Guide to equipment rental marketing

An effective equipment rental marketing strategy will connect you with potential customers and help you retain your current customer base. Both are essential for the long-term health of your equipment rental business.

Importance of creating an online presence for your equipment rental company

Most potential customers will search the web for a rental marketing company to review business information and customer reviews before choosing a business. When people use search engines to look for equipment rental services in your area, you want your business to show up high in those search results.

Equipment rental marketing tools

Your business plan should include targeting several online channels using these marketing tools.

Mobile-friendly website

A high-quality website is essential for any business or startup, and you want to consider all user experiences when building your website. Your website should look great and load quickly on both desktop and mobile device screens.

Blogging

Blogging can help you reach your target audience online and offer value before they even hire your services. Conduct market research to determine what keywords your potential customers search for and write blogs targeting those keywords. Offering valuable information can help establish you as an authority in the equipment rental industry.

Social media marketing

Social media marketing is an effective way to reach your customer base. Post helpful or entertaining content regularly to engage your audience. You can also run social media marketing campaigns and pay-per-click (PPC) ads.

If you build brand awareness and online relationships with your target audience, they are more likely to think of you when they need equipment rentals.

Local SEO

People and construction companies looking to rent equipment will probably search for something like “equipment rental near me.” You want your business to show up high in these results. Improve your search engine optimization (SEO) by taking these actions:

• Regularly publish optimized content
• Ask for customer reviews
• Get backlinks from other trusted websites
• Fill out your business information on online business directories

Google business profile

If you haven’t already, claim your Google Business Profile and fill out your business information. A complete profile allows you to appear in Google search results and shows your location on Google Maps. Many customers search directly in the Google Maps app, so it’s ideal to be listed there.

Make sure business information is correct and reliable for customers. Include the following business information:

• Your business name
• Location and service area
• Services and pricing

Consider adding photos and videos. You can post impressive videos of earthmoving equipment like excavators, backhoes and loaders used for construction activities.

SMS marketing

SMS marketing is a great way to reach customers instantly. You can automate a text message to send to all new leads offering them a discount for first-time services. You can also run SMS campaigns that offer flash sales or other deals.

Email marketing

Email marketing is a cost-effective way to connect with leads and stay in touch with past customers. Email campaigns can provide customers with helpful information, seasonal DIY tips or discounts. Ensure your email marketing provides customers with value.

Follow these email marketing tips when planning your content marketing strategies.

Maintaining strong relationships with equipment rental customers

Once you get customers, you want to provide excellent service and ensure they’ll work with you again if they need your services.

Importance of customer retention

Equipment rental is a competitive landscape, and customer retention can help in several ways. Keeping past customers means they’ll be loyal to your business when they need equipment rental services in the future.

Loyal customers who repeatedly rent from your business are also more likely to refer people they know looking for equipment rental services.

Online reviews

Online reviews build trust with potential customers. Great reviews from past customers will influence the purchasing decisions of new customers. Respond to positive reviews to show customers how much their feedback is valued.

Negative reviews might seem bad, but they don’t have to tarnish your reputation when you respond with grace. Address the user who left the review by name, acknowledge their experience and leave your phone number or email address with an offer to resolve the situation offline.

If you remember the interaction and feel it’s best to share your side of the story, you can help shape the narrative. Be careful not to be defensive; instead, respond calmly. A great response to a negative review can have a positive impression on a potential customer.

Web Chat

A Web Chat feature on your website can help your business answer simple customer queries and generate leads. If you automate your Web Chat, you can offer instant answers to simple questions and service requests and filter more complicated customer needs to live representatives.

Online advertising

Your customer base is online, so you want to meet them there.

Google Ads

Google Ads are PPC advertisements appearing when your target audience searches for specific keywords. When a user searches those words and your ad pops up, you get charged a fee every time a user clicks that advertisement link.

Facebook Ads

Facebook Ads are also PPC ads and allow you to get specific in setting your target audience. You can select users based on their age, location and interests. Facebook Ads makes it easy to test different marketing strategies and target demographics to expand your customer base.

Both Facebook and Google offer tools to help you track the analytics for your various advertisements to improve your strategies over time and grow your reputation within the construction industry.

Equipment rental marketing FAQ

Here are some common FAQs regarding equipment rental marketing.

How do I generate more equipment rental leads?

There are several ways to generate more equipment rental leads. Consider the following tactics:

• Offer a referral program, giving discounts to customers who refer their connections.
• Create a loyalty program with discounts for returning customers.
• Add a call-to-action (CTA) on your website to collect user information.
• Offer a free resource relevant to your customer interests, like “Top 5 excavator attachments,” and collect user emails in exchange for it.
• Partner with a local business that offers related (not competing) services and refer business to each other.

How do I improve my equipment rental business’s reputation?

It’s best to respond to all reviews, including negative ones. If you think you have a fake review or one violating a platform’s community guidelines, you can report it and have it reviewed to get it taken down.

Even if you think it’s a fake review, respond by saying something like, “We don’t have a record of (customer name). Please get in touch with us at (your company phone number or email address) so we can clarify and resolve the issue.”

One effective way to improve your equipment rental business’ reputation is simply asking customers for reviews. Make sure they know it’s optional and make it easy for them.

• Ask customers in person to leave a review after the service is complete.
• After a customer pays, send an SMS or email containing a link to your review page so customers can quickly respond.
• Feature a great review by embedding it on your website to encourage other customers to share their thoughts.

Where should equipment rental companies advertise online?

The equipment rental market is massive and will likely see a high growth rate in coming years, so it’s an excellent time to get your business advertisements out on the Internet. Start by combining pay-per-click advertisements with regular social media posts on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Also, consider how your blog posts and email and SMS campaigns are getting your business in front of your target audience. Experiment with various tactics to expand your reach and generate leads.

Grow your equipment rental business with Broadly

Broadly offers a suite of equipment rental marketing solutions and marketing tools:

• Reviews: Get more online reviews to drive more referrals
• Website: Build a mobile-friendly website that converts visitors into customers
• Web Chat: Enhance the user experience for your company website visitors
• Campaigns: Launch email marketing campaigns

Want to see how Broadly can help you manage your online reputation and grow your equipment rental business?