Handymen Advertising Ideas (2023)

As a handyman, you’re confident your work speaks for itself. Your clients love you, and they share your name with everyone they know.

Word of mouth is already working in your favor. With each new client, you get more referrals for your handyman business.

You just wish there was a way to fast track the process — to get more new clients, faster. Good news: there is.

Read on for seven proven handymen advertising ideas that will bring in clients and grow your business.

1. Advertise on Craigslist.

Craigslist is a goldmine when it comes to getting handyman clients. Create a Craigslist ad for your handyman services. Then, optimize it with these pro marketing tips:

• Use an eye-catching title that builds trust and gives people a reason to click, like “Trusted Handyman — Next-Day Appointments Available — Mention CRAIGSLIST for $10 Off”
• Include your contact information (phone number, email, website) at the beginning and end of your post.
• Provide a bulleted list of your handyman services, with a few before/after photos showcasing your best work.
• Include a short bio to help customers get to know you. You’ll be entering their home, so building trust is key!
• Avoid using phrases like “cheap” or “affordable.” Not only does it cheapen your work, but it makes you sound less trustworthy. Instead, offer free quotes or estimates as an incentive.
• Post one general ad for your handyman services, and additional ads for your most in-demand services, be they painting, door repair, or TV mounting. Having a range of ads helps you show up in more relevant searches while also demonstrating more specific expertise (which builds trust).
• Repost your ads every few days to keep them fresh and near the top of the search results.

Pro Tip: Consult an attorney or review the handyman licensing laws in your area to ensure you don’t break any rules with your ads.

2. Claim your business page on online directories.

Here are a few stats for you to consider:

Yelp users send over 50,000 job requests to local businesses every day.¹ 53 million neighbors have recommended a local business on Nextdoor.² Thousands of homeowners go to Thumbtack every day to find a local professional.³

The takeaway? Online directories are excellent places to generate visibility and hot leads for your business. Create a profile for your handyman business on directories like:

• Google My Business
• Yelp
• Nextdoor
• TaskRabbit
• Handy
• Thumbtack
• HomeAdvisor
• Houzz
• Angi (formerly Angie’s List)

Then, completely fill out your profile. Optimize it by adding before and after photos of your work. Ask happy customers to write you reviews.

Finally, pay attention to how new customers find you. If one of these listing websites comes up again and again, it may be worth paying for a sponsored listing or local coupon to get more new clients.

3. Get social.

If you’ve got some extra budget, run social media ads on Facebook. You can upload a list of your existing customers to create a “Lookalike Audience” of users that have similar interests and demographic traits.⁴ Or, you can really hone in on your target audience by selecting your own targeting criteria, such as homeowners who live in your service area.

Also, sign up for TikTok. This video-editing-app-slash-social-media-network makes it easy to create short, viral videos. Post quick how-to tips on how to repair a jammed screen door, paint a wall, or hang a picture frame. Then, export the videos to share on your other social channels.

While you’re at it, invest in a phone with a good camera. You’ll be taking lots of before and after photos of your work to post to social media.

4. Do some content marketing.

Build a handyman website. At a minimum, you can treat it as a digital brochure to list your services, post before/after photos, and publish client testimonials.

If you have some extra time, put together an email marketing newsletter. Every month or two, you can share home maintenance tips to remind current clients of how handy your services are (see what we did there?).

You can also offer seasonal deals and advertise a customer referral program, where you give existing clients and anyone they refer a special discount off their next service.

5. Connect with other pros in the home ownership and renovation space.

Realtors, gardeners, and interior decorators all work with clients who need your services. So do the on-site managers at property management companies, senior living communities, and hardware stores. Reach out to these folks and discuss how you can refer customers to each other.

You can also gain new clients — and goodwill — by donating a free handyman service package for auction at local school fundraisers and community events.

6. Regularly ask for reviews.

Reviews are powerful for gaining new business. Nearly 90% of consumers read reviews before using a local business in 2020, an increase of 6% from the previous year.⁵

Fortunately, to get reviews, all you have to do is ask! Over 70% of people will leave a review if they’re asked.⁶

You can put your review generation efforts on autopilot by sending a followup email to your clients after a job well done. Include links to your review pages on Yelp, Google, and other sites. Ask clients in person, as well, and let them know how much recommending you on Nextdoor or Google means to you.

Finally, encourage your clients to share photos of your awesome work on social media and tag you. You can repost their photos to your own profile.

7. Get licensed, certified, and insured.

Knowing that you’ve got an official organization backing you builds trust with clients. Research the handyman licensing requirements in your state, and look into getting certified with the Association of Certified Handyman Professionals (ACHP) or United Handyman Association (UHA). Then, add your licensing information and certifications to your website, business cards, social media, and online directory listings.

Insurance can be another way to build trust with prospective customers — and it can protect your business in case something goes wrong. At Thimble, our Handyman Insurance policies start at just $5. Get a free quote for your business in just 60 seconds.

Marketing sure comes in handy

Pardon the pun, but we couldn’t help ourselves. If you want more handyman clients, you’ve got to market yourself as the pro they need.

Advertise your handyman services on Craigslist, Facebook, and online directories. Share pro tips on social media and in your customer newsletter. Regularly ask happy clients to review you. Form partnerships with other professionals in your area so you can refer clients to each other.

Finally, establish professionalism and trust by getting licensed, certified, and insured. Take the first step now with Thimble’s Handyman Insurance.

Sources:

1. Yelp for Business. Grow your home and local services business.
2. Nextdoor. Nextdoor for Local Business.
3. Thumbtack. Grow your business with Thumbtack.
4. Facebook for Business. Facebook Advertising Targeting Options.
5. BrightLocal. Local Consumer Review Survey 2020.
6. BrightLocal. Local Consumer Review Survey 2020.