How To Get Contractor Leads

Why is it so important?

When you're a contractor, it's important to have a steady flow of leads coming in so that you always have work. After all, your business depends on it!

Lead generation is the process of finding new customers for your contracting business. It includes all efforts to let potential clients know that you exist and what services you offer.

In order to generate leads for your contracting business, you need to first understand the basics of lead generation.

Lead generation is a process that begins with raising awareness about your business among potential customers. Once you have their attention, you need to convince them that your company is the best option for their needs.

Prospects decide whether or not to hire based on their interest in your content, testimonials from happy customers, and a display of expert knowledge and ability.

Generating leads is only the first step; the next step is converting those leads into paying customers. But with the right strategy, you can make sure that your contracting business never runs out of work!

An overview on how to distinguish good lead sources from bad ones

The best leads for contractors are those that are exclusive, inbound, and organic.

Exclusive leads mean that the contractor is the only one who can work on the project.

Inbound leads come to the contractor through marketing efforts, such as a website or online advertisement.

Organic leads are those that come as a result of good search engine optimization (SEO) or Digital Media Optimization (DMO).

In other words, the best leads for contractors are those who are ready and willing to make a purchase or schedule service. These prospects have a desire that they want fulfilled, which makes them a great target for your contracting business.

There are a few different types of contractor leads. The best type of lead is one that is actively seeking your services, such as through asking their friends and family for word-of-mouth or referrals.

However, the next best type of lead is what's called a "desire creation" lead, which comes from ads or other forms of marketing.

Unfortunately, many contractors focus their efforts on these second-best leads instead of pursuing better ones.

Though many contractors rely on online lead generation services (like HomeAdvisor) to generate leads, the quality of those leads is often suspect.

Contractors who purchase leads may find that the leads are shared with other businesses, or that they are not actually interested in contracting services.

Even worse, some lead generation websites simply sell contact information without verifying whether or not the prospective customer is qualified or even interested in contracting services.

When prospects reach out to you directly

Inbound leads are those prospects who are reaching out directly to your company to request a quote or service call.

They have already done their research and are expecting to speak directly to your organization.

This is in contrast to leads like Houzz and Angi, where multiple contractors reach out in an attempt to make a bid on a project in response to a request for service.

Outbound leads can be unpredictable and inconsistent.

Selling your services over the phone typically involves making a lot of calls to potential customers, but there is no guarantee that you will actually get through to anyone.

In contrast, inbound leads come to you through online channels like directories or search results, which makes them much more reliable and targeted.

Additionally, inbound leads generally have more information about their needs and are already aware that they may need services like yours.

Ultimately, any home services contractor would be well-served by focusing on inbound leads rather than outbound ones.

Not sharing leads means less price shoppers & less tire kickers

Exclusive leads are those which your company is the only one to receive.

This means that you are the only contractor who will be able to bid on the project.

Typically, inbound leads are exclusive, unless they are coming from a source which shares them with other contractors.

The best contractor leads are exclusive, because the prospect wants to work with your company and not any of the others.

In contrast, shared leads receive many bids - and your company can be lost among a number of options.

Often times, shared leads are looking for the cheapest price, rather than the most skilled or reliable contractor.

It's no surprise that many contractors find themselves wasting time and money trying to convert shared inquiries into real customers.

Ultimately, when it comes down to deciding which lead source is better for home service contractors, exclusive leads are truly the way to go.

Not only do they give you access to high-quality prospects, but they also allow you to focus on what really matters: cultivating meaningful relationships with qualified clients, rather than spending time worrying about chasing after loose leads.

Leads who find you naturally have a high regard for your company

There are two types of contractor leads: organic and paid.

Organic leads come from any unpaid source, such as social media or search engine results.

These fall under the category of best contractor leads because they cannot be faked or bought.

The prospects that find you through organic methods, like search engine rankings, esteem your contracting business as reputable and well established.

A strong internet presence, or presence in your local area, is required to generate an abundance of leads organically.

Paid leads are generated most effectively through desire-generation ads.

While these leads may be more immediate, they often lack quality.

Further, they can be costly in both a monetary sense as well as the time and energy it takes to convert them.

It's important to weigh the pros and cons of your lead sources before deciding which are best for your contracting business.

Leads that know they need the service you're offering

Desire fulfillment leads are those where the prospect comes looking for a company that provides the service your company does.

