Home service businesses rely on word of mouth and the goodwill of clients. But once you’ve been in business for a number of years, changing the image of your company may not be the easiest task in the world. So, how can you fine-tune your reputation? 

It starts with a solid public relations strategy, which is vital to the success of any home service business. Public relations can help define and promote your brand image, making all the difference in the world when it comes to the day-to-day challenge of getting the phones to ring. After all, if nobody knows your company’s name, they won’t consider calling you unless they’ve Googled it and are just checking off a list of possibilities.

Your company can either be top of mind in your market or at the bottom rung of the ladder to success. Which would you prefer? If nobody knows your name, it will be hard to succeed. Using PR to boost your visibility and brand recognition is a great way to bring in new customers and become the most recognized home service expert in your area. 

This creates a virtuous cycle of increasing visibility. As your profile in the community rises, it will help build up more website traffic and social media followers. It can make your business a beacon for job seekers who associate the brand with success. Visibility generates more visibility. 

So, how do you start boosting your image?  

Earned media coverage, which is far more trusted and effective in the eyes of the public than paid advertisements, is a valuable commodity for home service businesses. Securing an opportunity for a trusted media outlet to write about your company can add credibility and generate trust in your brand. 

It can be hard to build up a relationship with the members of the media from scratch, but you don’t have to do all the heavy lifting yourself. A public relations partner can help by pitching relevant story ideas to the media and issuing a steady stream of newsworthy press releases. This can pay dividends in increased visibility and recognition, complementing your marketing efforts.  

Trying to develop in-house PR expertise can require more time and effort than contractors can afford to spare. It can be much more cost-effective to leverage the experience of a dedicated public relations agency than going out on your own. 

Incorporating content marketing techniques can be beneficial as well. By creating informative and helpful blog content on a regular basis, you can not only boost your company’s reputation as an expert and a community resource, but it will also help increase your website’s search engine ranking. The higher up your company ranks, the more your visibility will grow. 

Don’t forget the importance of reputation management. Online reviews do matter. Consumers put a lot of weight on review comments; ignoring or neglecting what people are saying online is a sure way to sabotage your chances of future success. The new word of mouth is digital, and being able to productively engage customers, even those who might leave a bad review, will benefit your company. 

Every successful strategy starts with a plan, though. Before implementing any public relations efforts, you need to set clear goals and priorities. The strategy should be crafted specifically for the circumstances of your business and tailored to its needs. “One-size-fits-all” is not a recipe for success. 

But once your efforts start gaining traction, PR techniques can be put to work boosting your sales funnel, helping convert visibility into actual customers. Whether you’re working with a public relations partner or alone, a focused public relations strategy will benefit your business in the long run. PR is a valuable tool to add to your marketing toolkit.