Are you looking for more restoration leads to drive sales and increase revenue? Even with a strong marketing strategy, your restoration company needs to know which lead sources are worth pursuing.
As you continue reading, you’ll learn which lead sources your business should pursue that will not only increase lead numbers but also increase your lead conversion rate.
Best Sources for Restoration Leads
Lead conversion is a crucial element when establishing a successful and sustainable restoration company. But, if you don’t know which leads to pursue, even the best lifecycle marketing strategy won’t help you build the clientele necessary to grow your business.
The 10 best lead sources for your restoration company include:
1. Carpet cleaning companies
2. Plumbers
3. Insurance agents
4. Third-party administrators
5. Customer referrals
6. Contractors
7. Local networking
8. Social media
9. Google Business
10. Angie (Formerly Angie’s List)
Knowing how to structure your campaigns around these lead sources maximizes your restoration company’s ability to convert more leads into customers. Let’s investigate how you can utilize each one to benefit your company.
1. Carpet Cleaning Companies
Developing strong relationships with local carpet cleaning companies can help your restoration business target more customers in need of your services. Carpet cleaners are often called in when a customer experiences major issues with their home that often goes beyond just the carpet such as floods, fires, and natural disasters. While the cleaners can handle the carpet, the customer may need more extensive repairs done on their home to help alleviate ongoing issues.
Pairing up with local carpet cleaners is a mutually beneficial arrangement for both their business and yours. If a customer needs a recommendation for a restoration company, carpet cleaners can recommend you for the job. You can return the favor by recommending them for carpet and rug cleaning services with your clients. This arrangement only works with one or two local companies, so look for one that is flourishing with business to maximize your lead sources.
2. Plumbers
Plumbers often deal with massive flooding issues due to bursting pipes, extreme clogs, or malfunctioning pump sumps. Their job is to fix the issue from continuing or reoccurring, not to restore the home from existing water damage. Teaming with local plumbers can help you reach these customers by way of recommendations. Since these lead sources are actively seeking restoration services, it increases your chances of converting them to customers in a relatively short time.
Most plumbers want reassurance you’ll recommend their company to your customers as well. To do so, you’ll need to limit yourself to teaming with only one local plumber per town to meet this agreement. Pick a plumbing business that has a steady clientele, reasonable prices, and a good rapport. You want your current customers to trust your judgment to avoid losing them as customers in the future.
3. Insurance Agents
Local homeowner insurance agents need local referrals for their clients in need of restoration services. Fostering healthy relationships with local insurance agents helps you get your foot in the door to a potentially lucrative lead source.
Unlike with contractors, you won’t have to recommend any services in return. This means you can build relationships with a network of local agents, instead of just one or two per town.
4. Third-Party Administrators
Third-party administrators (TPAs) work in the insurance industry, alongside agents. However, TPAs work as case management with their local carriers, so their goal is to look for the cheapest services involved for their client. This means your restoration company will have to accept steep discounts to work alongside TPAs.
Negotiate with TPAs to see how steady the work is, as their lead sources may be more than enough to sustain you with work permanently. As a growing business, this could be an ideal place to keep business flourishing while building your other lead sources.
5. Customer Referrals
Word-of-mouth has been one of the most reliable and usable marketing tactics in any industry. Even though many industries rely heavily on digital marketing, customer referrals are still a powerful lead source in the restoration industry.
Keep your interactions with customers as positive as possible. Fostering healthy relationships will increase the chances of each customer recommending your restoration company to their friends and family. Don’t underestimate the effectiveness of quality customer service and job performance, as the payoff can lead to you having steady clients with very little effort on your marketing.
6. Contractors
Building relationships with other contractors in your area becomes a vital part of your lead source marketing plan. When someone employs a contractor to fix their home, that contractor will often be required to recommend or bring in other people to get the job finished. Projects that require rebuilding and restoring a house are plentiful when it comes to general contractors.
Find and build relationships with the general contractors in your local area. The more acquainted you are, the more likely they are to bring you on to their latest projects. This can bring forward long-term projects for your restoration company. Longer jobs equate to more money in most cases.
7. Local Networking
Join local networking events in your area to meet and mingle with the locals in your area. These events are often posted on your local county’s website weeks or months ahead of schedule, which makes it easier to plan your time around it.
During these events, get to know the locals that show up. Set up a booth, if possible, to showcase your business. At the very least, bring business cards to give to each person. This can generate new leads directly or indirectly through word-of-mouth.
8. Social Media
Online marketing techniques are imperative to any business looking to thrive in its industry. One of the most utilized techniques involves social media websites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. It’s important to remain interactive with your followers on social media, as you want to keep a solid rapport with them.
9. Google Business
Google Business has become a necessity for any local business that is serious about expansion and keeping a steady clientele. Most people seeking a restoration company will look online first to see what options are available to them. Since Google is the most used search browser, Google Business results will often be the first results customers see.
Failing to have a Google Business setup leads to many missed opportunities for clients in search of your restoration services. When setting up your Google Business page, ensure the phone number, hours of operation, location, and website are all accurate. Customers who can’t reach you from the immediate information provided will not search any further to try to find your contact information. This means lost lead sources that had a high conversion rate.
10. Angie
Angie, formerly known as Angie’s List, is a contractor directory service for customers seeking reliable, local contractors. It’s become a staple in the restoration industry, as it gives an abundance of information to customers and allows them to contact businesses directly through the website.
Angie works well for both newer and more established companies, as it gives you open visibility to restoration leads who are directly seeking your services. It also allows you to connect with contractors in other sectors who may want to work with you on a referral-for-referral basis.
Build Your Restoration Leads Using as Many Reliable Sources as Possible
Use as many of these lead sources to increase your restoration leads long-term, especially if you plan on scaling your business soon. The more work you dedicate now, the less you’ll have to do in the future. Your reviews, word-of-mouth, and general local popularity will eventually have clients coming to you effortlessly.
Starting the process of building quality relationships with your customers now pays off in the long run. Try each of the lead sources on the list and see which benefits you most. What works for one company in the restoration niche may not work for yours. It all varies according to your approach and general area. But you are guaranteed to find and build your clientele with enough effort.