Plumbers for Sale

Want a steady flow of jobs? It’s no secret that plumber referrals are one of the best and fastest ways to get work. They help keep your crews busy. They help during slow periods. They help maintain a consistent flow of cash and jobs. They can help get you off the cash flow roller coaster.

However, there’s a dark side to working with plumbers. It’s created a hidden industry within—by paying plumbers for referrals, plumbers are for sale to the highest bidder.

It happens when a plumber is not referring you because you do great work. Rather, it’s a way to pad their wallet with kickbacks.

The problem is that at any given moment, those plumbers can and do sell out to a higher bidder. If someone offers them more, they’re gone. Loyalty is non-existent. You’re left chasing after the next plumber—offering that person a bigger share of the pie, with barely any meat on the bone left over for you.

Plus, there is a much worse problem. It creates a business you have no control over. How do we break the cycle of plumber dependence?

Alternative #1
Focus on plumbers who care about reputation

Not every plumber is for sale to the highest bidder. In fact, many still care about their old-fashioned reputation. They want to know that when they refer someone, you will treat them right. Paying for a referral might even lower the chances they’ll actually refer. They want someone who is going to take care of their people. They want someone who is going to make them look good. They want to know their clients are getting the best available option.

Reach out to local residential plumbers known for their quality work and integrity. Offer to collaborate on projects. Showcase your expertise in water damage restoration. Provide top-notch service. Give them a reason to trust you with their valued clients. Take care of them. Go above and beyond the call of duty. Little extras go a long way. Word will spread, and these plumbers will become your reliable partners.

Alternative #2
Insurance adjusters

Insurance adjusters play a crucial role in disaster situations. Contrary to what many contractors think, they are not the enemy. In fact, many of them need you. Why? Because they need to refer their clients to good partners. Here’s how to get referrals from adjusters:

Establish a professional relationship with local insurance adjusters. Offer them detailed, accurate reports and estimates. Make their job easier. Show them you can work efficiently to save them time and money. The easier you make their job, the more you’ll get paid reliably and consistently.

Build genuine relationships, and show them they’re valued. When they’re impressed, they’ll recommend your services to policyholders. It takes time and energy to build real relationships, but the returns are worth the effort.

Alternative #3
Lead the online marketing

In today’s digital age, online marketing can be a game changer. When people have an emergency, the first “person” they trust is the search engine Google. Google is your chance to be in the line of fire. If you offer water damage, you want people who use Google to search for water damage problems. If you do carpet cleaning, you want people Googling for carpet cleaning. Get in front of the problems you solve. You can do this with both pay-per-click ads and search engine optimization (SEO). Here’s what to do:

Create a user-friendly website showcasing your services and expertise. Optimize your website so people can find you easily, especially when using keywords related to the services you offer, such as water, fire, mold, carpet cleaning, storm damage, etc. Nothing sells your work quite like proof. Use before-and-after photos. Always ask for and get as many reviews as humanly possible. The market leaders consistently have the most and best reviews.

Create and distribute authoritative content regularly. Content doesn’t need to be fancy and overproduced. Think of content as documenting what you do rather than having to write or produce. Half your job is documenting your job. Document the work you’re already doing now. It’s impossible to be a thought leader in your space without content. Good quality and authoritative content can make you stand out from the competition. Who would you trust? The contractor with a glorified business-card website or the contractor with 100-plus five-star reviews, pages of before-and-after pictures, a detailed list of services and how the process works, and a blog that has hundreds of posts showing what they do? The choice is obvious.

By focusing on these three alternatives, you can take control of your business. You can break the cycle of dependence. Building relationships with reputation-conscious plumbers, partnering with insurance adjusters, and harnessing the power of online marketing are three ways to get out of the trap. Build a real foundation that lasts.