A lead is a potential customer. In the contracting world, it refers to someone who may be interested in hiring your company. Lead generation, as the name implies, refers to the concept of continually creating a flow of new leads for your remodeling company.
If your small business is struggling to maintain a steady flow of customers, you’re not alone. Here are a few of the best ways to market yourself more effectively and, in turn, to generate a steady stream of leads both now and as you grow your business in the future.
Make Improvements to Your Business
The first step in generating leads is creating a quality service that is worth hiring in the first place. Look for any areas where you can shore up the look and feel of your company. Start with baseline expectations, like making sure that you’re properly licensed in your state. If you don’t have liability insurance, pick up the phone and get a quote as soon as possible.
Ensure that your workforce is both skilled and populated by quality employees that you can trust. Review your tools and safety equipment too, and check to see that recent bids have been accurate and that you’ve met or exceeded your customers’ expectations lately.
Once you’re sure that you’re running an airtight operation, it’s time to start incorporating other marketing strategies.
Ask for Referrals
Word-of-mouth marketing isn’t just effective. It’s one of the best ways to generate leads. In fact, when asked, 92% of consumers around the world said they trusted recommendations from earned media (such as family and friends) over all other forms of advertising.
This makes sense, as a customer’s glowing review of your services is going to encourage their friends to look you up when the time comes for their own projects. At the same time, a scathing account of poor workmanship is going to turn all of their social circles away from considering your company as a quality home renovation option.
With that said, it’s important to proactively seek out referrals from customers. This doesn’t mean you have to badger them to talk you up However, rather than waiting for it to organically come up in conversation with their friends and family members, take the time to ask your satisfied customers if they would be willing to give you a good referral. This will plant the seed in their mind that they should positively recommend your company whenever the opportunity arises.
Build a Website
A website is a critical component of modern businesses. It doesn’t matter if your company is big or small, national or regional, traditional or cutting-edge — you will want to have a website in place. A few steps to get started on this include:
- Using a website builder like WordPress or Squarespace to build a simple site that includes contact information, reviews, and any basic company info.
- Creating a company blog that demonstrates your knowledge and authority in the remodeling niche.
- Utilizing local SEO to ensure that your site shows up in local search engine results within your geographic market.
Use Social Media
Nearly half the world’s population uses social media, making it a highly effective branch of your lead generation strategy. Visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest can be great places to showcase a compilation of completed projects.
Facebook and Twitter provide areas to cultivate a community of past, present, and potential customers. You can also use them to answer questions, respond to feedback, and provide customer service. LinkedIn is another great platform for construction companies, as it provides professional leads, either with businesses in need of renovations or with other construction companies that are looking to partner with someone for a particular job.
Try Email Marketing
Email marketing can be another powerful lead generation tool. By setting up an email list, you provide an affordable line of communication between you and any local customers that want to opt-in to hear what you have to say.
This provides you with a direct line of communication that you can use to reach prospective clients. Emails can be highly personalized and targeted. They also allow you to share content, spread brand awareness, and keep past and future customers updated on company news. In short, email marketing enables you to cultivate relationships with customers in ways that can ultimately result in future business.
Pay Attention to Reviews
Online reviews are another area of marketing that can generate leads. By responding to reviews — both positive and negative — you demonstrate your professionalism in front of a massive audience.
Make sure to regularly check in on your company’s online presence, from your Google My Business Listing to the Better Business Bureau, and even services like Angie’s List. When you see potential customers ask questions, or see past customers have left feedback, praise, and complaints, respond to each one in order to show that you care about and are invested in the happiness of your customers.
If a customer is upset, offer to help them and then calmly direct the conversation to a phone call or private message. If they’re happy, accept their praise with respect. If they’re curious, answer their questions with knowledge.
Team Up with Local Businesses
You can also make connections with local businesses in your community. Teaming up with other companies that operate complementary businesses is a particularly great way to generate leads.
For instance, if you run a remodeling company, you may want to connect with a licensed electrician or other certified contractors that you can trust in your area. That way, when either of you run into jobs that you can’t take on, you can recommend one another.
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