For example, if you are an excavation contractor, and the prospect already knows they need excavating done, they have a desire for that service.

Desire fulfillment leads are often times more lucrative because they require your services right away, and thus have an urgent need to buy from you.

The opposite type of lead is seen as less desired: Desire creation leads, also called desire generation leads.

For instance, if you're a flooring installation contractor, and you run ads for your flooring service - a prospect might see them and consider that they want new floors.

Your advertisement created a desire for new floors in that prospect.

These leads might come in through various forms of marketing, such as online ads, direct mail campaigns, or networking at various events.

However, these leads can be more challenging to convert into sales because they simply don't have any immediate need for your services.

As a home services contractor, it's important to understand this distinction between these two categories of leads so that you can strategically prioritize your time and efforts to maximize your conversion rates.

Ultimately, which type of lead you get will depend on many factors, including where your target customers are in the customer journey and how effectively your marketing strategies are at reaching them.

The best tools & strategies for inbound, organic leads

Generating leads organically can be a challenge for many home service business owners.

In order to generate leads, your company must have a strong presence both online and offline.

You must also provide valuable content and services that potential clients can use.

Additionally, you should actively promote your company through various marketing channels.

A strong branding strategy and comprehensive marketing plan are the keys to success.

With a powerful brand and an effective marketing mix in place, you'll be well on your way to attracting quality prospects.

Generating leads organically is a long-term approach that pays off in the long run.

It takes time and effort to establish your business as a reputable player in the contracting space, but over time you will see an uptick in leads from people who are looking for a contractor just like you.

There are many ways to generate organic leads, so start by finding the ones that work best for you and stick with them.

Keep reading this section for a list of some of the most effective and powerful sources of organic leads in the contractor marketing space.

Google map listings are extremely important

Google Business Profile, previously known as Google My Business (GMB), is a free and easy-to-use platform for businesses to create a listing on Google.

Indeed, according to a study by BrightLocal, 64% of consumers use Google Business Profiles (GMB) to find local services like contractors.

So if you're not already listed on GMB, it's time to make a profile and start claiming your business listing.

A Google Business Profile account is free to use, but causing it to rank at the top of Google search takes time and effort.

Being among the "Map Pack", which is the top three GBP listings, is highly desirable for local service businesses.

Photos & reviews on your map listing will help customers trust your company before ever reaching out.

It's one of the best ways to get your company in front of prospects for your most valuable services and search terms.

There are two main ways that leads can find your business: through Google Maps and Google Search.

So, those are two free sources of leads which are being missed if a Google Business Page hasn't yet been implemented for your company.

Contractors can also sync their Google My Business listing to their Google Ads account and advertise within the pack.

Great Contractor SEO can bring in hundreds of leads a month

Your website is the most important tool in your marketing arsenal.

It's where you can control the messaging, design, and user experience for potential customers.

In addition to your Google Maps listing, make sure your website is optimized for search engines so you can rank higher and reach more people.

Additionally, optimizing your website for search engines and using paid advertising can help you reach your target audience.

There are several ways to get your website ranking high in search engine results pages (SERP).

One of the most effective is creating valuable content that will attract links from other websites.

Once your website is ranking high for contractor-related searches, you'll want to make sure it's set up to turn those prospects into customers.

One way to do this is by guiding them through the buying process on your website.

This means having clear and concise product pages, an easy-to-use quote system, and a contact form that's easy to find.

The best contractor websites work like a sales brochure, which express the key benefits and features of working with your home service company.

There are a few key things you can do to make sure your website ranks high in search engines.

First and foremost, make sure your website is content rich- this means having a lot of high quality, relevant information on your site that people will want to share.

Additionally, use keywords strategically throughout your website so that search engines can easily index it.

And lastly, make sure your website is easy to navigate and user friendly.

Creating a website that is content rich and worthy of sharing is a great way to achieve organic search rankings.

Page load speed and mobile friendly design are pivotal factors in ranking well on Google.

By targeting the keywords that relate to your most profitable services, you can reap millions of dollars in recurring sales throughout the life of your contractor web site.

Reputation management plays a major role in ranking your maps listings

Not only can your site get you new business, but it can also work as a platform to generate reviews for your company.

By directing customers to review their experience on sites like Google Maps, Yelp! and your Facebook page, you improve your company's reputation.

