The world of contracting is competitive – and that’s an understatement. Every day more and more contracting companies and individual contractors seem to pop up on the Internet. The key here for a small contracting business is to try and stay one step ahead. The best way to do this is to fortify your digital marketing game plan. This is how you generate leads. And this is how you ultimately get those clients.

When it comes to lead generation for contractors, however, many contracting companies really aren’t sure where to begin. This is because there are a ton of options for getting leads, for tracking down potential jobs, and for getting in touch with clients looking for contracting services. At times, it could be mind-boggling having to shuffle through all of the digital options out there.

This is precisely why so many contractors and contracting companies will opt to work with a lead generation/marketing firm. But how do you determine the best lead generation companies for contractors? How do you know which marketer’s vision will sync with your own?

In this article, we will talk about some of the best lead generation companies for contractors out there right now. We will also discuss some tips for getting started if you want to try to go it on your own. It is certainly doable. Especially if your focus is local and you are a smaller contractor with less than three employees. We will get into that in a moment…

The Best Lead Generation Companies for Contractors

As mentioned, there are a multitude of firms out there that specialize in working with contracting companies. They know the business. They understand this particular market. And they spend their days finding new and innovative ways to bring in those leads and consequently convert leads to paying customers.

• Thrive Agency: Headquartered in Texas, Thrive serves contractors and contracting companies across the nation. Their specialty is digital marketing. And they tout themselves as a people-centric company aligning with a definitive set of core values. One benefit of the Thrive Agency is that they are experienced, and they also offer their clients a dedicated account manager. Given however that they focus on essentially all industries across all regions of the country, you may miss that personal touch and that specificity in terms of attention to detail when it comes to your industry.

• SBMS Media: The great thing about working with SBMS is that they specialize primarily in contractors, in home construction and in remodeling. Their approach is therefore geared specifically for this industry. And with combined decades’ worth of experience, they understand how to get the job done. You always get one-on-one personal attention as they custom tailor a plan that works with your budget and your overall goals. There is no one size all fits all approach with SBMS.

• Contractor Marketing Network: Contracting Marketing Network deals with companies in the home services area. Their tagline is a simple, effective and affordable approach to marketing. And it would seem that they have had a number of successes with some of their past clients. The key here though is to understand whether or not this company is actually familiar with your market and your geographic area.

Available Options for Lead Generation

One important thing to note, if you are a contractor with less than three employees something you might try is to see if your location offers Google Local Services. This is an extremely affordable option, getting you potential leads for as low as $25 per day. And it’s also a very easy option. Most people can absolutely do this on their own without the help of an experienced marketer. If however, local services is not available in your area, there are other ways that you can go about getting leads.

You might look into hiring a local marketing firm to help guide you on your path as you establish a solid marketing campaign. For instance, SBMS can set you up with a Google Ads campaign. They understand how to develop the type of ads that actually get people to click on the link thus leading them to your business.

Why a Google Ads campaign over other options? 

The quality of the leads that you get with Google Ads is going to be far better than paying for something like Thumbtack, Houzz, or Angi. The leads you are likely to get from these platforms come at a much steeper price and they don’t always end in a sale, unfortunately. In fact, more often than not, they will end in a major headache with a great deal of hassle. 

Google Ads is a streamlined and far more efficient way to help you boost your sales numbers. SBMS Media can certainly create and organize a campaign that will work to your advantage.

Some other important tips when it comes to lead generation for contractors:

• Make sure your website is up to date. Many companies, not just contracting companies, fall victim to this. They spent a great deal of time and effort creating the perfect website for their business. And then they just let that website sit. They fail to update it regularly. Ensure that you are putting project photos on your site. Make sure that you’re updating content, to include your blog page. Routine updates are essential to getting found on Google.

• Keep your social media accounts active. As with the website, many contractors will just let their social media sites and accounts sit. If they’re just sitting there, they’re doing nothing for you. If you have a promo or special offer, post about it. If you’ve just finished a job that you’re particularly proud of, post photos on Instagram or Pinterest. Interact with those users who are following you on social media, this helps to humanize your brand.

• Start an email marketing campaign. On your website you should have an option for people to subscribe to an email list. This means that they want to hear from you; they actually want to get updates and information about your company. Once you have that list going, make sure you send out relevant emails. This could take the form of newsletters, special promos, company updates, infographics, you name it.

• Be careful with pay-for-lead sites. You know the sites and platforms we’re talking about. Thumbtack, Home Advisor, Angi, the list goes on. And while yes, there are opportunities on these platforms for actual jobs, very often, the leads end up going nowhere. So you’ve paid a great deal of money for this lead, and it generally ends in you having to figure out how to get that money refunded. There are horror stories of contractors spending thousands of dollars on sites like this with very little to show for it. If you do opt to use these particular lead generation sites, get all the details first. Know precisely what you’re getting into.

We want to help. SBMS Media works with contractors, home builders and remodelers. We understand the business because we’ve been a part of the business. 

You can’t ask for a better marketing partner to help you generate the kinds of leads that will help you boost your client base. 

Call today by clicking on the Blue “Request a Consultation” button in your upper right hand corner and let’s navigate this journey together!