When he is not performing wildcats on his snowboard or running ollies on his skateboard, Nick Parlet @plumbingsk8r keeps busy with his residential service plumbing company, Tidy Pipes Plumbing, Webster, N.Y. As a third-generation union plumber, Parlet’s dad and his grandfather encouraged him to join and learn the trade, so at the age of 22 Read more
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When he is not performing wildcats on his snowboard or running ollies on his skateboard, Nick Parlet @plumbingsk8r keeps busy with his residential service plumbing company, Tidy Pipes Plumbing, Webster, N.Y.
As a third-generation union plumber, Parlet’s dad and his grandfather encouraged him to join and learn the trade, so at the age of 22, Nick joined the local plumbing union. Nick began doing two years of pre-apprentice work and then started his five-year apprenticeship. After five years of schooling, Nick became a journeyman and worked commercial new build construction. Parlet eventually ended up working in the commercial plumbing service, and after doing that for many years—as well as doing side jobs for family and friends—he decided to open his own residential plumbing company, Tidy Pipes Plumbing.
“To be honest, I didn’t know if there was ever a time that I was certain about going on my own; however, with growing on social media with Plumbingsk8r and meeting a ton of great people in the industry, it was clear that there was more money to be made owning your own. My wife and I—spur of the moment—bought a truck on a random Tuesday, and the rest was history,” says Parlet.
Being on his own with the new company came a new wave of excitement knowing that each call Parlet received would grow his business further. “Interacting with my own customers was really exciting; I felt a greater sense of accomplishment and purpose for each job that I went to,” says Parlet.
Joining the union proved beneficial for Parlet. “There are many benefits as a union member, especially for those going into the trades young. They offer coverage for health and dental insurance, as well as retirement options and pension plans. There is also the perk of having your education and schooling provided for you if you go through the full apprenticeship program. It’s just nice knowing there is a group of people keeping your best interest in mind when you are first coming into the trade,” says Parlet.
For those interested in getting started in the trades, “Go for it!” says Parlet. “Consider the benefits for your future and remember that the trades pay. It is knowledge that will never go out of style. Tradesmen will always be import in the future and AI can’t take your job.”
So how does this translate to how we as an industry getting more people interested in the trades? “If there was more focus on the money to be made, I think there would be a lot more interest. There are always jokes about plumbers, and they have this stigma surrounding them that they are low paying job, but in reality you can make the same amount and in many cases more than someone who is 3-5 years out of college,” says Parlet.
The Balance
Believing in the notion that stress is a killer, Parlet is trying to stay level headed about keeping the right work life balance. First and foremost, Nick loves spending time with his wife and kids, and he knows full well that he does not want to shave a few years off his short time on earth just to make a few extra bucks. “Starting my company has been very challenging for balancing everything because I want to please all of my customers, and that sometimes means working late and working weekends, but I am confident that this is just part of the start-up process,” says Parlet.
Social Connections
As time went on, the confidence grew. And, once Nick started growing on social media and was asked to be part of the Oatey ambassador program, he says he met so many great people, good friends to this day that all became mentors.
Nick (r) with Evan Berns at Oatey
“My buddy Thomas Young, aka TYCustoms, Nick from Cheddars Plumbing Co, Jake from MotherFlushers, and Roger Wakefield all instilled a lot of confidence in me and really made me realize that I was capable of owning my own company as well. I hope to be a role model in showing the younger generation that there are other options besides college and that the trades are always growing and need workers,” says Parlet.
“Huge shout out to everyone at Oatey, by the way! Amanda, Alyssa, Katherine, and Tyler, you guys are awesome! They have really helped to push me further into the spotlight of the plumbing social media community and for that I am very thankful. Because of Oatey I was able to meet some of my best friends today.”
Speaking on the importance of social media, “About a year and a half ago, my good friend Brian was constantly sending me TikTok plumbing videos through text messages,” recalls Parlet. “After a few times of clicking the links, I was locked out of watching the TikTok videos unless I downloaded the app. So, I downloaded the app and without putting any thought into the name so I created @plumbingsk8r.
The Hub’s Tim Ward (l) and John Mesenbrink (r) share a laugh at the RIDGID afterparty during PHCC Connect in Cleveland.