A large number of highly rated reviews is an important and powerful ranking factor in the eyes of Google, Yelp! and Facebook search algorithms.

The most knowledgeable contractor business owners use reputation management as a customer service tool.

In order to assure you have the best reviews, implement a tool to assess their level of satisfaction before sending them outside of your site to review your business.

By doing this, you can turn a negative experience into a positive one, by responding personally to any customer who has a negative experience.

Gain more prospects in the neighborhoods you're already serving

There are many ways to generate contractor leads organically.

One way is to advertise at your work site.

You can do this by putting up lawn signs with the permission of your customers.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to get more leads in the service areas you are already serving by advertising at your work site.

You can reach a large number of people who are interested in what you have to offer and generate more business this way.

The signs should list the services you offer and have a separate phone number for people to call.

You can also use this number to track how effective the signs are in generating leads.

By utilizing lawn signs, with the permission of your customers, you can get more attention and more leads in the neighborhoods you're working in.

Promote your home service brand everywhere you go with vehicle wraps

One of the best ways to generate leads for your contracting business is by promoting it on your service vehicles.

A professional and well-designed branding on your service vehicles will help you to stand out from your competition.

It is an excellent way to get your company name and logo in front of potential customers, as well as remind current customers that you are there for them.

Make sure to keep these guidelines in mind:

• First, make sure your branding is clear and legible. This will help customers remember you, even if they don't have time to stop and talk to you.
• Second, have a clear call to action on your vans and trucks. This could be something as simple as "Call us today for a free estimate!" or "We're the best at what we do - ask us how!"



Not only will you get more prospects this way, but you'll also be among the contractors in your area with the most professional appearance.

Take advantage of these low cost, high ROI ad strategies

Though paid ads for contractor lead generation may not be the best or most reliable source of leads, they can still be a valuable part of your contractor marketing plan.

By targeting the right people with the right message, you can generate leads that turn into paying customers.

Typically, when a contractor starts their business, they will go through the process of finding leads and then closing them.

However, this can be an arduous task that takes up a lot of time and resources.

In order to make this easier, many contractors turn to paid ads as a way to generate leads.

Paid ads can funnel prospects through the sales process by guiding them through a series of interactions that ultimately result in a sale.

This is an advanced method of using paid ads and can be very lucrative for contractors who are looking to grow their business.

Paid ads are a great way to generate leads for your contracting business, but only if you're prepared to respond promptly and follow up diligently.

Many contractors make the mistake of investing in paid ads without having a solid lead handling & nurturing process in place, and as a result they end up wasting money on ads that don't generate any results.

Make sure you're ready to capitalize on any leads that come through your paid campaigns before you start spending money on them.

When creating ads for contractor lead generation, it is important to match the ad creatives with the spirit of the ad platform.

This means creating ads that are in line with the overall tone and style of the platform, as well as the specific demographics that use it.

For example, a contractor targeting homeowners on Facebook should create ads that are friendly and down-to-earth, while a contractor targeting businesses on LinkedIn should create ads that are more professional and formal.

By taking the time to create ads that are a good fit for the platform they're being shown on, home service contractors can increase their chances of making a connection with their target audience.

This will help to ensure that the best results are achieved.

Pay your way to the top of google search results, but it's expensive

Google Pay Per Click (PPC) ads are a form of online advertising that allows contractors to generate leads from potential customers who are actively searching for services like theirs.

PPC ads appear as sponsored links at the top of Google search results pages and are marked with a small label that says "Ad."

Google Pay Per Click (PPC) is a great way for contractors to generate leads. PPC ads are the ads that generate desire fulfillment leads, which are among the best kinds of leads.

In the contractor industry, bidding for Google pay per click (PPC) ads is highly competitive.

The PPC bidding system allows contractors to regulate their budget and only pay when someone clicks on their ad.

However, this also means that contractors must continually adjust their bids to remain competitive.

Google Pay-Per-Click ads are easily the most expensive source of leads, especially if not well managed.

Some areas and industries are so cut-throat that competitors will click on your ads to drive up your ad spend.

Be prepared to have someone answer every phone call and respond to all requests quickly in order to harness the value of your ad spend.

Inbound, exclusive leads direct to your phone number

Google call ads are a great option for contractors, as prospects who are making a phone call are typically ready to schedule an estimate immediately.

Contractors can use Google ads to "jump the line" in search engine rank, so more potential customers will find them when they search for keywords related to their business.

