All businesses need a steady stream of leads to thrive—especially those in the construction industry. When your work takes you from behind the desk and into the field, it’s important to establish lead-generation channels that work on autopilot while you’re out at job sites.
Whether you’re an owner who’s handling lead gen themselves or a leader with a call center team handling incoming inquiries, the following 12 tactics can help you attract contractor leads from anywhere.
Contents
- Get on the right local listing sites
- Use lead aggregator platforms
- Create (or improve) your Google Business Profile
- Explore Google Local Services Ads
- Build thoughtful search ad campaigns
- Start a referral program
- Lean on your industry partners
- Invest in AI-enhanced communication
- Create lead magnet content
- Engage with your community
- Run a custom promotion
- Go the extra mile with direct mail
How to generate contractor leads in a flash
Try these low-cost and free contractor lead gen ideas to get more customers for your business fast.
1. Get on the right local listing sites
Your website shouldn’t be the only place your business exists online. Homeowners often rely on local listing sites to find providers in their area.
That’s why getting your business listed on these directories can help leads discover you during their early research phases. There are dozens of local listing sites out there. Some, like Yelp and Yellow Pages, are open to every sort of business. Others are specific to home services, like Angi, Houzz, and Thumbtack.
With so many local listing sites available, claiming your profiles and keeping them up to date can be a lot of work. Consider partnering with a marketing platform that can update your information across all sites and manage reviews and performance in one place.
🚨 Is your contracting business missing out on key local listing opportunities? Find out, and get tips to improve your strategy, with our free Listings Grader tool!
2. Use lead aggregator platforms
Some local listing sites take things a step further, acting not only as a passive directory but also as a broker of sorts, proactively connecting contractors with qualified leads.
A site like Angi, for example, allows you to create a free profile so searchers can discover you proactively. But it also has a lead generation program, where you can bid for relevant jobs that leads have posted to Angi.
These examples from Angi Pro give a taste of what the platform looks like for contractors bidding on incoming projects.
Aggregator sites like Angi, HelloProject, and Sweeten welcome homeowners to enter their project information, and then share those leads with contractors who can submit their quotes to the leads.
These sites are convenient for homeowners, who can go to one place to receive multiple bids. Leads also get peace of mind, knowing they’re connecting with contractors who have been vetted by the site.
Contractors benefit by getting their name in front of qualified leads who are serious about starting a project. No casual browsers here!
3. Create (or improve) your Google Business Profile
Google is the top search engine, with 92% of online searches starting on the site. Its dominance is why it’s essential you claim your Google Business Profile.
Your Google Business Profile allows you to show up in search and Maps results. It also houses your business’s Google reviews, links to your website, and lists your contact information.
If you’ve already created your Google Business Profile, that’s great! Now’s the perfect time to ensure you’re using all of its features. Enhancing your profile can provide searchers with even more background about your business and help you stand out in a crowded market.
To get even more out of your profile, take advantage of these features.
- Contact details: Keep this section up to date, so leads always know how to reach you.
- Photo gallery: Upload images of past work. Who doesn’t love a before-and-after glow-up?
- Attributes: Highlight how your business identifies with badges to share if it’s minority-owned or LGBTQ+-friendly.
- Reviews: Don’t just gather more reviews, also take the time to respond to them!
- FAQs: Proactively address questions you commonly hear from leads and customers.
4. Explore Google Local Services Ads (LSAs)
Google Ads are available to any business, but Local Services Ads (LSAs) are a particular advertising product that’s tailored to the needs of—you guessed it—local service-based businesses!
As a contractor, you’re eligible to run LSAs. When you do, you gain a few advantages you won’t see with traditional Google ads.
Google displays Local Services Ads at the top of the results page, above other sponsored posts, maps listings, and organic blue links. If you want to stand out, it helps to be one of the first names a lead sees!
You can also apply for a Google Guarantee badge to enhance your credibility. The badge appears next to your name and indicates you’ve gone through Google’s verification process.
Finally, you only pay for leads that reach out via your ads—not for impressions or clicks—meaning you’re more likely paying for high-intent leads, rather than casual browsers.
💡 For even more ways to generate contractor leads, download our definitive guide to lead generation complete with 25 ideas, plus tips and examples!
5. Build thoughtful search ad campaigns
Effective search ad campaigns are well-considered from start to finish.
The process begins with creating optimized ads and a smart bidding strategy to ensure you’re not just generating clicks—you’re connecting with genuine leads.
Find the right platform on which to connect with your audience; that might be Google or Microsoft. Additionally, working with a marketing partner that has established relationships with top platforms can help you find the right advertising platforms for your business and maximize efficiency wherever you land.
Take advantage of targeting techniques to ensure your ideal audience sees your ads—people in the right demographics and geography. Choose eye-catching images and write scroll-stopping copy to encourage those viewers to click your ad.
