How To Get More Clients (For Waste Removal Companies)

Earning new clients in the septic, wastewater, and waste removal business can be hard and expensive if not done correctly. To get new clients, here are some first steps you should be taking that will only take a few hours per week to complete without spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on ads.

Leverage Current Clients

• Ask for referrals
• Create an offer

Local Directories

• Upload your business information to local directories

Google My Business

• Optimize your Google My Business profile

Updated Website

• Local SEO focused content
• Mobile friendly
• Fast loading
• Blog content (“tips” & “how-tos”)

Social Media

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Tik Tok
• YouTube!

Reviews!

• Request reviews after EVERY service

Google Ads

Registering in local directories helps people (and Google) understand where your business is located. Some directories will already have your business information uploaded, but it is good practice to claim your business in the directory and update the information as needed. Claiming your business in a directory can also verify that your business is legit.

Ensure your Google My Business profile is set up with updated information. This can include:

Your website is your best sales driver. Only 9% of users scroll to the bottom of the first page of Google, and only 0.44% of users go to the second page. This is why having an up-to-date website is crucial in gaining new clients in the waste industry. A good website will include:

• Local SEO content (webpages for each service area)
• Mobile-friendly (over 60% of Google searches are on mobile)
• Fast loading content (compress images, use a maximum of 3 fonts, limit animations)
• Helpful blog content around your services (e.g., “how to maintain a septic system”)

Local SEO Content

Local SEO content is one of the most important ways to get your website ranking on the first page of Google. Here is how to get started:

Keyword research is the process of finding local search terms your clients are using on Google to find local businesses like yours. To find keywords around your business, think about search terms you think your clients would use in order to find you. These keywords should involve your company’s location and should look something like “septic company in San Antonio”. You should base the content on your website around these keywords to generate helpful content for the internet.

Some tools to help you find the right keywords:

The SEMrush keyword tool helps you find the right keywords for your website. You can also compare your domain against your competitors to find out keywords they are ranking for, perform strategic keyword research, or audit your entire site for weak points and areas for improvement.

Ahrefs is similar to SEMrush, where you can view high-ranking keywords, keyword difficulty, and compare domains against your competitors.

Note: In both SEMrush and Ahrefs, KD means “keyword difficulty” (0 being easy, 100 being hard), “volume” is the average number of searches per month, and “CPC” is the average cost per click if you decide to run ads.

Google Search Console allows you to view how your website is performing on Google search results. In the dashboard, you can view the keywords your waste company is currently ranking for and create content around keywords that your company is not ranking too well on. Google Search Console is a great place to start to see where your website is currently ranking.

Note: “clicks” refer to the number of times a page has been clicked through Google, “impressions” refer to the number of times Google has displayed your webpage, and “position” is where your webpage is currently ranking.

Blog Content

Posting weekly blog content to inform your clients on “how to” tutorials and “helpful tips” might sound counterintuitive, as you’re telling your clients how to do your job, but it is actually super helpful for Google to recognize your business and showcases a level of trust with future clients.

For example, a blog post or YouTube video might help cover the topic “why does my septic tank smell outside”, or “why does my septic tank keep backing up”

Informing the internet on helpful tips and insider tricks is guaranteed to boost your company’s authority on Google when done correctly.

Social media is a great way to earn new clients’ trust through helpful or entertaining content. Some options include:

Instagram

Instagram is a great way for septic, grease trap, and waste hauling companies to connect with current and future clients by posting helpful, funny, entertaining, or promotional content through regular posts, reels, and stories.

Facebook

Facebook is another great tool for wastewater hauling companies to connect with future clients. By joining community groups, you can cross-post your Instagram content to connect with individuals in your area.

TikTok

By posting regularly on TikTok, you can connect with a wide variety of potential clients through entertaining and informational videos.

YouTube

Since YouTube is the second largest search engine after Google, you have access to a large

Reviews can be the best way to retain new clients. Most people don’t necessarily choose your business over another because of a lower price, but rather the authority you have in the industry. Clients want to see a reputable business service their home.

How to get more reviews: Send your Google My Business review link to your clients after each service. This process only takes minutes and can have a huge impact on how your Google My Business performs on Google.

With certain software tools like Septic Management Solutions, you can automatically send reviews with your invoice as your team completes jobs. This turns sending reviews from minutes to seconds.

Looking for a tool to automate your reviews in the waste disposal industry? Contact our team for more information.

Contact

Although a little more expensive up front, Google Ads can be displayed to target clients in your area for new jobs. Using platforms like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Google Search Console will help you find keywords and the cost-per-click associated with them to build ads around.

Note: Google Ads can end up being costly if not set up correctly. It is recommended to first optimize your Google My Business listing, website, and social media channels, as these will be the “cheapest” methods to gain new clients, before taking on Google Ads.

The waste management and disposal industry has a huge demand for operators every day. Getting your company known is easier than ever with the available tools. The cheapest way to gain new clients in the waste industry includes: optimizing your website, optimizing your Google My Business profile, showcasing your business on social media, and requesting reviews.

Septic Management Solutions is leading the wastewater industry with technology. For more information on software, contact our team.