“At that time, I was really only posting on my personal Instagram page. One day I was bored, I posted what I did at work to my Instagram story. I was shocked at the response I got from my friends that were not in the trades. My friends were actually interested in what I did for a living and would often ask me for help with their own plumbing issues. I started putting a little more though into filming my plumbing videos and edits. One night, Brian told me I should post one of my videos to the TikTok and I was a little hesitant at first but I eventually did. The next morning, I woke up at my video had 75,000 views. I was shocked. I posted another one and it didn’t do so good. I posted one more and that one took off as well.
“Every day, I would post what I did at work and I started to gain a little following. I reached out to other plumbing content creators and ended up building some good friendships. We would talk a lot about content creating but also about being a business owner. A lot of them sparked the idea of opening my own company at that time. I enjoy everything about plumbing, including meeting other people who are more knowledgeable about the trade than me. Social media has become a tool I’ve been able to use to learn more than I ever thought I could about the plumbing and the business side of things.
“There have been so many times I’m on a job and think to myself. ‘I bet TY would know the answer to why this is doing that.’ So, I call up my buddy that lives on the other side of the country and sure enough he knows exactly what I’m talking about.
“As for the time I put into my videos today, I try to post at least once a day. I try to film jobs that at different such as pouring a lead joint because you do see that very often. The filming process does not take much extra time but the editing and cross posting process can take anywhere from 30 mins to five hours per video. If I don’t feel creatively motivated, I will not edit or post that day. In a sense, social media has become a 2nd job for me but it’s a job that I can do when I feel like it so there is no pressure. I’m just having fun with it and meeting as many people as I can,” says Parlet.
In conclusion, when Nick started his plumbing career in commercial new construction, he felt as if he was not challenged enough. “I learned a lot about installation but not as much about what I was actually installing. In order to be a good service plumber, you need to know how everything works in order to properly diagnose and fix the problem. “Every service call that I go on has its own challenges and when I find the solution to the problem, fix the issue and put a smile on my customers face, that is the rewarding part.”
Oh, and that name @plumbngsk8r? “I have been skateboarding since I was 10 years old and I still really enjoy skating and filming with my friends,” says Parlet.
You’ll see Nick if you attend the 2024 WWETT Show, KBIS in Vegas, “and I was recently picked to attend the RIDGID Experience, which I am extremely excited about, and I’m hoping to get to the ‘holy grail’ of power tools event, the Milwaukee Pipeline.
Trusted Tools
What I keep on me at all times
• Utility knife
• 6-in. 1 screw driver
• High quality pocket flashlight
• Milwaukee marks all marker
Always in the bag hand tools
•Channel Locks / Knipex Plier wrench
• Needle nose Cresent Wrench (Ferguson brand – Raptor)
• 16 ft. tape
Power tools I use almost daily
• Milwaukee auto cutter
• RIDGID Snake (preferably a K-50)
• RIDGID Press tool (RP-115)
Working in the trades business can be challenging. You need to spend time learning and perfecting your skill set, but it is also important that you focus on doing as much as you can to stand out and get ahead of the competition. Starting out as a new plumber can be pretty daunting, and there Read more
Working in the trades business can be challenging. You need to spend time learning and perfecting your skill set, but it is also important that you focus on doing as much as you can to stand out and get ahead of the competition. Starting out as a new plumber can be pretty daunting, and there are a lot of ideas and processes that you should be thinking about moving forward.
Make sure you focus on doing as much as possible to improve your prospects, and to give yourself the greatest chances of success. There are a lot of things that you need to make the most of right now, and this is something that you have to keep in mind as much as possible. Try to work on the best ways of being able to do this. Here are some of the key examples.
