Get More Plumbing Leads with These 7 Lead Generation Tips
Plumbing is a high-demand industry that also comes with high competition.
It doesn’t matter if you provide the best customer service, have the highest plumbing certification, or have lots of experience—your plumbing business will only grow if you’re consistently generating new leads.
If you’re new to the plumbing industry or struggling with getting new customers in the door, try these practical tips to generate more plumbing leads.
1. Design a winning website
A solid plumbing website gives potential customers a good first impression of your business. It should tell visitors what services you offer, what areas you service, and why they should trust you with their plumbing needs.
Creating a professional website design is easy with website builders like GoDaddy and Wix. Pick from pre-designed templates, or build your own with easy-to-use drag-and-drop website design tools.
Use this checklist to create a winning website for your plumbing business:
- A home page that includes a quick overview of your plumbing services, your service area, and your contact information
- A service page that details your services and service area
- An about page that tells visitors more about your business, your experience, and your plumbing certifications
- A contact page that includes your phone number, email address, and any other way a potential customer can get in touch to request a quote or services
- A clear call to action, like a button, that tells visitors what they should do next (e.g., request a quote or book plumbing services)
To make your website go the extra mile, here are three tips for turning visitors into leads:
✔ Check if your navigation is user-friendly. You can ask a family member or friend to find more information about your services or request a quote on your website.
✔ Include your contact information (like email and phone number) on every page of your site. That way, visitors know how to contact you to request more information.
✔ Add photos and testimonials to show potential customers that your services have been tried and proven.
READ MORE: The 6 main types of plumbers and the plumbing services they offer
2. Create an SEO strategy
The ultimate goal with any plumbing website is to get your business found online. This is where search engine optimization (SEO) comes into play.
Investing time in SEO for your plumbing business can help you rank higher in Google local search results, get more site visitors, and receive better leads that are likely to become customers.
Mastering local SEO for your plumbing business could be a full-time job on its own, but applying a few of the basics can make a big impact on your marketing strategy.
Add these simple tasks to your SEO to-do list:
✔ Add industry-specific keywords to your website, like “plumbers near me,” “plumbers in (city),” “emergency plumber,” “hot water heater repair,” etc.
✔ Check the speed of your website to make sure it’s loading quickly for visitors, and make adjustments if needed.
✔ Make sure your website has a responsive design that can be easily viewed on any device.
Pro Tip: Plumbing content marketing is an effective way to grow your online visibility and set your plumbing business apart from the competition. Check out some of the best plumbing blogs and resources for inspiration to get started.
3. Ask customers for positive reviews
When customers search online for local plumbing services, they check what past customers say about you before investing in your business.
Five-star reviews are key to building trust with potential customers and bringing in a steady stream of leads. You can ask for reviews for your plumbing business on Google, Facebook, Thumbtack, or other business review sites.
To start building your reputation with positive reviews, try the following:
✔ Make sure your customers are happy with your services by sending a follow-up email after the job is done.
✔ Share your Google My Business review link in follow-up texts or emails to make it easier for clients to leave a review.
✔ Create a testimonials page on your website to share your positive reviews with potential customers.
✔ Automate your review request process and build your online reputation with NiceJob.
Pro Tip: Integrate NiceJob with your Jobber account to seamlessly request reviews from customers once the job is finished.
READ MORE: How to respond to negative reviews (with expert examples)
4. Use a lead generation service or online directory
Plumbing lead generation platforms and online directories are two different ways to get your business in front of ready-to-buy customers without too much effort.
Lead generation websites connect customers in need of services (like plumbing) with the right service providers. For a small fee, plumbing business owners can bid on exclusive plumbing jobs and send quotes to prospective customers.
Online directories (or local directories) allow you to list your business and services at no cost. This makes it easy for customers searching for plumbers to find you online.
Here are a few plumbing lead generation platforms and online directories to get you started.
Lead Generation Platforms
- Thumbtack
- TaskRabbit
- Angi (formerly Angie’s List)
- HomeAdvisor
- Porch
Online Directories
- Google My Business
- Yelp
- Yellow Pages
- Bing Places
To start using lead generation sites or online directories to gain new leads, try these tips:
✔ Claim your free Google My Business listing to appear on Google search results and Google maps.
