What is the best way to get construction leads? Many construction companies do amazing work and can grow their business to a certain level with word-of-mouth referrals and minimal outbound sales or marketing efforts. Without these efforts, most companies hit a wall and need to ask, “How can I get more leads for my construction company?”
Identify Your Target Market
The first, and arguably most important step to acquiring more leads, is understanding who your target market is. You should be able to identify in a short sentence stating what you offer. Then pair that with who needs that offering. This goes a long way to identify and acquire your target market.
In a book written by construction expert David Gertsel titled, “Running a Successful Construction Company” he describes the principle of your “client ring” as illustrated in the image below
Leads that are closer to YOU in this client ring are easier and more cost-effective to close. Many of the ideas in this article are more effective as you get closer in the client ring, but can still be effective on the edges as well. Let’s take a look at some of the strategies you can use to generate more leads for your construction business.
Best ways to get construction leads?
1. Knock surrounding doors
2. Connect with local real estate agents
3. Make sure your clients don’t forget you.
4. Work with local suppliers. Get into showrooms.
1. Knock the surrounding doors.
This is one of my favorites for a few reasons. One, it is free. Two, it reaches members of your client’s club. Three, it is a low-pressure way to get your name and business out there.
This sales strategy goes like this. While working on a construction project in a residential area, create a quick flier outlining who you are and what you are working on. This takes 2 minutes in Google Docs, or Microsoft Word. Take your flier and knock on the doors of the surrounding houses next to your project.
How to get more construction leads? Knock the surrounding doors.
Deliver the flier, let the neighbors know you are working in the area and they may see some trucks and workers out and about. Give them a quick pitch and offer to help with any services they need while your crews are in the area. Even if these homeowners do not need any work completed, they now have the name of a thoughtful contractor who has done good work in their neighborhood. An easy follow-up is stopping by again after you have completed the project. Let them know you are done, and give them one last quick pitch.
2. Connect with local real estate agents.
This is a great source of potential jobs! A few fast ways to add value to a home before selling is to remodel kitchens and baths, paint, and updated exteriors. This article by Redfin, a top real estate listing site, has more specific ways homeowners can add value before a sale.
With this being said, connecting with real estate agents and offering a small referral bonus on any of these projects is a great way to increase leads and sell more projects. You can double dip on these leads too, since many customers have remodel needs when moving into a new home.
If you have real estate agents in your “club” or even in the community, send them a message, stop by their office, or give them a call to start generating leads that have immediate remodeling needs.
3. Make sure your clients don’t forget you.
If you do good work, the easiest leads to sell are the ones you have sold already. Existing clients are a great source of new projects and referrals. The trick is making sure they don’t forget you between your last project and their next building need. Here are a few ways to make sure you are the first contractor they call:
– Check-in on previous projects during warranty periods on jobs.
– Send a postcard or mailer for holidays, special events, or company updates.
– Connect with clients on social media, and ask permission to use job site photos in posts.
– Provide tips on recommended maintenance for appliances or specialty materials you used, make a list/flier with this information.
– Don’t be afraid to ask for references and reviews as a thank you for work well done.
There are many ways to reconnect with clients and make sure you are top of mind when a new project arises. Prioritizing good relationships and a strong network of loyal clients can turn 1 sale into 3 or 4 over the next few years. If you want to know “how can I get more leads for my construction company?” Start with your own client base! You will always get a few passive referral leads, but an active approach to client referrals can be an absolute gold mine!
4. Work with local suppliers. Get into showrooms.
This strategy requires some networking and creativity to be most effective and may be more relevant for a specialty contractor looking to increase leads. A flooring company I worked with in the past was able to build a great relationship with a local flooring material supplier. They had a showroom with customers visiting frequently. This company got approval to have their sales reps on the floor interacting with customers. The reps would explain the product, increase sales for the supplier, and then serve as the preferred installer for the supplier. This relationship benefited both parties and increased leads and revenue dramatically.
This is an extreme example of an excellent supplier relationship, but even getting on the list of preferred installers for a product can have a great impact on sales.
Make the most of every lead you receive.
Leads are the lifeblood of your business. If your sales pipeline runs dry you have obvious problems. Sometimes more costly is a pipeline with massive leaks. Making the most of every lead can increase sales dramatically!
The problem: Too many contractors keep track of leads on the notes app of their phone, in their head, or on a cluttered spreadsheet. Leads are not followed up with consistently or timely. Estimates are not sent for days. Warm leads are naturally cooled.
The solution: A system to track leads, schedule follow-ups, send estimates quickly, and increase sales!
Enter Projul
Projul is chock full of sales and lead management tools to help maximize profit and increase sales! With a construction-specific lead pipeline, you ensure no leads slip through the cracks, and more leads turn into sales. Schedule follow-up reminders for yourself and other team members to enhance your client experience. Create and send estimates quickly and professionally with custom estimates and contract templates. A combination or the strategies mentioned above, and a construction CRM like Projul will help you answer the question, “How to get more leads for my construction company”.
Make sure you are prepared to scale with an increased lead volume by looking into Projul’s CRM and sales capabilities today!
No pushy sales reps | Risk free | No credit card needed