However, since these ads are clearly displayed as advertisements (with either a yellow background or an exclamation mark), discerning customers forego the ads and go directly to organic results.

For contractors with idle crews, this is where Google call ads can come in handy: by keeping their whole staff working constantly on new leads generated from paid advertising.

Visually appealing ads and social proof are the secret to success

Facebook ads are an effective way to show the more personal side of your contractor company.

By creating an ad campaign, you can share photos, videos and stories about your company that will help potential customers learn more about who you are and what you do.

Facebook also has an advanced advertising platform which allows you to target specific demographics and geo-locations.

This means that you can reach out to people in your area who may be interested in hiring a contractor.

Retargeting is a great way to keep your best prospects in the sales funnel until they are ready to make a purchase.

Retargeting advertising is also a powerful way to generate leads from previous customers through referrals, as well as more reviews and social proof.

When someone visits your website but doesn’t buy anything, retargeting allows you to show them ads for your business on other websites they visit later.

This helps remind them of your company and increases the likelihood that they will come back and buy from you eventually.

Combining your best performing posts from your existing organic social media presence with paid social ads is a powerful method that many contractors miss out on.

Paid social ads give you the ability to amplify the reach of any post or tweet by targeting people who don’t already follow your company.

This helps you reach more potential customers and generate more leads.

Utilize Instagram ads for your most viral, engaging & visually stunning posts

Instagram, like Facebook, is a great way to keep prospects in the sales funnel no matter what social platforms they use.

In fact, contractors can connect with customers without an extensive website or marketing budget using Facebook and Instagram Ads.

Leads are more likely to convert when you advertise on Instagram than any other social media platform.

Be sure to assign a community manager, like a receptionist or customer service professional, to reply to all comments and direct messages.

This way, you can ensure that leads are properly followed up on.

You'll appear responsive and attentive - two important qualities for any business.

Since there is less market penetration on platforms like Instagram, the cost per lead generated tends to be lower.

This means that businesses can allocate their budget more efficiently and achieve better results for their investment.

TikTok continues to grow in popularity among users, and has few advertisers

TikTok is quickly becoming one of the best platforms to advertise for home service contractors.

The app has over 500 million users, and it's growing rapidly.

Contractors can use the app to create short videos that introduce their services and reach a large audience quickly.

As of now, there are only a few companies that are advertising contractor services on TikTok.

This keeps the ad cost very low, so it's a great opportunity for businesses to reach out to potential customers.

Over 52% of the users active on TikTok are over the age of 30, making it a great place to find qualified leads.

Additionally, being an active content creator on TikTok has the potential of going viral, which can lead to tons of free exposure for your contracting business.

Viral TikToks can find their way onto local news and celebrity feeds, getting your company in front of thousands of potential customers.

Even if you don't have video footage, YouTube Ads can be very effective

YouTube Ads are a powerful way to reach potential customers.

Just like TikTok and Instagram, YouTube has a low number of advertisers from the home services industry.

As viewership on YouTube continues to grow, it's worthwhile for businesses in this industry to invest in advertising on the platform.

It can be a very effective way to share your company's message.

Since YouTube is video-focused, it can be an extremely effective way to showcase your best work using before and after videos, testimonials, etc.

Having YouTube ads as part of your overall paid ad strategy is a great way to show that your contracting company is professional and established.

Stand out from your local competition by creating and implementing YouTube content, and then use ads to geo-locate and promote to your ideal prospects.

Replace out-of-pocket costs with sweat equity for free leads

There are many sources of free contractor leads available to contractors.

Often, these leads are overlooked because people assume that they need to pay for them.

However, there are many ways to get free leads without spending any money.

Some of these methods include online directories, social media, and word-of-mouth marketing.

While some of these methods may require more sweat equity than others, they all result in potential clients without any out-of-pocket costs.

However, most of these strategies boil down to one thing: networking with your prospects.

Get involved in your local community and meet people who may need your services.

Attend industry events and meet potential clients face-to-face.

The rest of the strategies are based around taking advantage of free resources that you can find both online and offline.

For example, review sites are a great place to start when looking for leads, as they allow you to see what others have had to say about a particular contractor.

Additionally, many companies and organizations offer free website builders that you can use to create a professional looking website in minutes.

Network with prospects & complementary service providers

One way to get more leads is to go out and meet people.

