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Get The Marketing For Your House Painting Business Right – January Edition

Should I Offer Promotions or Discounts, and How Do I Market Them?

Are you the owner of a house painting business? 

Do you want to get your marketing right this year?

Well, we want to help you!

Painting business owners often ask us lots of questions about marketing.  They want to know how to enhance their business visibility and attract more leads.  They also want to know about the best way to turn those leads into clients.

So, let’s go over 3 common questions that we get asked.  More importantly, let’s also review the answers to those questions so your 2024 marketing gets you to your revenue goal.

Question 1 - How Can I Effectively Target My Local Market?

To effectively target your local market, it’s important to employ a multi-prong approach that combines both online and offline strategies.

Start with your foundation, your website.

Be sure to use onsite search engine optimization techniques, such as:

  • Page titles
  • Alt-text for images
  • H1, H2, and H3 tags
  • Website schema where appropriate

Make sure that the website is optimized for local keywords.  

Need keyword ideas?  You can use tools like:

These tools can tell you what people are searching for and how often it’s being searched in your area.

Next, utilize online platforms like Google Business Profile, Apple Business Connect and Bing to enhance your local visibility.  Be sure to fill out your profile completely and post regularly.

After you have a solid foundation, you can move to the next level, which is social media.  Engage with your followers and your community through social platforms that your prospects are using.  Share before and after images, customer testimonials and relevant content to the work that you do.  

You can also leverage online advertising through these platforms, as they allow you to target using specific geographic areas as well as demographics and psychographics.

After you have your online efforts started, use the power of traditional marketing methods as well to 2X your efforts.

You can:

  • Distribute well-designed flyers or signs in local neighborhoods
  • Participate in or sponsor community events
  • Partner with local businesses
  • Partner with a local charity

Don’t forget about the local database you already have – your client list!  Ask satisfied clients for referrals (or if they have anything else that they need to have done).  

All of these methods can contribute to a robust local marketing strategy.

Bonus Tip - Be sure to monitor and analyze the performance of your marketing efforts.

Make adjustments as needed based on feedback that you receive from your clients and the effectiveness of different channels.

By combining online and offline strategies, you will create a comprehensive approach to effectively reach and connect with your local market.

Question 2 - How Can I Differentiate My Painting Business From My Competitors?

Some people believe that all painting businesses are the same and they just look at the price.

Well, it is your job to make yourself different from everyone else and change that person’s mind.

So, how do you do that?

First, you need to focus on your hook to “reel” people in.  Your hook is your unique and compelling identity.

What are your strengths? 

What sets your company apart?

Some examples:

  • A commitment to craftsmanship
  • Innovative painting techniques
  • The speed at which you can get to a client’s house
  • A guarantee that you offer all clients
  • Any other distinguishing factor that sets you apart 

Next, craft a strong and memorable brand message that communicates your hook to your target audience.  You may want to create an accompanying image that illustrates your hook as well.

Once you have your messaging finalized, it’s time to start advertising it!

Showcase your brand message through content marketing.  Create informative blog posts, videos or social media posts that revolve around your messaging and targets your exact audience that you want to reach.  

Some additional points to highlight in your content marketing:

  • Your painting skills
  • Your industry knowledge
  • Your commitment to customer service

This will position your business as an authority in the field as well as building trust with future customers.

Another way to set yourself apart from your competition is to encourage and actively collect positive customer reviews and testimonials.  

Be sure to display these on your website as well as your marketing materials.  This can help build credibility and reinforce the quality of your services.

Question 3 - What Online Platforms Should I Use For Marketing?

Choosing the right marketing platform really comes down to a few things.  You will need to look at:

  • Your target audience (where do they hang out?)
  • Your business goals (how much do I want to make and how much can I spend?)
  • The nature of your painting services (what value do I provide?)

