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10 Home Services Marketing Tips to Enhance Lead Acquisition

14 minutes

The home services market is thriving. In the US alone, the market is worth a whopping $506 billion. In recent years, consumers have begun to invest more time and money into enhancing, repairing, and maintaining their properties. That’s great news for home service business owners– but there’s a catch. To achieve sustainable growth in this industry – you need to master the art of home services marketing. It’s not easy. Customer preferences are constantly evolving, and the amount of competition is growing at a record pace.

The good news? You don’t have to be a marketing guru to boost brand awareness and access more leads in the home services industry. You just need the right guidance.
Here, we’ll introduce the top home services marketing tips you should be following this year. We’ll give actionable advice and insights, taken from our own experience helping brands in the home services industries stand out. Let’s dive in.

The Top Home Services Marketing Tips to Use This Year

Successful home services marketing can seem complicated. This is particularly true in an increasingly digital world. Companies need to navigate every facet of digital marketing strategy from local SEO, to email marketing, social media advertising, and content marketing. However, there are plenty of great ways to drive results whether you’re trying to grow your online presence or connect with more potential clients closer to home.

Here are our top tips for taking lead generation to the next level. With these strategies, you can increase conversions and build deeper relationships with clients through powerful home services marketing.

Implement Customer Appreciation Programs

Your existing customers are your most valuable assets in the home services industry. They’re not just an incredible source of repeat revenue. More importantly, they’re powerful advocates for your company. You can create opportunities for credibility-building through user-generated content (like testimonials and reviews).

All you need to do to unlock the full value of your existing customers is show them how much you appreciate their support. Studies show that around 74% of customers say their loyalty to companies is based entirely on how much they feel appreciated and understood by that brand.

Even the smallest gestures can make a big difference. With an appreciation strategy, you create a connection with customers that goes beyond just one initial transaction.
You show them you value their input, keep them engaged, and encourage them to become a part of your company’s long-term growth.

Here are just some of the ways you can embed “appreciation” into your home services marketing strategy:

Technology can help automate this process. For instance, you can use CRM platforms to automatically track high-value customers, and automate follow-up strategies. Remember, happy customers equals free word-of-mouth marketing.

Offer Referral Rewards Programs

Here’s a stat you can’t afford to ignore in the home services industry: 92% of customers trust referrals from people they know. When a buyer is investing in something really important, like a roof repair or a plumbing service, they’re always going to turn to the people they trust for recommendations first.

Creating a referral program is your way to activate your existing audience into advocates. They can then drive new leads and opportunities to your business. Referral programs are also great for improving relationships with existing audiences and increasing lead opportunities. Plus, they can reduce your customer acquisition costs.

After all, with a referral program, you only reward customers when they drive genuine leads and new sales to your company. It’s a results-driven strategy that works for everyone.
The key to success is building the right referral program:

Use Direct Mail Campaigns

Email marketing is great. But as more companies invest in online email campaigns, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for businesses to stand out in crowded inboxes. While it still makes sense to take advantage of “electronic” mail, taking a more traditional approach can pay dividends.

Direct mail has a response rate of 60% (much higher than that of email). It gives you an intuitive way to separate yourself from the competition. Direct mail delivers tangible messages that can’t be ignored (or marked as spam). A seasonal postcard offering “10% off roof inspections this fall” lands right in your potential client’s hands, driving action.

Plus, with direct mail, you can target the exact customers that hold the most value for you. Your home services company can focus on local customers, with specific needs for your exclusive services and expertise. To make the most of direct mail in your home services marketing strategy:

Implement Long-Term Nurture Campaigns

We’re all familiar with the term “out of sight, out of mind”. Unfortunately, it’s easy for customers to forget all about your home services business. Especially if you’re not taking a proactive approach to “nurturing” your leads.

Even if you’ve already converted a prospect into a client, about 65% of a company’s revenue can come from the repeat purchases of existing customers. A long-term nurturing campaign ensures that customers keep coming back. You’ll be their first choice every time they need a repair, an upgrade, or help with a new project. So, how do you nurture customers long-term?

It’s simple, just stay connected. Communicate with your audience. You could send out monthly newsletters with helpful insights, like “5 Ways to Prepare Your Roof for Winter”. Alternatively, you could just share updates on new services and products.

Look for ways to delight and inspire your existing customers too. You can do this with special offers, exclusive deals, or early access to seasonal promotions. Want to take your nurturing strategy to the next level? Work with an expert to automate outreach.

Long-term nurturing is the key to increasing future sales and driving sustainable growth, as well as boosting awareness for your brand. Don’t underestimate the power of staying connected with customers.

Build Strategic Partnerships with Related Businesses

The home services industry is competitive, but that doesn’t mean you have to see every business as an enemy. Strategic partnerships with related businesses can lead to a steady stream of referrals and shared success. Think realtors, interior designers, or hardware stores.

Businesses offering complimentary services often share the same target audience. For example, realtors working with new homeowners can recommend your roofing services during inspections or renovations. Partnerships allow you to leverage each other’s networks to expand your reach without heavy marketing costs.

Start by researching and identifying potential opportunities. Look for businesses that naturally align with your services. For instance, a landscaping company might recommend your roofing expertise to clients needing exterior upgrades. Pitch ideas for a win-win collaboration with those brands. Let them know how working with you will benefit them and their customers.