The more hands you shake, the more money you make.

When it comes to generating leads for your business, there's no better strategy than getting out there and meeting people.

The best part? It doesn't take a lot of effort to meet new people – all you have to do is put yourself in places where potential clients are likely to be.

By simply getting the word out that you offer certain services, you might meet someone who needs your service, or knows someone who does.

Another great way to get in front of potential clients is by networking with other professionals in your industry.

Chances are, if they need your service, they know someone who does too!

It's said that the people we need to meet, in order to grow or thrive, are only one or two connections away from the people we know.

Asking satisfied customers for referrals can bring in lots of new business

Referrals are a great way to get more leads, as they come from people who already know and trust you.

Your current customers are the best source of referrals - simply reach out to them and ask them to refer you to their friends, family and co-workers.

A personal referral is a very powerful prospect and lead, as your service is being suggested by someone they know, like and trust.

In fact, research shows that referred customers are more likely to stay with you longer than other customers.

Missing out on this source of leads is an obvious oversight that many contractors miss.

Don't hesitate to make asking for referrals a regular part of your contractor marketing plan.

Sites like Google, Wix and Weebly offer free website builders & hosting

Did you know that Google offers free websites?

The free website Google offers is connected to their business listing platform, called Google Business Pages.

If the site is populated with relevant content like descriptions of your services and photographs of your work, you can generate many free leads from it.

If you're looking to get more leads for your contracting business, then you should definitely check out Google Business Pages.

This free website can help your Google maps listing rank higher in more areas and for more keywords.

Plus, it's a great way to connect with potential customers and learn more about their needs.

There are other free site builders out there, too.

Granted, they are far from the most professional options available - but if you're just starting out, it's far better than nothing.

Free review directories can bring you hundreds of thousands in revenue each year

The internet is your "phone book" today, and it's important to maintain your online business listings.

The internet has made it easier than ever for customers to find the businesses they need, and review sites are one of the most popular ways for customers to share their experiences.

In order to get good leads from review sites, it is important to provide detailed information about your offerings and your dedication to client satisfaction.

This will show potential clients that you are a credible business and that they can trust you with their project.

It's important that you make sure your business is listed on these sites, and that you respond to any reviews left by customers.

Be sure to use relevant keywords in your responses, as this will help your listing rank higher in search results.

Also, make sure your information is consistent across different platforms; this is an important ranking factor for search algorithms.

Though it may seem unprofessional, it can still be very effective and gainful

One great way to get free contractor leads is by using local Facebook groups.

This is an effective method for getting word of mouth referrals and legitimate inbound leads.

The downside of this type of advertising is that it might not seem very professional.

Another potential downside is that you may get a lot of tire-kickers and price-shoppers using this method of getting free leads.

This approach costs nothing out of pocket, but can take a lot of time and energy.

You'll need to be diligent in monitoring the group and posting relevant content, as well as reaching out to potential leads.

To most effectively use this method, post about your business on a regular basis.

However, if you're going to be actively posting in these groups, it's also wise to engage in relevant posts where you might be able to help others with your knowledge and expertise.

Be sure to read the rules of each group you join, and make sure to follow those rules for the most positive impact and return on your time.

Even more strategies to get your brand in front of prospects

There are many more tried and true methods of getting contractor leads which we haven't addressed yet, like advertising in the Yellow Pages.

Engaging with your local community through charity efforts and sponsorships is a sign of good will and a great way to build your brand.

Print media may be among the oldest modern methods, but still can be a powerful choice.

Even sites like Craigslist have prospects browsing them regularly, so don't miss them as an opportunity.

Going door-to-door in your most sought-after neighborhoods is still a great way to drum up business.

Cold-calling potential clients and networking with other service professionals and realtors are also effective, depending on your niche and your diligence.

Don't forget to use local phone directories to reach all prospects

Though Yellow Pages may seem like an outdated form of marketing, it is still a great way to get your name in front of local customers.

Many people who are looking for a service contractor will turn to the Yellow Pages first, so make sure your business is listed!

Not having your contracting company in the Yellow Pages is a mistake, because the Yellow Pages are seen as a legitimate list of the local businesses serving any given niche.

And because they're so well-regarded, being listed in them sends a strong signal to customers that you're a serious player in your field.

