Advertising for Home Services: 4 Tips for Standing Out During Times of Increased Demand

After the urgent public health crisis prompted months of local and state-wide lockdowns across the United States, Americans have been spending more time at home than ever. While the economic uncertainty created by the public health crisis prompted many households to take a DIY approach to their home improvement projects, recent economic recovery shows that demand is once again on the rise for home services businesses.

The home improvement project season is still in full swing, and consumers are looking for service providers to help them tackle these projects. This heightened demand has home services companies in heavy competition to win the business of new local customers, especially if you’ve experienced reduced demand for your services during the peak of the public health crisis.

The best way to maximize your opportunities is to use digital advertising to connect with consumers as they’re seeking out a business like yours. Here are some tips to help your business stand out from the competition and remain top-of-mind among your local audience.

1. STAY ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

A steady, active social media presence is always beneficial to a home services business. But with consumers demonstrating high demand for your services,  you will probably want to change how you present your business and engage with your audience.

During the lockdowns in the months past, for example, we recommended that home services businesses keep engaged with their customers by showcasing DIY content, including instructional videos, to maintain a relationship with their customers and demonstrate their in-house expertise.

Now that consumers are looking to hire your company for home improvement projects, though, your social media content should shift toward showcasing your skills and highlighting your availability. Consider offering a behind-the-scenes view of projects already in progress. Make sure your social accounts offer easy-to-use options for contacting your business to request a quote or gather other information.

You can also encourage your existing followers to share your social posts and availability with their own networks. This can help you leverage your current audience to organically reach other community members. Organic reach can also be paired with paid social promotion to maximize the overall reach of each social post.

2. OFFER A REFER-A-FRIEND PROGRAM

Want to gain a competitive advantage over your competitors? Give your past customers an incentive to spread the word about your business. A simple referral program can reward your existing customers for their word-of-mouth marketing—and best of all, you only have to pay out rewards if you end up gaining new business.

Simple rewards such as gift cards or discounts on future service can help you grow your customer base and outshine other businesses during this period of heavy competition. Promote this referral program through all available channels, including email, social media, on your business website, and in TV and radio ads.

3. USE HIGH-VISIBILITY ADS TO REACH NEW CUSTOMERS

As demand rises for home services, your business may find even more value by using high-visibility advertising channels such as cable TV. Cable allows you to target a local audience base through relevant TV content, such as home improvement programs aired on HGTV.

Through streaming and other digital video services, you can further enhance your targeting to refine your audience and drive better ROI from your TV campaigns. Even among consumers who may not be actively seeking a home services company, exposure to your brand through awareness-level ads will earn your business brand recognition—and that familiarity could lead to new customers in the future.

4. TARGET YOUR LOCAL AREA

Local businesses are well aware of the importance of engaging a local audience. Proximity matters to your customers—the farther away your business is from their home, the less likely they are to seek out your services. On top of that, many home services businesses are strict about the boundaries of their service area.

Successful ad strategies will prioritize your company’s home turf. Most advertising channels now offer the ability to geo-target ads to the specific communities and locations your business serves. Geo-targeting lets you clearly define the areas where you want your ad to be delivered, regardless of whether you’re using social media, mobile display ads, TV and audio ads, or all of the above. By concentrating your ad campaigns on a specific geographic area, you’re able to gain more visibility for your company.

Don’t let today’s growing demand pass your home services business by. A multi-channel advertising strategy can help your brand quickly connect with local consumers looking for exactly the services you offer.

Overwhelmed by your options? Don’t know where to start? We’re here to help—contact us today to get started.