane amounts of traffic to your plumbing website.

7. Nurture Plumbing Leads for Free with Email Marketing

You can obtain subscribers by including email signup forms on your plumbing website.

Email marketing is an effective way to obtain and nurture new leads for your plumbing business. The initial step to leveraging email marketing is to develop a subscription list. You can obtain subscribers by including email signup forms on your plumbing website. However, you should not fall into the temptation of buying email lists, as such leads won’t be credible.

Once you have created an email list, you can start sending out emails about your special offers, sales, or content. These plumbing service leads are important since people opt to sign up for such emails, so they understand you are interested in your plumbing services. You can nurture these leads and assist them to convert by sending emails that appeal to them.

8. Use Retargeting Ads Like a Boss

Retargeting Ads

On average, only two percent of your plumbing website visitors will convert to become clients. Retargeting ads goes after 98% of strayed visitors.

Have you ever visited a website and all of a sudden come across it everywhere? That’s retargeting, and it helps your business to seem like they are “following” people all over the internet by showing ads on the platforms and websites they frequent most.

9. Lead Generation Partners

Pay a lead generation agency to do all the work for you.

The last option for generating exclusive plumbing leads is effective and straightforward. Simply pay a lead generation agency to do all the work for you.

It makes sense if you have the advertising dollars to use this option. This option reduces the time you will have to spend getting qualified leads for your plumbing business so that you can concentrate on other things- such as closing leads you obtain and running your company.

The disadvantage, of course, is the expense.

Many plumbers are typically reluctant to buy plumbing leads initially. But even the most experienced pay-per-lead generation companies for plumbers are cost-effective. Although the initial cost is considerable, a few new service jobs will typically cater for the cost of those leads.

But we highly recommend that you clearly understand what you are getting into before signing any contract with a plumbing lead generation company. Make sure that you understand all the billable terms. Also, read through their contract to ensure you know of any possible hidden costs or fees.

In general, we recommend that you select a company that provides exclusive plumbing leads, has a clear dispute resolution process, and allows partnerships without long-term contracts. You can expect plumbing leads to begin coming in from anywhere from a few days to several weeks.

10. Use Nextdoor to Advertise Your Plumbing Services to Neighborhoods with Older Homes

Nextdoor app

What if you focus your ads to older neighborhoods with homes that require new pipes? Or a neighborhood with a new house? Or a neighborhood where plumbing jobs average is higher than in other neighborhoods?

Nextdoor is a neighborhood networking app that Americans are utilizing to obtain recommendations and find local plumbing service providers. Here are some reasons why Nextdoor advertising is a great source of plumbing leads:

  • To register for the platform, homeowners must be verified before signing up. That implies each person in the app is a real homeowner, a resident in a real neighborhood. Since all members are verified, Nextdoor’s user base trusts the recommendations and reviews from neighbors.
  • It is a hub for local recommendations, with more than 20% of all posts asking for local service business recommendations, and more than 90% of recommendations on Nextdoor are home improvement services recommendations.

11. Video Marketing

Videos to advertise plumbing services

The use of videos to advertise plumbing services has become famous in recent years for all kinds of businesses and can be utilized for your business as well. Videos that have been recorded of plumbers at work can be used to market your services and can even be embedded in your plumbing website.

Besides, being a search engine, YouTube increases the odds of potential clients coming across your plumbing brand while browsing the platform. Other potential clients may be exposed to your plumbing videos embedded on the site as Google considers the presence of videos when ranking websites.

The reason why YouTube is such a great option for promoting your plumbing company is that people generally spend many hours daily on the platform.

Offline Plumbing Lead Generation Strategies

Some plumbers still prefer to market their plumbing services the old-fashioned way. In fact, these marketing strategies are crucial to keep as not all your prospects are involved in the digital world.

Here are some effective ways to generate exclusive plumbing leads offline:

12. Direct Mail

Plumbing postcard

Homeowners still love to obtain mail – of course, not junk mails or bills, but a visually appealing and pleasant mail. A well-designed postcard that is correctly targeted can be very beneficial. Remember to assign any offers you advertise in this way a special promo code so that you can track how your client or prospect found your business.

Look at previous client records and identify homes that had toilets or showers installed by your business some years ago. Build a direct mail campaign focusing on this group of previous client offering repair, installation, or maintenance services. Include the install date and current model. This brings a level of authority and authenticity to your mail pieces.

13. Print Ads

Plumbing Print Ads

Another effective form of offline plumbing lead generation is print ads, such as in magazines, newspapers, or other publications. People are always glued to their screens all day long. But there are still those who love printed publications like newspapers and magazines. If your target market contains readers of this category, printed ads can be a great channel for getting in front of them.

14. Truck Wraps

company truck wrap

Not all plumbing advertising occurs online, though, it assists to get online interest in the real world. For instance, printing your plumber website URL onto your company truck wrap makes a mobile billboard for your brand online. As more users look for your website or directly visit it on their browser, the more Google recognizes your brand as an entity. Furthermore, local residents who become accustomed to your company logo will remember your brand and establish an intuitive trust for your plumbing service.

15. Referral Programs

Referrals make marketing easier than ever for plumbing businesses.

Referrals make marketing easier than ever for plumbing businesses. Establishing relationships with referral partners like plumbing suppliers, real estate companies, and other local plumbing contractors can assist your company to circumvent the heavy lifting. Your business obtains a tremendous level of brand loyalty when you give some incentives for any referral they get.

When a client obtains the high level of service and cares that you offer, they spread the good news to their co-workers, friends, and family. This creates new leads for your plumbing business, and make referring your plumbing services company easy.

Frequently Asked Questions About Plumbing Leads

FAQs

How can I obtain more plumbing leads?

Here are some of the ways to get more leads for your plumbing business including but not restricted to SEO, PPC search ads, turn your plumbing website into a lead generation machine, email marketing, and more.

Where can I get good plumbing leads?

The top lead sources for plumbers include referrals, former customers, competitors, relationship marketing, and more.

How do I promote my plumbing company?

You can start to market your plumbing business with these strategies including PPC, Facebook ads, Google Local Service ads, Online reputation management, and building a conversion-focused plumbing website.

Why not just buy plumbing leads?

Many plumbers want to fill their sales funnel quickly and thus the temptation to purchase leads. Buying leads, as opposed to organically generating them, takes less effort and time, despite being super expensive. Avoid the temptation of purchasing expensive plumbing leads by partnering with Blackstorm Design + Marketing today.

Get Professional Help to Implement These Plumbing Lead Generation Strategies

Schedule a free discovery call with Blackstorm Design + Marketing

If you are too busy operating your company to invest in these plumbing lead generation tips, we got you covered. Blackstorm Design + Marketing is a full-service internet marketing agency that specializes in getting your company leads.

We understand that your plumbing business is unique, so we take the time to know it and analyze your needs. Our team of digital marketing experts are dedicated to your campaign and will never offer cookie-cutter solutions.

Unlike other plumbing marketing agencies, we provide transparent pricing. We share with you our prices upfront to help you make the best decision for your plumbing business. Your budget is crucial, so we strive to offer you all the details you require to make a good decision.

Do you want to begin generating plumbing leads for your business? Schedule a free discovery call with Blackstorm Design + Marketing to see how we can assist you to generate more valuable leads for your plumbing business.

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