What’s the first thing people think about when they hear the name of your home services business?
Does an idea pop into their mind? How about an image?
Do they think of anything at all?
Whatever comes to mind, your branding is the reason why.
Branding is a critical piece of your company’s marketing plan, and it may already be impacting your business more than you know. With a well-executed branding strategy, you can make your home services business unforgettable to prospective and current customers and become their go-to company when they need the types of services you offer.
We’re going to discuss what goes into a successful branding strategy, but first, let’s cover the basics...
What’s a Brand?
Your brand is much more than just your company name, logo, and slogan—it’s how customers perceive your business.
Let’s try a quick experiment. What do you think of when you read the names…
- Apple
- Coca-Cola
- Amazon
- Mercedes-Benz
Odds are you immediately recognized these names. And why wouldn’t you? They’re among the top 10 companies by brand value.
You probably also thought of something you associate with the brand, such as innovation, quenching your thirst, convenience, or luxury.
Now, check out how these companies have positioned their brands over the years through catchy slogans:
- Apple: “Think Different”
- Coca-Cola: “Taste the Feeling”
- Amazon: “Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company”
- Mercedes-Benz: “The Best or Nothing”
As we can see, the way consumers think about a company isn’t by coincidence; it’s heavily impacted by how that company frames itself in the public’s mind—specifically through its branding strategy.
How Can Good Branding Get You More Jobs?
When your home services business has strong branding, it becomes more memorable, relevant, and appealing to the people you want as new customers.
With strong brand recognition, the potential customer:
- Quickly identifies your business in a list of service providers,
- Remembers what you stand for, and
- Has a conscious or subconscious desire to work with you.
That tips the scales in your favor when the prospect is trying to decide between you and your top competitors.
Remember, better branding leads to more business!
3 Tips for Building a Better Brand Strategy
So how do you build a brand that people love and want to do business with?
Follow these 3 tips for building a better brand strategy:
1. Align Your Brand with Your Mission & Value Proposition
Think about what’s most important to your home services business and what your goals are. What’s the primary thing you’re trying to accomplish for your customers?
Fast service?
A great customer experience?
Peace of mind?
Also, define your value proposition—or the greatest benefits you offer clients. This should be what sets your home services business apart from your competitors.
For example, do you offer a customer satisfaction guarantee? Is your business committed to using environment-friendly products and procedures? Do your employees have unique certifications?
Once you’ve pegged down your mission and value proposition, make sure these are reflected in the way you brand and market your business—think company name, logo, slogan, website, ads, and all other marketing collateral.
2. Keep Your Branding Consistent
Nothing kills a brand faster than a lack of consistency!
If your website doesn’t feature the correct business name or logo, or it doesn’t include a consistent brand voice or tone throughout, customers will either get confused or have a difficult time connecting with your business.
In terms of your online presence, maintain consistency on your:
- Website
- Blogs
- Videos
- Online business listings
- Social media profiles
3. Raise Brand Awareness Through Online Marketing
When you’re first building your brand, your goal is to get your business seen by as many potential customers as possible—particularly those who meet the criteria of your most ideal customers (i.e., homeowners, people in certain locations, multi-family residential property owners, etc.).
The Internet is the perfect place to raise awareness.
Why? Because 89% of U.S. adults today are online.
Here are some of the many Internet marketing strategies your home services business can use to get found on the Internet:
Website: Your site is the digital face of your business and leaves an important first impression.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): SEO helps you get found by people searching for home services like the ones you offer.
Paid Search Ads: These ads boost your business’ visibility on search engine results pages and are targeted based on keywords, location, and other factors.
Social Media Ads: Social media ads get your business seen by prospective customers while they’re browsing their social media feeds. You can target audiences based on user demographics, location, interests, and other factors.
Display Ads: You can place display ads on other websites your prospective customers are most likely to visit, such as news and industry-related sites.
Content Marketing: Write digital content that provides helpful information for prospective and current customers, like how-to videos and blog posts that answer common questions. This helps you get your name out there, and it frames your business as an authority in your field.
