When you pay for goods and services, you expect to have a positive return on your investment. In the HVAC, electrical, and plumbing industries, there are tons of different ways to advertise your business, but what is it about your business that differs from your competitors?
It’s important you get the largest return on investment for each aspect of your business.
Advertising
Know What You’re buying
If you work with a marketing agency, website designer and/or another third-party agency, know what you’re getting in return, not what you’re buying. How many customers do you need to get to break even on your advertising investment? How many need to purchase something other than a diagnostic fee from you? Just because you may get 10,000 impressions/views doesn’t mean you get 10,000 sales. You’ll need to calculate how many people will actually call you, how many people will schedule a visit, and how many people will actually make a purchase.
Advertising Suggestions
- Social Media
- Pay-per-click (Google Ads)
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- Google My Business Listing
- Truck Wraps (Mobile Billboards)
- Direct Mailers
Know Your Customer
Market how your services improve their living, not what you can provide. Using imagery that shows comfortable families has a better response than images of products. You want customers to have peace of mind when you’re called, not how much they’re going to need to spend when you walk through their door. Don’t use technical terms that customers won’t understand and will perceive as expensive. Use terms like comfort, cozy, safe, to increase your positive brand awareness.
Turn Visits Into Sales Opportunities
Turn visits into sales. You’re already in your customer’s house, what can you do better to keep yourself in the home after you physically leave. Magnets and business cards are things that can be put on a fridge that are seen dozens of times to increase your brand recognition. Stickers put on a thermostat or other household object that you’ve installed or maintenance is another great way to stay relevant in the home.
Follow up with your customer through direct mail and/or a phone call. This extra step shows you’re not just there selling equipment, you want to be a part of that homeowner’s well-being. If services were declined from a visit, a follow up will help you gather feedback to know what can be done going forward to close the deal.
Pay Your Staff
Staff members are the lifeblood of your business, without them, your business would be difficult to run. A staff member that feels under-appreciated and underpaid will often leave you for better opportunities. It’s up to you to ensure their satisfaction and payment needs are met. Technicians who are faster/better deserve to get paid more than your slower techs, especially if you’re using flat rate pricing. Staff who are paid and treated better are more likely to provide you with a better return. The saying “you get what you pay for” holds true in this instance.
Improve Your Website
You have a website, use it to it’s fullest potential! Allow customers to know what you offer and what you can do for them easily and without a lot of search effort. Let potential customers know what you offer and how it differs from competitors other than price? This is your chance to set the bar high. Study’s show that nearly 80% of consumers research online before making a purchase. Make sure your website is also mobile-friendly. Even though 66% of consumers visit websites from a laptop, 15% browse with a mobile device. You don’t need to spend a lot on your website either. There are many platforms like Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress that let you build a fully functional website without the need for a website developer.
Just like your customers want as much as they can get for a price, the same should be for you and your business. When you put money into your business, you should know what you’ll get and what that return on investment can be.
The same can be said about FieldEdge products. FieldEdge has helped save over 20 hours per week in the office, spend 50% less time on accounting, and 60% less managing agreements. Schedule a time with a representative today!
