Business First Family Business, Accounting, Finance, Investing, Marketing And Management
As of 2019, there were more than 31,000 profitable HVAC maintenance businesses and plumbing companies active in the UK. It is a vibrant and ever-expanding market, and it can become increasingly difficult for smaller and emerging companies to compete. How best to make your plumbing business stand out about the rest, and give yourself the best chance of business growth? Here are five simple strategies, with which you can set yourself apart from the rest and set a path to success.
The Basics, And Your Online Presence
Simply put, it will be difficult for you to grow your business if no one knows about it. In fact, companies with competitive advantage grow with a higher chance of success. The first step in growing your business is marketing it effectively. There are many ways you can leverage marketing platforms – more of which later on – but your first port of call should be the basics: ensuring your business name and contact information is easily discoverable. 97% of people learn more about a company online than anywhere else; Google My Business is an excellent starting point, as it enables you to create a profile with the popular search engine; a place for your contact information and reviews. With a well-designed logo, you can set your business apart from other plumbing services near you.
Keeping Professional
Your business’ success will be greatly helped by the cultivation of customer testimony, in the form of positive online reviews which in turn boost your business’ online profile. A sure-fire way to garner these positive reviews, beyond the quality of your work, is the way in which you conduct your work; think of ways in which you can improve the customer’s experience from start to finish. You could formalize the quoting process for new clients, invest in a uniform to inspire confidence in your brand, or even invest in tool organization equipment like the Milwaukee packout to present an organized front on the job.
Encouraging Repeat Business
Your efforts with regard to positive client testimony are not just designed to generate new custom. Your professionalism and quality of work will guarantee return custom from clients previous: between 25% and 40% of the total profits for a given business are generated from repeat customers, giving you a backbone of guaranteed income from which to build your business.
Creating Engaging Content
Your social media strategy should extend beyond the rudiments of representing your business digitally. You can utilize your business’ digital platforms to reach out to new customers, expand your reach and increase your visibility. By generating high-quality content, whether tutorials on basic drain care or question-and-answer sessions about home plumbing and the services you provide. Your customer base exist out of a lack of knowledge in your industry, and a need for your specific skills; leveraging that knowledge well on digital platforms can stand you in good stead with existing and new customers, engendering trust in your brand.
Your content output doesn’t need to stop with your own platforms either. You can reach out to other digital publications and platforms, and become featured as a guest – whether answering questions for a new audience or featuring as an expert. You can similarly leverage your business’ success, garnering press from small business publications and trade magazines for the completion of certain projects of the passing of business milestones. Additionally, consider reaching out to business coaching platforms to transform your plumbing company.
Hiring The Right People
Speaking of business milestones, one of the biggest signifiers of growth – especially where sole traders are concerned – is the necessity to bring another body on board. When your workload becomes too much for one person, you’ll need to think seriously about hiring more staff to take on your new clients. The effect can work both ways: new clients necessitate new staff, and new staff bring about even more clients.
Creating a workforce can have its own budgetary headaches, but there are many ways you can make hiring another person work for you. You may already have a network, and be aware of other, newer sole traders who might be willing to merge with your growing business. Perhaps the most economical way to realize your growth, though, is via the government’s apprenticeship program. You can utilize grants available to you to take on young people interested in a career in plumbing, you can train them to your liking using your skills and best practice knowledge.
There are many ways to skin a cat when it comes to growing your business – but these essential strategies can be deeply useful in giving you the tools to get there. This way you can drive business profitability and growth. Whether you’re a small team or a business of one, these steps can work to place you above the rest.
