With the million other things already on your mind, the thought of learning marketing is enough to make any tradie run for cover.

But digital marketing doesn’t have to be a cumbersome and highly technical “chore”. With a bit trial & error, and by watching a few Youtube videos, or trying a digital marketing course on Udemy, you can start tipping the odds in your favour.

Yes it requires a lot of learning, just like you did when you were an apprentice do your plumbing trade.

Remember what it was like as an apprentice?

Every day you were learning something new.

Sometimes you were a bit of a boof-head.

And often you made some dumb mistakes.

BUT…

Over time, you got better and became really good at it.

Well learning how to market your plumbing business is no different.

And like learning your trade, you will need to invest a lot of time as an apprentice in marketing.

In today’s piece, we’ll take a look at some marketing ideas for your plumbing business and explore the benefits (or negatives) they bring to the table.

Digital marketing ideas for plumbers

1. Google

Google is king, taking the lion’s share of digital advertising every year. Being at the top of the page on Google not only gets you more business, it also helps you build trust with potential clients.

If you want to get your business noticed quickly, then you should try Google Ads (previously known as AdWords). It’s a good way to get calls fast, but unless you know what you are doing, it’s very easy to waste a lot of money. Our advice here is to hire professionals who focus solely on the trades. If they are from a trades background, even better.

It is also extremely important to optimise your website for Google with well written content. This will help your ads rank better, and become more cost effective because Google rewards advertisers whose landing pages are relevant to the ads being clicked on.

A great side benefit to well written content, is that your natural ranking will also improve over time, lessening your reliance on paid ads.

2. Bing

Google may be leading the search game but it isn’t the only one. However, there are other search engines that offer great exposure. Like Bing. When there are significantly fewer companies fighting to rank on these other search engines, it’s worth being on there.

Do some research and look into your clientele. If your clients are from an age group, industry, or a region where Bing is more popular than Google, you have to consider exploiting this platform for your benefit.

Considering there are several similarities between the two platforms, you can easily optimize your site for Bing if you are already doing it with Google.

So if you’re already using Google Ads, why not try Bing. The big benefit here is that the ads often don’t cost as much as Google, however the volume of clicks and calls is usually a lot less.

3. Facebook

Having a quality presence on Facebook not only helps you get better ranking on search engines, but it also helps you create a long-lasting relationship with your customers.

When it comes to plumber marketing ideas, you can’t forget this platform. While many believe they won’t get any customers by showing ads on Facebook, when it’s done the right way, it can be very powerful.

You can even target by gender, age groups, geographical areas, common interests. It’s very powerful.

By including some simple code on your website, anyone who visits can be presented with your Facebook ad next time they login. That way your business always stays top of mind when your competitors are long forgotten.

4. Directory listings

Directory listings have helped businesses as an easy and cost effective marketing strategy for many years. Whether it’s True Local, WOMO, HiPages or Yellow Pages, they all play a part in digital marketing for plumbers.

Question is, will your business benefit from directory listings? It depends. If you’re after a bunch of job leads, and you’re okay with higher volume, lower margin work, or you’re just starting out, then sites like HiPages can work in the short term.

They can also be a great option if you want extra links to your website to help with SEO.

However, if you are trying to build a profitable and sustainable plumbing business, directory listings can’t be relied on for a steady stream of leads.

PRO TIP: When creating directory listings, make sure the business name, address and phone number are the same as your Google Business listing. This will help with your SEO.

5. SEO: Search Engine Optimization

No matter what marketing ideas you use for your plumbing business, a great website with well written SEO friendly content, will help you make the right first impression on your clients. It will also help you rank better on search engines. So SEO and paid advertising should always work hand in hand with your digital marketing strategy.

Too much?

Don’t have enough time?

Maybe what you need is a Virtual Marketing Manager. It’s like having your very own marketing manager without the cost of hiring a full-time one.

In the long run, it’ll be way more cost effective than doing it all yourself. While your Virtual Marketing Manager is working on bringing you leads, you can focus on what you do best…running your business.

If you’re a results driven business owner, but you don’t have time to do an apprenticeship in marketing, talk with the team at “It Just Happens”. We’ll get your plumbing business pumping.

So rather than sit back and wait for clients to come to you, consider taking some or all of these electrician marketing ideas and reach new potential clients.

Google

The power of Google to market your business can’t be ignored. From ensuring that your local business listing is kept up to date with current address, phone number, operating hours and information on your services; to regularly checking into reviews that customers have left for you in Google’s review system and if required, replying to them to maintain a professional and friendly face of your business to potential new customers.

In addition to Google’s free business listings, you can also undertake paid advertising through AdWords – specifically targeting people within your area who are searching for specific keywords. If you’re after electrician marketing ideas to instantly boost your business website traffic, then Google Ads are a great way to make that happen.

Pros of Google AdWords advertising: reach a huge audience that might not find you through organic listings.

Cons of Google AdWords advertising: can be very expensive if not planned correctly, and requires ongoing maintenance and refinement to ensure you’re getting bang for your buck.

Facebook

While Facebook marketing can be challenging for trades businesses, it’s still possible to build your brand and build trust by taking advantage of Facebook’s online review system. By placing a link to your Facebook page on your website and your business card, existing customers can be encouraged to leave positive reviews.

Pros of Facebook marketing: page set up is free and you can interact directly with current and potential clients.

Cons of Facebook marketing: to reach a larger audience, paid advertising is required and this can be expensive and not guaranteed to be effective

Bing

Bing works in a very similar way to Google search, however Bing is a considerably smaller search engine with a smaller user base. You should ensure that your business information is up to date in Bing so that your business shows up in Bing business listings. Bing business listings do not have inbuilt reviews, but instead display your ratings from your Facebook page reviews; another good reason to set up a Facebook page and then link it to your Bing account.

Pros of Bing: Free business listings with address, phone number, website link and map location.

Cons of Bing: Just as with Google, you’ll need to undertake paid search advertising to reach a larger audience.

Directory Listings

Directory listings are another simple but potentially very effective marketing move. Two of the largest directories for electricians to use are TrueLocal and YellowPages. HiPages is a highly popular tradie website where you can list your business and receive job requests from potential clients. HiPages charges for leads. There is also another online business directory that’s worth considering called WhatsYourHours.com, as it has a good ranking and is free to join.

Pros of Directory Listings: Basic listings are free and get your business on the radar easily and quickly.

Cons of Directory Listings: To upgrade to a premium service or directory position, you’ll usually have to pay.

To find out more about how you can boost your client base with effective marketing for electricians, visit our website ItJustHappens.com.au