The Clear Answer to Marketing a Home Services Startup

Case Study: 508-418-WASH

The Clear Factor is an exterior cleaning service servicing Central Massachusetts. Founder Ryan Leshinski was extremely thoughtful and strategic about how to launch and build his business in a way that would support rapid, sustainable growth. From picking the right industry to selecting the perfect vanity number, he used research, common sense, and hard work to make his business successful from day one.

Background

Ryan Leshinksi was determined to start his own business, and he put a lot of time into picking the right industry and researching successful marketing tactics to help it get off the ground quickly. He rejected several business ideas after assessing the competitive landscape in his area. When he learned about window cleaning through online research, it really clicked for him. It didn't require a lot of upfront investment, and there was a high need for the services in his region, without a lot of competing companies. The next step was preparing his go-to-market strategy that would ensure profitability as quickly as possible.

Multi-channel Marketing Strategy

As a startup, Ryan carefully segmented the market, at first targeting families with mid-sized-and-larger houses and offering window washing services. He built a website and signed up for Thumbtack, an online resource for home services companies to bid on projects and gain new customers. Knowing he was going to eventually put budget into digital ads and signage, Ryan wanted to ensure he got the best ROI for his marketing spend – that's when he turned to securing a local vanity number. "I can close more business by speaking on the phone," Ryan explains. "It allows me, in real-time, to understand their needs and how we can customize our services to them. I much prefer that to them going to our website and filling in a form. It also is better for the customer, who wants to get things figured out as quickly as possible. I would rather they call the office, get an estimate to them, and get it booked. Because if they have to wait, they might move on to somebody else." Ryan knew he wanted a number that was easy to remember, especially for his out-of-home advertising like yard signs. Based on a referral from a friend, he reached out to RingBoost to find the perfect fit. He knew he wanted a number ending in WASH because it describes his business, and he wanted a local 508 area code to signal his service region. He ended up choosing 508-418-WASH because the cadence among the numbers created a nice rhythm when speaking, making it even easier to remember. "I did a lot of research on how to promote my business. With things like vehicle wraps, a lot of companies make them so busy, with so much stuff. Someone driving by can't take it all in unless they really stare at it. Honestly, even the company name isn't as important as telling people what you do and how to get in touch. A vanity number makes it even easier to remember."

Results

Since it's founding in January of 2018, The Clear Factor has been thriving with a steady stream of repeat customers and referral business as well as a constant flow of new clients. As the company has grown and clients request different services, they have extended their offerings to include power washing and gutter cleaning as well. "We focus a lot on repeat customers," Ryan notes. "We try to go above and beyond on every project. We love it when they call us asking if we do a different service. They already like us and trust us, so it's an easy transition. If we build a strong relationship and get them to keep coming back, ultimately it's a lower acquisition cost than going after new clients. And we also get to tell them about new services we've added and get them signed up." The company's marketing mix has grown to include flyers, yard signs, Google PPC ads, Facebook ads, and promotions in neighborhood groups. They also run referral programs that incentivize neighbors to band together to get group discounts, and they create video content that is easily shared on social media to spread the word.

Smart marketing has been so essential to our growth. Having a memorable phone number is so important because it's such an easy way for new customers and the existing customer base to get in touch. They don't need to look you up again or go find that business card, they can just pick up the phone and schedule their next service right away."

– Ryan Leshinski, The Clear Factor Founder