Marketing your services as a handyman is just as important as possessing the wide range of skills that you need to be one. The demand for handymen has been growing steadily, and unless you market yourself well, you could be losing out on a lot of potential clients to your competitors. That being said, there’s no need to fret if you’re not sure how to market your handyman business. We’ve put together for you a list of the 12 best ways to do your own handyman marketing. Take a look!
Most people who seek out the services of a handyman do so for their own personal space, such as their house or their own office. Hence, it is extremely important for them to find someone trustworthy and dependable. Getting a professional handyman certification shows your clients that you’re knowledgeable and experienced in your field. Getting certified by, and enlisting yourself in the Association of Certified Handyman Professionals (ACHP) is a great start!
If you want to increase your chances of getting found better by customers, you need to make sure that people who are searching for handymen on the internet find you. The easiest way to do this is to get yourself listed on websites like Google My Business, Yelp, Foursquare, Bing, Craigslist, and other such directories. Make sure that your name, address, and phone number (NAP) details are properly and consistently updated across all these directories. Update your working hours accurately as well. This ensures that your business pops up when anyone searches for ‘Handyman in *your locality*’, or ‘Handyman near me’. Listing your business details across so many directories can prove to be a time-consuming and cumbersome task. Alternatively, you could save time and effort by using the services of an online tool like Synup that gets your business listed across more than 48 directories for you.
Another proven method to market your business to people who are not actively searching for it online is through printed material. Putting up flyers with discount coupons and handing out business cards is a great way to ensure that the people in your neighborhood know about your business. The next time they need something fixed around the house, they know whom to call!
No, I’m not talking about sending out unwarranted marketing texts to random phone numbers. Jeez! This is the other kind of mobile. The one you drive around in when you head out for work. That’s right! The vehicle that you use, be it a car or a truck, can be an immensely useful marketing tool. Put your business’ name and your contact info across the side, and instantly turn it into a mobile billboard. Since you probably drive around town for work, it’s great local advertising for your business.
In order to run a successful handyman business, you need to constantly grow your clientele. Networking is a huge part of that process, and is one of the most important things you need to do to market your business. You can do this by attending local events, fundraisers, and social gatherings, where you can introduce yourself and your business to a large number of potential clients. Preferably choose events where the majority of the audience falls under your target group.
According to socialfresh, customer testimonials are still one of the most effective ways to market your business. Not only do they boost your business’ reputation, they also help build trust amongst potential customers. So the next time you service a client, ask them if they can provide a testimonial or leave an online review for your business. Compile a book of testimonials, or put them up in your office. Thank them for their feedback, and resolve any issues if need be. It is also important that you address any negative reviews that your customers might have posted, and take immediate action to rectify the situation. This shows potential customers that you care about their opinions and the quality of service that you offer. If you’re unsure of how to respond to negative reviews, you can read up on it here.
Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat have become powerhouses when it comes to marketing your business. With people spending about 30% of their time online on social media, it has become one of the major avenues for targeted marketing. Create a page for your business on these major social networking sites, and keep posting regularly. You could post updates about your work, video testimonials from clients, tutorials and DIY projects, and even social issues in your neighborhood. Doing this gives your potential clients a glimpse of how you conduct business, and casts a cloak of authority over it.
A lot of handymen have a niche, an area of expertise that they like to stick to. For example, some handymen are good at electrical wiring, while some others prefer plumbing. Although this gives them a lot of credibility in that particular line of work, they’re also missing out on many clients who are looking for handymen with a parallel set of skills. Broadening your skill set and services sets you apart, and that can even prove to be your Unique Selling Point (USP). People naturally turn towards one handyman who can fix everything rather than appoint individual people for each service. Furthermore, this also helps generate a lot of word-of-mouth marketing for your business.
All said and done, a customer’s experience with your business is perhaps the most crucial factor that contributes to its reputation. If your customers have a good experience employing your services, they tend to leave good reviews and recommend you to others in their circle. As stated before, this is one of the best ways to market your business. So how do you ensure that your clients are satisfied with your service? Well, the most important thing to do in this regard is to be straightforward with them. Be transparent with your pricing, and be punctual with your timings. Most importantly, do not try to oversell/undersell your services. It is best to state clearly what your clients can expect out of your service and when. You can even set aside some time every day for unforeseen delays. This ensures that your clients’ expectations are met, and that they’re not blindsided by any hidden terms or costs.
Since just about every business with a physical location could use a handyman’s services, partnering with some of these businesses/stores in your locality is a great way to market yourself. You could get them to retain your services too. That way, you have a steady source of work, and they don’t have to go through the hassle of hiring someone new every time!
YouTube has revolutionized the video marketing platform, giving business owners access to millions of potential clients. Many businesses are starting to take advantage of this, and you should too! You could create video content that is centered around your business’ story, tricks of the trade, FAQs, tutorials, and customer experiences. This promotes your authority in the field, and encourages people to trust in your services.
Though it might seem outdated, sending out mailers and printed promotional content through post has its own charm. It shows potential customers how invested you are in your business, and helps cement their trust in your services. Make sure you use an engaging ad copy, and that the content is relevant and useful. You can even use this as an opportunity to give out coupons that customers can redeem when they employ your services. And that pretty much sums it up. Go ahead and try out these marketing strategies. You can also write to us at [email protected] and tell us about your marketing methods and what worked for you. If we find it interesting, we’ll even feature you in one of our posts. Do share this article if you found it interesting, and together we can help more handymen market their businesses better!
And, less time obsessing about your local presence.