This ad copy touts the tax incentives and local utility rebates customers may take advantage of, and when you click the ad, you land on a page that helps you look up rebates and tax credits.
And finally, ensure that your ad drives somewhere specific: namely, a dedicated landing page with a call to action (CTA) that ties in with the ad itself.
💸 Learn how to get leads from Google Ads without breaking the bank using our free guide to saving money in Google Ads!
6. Start a referral program
Encouraging existing customers to refer you to loved ones can deliver major benefits for your business. People trust referrals from friends, and it can influence their purchase decisions.
While current or past customers may refer you casually, establishing a formal referral process can incentivize the behavior. Typically, referral programs offer a benefit to both the referrers and the new customers, often in the form of a discount on future services, a free gift card, or another enticing monetary offer.
7. Lean on your industry partnerships
The more referrals you can generate, the better! Your network of fellow contractors and tradespeople may be an untapped source of new business.
Invest in getting to know other like-minded providers in your area, and consider teaming up to refer to each other’s businesses. If your calendar is full, you can send a prospect to another contractor you like and trust—and vice versa!
The same goes for businesses in adjacent sectors. If you work in HVAC, you can pair up with plumbers, general contractors, electricians, and other tradespeople in your area to create a referral network that generates free contractor leads for everyone within it.
8. Invest in AI-enhanced communication
A recent study finds that the chances of a business connecting with a prospect drop tenfold in the first hour following the prospect’s initial outreach.
If your team isn’t ready to respond lightning-fast to incoming inquiries, you’re likely missing out on converting some of your contractor leads.
While it’s difficult for a human team to pounce on every opportunity, fortunately, we have technology to help us! AI-enhanced tools, like live chat on your site, automated SMS responses, and AI-supported call management, can help you field prospect queries faster.
9. Create lead magnet content
Another avenue to generate free contractor leads is to give away some expertise gratis. While this approach won’t generate business overnight, it is a great way to establish a relationship with leads that you can nurture until they’re ready to buy.
Lead magnet content should be high value: Insider expertise that your audience won’t be able to find elsewhere on the internet. You offer them free access—all they need to do is provide their contact information in exchange.
A general contractor, for example, might create a detailed guide to kitchen renovations. Get into the nitty-gritty, with information on how to set a budget, what the typical timeline is, how to manage material selection, and answers to other burning questions homeowners typically have.
Homeowners who are considering a renovation will give their email address to access a free copy of your guide. Then, you can follow up with a series of lead nurture emails that end with an ask: Would you like us to come give a free estimate on your kitchen project?
10. Engage with your community
You serve customers in a specific geographic area. By engaging with your local community, you can often indirectly generate new contractor leads.
Consider different ways you can make an impression locally. You might…
- Sponsor a local tradition. For instance, you could sponsor or volunteer at the annual fall fair or summer carnival. Sponsorship packages often include advertising and a booth at the event.
- Give back to local students. For example, you may offer to mentor kids in the local shop class. They won’t be leads (yet), but their parents might be!
- Participate in city events. Establish a presence at the Small Business Saturday fair, or create a float for your town’s 4th of July parade.
- Donate your expertise to worthy charities. Offer to build fences so the puppies at your local shelter have a place to play, or donate your services as part of the silent auction benefiting the soup kitchen.
11. Run a custom promotion
Creating a custom promotion, like a sweepstakes or giveaway, can work wonders to generate contractor leads or prospects. Whether you choose to design sweepstakes or offer a special discount, both can help you connect with new leads.
Sweepstakes encourage entrants to share their email, which builds up your contact list. Then, they become part of your lead nurture efforts until they’re ready to buy. Discounts or special offers sweeten the deal for leads who are on the fence, and may convince them that now is the time to convert.
12. Go the extra mile with direct mail
Advertising offline and through more traditional media channels can put you in front of new, relevant contractor leads in your area.
Something as straightforward as a print ad in your local paper or a discount coupon mailed to everyone in your area can generate leads. However, there are also chances to leave a lasting impression with relevant prospects.
For example, you may create a direct mail campaign aimed at new homeowners. By tracking local real estate transactions, you know when a home has changed hands. You can mail new residents a “welcome to the neighborhood” tool kit, with a branded measuring tape, hammer, and level.
Not only is this a thoughtful gesture, with tools that the recipients will probably use as they assemble new furniture and hang photos on their walls, but it also positions you to be the first contractor they think of when they decide to make updates to their new home.
Build up your contractor leads with these tactics
No matter how long you’ve been in business, it’s always worthwhile to seek new lead generation techniques. As homeowners move into your area or discover additional needs around their property, they’ll be on the lookout for trusted providers.
When you’re constantly engaging in contractor lead generation efforts, you increase the likelihood that these prospects will discover your business and reach out for an estimate or service. For more help generating contractor leads, see how our solutions can help you maximize your lead gen strategy across all your campaigns—and turn those leads into customers!
