How to Get Plumbing Customers: 9 Proven Ways to Win More Work

The key to growing a successful plumbing business is attracting the right phone calls, not just more of them.

Quality matters more than quantity. You want customers who genuinely need your services, are ready to move forward, and have the budget for professional work. These are the leads that convert into profitable jobs.

Plumbing is fundamentally different from most consumer businesses. Homeowners don't casually browse for plumbers or make impulse decisions about pipe repairs. They reach out when there's an urgent need: a water heater fails, a pipe bursts, or they're in the middle of a renovation. Your services are need-driven, which means timing and visibility are everything.

While repeat customers provide valuable steady work, perhaps calling once or twice a year for maintenance, sustainable growth requires a consistent pipeline of new leads. Without it, your business plateaus.

This guide outlines nine effective strategies for generating quality plumbing leads through both digital and traditional marketing channels. Whether you need immediate results or you're building a long-term customer acquisition system, these approaches deliver measurable outcomes. We'll also cover how to effectively convert leads into customers once they enter your pipeline.

1. Build and Optimise Your Plumbing Website

Your website is often the first place a customer checks. Even if someone finds you through a recommendation or sees your van around town, they usually visit your website before they call. If the site loads slowly, is hard to use on a phone or does not show the services you offer clearly, you will lose enquiries.

A strong plumbing website focuses on three things. Helping people find you through local SEO, making it easy for visitors to understand what you offer and encouraging them to contact you.

Focus on Local SEO

Local SEO helps Google match your business to people searching for plumbers in your area. Most plumbing customers will be within a 15 to 20-mile radius, so showing up in local search results matters.

Here are practical ways to improve your local SEO:

• Include your main location and surrounding areas naturally throughout your content. If you work in Leeds, nearby places like Headingley, Horsforth and Morley should appear on your service pages when relevant.
• Add location-based headings. Examples include “Plumbing Repairs in Bristol” or “Emergency Plumber in Liverpool”. Keeping these natural avoids the content feeling forced.
• Make sure your address details match across your website and other listings. Consistency helps search engines trust your information.
• Create service area pages for the places where you want customers. These pages give you more chances to appear in local searches and help customers feel confident that you cover their postcode.

Make Your Website Mobile Friendly

Most customers search for plumbers on their phones, particularly during emergencies. If your website doesn't work smoothly on mobile, you'll lose enquiries long before people read about your services.

How to test your mobile experience properly

Simply shrinking your desktop browser won’t show how your website behaves on a real device. Test it on multiple phones and use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool for a more accurate check.

Here’s what to look for:

• Is your phone number tappable without zooming?
• Do images load within three seconds on a typical 4G connection?
• Can customers complete your contact form easily, without the keyboard blocking fields?
• Are buttons large enough to tap without mistakes (minimum 44×44 pixels)?
• Does your menu open and close smoothly, without users having to pinch, zoom or tap repeatedly?

A mobile-friendly site also helps your local SEO. Google prioritises websites that work well on smaller screens.

Use Clear Calls to Action

Placing clear buttons and links throughout your pages encourages customers to take the next step. Use simple phrases like "Request a Quote" or "Book a Call". 

Use Customer Data to Improve Your Website

Using a field management CRM (customer relationship management) system, you can keep track of every interaction you’ve had with your clients and be informed of what industry the majority of your customers work in, where they’re located, and their feedback.

This can then be tied back to your website to tailor your website to your customers’ requirements and even provide special offers tailored to the most in-demand products and services.

Key takeaway: Strengthening your website with local SEO, mobile-friendly design, and clear calls to action helps the right customers discover you and take action. When your site reflects what local customers actually search for, you’ll generate more high-quality enquiries.

2. Claim and Optimise Your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile is an important tool for winning local plumbing work. It helps you appear in Google’s map pack, the three listings that sit above the normal search results, which is exactly where customers look when they need help fast. A well-optimised GBP lets people see your reviews, contact details, photos and opening hours without even clicking your website.

Check out this great example by SGS Heating and Electrical Ltd

Make Sure Your Profile Is Complete

Fill in every part of your Google Business Profile.

• Add your business name, address, phone number and website.
• Make sure your contact information matches your website exactly. This improves trust.
• Add your main services using Google’s service categories.
• Keep your opening hours accurate, including holidays.

