Even the busiest pool care company could probably use a few more accounts, right? Many people who have pools do not have a pool care company that they work with regularly, leaving their pool open to not just normal wear and tear, but the larger problems that come from not having your pool cleaned and maintained regularly.
Finding and convincing those individuals that they need a pool care company is the goal of every company. If you’re looking to add 100 new accounts to your roster this year, here’s what you need to do:
1. Talk to your existing customers
Not only do you want to make sure that the accounts you already have are happy, you should also be asking them for referrals.
Of course, if they like you, they’ll naturally drop your name when someone else asks for a referral. You can, however, accelerate this process by offering an incentive program for customers who bring in referrals.
One of our clients gives gift cards to a local restaurant to his customers who refer a new account over to his service.
The incentive doesn’t have to be a crazy amount — even a small discount on your normal services for customers who bring in three new customers can be enough to convince your existing accounts to get the word out.
2. Give something away
Can giving something away for free really help bring in new customers? It really can! Consumers want to do business with companies that make them feel like they are valued.
Offering something for free, before they’ve even committed to you is a great way to endear yourself to the customer. For example, you might give every new customer during the month of August a free pool cleaning when they make an appointment for another one of your services.
This kind of incentive can put you ahead of your competition and make your value proposition very clear.
3. Invest in a new marketing tactic
Word of mouth is fine, especially in small towns, but if you’re looking to add 100 new accounts this year, you’re going to need more than just gossip to spread the word about your business.
Investing in a new marketing tactic is one of the best ways to make sure that your pool care company is really reaching the people who need you. If you’re not using Google’s advertising tools, for example, it’s time to start.
Google Ads can produce huge return on investment when operated correctly, and their pretty affordable as you’re only being charged when your ads book a new lead:
4. Leverage social media
Social media can be a great way to not only retain your current customer base, but to also add new accounts. Social media is the best way to advertise the offers or discounts that you might be running, and it’s also the ideal way to boost your word of mouth chops.
You can use it to reach new prospects by creating ads that target the friends and/or neighbors of your existing clients.
This about it: You’ve got 3 pools in a development with 250 homes. Snap of photo of one of your homes/pools (make sure to not include the street address), and post an ad on Facebook within that specific community. Residents will recognize the home style in their feed, and it will of course catch their eye. And, if they’re looking for a new pool service, you’re right there in front of them.
You’ll have a leg up on the competition that’s simply advertising in the local paper, because you’re already serving homes in their area.
Social media is the new town hall—if you want your customers to do your marketing for you, you need to be on social media and you need to be posting content that your followers are going to want to like, comment on, and share.
Speaking of creating content…
5. Get blogging
You might not think that a blog has any value for a pool care company, but the point of a blog is to position yourself as the expert that you are.
Posts about the best chemicals to use in a pool, how often your pool should be cleaned, how often your equipment should be maintained, etc., can all be extremely useful for readers and can show them that you know what you’re talking about.
You can then post links to your blog posts on your social media accounts. This is one of the best ways to bring in those likes, comments, and shares that you need to spread the word about your business.
6. Deliver better value
Not that you’re not delivering great value now, of course. But if you really want to get and hold onto new customers, you need to be delivering way more than you promise.
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “under-promise and over-deliver.” That’s as true with your business as it is for any other business.
Throwing in a free pool cleaning or another simple and cheap service, along with one that a customer is paying for is the best way to over-deliver. When you become this kind of company, people are going to flock to you.
7. Offer consultations
One of the reasons so few people have a pool care company when they really need one is because they don’t know what they’re missing out on by not having one. Providing free consultations is a great way to not only show your value as a company, but also to show potential customers why they need you.
Offer something small for free, with no obligation. Some people will just take the free service, sure, but a lot will then turn around and make an appointment for a real service, once they see that they need it.
8. Cross-promote with another business
For example, if there is a local pool supply store, you might consider approaching them about cross-promoting.
They probably have lots of customers that want to know which pool care company to do business with and you probably have lots of customers that need to buy chemicals and equipment for their pools. This type of cross-promotion can be extremely beneficial for both parties!
Conclusion
One of our pool care service clients always says that he “has the best business office ever, the beautiful outdoors!” That’s probably true, and the best way to spend more time in your great office is by bringing on new accounts that are going to stay with you for years to come. I hope that these tips help!
Unsure about where to begin when advertising your pool service company? Aginto can help with that. And hey, we offer free consultations, too.
