Every sale begins with a lead. The main purpose of marketing is to generate lots of leads in a cost effective and predictable way, which you and your technicians can then turn into happy customers.

There are a few different lead sources that work and are affordable. The goal is determining what works at a price that is profitable for you company. It is important to look at the big picture and focus on the lifetime value of every new customer you bring in the door. Maybe you don’t make a profit on the first visit. But if they recommend you to others and purchase additional services or a service agreement the lead values is higher than that initial touch cost. Moving forward, they will always come to you for the work that they need done if they are treated well. That is a long-term win.

The fastest way for contractors to get leads is to dig into paid advertising starting with Google AdWords. Google AdWords and similar search engines are a good place to start because they put you in front of people who are searching for your service and ready to buy. Facebook and Instagram are two other places that generate a lot of leads, but they are part of a longer-term strategy to make people aware of your services so that when the customer is ready, they will know who you are and reach out, likely through SEO. Any lead source strategy requires diligence, focus, patience and visually compelling ad copy that also includes video.

An alternative from digital is direct mailing. Direct Mailing will also generate leads and awareness, this however will be more challenging to track and trace the calls. You will need a 3rd party assistance to be able to track and trace the progress of your direct mail ads to ensure that your RIO is being properly implemented and successful. Any leads that are generating revenue, or not, should be tracked so you will know where to put your focus on.