How to Market Your Local Air Duct Cleaning Business
By Johnny Flynn
October 18, 2018
Running a successful duct cleaning company takes a lot of hard work. Our goal is to make your life a little easier. This article is designed to help you better understand the marketing side of the duct cleaning business. Follow these tips to get some extra help growing your duct cleaning company.
Getting started is often the hardest part - especially if you are new to the industry. Here is a list of 16 tips to help you get a leg up on your competition:
1. Provide a top-tier service at a fair price
First and foremost, you have to be good at your job. That's the major key to running any successful business. Professionalism will take you very far. Show up on time, answer missed calls promptly, and do your best to provide helpful answers to any questions.
Marketing any business tends to get a little easier over time. Repeat business and referrals will come your way if you provide a valuable service at a fair price.
2. Get listed in important directories
When looking to hire an air duct cleaning company, many consumers will start their research via Google, Bing, or another search engine. The top results are often Yelp, Angie's List, Thumbtack, and HomeAdvisor. By adding your company to these popular directory sites, you are improving your chances of being found by local prospects.
Make it easy for local people to find your business online! The more places your company is listed, the more opportunities there are for people to find your business.
Join ProMatcher today to get listed in our Duct Cleaning Directory. It's free to sign up!
3. Improve your company's web presence
At this point, we are assuming that your company already has a website. If not, it's important to get one up and running as soon as possible. Having a website is no longer optional. Don't make excuses. It's easier (and more affordable) than ever to set up a business website.
Creating a website may not produce leads overnight, but it is important for the long-term success of your business. Potential clients can come to your website and learn more about your duct cleaning business 24 hours a day. It works for you while you sleep!
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4. Buy duct cleaning leads
Your specialty is duct and vent cleaning - not lead generation. If you have recently started a new business or things have slowed down recently, you may find it helpful to
use a lead generation service. A lead generation company finds local consumers who are interested in hiring an air duct cleaner. When they capture a lead in your geographic service area, they will forward you the customer's contact information. It's then up to you to follow up, schedule an estimate, and try to make the sale. Most lead providers work on a "pay per lead" or "pay per call" model. This means that you only have to pay when they find leads that match your criteria.
5. Encourage referrals
Referrals and recommendations are incredibly important to any local business. If you provide a high-quality service at a fair price, the referrals will come naturally. However, it can take time to develop this type of reputation.
You can speed up the process by putting a program in place to help encourage and incentivize these referrals. For example, you can offer a discounted service or a $20 gift card to any customer who successfully refers a friend or family member to your business. It's important to show your appreciation for their loyalty. A referral is a huge compliment!
6. Offer a discount coupon
Offering a discount to new customers can be a very effective marketing strategy. Something as simple as a "15% off coupon" may help you bring on long-term client. In general, people are more likely to take a chance on a new business if they are getting a good deal.
You can post this special offer on your website or you may even send out coupon postcards to houses in a few local neighborhoods.
There are also websites, such as Groupon or Angie's List, that make it easy to offer a coupon to local consumers. Offering a deal on one of these sites may help you get additional online exposure and find new clients.
7. Expand your local network
It's not about what you know, it's who you know. Making new contacts can be one of the best ways to grow your business. There are a lot of different ways to network. Sponsor a local event or attend a meeting of your local Chamber of Commerce. You might just meet a prospective customer or potential referral source while you are there. Always carry a few of your business cards with you! The goal is to get your name out there and make yourself known to people who may need your services now or in the future.
8. Attract new customers with online reviews
Win over prospects with positive online reviews! More and more consumers are using third-party review websites (think Yelp or Thumbtack) to find the best local businesses. Many consumers trust these reviews more than personal recommendations from friends and neighbors. If your air duct cleaning company is not represented well on these sites, it's time to do something about it!
Make it easy for your customers to write a review for you! Provide them with the links they need to find your review profiles and leave some positive feedback.
It's free to Join ProMatcher. We match duct cleaning companies to relevant marketing strategies. Create your free account today!
9. Print new business cards
Handing someone a business card with all your information is still a good way to get your name out there. If you haven't gotten new business cards printed in a few years, it may be time to order some new ones! Make sure each card displays your company’s logo and some key information about the services you provide. For example, you might want to mention if you provide commercial duct cleaning services, as well as residential. Do you offer a money-back guarantee? Have you been in business for over 20 years? What is your competitive advantage?
10. Get on social media
Posting regularly on social media can be a good way to keep your company fresh in someone's mind. There many different social media platforms now. We recommend focusing on one or two channels. It's not possible or cost-effective to try maintaining an active presence on each website. Facebook and LinkedIn are good options for duct cleaners. You will have a chance to interact with current clients, prospect customers, and other local business owners.
11. Try sending reminder emails
Email marketing is a budget-friendly marketing strategy that can work for many duct cleaning services. Reminder emails can be a good way to generate some repeat business and bring back some lapsed customers. First, you will need to build an email list of your past clients (if you have not done so already). If someone has not had their air ducts cleaned recently, send them a reminder email about how long it has been. You can also take this as an opportunity to educate people on the dangers of not having your dryer vent cleaned on a regular basis.
12. Buy an ad in the local paper or HOA newsletter
A well-placed print ad can still yield good results. Putting an ad for your duct cleaning company in the homeowner's association newsletter or the church bulletin may produce good leads. Keep in mind that print advertising rates may vary based on your geographic service area. If you live in an area where the cost of living is fairly high, newspaper advertising may be a little out of the budget.
13. Kick off a pay per click campaign
Running a pay per click (PPC) campaign is an awesome way of getting more visitors to your duct cleaning company's website. One of the best things about PPC is that you can target your advertising toward a very specific audience. For example, you can target users based on their geographic location or gender.
When setting up your first campaign, make sure to set a realistic budget! If you are not careful, your spending may get out of control.
14. Advertise on company vehicles
Vehicle wrap advertising is one of the most effective marketing strategies for duct cleaners. While the initial investment might seem steep, it's worth it! These "mobile billboards" are great at attracting the attention of local customers (especially your current customers' neighbors). When they see your truck parked the driveway, they will be more inclined to call you themselves for a quote.
15. Make a plan and stick to it!
Consistency is key! Marketing is not something that you do once and forget about for the next year. You also can't put up one ad and expect results overnight. It will take some time and effort to grow your company into a successful business.
Sometimes you have to spend money to make money. Set a realistic marketing budget for your duct cleaning company. Many of the strategies listed here are fairly low-cost.
16. Track your leads and learn from your mistakes
When someone contacts your business, don't forget to ask them how they found you. Did they see your truck at a neighbor's house? Did they see something you posted on social media? Did you come highly recommended by a friend? Over the course of time, you will see what marketing channels are yielding the best results and which ones may need to be abandoned. Learn and grow from your mistakes! This is a major key to marketing success.