Written by We get it. Running a field service company is hard work. You probably work countless hours, and come home exhausted with blisters on your hands. It’s honorable work, and by the time you get home to your family, the last thing you want to do is chase down more business.
Worst of all, using those blistered hands to find more business online is the last thing on your mind. Yes, word-of-mouth is likely the most powerful way to find more customers, but sometimes, the tap just runs dry.
There are a ton of ways to find more customers for your business. We’ve identified three basic digital strategies that can help anyone in the field service business expand their reach.
Look the part on the digital front
As much as we love brick and mortar stores, the way people discover your business has changed. In fact, it changed a long time ago. There are so many tools out there that can help you build a website, but still, more than half of small businesses don’t even have one. It’s time to get online.
Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Imagine you’re sitting in your living room, browsing the internet for the perfect company to build your dream bathroom. If you’re like 80% of the world, the first thing you do, is hit up company reviews. After you find someone who sounds reputable, you’ll probably stumble onto their website.
The majority of your potential customers will read your reviews and visit your site. Which means you’ll want to have something that’s reputable and that people can trust.
I know, I know — using the internet might not be your thing. Luckily, there are a ton of resources that can streamline this process for you. Here is a quick and dirty guide to making your digital showroom (without costing an arm and a leg).
- Find a good name – I suggest you start with a good web address or URL. Something easy to say and spell. There are some good resources for this, but check out impossibility. If your URL isn’t important you can find a good name on Naminum.
- Make a logo – That’s right, I said make. There are a ton of free logo generators out there. As much as I hate to admit it, Hipster Logo Generator is pretty fun. Canva is also user-friendly.
- Build a website – In order to build an incredible website, hiring a good design firm is recommended. However, if you’re not quite ready to commit to spending a little money, check out some template sites. Squarespace and WordPress are always a good place to start. Everything is relatively intuitive, and if it’s not, a little Google research will go a long way.
Just start typing
For those not familiar with the term “content,” you might flinch when you hear the word. If I pair that with SEO, you’ll probably say “forget it!” I understand your frustration, but I promise, stage one of content and SEO isn’t hard — and doing these things will help you get noticed online.
In the meantime, just start typing. What should you write or blog about? I’m a big believer in the honesty policy. Whatever service field you’re in, start by writing about what you know. You’d be amazed at how effective this is. Write a blog post every two weeks (consistency is key), and share it on your social media channels.
A friend of mine owns a drywall company, and shared the most hilarious story with me. Quite literally, one of his employees put up drywall with the homeowner’s cat inside. Seriously, that’s what happened. Despite initial worry for the owner’s feline friend, the cat was fine. This story is pretty funny, and would make a great blog post for your website.
Alternatively, write about a day in the life of a service provider. Don’t roll your eyes — it’s interesting! If you don’t know what to write or share about, just tell it like it is. If you’re worried about spelling, check out Grammarly. They can help you out, too.
If you’re still running out of ideas, it’s always good to write about relevant topics and what’s trending. Check out Google Trends. They’ll show you what’s popular.
Use an online marketplace
Online marketplaces are arguably the best resource for companies. In the case of field service, you’ve got your customers searching for a plumber, a builder, or a handyman etc. and on the other side, you’ve got your PROs offering their services and expertise. An online marketplace simply connects the two together.
HomeAdvisor boasts the nation’s largest network of screened and rated home maintenance, repair, and improvement professionals — it’s the marketplace that we recommend. It’s connected more than 30 million homeowners to the company’s network of over 90,000 home service and improvement professionals in more than 500 categories. With an audience like that, it’s definitely worth signing up.
When you sign up as business owner, HomeAdvisor verifies your business license at the state level and completes a criminal and financial background check, which allows only reputable companies to enroll in their network. Customers rate you on a scale of 1 to 5 and submit reviews based on your performance. It’ll connect you with potential customers, which takes into your availability, the types of services you provide, and the locations you serve.
Each lead provided by HomeAdvisor costs Pros anywhere between $10-$100, depending on the size of the project.
What are you waiting for?
Getting your business online is the first of many steps you can take to expand your customer base. As we post more content on the mHelpDesk Blog, we hope to provide you with even more tools to build and grow your field service company.
Last Updated By: Rochelle Sanchirico
Field Service Automation
Service Solutions
Last modified: January 16, 2018
