How to use water testing to boost sales

by Dave Flaherty | October 9, 2020 12:20 pm

By Ben Poggemiller

By putting the water-testing lab on display, it becomes a ‘show’ for people to watch.

Most pool and hot tub professionals will agree that more chemical sales in the store are a good thing.

The margins are good, the opportunity for repeat business is there, and there is usually little effort involved in the sales process when it comes to water care products. Further, being able to resolve customers’ pool or hot tub water problems creates goodwill and trust for when they are ready to replace their hot tubs, refer a friend, or get repairs done.

The amount of business a small chemical sale can lead to is valuable for any pool and hot tub retailer. Water care sales also provide a cushion against pandemic environments, with shipping, delivery, and curbside pickup options available, and keep revenue coming in when showrooms are forced to close.

That said, what is the key for a retailer to get these long-term loyal customers to stay? Regular water testing is the gateway to all of this added revenue. Not only does it help customers with their water chemistry, which should be the mission of any pool and spa company, but also creates additional revenue in several ways.

For starters, it is a relatively low-cost way to keep customers coming in and purchasing. All that is required is the labour of a low-wage employee, a testing centre, and some simple reagents. During busy seasons in large markets this may require a full-time staff member; however, during slow seasons or in smaller markets, a regular staff member can take on the additional task of performing water testing.

This article will break down the common (and not-so-common ways) to use water testing as a business tool for adding revenue to any pool and hot tub business.

Water testing as entertainment

There is certainly a theatrical element to water testing. When customers come in, the water-testing station should be a key feature of the showroom that is easily accessible by customers. By putting the water-testing lab on display, it becomes a ‘show’ for people to watch.

While people get the chance to watch their water test, they get a feeling of trust in the experts, and it provides a great opportunity to converse with them, build rapport, and solidify relationships. It also offers the chance to joke around with customers and make the experience fun.

After all, the business of pools and hot tubs is selling fun. Naturally, retailers should want people to have fun in the showroom as well. This type of atmosphere can help create long-term loyalty and familiarity.

Sales opportunities

The water test can be likened to a doctor’s appointment for a customer’s pool or hot tub. By diagnosing a client’s water-chemistry problem, retailers can become the water doctors who can prescribe the right fix for the issue.

When customers come in, the water-testing station should be a key feature of the showroom that is easily accessible by customers.

The beauty of this situation is a retailer can act as both doctor and pharmacist, whereby fulfilling the prescription instantly. It is a powerful sales tool most customers will find hard to resist.

When an expert is saying to them, “Here’s the problem, and these are all the products and doses needed to resolve your water-quality issue so you can get back to enjoying your pool,” very few customers will leave and order the chemicals online.

They want their pool fixed now. They can buy the products on the spot, or if the store offers service, it can be a chance to offer ‘done-for-you’ service as well.

Finally, if the staff member performing the customer’s water test is prompt and helpful, there is no reason they will stop coming back time and time again.

Water testing as an after-sales benefit

When customers are shopping for a pool or hot tub, one natural question going through their minds is, “How are you going to support me after the sale?”

Offering water testing is a compelling reason for people to buy from a reputable retailer. It shows customers they will be looked after for years to come, and expert advice is just a call or a water test away.

Buying a pool or hot tub can be a daunting experience for people who have never owned one and, for some, the learning curve for water-chemistry care can be scary. Therefore, anything that can be done to alleviate their anxiety is going to make the sale that much easier.

Even if every competitor in the area has a water-testing lab, not enough of them talk about their water tests before the sale.

How to get more water tests in the door?

Strong promotion of the water-testing station creates additional foot traffic and gives people a reason to visit the showroom.

The more water tests a retailer performs, the more sales are made (aside from the occasional customer who brings in tests several times per week, of course).

If water tests are so important, how can retailers get more customers in the door with their water samples?

One reason why some retailers see minimal use of the water-testing stations is the simple fact that not enough people know it is an option. If customers are not aware, how can they take advantage of this valuable service?

That said, there are two simple strategies retailers can employ to attract more customers to the store to have their pool or hot tub water tested (and, as a result, see higher chemical sales).

The water-test letter drop

During slower periods, retailers can have a staff member search the surrounding area using Google maps for homeowners with pools.

In doing so, the employee should record the addresses of all the visible pools in a spreadsheet. It might also be helpful to cross-reference these addresses with a customer database to see if they are existing customers.

Then, get a supply of water sample bottles and either mail them or send a staff member door-to-door dropping them off at each house with a letter attached promoting the store’s water-testing lab. For example, the promotional letter being delivered to water care prospects can read as follows:

Hi there!

One thing we’ve found when people come into our store is they didn’t know we had a water-testing lab to help solve their pool and hot tub issues—or just keep them on the right track with their regular pool maintenance.

To us, this is one of the crown jewels of our store, so this news was shocking!

So, as a heads-up, we’re going around and dropping off water sample bottles so people can get their water tested right here in town.

If your water is cloudy, green, or you just want to make sure you’re on the right track, simply fill up this bottle and bring it in with the size and volume of your pool. We’ll run it through a rigorous test and help solve your water-quality issues. And then we’ll direct you to the right product and amounts to add in.

Everything we carry:

Is sourced from a Canadian company, so quality is top notch—meaning less time and energy fiddling with water care products that don’t work;
Contains no filler—it’s highly concentrated, so the “big pail” of stuff you see at the big-box stores isn’t nearly as effective as what we carry; and
Comes with personalized advice and help, so you can just enjoy your pool this summer.

Hope it helps!

Have a great and happy summer,

First Name, Last Name

ABC Pools & Hot Tubs

Address

Phone number

P.S. If you have no use for this bottle, please pass it on to someone else who owns a pool or hot tub and can use it.

Low-cost advertising

The beauty of a water-testing station is that a retailer can act as both doctor and pharmacist, whereby fulfilling the prescription instantly.

Low-budget Facebook ads are a great way to create pool and hot tub water-testing awareness. The small investment will pay off in hundreds or even thousands of dollars in sales over the lifetime of the customer.

The following is a simple Facebook ad retailers can set up. This is not an exhaustive tutorial, but rather a general outline. For those who are not tech savvy, retailers can also hire an expert in pool and hot tub marketing to set this up for them.

Using Facebook ads manager, a simple ad can be created with the ‘Reach’ or ‘Engagement’ objective. This will let the ad reach as many people for as little money as possible. Next, using the targeting tool, select a simple radius surrounding the store. Then, under the ‘Detailed targeting’ section, it is possible for retailers to target their ad based on interests and behaviours of users. For example, ‘swimming pools’ would be a great option to test first.

Finally, retailers can create a simple ad with an eye-catching image announcing water tests are available and what are the benefits of getting a water test. The ad should end with a simple call to action such as “bring in a water sample” and explain what is going to happen once customers get their water tested.

Retailers can set a low budget (e.g. $3 to $5 per day) and let the ad run indefinitely, changing up the creative occasionally.

Water tests are a low-commitment way for people to test out the customer service of their local pool store. They are a great way to tap into additional revenue sources like service, referrals, and future pool and hot tub sales. Strong promotion of the water-testing station creates additional foot traffic and gives people a reason to visit the showroom regularly.

Ben Poggemiller is the co-owner of Urban Life Pools & Hot Tubs in Steinbach, Man. He also owns Hungry Fox Marketing, a marketing agency that helps other retailers improve their sales and marketing processes by making sales easier and more profitable. He can be reached via email at ben@myurbanlife.ca.

Source URL: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/how-to-use-water-testing-to-boost-sales/