✔ Create a Facebook business profile and post relevant images, articles, and testimonials regularly to keep followers interested.
✔ Build a Thumbtack for contractors account, set a budget, and start paying for qualified leads.
✔ Explore the best lead generation sites for contractors and decide which one is best for your customers, your needs, and your budget.
READ MORE: Angi vs HomeAdvisor: Which lead generation service should you use?
5. Nurture leads with email campaigns
Sometimes leads don’t turn into customers right away. Still, there’s always the potential to help fix a leaking pipe or replace a faucet for that lead down the road.
Targeting leads with email marketing can help remind them of your business and educate them about your services. The next time they need a plumbing contractor, you might just be the first person they call.
Convert leads to customers with these email campaign tips:
✔ Manage your leads and contact information with a plumbing CRM.
✔ Include a call-to-action button that sends customers to your website, where they can learn more about your plumbing company, services, and request a quote.
✔ Track your email open rates, clicks, and sales to make sure your campaigns are delivering results and adjust your strategy if needed.
Pro Tip: The Jobber and Mailchimp integration make it easy to sync your client contact list, design, and send your first email campaign.
6. Invest in digital marketing advertising
Attracting new leads to your plumbing business through SEO or social media doesn’t happen overnight. For a speedy alternative, digital plumbing ads are the best way to get plumbing leads—for a price, of course.
Here’s a look at the 4 most common digital ad options:
– Facebook Ads: Facebook Ads lets you market your plumbing services to your specific target audience. It’s easy to boost any of your business’s posts or create an ad to promote on the social media platform. You can set your own budget and easily measure your ad’s performance.
– Remarketing Ads: Remarketing ads appear for potential customers who have recently visited your website. It’s a good tool to re-engage visitors who have been actively looking for plumbing services.
– Google Ads: Google Ads can be text, images, or even videos that appear on Google’s search results page or along the side of other web pages. They’re useful for increasing your brand awareness and generating new plumbing leads. The best part? You only pay when someone clicks on your ad.
– Local Service Ads: Unlike Search or Display ads where you pay per click, with Google Local Service Ads, you only pay when a lead comes in. The ads appear at the top of Google’s search results, giving you a ton of visibility with potential customers.
Pro Tip: Use Google’s Local Service Ads with Jobber to let customers book plumbing services in your calendar directly from the ad.
Follow these steps to start a successful digital advertising campaign for your business —without breaking the bank:
✔ Choose what type of digital advertising you want to invest in. This could be Facebook ads, remarketing ads, Google Adwords, or Local Service ads (to name a few).
✔ Identify your target audience by considering the average age, gender, income, and interests of potential customers in your service area.
✔ Design an ad that speaks to your audience and includes your company name, branding, services, and contact information.
✔ Create a monthly ad budget to make sure you aren’t overspending on campaigns. You can set aside a percentage of your total revenue (e.g., 7–10%) or use this formula:
Budget per lead x desired number of new customers = monthly advertising budget
✔ Test the waters to see which advertising method works best for your plumbing business, and change your strategy accordingly.
READ MORE: Marketing for plumbers: 9 strategies to grow your business
7. Start a customer referral program
A customer referral program can encourage happy customers to recommend your business to family and friends and help you generate new leads for your plumbing business.
It’s a quick, easy, and cost-effective way to get new plumbing customers in the door.
Here’s how you can quickly start a customer referral program for your plumbing business:
✔ Choose an incentive your customers will appreciate. This could include discounts on services, branded gear, or gift cards, to name a few.
✔ Communicate your referral program (how it works and what rewards you offer) to existing customers in your follow-up text, or through an email campaign.
✔ Give your customers something to talk about by offering top-notch customer service while you’re on the job.
Manage leads and grow your plumbing business with Jobber
A steady stream of leads is important for growth, but it can also make it harder to manage your plumbing business.
The right tools can help. Jobber has all the features you need to send estimates, convert leads to jobs, automate your invoicing, and get paid faster.