Local Marketing Targeting Plumbers

Hellor Richard,

First off, welcome to the forum.

Gary Halbert was one of the most revered direct response copywriters of all time and gave the best advice about finding clients who want, what you're selling.

He used to ask students in his seminars...

"If you and I both owned a hamburger stand and we were in a contest to see who could sell the most hamburgers, what advantages would you most like to have on your side to help you win?"

Some of the students said "superior meat." Others "sesame seed buns." Others "good location." Still others "the lowest price."

When they finished, Gary would say, "O.K., I'll give you every single advantage you have asked for. I only want one advantage and I'll whip the pants off all of you."

What was the advantage? A starving crowd.

* * * * *

So, Richard, which of these plumbers represents your starving crowd? Once you figure out what draws this crowd, then you can move in that direction.

After that, there are multiple ways to reach out.

1. Email
2. Cold Call
3. Direct Mail/Sales Letter
4. Coupon
5. Post Card

Chinchilla

Take a step back. Get out there and talk to those plumbers. Ask them why they don't have a website. You might get an education...

Tradesmen of any kind are notoriously cynical about online marketing of any kind. You'll have a job and a half overcoming that...

To answer your question, use your website building skills. Those who want a website will find you on Google. Then you'll just have to persuade them (though good copy), that you're the one they need...

Thank you for your response, I think I am on the track to discovering their pain points and target them accordingly.

Thank you,

@Animal44 thank you for your response.

I will be getting in touch with a few selection of these plumbers and find out why they don't have a site.

You suggestion is very good and will save much time.

Thank you.

Have you already performed all these services for yourself? You are going to need a very strong online presence. If you are selling "online marketing", you better have plenty of samples to show prospects, at least promoting yourself.
Why? Because no matter how you market to them, some of them (the most serious prospects) will look your services up online. They better find you everywhere.

How many are on your list? are they within travel distance from your home, or are they nationwide?

How you approach them will depend on the last two questions.

Do you know anyone that is a plumber? Are you familiar with the industry at all? Do you REALLY know what a LEAD generally looks like in this industry?

I would say the web development would be a start ( to make mobile friendly ) and MAYBE #5 in terms of content to be placed on youtube and hopefully migrates to Googles search listings.

More than generally speaking a "LEAD" in the Plumbing business is a PHONE CALL. So all of the text yada yada and mailing list is of no use. How many plumbers do you get e-mail from?

The reality is when you need a plumber you get onto google and search plumber.. so from the point of CONVERSION.. the plumber had better be listed in the 3 pack.

Something that I use as an indicator of a good match for my services for a potential plumber / roofer / electrician / handyman / builder type client.. If I call them.. they had better answer the phone - you will be suprised hopw many dont.

THAT translates into doing any amount of work for these guys and them saying they are not getting any leads.. and that is because they dont answer thier phone.

If this is something you are going to move forward with.. you need to find a friend that is in the trade, OR find a friend of a friend and have a sit down to determine what they consider to be services they would want.

As someone that owns several businesses...and having just talked about this exact problem at a small seminar last week...

I have a question for you.

You want to get plumbers more customers, but you don't know how to get plumbers as your customers?

You want to bring them leads but you don't know how to get your own leads?

I'm not trying to be mean or talk down to you -- just trying to get you to think about this from a business owners perspective.

You say you know how to get the leads:

You set up your website.

You do your mailing list.

You do the text messaging thing.

You do the video thing.

So why aren't you doing this for yourself?

and here's the answer...

because you're not sure you can make it work? Or maybe it hasn't worked?

If you know for a fact your plan works and can make loads of cash...you'd have started this for yourself yesterday. You'd be so pumped about making all that cash with your ideas, you'd stay awake all night tonight and start implementing it. Then once it worked for you, you would have zero fear of marching into any business and telling them how you could help them. You not only would be marching in...you'd be wearing a bright red suit with a big smile on your face and nothing would deter you.

Sadly, a lot of fear and hesitancy is because we haven't made our plan work for ourselves.

Now, having said that long rant...

let me tell you something else.

If you had a Facebook business page set up. Had a good landing page. And either boosted some posts or used organic reach to maybe give away a free report on plumbing...

maybe something like, "How To Find A Plumber Without Their Butt Crack Hanging Out"...just kidding about the title...but the idea is to get people asking for the info.

Then when you get a list of people (could be small) asking for your info, you simply contact your local plumbers and tell them you've got a list of leads looking for a plumber and you need a place to send them. Would they be interested? Doubt you get a lot of no's. This is not just a local thing...it's something you could take global.

So, I know I'm getting long-winded...but instead of asking them if you can set up a system to get them leads, you tell them you already have them leads.

Show don't tell.

This works.

Unlike loads of current webinars right now that want to sell you this system for a chit load of cash, You can implement it yourself. It's not new, but like most things in the marketing world cycle, this seems to be the latest, greatest webinar to teach right now.

If you want to be successful, have them begging to work with you. Not you begging to work with them.

Best wishes.

Cold calling works great for me. Let me know if anything else works grreat for you.

I'm reminded of my tenure at a micro market Radio Station. I was selling PSA sponsorships and one of my clients was a septic tank company. She wanted her tag to be "For all your septic needs". It was in 2001, and I've never forgotten her comment. I suggested something along the lines of "Before you find yourself up to your eyeballs in stuff or bleeep, let us check your system. She laughed and actually liked it. Think Roto Rooter. Most people don't want to hear or read a generic ad about a plumber. There needs to be something to grab their attention. Another could be a sexy man or woman graphic next to Heyyyy, you wanna get your pipes cleaned? Have fun with it.

I recommend offering them what they want and need MOST, which is more LEADS.

Google phone-call ads are one great way to get them leads at often less than the cost of a mere click to a website.

Offer leads first, then when you've got them lots of work, offer to help them with other services.

Chris

Oh! A Drip Campaign, eh?