The pool and spa industry and, thus, pool and spa marketing have been a roller coaster over the past few years. And not a typical roller coaster either. More like one of those weird beasts with a chain lift in the middle of the ride, rumbling its passengers through an unexpected succession of highs, lows, and blind turns. And with 2025 on the horizon, there’s more track up ahead.
With a new presidency beginning, shifts in consumer confidence, disposable income, and spending priorities will inevitably impact how consumers behave and, thus, how businesses operate. Thriving in this environment amidst growing competition will demand dealers be more humble, curious, and energetic than ever because no car stays on the track if the wheels are falling off.
If you’re a pool or spa dealer committed to sustaining or growing your business in 2025 and beyond, adaptability, collaboration, and forward-thinking are essential—especially when it comes to your marketing. As AI continues to develop and new user trends emerge across different digital platforms, it’s important to look at the entire menu of marketing solutions and conceive how they can work in concert to achieve optimal results. Be honest about what will serve you best, and if you need help from the pros in deciding, be humble enough to seek it.
In the meantime, we at The Get Smart Group have compiled a list of key marketing strategies that will define success in the coming years—and how to implement them effectively.
Pool and Spa Marketing: How Dealers Can Compete in 2025
In many ways, marketing is like water maintenance in a pool or hot tub. It involves applying specific treatments at specific times in specific amounts based on changes in the weather and who’s going to be in the water.
This is especially true in the digital marketing landscape. There is no “magic bullet”—no single thing that’s going to make everything work the way you want it to.
Successful, sustainable businesses use a multi-pronged approach to their digital marketing strategy based on their current standing in the market and their goals for growth. Furthermore, they budget the time needed to conceptualize, test, and revise within the strategy based on performance. Pro tip: These things are never quick.
1. Enhanced Digital Presence: Organic and Paid Media
Think of your website as your storefront—it’s the first impression potential customers have of your business. But a great website is just the beginning. Your online presence needs to be backed by strong local SEO and a vibrant paid media strategy to ensure customers can find you and engage with you where they spend their time online. Without this, you’re invisible to a large portion of your potential audience.
2. Targeted Lead Generation Campaigns
Gone are the days of generic advertising. Today’s customers expect personalized offers and content that speaks directly to their needs. Whether you’re promoting hot tubs, swim spas, or saunas, precision-targeted PPC ads and segmented email campaigns can ensure you’re reaching buyers ready to take action.
This is where a well-built, well-managed CRM system becomes vital. With the right CRM, you can deliver both cutting-edge email marketing and report on your ROI.
3. Seasonal Promotion Planning
Seasonality is a double-edged sword in this industry. While certain times of the year bring a surge in interest, you must plan far ahead to capture that demand effectively. A well-thought-out promotional calendar with tailored messaging and timely ads can help you maximize your revenue during peak sales periods.
4. Video Marketing for Visual Appeal
Pools and spas are visually driven purchases. Therefore, pool and spa marketing will become more video-centric than ever.
High-quality videos showcasing installations, customer testimonials, and product demos allow potential buyers to envision themselves enjoying your products. Video builds trust and makes your brand memorable, giving you a clear edge over competitors relying solely on static images.
5. Data-Driven Decision Making
You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Analyzing customer behavior, ad performance, and sales data allows you to refine your strategies, identify what’s working, and cut what isn’t. In a world of rising ad costs, this approach ensures every dollar is spent wisely.
Again, a healthy CRM system is essential to manage and measure your sales prospects.
6. Diverse Product Marketing
Swim spas, saunas, and cold plunges are blooming markets that represent significant growth opportunities. However, these products require a different marketing approach than pools or hot tubs. Dealers who can effectively communicate the benefits of these offerings will tap into a growing wellness-focused audience.
7. Differentiation from Big-Box Competitors
Let’s face it: big-box stores, discount outlets, and online companies are tough competition. To win over customers, you must emphasize what sets you apart—like personalized service, expertise, and post-sales support. Clear, consistent messaging that highlights these strengths can build trust and loyalty.
8. Retention-Focused Marketing
Acquiring a customer is just the beginning. Email campaigns, loyalty programs, and helpful maintenance tips can keep customers engaged and drive repeat business. This isn’t just about retention. It’s about transforming satisfied buyers into lifelong brand advocates.
9. Brand Authority through Thought Leadership
Publishing blogs, articles, and guides can position your business as the go-to expert in your market. When potential customers see you as a trusted resource, they’re more likely to choose you when they’re ready to buy.
10. Adapting to Changing Buyer Preferences
Younger homeowners are increasingly entering the market, bringing with them a preference for eco-friendly products, automation, and wellness-focused solutions. Your marketing must address these values directly, or you risk alienating this influential segment of buyers.
11. Social Proof and Reviews Management
Reviews can make or break a sale. A strong reputation on platforms like Google and Yelp not only attracts new customers but also reassures them that they’re making the right choice. Actively managing and showcasing positive reviews is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to boost credibility.
And what’s one of the most reliable ways to collect authentic customer reviews? A solid CRM with personalized emails.
12. Geo-Targeting for Local Outreach
Your customers are local, and your ads should be too. Geo-targeted campaigns allow you to focus your marketing dollars on the areas most likely to generate sales, ensuring you’re not wasting resources on irrelevant leads.
This is especially vital for dealers who do both pool and spa marketing. If you have suburban and urban service areas, your pool leads are going to come from a different swath of the map than your hot tub leads.
13. Mobile-First Marketing
With most web traffic coming from mobile devices, having a mobile-responsive website and mobile-friendly ads isn’t optional—it’s critical. A seamless experience across all devices can make the difference between gaining a customer or losing them to a competitor.
14. Leveraging AI for Marketing Efficiency
AI isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a powerful tool that can help you streamline your marketing efforts. From personalized email campaigns to smarter ad targeting, leveraging AI can help your marketing channels stay ahead of competitors who are still doing things the old-fashioned way.
That being said, always quality-check the work AI gives you – especially when it comes to writing. “Dive in,” for instance, is a widely overused and sometimes inappropriate phrase AI generators often spit out for pool and spa marketing prompts. Why would anyone “dive in” to a hot tub? Don’t write it. Don’t say it.
15. Maximizing Lifetime Value (LTV)
It’s far more cost effective to sell to an existing customer than to acquire a new one. By focusing on service contracts, accessory sales, and ongoing customer engagement, you can significantly increase the lifetime value of each customer and secure steady, predictable revenue.
This is where dealers need to think seriously about investing more in their service departments. The pandemic-era boom of new pool builds and hot tub purchases is over. But the demand for maintenance and repair services is still high. A recent article published by Aqua Magazine explains why 2025 is an opportune time to invest in a profitable service department. Consequently, pool and spa marketing will follow accordingly.
Ready to Make 2025 Your Best Year Yet?
Navigating these challenges requires more than good intentions—it takes a solid strategy and expert execution. At The Get Smart Group, we don’t just “specialize in pool and spa marketing.” We help dealers, and home improvement entrepreneurs like you flourish in your local markets using data from cutting-edge tools and the creative talents of our team. With these advantages in your corner, you’re more likely to grow your business at a healthy, sustainable rate.
We want you to have the best people and the best tools to promote your success in 2025 and beyond. Reach out to schedule an exploratory meeting, and we can answer questions you have on the following topics:
- Website Development and Management
- SEO (Content-Based and Technical)
- Paid Media (e.g., Google ads, Meta ads, YouTube ads, etc.)
- CRM tools for email marketing and sales metrics
- Digital Signage
