Home Remodeling Leads: 6 Ways to Get More Leads

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Running your own home remodeling business can be tough work. One of the major challenges is making sure you have enough good leads to keep your business growing year after year.   

2023 is shaping up to be a big year for your industry. According to a recent Houzz survey, 23% of homeowners expect to move forward with their remodeling plans this year.   

You’ve got the skills to take on these projects, but without leads, your business can’t thrive. Here are six simple strategies that’ll generate more leads so you can start tackling more remodeling projects. 

1. Launch New Partnerships

Boost your home remodeling business by getting creative with collaborations. Look for partners who serve the same audience but don’t compete directly with you—think interior designers, real estate agents, construction companies, and homeowners associations.  

By partnering with any or all of these professionals, you can introduce yourself and your services to someone else’s existing customer base. And since your partners already have existing relationships with their customers, their recommendation of your business carries more weight and will expand your network of potential leads. 

Interior Designers

Partnering with an interior designer is a natural fit for a remodeler. For example, say a homeowner hires an interior designer to do some work in their home and later decides they want to remodel their kitchen. Or perhaps the interior designer suggests a new layout or other structural changes for a set of rooms. If you have an existing relationship with that interior designer, they can recommend your business for the remodeling job.  

After the remodeling work is complete, the interior designer can step in to apply the finishing design touches that makes the space truly come together. This kind of partnership can be beneficial for both of you, presenting you and your interior designer partner as a one-stop team to transform a space.  

Real Estate Agents / Companies

A new homeowner will often reach out to their real estate agent or company for advice on home improvement projects. Developing a working relationship with an agent or real estate company is a great way to ensure your company’s name is the one that prospective clients hear. 

And it works both ways—you can refer any homeowners whose homes you work on to your real estate agent/company partner when they need help with those services.  

What’s more, you can both keep each other in the know about the latest home trends you are seeing in your industries, so that you have the most up-to-date information for your clients and can positions yourselves as the experts in your fields.  

Larger Construction Companies 

You can also partner with larger construction companies. Depending on the scale of the project, you can funnel project leads to each other. 

This kind of relationship can be beneficial for your home remodeling company and the larger construction company. In addition to sharing leads based on project scale, the larger construction company can subcontract some of their work to your company, if they are short-handed. In return, you’ll have the opportunity to boost your income and gain first-hand experience working on larger construction projects. This kind of work can be a great help for learning to scale your business.  

remodeling worker and contractor shaking hands with client

2. Expand Your Network

If you’re looking to grow your lead generation, start by expanding your professional network. Get involved in industry groups and associations—it’s the perfect way for more people to learn about who you are and what services you offer. Being active will give you a big boost and help generate leads.  

Local Business Associations / Chambers of Commerce

Joining a local business organization or chamber of commerce is a great way to meet other professionals in your area and promote your remodeling business. Members typically get a listing in the organization’s directory, which can help people in your community learn about your business and think of you first for their renovation needs.  

You may also have opportunities to sponsor events or advertise in the organization’s publications. And attending local events is a great way to network and build relationships with potential referral sources. 

Apartment/Rental/Landlord Associations

If you live in an area with a large rental market, consider joining a landlord association. By getting involved with landlord associations, you’ll have the chance to meet potential clients and build relationships with them.   

These groups typically have members who own multiple properties, so they’re always in need of good contractors for renovation projects. Many landlord associations host regular meetings and events where members can socialize and exchange information.   

Some even offer free or discounted advertising to members, yet another way to get your name out there and open the door to new customers. You can also volunteer for committees or tasks that will allow you to interact with potential clients regularly. 

Industry-Specific Trade Shows

Attending industry trade shows, particularly those in other industries such as real estate, interior design, and general construction, is a great way to meet potential partners and clients from all over the country. Many trade shows offer educational seminars on topics like the latest innovations and industry trends, making them a great place to learn as well as network.   

