Leads can make or break any plumbing business, no matter where you’re located or how long your business has been established. Without a consistent flow of exclusive plumbing leads, sustaining your business long-term is impossible. But when you create a plumbing marketing campaign that attracts new customers and brings in exclusive plumbing leads to your business, that’s a recipe for:
- More high-paying jobs
- Consistent work
- Increased revenue
- Expansion of your business
So, we know why generating exclusive plumbing leads is important for your plumbing business’s long-term growth, but what’s the simplest way to do it? The answer is a good plumbing marketing campaign. If you’ve ever wondered how to get more plumbing business, how to get plumbing customers or how to get plumber jobs in general, try a few (or all!) of the plumbing marketing and plumbing advertising ideas below.
1. Get more plumbing jobs with a professionally designed, high-performing website.
One of the most important things you can do for your plumbing business is to build a website. It’s the key to plumbing lead generation. That website will act as your plumbing business’s online storefront and be a home base for all of your plumbing marketing and advertising efforts. Add the URL to your business cards, your work trucks—anywhere you’d usually put a phone number. The URL is likely to be easier for people to remember, which means it will be easier for them to get in touch with you.
Your website can also help potential customers:
- Learn more about your plumbing business
- Read about the plumbing services you provide
- See your service area
- Get in touch with you
Without a website, how are those potential customers going to find your business on Google? How will they know where to contact you? They won’t.
Without a website, your plumbing business might as well not exist at all.
Fill out the form below to get a free quote on professional plumbing website design.
2. Train your plumbing techs to get more 5-star Google reviews.
Good and bad reviews directly impact your plumbing company’s bottom line—including your techs’ paychecks—so get them in on the action of earning 5-star reviews. A great way to motivate them is to offer bonus checks or prizes for the tech who earn the most 5-star reviews.
Your plumbing techs should focus on providing 5-star-review-worthy service. Try following these guidelines to achieve just that:
- Make a good first impression, then follow up after the job is complete.
- Offer online scheduling to simplify the process for your customers.
- Book appointments the day of—try not to schedule out.
- Provide an arrival window, or use an app that allows customers to track their plumbing tech.
- Check in to make sure customers are happy before leaving the job site.
- Invite the customer to leave a review of their experience.
3. Via email, request 5-star Google reviews from satisfied customers.
Use your email list to follow up with past customers and see how satisfied they were with your plumbing services. If they were happy with their service, request that they leave a review or testimonial for your business. This will help to ensure you’re only soliciting reviews from customers who are likely to leave a positive one. Once they’ve left a review, you can use it on your website to incentivize potential customers to contact you.
4. Use Nextdoor to find customers in neighborhoods with old homes.
Nextdoor is used in more than 90% of American neighborhoods to find local service providers, such as plumbers, and can be a gold mine for plumbing lead generation. Use it to scope out neighborhoods with older homes that are likely to need new pipes, new construction that needs plumbing installations and neighborhoods that have a history of large plumbing jobs.
To get started, sign up on the platform and get verified. Then, watch out for posts where people are asking about plumbing service providers. 24% of all posts are homeowners asking for provider recommendations, so your job opportunities should be plentiful.
5. Start advertising for spring plumbing services now.
The cold winter months cause all kinds of problems for old pipes, and spring is when homeowners tend to address those problems. Start advertising your repair services now for:
- Cracked or broken pipes due to freezing temperatures.
- Clogged pipes.
- Spring flooding and excess moisture as snow melts.
An advantage of advertising early means more potential customers are likely to remember your plumbing business when they need services fast.
6. Join local trade associations and plumbing groups.
Do a quick Google search and see how many local plumbing trade associations you can join in your area. These groups are fantastic for networking with other businesses—especially during the slower months when building connections can help you stay busier in spring and summer.
7. Reach out to other local businesses.
Plenty of local businesses require plumbing services year-round, so see if you can set up contracts with some that are close to you. It’s a great way to network with other businesses in your area, and it can often result in free advertising if you leave your business cards behind or place a yard sign outside.
8. Try using door hangers to market your plumbing services.
First, make sure your door hanger design is eye-catching and easy to read. Then, the next time you perform a plumbing service in a neighborhood where plumbing projects are in the homeowners’ budgets, leave door hangers at the houses around the one you’ve just serviced. They’ll be able to check with their neighbors about the quality of your work in person—and they just might have some incentive to “keep up with the Joneses” and invest in plumbing work, too!
