Marketing 101 for Home Service Companies: A Practical Guide to Getting Started
I’ve worked with dozens of home service contractors over the years, and I keep hearing the same thing: “Isaac, I know I need to do marketing, but I don’t know where to start.”
You’re great at what you do. You can diagnose an HVAC issue in minutes, replumb a house with your eyes closed, or rewire a panel like it’s second nature. But marketing? That’s a different language.
Here’s the good news: marketing for home service companies doesn’t have to be complicated. Let’s break it down into the fundamentals you actually need to know.
What Is Marketing, Really?
At its core, marketing is simply getting in front of potential customers and convincing them to choose you. That’s it.
Everything else—the websites, social media, advertising, email campaigns—those are just tactics. The goal is always the same: make sure homeowners know you exist, understand what you do, and trust you enough to call when they need help.
The Marketing Funnel: How Homeowners Become Customers
Think about how someone becomes your customer:
- Awareness: They learn you exist (Google search, truck on the street, Facebook ad, neighbor’s recommendation)
- Consideration: They check you out (website, reviews, social media, compare you to competitors)
- Decision: They contact you (phone call, contact form, booking request)
- Retention: They come back or refer others (follow-up emails, maintenance reminders, staying top-of-mind)
Good marketing addresses each stage. If you’re only focused on one part—say, running Google Ads for awareness—but your website is terrible or you have no reviews, people drop out before they call.
The Three Core Channels for Home Service Marketing
There are a million ways to market your business, but for most home service companies, these three channels drive the bulk of results:
1. Search Marketing (Google)
When someone’s water heater breaks or their AC stops working, where do they go? Google.
What this includes:
- Google Business Profile: Your free listing on Google Maps and local search. This is non-negotiable—claim it, optimize it, get reviews on it.
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Making sure your website shows up in organic search results when people search for services like yours.
- Google Ads (Pay-Per-Click): Paying to show up at the top of search results. You pay each time someone clicks your ad.
Why it matters: High intent. People searching for “emergency plumber near me” need help NOW. They’re ready to call.
2. Reputation & Reviews
Homeowners won’t call you if they don’t trust you. Reviews are social proof that you do good work.
What this includes:
- Google reviews (most important)
- Facebook reviews
- Industry-specific sites (Yelp, Angi, HomeAdvisor, Thumbtack—be selective here)
Why it matters: A company with 50+ five-star reviews will beat a competitor with 5 reviews every time, even if the competitor has lower prices.
3. Social Media (Especially Facebook & Instagram)
Social media isn’t just for restaurants and clothing brands. For home service companies, it’s a way to stay visible in your local market and build credibility.
What this includes:
- Posting project photos and videos
- Sharing helpful tips (how to reset a breaker, when to replace your HVAC filter)
- Running local Facebook/Instagram ads to homeowners in your service area
Why it matters: Homeowners might not need you today, but when their furnace dies in January, you want to be the company they remember.
Your Marketing Budget: How Much Should You Spend?
I get this question constantly. Here’s a rule of thumb:
Most home service companies should spend 5-10% of revenue on marketing.
So if you’re doing $1 million in revenue, that’s $50,000-$100,000 per year on marketing. If you’re doing $5 million, that’s $250,000-$500,000.
If you’re trying to grow aggressively or you’re in a competitive market, you might need to spend closer to 10-15%.
Not sure how to allocate that budget? Download our free marketing budget template to see how to break it down.
Common Marketing Mistakes Home Service Companies Make
Here are the mistakes I see over and over:
1. No Strategy—Just Random Tactics
Running Facebook ads one month, trying direct mail the next, then giving up and buying leads from HomeAdvisor. Without a clear strategy, you’re just throwing money at the wall.
2. Ignoring Google Business Profile
This is the easiest, highest-ROI thing you can do. If your listing isn’t claimed, optimized, and getting reviews, fix that today.
3. Not Tracking Results
If you can’t tell where your customers are coming from, you don’t know what’s working. Use call tracking, ask customers how they heard about you, and track your marketing spend vs. leads generated.
4. Trying to Do Everything In-House Without Expertise
You wouldn’t hire a marketer to install an HVAC system. Why try to run Google Ads without training or experience? Some things are worth outsourcing to people who know what they’re doing.
5. Giving Up Too Soon
Marketing takes time. SEO can take 6-12 months to show results. Brand awareness builds slowly. If you run ads for one month and quit, you’re wasting money.
Where to Start: Your Marketing Checklist
If you’re just getting started with marketing (or you’ve been doing it haphazardly), here’s your action plan:
Month 1: Foundation
- ☐ Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile
- ☐ Set up a simple, mobile-friendly website with clear contact info
- ☐ Start asking happy customers for Google reviews
- ☐ Set up call tracking so you know where leads come from
Month 2: Visibility
- ☐ Post on Facebook/Instagram 2-3 times per week (project photos, tips, team updates)
- ☐ Consider starting Google Ads if you have budget (start small, $1,000-$2,000/month)
- ☐ Make sure your truck graphics, yard signs, and uniforms have your website and phone number
Month 3: Strategy
- ☐ Review what’s working—where are your leads coming from?
- ☐ Double down on what’s working, cut what’s not
- ☐ Consider hiring help (agency, fractional CMO, or internal marketer) if you’re serious about growth
Getting Help With Your Marketing
Here’s the truth: most home service business owners don’t have time to become marketing experts. You’re busy running jobs, managing crews, and keeping customers happy.
That’s okay. You don’t have to do this alone.
If you’re spending money on marketing but not seeing results, or you just don’t know where to start, let’s jump on a call. I’ll spend 30 minutes with you, dig into what you’re doing now, and give you honest feedback on what you should focus on.
No pitch, no pressure. Just a straightforward conversation about what’s actually going to move the needle for your business.
Schedule a free 30-minute intro call here.
Final Thoughts
Marketing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start with the basics—Google Business Profile, reviews, and a decent website. Track where your leads come from. Double down on what works.
And if you need help figuring out what that is, I’m here.