You closed a lead, completed a handyman job and the customer paid. Now, what? Many handyman service businesses move on to the next prospect or job on their schedule. However, they’re missing out on the power of long-term customer loyalty and retention.
What separates average businesses from those who continue to grow is their ability to turn one-off sales into years (or a decade-plus) of sales.
That’s where proven digital marketing strategies come into play. In this blog, you’ll discover actionable steps you can implement to increase customer loyalty that leads to long-term profits.
For each strategy, we’ll give you a bulleted blueprint to ensure you have everything you need to minimize guesswork and maximize its performance.
1. Build a User-Friendly Handyman Services Website
First impressions are everything. Especially when it comes to securing business through your website. Make sure your handyman services website is optimized for lead generation, not creativity. It should be clear, easy to understand, informative and convert visitors into loyal customers.
Handyman Website Blueprint
Optimize for Mobile. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, as many customers will search for services on their phones. Regularly test it from various devices, especially if you add new pages or additional features.
Clear Contact Information. Display your contact information prominently on every page to make it easy for customers to reach you. While some customers may want to use online booking or SMS, others are more traditional and prefer a phone call.
Detailed Service Pages. Create detailed pages for each service you offer, highlighting the pain points that customers are trying to alleviate by using the service, simple pricing, customer testimonials and a clear CTA (call-to-action) that eliminates any guesswork.
High-Value Blog Content. Creating blog content not only helps with SEO, it’s a chance to deliver value and answer any questions or concerns ahead of time. Use your blog to offer tips, guides, and success stories to establish authority and keep customers engaged.
2. Leverage Local SEO
Search is king when it comes to handyman businesses. Local SEO is the best way to boost visibility when potential customers look for services in your area. It’s essential for attracting nearby clients who are likely to become repeat customers and requires a dedicated strategy to maximize its potential.
Handyman SEO Blueprint
Google My Business Optimization. Claim and optimize your Google My Business listing with accurate information, photos, and customer reviews. Make sure a team member sets aside an hour per week to update your profile, check links and respond to reviews.
Local Keywords. Use local keywords in your website content, meta descriptions, copywriting and titles. Use an SEO tool that can showcase how to optimize keywords without going overboard and making the content unreadable.
Citations. Ensure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all online directories and listings. Review these at least once every couple of weeks as databases may change.
Local Backlinks. Partner with local businesses and websites to get backlinks that boost your local search rankings. By creating strategic alliances with moving services, landscaping services, pool cleaning services and others, you can help each other attract (and keep) more business.
3. Implement Email Marketing Campaigns
Email marketing is a powerful tool for nurturing relationships with your customers. People check their inboxes multiple times daily and look forward to reading valuable content that solves a problem or gives them a special deal. It lets you stay in touch, offer exclusive deals, and remind customers of your services.
Handyman Email Marketing Blueprint
Newsletter Signup. Add a newsletter signup form to your website to capture visitor emails. Make an offer in exchange for their email. For example, “Get 20% off your first service” is a great way to get people into your lead pipeline and CRM.
Automated Campaigns. Set up automated email campaigns to welcome new customers, follow up after service, and re-engage inactive customers. Each of these should be mapped out ahead of time and include personalized call-to-actions relevant to their customer history and needs.
Personalization. Use customer data and history to personalize emails, making them more relevant and engaging. Make specific offers to customers who haven’t hired services in a certain amount of time with a deadline for booking to create urgency.
4. Offer Seamless Online Booking
People are busy and have more on their plate than ever. When it comes to hiring handyman services, they’re going to choose the business that makes it as easy as possible to take the next step. Using an online booking system streamlines the process for customers to schedule services while saving you and your staff from manual inputs and back-and-forth communication.
Handyman Online Booking Blueprint
User-Friendly Interface. Ensure your booking system is easy to use and accessible from any device. Seek simplicity when choosing a platform rather than a suite of robust features that you’re unlikely to use.
Real-Time Availability. Show real-time availability to allow customers to book slots that suit their schedules. Include quotes, estimates and any other types of sales appointments.
Automated Confirmations. Send automated booking confirmations and reminders to reduce no-shows. Be clear and detailed on what they can expect.
Follow-Up Emails. After the service, send follow-up emails asking for feedback and offering future discounts.
5. Capture & Feature Online Reviews
When a prospect is on the fence, they’re going to find your handyman business reviews. If they see a lot of reviews and a strong rating, that can close the deal quickly. Ultimately, online reviews leverage the power of social proof, trust and credibility. Make sure to have a strategy to capture, feature and repurpose reviews across all channels for maximum impact.
Handyman Review Blueprint
System for Capturing Reviews. Don’t leave reviews to chance. Instead, create a system that you and your staff use to encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, and other relevant platforms.
Simplify the Process. Make it easy for customers to leave reviews by providing direct links, clear instructions and an incentive to do it quickly.
Respond to Reviews. Respond to all reviews, both positive and negative, to show that you value customer feedback and are committed to improvement. Be personable, engaging and aim to solve problems.
Highlight and Repurpose Reviews. Feature positive reviews on your website and social media to build trust with potential customers while repurposing into other mediums. For example, a written review can be transformed into a short video clip with dynamic text.
Every Customer Counts. Let Slamdot Help You.
There’s an adage in marketing that says the best customer is the one you already have. Of course, every business wants more leads. But by focusing on customer loyalty and retention, you’ll develop long-term relationships that boost your bottom line.
Using the strategies outlined above, you can stand apart in a competitive world. Unfortunately, too many handyman business owners get caught up in the day-to-day operations and fulfillment of their services and leave their digital marketing last.
That’s where Slamdot can help. With a proven track record in helping home service businesses, we can manage all your marketing efforts with turnkey campaigns and a rockstar team that focuses on ROI.
Most importantly, our services are designed to be hands-off for you. Which means you can focus on delivering great service while we flood your inbox and CRM with leads that become long-term customers.
If you’re ready to stand out and earn more money from every customer, request a fast quote today!
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