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Add High-Quality Photos

Photos help customers trust that you’re an established, professional business. Upload clear images of your vans, team members, completed jobs and even your office if you have one. When people are choosing who to call, a credible, polished listing makes all the difference.

Build Trust With Automated Review Requests

Online reviews are powerful for local service businesses. They influence whether customers call you and how often you appear in local search results. Using job management software with CRM features makes this easier by automating your follow-up messages as soon as a job is marked complete.

Why it works:
A friendly message sent right after a successful job dramatically increases the chance a customer will leave a review — simply because you’re asking at the moment they’re happiest. Over time, this steady flow of reviews boosts your visibility and credibility.

How to do it:

• Automate a review request through your CRM the moment a job finishes.
• Keep it simple: “If you were happy with our work today, a quick Google review really helps. Here’s the link.”
• Include your direct review link to remove any friction.
• Send one polite reminder a few days later if they forget.

3. Get More Reviews and Referrals

Reviews and referrals work in different ways, and both matter. Reviews help new customers feel safe choosing you. Referrals encourage existing customers to recommend you directly to friends, neighbours and colleagues.

Build a Steady Flow of Reviews

Ask for reviews as soon as a job is completed, while the experience is still fresh. If someone praises your work verbally, that is the perfect moment to ask. You can also make it easier for customers by sending them a direct link to your Google review page. This saves them time and increases the chances they will complete it.

Encourage Referrals With Simple Prompts

You do not need a complicated referral programme. In many cases, it works well to politely ask happy customers to pass your name on to anyone who might need a plumber. You can also remind customers that you handle a wider range of jobs than they might realise. When people understand everything you offer, they are more likely to refer you.

Check out this great example of what ‘good’ looks like at https://ncspm.co.uk/referral/

Key Takeaway: Encourage customers to review your work and share your name with others because these two habits build steady trust and lead to consistent, high-quality enquiries. 

4. Use Online Directories to Find Local Customers

Online directories are still heavily used by customers searching for tradespeople. Platforms like Checkatrade, Bark and Rated People allow you to create profiles and receive job leads. These platforms are great for plumbers who rely on a steady flow of smaller jobs or are looking to expand their customer base. They provide a constant stream of homeowners posting maintenance tasks and quick-turnaround work, keeping your diary full between bigger bookings.

The Benefits and Drawbacks

Here is a simple comparison that helps you see the advantages and potential drawbacks clearly.

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If you choose to use directories, focus on building a strong profile. Add good photos, show your qualifications and keep your response times fast. Customers often pick the first person who replies. Using job management software makes this easier because you can see new messages quickly and respond before others.

Key Takeaway: Online directories can work well when you treat them as part of a controlled lead mix by setting strict budgets, responding fast and focusing only on the job types that fit your business best. 

5. Run Local Advertising Campaigns

Local ads put your business in front of people at the exact moment they’re ready to book a plumber. If you want fast, predictable lead flow, PPC and Local Services Ads are two of the most effective channels.

Google Local Services Ads (LSAs)

For plumbers, LSAs are one of the quickest ways to generate qualified enquiries. They sit above standard search results and display your rating, service area and contact details - plus the trust-boosting Google Guaranteed badge.

Why they work:

• You only pay when a customer contacts you.
• They’re highly effective for urgent searches like “plumber near me”.
• Google prioritises businesses with strong reviews, making reputation a key advantage.

If your plumbing business has solid ratings and you serve a defined local area, LSAs can deliver consistent, high-intent leads without unpredictable costs.

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising

PPC gives you instant visibility for high-intent searches such as “emergency plumber Leeds” or “blocked drain Perth.” You only pay when someone clicks your ad, and you can control your daily budget down to the dollar.

How to get results:

• Target the postcodes and suburbs you actually serve to avoid wasted spend.
  
• Use dedicated service landing pages. If someone searches “emergency plumber Leeds,” they should land on a page built specifically for emergency plumbing in Leeds, with a clear phone number and call-to-action at the top.
  
• Test your ad copy to find what converts best and use call tracking to see which ads generate real jobs, not just clicks.

PPC is especially useful for capturing quick, high-intent traffic while keeping full visibility on your return on ad spend.