9. Ads in local newspapers are great for plumbing lead generation.
Newspapers might be waning in popularity, but they’re still a great medium to advertise your plumbing business to your local community and generate exclusive plumbing leads.
Choose a newspaper with a wide readership that falls primarily within your service area, then take out an ad that’s short, sweet and to the point. It should be eye-catching prominently feature your website URL and phone number to make it simple for people to learn more about your business and contact you.
10. Wrap your plumbing trucks to make a lasting impression.
Which seems more professional to you?
A dirty, beat-up truck with tools in the bed and no signage to speak of?
Or a clean, well-maintained truck with a sleek logo on its side?
The one with the logo, right? Adding a wrap or a magnet to your work vehicles is a great way to make them look more professional, while also taking advantage of free advertising space. Your work trucks are basically billboards on wheels, so why not?
11. Create a customer referral program with incentives.
Did you know that 92% of consumers trust referrals from people they know? That’s a pretty big reason to ask your current customers to refer their friends, families, and neighbors. Especially if you offer an incentive like:
- A discount on their next plumbing service
- A free consultation or maintenance appointment
- An entry into a raffle with a great prize
Starting the incentive program is simple, and it can turn out to be a consistent source of exclusive plumbing leads.
12. Advertise your plumbing business on local radio stations.
Radio reaches thousands of people every day, and people who listen on their commutes often think of the radio personalities on their local stations as friends. So, when one of those personalities mentions they just had their pipes fixed by a local plumbing company and that they’re impressed with the quality of the company’s work, listeners will take note.
Endorsements and radio ads are often overlooked but, with their brand power, they shouldn’t be. Consider reaching out to some of your local radio stations to ask about putting your plumbing business on the air—it’s a great source of exclusive plumbing leads and a good solution if you’re wondering how to get plumbing work or how to grow a plumbing business.
13. Generate plumber leads by canvassing the area.
Canvassing an area to get more plumbing leads for free might seem like an old-school advertising tactic, but your ideal plumbing customers are more likely to work with you and remember you when they connect a face to your business. If you want to give canvassing a shot, try doing it after you’ve completed a nearby job. You’ll be able to name-drop your customer and provide an example of your work.
For the best results, remember to:
- Always be polite and courteous, even if you don’t get the reaction you want.
- Set a goal for each interaction: get their contact information, leave a business card.
- Have a script ready so you’re better prepared.
- Follow up with potential customers after getting their info—you could add them to your mailing list.
14. Send direct mailers to get more exclusive plumbing leads.
Here’s another plumbing marketing idea that will stand the test of time: direct mailers. Compared to the chaos that is most email inboxes today, old-school mailboxes are seeing a lot less action and junk mail, which means your letter or postcard advertising your plumbing business is much more likely to be read.
According to the Direct Marketing Association, the average cost per lead for direct mail is $51.40 for a general mailing list and $54.10 for postcards. Not bad! Give it a shot if you keep asking yourself how to get more plumbing business or how to get plumbing leads.
15. Use pay-per-click (PPC) and search engine marketing (SEM).
A good PPC and SEM campaign is one plumbing marketing and advertising strategy that’s been proven time and again to generate plumbing leads and jobs, no matter where you’re located.
While Google is the most popular search engine for PPC and SEM campaigns thanks to its widespread popularity, don’t count out Bing. It’s not as popular as Google, but it still has a wide user base—many of which are searching for plumbers in your area.
Still on the fence about using PPC and SEM for exclusive plumbing leads? Check out these stats:
- For every $1 spent in Google Ads, businesses make an average of $2.
- About 41% of clicks on a search results page go to one of the top 3 paid ads.
- More than 85% of people use the internet to find local plumbing businesses.
- Visitors who come to your website via PPC or SEM are 50% more likely to make a purchase.
This extremely effective plumbing marketing strategy could be perfect for your business. If you want to generate more exclusive plumbing leads, give it a shot!
16. Get more exclusive plumbing leads instead of shared leads.
Shared leads are the ones you get from lead generation services like HomeAdvisor and Angi. You pay for them, and then you go head-to-head with your competitors to see who can contact and convert the lead first. It isn’t very cost effective, and it’s stressful to boot. The solution? Get more exclusive plumbing leads. But how?
The simplest answer is this: a website and good SEO. A website gives you potential plumbing customers a place to land, and good SEO is what will get you found on search engines like Google. When homeowners who need plumbing services go straight to your website and contact you directly, you’re basically getting those plumbing leads for free.