Here are some effective online marketing platforms to consider:

  1. Google Business Profile (GBP): Make sure that your business profile is optimized and completely filled in.  This platform enhances your local visibility, provides essential information to potential customers, and encourages reviews.
  2. Your Website: As we mentioned above, your website is the foundation of all marketing.  It serves as your online storefront, providing information about your services, your work photo gallery, customer testimonials, hours of operation and contact details.  Optimize it for SEO to increase your overall online visibility.
  3. Facebook/Instagram: Share high-quality photos or videos of before and afters, completed projects, your team at work, engaging content and more!  Let prospects put a face to the name of the business and get to know, like and trust you before they hire you.
  4. Google Ads: You can find people with a buying intent here.  They allow you to target specific demographics, locations and interests to reach potential customers effectively.
  5. Email Marketing: Create and maintain an email list that has both clients and prospects.  You can send them newsletters, promotions and updates to keep yourself top of mind and them fully engaged.
  6. Content Marketing: Create valuable content, like blogs, videos or articles that are related to house painting and home improvement.  This positions your business as the authority in your area and improves your SEO at the same time.
  7. Review Sites: Be active on all of the review sites that you can, such as Google, Yelp, Home Advisor and more.  Encourage your satisfied customers to leave you reviews.  You will also want to address any negative feedback that you receive on these platforms as well.
  8. Local Directories: List your painting company on local directories and industry-specific platforms.  One tool that you can use to automate this process is Yext.  This helps with SEO, enhances your online presence and helps potential clients find you more easily because you are in more places that they may search.
  9. YouTube: Did you know that Google owns YouTube and that YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world?  YouTube can be powerful for reaching an even broader audience than before.  Create engaging videos that show off your painting projects, client testimonials or DIY tips.
  10. Community Engagement: Take part in local online forums and community groups.  Be sure to engage with the local residents and offer valuable insights.  This will help establish you as THE local house painting expert that they should call when they have a paint job.

Elevate Your House Painting Business with Strategic Marketing in 2024

In the dynamic world of house painting, mastering the art of marketing is essential for business growth. As we’ve explored in this article, the key to success lies in a well-rounded approach that blends both traditional and digital strategies. Whether you’re aiming to enhance your local visibility, differentiate your business from competitors, or choose the right online platforms, a strategic and multifaceted plan is paramount.

Effectively targeting your local market involves optimizing your website with SEO techniques, leveraging online platforms like Google Business Profile, and engaging with your community through social media. Traditional methods, such as distributing flyers and partnering with local businesses, complement these efforts to create a robust local marketing strategy.

Setting your painting business apart from competitors requires a strong and memorable brand identity. Identify your unique strengths, craft a compelling brand message, and showcase it through content marketing and positive customer testimonials. 

When it comes to choosing the right online platforms, consider your target audience, business goals, and the nature of your painting services. From Google Business Profile and social media to email marketing and community engagement, each platform plays a role in enhancing your online presence and reaching potential customers.

As you embark on your marketing journey in 2024, remember to continuously monitor and analyze your efforts. Adaptation is key, and by combining online and offline strategies, you’ll create a comprehensive approach that effectively reaches and connects with your local market. Here’s to a successful year of growing your house painting business through strategic and impactful marketing!

Want help accomplishing your goals this year? 

Check out our Painter Marketing 365 program!

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for House Painting Companies in 2023: Help Your Brand Stand Out In The Search Results (SERPs) Part 2

Last time, we talked about how to get your local SEO and business listings right.

In this post, we will discuss blogging for SEO, link building and citations and the importance of reviews.

Strategy 3 – Blogging for SEO: Engaging Audiences through Intelligent Content Marketing Approaches

For local painting businesses looking to increase their online presence and attract new customers, blogging can be a very effective tool. 

By creating informative content that aligns with your industry expertise, you’ll position yourself as a thought leader in the eyes of potential clients. With proper execution, this strategy will improve both your search engine rankings and overall digital marketing efforts.

SEO Blogging Tips and Tricks

As a painting business owner, you understand the importance of staying up to date with current events in your area and industry trends.  You will want to create specific content that targets local areas and is still engaging for readers.

How can you do this?

