Marketing For Plumbers: The 7 Best Strategies to Try

As a plumber, you need a reliable way of finding work. Referrals and word-of-mouth recommendations are perfect, but they aren’t always enough to sustain a busy calendar, let alone grow a business. Whether you’re a sole trader or running a team, knowing how to market your plumbing business is crucial to finding more work, making more money, and getting more out of your business.

In this guide, we cover the 7 most important marketing channels for plumbers, from local marketing to digital marketing, reviews, and more.

Keep reading or jump ahead:

Repeat Business: The cheapest & easiest way of getting more work 

Why is repeat business so important? In a nutshell, customers you’ve already worked for are far easier to book jobs for than completely new ones.

You’ve probably been on the receiving end of this too: a good first-hand experience with a tradesperson and you’re not going to start looking for another one

Once they trust you, your life becomes so much easier. 

This might not sound like marketing, but it all contributes towards the same end goal. Here are some things you can do to impress customers and keep them coming back (beyond simply doing a good job, of course):

• Check up after the job: A quick “How’s everything working?” message or a polite thank-you email shows you care and builds trust.
• Maintenance packages: Especially for organisations, offer plumbing inspection and maintenance plans. These packages provide a steady and predictable income stream for your business.
• Go the extra mile: Small gestures like leaving the job site spotless, offering preventative advice, answering the phone quickly, remembering preferences, or providing emergency support can leave a great lasting impression.

Digital Marketing for Plumbers

Your website or online reviews are often the first point of contact a potential customer has with your business. Making a strong first impression is critical, as people quickly form opinions while browsing the internet.

Essential Features for a Plumber’s Website

A plumber’s website doesn’t need to be overly flashy or complex. In fact, a straightforward and functional site is ideal for independent tradespeople or small plumbing businesses. Here’s what your site should include:

• Visible Contact Information so customers can reach you quickly.
• A Clear List of Services you provide, including specialties like emergency callouts or boiler repairs.
• Customer Reviews and Testimonials to establish trust and reliability.
• An About Section to personalise your services and share a bit about your business.
• Social Media Links to showcase photos of your work and connect with customers.
• A Clear Call-to-Action (CTA), such as buttons for booking services or requesting quotes.

Above: Kentish Plumbers

, as Boosting Visibility with SEO

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) ensures your website ranks higher in search results, making it easier for people to find you. For plumbers, local SEO is particularly important since your customers are typically nearby.

To optimise your site:

• Use local keywords strategically, like “plumber in Manchester” or “24/7 plumbing service in Cardiff.”
• Claim and update your Google Business Profile with accurate details, photos, and reviews.
• Add structured data (schema markup) to help search engines correctly display your business information.

Using Digital Ads to Attract Customers

Google Ads can position your business at the top of search results when customers are actively looking for plumbing services. Focus on high-intent keywords that indicate a customer is ready to book, such as “emergency plumber near me” or “leak repair in [your area].” Avoid targeting general terms like “plumbing tips”, as people searching for them aren’t likely to book a plumber.

For effective ads:

• Write clear and compelling copy, including a strong call-to-action (CTA).
• Use ad extensions, such as click-to-call buttons, so customers can contact you directly.

By focusing on these strategies, you’ll be able to connect with local customers, build trust, and grow your plumbing business online.

Social Media Marketing for Plumbers

Choosing the Right Platforms

Social media platforms provide excellent opportunities for plumbers to expand their visibility and client base. Focus on platforms like:

• Facebook for engaging local communities and running ads targeted to your area.
• Instagram to share photos of your work, such as before-and-after transformations or pipe installations.
• TikTok for short, engaging videos explaining plumbing hacks, behind-the-scenes moments, or quick maintenance tips.

Engaging Content Ideas

Use social media to demonstrate your expertise and engage your audience by posting:

• Plumbing tips, such as how to identify leaks or maintain pipes during winter.
• Photos or time-lapse videos of finished projects.
• Seasonal offers, like discounts on boiler servicing in autumn or winter.
• Team photos to show the human side of your business and build trust.

Dean Jones is a great example to follow. Here’s his Instagram:

Local Marketing For Plumbers

While digital strategies are effective, local marketing remains crucial for plumbers to gain visibility and attract community clients. Here’s how to promote your business locally:

• Distribute Flyers in your neighbourhood to get directly in front of potential customers.
• Advertise in Community Newsletters or parish magazines to connect with local residents.
• Use Branded Van Wraps featuring your business name, services, and contact details to increase visibility when driving or parked in the area.
• Sponsor Events like local charity drives or fairs to meet nearby homeowners and build rapport.
• List Your Business in local directories for added exposure.
• Optimise your website for local search terms

Email Marketing Strategies

Despite GDPR restrictions, email marketing remains an excellent tool for plumbers, provided you’ve gained proper consent from recipients.

Email Marketing Best Practices

• Ensure customers have actively opted in to receive emails and avoid using bought lists.
• Provide an easy way for recipients to unsubscribe from future emails.

What to send?

• Maintenance reminders, such as “Time to check your pipes before winter!”
• Educational content, like “5 Signs Your Boiler May Need Servicing”.
• Exclusive promotions or customer loyalty discounts.

Gas or Oil Service Reminders

If you do heating work as well, consider sending out annual gas or oil service reminder emails. Customers appreciate the gentle nudge, and they’re a highly effective source of work.

Gas Engineer Software is ideal for heating and plumbing companies as the platform can fully automate the reminder email at a set time before the service due date.

Collect & Use Online Reviews

A decently-sized collection of great reviews is crucial if you want to catch people’s eyes online. 

Some people will leave reviews unprompted, but the reality is most will not. If you want to get reviews, you need to ask for them.

Here’s how:

• Send a follow up email or text to your customer a few days after the job has been completed, along with a link for them to leave a review (on Google or Trustpilot, for example).
• Ask for a review in person at the end of the job if the customer is pleased and happy. 
• Add it to your email signature. This might not get you the most reviews, but it’s low effort and every review you can get counts.
• Sign up to software and add it as a line on your template for sending out invoices. This is quick and easy on Gas Engineer Software.

Always respond to reviews—thank your happy clients and address negative feedback professionally to show commitment to customer satisfaction.

Once you’ve got reviews, don’t stop there. Add them to your website, post them to social media, and share them with your team. 

Partnering with Local Businesses

Collaborating with other local businesses can be a great way to expand your network and attract new clients. For example:

• Partner with Real Estate Agents who can recommend your plumbing services to homebuyers.
• Collaborate with Property Maintenance Companies or builders on renovation projects.
• Work with Other Trades Businesses that subcontract out plumbing work for larger projects.

Manage all your new work with FieldRocket

Once your schedule starts to get busier, you’ll need an efficient job management platform.

Using FieldRocket, you can save hours each week creating electrical certificates and forms, scheduling jobs, and managing customer data.

Create all your electrical records & certificates with FieldRocket

Get started with a 7-day free trial by clicking below.