Promote Yourself Effectively
Promoting yourself effectively is one of the best things that you need to do as a budding new plumber, and this is something to work on right now. Try to make sure you come up with some of the best ideas you can use to get your name out there and achieve success. You have to improve and boost your reputation, and make sure you do as much as possible to achieve this. Focusing on social media marketing is one of the most effective ways of being able to achieve this right now, and there is a lot to consider here moving forward. Do your best to focus on being able to achieve this process, and there are a lot of things that you need to get your name out there and really get people excited about the business and you as a professional
Develop a Customer Base
Developing a customer base is one of the key things that you need to improve upon as a budding plumber, and this is the area where you are able to achieve success moving forward. There are a lot of things that play a part in this, and a lot of it is about developing a strong reputation and being able to improve the way you do things as a plumber. You have to provide service of the highest quality, as well as present yourself in a professional and reliable way, and this is one of the key things that you can do to boost reputation and help secure a strong customer base for regular business.
Always do Everything By the Book
There can be a tendency to cut corners when you are first starting out because you want to rush through things incredibly quickly. However, this is something that you should be looking to avoid as much as possible. You need to do what you can to be able to ensure you do things by the book, and this is a great way of being able to make the most of this right now. This means making sure you have the right tools and that you fit and repair things in the correct way. It means remembering to wear a mask and use hand sanitizer. In fact, you could even combine this step with the marketing step by heading to 4 All Promos and stocking up on some branded hand sanitizer. Ensure you do everything in the right way, and that you always place priority on being able to be honest and forthright; this can make all the difference to how you are perceived.
There are plenty of steps you can take that are going to allow you to improve upon this, and there are so many things that play a role in this process moving forward. Try to focus on doing what you can to improve your prospects this year and try to stand out as a new and reliable plumber. Being able to make use of these factors is definitely something that you should be looking to make the most of right now, and there are a lot of things that can help you significantly with this as a working professional.
For more info, check out this blog on some of the best plumbing tools.
Plumbing and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) contractors have unique challenges when it comes to marketing. You’re working in hidden spaces, and potential clients usually don’t know much about you until something goes wrong. Even then, your work is often invisible, with the only evidence being a bill or the lack of one. In Read more
Plumbing and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) contractors have unique challenges when it comes to marketing. You’re working in hidden spaces, and potential clients usually don’t know much about you until something goes wrong.
Even then, your work is often invisible, with the only evidence being a bill or the lack of one. In other words, this isn’t exactly a field where word-of-mouth works as well as it does for hotels or restaurants.
So what can you do to grow your business?
The answer lies in digital marketing strategies that will get you more leads, clients, and sales in today’s connected world. But, the trick is knowing which tactics are worth your time and which aren’t.
In this article, we’ll give you some essential digital marketing tips for plumbing and HVAC contractors so that you know how to market yourself effectively online. If you’re ready to dive in, read on!
#1. Go Social
With more than 4.6 billion users worldwide, social media platforms are an ideal place to boost your online presence and gain more eyeballs. That said, social media marketing can be tricky, but it can also be extremely effective. You have to be careful not to fall into the trap of posting to your social channels just to publish something.
You should be using social media to engage with your audience and build relationships with people who might need your services. Use the right social media channels for your business. If your industry is visual, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest might be a better fit than Facebook.
If you’re an HVAC contractor, Facebook and Instagram are great places to start. If you’re a plumbing contractor, you might want to try a combination of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
#2. HVAC Contractors: Start With Lead Generation
The best way to generate leads for your business is to offer something for free. Whatever your industry, there are likely organizations that could use your services but don’t have the money to pay for them. You can help these organizations by offering your services for free, and in exchange, they’ll give you something: their contact information.
This type of marketing is called lead generation, and it’s a great way to attract new clients and grow your business without spending any money. There are organizations that could use your services just about everywhere.
Start by thinking about your local community and the places you spend time: your kids’ school, your church, your gym, your sporting events, and more. Throughout the year, these places celebrate birthdays, host fundraisers, and hold other events. You can offer your services for free, and in exchange, you’ll get the contact information of everyone involved.
#3. Invest in An Engaging Content Marketing Strategy
You might not be a content marketing pro, but chances are that you have something to say. And if you want people to pay attention to you, you need to say it in a way that’s easy to find, read, and share.
Most businesses should have an editorial calendar, which is a schedule for publishing content. Your calendar should include topics that are relevant to your industry, your clients, and your business.
Organize your calendar by topic and make sure to include content for all of your marketing channels. If you’re an HVAC contractor, for example, you might create a blog post about how to choose the right type of air filter, publish a how-to on installing solar panels, or create a HVAC salary guide to help HVAC business owners hire top talent.