  • Use relevant keywords targeted at your location
  • Solve a problem that your potential client may have

Here are a few examples of good blog ideas for painting companies:

  1. From Start to Finish – A Complete Walkthrough of Painting Your House Exterior in [Your Town Name]
  2. What Color Should I Choose for the Best Resale Value? A Guide to the Most Popular Colors in [Your Town Name] for [Year]
  3. Paint Finishes – Which Finish to Choose for Your Room and Why
  4. Choosing a House Painter in [You Town Name] – What Should You Look For & What Are the Red Flags?
  5. Remodeling Your Kitchen? A Complete Timeline of What to Expect

Blogging for Brand Awareness

Blogging extends beyond mere search engine optimization for your website. Through crafting content on industry-relevant subjects, you can connect with a broader audience in your target market and cultivate credibility for your brand. 

By offering valuable and insightful articles, you foster customer loyalty and amplify recognition of your corporate identity.  This way, when someone in your area is ready to paint, they already know who to choose – YOU!

Strategy 4 – Link Building and Secondary Citations

Google’s ranking algorithm considers numerous factors to determine the order in which websites appear in search results. While the exact details of the algorithm are closely guarded, one key element when determining rankings is backlinks and citations.

Building Backlinks

The number and quality of links from other reputable websites to your site, known as backlinks, plays a crucial role. Google views these as a vote of confidence in your content’s credibility and authority. The more quality backlinks your website has, the more relevant it will be seen by the search engines.

Some easy ways to get backlinks to your website:

  • Join your local Chamber of Commerce (make sure your profile is filled out completely)
  • Join a BNI group (make sure your profile is filled out completely)
  • Activate “Creator Mode” in LinkedIn and add a link to your website in the profile
  • Add a link to your website in your YouTube Channel’s profile
  • Check to see if your college alumni association allows links in your alumni profile and link to your business from there

Building Citations

Citations are an essential component of local search optimization. They involve mentioning your business name, address or phone number on third party websites without linking directly to it. 

While citations may not have the same impact as links, they still play a crucial role in improving rankings by increasing brand awareness and credibility among customers and other businesses alike. 

One tool that can help you build your citations is called Yext.  You input your information once and it distributes this information to over 75 different directories.  IFTS is currently running a special on this service for $50/month. 

Interested?  Contact si@iftsdesign.com to get started.

Strategy 5 – Reviews: Improve Your Reputation By Getting More Positive Reviews

Though the exact number is not known, reviews are estimated to account for about 40% of Google’s local ranking algorithm.  This makes reviews extremely important to your painting company, or any local service business!

The more positive reviews that you have, the more favorably Google should look upon your Google Business Profile listing.  Typically, people like to see a company have a 4-star reputation or higher.

Obviously, the best way to get reviews is to do the best job for your clients, so they are positively bursting to tell others how amazing you are.

Sometimes, it’s not that easy.  So, setting up processes to get reviews is a good idea.

A few processes that you can put in place:

  • Create review links in your email signatures
  • Have a review email sequence that goes out after the final walk through
  • Use a QR code on a business card that your employees use to ask for reviews
  • Offer an incentive (which they must disclose) to get a review
  • Create a page on your site that allows them to submit reviews

To see a step-by-step guide of how to set up a review process, check out this blog post from IFTS.

Conclusion – Start Putting SEO into Place Today For Your Painting Business

The rise in internet usage has made it crucial for local businesses to invest in quality SEO services and market their brand within their area. 

With more people turning online when searching for products or services, this is no longer an option but a necessity if you want your house painting company to thrive.

To remain competitive in today’s digital landscape, implementing an effective local SEO strategy is crucial for businesses. This approach will attract more customers and give you the edge over your competition. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to grow, so start today!

Need help getting started with this?

Let us handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on running a successful painting company! Email si@iftsdesign.com to find out more!

Local Lead Generation Techniques for House Painting Companies

Quality leads, better customers, less hassle

LEAD GENERATION FOR HOUSE PAINTERS, PART 2

Last time, we talked about generating leads for your painting business using Google Ads and Website Optimization.

