Lead management and CRM

9 ways to win high quality construction leads [+software]

Two clients looking at laptop together.

Lead management is an essential part of any business. Software can help automate this process by allowing a company to capture leads from various sources, track their progress through the sales funnel and convert them into paying clients.

Getting construction leads can be made easier by leveraging tools like social media, paid advertisements and referral sites. Lead generation tools can help home builders target their ideal clients more accurately than ever before. Additionally, these tools can help collect client data, taking away the daunting task of manual entry. This enables your business to focus on what you do best – build and transform homes for your clients.

What are construction leads?

Leads are any individuals within your marketing reach who have interacted with your brand in some way. These individuals have the potential to become future clients for your construction business.

Lead generation is the process of attracting potential clients to your business and turning them into paying customers. The construction industry is competitive, so if your lead generation strategies aren’t strong, then you’re missing out on potential profit.

9 best ways to get construction leads

Capturing leads can grow your construction company and make it successful. With the right lead generation strategies, you can gain more quality leads and ultimately more clients. Consider using these methods to target your next client.

1. Understand your niche

No matter what business you’re in, you’ll need to understand what niche you cover. Who is your target audience? What are their pain points? What solution can your business provide for them? In a competitive market, you need to target your marketing efforts to attract the right clients.

For example, if you’re a commercial contractor, zero in on local businesses in need of a remodel or custom build. A new home builder? Your lead generation strategies should target millennials, Gen Xers and younger boomers. Or if you’re a residential remodeler, target existing homeowners who live in older neighborhoods – their kitchens are probably very outdated!

When you focus your marketing tactics on the clients looking for the expertise you offer, you’re going to get higher quality leads.

2. Get on social media

“If you’re not already on social media, you’ll want to get on now and see what’s there for you,” says Dean Marlbrook, a leadership writer with UK Writings and Paper Fellows. “It’s one of the best ways of connecting with your potential leads.”

To get the most out of social media marketing, you’ll need to know where your target audience hangs out online. Is it Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram? Once you know, you can build your social media strategy around these platforms.

If you’re active and posting regularly, it can boost your presence and get you more online leads. Make sure you engage with those who comment on your posts to get the most out of this strategy.

3. Create a compelling website

Your website can be a strong selling tool when attracting new clients. When someone is looking for a contractor, they’re most likely starting on the internet. If you don’t have a website, then you’re missing out on business. Also, if your website isn’t appealing to the eye or easy to navigate, that can deter clients from contacting you.

A good website can set you apart from the competition as well. When a prospective client comes to your homepage, you can make that quality first impression by showcasing your finished projects and what your company is all about.

In addition, you want to make sure you have an easy-to-use contact page where prospective clients can reach out to you and ask questions. Want to stand out even more? Link your customer portal to show clients that they’ll have transparency if they choose to work with you. It’s no secret that clients want to be involved in their projects, so why not stand out from the start?

4. Implement SEO best practices

Search engine optimization is how you get your business or website to show up on the first page of Google when a potential client searches for your service in their area. An SEO strategy is crucial when it comes to generating more, higher quality leads. SEO helps you attract the clients you want and will help them find your website.

There are lots of ways you can implement an SEO strategy:

  • Creating custom content, such as a blog about kitchen design trends
  • Researching the keywords your audience searches on Google – “roofers in Denver” or “basement remodeler near me” – then incorporating those keywords in messaging across your website
  • Keeping your website updated and fresh to show off your latest projects
  • Boosting your website’s authority with backlinks from high quality websites

These are just a few tips to help improve your search engine optimization. Read up on our blog for more tips on local SEO for contractors.

5. Invest in paid advertising

Social media algorithms are constantly changing, so organic marketing is becoming more difficult. Paid advertising delivers more results to get the leads you need. With paid ads, you’re able to target a wider audience and determine the criteria for your audience. You can filter based on location, job titles and interests. By having your brand show up on social feeds, you increase your brand awareness as well.

Paid advertising results in higher conversion rates, and it’s more cost-effective than other advertising methods. This allows you to control your marketing budget. Additionally, you can track your return on investment (ROI) easier.

Some types of paid advertisements include Google Adwords or social media ads on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.

6. Improve customer reviews

Online reviews are so important to the construction industry. Those reviews provide an honest look at what your business does, and the more five-star reviews you have, the better. That shows other would-be clients just why they should hire you.

Get more testimonials by asking past – and happy – clients to leave you a review. And don’t forget to engage with the reviews you do get. You can even turn negative reviews into a positive experience by responding and helping to put things right. That’s going to reflect well on you as a business.

7. Get on trusted referral sites

If someone’s looking for the right home builder, bathroom renovator or backyard landscaper to help them, they’ll be looking online. One of the best ways to get construction leads is through referrals.

