Email newsletters - a must for home service professionals

Those familiar with Illumine8 know our genuine belief in the power of newsletters for brand engagement. This belief relies on data. Did you know that 55% of consumers  prefer hearing from a brand through email?

For home services professionals, newsletters are an excellent way to maintain customer awareness. Email newsletters are worth the investment in the competitive and referral-dependent home services industry.

But...

Do email newsletters take time to do correctly? Yes.

Does creating email newsletters require consistency? Yes.

Have we heard every objection to why your business cannot commit to making them? Yes. 

If you need convincing or motivation to battle your bias against email newsletters - we can help.

Email newsletters make cents

Episode 3 of the Built to Market Podcast mentions that the return on investment (ROI) for email is $36 for every $1 spent. You read that right - for every dollar you spend on your email strategy, you get $36 back. If you've never capitalized on this form of digital marketing, now is the time to consider it.

For perspective, not sending an email newsletter is like driving around a work truck without branding. Your anonymous work vehicle is a missed opportunity and a poor investment. You are going through traffic in a 5-figure investment. Your lack of branding results in a valuable resource not reaching its full potential. 

Your CRM's under-engaged contact list holds the same potential. You have already invested in an online booking or ticketing system. You have a customer info form on your website. Push the ROI further by extracting your list and building relationships through email marketing and newsletters.

Email newsletters make relationships

We have news for those skeptical about perceiving email as mere 'junk mail' or another promotional distraction. This assumption couldn't be further from reality concerning email newsletters. Email newsletters are more about branding and relationship building than direct sales.

Email newsletters focus on the long-term strategy, especially for one-time service-type customers. You don't need or want to promote a specific service to a customer who no longer requires your services. You do need to keep your name in your customer's consciousness.

Referrals from a friend or neighbor are worth their weight in gold for a homeowner. Ensure your presence in their inbox, making it easy for them to forward your information when needed.

The home service industry is explicitly familiar with a customer that most businesses don't experience at that level. You have been in your customer's homes, usually multiple times. You've met their pets and, depending on your specific area of expertise, seen and, dare I say, smelled things that may be vulnerable.

Your business needs to present itself as trustworthy, approachable, and professional. Your approach to content and consistency can establish that. 

Steps for implementing email newsletters 

You're now convinced email newsletters are worth the time as a home service business owner. You have a list that's ready for the content only you can provide. Take these actionable steps:

1. Your Email List: To organize and divide your lists, extract information from various sources. These sources can include your website's contact form, CRM, vendor contact database, and employee list. This method can be helpful if you don't have an email system with a list. 
   
   

   Segment your lists into groups that make sense for your company. Not sure what to label your various lists? Use where you extracted your list from as a starting point.

2. Create a production calendar: Your production calendar will help you determine your frequency for sending your email newsletters. Consider the workload you can handle and what would be appropriate for your clients to receive. 
   
   

   Would monthly or bi-monthly be an achievable frequency? Perhaps once a quarter would be more manageable. Make a decision, create accountability, and add it to your tasks.

3. Create a content calendar: Take the guesswork out of creating the content you will feature by planning. Add the notes to your production calendar and give enough time to acquire the content and images. Still too much guesswork? We have a few ideas!  

Content ideas for your home services email newsletter

We often hear an objection: "I don't know what to put in my email newsletters." We call your bluff. Working with an external company, like us at Illumine8, gives you a new viewpoint and, as a bonus, the customer's interest. 

What you might think of as a mundane day on the job, your homeowner might feel is fascinating. Here's a quick list of content topics you could include in your home service industry email newsletters.

• Stories from the Job Site: Everyone loves a good (though appropriate) story. Does your crew have an anecdote that serves as a great testimonial? Maybe you saved a homeowner money on energy or made their home safer by upgrading something.
  
  Start with the challenge your customer faced and how your business solved it. You don't need to include personal homeowner details. Focus instead on your team and the value you provided.
  
  Perhaps ask the homeowner for a testimonial of their experience. Include a link to the review on your website or your Google Business Profile.

• Employee Spotlight: We discuss internal marketing and using a newsletter to appreciate employees. Have a trainee with a new certification? Share it! Is your project manager celebrating a milestone? Let your customers know!
  
  How you treat your employees reflects how they treat your customers. Celebrating your employees is an excellent indicator of your company's culture and brand. 

• What's in the Truck - Tool Review: The home service industry is booming because homeowners lack the skills or time to do the job themselves. Share your expertise and show fun gadgets that help you do the job. 

• Seasonal Home Care Tips:  Simple. Easy. Topical. Our homes do odd things as the seasons change.
  
  If your industry has an influx of calls during temperature changes (looking at your HVAC) this topic should be easy to develop content around.
  
  The first time someone cranks up their heat on winter's first below-freezing day is always a joy for emergency service calls. Save your employees from the urgency, keep your customers happy, and put it in a newsletter to get ahead of the surge. 

• Dog/Pet of the Month: It's the first thing we say before a service call comes to the house- we have dogs! We imagine the first greeting many home service professionals receive is from the family dog.
  
  If you've had a cute furry friend greet you or demand attention, ask the homeowner if you can take a pic and submit it to your newsletter. They will likely share Fido's time in the spotlight or remember this fun gesture.

• Featured Project: Here's a great place to show your expertise. If you have a brand partner program, you could feature an installation of their product. Use content their brand provides and backlinks to their site to show credibility. If a before and after photo would be of value, ask the homeowner for permission to add visuals to your content. 

The list goes on. You could rotate topics or have a few core content subjects as an anchor. Include a featured article that adds variation.

At Illumine8, one of our commercial services clients successfully uses this formula. Planning in this fashion takes the guesswork out of content creation. 

Let's start today

Consistent and informative newsletters help you build trust and credibility with your clients. By sharing industry insights, tips, success stories, and customer testimonials, you position yourself as an expert in your field. Clients are more likely to choose a professional they trust; newsletters are a powerful way to establish that trust.

Contact us today to learn more about Illumine8's Email Marketing Services.