Now, let’s talk about 4 more tactics as well as a plan to bring them all together.

LEAD GENERATION TACTIC #3 – SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)

60% of all organic clicks go to the organic top 3 search results.

– Business2Community

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of adjusting a website’s architecture and content such that it receives a higher page rank in search engine results pages in response to certain queries. In an ideal world, customers would just type a few keywords related to your business into Google and learn that you provide the best value for your customers’ money.

76% of people using “near me” searches visit a related business within a day.

– Google

In the real world, there is a long list of known factors that go into how high your website and content will rank in search engine results and SEO works to make your business as attractive as possible.

Organic position 1 receives the highest number of standard SERP clicks.

– BrightLocal, 2019

Search engine optimization is a powerful tool.  It helps with attracting more qualified prospects who are ready to buy. If your website is optimized for search engines like Google and Bing, it will be more likely to be seen by potential clients who are conducting online searches for painting and handyman services.

The constant algorithm changes that Google makes are the largest obstacle to maintaining “good” SEO for your site. 

Businesses that rely on search engine optimization for lead generation often find it difficult to keep up with Google’s changes to search ranking numbers.  This dynamic nature of SEO means that many companies prefer to hire outside professionals to maintain their websites.

SEO leads have a 14.6% close rate, outbound leads (ex. direct mail or print advertising) have a 1.7% close rate.

– Search Engine Journal

LEAD GENERATION TACTIC #4 – EMAIL MARKETING

Email is ideal for generating leads since it can be tailored to each individual recipient and it has a low cost.

Email marketing continues to play an important role in any successful lead generation strategy, as it is widely regarded as one of the finest ways to communicate with consumers and prospects. In terms of bringing in new customers, expanding the reach of an existing brand, and converting existing customers, email marketing remains unrivaled.

42% of organizations believe email is one of their most effective lead generation channels.

– Circle Research

Use Dedicated Landing Pages In Your Emails

Each and every email you send should have a distinct purpose. Having a landing page dedicated just to said goal is a great way to keep your readers on the track you’ve set out for them. Every email must include one clear and concise call to action that instructs the recipient on what to do next.

Some example Calls To Action (CTA):

  • Get A Free Quote
  • Schedule Your Free Home Estimate
  • Download Our Moving Checklist
  • Make An Appointment

Companies see a 55% increase in leads when increasing their number of landing pages from 10 to 15.

– HubSpot

By using a landing page, you can make sure that all of your reader’s attention is on what you want them to do. There are no distractions or offers of other products to give them more choices. Just an easy way for the reader to do what you want, which means a higher conversion rate.

For most painting and handyman companies, a landing page will typically have a form to fill out or an appointment scheduler as the main action.

Bring Prospects Back To Your Website Via List Building

Know that most of the people who visit your website will never come back unless you keep in touch with them regularly.

One of the best ways to do this is to get more people to sign up for your email list.

Only 4% of website visitors are ready to buy.

– Marketo

Email subscribers choose to join your list and confirm who they are by clicking on a link (double-opt-in). They are very interested in what you have to offer, so they are more likely to buy from you. Think of them as leads who have already shown interest but need to be won over and cared for.

No matter what kind of business you run or what industry you’re in, if you have a website and want to turn visitors into repeat customers, you need to get them on your email list.

Email lists also protect you from any sort of changes to a platform or account cancellation.  A lot of companies invested millions of dollars getting Facebook followers so they could communicate with their followers for free.  Then, Facebook changed the rules and a company’s post will typically reach 10% maximum of their followers.  If that company wanted to be sure that their followers saw something they posted, they would need to pay for a Facebook ad to do this.

LEAD GENERATION TACTIC #5 – PAID ADVERTISING WITH FACEBOOK

Companies that engage in social selling get 199% better return on investment.

– Awario

You can show ads to people in your area based on their location, age, gender, interests, and a lot more with a social media business account. And social media sites make it easy to tell your followers what they should do.

