“How do I get more leads for my home improvements?”
“How do I get remodeling jobs?”
“How do I get more contractor leads?”
If you’re among the many home improvement contractors who keep asking these questions, you’ve come to the right place.
Lead generation in the home services industry isn’t easy as it may seem, especially if you’re only starting and haven’t been found and noticed in the online marketplace yet.
Unlike brick-and-mortar retail businesses and e-commerce brands, getting high-value leads for contractors requires more work because they have first to gain the trust of the homeowners, property managers, or landlords they are targeting. They also don’t have many repeat clients and monthly recurring revenue compared to retailers.
What is a lead in lead generation?
A lead is any person or company that has shown interest in your services. Simply put, a prospect. Lead generation, therefore, is the process of attracting and increasing the interest of your prospects with the goal of turning them into customers.
There are different types of online leads you can target depending on your specialization in the home services industry. Here are the most common:
- Home improvement leads. Home improvement leads are individuals or property owners looking for experienced and professional contractors to help them with a home project. It could be a pool or spa installation, new flooring installation, or solar panels installation, to name a few.
- Remodeling leads. As the name implies, remodeling leads need some alterations or repairs on their home or business. Bathroom remodeling, kitchen countertop installation, or interior painting are popular services these leads are looking for.
- Home services leads. This is a more general type of lead and describes homeowners needing professional repair, remodeling, or home improvement services, including lawn care and landscaping, plumbing, and HVAC repair or installation.
Proven lead generation strategies for your home improvement business.
There are many platforms and ways home improvement contractors can get more qualified leads. But whatever strategy you decide to implement, be very specific about what you do and only target the right people so your efforts and money will not go to waste.
1. Leverage Google My Business.
Google My Business is a promising channel for lead generation. Basically, it’s a free business listing from Google (the world’s most visited website) that local contractors can use to get discovered on Google and Google Maps search results.
But creating a free profile alone isn’t enough to get more online leads effectively. You have to optimize your profile for lead generation, especially now that more and more local businesses are competing for attention. Here’s a quick guide to ensure your home improvement business ranks well in searches.
- Ensure your business’s NAP (name, address, and phone number) is correct and updated. You’d probably be surprised at how many contractors make this mistake.
- Choose the GMB category that fits your services best (example: kitchen remodeler, bathroom remodeler, flooring contractor, lawn care service, etc.). Doing so will increase the likelihood of your business appearing in relevant searches.
- Include pandemic-relevant details in your GMB profile (social distancing guidelines, fully vaccinated contractors, etc.). A report revealed that 62% of consumers say they will only work with businesses implementing safety protocols. To attract and convert these leads, provide information about how you can keep them safe.
- Upload photos to your profile. According to Google, businesses with photos receive 35% more clicks to their websites and 42% more requests for driving directions.
2. Take advantage of your online reviews.
Just like word of mouth, your online reviews can become your most effective marketing and lead generation strategy. Did you know that 72% of customers use Google reviews to find businesses, and nearly four in five consumers say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations?
Locals searching for home improvement contractors are most likely to go online to learn more about a service provider or hire them. By asking your customers for feedback and using your positive reviews as social proof, you can drive new leads directly into the funnel.
Be sure to also highlight the testimonials on your website and promote them on your social media profiles to help establish a more solid online reputation.
3. Join local Facebook groups.
Have you tried joining local Facebook groups to find contractor leads?
Facebook has thousands of local community groups where you can introduce and promote your services. All you have to do is go to “Groups” and search for your city name and category. You’ll then be shown a list of groups you can join. When selecting a group, make sure that it is for recommendations and referrals and has a large number of members so you can have more chances of getting high-value leads.
4. Optimize your website for leads.
Got a professional website? Great! But is it optimized to generate leads? Website optimization for lead generation isn’t just about putting a “Click Here” button and hoping for leads to come in. You need to develop a more effective strategy, test it, and measure the results.
Here are some ways you can optimize your website for leads.
- Provide compelling content to your most-visited website pages. To do this, first, you need to figure out where most of your traffic comes from. Is it from your Facebook page? Your blog post? Your newsletters? Once identified, make sure the web pages these visitors are landing on have powerful and longer-form content that will keep them more interested in your services.
- Add forms to your highest-performing web pages that capture customer information.
- Test different placements, formatting, and frequency for your call-to-action (CTA) buttons.
- Make sure your offers are related to the web page your visitors are on. For example, if you have a blog post called “Top Benefits of Epoxy Flooring,” don’t link it to an offer or consultation on epoxy floor removal.
- Include a live chat feature on your website.
5. SEO-optimize your website.
While it’s crucial to optimize your website for lead generation, it’s also essential to optimize it for search. After all, how can you get leads if no one knows about your services?
Statistics say that home improvement searches have doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic started. That is enough to ensure you appear at the top of search results when a homeowner searches for a particular contractor.
There are many ways to SEO your website, but the most important is to use target keywords. Say, for example, you’re a kitchen remodeler in Ohio, and people use the search term “kitchen cabinet painting” in “Ohio”, make sure you include those keywords in your content. Also, use proper page titles and descriptions.
If you’re not confident in your SEO knowledge, you can always seek help from an expert search engine optimization agency.
6. Invest in a PPC Campaign.
There are two types of sources for contractor leads: organic, which are the ones we’ve covered above, and paid. PPC or pay-per-click advertising is an excellent paid lead source. Investing in it is how you can generate home improvement leads fast. And the best part? These are exclusive leads and have higher chances of converting into customers.
Another good reason to use PPC is that you can target the right local audience. You can manage who sees your ad and run it only in specific cities. For example, if you’re a solar panel installer in Florida, you can create Google ads that reach people in your area searching for:
- Solar panel installation Florida
- Solar panel installers near me
- Solar panel installation costs
PPC advertising is a little tricky, especially if you don’t have enough knowledge and experience, so it’s best to work with a professional pay-per-click advertising agency.
7. Buy home improvement leads.
If you’re new in the business, paying for leads is a great way to get prospects in front of you immediately. This lead generation model works by paying a third-party channel, lead broker, or digital marketing company who, in return, will give you the contact information of people looking for contractors like you.
While this method won’t guarantee exclusive leads, it’s still a good strategy to reach new customers and get your name out there.
Ready to get more home improvement leads?
Both organic and paid sources can help you amplify your lead generation efforts and grow your home services business fast. You just need to have a little patience since getting exclusive leads for large renovation or construction jobs doesn’t happen overnight.
If the lead generation strategies above are not enough and you want to see more contractor leads coming in, feel free to contact us at Sprout Digital. We are a digital marketing agency ready to help you establish your online presence so you can generate more leads and jobs for your business.
