Buying leads is a popular channel for home service contractors, but high lead costs, shared leads, and low lead quality can be challenges.

Key takeaways:

• There are plenty of sites and platforms selling leads to home service contractors.
• Buying leads can be a steady source of jobs, especially during slow seasons.
• However, not all platforms are equal, and there are a few questions to ask to make sure you’re getting quality job requests.

Whether you’re offering roofing services, pest control, landscaping, HVAC, or another type of home service, there are platforms that exist to sell you leads.

Getting jobs sent to you sounds great in theory, but not all lead-generation companies are a good investment.

Let’s go over some questions to ask yourself so you can pick platforms that will get you the kind of jobs that help you grow your business.

How Are Leads Qualified Before Being Sent to Me?

You’ll get better results if you buy leads or job requests that have gone through a screening process. This process can include:

• Making sure the job request matches the services you offer, as well as your service area.
• Verifying that the homeowner’s contact information is valid.
• Checking that the homeowner is serious about hiring, and not just window shopping for quotes.
• Confirming the project timeline to see whether the homeowner needs help now or later.
• Screening out duplicate submissions or repeat inquiries.
• Making sure the lead is not fake, spammy, or generated by bots.

The more checks leads go through and the more transparent the platform is about it, the more likely you are to get high-quality requests that turn into real jobs.

Are the Job Requests Exclusive or Shared With Other Contractors?

There is a real problem with lead-generation platforms designed for the building trades. When a lead comes in, the platform usually sends it to multiple contractors.

It means you have to respond fast, and you have to offer a low price because you’re competing with other businesses.

It’s tough to secure these jobs because there will always be another contractor out there willing to cut corners and offer a low price, or a larger company making up for the low margin with volume.

If you’re thinking about spending money to get leads or job requests, look for a platform that offers exclusivity so you’re not constantly competing for jobs.

What Information Do I Get With Each Lead?

Find out how much information the lead service you want to use collects.

Here’s what you should get at a minimum:

• Any notes that help you qualify the lead before calling.
• A name and contact information for the homeowner.
• The property address or at least the city and ZIP code.
• The type of service requested.
• A brief description of the problem or project.
• The estimated job size or scope, if available.
• The homeowner’s preferred contact method.
• The best time to reach the homeowner.
• The timeline for the project.
• Whether the homeowner is requesting multiple quotes.

If any of this information is missing, you’ll have to spend more time gathering everything you need to put together a job estimate. It also increases the risk of having low-quality leads get through.

What Type of Job Do You Usually Send for My Trade?

Some services focus on small repair calls, while others may generate larger replacement or installation projects, so you want to make sure the leads match the type of work you actually want to book.

Ideally, you should get a mix of job or requests with a higher margin to make buying leads worth it.

How Much Am I Paying Per Lead?

Lead services for contractors use different pricing structures. Some charge a fee per lead, others have a monthly subscription fee.

You should calculate the average price you’re paying per lead so that you can compare this number to the profit margin for the jobs you end up booking.

If you’re paying too much per lead, the ROI of this lead-generation service may not be worth it.

What’s the Conversion Rate for the Job Requests You Get?

Once you have a better idea of how much you’re paying per lead, pay attention to how many job requests turn into actual jobs.

A low conversion rate might mean the platform isn’t sending you high-quality opportunities. Before you make a decision, make sure you’ve optimized your response process to capture as many of these jobs as possible.

How Quickly Are Leads Delivered After a Homeowner Inquiry?

Good lead-generation platforms should qualify the leads they send you, but it shouldn’t delay getting these job requests.

If homeowners have to wait several days before you even see their request, they’ll likely move on to another option.

Are There Refunds or Credits for Bad Leads?

What happens when you get non-qualified leads or spam? Review the terms and conditions of the platforms you use carefully.

Ideally, you should get refunds or credits if you’re paying per lead.

Does the Lead-Generation Platform Offer Any Guarantee?

What kind of results does the platform promise? Are there guarantees regarding the number of job requests you will receive?

Watch out for platforms that promise something that is too good to be true because you’ll likely get low-quality leads to meet the minimum threshold that was promised.

How to Find a Proven Source for Job Requests in the Building Trades

You have to keep in mind that lead generation and job request generation platforms can perform very differently based on your local market or the type of service you offer.

For instance, a platform that consistently gets HVAC job requests in Fort Lauderdale, FL, might only occasionally get a quote request for a snow removal service in Wisconsin.

Your best option is to test different platforms. Keep a close eye on how much you’re spending, calculate your ROI, and use these questions to figure out which platforms are worth using.

If you’re not sure where to start, My Licensed Contractor is worth a look. It’s a new platform from Tempesta Media that connects local homeowners with the best contractors. You get detailed job requests, along with an estimate of the project’s value.

And, unlike many platforms, you get the opportunity to secure your ZIP codes and get exclusive leads for that area.

You can get started here by claiming your free profile, or explore the other ways Tempesta Media can help your home service business.