Additionally, having your contracting company's name in the Yellow Pages gives you a backlink - and those are important for ranking high on Google for competitive search terms in well developed markets.

Show that your business is more than just a money making operation

Don't miss out on the opportunity to engage with your local community.

Though you may not see a direct response between your community efforts and your contractor leads, it will help build your brand.

Voluntary community service, whether sponsoring events you believe in, or using your skills and abilities to uplift the community, is an important role as a business leader in your area.

One of the best ways to get leads is by helping people in your local community.

Not only will you be doing something good, but you'll also be building relationships that could lead to future work.

Plus, people are more likely to refer others if they've had a good experience with you.

It sends the message that you care about more than just making money - you want to make a difference too.

And helping people in your community is its own reward.

Just like viral social media content, engaging with your local community is a personal touch that can have a very powerful ripple effect for your brand.

Your local paper, regional magazines and even Every-Door-Direct-Mail from USPS

While online advertising is all the rage, print media advertising is still a valid and effective way to generate leads.

However, it's important to be strategic in your choices of publications, and to track results closely.

Be sure to use print media sources that regularly get in front of your best prospects.

Leads generated through print media are often more qualified than those from other sources.

This is because readers of print publications are typically interested in the topics covered, and are more likely to be in the market for what you're selling.

By targeting your ideal customers through print media, your company gets the brand reputation of being reliable and tangible, just like the paper it's printed on.

In order to get the most out of your print media campaigns, make sure you invite readers to engage with your social media and website.

This will help you bring them into your short-term and long-term sales funnels.

Consistency is key with this ad channel

Yes, some of your prospects are still using Craigslist to search for the services they want.

Because Craigslist is often used for bargain hunting, be prepared for some tire-kickers and cost shoppers.

In most areas, a single Craigslist ad is as cheap as $2-5.

However, keep in mind that you may not get as many leads from this avenue as you would from other sources such as Google Pay Per Click.

Like using local Facebook groups to advertise your services, you will want to consistently advertise on Craigslist for the best return on your time investment.

One of the best low-cost methods, especially with a powerful presentation

Knocking on doors is a powerful way to get more leads.

It's an old-fashioned technique that still works well today.

You can choose the neighborhoods where your best prospects live in your target market.

Then if possible, visually assess the properties which need your home services and target them specifically.

For services like pressure washing or carpet cleaning, don't forget to use the power of a presentation to showcase how your service can transform their property.

Many roofing contractors still use door-to-door marketing as a core practice for getting leads, because of its effectiveness.

It doesn't require any special skills – you just have to be friendly and personable, and willing to take the time to talk with people about their homes.

The secret to success is having a plan and diligently executing it

To have the best chances of long term success, a contractor marketing plan is a must.

Believe it or not, many contractors totally ignore this part of their business, to their own downfall.

Contractor companies can start out with a basic outline, and improve it as they implement their core marketing strategies.

Don't forget to track important metrics like ad effectiveness, cost per lead and cost per acquisition.

Use the information you gather from your metrics to improve your efforts.

Eliminate the marketing methods that aren't adding to your bottom line, and invest more into those methods which have the lowest cost per customer acquired.

Decide who your best customers are by location & desired services

One of the most important steps in marketing your contracting business is to define your target market.

This will help you focus your advertising and networking efforts, as well as better understand who you are trying to reach with your message.

There are a few key ways to go about this.

Start by using examples of past customers to best understand who are your ideal customers.

Don't be afraid to determine which types of projects and customers you don't want to advertise to and for.

By advertising the services you love to provide, and those with the best return on investment, your business will grow and improve.

Consider understanding your target market based on what factors unite them - what do many or most of your best customers have in common?

Everything your company does, and how it's done, defines what your brand is

Developing a branding strategy is essential for any contractor.

Your branding strategy involves much more than your logo and company colors.

Branding is your company image as seen by the outside world.

The way you do your job, the way your employees interact with the public, and many more factors play into your contractor branding.

Don't hesitate to re-imagine or rework your company brand to fit your vision for the future of the company.

Protect your brand carefully by making each one of your company's choices deliberate.

Your website should be a powerful tool in turning prospects into customers

A website is the most valuable marketing tool in a contractor's arsenal.

A powerful and effective website can be expensive at first, but can recoup the initial investment in very short time.

Many contractor websites are neglected, dated, and not search engine optimized.

Stand out from your competition by treating your website as the center of your marketing efforts.

