Billy Martinez was startled Sunday morning as he watched the third-day highlights from a PGA tournament. It wasn’t an extraordinary putt that commanded his full attention – it was a TV commercial for Butler’s Heating & Cooling. “Chuck Butler’s sales are half of mine,” Billy wondered. “How can he afford to spend money on TV?”
Perhaps you’ve seen your competition showing up on TV and wondered if it made sense for you to do the same. You may be a little apprehensive because you’ve never bought TV ads and aren’t sure how the whole process works. Adding TV to your marketing mix does involve a pretty steep learning curve. Let’s examine the things you need to think about before you invest in TV advertising, the many options available to you, and how to determine the right time to make the move.
Are You Ready to Even Think About TV?
Don’t make the same mistake many home services contractors make and jump into TV advertising until your business is prepared for it. While TV commercials can be a powerful tool, all they can do is amplify what you already have in place in terms of operations and marketing. Sure, a well-produced TV commercial can drive a flood of new leads, but if your business bucket has holes in it, you’re just wasting water. Make sure your business has all this in place before you even consider TV:
- A solid digital presence. Your website needs to be a lead-generating machine that’s mobile-friendly, fast, and full of clear calls to action. Customers who see your TV ad will search for you online – and if they can’t find you or have a poor experience on your site, you’ve lost them.
- Capacity for new leads. Be honest: can your team handle a significant increase in phone calls and online inquiries? If your current call center or dispatch team is already overwhelmed, a TV campaign will only lead to missed opportunities and frustrated customers.
- Consistent branding and stellar reputation. TV is great at building trust, but trust is fragile. If your online reviews are poor or your branding is inconsistent, television will make those weaknesses more visible. Make sure your business has a great reputation and a consistent brand message across all channels.
The Advantages of TV Advertising for Contractors
Why should you consider adding TV to your marketing mix? Handled correctly, it can deliver a variety of benefits to your business, including:
- Building credibility. When a customer sees your company on a local news station or a popular network, it elevates your brand’s perception. It signals that you’re a professional, established business that can meet their needs and deserves their trust.
- Massive local reach. Local TV advertising allows you to reach a large, geographically-defined audience in a single campaign. This is perfect for home service businesses that operate within a specific service area.
- High-impact storytelling. Effective TV commercials combine sight, sound, and motion in ways that create an emotional connection with viewers. You can showcase a customer testimonial, highlight your team’s professionalism, or demonstrate your services in ways to can’t accomplish with other media.
Types of TV Advertising: Pros, Cons, and Costs
Today’s contractors can choose from a variety of types of TV ads, each with advantages and disadvantages:
Broadcast TV
Pros: Wide reach, strong brand credibility, association with trusted local and national networks.
Cons: Limited targeting, ads reach people outside your ideal customer base, higher production and placement costs.
Average CPM (cost per thousand viewer impressions): $20–$40.
Cable TV
Pros: Ability to target specific geographic zones or interest groups through niche channels. The geographic targeting is sometimes beneficial for contractors servicing a small area in a large market.
Cons: Smaller total audience than broadcast, viewers may be more fragmented. The majority of the time, the CPM is higher than broadcast TV (and sometimes higher than CTV, without the in- depth targeting ability). Cable TV efficiency varies greatly by market.
Average CPM: $20-120
Targeted Streaming (Connected TV/CTV)
Pros: Highly targeted by demographics, geography (down to zip code level), age of home, homeowner status, and even people in the market for home service (HVAC or Plumbing intender). On-demand ad placement putting your ads in front of your targeted audience watching what they want to watch when they want to primarily in-home on large screen TV’s. Budgets can be very flexible as far as timing and the amount of spend. With CTV there is measurable performance data and no wasted impressions. CTV can be a good choice for companies in large TV markets but only servicing a few counties.
Cons: Requires robust digital tracking setup; may have smaller reach than broadcast TV.
Average CPM: $35–$60.
OTT (Over-the-Top) Platforms
The Pro/Cons are almost identical to CTV. However, with OTT the cost is slightly less; but the completion rates also tend to be less also. When watching on Mobile/Desktop/Tablet people tend to be less engaged for long periods than with CTV.
Average CPM: $30–$45.
Which of the options is right for your business?
- If your goal is maximum brand awareness in your local market, broadcast is king.
- If you want geographic targeting and a balance between reach and cost, cable may be an option, depending on your market.
- For precision targeting and measurable ROI, CTV and OTT are the way to go.
Signs Your Business Is Ready to Invest in TV
When is the right time to make the jump? Watch for these signs:
- You’ve saturated other marketing channels. If you’re dominating your market with Google Ads, SEO, and other digital strategies, but still have room to grow, TV can be the next step.
- You have a healthy marketing budget. TV advertising is a significant investment. Budget for airtime and professional production over multiple weeks or months.
- You have a long-term focus. TV’s strength is building brand awareness, which pays off over time.
- You have access to CTV and streaming services. Modern targeting tools make TV more accessible than ever.
Does TV make sense for your business?
TV advertising isn’t for every contractor — particularly not for those who are just starting out. It’s a strategic move for established, growth-minded businesses that have maximized their other marketing channels and have the operational capacity to handle a new wave of demand.
If your website is optimized, your team is ready for growth, and you’re looking to solidify your brand as a trusted authority in your community, then it might be time to explore the power of TV advertising. Start small, perhaps with a targeted CTV campaign, and build from there. The goal is to make your business a household name—and television can be the ultimate tool to get you there.
Are you a TV marketing expert?
You’re an expert when it comes to helping homeowners, but you probably don’t know enough about TV to run a successful campaign on your own. Success demands working with a partner who can help you analyze your situation, recommend the right choices, produce effective commercials, and make your TV investment as efficient as possible. That’s just part of what an outsourced Cornerstone marketing team does every day for businesses like yours across the nation. Don’t just think about dabbling in TV. Approach it with the help of experienced experts. Start by emailing kerryf@cornerstonead.com, calling 317-804-5640 x108, or by booking a free strategy session with us here.