In today’s world, advertising is everywhere and it can be hard to stand out as a plumber. Most of your plumbing clients are already overwhelmed by messaging from banner ads, social media promotions, tv commercials, billboards, and more.
How do you cut through the noise to reach the customers that really matter? The answer is email marketing.
When it’s done right, email marketing offers a direct connection to your most engaged customers. It has the highest ROI of any marketing strategy, bringing in as much as $44 in revenue for every dollar spent. With nearly a quarter of small businesses not using email marketing, it's also a chance to get ahead of your competition.
There’s no question that email marketing can generate a powerful number of leads, but it isn’t just about the numbers. Email marketing is also a key part of gaining trust with your audience and building genuine relationships that will keep satisfied customers coming back again and again.
In this article, we’ll explore the basics of plumbing email marketing, including some templates to get your campaigns up and running with the help of Scorpion.
How Can Plumbers Use Email Marketing?
If you own a plumbing business, then you know how important it is to bring in leads. New and existing customers alike are what fill your plumbers’ schedules with appointments — without them, you wouldn’t have a business at all, let alone a growing one.
That’s where email marketing can help. Email marketing reaches your customers in a way that other marketing techniques can’t. About 99% of email users check their inboxes at least once a day, with some checking more than 20 times a day. This can translate directly into sales. Over 50% of people buy from marketing emails at least once a month.
The bottom line is this: People pay close attention to the messages they get via email. And if they signed up for your email list or newsletter, there’s a good chance that they’re already interested in your services. That makes them much more likely to book with you when a plumbing issue comes up, now or in the future.
Plumbing Email Marketing Strategy
To get the most out of your email list, you’ll need an email marketing strategy. From the timing of your emails to the subject line, it’s important to engage your customers the right way. You want to keep your plumbing business top of mind without sounding too much like a non-stop sales pitch.
The purpose of email marketing is to engage your customers, whether you’re reminding them of a new discount, highlighting your services, or offering important education on plumbing issues that homeowners face. The right strategy will have a good balance between promotion and education, focusing mostly on bringing value to your customers.
Here are a few of the most important steps to consider as you build your plumbing email marketing strategy:
1. Segment Your Audience
If you’re sending the same email to your whole customer base, you may not be using the most effective strategy. Segmenting allows you to divide your customer list into different groups and target them with the most relevant messages. For example, you can segment your audience by age, zip code, date of last service, or home ownership status.
2. Create a Wide Range of Content
While most companies will send a regular newsletter, there’s more to email marketing content. By sending a variety of content types, you can keep your campaigns feeling relevant and fresh. Try sending a mix of newsletters, seasonal promotions, special discounts, event invitations, informational emails, helpful resources, and more.
At Scorpion, we know the kinds of content and messaging that work best, from subject lines to call-to-actions. We'll help you craft the right content for every campaign that gets you more clicks and more revenue.
3. Write a Compelling Subject Line
The first thing your customers will see is the subject line. If it doesn’t catch their attention, they might not bother to open it — even deleting the email before you even get a chance to make your pitch.
Make sure your subject line makes them want to open the email and find out more. For example, “Top 10 Ways to Avoid Plumbing Emergencies” or “Get 10% Off Your Next Service.”
4. Set Up Email Automation
Whether you’re sending a “thank you” post-appointment or you want to follow up on a quote, never miss the opportunity to send an appropriate email. By setting up automated emails, you can automatically stay in touch with customers.
With Scorpion's scheduling system, it's easy to deliver email campaigns as soon as a customer takes action, so you don't have to stress about it.
5. Make the Perfect Schedule
Some days and times are better for email marketing than others. While there are some general statistics you can draw from — like Mondays having higher open rates on average — it ultimately depends on your customers. As you move through each campaign, take note of when your audience tends to open emails the most.
Scorpion's email marketing software lets you track your performance over time. With detailed reports and data, it's easy to adjust your campaigns and hit those optimal times.
Plumbing Email Marketing Examples and Templates
The right email marketing strategy can get your email list off the ground. But it isn’t always easy to put those tips into practice. If you want to maximize the potential of email marketing, you need to make sure each campaign is carefully planned and written.
Scorpion's email marketing software includes built-in home services templates you can use to send the best email content as soon as you need it. But to get you started, here are a few examples of email campaigns to try.
Campaign #1: The Welcome Email
As soon as a prospective customer signs up to your email list, they should get a “welcome email.” This is where you can start building your relationship. Introduce your plumbing company, show off what you do, and express your commitment to their satisfaction.
For example:
Hi [Customer Name],
Thank you for joining us at [Plumbing Company]. We’re so excited to have you on board. As promised, here is your [Free Resource or Discount] to get you started.
At [Plumbing Company], we make it our priority to deliver top-notch services to homes in [Service Area]. When you need us most, we’ll be there to get the job done:
- (Service #1)
- (Service #2)
- (...)
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be keeping in touch to bring you the latest plumbing info. Stay tuned for maintenance tips, plumbing know-how, and insider info on how customers are benefitting from our services.
Let us know if you have any questions — we’re here to help!
Campaign #2: The Seasonal Promotion
Instead of reaching out for promotions at random, it can help to tie your campaigns to a specific seasonal event. Maybe there’s a time when plumbing happens to be top of mind — like the day after Thanksgiving, dubbed “Brown Friday.” Shoot your customer base an email to offer some helpful tips in case they’re in a plumbing crisis.
For example:
Hi [Customer Name],
Brown Friday is coming up — are your sinks ready? When drains and sinks back up from overuse during the Thanksgiving holiday, you could have a serious mess on your hands.
Did you know there are [X] things you should never throw down your garbage disposal? Or that there’s a right and a wrong way to clean your post-Thanksgiving pots and pans? Read our latest blog to find out how to protect your plumbing system this season.
And if you’ve still found yourself with a plumbing disaster on your hands, you know who to call. When holiday plumbing emergencies strike, we’re here to help. Take 15% off all services for "Brown Friday" and the weekend after Thanksgiving.
Campaign #3: The Educational Content
Not all marketing emails should be about driving sales. Brand awareness is just as important. When a customer ends up with a clogged drain or a water heater malfunction, you’ll be the first company they think to call.
The best way to create this awareness is through educational content. Nobody knows the trade like you do, so take the opportunity to deliver valuable advice on everything from plumbing maintenance to DIY fixes.
For example:
Did you know that nearly 20% of homeowners say they encounter a clogged toilet on a regular basis?
Don’t let a clog get you down. Some clogged toilets are completely fixable from home — no fancy tools required. But others could point toward a bigger problem that only a professional can solve.
