While some industries are being hit hard due to COVID-19, the septic industry is booming. Since March’s stay-at-home orders, pumpers have seen a rise in residential emergency calls. This increase in demand could be an excellent opportunity for your business to capitalize on the growing demand.
Market Advantages for the Septic Industry
With many company’s shifting to a work from home model, the need for septic services is still on the rise. Jim Kneiszel, an editor at Onsite Installer, explains that the increase in demand is primarily because most home systems aren’t built to perform 24/7.
“Soon, pumping contractors were reporting a raft of emergency calls every week as sewage was backing up into homes or surfacing in the backyard.”
President of Flash Sanitation, Kevin Snyder, explains his business has seen a surge in demand as he notes during a local WOOD-TV 8 report, “We’re getting a high volume of people backing up. The systems are full, so the water has nowhere to go. So, it’s backing up into the house. With everyone being home, you have a lot more water usage.”
Though the restaurant industry’s decrease has seen a decline in grease trap pumping, the rise in outdoor seating venues has created a new opportunity. The need for portable bathroom stations has also increased, as individuals are restricted from entering their buildings.
So, What Does This Mean for Your Pumper Business?
Every industry is innovating like never before to react to the changing climate. Your business should be no exception. Take the time to build a game plan to turn today’s increase in demand into tomorrow’s long-term success strategy.
Scale Your Septic Business
Grow your business by expanding your reach with more trucks, expanding to new locations, and using digital marketing to expand your customer list.
Expand Your Fleet
When looking at the in-demand services, does your business have the right equipment to rise to the occasion? If the answer is no, consider upgrading or adding equipment to meet the market needs.
Pumper truck equipment financing can help your business expand by spreading the cost of the equipment over a term length. As the need for septic pumping increases, flexible financing options allow you to keep up with demand, and the truck will pay for itself with the income it brings in month after month. Whether you’re a newer business hoping to buy a truck as you see the need arise or are established and want to get ahead of the growing demand, taking advantage of financing options is imperative.
Amidst a tumultuous time like now, financing helps your business pump more, pay less, and still conserve credit lines for intangible items (i.e., payroll, supplies, marketing, etc.) Over the last four months, several businesses have toyed with the idea of expansion. For those who have been invigorated and willing to capitalize, there have been no regrets. These companies have seen a consistent uptake in revenue and have been able to utilize their increased cash flow on immediate changes to their marketing strategy.
Calculate an estimate for pumper truck financing here.
Why Digital Marketing?
Marketing your business helps new customers become aware of your company and the services you offer. With more customers online now than ever, your business can get in front of those eyes with the help of digital marketing.
- Create a great website. Your website is your virtual business card to the world.
- Remember to individualize your services and products to set yourself apart from the competition.
- Make sure your website is mobile friendly and displays properly at any size device.
- Target the right customers. Make sure you have a social media presence.
- 1 in 4 customers tries to find you on Facebook.
- Utilize Facebook ads to increase your visibility to new customers.
- Show up on google. SEO & PPC can help your ranking.
- Google ads help your business stay as the top result on pages you want to show up for.
- Focus on getting customer reviews on google to help build your reputation.
Set a Budget
Budgeting for marketing every month can ensure that your business can keep growing in the future. Chris Beecher, The Whole Brain Group, explains the importance of setting a budget that gets results. “If you plan to grow by 20%, but only want to invest enough in marketing to get new business cards for everyone in your company, you’re probably going to be disappointed with the results of your investment!” He suggests setting a budget anywhere from 3%-5% of your top-line revenue.
Free Up Capital
If 3-5% of your revenue sounds like a stretch, there are equipment financing programs designed to get your business the cash you need. Financing programs like sale-leaseback help leverage the equipment you own to inject cash into your business. It’s as simple as selling the equipment to Beacon and allowing us to lease it back to you over an agreed period. Your business receives the cash process from the sale, which you can then use for a variety of business needs, while still using your equipment to make you money. You then reclaim ownership at the end of the lease term.
Get Financing for Your Business
As a Senior Financing Consultant with over three years of experience, specifically in the pumper industry, I’ve helped hundreds of businesses determine if a new truck fits their budget. I’ve also assisted in rehabilitating and building credit for businesses that had trouble approvals in the past. Whether your business needs new equipment or assistance with your cash flow, you don’t have to go through it alone.
At the end of 2018, I helped a husband and wife get their business set up and financed their first truck to start pumping. Before starting their business, they had a combined revenue of $45k and were just able to make ends meet. After helping them get their third truck in January 2020, they are now earning over $250,000 annually. As the country continues its battle with COVID-19, the need for more septic pumpers nationwide is only increasing.
Just this past month, I worked with a company in California that had financed under their personal credit profiles for the first four years of their business. We worked together on a cross-country purchase. We not only got them approved with lower financing terms than their personal bank but also helped them establish business credit without adding debt to their own names anymore. This allowed them to rebuild their website as well as expand their fleet to keep up with demand.