Key takeaway: Local advertising works best when you tightly control your budget, target only the areas you serve and send people to clear, service-focused landing pages that turn clicks into real plumbing enquiries.

6. Collaborate with Other Local Businesses

Your strongest plumbing leads often come from other trades working on the same homes and buildings you service. Electricians, HVAC technicians, builders, real estate agents and maintenance firms regularly spot plumbing issues while carrying out their own work. When you’re their preferred partner, you gain steady, qualified jobs without needing to rely solely on ads or word of mouth.

Why it works:
These businesses already have trusted relationships with the customers you want to reach. When they recommend you, that trust transfers instantly, and customers are far more likely to book you quickly. They also encounter problems that fall outside their scope, giving you access to work you wouldn’t normally see.

How to do it:

• Use tools that expand your network. Platforms like the BigChange Network let you list your business for free, receive incoming job requests from other field service companies and support larger projects without adding extra staff. You can also post your own jobs when you need specialist help.

• Build simple, reliable partnerships locally.
  
  • Connect with electricians and HVAC companies who often find plumbing issues during their own work.
  • Stay in touch with real estate agents and property managers who need dependable plumbers for move-ins, emergencies and compliance checks.
  • Form relationships with small builders and renovation contractors who prefer using the same reliable trades across multiple projects.
    
• Keep communication clear. Quick responses, accurate updates and showing up prepared make you the partner they want to keep recommending.

Key takeaway: Strong, consistent partnerships bring reliable work because trusted businesses prefer recommending plumbers who communicate well, show up prepared and make their jobs easier.

7. Share Value on Social Media

Social media isn’t just for brand awareness anymore, it’s where customers go to check credibility, compare workmanship and get a feel for who they’re letting into their home. And it works: 80% of home services businesses are using platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Nextdoor to connect with customers and build trust (Valve + Meter).

Done well, social media helps you stay visible, showcase your expertise and build familiarity long before someone needs a plumber.

Create Posts That Show Real Work

People trust what they can see. Real job content consistently outperforms polished, sales-driven posts.

What works well:

• Before-and-after photos that highlight your workmanship
• Short repair or installation clips shot on-site
• Quick maintenance tips homeowners can use
• Behind-the-scenes moments that humanise your team
• Customer success stories from recent jobs

Take this as an example, from Corona Plumbers Ltd:

These posts position you as helpful, experienced and approachable, which is exactly what customers look for.

Choose the Platforms Your Customers Actually Use

Each platform attracts different types of customers. Focus on the ones where your audience spends time.

Facebook

• Great for reaching homeowners and families
• Local community groups often turn into direct enquiries
• Ideal for longer explanations, testimonials and photo sets

Instagram

• Strong for visual content like neat pipework, installs and progress shots
• Stories let you share quick updates from the day
• Local hashtags (e.g. #SouthLondonPlumber) increase reach in your service area

TikTok

• Perfect for quick fixes, plumbing myths, simple demonstrations and on-site moments
• Helps you reach younger homeowners and renters
• Informal style makes it easy to show personality and build familiarity

Key takeaway: When people see your name regularly and see the quality of your work, they’re far more likely to remember you the moment they need a plumber.

8. Nurture Customers with Email Marketing

Email is one of the simplest, most reliable ways to stay connected with customers and turn one-off jobs into steady repeat work. It keeps your business top of mind, fills quieter periods and helps you build long-term relationships without spending much. And it works: Constant Contact reports an average return of $36 for every $1 spent, making email one of the most cost-effective marketing channels available.

When you plan it properly and automate what you can, email becomes a dependable engine for year-round plumbing work.

Send Helpful, Value-Driven Newsletters

Short, plain-language newsletters sent a few times a year can work incredibly hard for your business. The goal is simple: be useful, not salesy.

You might include:

• Seasonal maintenance tips (e.g. frozen pipe prevention, pre-winter boiler checks)
• Quick explanations of new regulations affecting landlords or commercial clients
• A short customer story showing how you solved a real plumbing issue
• Checklists homeowners can use before calling you
  

If you’re using a CRM, segment your list so the right people get the right content. Landlords get compliance updates; homeowners get maintenance tips; commercial clients get service contract reminders. This keeps your emails relevant, and relevance drives bookings.