Sites like Houzz, Angi and Thumbtack show the best and most trusted companies in their areas – this is where you want to be.

“These sites are known to only refer to the best companies, so you’ll want to get yourself on that list,” says Jeanette Anderson, a construction blogger at Boom Essays and Essay Writing Services. “They offer some great lead generation programs that you should be taking advantage of.”

When you’re listed on these sites, your increased online exposure will generate quality leads. Clients can also contact you directly for quotes or more information.

8. Offer free estimates

Giving your leads the option of a free construction estimate is a great way to get them in the door. They already feel less pressure to commit to something if they’re exploring all their options or are concerned with their budget. There’s no obligation, which automatically makes them feel more comfortable working with you.

Offering a free estimate gives you the opportunity to sell your business and build a relationship with a potential client. You can talk to them in-person and explain the project in more detail.

9. Grow your network

This is a step you shouldn’t miss, even in the online age. When you have a larger network, you’ll have more opportunities to find new leads. Connect with and learn from industry peers by regularly attending local and national construction-related events.

Ask local businesses in your industry – not your competitors – to refer your services to their clients. And you should do the same for them. If you run into a plumbing issue when remodeling your client’s basement, recommend someone in your network. They’ll return the favor when one of their clients mentions the need for a new kitchen while getting their leaky faucet fixed.

When you interact with other contractors in your area, you’ll widen the pool of potential contacts and expand your business as a whole.

Finding the best construction lead generation software for your business

With all the lead generation tools out there, it can be difficult to choose one that’s right for your business. By understanding the benefits of these tools and which features are most important, you can pick a tool that can help your business succeed.

What is a lead generation tool for construction?

A lead generation tool can help you convert leads and collect contact information so you can communicate with your prospective clients. A tool will help you collect this information and alert the appropriate team members in order for them to reach out. It also helps you attract more qualified leads to close more deals.

How do construction lead generation tools work?

This tool is built to give you everything you need to track activity, close leads and win more sales. A lead tool will collect contact information through a form that’s filled out on your website, or it’ll hold information that’s manually entered by a team member. From there you can assign team members to tasks, like a follow-up with a client.

You can also use the tool to track the sales process. This feature will house information about type of job and estimated sales revenue.

Lastly, you’ll be able to contact your prospective clients through the same tool by emailing them. This allows you to keep all conversations in one platform.

Benefits of using software for construction leads

There are many benefits to using a construction lead generation software. First, it cuts down the time it takes to track down construction project leads. Contact information is updated automatically, and you’ll be working with the most up-to-date data. You can also save time when qualifying your leads because the information is organized and easy to sift through. That means you’ll find the right leads and be able to convert more sales.

Features to look for in construction lead software

When considering a construction lead software, you want to seek tools that have overall organization to keep your team on track. Specifically, a platform that has a way to assign to-do tasks to your team members can keep them updated on client follow-ups, meetings and phone calls. That way, prospective clients never slip through the cracks, and you maintain your good relationships with them.

You’ll also want a software that allows for in-platform communication so that all conversations are documented in one place. This allows for the whole team to reference any client information and ensures everyone is on the same page.

Lastly, file management is important. You need a secure place to keep all client documents for your crew to reference.

How Buildertrend can help

With Buildertrend’s lead management software, you can win jobs quickly using a more organized process. First off, Buildertrend allows you to implement lead activity templates to outline when and how your team should reach out to potential clients. It speeds up the sales process and standardizes lead management across the board. In fact, when builders use our lead activity templates, they win 55% more of their deals.

Buildertrend also offers enhanced communication with email marketing. You can respond to leads quickly from your phone and set a great first impression with professional-quality email templates. Your response time to prospective clients is quick, and your relationship with them grows stronger.

Customer portals are a great bonus feature to have within your lead management software. Although it’s not part of our sales features, the Customer Portal will help you land prospective clients. Your clients will have a unique login so they can track job progress, view photos and videos and make payments.

Ready to put these lead generation strategies into action with Buildertrend?

There are several ways to generate more leads as a construction company. These are just some of the best methods to start implementing now. Give these lead generation tips a try, and watch your client list grow exponentially.

Learn more about Buildertrend’s lead management software and schedule a demo!

Construction lead generation FAQs

Take a look at these answers to common construction lead generation questions.

You know if your lead generation efforts are successful if you’re converting your leads into paying clients. Try to document how you acquired your leads – social media, referral, email, etc. – so you can see which method is most successful for your business.

Generating leads can take anywhere from a few weeks to months. It depends on how much time and attention you give to lead generation. It takes about six to nine months after implementing a lead strategy to start seeing solid results.

Yes, you can outsource lead generation efforts and bring in an external company to help with driving leads to your sales team. Professional lead generation companies focus on finding construction leads every single day.

About The Author

Madyson Alger

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