Help them to visualize what the collaboration might look like. A good tip is to show them mock-ups of co-branded flyers or shared promotional emails. Once you’ve come to an agreement, formalize it, with contracts that demonstrate how each party will contribute to the growth of the other.

Use Vehicle Branding for Visibility

Most home services companies rely on vehicles. From business cars to trucks and vans, vehicles ensure you can reach your audience with the right resources. However, vehicles aren’t just a practical mode of transportation. They’re also a tool for building brand awareness and attracting potential customers.

A vehicle is essentially a moving billboard. It can grab the attention of thousands of local customers as they move through their day-to-day lives. Remember, customers see about 41 outdoor ads every day.

So, why not take advantage of the marketing real estate your vehicles have to offer? Use bold, professional branding and advertising slogans to turn your fleet into rolling advertisements. Here are some quick tips for better vehicle-based marketing:

Leverage Reviews and Online Reputation Management

Nothing builds brand credibility quite like a collection of raving reviews from happy clients. Around 93% of customers in every industry say that reviews and testimonials have a big impact on their purchasing decisions. In the home services industry, reviews can help drive customers toward quicker purchasing decisions since prices of projects and services can be high.

Reading reviews from satisfied customers gives a potential customer insight into whether they can really trust your company with their property (and their money). Think of it this way, are you more likely to spend thousands of dollars on a roof repair with a company that has dozens of positive reviews? Or one that seems to have no satisfied clients?

Adding reviews to your home services marketing strategy does demand a proactive approach. Some delighted customers will share reviews automatically. For most, however, you’ll need to reach out after a successful job with a friendly email or text, requesting feedback.

You could even consider “incentivizing” your review requests. This could mean giving customers access to discounts on their next project or service in exchange for their honest opinions.
Don’t just collect reviews either, actively respond to them. Review management platforms make it easy to track reviews from customers across channels. This way, you can thank every customer for their insights (positive or negative), and improve your brand’s reputation.

Host Local Events to Engage Your Community

Most home service providers don’t need to build relationships with huge global audiences. A social media marketing campaign that attracts thousands of international customers won’t do much when you can only support clients in your local region.

That’s why it’s so important to double-down on local home services marketing strategies. Focus on campaigns that help you to connect with your nearby community. Hosting and participating in local events is a fantastic first step.

Whether it’s a workshop on storm-proofing roofs or sponsoring a local sports team, engaging with your community builds goodwill and generates leads. Events showcase your expertise while giving potential customers a face to trust.

Here are some quick tips for optimizing your event strategy:

Oh, and remember to share snippets from your events on your social media walls, online platforms, and websites too. This can help boost audience engagement, enhance your online presence, and you attract attendees to future events.

Distribute Door Hangers with Targeted Messaging

In a digital-first world, print advertising still works. In fact, a physical asset like a custom door hanger can be more impactful than a digital ad. Print ads even have a higher recall rate than digital ads (78% compared to 48%).

Door hangers put your message directly into the hands of homeowners. They’re affordable, hyper-local, and easy to personalize and enhance with your brand elements. Plus, with door hangers, you maintain complete control over who you’re sharing your marketing messages with.

When you’re using door hangers in your home services marketing campaigns focus on:

Remember, you can also experiment with other print marketing methods. These include sharing postcards with prospective customers, or even creating calendars you can distribute among existing buyers. The key is to give advice on when they should consider looking for home service companies.

Collect and Share Customer Testimonials

We’ve already mentioned the power of reviews and referrals when it comes to enhancing home services marketing. However, in-depth customer testimonials and success stories can take your strategy to the next level. Studies show that 88% of customers trust online testimonials as much as personal recommendations and offline testimonials can be just as impactful.

Seeing real customers rave about your services builds trust and converts skeptics into buyers. A story about how you repaired a customer’s roof just before a major storm and helped them sidestep costly repairs is going to be more powerful than any ad campaign.

To make the most out of your testimonials, share them everywhere. Don’t just create a “case studies” page on your website. Share snippets from testimonials in email marketing campaigns. Share recorded reviews on social media platforms. You can even consider adding testimonials to your direct mailers and flyers.

Diversify with various types of testimonials, from stories with compelling before and after photos, to video reviews, and written quotes. Plus, make sure you’re listing each customer review on channels like Trustpilot, Yelp, and Google My Business.

The more you capture and share reviews from your customers, the more you’ll build your credibility as a truly trustworthy and reliable brand.

Upgrade your Home Services Marketing Strategy

We get it, mastering home services marketing can feel like an uphill battle. But unlocking greater ROI from your marketing strategies, driving engagement, and generating sustainable growth doesn’t have to be as complicated as it seems.

Customer appreciation programs, long-term nurture strategies, and referral campaigns can enhance loyalty, forge deeper connections with existing customers. They also reduce your customer acquisition costs. Testimonials and reviews help you to demonstrate credibility and earn trust.

Strategic partnerships boost visibility and reach, while offline direct mail campaigns, event marketing strategies, vehicle branding, and door hangers give you low-cost ways to convert more customers. By implementing a range of these proven strategies, and even combining them with online marketing efforts, like Google local service ads, social media marketing, and email, you can take your brand’s growth to the next level.

Ready to upgrade your marketing efforts? Our home services marketing agency helps businesses build tailored, intuitive marketing strategies that resonate with their target audiences, and drive stronger client relationships. Stop worrying about where your next lead will come from.

Contact gFour Marketing today, and build a sustainable strategy to grow your business.

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