Or, if you’re a plumbing contractor, you might write an article on how to winterize your water heater or create a training video or tutorial video showing how to unclog a drain using a plunger. Whatever your industry, there are topics that will interest your clients.
#4. Take Advantage of Local SEO
Local SEO is the art of making sure your business is listed on the best local directories and maps. It’s also about optimizing your website and social media profiles for local search. You want to ensure that when potential clients search for your services in your area, your business appears at the top of relevant searches.
That way, you don’t need to go door to door to find new clients. Depending on which state you’re in, your clients may also be able to find you through state-level directories like Angie’s List. If you’re a plumber, you should add your business to Yelp, Google My Business, and Plumbers.org.
If you’re an HVAC contractor, your business should be listed on Yelp, Angie’s List, HomeAdvisor, and Local.com. Make sure that each of your local listings has accurate contact information, including a telephone number. You can also use your listings to add information about your business, including hours of operation and specialties.
#5. Set Up a Responsive Website
In today’s digital world, having a website is a must for businesses. It’s safe to say that your website is the foundation of your online marketing. Think of it like your 24/7 online store. It’s where potential clients will learn about your business, see what you can offer, how to contact you and decide whether you’re right for them.
This also means that your site needs to be accessible on any device and optimized for search. You don’t want your potential clients to have to squint to read your content every time they open your site and try to learn more about your service.
#6. Leverage User-Based Advertising
Social media advertising is growing in popularity because it’s one of the most effective ways to reach your target audience. You can target users on Facebook and Instagram based on their age, location, interests, hobbies, and more.
When you run a social media ad, you’re paying to get your ad in front of an audience that Facebook has identified as relevant to your business. When you’re advertising on Facebook, make sure that you’re creating your ads with the right mindset: you’re trying to get people to click, not to buy.
#7. Plumbing Contractors: Try Display Ads and Podcasting
If you’re a plumbing contractor, you might be ready to get more inventive with your marketing strategy. You might have the best marketing strategy in the world, but if potential clients can’t find it, you’re wasting your time.
You can use display ads to get your message in front of a more general audience. You can write an article or create a video and then promote it with display ads on social media and on major websites.
You can also try podcasting. Podcasts are a great way to engage your audience, and they’re growing in popularity. You can talk about your industry and answer your clients’ most pressing questions. You can even interview experts in your field or conduct interviews with your team members.
Conclusion
Your business is unique. That means you need a unique marketing strategy that works for you and your clients. These digital marketing tips will get you started, but don’t forget to experiment to see which one works and which one does not at the moment.
In this fast-paced world, you may find that a strategy that doesn’t work for your business today could be your secret sauce tomorrow. Keep an eye out for trends and try new things. With a little effort and these essential digital marketing tips, you’ll be well on your way to a successful business.
Guest Author
Andre Oentoro is the founder of Breadnbeyond, an award-winning explainer video company. He helps businesses increase conversion rates, close more sales, and get positive ROI from explainer videos (in that order).
Since their introduction in North America in 1999, Viega press systems have earned a loyal following among plumbers and contractors who value their performance, efficiency and reliability. In recent years, this community has grown into a large following across Viega LLC’s social media accounts. In response, Viega LLC is recognizing some of its most enthusiastic Read more
Since their introduction in North America in 1999, Viega press systems have earned a loyal following among plumbers and contractors who value their performance, efficiency and reliability.
In recent years, this community has grown into a large following across Viega LLC’s social media accounts. In response, Viega LLC is recognizing some of its most enthusiastic and influential supporters through a new Press Masters Brand Ambassador program. The Press Masters are a group of highly skilled plumbing, HVAC, and general contractors who have built followings through their creative, and often entertaining, educational social media content.
As Press Masters, they will use their social channels to educate people on the benefits of pressing with Viega fittings and share their trade expertise.
“The Press Master brand ambassador program is centered around building relationships with people who have shown great pride in their work using Viega fittings and who are passionate about being involved in the trade community,” said Rebecca Stamey, PR and Social Media Manager for Viega. “There is so much value in having the opportunity to partner with people who choose to use our products every day. We want to recoginize their endorsement for the brand and celebrate their accomplishments, all while also helping other realize the benefits of pressing.”
