5 ways to drive contractor leads to your business

Key takeaways

• Encourage contractor leads to provide their contact information by making it easy to do
• Stand out on digital marketing channels like Yelp by staying on brand and providing up-to-date information
• Use your existing network to generate new leads faster

There’s a need for general contractors in practically every market. The demand is there, and so is the competition. Home improvement spending is at an all-time high with deck construction alone up 275%, inspiring more pros to take advantage of the growing industry. But landing new contractor leads isn’t as simple as saying you’re open for business. You need to employ the right tactics to become the go-to company for homeowners and commercial clients in your service area. Here are five tips to help you build an ever-growing list of potential customers.

1. Optimize your website

An effective website attracts leads and helps you capture their contact information. Search engine optimization (SEO) can increase contractor leads to your site and help your website rank higher on search engines for relevant keywords, for example: “general contractors near me” or “handyman service.” Considering the first five search results earn over 67% of clicks, boosting your ranking is crucial for gaining traffic from potential leads.

Search engine algorithms factor in a variety of website details to decide where you’ll rank. Here are some actions you can take to start building an SEO-friendly website:

• Make sure your website is mobile-friendly
• Include relevant keywords in your website content, whenever it makes sense (use a free keyword research tool like Rank Tracker or AnswerThePublic for inspiration)
• Keep your page load times under five seconds (reducing your image file sizes can help)
• Include location details like your address and service area to rank for local searches

Once you boost your SEO, you might notice your web traffic growing. It’s a low-cost promotional tactic that helps you get members of your target audience through the door. But once they’re in, how can you ensure they actually become a lead?

The answer can be simple. Provide a contact form for interested visitors to fill out and include a call to action, such as “book your appointment now,” that drives visitors to complete that form on every page.

Also, make your company’s contact information readily available for leads who prefer to make a phone call or email you directly.

2. Create lead magnets

Contracting clients love receiving information, and if you have something valuable to provide—an incentive also known as a “lead magnet”—they might be willing to provide their contact information in exchange for it. It’s a simple request that can get new contractor leads looped into your sales process, and you only need to create the lead magnet once to potentially earn hundreds of emails or phone numbers.

Examples of effective lead magnets include:

• A printable kitchen remodeling worksheet that helps leads plan out their budget, desired colors, styles, and more
• A free quote and discount on a roof repair
• A webinar on what to consider before building a guest house

You can create a dedicated landing page for each of your lead magnets on your website. Then, promote your link on other online marketing channels, including social media and email.

3. Claim your Yelp Business Page

Shoppers don’t just use search engines to seek out general contractor services. They also use sites like Yelp to find and learn more about contracting businesses in their area.

When you claim your Yelp Business Page, you do more than show up on the right search results pages— you make your small business stand out. Some action steps you can take after claiming your page include:

• Regularly update your business information
• Add images of your best contractor projects
• Respond to reviews from past clients to show your level of customer care
• Run Yelp Ads to show up above relevant search results
• Keep an eye on your complete Yelp checklist

As you build trust by managing your Yelp Business Page, you may get more leads reaching out with questions or requesting an appointment or quote through Yelp. Respond to them in a timely manner and you can start winning them over before they officially become new customers.

4. Build your referral network

One of the best lead generation tactics is activating your existing network, including past clients, business partners, friends, and family members. People in your network each have networks of their own, filled with others who trust their recommendations..

Word-of-mouth marketing is powerful. A stunning 93% of customers trust recommendations from family, friends, and other consumers. When members of your network refer others to your contracting business, it gives your company a trustworthy endorsement. Encourage referrals by re-engaging your audience throughout the year and offering incentives (like gift cards or discounts) in exchange for successful referrals.

If you want to take your referral program to the next level, start networking. Doing so can help you gain an ongoing flow of contractor leads by expanding your referral network—which is crucial for new businesses—as well as getting you directly in front of potential customers, who can later become a part of your referral network. Start chatting with the right people by:

• Attending local networking events
• Getting involved in professional organizations for general contractors
• Presenting an educational talk related to home services at a conference
• Engaging and messaging potential leads or partners on LinkedIn

Don’t forget to collect business cards and commit to following up (multiple times if needed).

When you’re networking, make sure to focus on building a relationship—not just selling. This is your chance to not only build trust, but to show the personal, human side of your brand. The more connected others feel to you as a person, the more likely they’ll recommend you to their network and even become customers themselves.

5. Make your branding consistent

Branding is an often forgotten part of contractor lead generation. No matter how big your advertising budget is, your potential customers won’t remember or trust you if you’re not delivering a consistent, professional experience every time.

Effective branding can involve two key elements:

• Brand messaging: This includes your mission statement and company values, as well as the tone of voice your brand uses when conveying these messages.
• Brand identity: This includes all the visuals your audience can connect with your brand, including your logo, brand colors, and fonts.

Any time a potential lead interacts with your brand on any platform, it should feel like part one big experience, complete with consistent visuals and messaging. For example, if they jump on your website and Facebook page, they should see the same logo at the top of both pages. If they chat with your customer support team over the phone, then email your company later, they should feel like they’re engaging with the same person—no matter who’s actually chatting with them.

Successful branding can convince your audience that you can be trusted to deliver a high-quality customer experience, whether they just need an answer to a question or are hiring you for a large-scale home improvement project.

Attract more contractor leads

Landing new clients starts with finding quality leads for your contracting business. However, potential customers won’t come on their own. To gain leads, set up your online presence for success, then continue marketing your brand on platforms like Yelp and LinkedIn. Once you start perfecting your lead generation efforts, you can focus on turning your leads into loyal customers with these contractor advertising ideas.