Want to get more plumbing leads through your online marketing and website design? Here are 10 ideas, strategies and tips for plumbing lead generation.

#1: Develop a conversion-based website

The focal point of your marketing and advertising — both online and off — is your plumbing business’s website. Today, most people whip out their phones to look for businesses online, so their first impression of your business is often your website. 

Your plumbing website has a job to do. It needs to take website traffic and convert it into leads for your plumbing business. The content you create, your website design and your website structure need to focus — pretty much exclusively — on that goal.

This is what we call a conversion-based website. It’s set up to generate leads. Here’s an example mockup:

What you notice about this design is that the calls to action (to call or submit a form) are highlighted in the design. Make sure you have strong calls to action that are clear and easy to execute.

Also, be sure that you’re clear about where your service areas are. One of the first things leads want to know is if you service their location. Mention your service areas in one of your main headers to orient people as they arrive on your site:

Developing a strong, conversion-based website for your plumbing company is no longer time-consuming or expensive. There’s no reason to linger with an outdated, sub-optimal design (in fact, you can get a free website design as a Marketing 360® client).

Read a case study on how design improved conversion rates for a plumbing company. 

Pro tip: Use a chat feature

Chat boxes are a third-party plug-in you add to your website that looks like this:

What makes chat boxes so effective is that they’re low-friction. A lead can reach out to you with a question without feeling like they’re having to commit to hiring you. It’s a good way to get a lead engaged — which often results in a paying client.

But for chat boxes to work, you must have someone on your end who can respond immediately. So, it works best for plumbing companies that have office staff taking calls and responding to all inquiries (you can turn the chat off when you’re closed). If you’re a one-man show in the field and not able to respond to chats quickly, then don’t install this feature.

#2: Create a unique sales proposition

You can’t expect plumbing leads to choose you unless you give them a clear reason to do so. That’s where your unique sales proposition (USP) comes in.

A USP does three things:

1. Identifies a clear benefit you offer
2. Describes how you solve your customers’ problems
3. Distinguishes you from your competition

There are several approaches we see plumbers take to gain a competitive advantage.

The first is with price. Since most plumbing services are essentially the same, offering a coupon can bring in leads who want to save some cash. For example, this plumber hits visitors right away with coupons:

This plumber focuses on being an expert in one area, in this case, septic tank plumbing:

Without a USP, you’re essentially leaving your lead generation to chance. You’ll look just like your competition. Instead, communicate areas of plumbing where you’re an expert, offer services your competition doesn’t, and create limited-time deals.

#3: Get on page one of Google

When people discover they have a plumbing problem, typically the first thing they’ll do is go on Google to find local services. To capture these searchers, it’s important to build your presence within search results. There are three ways to dominate the search results.

The first is pay-per-click advertising. These ads are run through auction-based systems like Google Adwords and Bing Ads. The main advantage here is that you show in the top positions (reserved for paid ads) and you can control the ad copy and landing page. For example, you might want to advertise your video pipe inspection services. Your ad and the page it goes to on your website can match that offer.

Next, you need to set up your Google My Business. This is the maps listing and review platform Google uses for geo-targeted searches. It’s a free listing that you can optimize by adding business details and getting customer reviews.

Then you have the organic website listings. A top organic ranking comes from optimizing your website for keywords, gaining links, getting social media traffic and adding content to your blog.

If you do this right, you’ll show up in three places on page one of search results:

#4: Target geographically on Google My Business

Many plumbing businesses serve areas outside their primary location. Some cover large regions of a state or even multiple states.

With paid ads you can set geographic targets, but it’s difficult to rank organically for multiple geographic areas. However, there are a few effective tactics.

First, make sure you correctly edit the service area in the address section of your Google My Business listing. This identifies your business as one that works on-site with customers instead of having a storefront.

To edit your service area details, follow these steps:

1. Sign in to Google My Business.
2. If you have multiple locations, open the location you’d like to manage.
3. Click Info from the menu.
4. Click Edit for the Address section.
5. In the window that appears, select Yes next to “I deliver goods and services to my customers at their locations.”
6. Enter your service area information. You can set your service area based on the zip codes or cities that you serve, or on a given area around your location. Note: If you want your complete address to appear on Google and your business location is staffed to help customers during its stated hours, check the box next to “I also serve customers at my business address.”
7. Click Apply.

This is a vital step that will allow your listing to show in the larger geographic region you serve. The other tactic is to create geo-targeted content with monster pages, discussed next.