Use your website as the platform where all of your work updates, services and community efforts shine.

Doing this alone, you will likely outrank your competition.

In using your website as the starting point for all of your contractor content marketing, you can share tidbits of each page on social media regularly.

By choosing to build your website as the central focus of your marketing efforts, the rest of your contractor digital marketing will be streamlined.

Activity on social media between you & your audience can drive tons of sales

Just like contractor web sites, contractor social media is often ignored or treated as unimportant.

Social media is an important part of contractor marketing.

It's a great way to connect with potential clients, and can be very effective in building relationships that result in business.

Because of the neglect most of your competition shows to social media, it's easy to stand apart by being consistent in posting to social media.

Most contractors treat social media as an afterthought, if they think about it at all.

This gives you a big opportunity to stand out from the crowd by being consistent in your posts and actively engaging with your followers.

Having an active following on social media is also a powerful ranking factor that Google will use to rank you higher in search results.

So make sure to do your best to be engaging and encourage engagement on your posts - consider asking questions!

Be personal! Social media is a great place to share the human side of your contracting company.

When people see that you're genuine and care about them, they're more likely to trust you enough to hire you for their next project.

What good is a website if prospects can't find it when searching for your services?

In order to rank at the top of Google, you need a comprehensive SEO strategy.

This involves actively updating your website with new, relevant content.

Actively updating your website with new, relevant content over a long period of time is the best way to earn search engine rankings.

By taking a long term approach to content, your contracting website will keep the search engine rankings it earns.

However, creating and implementing an SEO strategy can be difficult for business owners who are not familiar with the technical aspects of search engine optimization.

That's where a contractor SEO company can help.

They can handle all the technical details of optimizing your website for the search engines, allowing you to focus on what you do best - running your contracting business.

Having a website that ranks at the top of Google for your most valuable keywords can literally transform the way your company does business.

Set yourself apart from your competition by being active in your local area

When you have all the previous steps in place, getting involved in your community will help generate many more leads.

Making it easy for your audience to find and engage with your company is a crucial factor in marketing.

By engaging with the community, you bring more attention to your contracting company.

You can turn that attention into prospects for your sales funnel by making it easier to bridge the gap.

The best way to get started is by supporting the causes you truly believe in.

Join or create a Meetup group, or contribute content to local publications related to your field of expertise.

You never know who you might meet or what opportunities will come up as a result!

Need more leads to keep your crews working? These sources may help.

There are many sources of contractor leads out there on the internet.

If you've read the rest of the article up to this point, you should know that the best leads are from your own organic efforts.

A great way to get more leads for your contracting business is to hire an outside contractor marketing company like curated leads.

Our company specializes in generating organic, inbound leads through digital marketing optimization strategies.

In short, we can help improve your website's search engine rankings, which will bring you more qualified prospects.

Exercising all of the best contractor marketing practices in-house is not feasible for smaller organizations.

For a short term solution to needing more leads, many of the lead generation companies for contractors listed below can be a solid source of jobs.

It's important to have a strong sales cycle for leads in place, so they are communicated with quickly and efficiently.

CraftJack is a contractor lead generation company that specializes in verifying all of the service requests they receive through an automated outreach system.

This means that you can be confident that any leads you receive from CraftJack are legitimate and have been screened for quality.



Keep in mind though, because CraftJack does share leads with up to four contractors, you will likely be bidding against your competition on any CraftJack leads you receive.

Thumbtack is a contractor pay-per-lead site that has been around for many years.



As with other sites in this category, leads are shared with your competition, so be prepared for potential bidding wars.

HomeAdvisor is one of the oldest and most popular paid lead generation services for contractors.

It has a great deal of public visibility, so many prospects use HomeAdvisor as their first stop when looking for a contractor.

However, because these leads are shared between so many contractors, there is a lot of competition for them.

This can cause pricing strategies to spiral downward in order to grab market share, minimizing the amount of profit margin your company can earn from working with HomeAdvisor.

Angi is a company that recently went through a re-branding.

They were previously called Angie's List, and they are seen as controversial among many of their past customers.

Angi specializes in shared leads, which we have discussed as a less-than-best quality for leads.

However, they do offer other services that can be beneficial to contractors.

Houzz is a website and mobile app for home design, remodeling, and decorating.

It differs from the others in this group, as it is more of an ad platform than a shared lead generator.