31% of consumers say they are using social media channels to browse for new items to purchase.

– Aimia

Because ads on Facebook and other social media sites often target specific people based on their demographics or actions, you can use what you know about your customers to reach out to those you think would be more interested.  You can also retarget people that you know are interested in your services.

Facebook accounts for 50% of total social referrals and 64% of total social revenue.

– Business Insider

Facebook Messenger and Lead Generation Ads

Digital marketing makes it possible for local painting businesses to reach their ideal customers in ways we never thought possible. With Facebook Messenger marketing, you can put your ad in people’s inboxes or chat directly with new and potential customers. This works better and costs less than other digital ads.

Local businesses that use Facebook Messenger to promote their business have a huge advantage in being able to reach out to people who are actually interested in their product and live near them.

Facebook added two new features in 2019 to make it easier for your business to market itself. They added lead generation templates right to the Ads Manager to get people to go to a question-and-answer flow in Messenger that is run automatically.

And an appointment booking interface API that can be connected to a business’s calendaring system so that people can see the most up-to-date available appointments.

Messenger marketing is about SO MUCH MORE than just ads and chatbots

When you use Messenger for marketing, you can put an ad in the chat inbox of your ideal customer, where it will be hard to miss. But there’s more…

You can: make interactive stories, give customer service by answering FAQs, customize product or service suggestions, book appointments, send purchase or shipping confirmations, send newsletters and notifications of new blog posts, deliver downloadable content like lead magnets or catalogs, and send event reminders.

LEAD GENERATION TACTIC #6 – REPUTATION MARKETING

The people who work for you or buy from you now trust you enough to do so.

But how do you get new prospects to trust you and your business?

How do you get leads to turn into sales? 

With reviews and testimonials on your website and on other sites like Google, Yelp, Facebook, and review sites that are specific to your industry, like Angi.

Before making a purchase, over 90% of people in the United States look online for reviews and recommendations.

90% of online users trust reviews.

– Google

If a lead visits your website or your business’s online presence before or after the research phase of their buying cycle, they should get a clear and bold message about how great your business is. 

Make sure that NEW reviews and testimonials are easy to find on your website. No one will be impressed by a testimonial from three years ago, and it won’t show prospects what you can do for them now.

44% of consumers will not consider a review to be relevant if it was written more than one month ago.

Power Reviews

You can easily automate the posting of reviews and testimonials on your website with cheap reputation management services that gather reviews and post them where they matter most. Good star ratings and customer reviews have been shown to have a big impact on how consumers decide what to buy.

HOUSE PAINTING LOCAL LEAD GENERATION

A good lead generation strategy includes elements that draw in the best prospects, which are people who have said they need or are interested in your services offered and want to find out more about what you have to offer.

These leads are most likely to turn into customers quickly and easily because they are ready to buy. That’s why your lead generation strategy should avoid spam and general telemarketing that reaches people who might not be interested in your product. Instead, it should focus on building you a list of qualified leads who are willing to pay good money for a service you sell.

When you have a good lead generation strategy, you can use effective activities and a focused approach to get qualified leads that turn into loyal customers.

Your strategy should try to get prospects’ attention, make it easy for them to find your business, and turn prospects into customers.

Your plan for getting leads needs to be as flexible as the people you’re trying to reach. Make and test appealing offers, calls to action, landing pages, and lead generation forms, and then promote them through a variety of channels and platforms.

Find the ones that work and do more of those.

A good lead generation strategy takes planning and consistent work to bring in good leads for your business, but the return on investment (ROI) is unbeatable when compared to traditional and outbound marketing methods.

NEED HELP?

This publication is not a how-to guide. Instead, it is a source of information that will help you make smart choices when making and putting into action a marketing plan to get more leads for your painting business.

There are some business owners who know enough about online marketing to do it on their own. But because the tools, rules, and best practices that make up online marketing today are always changing and growing, others should think about working with professional digital marketers who have experience with local lead generation to make sure their campaigns are effective and bring in the most money.

Talk with IFTS today for more details at 412.715.6266!