Looking to grow your business? Need more leads? Working with a limited marketing budget? No matter what your situation is, we’re here to help. Use these 14 marketing tips to get started:
1. Show up on time and do great work!
It might seem obvious, it’s important for every gutter contractor to remember this! One of the easiest ways to find your next customer is to treat your current customers well. Not only will you win their business in the future, they just might recommend you to their friends and neighbors. It’s the little things that matter! Show up on time, respond to emails, and stick to important deadlines.
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2. Ditch your outdated website.
If you don’t have a website already, you need one! If you haven’t touched your gutter company’s website in 5+ years, it may be time for a major re-design! A professional website with great content and high-quality pictures makes a great first impression. You will earn credibility with your prospective customers right away. Most importantly, make sure your contact information is easy to find on every single page!
3. Start sending paid traffic to your site.
Pay-per-click advertising is a great way to reach a highly-targeted audience. You can select the exact keywords that match your business activities. If you are looking for more gutter cleaning jobs, you’ll want your ad to show when people search for “local gutter cleaning” or “need rain gutters cleaned”. Check back on your campaigns regularly! Regularly test new ad text to see what works best for your gutter company.
4. Use a pay-per-lead service.
Gutter contractors can buy leads from several different lead generation companies. These lead providers specialize in find local consumers that need help with a rain gutter project. You can purchase leads for many different services, including 1) new guttering and downspout installation, 2) rain gutter replacement, 3) gutter repair, 3) gutter cleaning services, or 5) gutter guard installation. Leads may also be categorized by gutter material. For example, copper gutter installation leads may cost more than seamless gutter installation leads.
5. Put together a great brochure.
Even a simple, educational flyer or brochure can help you win new business. At the end of your initial meeting with a prospective customer, give them your business card and a copy of the brochure. Most importantly, it should include the best way to contact you and a list of the gutter services you provide. Make sure it’s printed on high-quality paper! This is a subtle way to show your potential customers that you are running a legitimate, professional business.
6. Encourage referrals by starting an incentive program.
As we talked about before, your existing customer base is an invaluable resource! Encourage people to recommend your gutter business to their neighbors by offering a small gift or reward in exchange for each new referral. It can be something as simple as a Starbucks gift card or movie passes. Who doesn’t love free stuff? If someone refers 5 or more people to your business, think about doing something extra special. For example, you could offer them a free cleaning or a gift card to a nice restaurant to really show your appreciation.
7. Send out (well-timed) post card reminders.
This is an easy way to get the phone ringing. “Snail mail” might seem old-fashioned, but it can still be an effective marketing strategy for many gutter cleaning companies. A few weeks before the busy season begins, send out a postcard reminder letting people know that it’s time to have their gutters cleaned. If you’re feeling generous, you might also include a coupon (think “Mention this ad and get 10% off your next gutter cleaning service”).
8. Sign up for a pay-per-call advertising service.
A pay-per-call marketing company can help find new customers quickly. They use SEO, PPC, and a variety of other marketing strategies to promote your business. When a local prospect is interested in hiring your company, he or she can call you directly! The calls are tracked and you agree to pay a set price for each incoming call. If you are not answering the phone yourself, make sure the person who is has been properly trained to schedule Calls may come in for a variety of different projects. While one person may be interested in installing new aluminum gutters, another may be looking for someone to repair a leaking downspout.
9. Attend local networking events.
Everyone needs gutters at some point, right? Attending a local Chamber of Commerce meeting or networking event is a great way to get your name out there. You want to build real relationships with people who are frequently in a position to hire or refer you. As a gutter contractor, you might want to seek out building managers, home builders, general contractors, landscapers, and waterproofing specialists. Don’t just hand someone your business card and walk away. You can follow up with a quick email or phone call. You could even take the person out to lunch or drop off donuts at their office.
10. Try putting an ad in the yellow pages.
Yellow pages advertising can still popular in some regions of the United States. If your business is located in a smaller market, it may be worth the investment. Older people, in particular, are more likely to look up a business in the phonebook. How does your typical customer find you? If the answer is “on the Internet”, your money may be better spent on other strategies.
11. Study what your competitors are doing.
It’s important to pay attention to how your competitors are spending their advertising dollars. If you see something that seems to be working for other local gutter installers, it can’t hurt to try the same thing. Track what works (and what doesn’t), then adjust your marketing budget accordingly.
12. Use email to stay in touch with past customers.
It’s very important to keep in touch with your past customers. Maybe they need you to clean the gutters that you installed six months ago. Email is a budget-friendly way to reach out to these people on a regular basis. To start, you could send out an email newsletter once a month or every other month. Try not to make the content overly self-promotional. The newsletter should be useful, educational, or entertaining. For example, you could discuss the importance of winterizing your home or give some advice about home waterproofing.
13. Add graphics to your vehicle.
People will become familiar with your brand as they see you driving around town. A vehicle wrap is an easy way to grab people’s attention. Your company name and phone number should be in big letters so it’s easy to read from a distance. You might even consider getting a vanity number (think 515-GUTTERS) to make it easier for people to call you directly.
14. Offer a discount coupon.
For many gutter installation companies, providing coupons or offering special discounts can be an effective way of bringing in new business. If you provide a great service, this customer will be willing to pay full price when they need you in the future.