17. Generate plumbing leads for free with local SEO.
Search engine optimization, usually referred to as SEO, is still the king of digital marketing. It’s what will move your plumbing business to the first page of Google and keep it there, on top of your competitors. If your SEO campaign is strong enough, SEO alone can generate the majority of your exclusive plumbing leads (but we still recommend reading the rest of these plumbing marketing and plumbing advertising ideas)!
A good first step to your SEO campaign is setting up and filling out a Google My Business account. From there, you can advance to backlinking (linking out to other plumbing sites with high authority) and content marketing (sharing plumbing-focused content with your potential customers).
It’s always a good idea to let an SEO expert get your campaign up and running. They’ll also be able to make recommendations for your SEO campaign that will improve its effectiveness over time.
Fill out the form below to get a free quote on a local SEO campaign for your plumbing business!
18. Facebook + Instagram advertising can get you more exclusive plumbing leads.
Advertising your plumbing business on Facebook and Instagram can be a cost-effective method of bringing in more plumber leads, provided you have the right strategy in place and know how to navigate the ad builders on these platforms. If you don’t, consider working with a pro who can get your ads set up correctly.
You can target your ideal plumbing customers by their location and other pages they’ve liked—such as your competitors’ pages.
Displaying ads to this audience has the added benefit of creating and boosting awareness of your plumbing business and the plumbing services you provide. If people see your logo and your ads all over the place, they’re more likely to remember your business name when their pipes and fixtures need servicing.
19. How to get exclusive plumbing leads through strategic alliances.
Another great way to get more plumbing leads for free is to partner up with other businesses in your area. That could be Lowe’s, Home Depot and others. Creating a partnership means they’ll recommend you to their customers, display your business cards or other marketing materials, and provide a steady stream of exclusive plumbing leads. So, get to networking!
20. Content Marketing = Plumbing Marketing
Creating plumbing-related content for your ideal customers is a great way to get more plumber leads. Consider writing plumbing-themed blog posts and articles that you can post on your website, and make sure to make it easy for your audience to share that content on social media.
Here are some topic ideas:
- How to Prepare Your Pipes for Winter
- This Year’s Most Popular Plumbing Fixture Trends
- Why Regular Plumbing Maintenance Is a Must
21. Email Marketing = Plumbing Marketing, Too!
Email marketing is one of the oldest forms of digital marketing, and it’s stuck around for a good reason: it works. For every dollar you spend on email marketing, you’ll make (on average) a $40 return on your investment.
Because most plumbers overlook the benefits of email marketing, it’s a great plumbing lead generation option for your business. For instance, businesses that stay in touch with their ideal customers via email will generate 50% more sales-ready plumber leads and spend 33% less money on making sales.
22. How to get plumbing customers at trade shows.
Attending industry tradeshows should be high on your list of plumbing marketing and plumbing advertising ideas. They not only provide plenty of solutions for how to get plumbing jobs and how to expand a plumbing business, but also let you observe your competitors, create new business partnerships and boost brand awareness.
To make the most of your trade show experience, your booth should provide something valuable to visitors, such as a freebie or another incentive, like coupons, giveaways, contests and more.
Finally, make sure you’re collecting contact information from interested visitors and following up with them to sell your plumbing services.
23. Network locally with businesses who need your services.
If you’re still wondering how to get plumbing customers, consider reaching out to other small businesses in your area. Most will be more than happy to use you or to team up and refer their customers who need plumbing services to you—as long you’re willing to return the favor. Here are a few businesses you could contact:
- Pest control
- Home inspection companies
- Plumbers
- Electricians
- Pool companies
- Garden shops
- HVAC professionals
- Hardware stores
- Real estate investors
- Real estate agents
- Architects
- City officials
- Urban planners
- Community organizers
24. Get plumbing advertising ideas from your chamber of commerce.
If you haven’t already joined your local chamber of commerce, attend their next meeting and start networking with other local business owners. In particular, try to connect with property managers, developers, and owners of businesses—they’re likely to need your services and might be willing to send more plumbing leads your way if they’re impressed! This is a particularly good solution if you’ve been wondering how to get commercial plumbing jobs.
25. Give telemarketing a chance.
Though telemarketing was once a choice channel for plumbing lead generation, many people now block unwanted calls on their smartphones. However, there are still companies out there that will telemarket for you and set up appointments with potential customers in your service area.
26. Manage your plumbing business’s reputation online and offline.
Remember when we said 85% of people search online to find local plumbers when they need them fast? Those same people are also researching your reputation to find out what your past customers are saying about the quality of your work and the fairness of your prices. Did you show up on time and do what you said you were going to do? If so, you’ve probably got nothing to worry about.