The current Press Masters are:
- Travis Abaire, @t.a.p.plumbingandheating, of Tap Plumbing & Heating in Bristol, Conn.
- Matt Fleming, @allstarplumbinginc, of All Star Plumbing & Heating in Manasquan, N.J.
- Terence Chan, @the__impetus, of Impetus Plumbing & Heating in Vancouver, B.C.
- Jonathan Cheever, @teamcheever, of Team Cheever Design Build in Park City, Utah
- Matt Benevides, @boston_plumbing_monstahs_, of Benevides Plumbing & Mechanical in New Bedford, Mass.
- Colton Henkowski, @viking_pipefitter, Technical Trainer for Viega in Broomfield, Colo.
To learn more about each Press Master and for those interested in applying to join the program visit viega.us/pressmasters.
There are many ways to generate new business for a plumbing company, but the most important is to focus on generating quality leads. A successful plumbing company should have a strong marketing strategy and be able to generate leads and interest in their services. Let’s take a look at how. How Social Media Can Help Read more
There are many ways to generate new business for a plumbing company, but the most important is to focus on generating quality leads. A successful plumbing company should have a strong marketing strategy and be able to generate leads and interest in their services. Let’s take a look at how.
How Social Media Can Help Your New Company Grow Fast
Social media marketing is a powerful tool that can help your new company grow fast. It can be used to generate awareness and engage with your target audience. Social media platforms are often like the Wild West. With so many platforms out there, it can be hard for a new company to find its place in the social media world. One way to stand out from the crowd is by creating content that is unique and relevant to your target audience’s interests. This will also help you build trust with them and gain their trust in return.
How to Get Conversions and Leads with Your Plumbing Company
The first step in generating leads is to create a website that is optimized for conversions. This means having relevant content on the front page and making sure that it has the right call-to-action button. You should also have a landing page with an opt-in form that encourages visitors to subscribe for future updates.
The next step is creating compelling content for your website. You should make sure that the text on your site is engaging and informative enough so people are willing to subscribe to receive more information about your company’s services.
How to Set up a Plumbing Company Website
With the help of a website builder software, you can create a website in minutes. The best part is that it is not necessary to be a web designer or developer to set up your own website. There are many benefits that come from using a website builder like Wix. A few of these benefits are:
- You don’t need to know HTML or CSS
- You don’t need to know about web hosting
- You get custom design options for free
- There are no monthly fees for hosting
What are the Best DIY Marketing Techniques for Plumbing Companies?
Plumbing companies are usually in a competitive market and they need to be on top of their game. They are always looking for new marketing ideas that can help them stand out from the competition. Here are some of the best DIY marketing techniques to follow:
– Make sure you have a blog that is updated regularly with content related to your industry. It will be easier for people to find you when they search online.
– Make sure you have a well-designed website, one that is user-friendly and easy to navigate. This will help increase your visibility online, especially if it is optimized for mobile devices.
– Create an email list and send out regular newsletters about topics related to your business, such as recent news or upcoming events in your area.
How to Promote Your Brand with SEO
There are many digital marketing tools that can help you in promoting your brand and SEO is one of them. It is important to know what works best for your business so you can be more effective with your marketing efforts. Promoting your brand with targeted marketing and SEO requires a lot of work. If you’re unsure how to get started, an expert like sofiaseo.com can help you to get underway. There are many tactics that you can use to promote your brand on the internet and offline.
SEO is the process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web page in organic results on search engines’ web pages by increasing its relevance in search engine results pages. It can be one of the most beneficial parts of your strategy to get started with.
The Process of Generating New Business with Referrals
Referrals are the best way to generate new business for your business. It is a process of generating leads and it doesn’t require any marketing or advertising. A referral is when a customer of your company refers a new customer to you.
When someone who has never heard of your company goes to the website, they find out that they can get 10% off their first purchase by using their referral code. They then share this code with friends and family members who want to save money on their purchase too. These people then go to the website and use the code, which generates a lead for your company