#5: Create SEO monster pages

To rank higher for specific terms (for example, “rooter service Denver”), you can create what we call a monster page.

A monster page is a SEO-focused page that uses fully-developed content and design to rank higher organically in search. It works well for informational searches, and can also rank well for geo-targeted searches.

For example, if you have multiple cities or regions you want to target that are outside your primary location, you can use monster pages to improve your organic ranking for these regions. Plus, you can also use them as landing pages for targeted paid search campaigns.

You can create these pages for all the services you’d like to rank for in your area to increase the organic traffic to your site.

Read a case study on how a monster page increases organic ranking. 

#6: Sign up for Local Service Ads (LSA)

In 2017, Google began running a new paid advertising platform for home service professionals called Local Service Ads. 

LSA is a pay-per-lead platform where rankings are determined by the business’s ratings and reputation. You have to apply and go through a screening process to be included. When you’re verified you become a Google Guaranteed business.

If you’re eligible to show LSAs, do so. They can effectively get more leads calling your business. 

#7: Create a plumber sales video

Video is now one of the most powerful ways to communicate on the internet. They capture attention quickly and are easy to digest, making them lead-friendly. And, in only 30 seconds, you can say everything necessary to convince leads you’re the right plumber for them. Here’s an example:

Video can also help your pages rank higher because Google sees it as useful content. Plus, uploading your video on YouTube can help you gain more traffic and brand name awareness.

#8: Manage your reputation

At this point, there are few plumbers or contractors who don’t realize what a huge role online reviews play. Many leads will look at review sites like Yelp or Angie’s List because they trust what other consumers say about you more than what you say about yourself (this is known as social proof). 

Every time you go above and beyond, you’re setting the stage for a happy customer, and a positive review. Every time you do the opposite, you’re hurting your reputation. 

Incorporate reviews into your business processes. When a customer is happy, ask for a review or send them an automated review request email. And when things don’t go as planned and you get hit with a bad review (it happens to the best of us), be responsive on the platform. If you rectify the situation you can turn a negative review into something positive.

We’ve had success using email follow-ups with this type of template:

 

When they hit “Good”, it links to the review platform where you want a review. “Not Good” opens a feedback form. This tactic helps you get more positive reviews.

Monitor your reviews closely on Google, Yelp, Home Advisor and Top Rated Local. Know what’s being said about you — it’s some of your most persuasive content.

Pro tip: Website testimonials

In addition to outside reviews, use testimonials on your website. Our templates have areas on the homepage where you can add testimonials and you can also create a page with testimonials. When possible, include a face shot to add legitimacy to the comments:

You can also use the Top Rated Local® badge to connect to review content directly from your website. This lets people see your ratings without having to leave your website:

#9: Use call-only campaigns

When it comes to emergency plumbing services, many leads won’t take the time to compare different plumber’s websites. They’ll just go to their phone, find someone who advertises for the services they require, and click on the number to call.

Advertise directly to these leads with call-only advertising campaigns. These ads only show up on mobile phones, and prompt searchers to call you directly. The ads look like this:

Source: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6341403

Call-only campaigns make the best use of your budget while targeting leads with the most active needs.

#10: Use the right marketing company and software

At Marketing 360®, we hear a similar story too often.

It starts with a plumber who hates marketing and feels he’s been ripped off by his providers. As we dig into why, we get the details of how his SEO firm didn’t do anything. And how his PPC management was too expensive. He could never get in touch with his website design guy. His social media person never sent any reports.

In other words, he has different service providers doing each marketing tactic separately. They don’t communicate with each other because they don’t work together.

The problem here is more than just poor communication. In today’s competitive marketplaces, it’s impossible to develop a competitive marketing strategy when you have independent vendors with different agendas.

The solution is the marketing software and services of a company like Marketing 360®. Our mission is to provide a comprehensive, all-in-one marketing solution that small businesses like plumbers can afford.

This provides more than just convenience. It allows your marketing executive to create a strategy where the different marketing tactics support each other. You learn new SEO keywords from your PPC campaigns. Your social media posts improve your organic rankings. Ad copywriters and designers work together to create a stronger conversion funnel.

And you only need to speak to one person and get data from one software platform.

With the fast pace of digital marketing changes today, you need one resource you can trust. Trust Marketing 360®.

Here are more tips and ideas from plumber marketing executive Bobby Shell:

 

Originally published 11/08/18