If you’re an electrician trying to expand your electrical business, you have to know how to market yourself. This includes coming up with a clear marketing strategy, providing exceptional customer service, generating word of mouth, and more.
Even electricians who are experienced and extremely skilled in their trade may have a difficult time expanding their business if they don’t know the right channels to use and the best strategies to employ.
The truth is, if you’re putting little or no thought into the steps you should be taking to gain customers’ attention, you’re likely losing out on business to other contractors already.
Whether you’re a one-person shop or already have a team that’s ready to grow, here are some tips you can employ to give your electrical business a boost.
1. Create a Clear Marketing Strategy and Invest in It
Growth doesn’t happen by accident. It takes careful planning to increase your customer base and grow your business.
By developing a clear marketing strategy, you can plan for and target areas that will enable the fastest growth. You should start by analyzing specific types of jobs or customers that have been most profitable recently and any new markets that may be opening up. (For example, does your company generally have more success with residential or commercial buildings? Are there lots of new developments in your area that could provide jobs, or would your time be better spent by searching out customers that are looking to redesign their homes or buildings?)
You should also evaluate whether you have the resources and the potential client base to service a wider geographical area without spreading yourself too thin, or if your efforts are likely to be more profitable by remaining closer to home.
By identifying your ideal customers, you’ll be able to direct your marketing efforts more directly toward them. Then, when you invest in that marketing strategy by putting money toward your marketing and advertising efforts, it will be well spent and the most likely to give you a higher ROI.
After identifying your audience and their location, you should identify the marketing channels that will be most beneficial for you and most likely to reach your audience. Marketing channels can take the form of Google ads, social media ads, email marketing, billboards, and more.
2. Increase Your Unique Capabilities and Value
Give your business a competitive edge by increasing the value you provide customers. A few ways to increase your value are to increase your ability to create custom designs, solve unique problems your clients face, and stay up to date on latest industry trends and standards so you can give trustworthy recommendations.
Having the ability to offer solutions that are unique and tailor-made for the needs of your customers will give your business a personalized differentiator allowing you to stand out from among your competitors.
3. Get More Word of Mouth
Even in our digital world, when looking for a new product to buy or business to work with, many people’s first move is to ask their friends and family for recommendations. That’s why having great word of mouth is essential, especially for local businesses.
The most important thing you can do to build your reputation and gain more recommendations is, of course, to provide quality service. When you delight your customers, they will want to champion your brand, and they’ll talk about the outstanding experience they had and recommend you to others.
Another thing you can do to keep your company top of mind is to include a very simple invitation in your email signature or your final invoices inviting customers to refer you (e.g., “Enjoy working with us? Tell your friends!”). You may even want to start a referral rewards program for customers who refer a new client that begins doing business with you.
You can also complement your word-of-mouth efforts with local visibility by displaying your logos on company vehicles, branded souvenirs, or giving out business cards and flyers.
4. Bring On Capable Team Members As You Grow
Never underestimate the importance of having a strong team. Capable employees can prove an incalculable asset to your business, while employees that aren’t team players or lack the work ethic or skills necessary can damage your brand, reputation, and morale.
Your crew members will affect your customers’ satisfaction and likeliness to recommend you, as discussed above. Qualified crew members can also add great value to your company as they earn customers’ trust and give you the ability to cover greater distances to reach a broader customer base. They may even bring potential customers with them that they’ve worked with before.
That’s why one essential step to growing your electrical business is to ensure you hire the right people. You should be screening potential hires not only for skill, but for their work ethic, attitude, and how they will fit in with the company culture you want to create.
5. Protect Your Assets
Insurance plays a significant role when it comes to protecting your business and assets. For example, it helps to cover costs that are associated with liability claims and property damage. Without getting electrical contractor insurance, you may have to pay for legal claims and costly damages against your company out of pocket. That alone is enough to put many young companies out of business for good.
Running an electrician business also means that you will have to deal with the unique risks associated with live wires, unfinished construction sites, and active circuits. Electrician’s insurance will help to protect your business assets from litigation resulting from accidents associated with these risks.
A small business owner may erroneously think they don’t need insurance. But, especially as your business grows and you acquire more assets, you have more to lose if you are faced with theft, accidents, or damage claims.
Use these tips to help your electrical business expand and reach even greater profitability!