When you attend trade shows in person, bring plenty of business cards to exchange information with potential partners and clients. You should also take the time to talk to as many people as possible to learn about their needs and how you can help them. 

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3. Grow With Digital Marketing

Digital marketing can be an incredibly powerful tool for growing your business. Learn the basics of using SEO (search engine optimization), PPC (pay-per-click) advertising, and social media to market your business and reach potential customers online.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

One method for driving more traffic to your website is through embracing SEO (search engine optimization). This way, when potential clients search online for remodeling companies, they find your business.  

We’ll give you some tools below for making sure your website is ranked higher than your competitors in search results. 

Keyword/Local Optimization 

One of the most important aspects of ranking high on search engines is using location-specific keywords on your website. This tells Google (and other search engines) that your business is relevant to searchers in your area and will help you rank higher in local search results. For example, if you’re a remodeler in Grand Rapids, some keywords you might want to use on your site are “Grand Rapids remodeler,” “remodeling company in Grand Rapids,” and “Grand Rapids remodeling contractor.”  

Make sure your NAP (name, address, and phone number) is consistent across all your online listings. And don’t forget to claim and verify your Google Business Profile listing—this is a great way to increase your visibility in local search results. 

Organic Search Profiles

Creating profiles on popular review sites like Google Business, Yelp, and Bing Places can help improve your organic search visibility. When customers in your area search for remodeling contractors, they’re more likely to find you.   

Creating these profiles is quick and easy, and the benefits are well worth the effort. They’re essentially free advertising for your business, so it’s worth taking the time to create and keep them updated.  

Once you’ve claimed your profiles, include detailed information about your business, such as services offered, pricing, business hours, contact information, and photos.   

PR & Link-Building 

Generate more remodeling leads with PR and link-building! By getting featured on local news sites, industry-specific sites, resource lists, and other authority sites, you can build credibility and draw attention to your business.   

You can start by pitching stories about your business to local news outlets and industry-specific websites. You can also build backlinks to your website by guest blogging or writing resource lists that include your website as a resource.   

Reach out to partners who might be willing to feature a link to your business on their site. Many businesses are happy to do this because it’s mutually beneficial. It helps create a reference point for customers who are looking for a reputable remodeling contractor in their area. 

PPC (Pay-Per-Click) Search Advertising

PPC search advertising is a cost-effective form of online advertising that allows you to place ads on search engine results pages (SERPs). According to a survey by Clutch, 75% of people say PPC ads make it easier for them to find the info they are searching for. 

Other forms of advertising typically require you to pay whether anyone sees or clicks on your ad. With PPC search advertising, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad.  

PPC search ads are much more targeted than other forms of online advertising, such as banner ads. People using a search engine are usually looking for something specific.

 

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Paid & Organic Social Media

Social media marketing is a great way to connect with potential customers and increase your remodeling lead generation. By using a mix of paid and organic marketing strategies, you’ll be able to reach new potential customers and grow your business quickly and effectively. 

NextDoor 

NextDoor is an excellent platform for connecting with people in your local community. Paid posts on NextDoor can be a great way to reach new customers, and organic posts can be just as effective.  

Paid

NextDoor offers a variety of advertising options for businesses, including sponsored posts, boosted posts, and ads that allow you to target specific demographics, interests, and even behaviors.  

Sponsored posts are a great way to reach a specific audience with your content. Boosted posts can help you increase the reach of your existing content. One strategy is to run ads featuring discounts or special offers like a free quote or 10% off remodeling services.  

Organic 

As a business owner, you can create a free profile on NextDoor, which will allow you to post updates, answer questions, and offer deals or discounts. You can also join relevant groups and participate in discussions.   

Build trust and credibility with potential customers in your community by creating helpful and engaging content that showcases your expertise in the remodeling industry. For example, you could write a blog post about the latest renovation trends. 

Facebook 

Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms, which makes it a great place to market your remodeling business. You can create a free business page that will allow you to post updates, answer questions, and offer deals or discounts (like on NextDoor).    

