You’ve honed your skills and launched your own business as a professional painter. But you aren’t the first person to pick up a paintbrush and start a company – and the competition is fierce. How do you set yourself apart in such a tough landscape? Here are some ways that you can generate more leads and increase your profit margins:
Get more referrals.
Recommendations from previous customers are an excellent source of revenue. To increase your referrals, you can give incentives to past clients so they’ll recommend you, such as a discount on their next job. People are more trusting of businesses they heard about through word-of-mouth than from a paid ad or promotional flyer.
Rank higher on Google.
If your website is listed higher in organic search results, you’ll see more traffic on your website, and generate more leads. It’s been shown that 75% of people will not look beyond Google’s first page, so for your rankings to matter, you need to be one of the top results. Investing in SEO can increase your organic traffic. Another way to increase your visibility is by claiming and managing your Google My Business listing. When people search for local painters, your business will have a higher chance of displaying in their local 3-pack.
Decorate your office.
If you meet with your clients in-office, then your space is an opportunity to impress them with your skills. Try enhancing company branding through office color schemes. Your workspace is a representation of your painting abilities, so use it to show off. Apply designs on the walls and add sleek, flawless paint schemes to impress your visitors.
Use lawn signs.
What’s a better way to advertise your work than posting lawn signs in your customers’ yards? Once you finish re-working the exterior of their house, ask if you can display a sign on their lawn. Then, as their neighbors drive by and notice the finished product, they’ll see who accomplished that fantastic job: your business. It acts as proof of your claims and can get you more jobs of that nature.
Write educational content.
Many consumers have questions about how painting works, and they turn to the Internet for informational resources. If you write blogs that address these concerns, then one of these people might stumble upon your website and decide to contact you. They’ll appreciate the free advice that you gave them to fix a common problem or answer a specific question.
Invest in online marketing.
Paid ads are a way to grab the attention of the online world. A platform like Facebook, which has millions of users, lets you buy ads that target certain demographics and search histories. You can also spend more time managing your social media profiles to connect with your community and display photos of completed jobs. Instagram is a great way to share photos of your work since it’s a visually-based platform.
Make a website to increase sales.
These days, everything is online. If you don’t have a website, you’re missing out on dozens of potential leads, just because customers can’t find you. You can design high-converting landing pages that include customer testimonials and a call to action. Make landing pages for each of the services that your business offers, whether that’s stucco painting, exterior painting, and/or office design. You’ll attract clients making targeted search results for high-converting leads.
Find lead generation groups.
Search online for lead generation sites that are specific to the painting industry. You’ll have to either pay a monthly fee or per-lead to use these services, but depending on how many jobs you get out of it, it can provide a great ROI.
Claim business listings on online directories.
People use more databases than Google to search for businesses; there’s also Yelp, Angie’s List, and others that are relevant to specific industries. You’re missing out on search volume with the right intent if you aren’t listed on these sites. It’s usually free to claim your listing, so make sure to do so, and update it with all your relevant contact information.
Send direct mail.
Sometimes, it’s best to get in contact directly. You can reach out to past clients by sending them mail that asks if they need any new painting done – add a personal touch by including the first and last name of the resident on the envelope. If you’re planning to send direct mail, research which neighborhoods will be best for you to target. A new-development area wouldn’t be a good fit, since all those homes were painted recently. Try sending direct mail about painting services to houses that are older and need some touch-ups.
Go door-to-door.
When you see the house of your next potential client, you can tell them specific information about exterior painting. One example would be, “I see that your house is made of stucco. Did you know that it should be repainted every 5-10 years?”. Not every doorstep you approach will result in a lead, and you might get the door slammed in your face a few times, but some will result in additional jobs. If they’re on the fence about it, hand them a business card to keep so that they can call you when they do need a paint job.