Houzz offers free business profiles which all contractor marketing plans should consider.

Houzz is more similar to Yelp! than the competitors on this list.

If you are a contractor looking to improve your visibility and ranking, it's possible that this could be a good investment.

Getting leads is not enough, we must convert them into profitable jobs

Once you have them, how you handle contractor leads is a major factor in whether or not they will convert to customers.

Speed-to-lead is a major factor in whether your contracting company will be chosen by a prospect for an estimate, and ultimately for a purchase.

It is essential to have a process in place that will get you the leads as quickly as possible.

This means that your website needs to be effective and fast, and you also need to have a system for qualifying the leads so that you are not wasting your time.

Nurturing leads after they have entered your pipeline, or gotten an estimate, is an important step in convert many more prospects into paying customers.

Once you have gotten a lead, it is important to continue nurturing it until it becomes a paying customer.

This means staying in touch with the prospect and providing relevant content or offers that are of interest.

You can also use lead conversion software to automate some of these processes and make sure that you are reaching as many prospects as possible.

Getting back to leads quickly means fewer prospects go cold

The sooner you can get in touch with a lead, the better your chances of converting that lead into a customer.

According to Harvard Business Review, companies that contact leads within an hour of receiving them are 7 times more likely to convert than those that take over an hour.

Responding to a lead within 5 minutes of receiving it is the best practice to adhere to.

In fact, we have seen powerful results from our clients who adopt this methodology - they are able to qualify prospects nearly 95% of the time.

How many of your competitors are neglectful in getting back to sales prospects?

By being diligent in responding quickly, you can keep your estimate schedule full of hot leads.

Develop a follow up strategy, then automate it, to convert even the coldest of leads

Companies that automate their follow up process see a dramatic increase in sales.

In fact, 80% of sales are made between the 5th and 12th contact they've had with the company.

However, only 2% of sales occur from the first contact with your prospect.

Only 8% of salespeople follow up more than 5 times!

By automating your follow up process, you take all the guess work out of converting leads into customers.

You can reach out to them on multiple platforms (text, email, phone and social media) and build rapport and relationships with them over time.

This will differentiate you from 92% of contractors in the United States who don't bother following up at all!

Eliminate bad fits from your sales funnel to save your company 100's of hours each year

Pre-qualifying leads is a great way to save your company precious time and money.

Using price bracketing to figure out whether a prospect is a good fit or not will save you the time of going out for an estimate.

By qualifying leads, you can determine whether or not it's worth pursuing a sale with them.

This is done by figuring out their budget and whether they are a good fit for your company.

If you find that a prospect is not a good fit, it's best to remove them from your sales efforts and focus on those who are.

This will save you time and money in the long run.

Convert your lead into a sales opportunity by scheduling estimates with qualified prospects

The final step in the sales process for contractors and home services will typically be an on-site estimate and a sales presentation.

By eliminating bad fits during the pre-screening and pre-qualifying process, you can improve the success of your site visits by a significant percentage.

Ask plenty of questions before you get on site. Tell them how far out you're booked so they know what to expect.

Get a feel for the size of the job by encouraging your prospects to take measurements.

Don't be afraid to take their temperature by figuring out their budget before getting on site, and letting them know what the price they should expect to pay will be.

By doing this before you've got them on your schedule, you'll know you're much more likely to convert them into customers, and much less likely for them to experience sticker shock.

To get the best leads, start with a plan & put in a long-term effort

Surely, the contractor companies who have been consistent in their marketing efforts for a long period of time are holding the greatest market share in their service areas.

To match their results, we as home service contractors much match or exceed their efforts, and stick to our process over a long period of time.

If you want to focus on your skills as a home service technician, or you don't want to handle all of these marketing responsibilities in house, we at curated leads are here to help.

We help numerous contractors to generate verified, exclusive, inbound leads through search engine marketing and social media management - and convert them into sales by automating their follow up.

Want to join our list of partners?

Just reach out for a free demonstration today.

If you're a good fit for us, we'll do in depth market research to assess your competition.

Then, we'll let you know what we can do to secure the market share in your service area that you deserve - bringing in ideal fit clients to fill your estimate schedule.

THANK YOU for taking the time to read through any or all of this write up.

We sincerely hope that this overview of digital marketing for contractor leads has been insightful for you.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out - we truly love to help others.