Paid 

Reach a wider audience for your remodeling business with paid Facebook advertising. You can use targeting options to make sure your ads are only seen by people who live in your service area.  

Ads can be targeted to people who have already visited your website or previously liked your page. You could also target ads specifically to homeowners or those who have recently moved into a new home. Targeting a specific audience saves you money and ensures more quality leads.   

Organic 

To build an engaged following organically on Facebook, it’s best to regularly share content that sparks conversation. Think blog posts, photos, videos and infographics! Participating in relevant groups can be a great way to increase your following too. 

Make sure to keep up with conversations by responding promptly when people comment or ask questions on your posts—this shows potential customers that you care about providing good customer service and are attentive to detail. 

When posting organically don’t forget the hashtags and make sure you post during peak times (weekdays 9-3pm) for maximum visibility! 

Instagram 

Instagram is a visual platform that is perfect for showing off your work, like before and after shots of your favorite renovation projects. This will allow potential customers to see the kind of work you can do for them. 

Paid 

Instagram Ads are a great way for your remodeling business to reach a visually-minded audience. As with other platforms, discounts and special offers tend to perform well here. Instagram also offers sponsored posts which allow you to pay to have your content seen by a larger audience.  

However, people on Instagram are typically scrolling through their feeds quickly. So, it’s important to ensure your ad copy is concise and eye-catching with beautiful, high-quality, professionally edited photos of your work.  

Organic 

As with most social media platforms, business owners can create a free profile on Instagram to post updates and photos. Your organic Instagram strategy should focus on building an engaged following by posting beautiful photos and videos related to your remodeling business.   

This could include before-and-after shots of recent projects and behind-the-scenes looks at your team in action. Use relevant hashtags so people can easily find your content.   

It’s also essential to interact with other users, like interior designers, real estate agents, and other potential partners, regularly by liking and commenting on their posts. It will help you build up relationships within the Instagram community, which could eventually generate more remodeling leads. 

LinkedIn  

LinkedIn is a professional networking site that can be used to connect with potential customers and grow your business. Although LinkedIn’s paid features can be effective, organic posts are often more successful at generating leads.   

Paid 

LinkedIn offers several different types of advertising options that can help you reach your target audience. You can use LinkedIn ads to target people based on their job titles, company size, or even location.   

For instance, you can specifically target people who work in interior design, property management, real estate, and other industries likely to need remodeling services at some point.   

LinkedIn also offers sponsored content and InMail messaging, allowing you to contact potential customers through the platform directly. 

Organic 

As a business owner, you can create a free profile on LinkedIn. This allows you to share high-quality content such as blog posts, infographics, or case studies that will position you as an expert in the remodeling industry.   

You can also join relevant groups and participate in discussions. You should regularly participate in industry-related LinkedIn groups to build relationships with potential customers and referral partners.  

pile of direct mail

4. Move From Mass Mailers to Targeted Mailings 

As you work to generate more qualified leads for your remodeling business, now is the time to try something new. Ditch the mass mailings and opt for a more strategic, targeted approach. This way, you can focus your mailing efforts on the homeowners most likely to need your services.  

Two effective strategies include targeting recently sold homes and collaborating on partner emails. 

Homes Sold on MLS That Require Remodel 

If you have any realtor acquaintances or partners, you can ask them to use their MLS access to filter for specific criteria: homes that just sold and whose descriptions mention needing remodeling work (MLS stands for Multiple Listing Services and are private databases that help real estate professionals work with one another and share listings). You can also do this yourself on real estate websites like Zillow or Redfin. Another way to use these websites is to browse property photos to identify houses that might be due for renovations.   

Now, you have a specific list of addresses, all of whom have homeowners that are potentially in the market for your services. Send your mailers to these addresses, and you are more likely to generate leads. 

Another strategy is to reach out to the buyer’s agent via email—they can either offer an introduction to the new homeowner or identify another property that may need work. 

