If business isn’t going exactly how you planned this year, you’re not alone. The last several months have been challenging for many businesses, especially home services contractors. Without a doubt, the pandemic has caused a major shakeup that is probably affecting your bottom line. Even as things begin to open up again, consumers are more guarded about spending than ever before. If you’re looking to generate leads and grow your business in this new world, here are several ways to improve your COVID-19 marketing strategy.
How Home Services Contractors Can Update Their Marketing Strategy During COVID-19
1. Build Trust With Your Customers
Instead of pushing sales, focus on building trust with your customers. From updating your sanitary guidelines to offering contact-less appointments and low-risk installation, show that you are concerned about your customers’ health.
Another way to beef up your COVID-19 marketing strategy is to share if you’ve donated to help support crisis response. A recent 4A’s study found that 56% of customers wanted to know if companies donated goods or services during the pandemic.
Even if this added trust doesn’t turn into more sales immediately, it signals that you understand and value the concerns of your community. This could help generate leads in the future.
2. Be More Interactive and Responsive to Your Customers
With more people working from home, it’s no surprise that screen time has increased significantly. Home services contractors should take advantage of this by interacting with customers more. Look for unique and creative ways to connect with your audience.
For example, you could post a series of how-to videos or spotlight how your employees have been dealing with quarantine. Stay positive and informative and your customers will be more likely to remember you when they are ready to buy.
3. Focus on Your Blog Content
Fresh blog content is one of the most cost-effective ways to reach more customers. If blogging isn’t already a part of your COVID-19 marketing strategy, now is the right time to get started.
Focus on content that answers common questions with subtle sales pitch at the end. If you’re not sure what to answer, Google the services you offer. The search results usually have a “people also ask” section with great options. How-to and self-inspection guides also make great blog content.
Plus, devoting more time to your blog will help boost your website traffic and SEO rankings. This will only help generate more leads as things continue to return to normal.
4. Audit Your Ads
Now is also a great time to review your current ads. You should not only look at your ad budgets and spend, but also review your ad copy and images. For example, make sure your ads are targeting your customers appropriately.
Instead of promoting buy now, consider changing your ads to offer book now, install later. Consider also adding details about social distancing or your new sanitation practices.
Then see if you can adjust your bids to decrease your overall cost while still generating leads. It may take a little tweaking, but this can really improve your Google credibility and generate more leads in the long run.
5. Update Your Email Marketing
Many home services contractors rely on direct pitch emails that are based around a single offer. Unfortunately, offer-based messaging isn’t as effective as other tactics right now. A great alternative is to develop a drip campaign.
Create a series of emails that help customers get to know you and learn about your services. You can even include some of your recent blog or social media content as well. Not only does this improve your COVID-19 marketing strategy, but it’ll help generate leads when things open up again.
6. Optimize Your Website
If it’s been a while since you looked at your website, now is a great time to make some changes. From search engine optimizations to adding an update about your pandemic response, improving your website will help you generate leads now and in the future.
Even if you can’t understand all the technical details of your website, you can probably make simple changes that increase traffic and SEO rankings. Start with reviewing your calls to action and then look for ways to showcase your social channels as well as your blog content.
7. Adjust Your Sales Process
Now more than ever, consumers are cautious about making purchases. One of the best ways to react to this is to slow down and think about your customer’s journey. It may seem counterintuitive, but softening your sales pitch and nurturing the relationship can actually lead to more sales down the road.
The main selling point for many home services contractors is service and quality. While this is still important, highlighting flexible payment options or delayed installation services are just as important to include in your COVID-19 marketing strategy. These features can make all the difference for your customers.
Tips for Updating Your COVID-19 Marketing Strategy
- Brainstorm With Your Team – Set aside time to brainstorm new marketing ideas with your entire team. Think about the challenges your customers face and come up with content that provides a solution.
- Be Genuine – Your customers will see through gimmicks and schemes, so be as genuine as possible with your ads and content. This builds trust and makes sure they will remember you when they are ready to buy.
- Make Small, Consistent Improvements – Instead of making sweeping changes all at once, make smaller updates more consistently. This way you know what worked and what didn’t.
- Measure Customer Reactions – Unless you are tracking the results, you won’t know if your updated marketing strategy generated leads. While you’ll get social media results in hours, data for blog content and website optimization will take longer.
- Make Changes Part of Your Business – Adjusting your marketing strategy shouldn’t be limited to rare events like a pandemic. Instead, make change a regular part of your business. Revisit your goals every quarter to ensure you’re generating enough leads.
Generate More Leads With Keyword Connects
Let the digital marketing experts at Keyword Connects supplement your COVID-19 marketing strategy and help your business grown during and after the pandemic.
Our custom lead generation campaigns connect home services contractors with customers that are ready to buy. We consistently generate the highest volume of qualified, exclusive leads at the lowest cost.
Launching your campaign couldn’t be easier and our proprietary paid search technology finds leads other providers miss. With our pay-for-performance model, you can get started today and only pay for the leads you receive.