Offline, you can use word-of-mouth to your advantage. Ask your satisfied customers if they can think of any neighbors, friends, family, or acquaintances who might be interested in your plumbing services. Give them plenty of business cards to pass around, and ask if you can put a temporary sign in their yard with your business name and phone number after you complete a service for them.
Online, list your plumbing business on review websites and ask your satisfied customers to leave a review on Google. Doing so makes it more likely that you’ll bring in more plumber leads.
27. Ad retargeting is a fresh plumbing marketing idea.
Have you ever searched for a specific product or service online then noticed ads for it following you around the internet for days after? That’s retargeting in action, and you can do it for your plumbing business.
Whether you want more residential plumbing leads or you’re wondering how to get commercial plumbing jobs—or both!—retargeting is a great way to keep your business and services in front of potential customers who have already shown interest by visiting your website.
28. A unique selling proposition will make your plumbing business stand out.
If you want to stand out from your local competitors, your plumbing business needs a unique selling proposition, usually shortened to USP. That USP could be your level of service, your experience in the industry, your competitive prices, your reputation, your employees, your guarantees—anything that sets you apart from your competitors. Once you’ve figured out your USP, use that selling point in your plumbing marketing and plumbing advertising materials!
If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at how your competitors are generating plumbing leads. What’s their USP, and how can you beat it? What would matter more to your customers and the community you serve? Here are some USP ideas to get you started:
- Eco-friendliness
- Specialized services
- Specialized commercial equipment
- Workmanship guarantees
- Level of service and friendliness
- Professionalism of crews
- Availability and affordability
29. Use Google’s Local Service ads to get more plumbing business.
Google’s Local Services ads are a type of pay-per-lead ad, and they appear at the top of the search results page where they’re most likely to be seen. Those plumbing ads get about 13.8% of clicks—that means if 50 people in your area search for plumbing services on a given day, at least 7 of them will click one of those plumbing ads and turn into a plumbing lead.
How much more money would you make per month with 7 more plumbing jobs per day?
30. Co-market with a relevant business.
Co-marketing means you’re partnering up with another like-minded business to share lead generation opportunities. For example, you might want to team up with an HVAC company and offer a discount to customers who use both of your services. In the end, this kind of combined marketing can lead to many more exclusive plumbing lead generation opportunities.
31. Increase referrals to get more plumbing leads.
Referrals are a great way to capitalize on word-of-mouth marketing. Offer your existing and past plumbing customers an incentive to refer their friends, families and neighbors to your business, and give them a discount on future services in return. Since people are far more likely to use a business that a friend recommends to them, this is one plumbing marketing idea you shouldn’t pass up.
32. Create helpful YouTube videos about plumbing.
YouTube is a hugely popular platform with a wide swath of demographics, so why not use it to your advantage? Make an account (it’s free!) and start posting videos about plumbing. The videos can document your day-to-day activities, follow a job from start to finish, or illustrate the different warning signs that pipes or fixtures need to be repaired. These videos will build your credibility as a plumbing business and make it easier to build trust with your viewers.
In the video description, include your contact information and a link to your website so they can learn more.
33. Create a plumbing-focused Facebook group.
Having a dedicated Facebook business page for your plumbing business is a must, but creating a group page for your business is a good idea, too. Post helpful content (maybe something you wrote for your content marketing efforts!) and interact with group members to start building trust and brand awareness in your audience.
34. Use LinkedIn to attract commercial plumbing leads.
LinkedIn is more than a great place to establish yourself as a plumbing expert and reputable plumbing business—it’s a great place to generate plumbing leads and plumbing contracts. How? Do a search for local businesses and property managers you can connect with to discuss your plumbing services.
35. Send out press releases about your plumbing business.
Press releases are a great way to share new and exciting developments about your plumbing business. Are you offering a new plumbing service? Expanding your service area? How about a discount for repeat customers or those who refer their friends? Write a press release that outlines these new items and send it off to your mailing list to start generating plumbing leads.
36. Sign up with Townsquare Interactive.
The team at Townsquare Interactive specializes in creating plumbing marketing campaigns that generate exclusive plumbing leads for businesses across the country. All of our dedicated marketing specialists and teams of subject matter experts can provide personalized suggestions for how to take your plumbing marketing campaign to the next level.
Fill out the form below to learn more about our plumbing marketing and CRM packages and jumpstart your plumbing lead generation.