Use Automated Reminders to Win Repeat Work

Many plumbing jobs repeat annually or seasonally. Email reminders help customers stay compliant and keep your schedule steady all year round.

With job management software like BigChange, you can:

• Automatically trigger reminders based on job history
• Send pre-service emails before annual boiler checks
• Nudge customers when compliance certificates are due
• Prompt homeowners before peak seasons
  

A simple message sent at the right time — “Your boiler service is due next month. Book now to avoid delays.” — can turn a forgotten task into a confirmed job.

Share Seasonal Offers When They Matter Most

Seasonal offers are far more effective when they’re targeted and timed to real needs. For example:

• Fixed-price boiler health checks before winter
• End-of-season system flushes
• Priority call-out packages for landlords before tenant changeovers
• Your CRM shows who has older systems, who hasn’t booked in a while, and who previously purchased certain services. That means you can focus offers only on customers likely to need them — reducing wasted spend and increasing conversions.

With BigChange CRM, responses link straight to customer records. Your team can see their history, quote instantly and book jobs into the schedule with no back-and-forth.

Key takeaway: Thoughtful, targeted email marketing supported by CRM automation turns past customers into a reliable stream of future plumbing work, while keeping your team organised and your schedule full.

9. Provide Excellent Service, Every Time

Great service is what earns repeat work, five-star reviews and long-term trust. But plumbing teams work fast, juggle urgent jobs, and face unexpected issues on site - which means even a small breakdown in communication can feel like a big problem to the customer.

And customers notice. PwC found that nearly one in three people will walk away from a brand they love after just one bad experience. In plumbing, where trust is everything, that margin is too small to ignore.

Why Software Makes Consistent Service Easier

Consistency comes from clarity. When your team has the right information before they arrive, jobs run smoothly, communication improves, and customers feel looked after.

Plumbing software removes the friction that causes mistakes by keeping everything in one place:

• Job details, notes and photos, so engineers know the full job history
• Approved quotes and documents, so everyone understands what’s been agreed
• Real-time updates from site to office, so nothing is missed
• Accurate parts, assets and instructions, so engineers arrive properly prepared

When everyone is working from the same live record, fewer details get lost, duplicated or miscommunicated. Your team feels organised. Customers feel confident. And jobs are delivered exactly as promised.

Keep Your Team Aligned On Every Job

Using a mobile-friendly, plumbing software platform like BigChange means engineers have everything they need the moment they step on site. From their phone or tablet, they can:

• Review job notes and customer history
• Capture photos and complete forms or certificates
• Record findings without switching between apps
• Communicate with the office instantly when plans change

The office sees updates in real time, too. If a customer calls, if parts are needed, if timings shift - the information is already there. No chasing. No guesswork. No crossed wires.

This level of alignment is what customers really feel: a business that’s organised, responsive and professional from start to finish.

Key takeaway: When your team works from the same accurate, up-to-date information, every engineer can deliver consistent, confident service, the kind customers remember and return for.

How to Get More Plumbing Customers with the Right Tools

Demand for plumbing services remains strong, but competition has shifted. Customers rely on online research, reviews and responsive service. Winning more work means combining marketing with organised operations so the experience you promise matches the experience you deliver.

This is where job management tools can support your growth. BigChange brings your CRM, scheduling, job details, communication and invoicing into one place so your marketing efforts and service delivery work together. When a customer finds you online, you can respond quickly, send accurate information and complete the job with confidence.

If you want to explore a clearer, more organised way to manage incoming work and customer relationships, you can book a demo to see how BigChange supports plumbing businesses from first enquiry to final invoice.

With a never-ending demand for plumbing services, now is a good moment to look at how everything fits together. Winning more plumbing work is the combination of both marketing and plumbing software that creates consistent growth.

This is where the right job management platform makes a measurable difference. BigChange brings your CRM, scheduling, job information, communication, invoicing and customer history into one place so your marketing efforts and your day-to-day operations support each other rather than work separately. When a customer finds you online, your team delivers the level of service that confirms they made the right choice.

If you want clearer, more organised ways on how to get more plumbing work, BigChange can help you get there.

Book a demo to see how BigChange’s plumbing and heating job management software supports your growth from the first enquiry to the final invoice.