How to Start & Grow Your Plumbing Business

As the demand for plumbing services continues to grow over the next 5 years, keep in mind that the industry covers many areas such as sanitation, water, gas, heating and cooling, metal roofing, industrial wastes, drainage, building services, mechanical services, and much more. These are essential services for commercial and residential buildings, and the demand for plumbers is unlikely to slow down—which gives your start-up space to grow!

With so many competitors in the market, we understand that starting your field service business can be difficult. When thinking of how to start a plumbing business, there are many specific aspects that you need to consider such as creating a business plan, setting your digital footprint, and generating business leads for growth.

Here are some of the best tips for starting your plumbing business from the pros here at RazorSync:

• Know Your Industry
• Understand the Legal Requirements
• Make a Business Plan
• Going Digital
• Lead Generation Strategy

Know Your Industry 

Before starting your plumbing business, you must understand and know the industry before you enter the market. Knowing your industry and finding your niche is very important to gain leads and growing your business.

Whatever sector you decide to focus on, make sure that you pick a niche that you’re prepared to handle. An advantage of specializing your business within a particular area of plumbing is that you’ll be able to operate more efficiently. Since your startup is a small business, starting in a niche area allows you to avoid putting pressure on your limited resources.

Starting in a widespread market requires you to hire many workers in different specialties, which may not be feasible for your budget starting out. So, do some research and see which particular plumbing service you’d like to offer first.

Understand the Legal Requirements

In learning how to start a plumbing business, one of the most important steps to take is to understand your legal infrastructure and requirements.

As is a requirement for most businesses, you will need to submit important documentation, permit applications and certifications before you can begin contracting work. These documents are typically acquired after the respective authorities give operational clearance to your business.

Your state will require you to complete specific documentation such as a plumbing license, a contractor’s license, and a plumbing permit. In addition to that, you will also be required to submit other documents such as plumbing forms, proposals, guides, and more to your clients, as well as a tax identification number (TIN) and liability insurance.

In case you intend to sell plumbing equipment, parts, or products, you will need to produce a retail license as well. With all of that in mind, make sure that you have acquired all the legal documents necessary before jump-starting your business. 

Make a Business Plan

Before you can begin building your business, you’ll want to create a business plan. Essentially, a business plan is your guide to help keep you on the right track.

A specific business plan involves an operational roadmap for years to come. It’s not enough to simply have an understanding of your business; to be successful, you must clearly document your plan for operations and processes in the short- and long term. Do research into the trends and challenges hitting your industry and account for them in your plan. This plan should also include a specific allocation for the resources at your disposal and how you plan to grow these resources. Aside from resources, it’s important to include your financial findings, employee information, office space and equipment needed, marketing plans, and more. 

Going Digital

In today’s day and age, your plumbing business cannot grow without a good online presence. As customers typically visit a prospective company’s website to find out more about its services before contacting you, your business will want to showcase the services you provide.

If a website’s design is user-friendly, people will stay engaged for a longer time, resulting in a higher number of conversions. Be sure to include relevant images and content specific to your plumbing company, including service descriptions, pricing packages, contact details, terms and conditions, and more. 

Similarly, your potential customers will likely want to engage with your business via social media. Be sure to explore social channels such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, where you can drive customers to your business. Create your business accounts, and post content relevant to your plumbing niche on these pages regularly. In doing so, you can attract potential clients to your company’s website and build lasting relationships.

Lead Generation Strategy

Another important consideration in growing your plumbing business is generating high-quality leads that turn into customers and sales. To do so, you’ll want to consider specific strategies to reward customers who bring you referrals.

For example, if a customer recommends your service to a friend, reward them with discounted services. You can also offer discounts to frequent customers, thus developing a healthy, long-lasting relationship. Another strategy is to offer follow-up services for free to returning customers. This will help you turn your customers into evangelists for your company. 

Ready to learn more about how to start and grow a plumbing business with the industry’s #1 rated field service management software? Try RazorSync free for 14 days to get your business started! For more information, contact one of our pros to learn more.