How to Maximize Marketing ROI for Your Home Services Company

Based on the title of this blog post, I know what you’re hoping to see here=: a step-by-step, do-this-not-that formula that lands you at the top of Google search and gets your phone ringing off the hook.

And listen, I can absolutely walk you through that.

But I’m going to tell you something most home services marketing companies won’t. Paying for a magical SEO + PPC + GBP formula (for example) actually isn’t the best place to start. In fact, if you do start there, you’ll probably waste a crap-ton of time and money.

If you’re really looking to maximize your company’s ROI, you should think about your brand first.

What the heck does brand even mean?

Most business owners see the word brand and think logo. But your logo is really just a visual representation of your brand. Your actual brand is something much, much deeper. 

I’m going to tell you my favorite definition of brand in a sec, but let me ask you some questions first.

• When you see the Nike swoosh, what’s your first thought? “They make athletic apparel”? Or “They make athletes”?
• When you see Target’s logo, do you think, “They sell stuff”? Or do you think, “That’s where my spouse disappears for hours and comes back really happy”? (Or is that just me?)
• When you see Apple’s logo, do you think, “That’s a technology company”? Or do you think, “How did we ever survive without iPhones?”

Obviously, how you respond to a company’s logo depends on your specific experience with a product or service. And that’s actually the whole point. 

Your “brand” isn’t what you say it is. It’s what your customers say it is, based on their experience of you or based on what they’ve heard about you.

• Your “brand” isn’t “plumbing company.” It’s “Those guys who show up on time.” (Or not.)
• Your “brand” isn’t “HVAC business.” It’s “They have the nicest techs.” (Or not.)
• Your “brand” isn’t “home services company.” It’s “They’re not the least expensive, but they do such good work I don’t even care.” (Or not.)

In other words, your brand isn’t so much what you do, as how you show up. 

My Favorite Definition of Brand 

My favorite definition of brand is this: The emotional aftertaste left by an experience. 

Oof. That hits home, doesn’t it? 

That idea is so powerful because of the way human beings are wired. We’re not really the logical, smartical beings we presume to be. Instead, we’re actually deeply emotional beings who, on occasion, think. 

You see, it turns out we spend a good part of our day, most days, looking for solutions to emotional problems. 

• We don’t call a lawn company because our grass is too long. We call them because we’re embarrassed by our yard.
• We don’t buy a new car because our current one is worn out. We get the new one because we want to feel successful. 
• We don’t hire an accountant because we need someone else to file our taxes. We hire them so we don’t have to worry about getting audited. 

How to Establish Your Brand

Obviously, if you leave a terrible aftertaste with your customers, they won’t come back for more, and they certainly won’t recommend you to their friends. So how do you leave a good aftertaste instead?

First, get clear on who your customers are. 

I’m not talking about your service area and customer demographics. I’m talking about psychographics. What are they dealing with on a day-to-day basis? What other brands are they interacting with? Are they more likely to respond to a buttoned-up experience or a more personable one? 

Get inside their mind (and hearts, honestly) so you can better understand what emotional aftertaste will best appeal to them.

Then, get suuuuuuper honest. 

What do you want your brand to be, and how do you currently measure up to that ideal? In short, decide how you want to show up and then do what you need to do to make that a reality. 

• If you want to be known as the company with lightning fast service, hire more techs. 
• If you want people to think of you as the friendliest business in town, invest in customer service training.
• If you want your customers to think of you as the company who gives a damn, don’t disappear after the sale. Follow-up with folks—not with the mindset of getting more business, but for the purpose of taking good care of them.

If you’re not sure where to start, look at your current reviews. What are your customers already saying about you? How can you deepen those positive experiences and become known for them?

The bottom line is you already have a brand. It’s up to you to influence it. 

How to Build Your Brand

I’ve said it 1789 times before, and I’ll keep saying it: Customer service is marketing is customer service. 

So show up. 

Do good work with a good attitude.

Repeat.

Yes, you need to actually market your business in lots of ways and in lots of places. Yes, you’ll need to run PPC ads and deal with SEO. Yes, you should have a solid strategy to get reviews after every service call. Yes, you need a good website and on and on and on.

But any business can do those things and get a customer once. Companies that last play the long game. They keep showing up, keep solving problems for their customers, and engage in a process of continuous improvement to keep their brand healthy.

Branding can be tricky. You'll want help.

I can geek out all day long about Google algorithms and Facebook strategy. But my favorite conversations are the more philosophical ones about who you are and how you show up for customers. If you’re feeling stuck when it comes to branding or marketing or both, I’d love to chat. For starters, check out this podcast episode with Sarah Ghirardo at Service Titan.

Or better yet, if you already know that your brand needs a makeover, it's probably time to bring in the big guns. I love to recommend the team at Kickcharge Creative for the best branding work for home service companies. Hands down.