5 effective ways to generate locksmith leads

Locksmith lead generation is different from courting customers in other industries. Most people turn to locksmiths for emergencies—from lost keys to unexpected lockouts—which means they’re not wasting time gathering referrals from friends, reading direct mail, or scrolling through social media. Even when clients seek planned locksmith services, like for rekeying or lock replacement, most aren’t looking for someone to return more than a few times a year (at the very most).

This means that many common marketing tactics aren’t ideal for locksmith businesses. However, other strategies can help you reach customers where they’re looking and make a great first impression—turning a one-off emergency into a successful customer experience. For locksmiths looking to grow their business, these are some of the best locksmith marketing tactics for generating leads.

1. Focus on local SEO

In the locksmith industry, the customer journey is fast-paced: Locksmith leads seek your services in a hurry and rarely require ongoing relationships. Due to the nature of the business, being found first is one of the most effective ways to win new customers. And since many potential leads are turning to search engines for help, search engine optimization (SEO)—specifically local SEO—is an essential digital marketing strategy for locksmiths.

Search engine algorithms know users need locksmiths in their area. When shoppers use a search term like “locksmith” or “locksmith service,” search engines deem their search to be one with local intent. To show up on search engine results pages, you need to make it clear that you’re not only a locksmith business but a local service too.

In addition to adding keywords related to your services in your website content, you can use location-based keywords like city names and neighborhoods. You can even create dedicated landing pages for each of the cities you serve. This can make your locksmith website a highly relevant search result for potential leads in those cities—and therefore more likely to rank highly in search engine results.

2. Reach high-quality leads on review sites

Compared to more costly services, selecting a locksmith company isn’t typically considered a high-risk choice. Clients may spend hours researching larger automotive services or project-based home services, but locksmith clients usually have to make their decision quickly—which means they’re more likely to choose the first company that can meet their needs.

While potential customers might not spend a lot of time looking for your business, many will look through review sites to verify you’re a legitimate and trustworthy brand that doesn’t raise any red flags.

When you claim your Yelp Business Page, you can reach potential locksmith leads actively seeking your services. To show your legitimacy to these quality leads, you can:

• Update your business details, including your phone number, service area, and business hours
• Respond to reviews promptly and professionally
• Add photos of your team in action

3. Amplify your marketing with ads

Standing out from the competition isn’t always easy—that’s where digital advertising can help. Digital ads are more cost-effective than print or TV ads because they help you get in front of your most ideal leads or target market—the people who are most likely to become customers. And since you can choose to only pay when someone clicks on your ad (rather than just when they view it), you’ll be able to maximize your locksmith leads on a limited budget.

To amplify your marketing efforts, you can run Yelp Ads and search engine ads—both of which list your brand above relevant search results for people in your service areas. With Yelp Ads, you can also show up on competitors’ pages, plus you can customize the photo and text on your ad, define your target audience by location and keyword, and more.

You can also reach new homeowners with information about your non-emergency services, like rekeying and security system installation, with traditional advertising channels such as direct mail. Targeting people who have recently moved into your service area can help establish your brand name early and keep you top of mind for future needs.

4. Network in your community

Other local businesses in your community, such as hardware stores and home contractors, likely have easy access to people seeking locksmith services. In turn, you probably have quality leads you can send back to them. Partnering with owners of these compatible—but not competing businesses—can lead to a consistent stream of clients for both of you and help establish a robust, local business network.

To connect with business owners, consider attending local networking events, showing up at relevant community events, or reaching out on LinkedIn. Once you’re speaking with business owners, focus on building relationships—don’t just chat about your business. Getting to know each others’ values and business goals will help you determine if you’d be successful partners. It’s crucial to only refer customers to brands you personally trust: A negative customer experience with your partner brand will reflect poorly on you as well.

Networking with apartment building managers and small hotel or inn owners (who might not use keycards) might also turn up new leads. With the right touch, these business owners can become frequent customers since properties often require rekeying after renters or guests move out.

5. Use branding to build trust

When growing locksmith leads, the first impression makes a big difference. As soon as potential customers visit your website or business page, they should be able to grasp who you are and what you offer.

To convey professionalism, great branding is a must. Consistent business branding can make your company stand out and appear more legitimate and trustworthy. For example, when information on your website and your Yelp Business Page is consistent, customers are less likely to worry about varying pricing estimates for a locksmith job.

Building trust, however, takes more than using the same information, logo, or colors across platforms. It’s also important to keep your company values consistent with your branding. For example, if your brand voice is reassuring and comforting, your team members should always seek to reduce customers’ worries, whether they’re writing website copy, making a sale on a phone call, or reaching leads online.

Gain more locksmith leads

To generate more leads, locksmith business owners should embrace tactics that help customers find them easily and build trust quickly. Local SEO, review sites, ads, branding, and networking with other businesses in your community can all help you turn locksmith leads into a strong customer base.

To keep your lead-generation efforts going, try these low-cost ideas to promote your business—especially helpful on a limited budget.