Plumbing Marketing Made Easy 

Plumbing marketing doesn't have to be difficult, even if you do it alone for your one-person business. This article reviews how to use email, advertising, and social media marketing. 

Get expert tips on leveraging the power of customer reviews and testimonials. Plus, learn how to use SEO to boost your online search rankings. Together, these tips will help you bring in new customers and increase your business revenue. 

Easy Ways to Use Email Marketing 

Email is a low-cost or even free way to reach existing and potential customers. First, though, you need to create an email list. How do you do that? 

Start with your website (more on that below). Be sure to include at least one email capture bar on the site, where people can leave their email address in return for benefits like: 

• Discount coupons for price reductions on services 
• Rewards programs, like punch cards for plumbing visits 
• Downloadable content, such as easy DIY repairs 
• Gated content, like special blogs for registered members 

Second, be sure you always get an email address for current clients. People will happily give this out to get promotions or newsletters. 

Use your email list to send out quarterly newsletters. They can include announcements, seasonal tips, discounts, and the like. 

You can also use your email list to request online reviews from customers you’ve worked with. For instance, send them the link to your Yelp or Google account and ask them to leave a rating for your services. 

FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: A Crash Course in Digital Marketing for Plumbers 

Reach Plumbing Leads through Social Media 

Social media is another cost-effective tool. It's ideal for marketing even the smallest plumbing businesses. It’s full of customer leads if you know where to look.  

Some possibilities include: 

• YouTube or TikTok informational videos 
• Joining community pages (who’s looking for a plumber?) 
• Sharing photos of your work 
• Posting blog links to start conversations 
• Paid advertisements 

There are three key ways to maximize your social media presence: 

1. Pick a couple of platforms where your customers are likely to be. Focus on those rather than trying to post everywhere. 
2. Post consistently, ideally when your customers are most often online. 
3. Don’t just post. Reply to comments and communicate with followers. 

Optimize Your Local SEO 

SEO stands for search engine optimization. It’s the process of making your web content stand out so your plumbing business ranks higher in search results. This helps new customers find you online. 

There are multiple ways to improve your SEO to rank higher on sites like Google: 

• In all your web content, include keywords that customers would use when searching for a plumber. Examples are: “clogged drain” or “leaking pipe.” 
• Add a blog to your website. Post customer-relevant content that clients might be looking for, such as how to fix a toilet that won’t stop running. 
• In your blog posts, include internal links to other pages on your website. Add external links as well to high-authority sites ending in “.gov” or “.edu.” 
• Include local SEO on your website. That means mentioning your town, county, and state. You could also talk about local landmarks, like famous tourist attractions or state universities. 

RELATED ARTICLE: Plumbing PPC Marketing: The Business Owner’s Guide 

Leverage Paid Advertising to Find Plumbing Leads 

Sometimes, it’s worth investing in paid advertising to acquire customer leads. You have to crunch the numbers to ensure that what you make on the ads is recouped at least several times over in customer fees. It may take trial and error to see what works best for your business. 

There are lots of different advertising options available for small businesses: 

• Using pay-per-click (PPC) ads that focus on customer keyword searches 
• Trying social media advertisements, like Facebook ads 
• Traditional print media advertisements, such as your local newspaper or local coupon books 
• Radio and television ads, depending on your customer demographic 
• Supporting community organizations and charities in return for ads 

It’s usually best to experiment with only one or two of these methods at a time. That way, you’ll know which ones are successful and which are not. Also, it allows you to leverage advertising on a lean budget if you’re a startup business or sole proprietor. Make sure you closely track all ad campaigns to determine which are providing the best ROI. 

FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: Plumbing Advertising Ideas to Create More Profit 

Enlist Existing Customers in Your Marketing 

Once you get a few happy customers in your stable, you can bring them into your marketing efforts. Above, we discussed getting online reviews. That’s a great way to gain the trust of new customers. 

One 2022 survey showed that nearly half of consumers trust online reviews as much as they do recommendations from friends and family. For home services, that number often rises. Customers are reluctant to hire plumbers without first checking out their ratings. 

So, once you know customers are happy with the service they received, ask for a review. Email and/or text them the link to make it easy for them. Always respond to any negative reviews, offering to fix the problem if possible. 

Some places where customers look for plumbing reviews include: 

• Google 
• Yelp 
• Angi 
• Trustpilot 
• Better Business Bureau (BBB) 
• HomeAdvisor 

What are some other ways to include customers in your marketing? 

• Use customer testimonials on your website and/or in ads. 
• Include photos of kitchen or bath remodels in social media posts. 
• Create a loyalty program for repeat customers. 

Don’t forget to offer a discount on future services to existing customers who refer you to friends, neighbors, family, or coworkers. 

Easy Ways to Jumpstart Your Plumbing Marketing 

Hopefully, you’re eager to ramp up your marketing action with the advice above. Here are some additional expert tips to get you started right away: 

• Before embarking on a marketing campaign, decide what your goals are. Is it to increase customer leads or improve lead conversions? Better existing customer retention? Expand your business in a new area or with new services? 
• When setting goals, be specific. Don’t just say you want more business. Include hard numbers, like “attract 10 new customers per month within two months.” 
• If you don’t have office staff to handle marketing, don’t despair. If you’re a one-person business, pick one marketing method and put your energy into that. Once you get that rolling, add another. 
• Need to choose one top marketing technique to start? Always go with creating a website. It gives your business credibility and a place to build from. 
• What is your unique selling proposition—the thing that makes you different from the competition? Maybe it’s that you offer 24/7 emergency plumbing service or specialize in green plumbing technology. Use that in all your marketing. 
• Conduct periodic evaluations of your marketing campaigns. If you set up your marketing right with objective (not vague) goals, it will be easier to see if you succeed. Usually, that means more customers and/or higher revenue. If something’s not working, don’t be afraid to let it go and try a different approach. 
• Shopping for field service management software to streamline your operation? Look for one that integrates marketing functions. Then, you’ll have everything in one place for the super-efficient running of your plumbing business. 

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Market a Plumbing Business