You have a logo, a colorful truck wrap and a branded website.
And while these things help consumers identify who you are and what you do, they aren’t the only devices you need in your branding toolbox.
Research indicates that there are currently more than 502,000 home service businesses in the United States, and the profession is expected to grow from 6.1 million professionals in 2023 to 7.2 million by 2028.
With this many home service businesses entering the market, you have to do everything you can to stand out from the crowd.
Fostering your brand identity is one of the most beneficial actions a business can take to gain a positive and authentic foothold in their markets. A brand identity combines both the tangible services you provide, such as plumbing or HVAC repair, with the nontangible factors that create your company’s unique personality.
Companies that build a strong brand identity are not only more easily recognized, they illicit an unconscious response from consumers. For example, when you see Cinderella’s castle, you not only think about the rides and the food at a Disney theme park, you also think of a family-friendly atmosphere that provides fun for everyone.
But building this brand identity often means you need a strong public relations strategy to help craft your brand, build trust and stand out from the crowd.
Crafting Your Brand Identity
Since you’ve already created your logo and wrapped your truck, you are well aware that creating a brand is a necessity. But you need more than that if you want to attract customers.
A brand identity helps your company connect with your target audience in a lasting and meaningful way. You want potential customers to identify with your company so that when they need a plumbing repair or an HVAC tune-up, your business is top of mind.
A brand identity helps:
· Provide a face to your company by giving consumers a visual image they can associate with your business.
· Convey your mission so that customers are not only aware that you fix leaks, but that you’re also the company that cleans up the riverbanks or hosts an annual concert to raise money for the homeless.
· Build a name in the community. When consumers see a member of your team on the news offering tips on how to keep your pipes from bursting during a cold snap, they consider your company as a respected leader in your area.
· Get and keep customers. Even if your name isn’t at the top of consumers’ minds when they have no issues with their home’s comfort systems, you want to be the name that springs into their heads when they do. It also helps you keep your current customers because they associate your team with reliable service.
Brand identity is more than just finding the right color scheme for your trucks. It’s also about crafting your team’s persona so you can better connect with customers.
Building Trust
Think back to a time that you had to hire a professional for a service you needed for the first time. In addition to asking your friends and family for a recommendation, you probably also thought about companies you knew from their work in your community.
In addition to whether they can do the job, most people make decisions to start a relationship with a new service provider based on their reputation, reliability and dedication to their local area.
One of the best ways to build your reputation is to raise money and awareness for a local charity. If you are like most home service business owners, you probably already give back to your community in some way, but you’ve never thought to promote your efforts.
There was a time when touting your charitable giving was seen as taboo, but in today’s world, many consumers want to know about your philanthropic efforts. If your team is planning a volunteer event, be sure to let the local media know with a press release, and don’t forget to post about it on your blog and social media, as well.
Another way you can build trust within your community is to maintain communication with customers on your online review pages. Thanking customers for positive reviews and responding to negative reviews with solutions demonstrates a commitment to accountability.
Standing Out from the Crowd
If you’ve ever Googled your service type for your local area, you probably already know there are dozens of competitors in your market.
While it’s good to partner with a great search engine optimization (SEO) team to keep your company near the top of Google search results, it’s not the only thing that helps you stand out from your competitors.
Differentiating yourself from other home service contractors is a necessity if you want to stay in and grow your business.
People want to hire a company they feel like they know and trust.
Attracting and Keeping Talent
If you’ve had some recent retirements in your organization, you know how difficult it can be to find replacements. If you’re not always recruiting, you will experience a labor shortage.
A brand identity that highlights your company’s culture, values, benefits and career opportunities will attract the best talent in your field and keep your hiring costs down. If your plumbing company is seen as the market leader in your community, you’ll become the shop that everyone wants to work for. This not only attracts new employees, it also helps you retain the workers you already have.
You need to carefully craft your company’s story and engage the media in promoting it. Building a solid rapport with potential clients, the news media and possible employees is an ongoing project that requires a consistent plan. PR is essential in creating that plan and managing your brand reputation.
While marketing and advertising are important in promoting your name and services, it’s public relations that works to gain people’s trust and help you establish a positive reputation over the long haul.
Getting your brand identity on a range of platforms requires a commitment to PR initiatives but is worth it if you want to differentiate your company in your market and want to attract and retain both customers and employees.
Fostering your brand identity is essential for your home service company’s long-term success.
Heather Ripley is founder and CEO of Ripley PR, an elite, global public relations agency specializing in the franchising, skilled trades and B2B tech industries. Ripley PR has been listed by Entrepreneur Magazine as a Top Franchise PR Agency for seven consecutive years and was recently named as one of Newsweek’s America’s Best Public Relations Agencies for 2024. Heather Ripley was recently named as a 2024 PRNews Top Women honoree in the business entrepreneur category. She is also the author of “NEXT LEVEL NOW: PR Secrets to Drive Explosive Growth for your Home Service Business,” which is now available on all audiobook platforms. For additional information, visit www.ripleypr.com.