Even the busiest pool care company could probably use a few more accounts, right? Many people who have pools do not have a pool care company that they work with regularly, leaving their pool open to not just normal wear and tear, but the larger problems that come from not having your pool cleaned and maintained regularly.
Finding and convincing those individuals that they need a pool care company is the goal of every company. If you’re looking to add 100 new accounts to your roster this year, here’s what you need to do:
1. Talk to your existing customers
Not only do you want to make sure that the accounts you already have are happy, you should also be asking them for referrals.
Of course, if they like you, they’ll naturally drop your name when someone else asks for a referral. You can, however, accelerate this process by offering an incentive program for customers who bring in referrals.
One of our clients gives gift cards to a local restaurant to his customers who refer a new account over to his service.
The incentive doesn’t have to be a crazy amount — even a small discount on your normal services for customers who bring in three new customers can be enough to convince your existing accounts to get the word out.
2. Give something away
Can giving something away for free really help bring in new customers? It really can! Consumers want to do business with companies that make them feel like they are valued.
Offering something for free, before they’ve even committed to you is a great way to endear yourself to the customer. For example, you might give every new customer during the month of August a free pool cleaning when they make an appointment for another one of your services.
This kind of incentive can put you ahead of your competition and make your value proposition very clear.
3. Invest in a new marketing tactic
Word of mouth is fine, especially in small towns, but if you’re looking to add 100 new accounts this year, you’re going to need more than just gossip to spread the word about your business.
Investing in a new marketing tactic is one of the best ways to make sure that your pool care company is really reaching the people who need you. If you’re not using Google’s advertising tools, for example, it’s time to start.
Google Ads can produce huge return on investment when operated correctly, and their pretty affordable as you’re only being charged when your ads book a new lead:
4. Leverage social media
Social media can be a great way to not only retain your current customer base, but to also add new accounts. Social media is the best way to advertise the offers or discounts that you might be running, and it’s also the ideal way to boost your word of mouth chops.
You can use it to reach new prospects by creating ads that target the friends and/or neighbors of your existing clients.
This about it: You’ve got 3 pools in a development with 250 homes. Snap of photo of one of your homes/pools (make sure to not include the street address), and post an ad on Facebook within that specific community. Residents will recognize the home style in their feed, and it will of course catch their eye. And, if they’re looking for a new pool service, you’re right there in front of them.
You’ll have a leg up on the competition that’s simply advertising in the local paper, because you’re already serving homes in their area.
Social media is the new town hall—if you want your customers to do your marketing for you, you need to be on social media and you need to be posting content that your followers are going to want to like, comment on, and share.
Speaking of creating content…
5. Get blogging
You might not think that a blog has any value for a pool care company, but the point of a blog is to position yourself as the expert that you are.
Posts about the best chemicals to use in a pool, how often your pool should be cleaned, how often your equipment should be maintained, etc., can all be extremely useful for readers and can show them that you know what you’re talking about.
You can then post links to your blog posts on your social media accounts. This is one of the best ways to bring in those likes, comments, and shares that you need to spread the word about your business.
6. Deliver better value
Not that you’re not delivering great value now, of course. But if you really want to get and hold onto new customers, you need to be delivering way more than you promise.
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “under-promise and over-deliver.” That’s as true with your business as it is for any other business.
Throwing in a free pool cleaning or another simple and cheap service, along with one that a customer is paying for is the best way to over-deliver. When you become this kind of company, people are going to flock to you.
7. Offer consultations
One of the reasons so few people have a pool care company when they really need one is because they don’t know what they’re missing out on by not having one. Providing free consultations is a great way to not only show your value as a company, but also to show potential customers why they need you.
Offer something small for free, with no obligation. Some people will just take the free service, sure, but a lot will then turn around and make an appointment for a real service, once they see that they need it.
8. Cross-promote with another business
For example, if there is a local pool supply store, you might consider approaching them about cross-promoting.
They probably have lots of customers that want to know which pool care company to do business with and you probably have lots of customers that need to buy chemicals and equipment for their pools. This type of cross-promotion can be extremely beneficial for both parties!
Conclusion
One of our pool care service clients always says that he “has the best business office ever, the beautiful outdoors!” That’s probably true, and the best way to spend more time in your great office is by bringing on new accounts that are going to stay with you for years to come. I hope that these tips help!
Unsure about where to begin when advertising your pool service company? Aginto can help with that. And hey, we offer free consultations, too.