Every business owner in the home services or home improvement industry wishes quality leads would simply fall from the sky; however, it is often not that easy. For service professionals in the home service or home repair business, note that how you manage lead generation is often one of the most critical factors that separate success from failure.
There is no doubt that bringing in quality leads is one of the most crucial and challenging aspects of being a home service business owner. The success of your business depends on receiving quality leads and hiring the best contractors.
It is also one crucial part of your digital marketing strategy, as well as the foundation of your company’s online reputation management trifecta, which includes reputation management, generating leads online, and getting online customer reviews. Use these tips to collect more reviews on Google Business Profile.
Did you know that the US home improvement business is a $425 billion industry? And for many home improvement businesses, steady and reliable lead generation is one of their top business problems. It is worth noting that most home services business owners struggle with generating enough traffic to their business websites, let alone developing quality leads from that web traffic.
Did you know that over a quarter of consumers state they use the net to find reliable local businesses every day? However, the surprising fact is that a whopping 29 percent of small businesses, such as home repair businesses, still do not have websites, which is concerning. Keep in mind that this number jumps higher in the home service industry. Many professionals, such as house cleaners, handymen, and plumbers, are usually in business for themselves. So, they have little to no time to manage digital marketing tasks.
For home services businesses, gaining new business often requires putting in some time and work. However, the good news is that, like many aspects of running a successful business, there are typically some trade tricks that will help make your life easier as a business owner. One of the best ways to streamline and optimize your lead generation funnel is to make sure your website is on the best home services websites that provide reliable lead generation for your business.
Thankfully, using the right lead generation sites will help make connections for you. The best thing is that from different areas of service and pricing plans to kinds of contractors and customers, there are many options that you can explore.
Platforms, such as Thumbtack and Angie’s List (not Angi), connect clients to qualified businesspeople. These platforms leverage location technology, as well as online payment systems, to streamline the process. If you are a home service business owner and are looking to expand your lead generation channels, you can use these home services websites to broaden your business base while maximizing your leads and customer conversions.
1. Houzz
You may know that Houzz has become a popular and dependable website for people and homeowners looking for remodeling and renovation ideas and finding contractors, such as plumbers, to help on home projects.
Did you know that Houzz is a popular website builder and publishing tool app for home design and renovation professionals? You can connect your business site to Houzz’s directory to showcase some of your favorite completed projects. The best thing is that you can set your rates and seamlessly communicate with your customers through social media and email.
Houzz can be an ideal platform for your business as it offers you the ability to set up a profile (free) for your business where you may showcase your professional work. You will be pleased to know that over 1.5 million professionals, such as contractors, are listed on Houzz.
If you are not listed on this platform, many of your competitors likely are. SEMrush’s traffic analysis tool revealed that Houzz averages almost 5.4 million visits a month.
2. Thumbtack
It is no secret that Thumbtack’s tried-and-tested business model has made it a titan in the home services industry. Consumers use this platform to find local professionals, such as handymen, for nearly any task. Note that consumers can easily filter search results based on different factors and then contact service professionals through this web-based platform.
You will like that Thumbtack’s professionals only have to pay when they are hired or contacted by leads. Did you know that this online service matches local professionals with customers in 1,100 different kinds of service categories in all fifty states?
Also, the app’s geolocator is convenient as it shows the total number of service professionals in an area. As a service provider, you can increase your visibility and take on jobs as an independent contractor. However, note that as Thumbtack’s price structure can usually be complicated, professionals have to directly contact the company to find out the amount they will spend on separate project bids.
Another great thing about Thumbtack is that it sends leads based on some pre-set criteria. This allows professionals to set their rates and prices by sending quote estimates before they take the job. As you can see, there is a good reason why Thumbtack is a favorite among many home services professionals in the country.
3. Angie’s List
You have likely seen the television commercials for Angie’s List, and with that heavy advertising has come plenty of attention. Note that this website is extremely favored and has more than 5 million members. As a business owner, you can easily register, claim and update your company profile for free, and start gathering reviews.
Angie’s List is known in the industry for being one of the original home service provider directories and lead generators for small business professionals and contractors. This is why Angie’s List is one of the premier players in the home services and home improvement industry.
Did you know that more than 6 million households in the United States use Angie’s List? This website has more than ten million verified customer reviews, which can easily connect your home services business with top-quality leads and contractors in your service area. SEMrush’s traffic analysis tool indicated that Angie’s List averages almost 2.1 million visits a month.
Note that whether a client finds your business via organic listings or your paid ad, they have the choice to get in touch with your company. There’s no lead generation fee if they decide to reach out. As a business owner, the only time that you have to pay is when you advertise your business on Angie’s List.
4. HomeAdvisor
If you are a business owner, you can set up a free Home Advisor Pro account and then unlock the full potential of another massive marketplace where homeowners seek out professionals and contractors based on their zip codes. Note that the vendor drives online traffic to its site using many online marketing techniques.
Also, it leverages various third-party data sources. HomeAdvisor also uses TV commercials and ads to get homeowners looking for professionals for home improvement projects to call or sign up to get connected with a professional contractor in their area.
HomeAdvisor is also famous as it has numerous tools that help with home renovation. Some of them are a guided and comprehensive process to find the right contractor or professional for the work, general information, and customer reviews of local home improvement businesses. SEMrush’s traffic analysis tool shows that HomeAdvisor averages almost 2.7 million visits a month.
5. Porch
The best thing about Porch is that it is a mobile application and a lead generator that touches almost all the major home improvement and renovation projects, such as installations, furniture assembly, deck repair, and HVAC work. Porch is an excellent alternative to Angie’s List.
Did you know that Porch features over 3 million home service professionals? While this may seem a little intimidating to you if you are considering this platform, its tremendous focus on home services and convenient payment options usually makes Porch an excellent choice for businesses seeking a new lead generation site.
As a home service professional, you can purchase leads individually. You can also automatically receive them monthly. Porch is also convenient as it allows you to filter all your leads. Also, you only pay for as well as work with the leads you want. The platform accomplishes that by getting essential information from users to develop an accurate and reliable price estimate.
For instance, if a customer needs a home painter, Porch will ask how many rooms they need painted. And it follows up by asking what parts of each room have to be done, like the walls or trim. Note that with these relevant questions, Porch provides your business with an in-depth write-up of each job.
6. Pro Referral
Note that the platform now called Pro Referral was created by Redbeacon in 2008. Home Depot acquired it in 2012. This connection with Home Depot means that contractors and service professionals who frequently use Pro Referral get many benefits when shopping for their improvement projects at Home Depot’s stores.
The app is valuable as it puts the power of pairing the most suitable home professional with the right client, without the stress of scouring Google and other review websites. As a home service business owner, you can use Pro Referral’s lead generation platform to post your profile with photographs of past work, which your potential customers can easily browse.
However, you have to meet several pre-screening steps before joining, such as paying a background check fee (bi-yearly) of $39.99 and having general liability insurance. When you meet these requirements, you will be admitted to a network of local leads from the platform’s customer database. Leads are usually paid for via a points-based system.
Conclusion
Home improvement and home service is a multi-billion dollar industry in the US that is trending to grow considerably in the foreseeable future. And this translates into a lot of business opportunities for your business if you can generate quality leads and close the sales. Podium can help your home service website gain new leads. When you need more reviews for your business, you can use Podium’s messaging tools to leverage the convenience of texting and get the job done. You can improve your overall customer experience with sentiment analysis, reviews, messaging tools, Webchat, and a lot more. Did we mention most of Podium’s messaging tools are free.