For more, check out this video. The video is specific to email, but you can use the same strategy with direct mail.   

Piggyback off of Partner Emails 

Use those new partnerships you’ve launched to promote your business via targeted mailings and emails.  

For example, say you’ve developed a partnership with a local remodeler. If the remodeler is at someone’s home for a follow up and identifies the potential for some remodeling work, they can passively feature an ad for your business at the end of a follow up email or letter to that customer.  

This can be a two-way street—you agree to do the same for your remodeling partner. In this way, you can piggyback off of communications that are already going out and possibly generate leads for both of your businesses.  

remodeling sales team speaking with couple


5. Improve Your Remodeling Sales & Customer Experience  

Streamlining your sales process and improving customer relations are two great ways to generate more remodeling leads.   

Project Management/Productivity Refinement 

Using project management software allows you to monitor, manage, and track projects through the entire process. This can increase your team’s productivity, and also offers your customers a more professional and (more likely!) on-schedule project.   

Automation 

Sending automated reminders and emails is a great way to keep your customers informed and provide helpful service without being overly pushy. Staying in touch with potential as well as current clients shows them you care about their experience working with you. This level of attention and care can result in more remodeling work for your company through repeat business and referrals. 

You can also set up auto-responses to frequently asked questions. This ensures customers get quick responses to the information they need.  

Reputation Management 

Take control of your online image with reputation management software. Ask happy customers to post about their experience, and then use the good feedback as leverage when pitching potential clients.  

Make sure you’re also listening and responding to both positive and negative reviews so that customers know you care about them—it’s those little touches that go a long way in building credibility and ultimately boosting sales. 

marketsharp remodeling referral page screenshot

(Check out our Referral Page to see an example of how to set up a referral request page.)

6. Leverage Customer & Partner Referrals  

Referrals are an ideal marketing strategy, because they’re effective and cost-efficient. Encourage satisfied customers and partners to spread the word about your business—it’s a great vote of confidence!  

How to Get Referrals 

Nurturing relationships with your contacts can help you unlock more opportunities and transform your referral process into a lead generation machine. 

Requesting Referrals 

There are a number of ways to request referrals from customers and partners. The best way is simply to ask—just make sure to personalize your request. You want to ensure your customers and partners feel like part of your community rather than just a lead source. 

You can create a page on your website for customers and partners to leave reviews and referrals. You can also use your newsletter or any post-service thank you/follow up emails to request referrals. With any of these methods, consider offering a discount code they can share with their friends or customers.  

Requesting referrals should be part of your ongoing communications. And keep it simple, so that’s easy for people to refer your business.  

Incentives  

Another great way to encourage customers or partners to feed you referrals is by offering incentives, like a discount on future services, a gift card, or, in the case of a partner, revenue sharing. Some businesses find that offering an incentive increases the number of quality referrals they receive.   

However, others believe that offering an incentive for referrals cheapens the act of referring someone. Additionally, if not done correctly, offering incentives can actually end up costing you more money than you make in new business.   

Whatever you decide, make sure the incentive is valuable enough to get people talking but not so valuable that it hurts your bottom line. 

Need a system to help you request referrals? MarketSharp can help.

How to Manage Referrals  

You’ll want to make sure you also have a system in place for managing your customer and partner referrals. Here are a few tips to keep you on track and ensure everyone has a positive experience. 

  • Develop a system for keeping track of new leads generated from referrals. You’ll also want to keep track of who refers who so you can send thank you messages and follow ups as needed. 
  • Follow up on referrals and reach out to your potential customers ASAP. Be sure to mention the person who referred them! This will help get your relationship off to a great start. 
  • Send personal thank you notes to the clients and partners who sent you referrals. This will make them more likely to continue doing so! 
  • Reevaluate and update your referral program regularly. You want to make sure it’s up-to-date and relevant, so that people are more likely to participate.  

Learn More About MarketSharp

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