Every small business requires thoughtful planning to be successful. An entrepreneur launching their own small painting company must consider, among many things, how best to market themselves.
From initial brand development to navigating business insurance and overhead, it’s no wonder that marketing might not seem a top priority. However, whether your painting company is focused on residential or commercial customers, thoughtful marketing is the key to keeping your pipeline full of new leads.
How do I get clients for my painting business?
Brand marketing strategy and positioning help business owners find new leads.
- Focus on your online presence: Build an informative website and consider how to add value for search engine optimization (SEO). Use social media to connect with customers. Prioritize collecting online reviews and building brand awareness.
- Create a lead generation strategy: Paid ads and email blasts can support broad lead generation efforts.
- Build a referral program: Referral programs and loyalty incentives encourage happy customers who already had a positive experience to extend referrals to their family and friends. Look to satisfied customers to help grow your business as part of your lead generation strategy.
- Make communication easy: Make it easy for potential customers to contact you, whether it’s by phone, email, Web Chat or direct message. Be accountable and provide timely, helpful responses. Your first touchpoint with a new customer might be the most important of all.
- Foster a trustworthy reputation: Perform great work and let your skills speak for themselves. Reliable and professional painters can be hard to find. Build trust with your customers and set yourself apart from your local competition by adding personalized support where it counts.
Top strategies for growing your painting business
Accelerate the growth of your new painting business with these 10 marketing ideas.
1. Optimize your website
Keep your website professional with high-quality images and an easy-to-use interface. It must be well-organized, responsive and mobile-friendly. Include a contact form and use it to build an email database. Be sure to respond to inquiries from prospective leads quickly.
2. Tailor content for search engine optimization
Help your business rise to the top of the search results organically by applying SEO best practices. Pay attention to content marketing opportunities on your website. Learn which keywords people are searching for and create content using those keywords to improve organic rankings.
3. Layer in traditional marketing efforts
Balance your digital marketing strategy with traditional door-to-door marketing tools to boost awareness and recall of your paint company’s business name in your local area. Lawn signs, business cards and door hangers are great ways to grab your customers’ attention.
4. Communicate with customers via Web Chat
Streamline communications by using a Web Chat feature to answer basic questions on your website. Web Chat plug-ins can be AI-driven or managed in real-time by staff, making it easier for prospective customers to quickly get the answers they need.
5. Build an online community using social media
Nothing shouts “amazing!” quite like before-and-after pictures from a painting project. Unlike some home service-oriented businesses, painters can share visual transformations showcasing their work. Whether you specialize in exterior house painting or focus on interiors, posting on social media platforms is a smart way to highlight your latest paint jobs.
Painting companies with a social media presence should also invite their customers to tag them in their photos. Residential painting customers may be thrilled at the opportunity to share your company name on social media.
Consider starting with business profiles on Facebook and Instagram. You can also foster professional relationships on LinkedIn, share tutorials on YouTube or show your company’s personality on TikTok. Choose the channels that best suit your target audience.
6. Use paid media campaigns
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising helps you reach a broader audience and compete in your local market. Use ads to build brand awareness. A compelling call-to-action (CTA) boosts conversions and strengthens your lead generation strategy. Forms added to paid ads can also support lead generation goals.
7. Create a schedule for email marketing
Send email campaigns and marketing newsletters to your database regularly. Painting companies may use email to share offers and business news to establish a connection with current and former customers. A well-timed email campaign can also be designed to stay top-of-mind during slower seasons.
8. Launch a referral program
A word-of-mouth referral program goes a long way toward growing a local business. Painting contractors can leverage existing homeowners and commercial customers to support lead generation. An incentive program encourages past customers to spread the word to new potential clients.
9. Join online directories
Make it easier for new clients to find your business by building business listings on popular review sites like Google Business Profile, HomeAdvisor and Yelp. These pages serve as a place for you to list hours, location information and contact information. Additionally, they are reputable channels that customers use when searching for a new painting company.
10. Ask customers to leave reviews
Satisfied customers can create your best marketing materials. Showcase a job well done and boost your brand’s reputation with testimonials and online reviews. Positive reviews add authenticity and build customer trust.
You can start by simply asking your customers to leave reviews, but an automated review collection makes it easier for a small business to gain traction on review sites.
Promote and manage your painting business with Broadly
Setting your painting business up for success requires thoughtful planning and constant optimization. That’s where Broadly can help. Grow your small business with a strategic marketing plan that optimizes your processes, builds brand awareness and generates new leads.
You may be focused on new bids and managing overhead, but you can take your small business to the next level with help from Broadly.
