Power up your remodeling leads (and profits) with these iron-clad lead-building strategies
With more people working remotely and spending more time indoors, homeowners are taking a long, hard look at their spaces––and investing big money into remodeling. According to HomeAdvisor, millennials did 30% more remodeling projects in 2020, and a study at Harvard predicted remodeling spending will reach $370 billion by 2022.
If your business isn’t getting a piece of the pie, it may be time to rethink your remodeling leads strategy. Read on to tap into six powerful lead strategies that will build your online presence and help you get more leads.
With 51% of customers using social media for buying decisions and two-thirds of users visiting local businesses weekly, the potential for remodeling contractors to get leads from social media is exponential.
The best social media platform for home remodelers is Facebook—after all, 80% of internet users who earn $100,000+ use Facebook. After that, there’s YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram.
These visually friendly platforms work great for contractors to entice homeowners, while LinkedIn and Twitter focus more on B2B and industry news.
Here are some ideas of what to share on social media:
Before and after photos and video tours of your remodeling projects
Articles with kitchen and bathroom remodeling tips that link back to your website
Customer testimonial videos
Videos of your latest projects
Blog posts comparing materials like quartz vs. granite countertops or a post on kitchen island trends
To get more remodeling leads, network with realtors in your area. New homeowners trust their realtors since they helped them navigate and negotiate the stressful home-buying process. When it’s time to renovate and remodel, the first person they’ll turn to for professional recommendations is their realtor.
But don’t forget your customers who are over the moon with the work you’ve performed. They’ll be more than happy to refer you to a friend or family member who needs remodeling.
You can even offer them a “refer a friend” credit they can apply to their next project. You can also ask them to write reviews about your work. All of these steps can help you get more contractor leads.
Another way to get remodeling leads is with an email list. Get new subscribers by asking for social media followers’ emails in exchange for a free gift like a printable remodeling checklist or a 30% discount offer during your slow months.
By building a relationship with your list, when they’re ready to remodel, you’ll be top of mind.
Try these subject lines to get your emails opened by subscribers:
You’re going to love these kitchen trends, [name]
10 Remodeling tips that’ll make your project go smoothly
Get 15% off your next remodeling project today only!
Clear, engaging subject lines that arouse curiosity get emails opened. Keep your email subject lines under 50 characters for the best results and avoid words like “free” that email providers send straight to spam.
The tone of your emails should be personal and read like they’re coming from a human. Of course, you need to sound professional, but stay away from business-speak and jargon as well as complex words like “utilize” when you can say “use.”
While there are free forms of advertising like SEO that take time to build, when you’re looking for immediate results, you can always invest in paid ads. When you have a good offer supported by a good headline that grabs attention, the following advertising strategies could deliver leads for your remodeling business.
Pay-per-click advertising: With keyword-driven PPC ads, prospects will see your ads immediately. You only need to pay for the ad when someone clicks it. But know you can be outbid for the spot.
Local advertising and geo-targeting: You can also drive leads and sales with local advertising and geo-targeting, a type of mobile advertising. The downside of geo: not everyone appreciates mobile ads.
When you’re stumped on what to write, type your blog topic into Google to discover what questions readers want answers to. For example, when you type “start a remodeling business” into Google, you’ll notice questions in the middle of the page under the heading, “People also ask.” Creating posts stemming from search queries make excellent topics and perform well.
Type your keywords into Google keyword planner or SEMrush.com to learn how many users search for the term (volume) and how competitive they are (keyword difficulty).
When they’re competitive, you need to create a longtail keyword, which is longer and more specific. For example, saw (difficult) vs. long blade hand saw (longtail keyword).
To optimize your post, follow these tips:
Place your keyword in your headline, a couple of subheads, and meta title
Sprinkle your keyword naturally through 0.5% to 1% of your content (called keyword density), which is around 5 to 10 times in a 1,000-word post.
An attractive website makes your remodeling company look professional to visitors––and when they discover your photography and video tours they can dream about how you can transform their homes! It’s worth the investment to hire a talented web designer (rather than take the DIY route).
An expert ensures your site:
Looks attractive on all electronic devices (no images or text off the page)
Loads quickly, which affects SEO rankings
Is user-friendly and simple to navigate (visitors can find what they’re looking for)
Features the best projects in your gallery
Is optimized for SEO to bring in leads
Realize that organic traffic takes time to grow, but it has much more longevity and staying power than PPC ads, and it’s free when you create your own content.
When the phone’s not ringing, and you have fewer online prospects reaching out for quotes, don’t throw up your hands and give in. Your slow season is the perfect time to take a closer look at your business, be proactive, and take the necessary steps to speed things up.
The following factors contribute to slow lead times.
Okay, we know we can’t control the weather––but even during the winter and rainy seasons, you can still generate leads. Homeowners might be tempted into remodeling during the winter if you email them about a cold-weather sale. You can also tweak messaging to tempt them into getting their home ready for warmer weather while it’s still cold out.
Differentiating your brand in the marketplace will make your business stand out from other remodeling companies. You need to think deeper than “we’re a trusted and reliable remodeling company serving the (fill in the blank) community.”
By making your value proposition crystal clear, you will stand out in a sea of sameness. For example, do you work with sustainable materials and environmentally friendly products? Have a niche like modern construction, porches, or wine cellars?
Plaster this messaging upfront and center to differentiate you from your competition.
Consistent marketing is essential for lead success, but it's easy to drop the ball when you get busy on a few projects––especially when you manage your entire business yourself.
As a business owner, you may be managing accounting, returning customer calls, purchasing tools and supplies, and ordering from vendors. It can feel like your to-do list never gets done.
When things get overwhelming is the perfect time to unload some tasks on a marketing company or professional.
Being proactive is key to getting more remodeling leads and building an online presence. When you take steps to construct a solid foundation, you’ll see results. As the whispering voice said to Kevin Costner in “Field of Dreams,” “If you build it, they will come.”
