In order for a small business to succeed it will need to have a regular supply of customers and clients. This is more important for the smaller, family owned plumbing and heating companies who rely solely upon just a few employees to make sure all of the day’s work gets done and that the books are kept in order. In order to be competitive in the market and to reach as many potential customers as possible, small business owners need to be able to make the most out of a limited marketing budget.

Here are five simple tips to help the plumbing and heating small business owners make the most out of a limited marketing budget.

1. Realize that marketing is a marathon and not a sprint. Marketing is not meant to be a quick fix. Real sales marketing takes commitment and patience. Business owners need to make sure that their company’s marketing message is obvious in everything that is related to your business (employee uniforms, stationery, logo painted on the company car, business cards, etc). The more visible a company’s marketing, the more customers it will attract.

2. The customer’s happiness is a business owner’s first priority. When the customer is happy he or she is more likely to recommend a company to friends and family members in need of that company’s services. “Word of mouth” press is a valuable business asset, especially for independent business owners. Do more than your customers expect or hope for to keep them happy!

3. Avoid raising prices and stick to the price you have quoted to your customers at all costs. Unexpected charges will send a customer running to your competitor. Any extra charges need to be discussed with the customer as soon as the business owner recognizes a need for but before action is taken on them. Let the customer decide if their budget fits the project.

4. Small business owners need to pay attention to referral sources. Keep a tally of where most referrals are coming from: word of mouth, advertising, passing by, phone book entry, etc. This allows business owners to allocate advertising funds correctly and helps them avoid spending money on a marketing tactic that might not be profitable.

5. A website is imperative. Most professionals in the heating and plumbing industry do not realize just how much having a website can increase the business’s profits. The website does not need to be fancy, but it does need to be functional. This is how most potential clients will research your company. A website will help customers learn about you on their own time and will be more likely to attract first time customers than any other marketing tactic.

These five simple tips should be a good starting point to get most independent business owners to make the most out of a small budget. Given the difficult economic climate, with customers having to cut back on expenditures, it is important to be able to stand out from the crowd and win more business.

Tal Potishman, editor of Heating Central, writes articles about condensing boilers, central heating, plumber Kettering, underfloor heating and solar thermal. He specializes in helping save money by advising on efficient heating.