Lead Generation for Contractors: Let’s Make Your Phone Ring

If your phone is quiet, it’s not because you do bad work. It’s because the people who need you can’t find you.

Getting more jobs is all about making it super simple for local folks to find you when they need help. It’s about setting up a system that brings good customers right to your phone, so you can focus on building cool stuff instead of hunting for your next job. Something like our Unlimited Leads system.

Stop Chasing Jobs and Start Getting Calls

Let’s be real—you got into this business to do the work, not to become a full-time salesman.

Driving all over town for estimates that go nowhere and stressing about where the next project is coming from… it’s a drag. It’s time to flip that around.

This isn’t about cold calling or knocking on doors. That old stuff is no fun. This is about setting up a simple online system that acts like a magnet for good jobs. Think of it like having the best salesperson on your team—one who works 24/7 and never steals your donuts.

Here’s a simple look at the key things we’ll cover to make your phone ring.

Your Simple Plan to Get More Jobs

This isn’t rocket science. It’s about getting the basics right so you can get back to what you do best.

Today, your customers are looking for you online. Over 1.7 million people in the U.S. search for contractors online every single month. If they can’t see you, they can’t hire you.

And it gets better for local pros like you. Almost half of all Google searches are from people looking for local help. That makes being online the most important part of your business. If you’re ready to learn more, you can check out how contractors can improve their websites to get these jobs.

The goal isn’t just getting more calls; it’s getting the right calls. We want to bring you homeowners who respect your work, understand its value, and are ready to hire you without a big fuss.

This guide will show you exactly how to do that. It’s a simple system made to bring good customers to you, so you can spend less time hunting for work and more time doing it.

You can totally do this. Let’s get it done.

Build a Website That Works as Hard as You Do

Think of your website as your #1 employee. It never calls in sick, works 24/7, and its only job is to get people to hire you.

So, is your website actually working? Or is it just sitting there, looking pretty but not bringing in any jobs?

A good website is the heart of your plan to get more leads. It’s your online shop, your first handshake, and your best salesperson all in one. The good news? You don’t need a super fancy, expensive website.

You just need a website that is simple, clear, and makes it crazy easy for a customer to call you.

The Five-Second Test

When a homeowner lands on your site, they need answers—fast. A website that actually works answers three questions right away:

• What do you do? (Like, “Kitchen Remodeling” or “Fixing Leaky Pipes”)
• Where do you do it? (Like, “Serving Newark, Ohio” or “Licking County’s Best Roofer”)
• How do I call you? (A big, easy-to-see phone number and a simple form)

If a visitor has to look for this info, they’re gone. They’ll just click the “back” button and call the next guy. It’s that simple.

Your website isn’t an art project; it’s a tool made to do one thing: make your phone ring. Every single thing on it should help with that goal.

Getting this right is easier than you think. A few small changes can make a huge difference in the number of calls you get.

Things Your Website Absolutely Must Have

Let’s keep it simple. To turn your site into a job-getting machine, you need these basic things.

1. Your Phone Number Everywhere
Your phone number should be impossible to miss. Put it at the top right of every single page. Make it big, make it bold, and make it so people on their phones can just tap it to call you. Don’t make them work for it.

2. A Super-Simple Contact Form
People are busy. No one wants to fill out a long form. Just ask for the important stuff: Name, Phone Number, Email, and a box for their message. That’s it. Anything more just gives them a reason to leave.

3. Photos of Your Real Work
Please, no cheesy stock photos. Homeowners can spot a fake photo of a “construction worker” from a mile away. Show them pictures of your real projects. Before-and-after pictures are amazing—they prove you do great work.

Your Website Must Work on Phones

Picture this: a homeowner is standing in their kitchen, looking at a leaky faucet. They pull out their phone and search for “plumber near me.” If your website looks all weird and jumbled on their screen, you’ve already lost the job.

Having a website that looks good on a phone is a must. Most of your customers are finding you on their phones. Your site has to look great and be easy to use on a small screen.

This one thing can help you get way more leads. For more help, our guide on website design for contractors has some great, easy tips.

The best contractor websites get calls from 11% or more of their visitors. That’s five times more leads than other sites that only get about 2.35%.

Building a website that works is one of the best things you can do for your business. It doesn’t have to be hard or expensive. You can even use simple tools like WordPress lead generation plugins to help. It’s all about being clear, helpful, and making it super easy for people to hire you. And we can help with all of it.

Be the First Contractor People See on Google Maps

A pipe bursts in someone’s house at night. What do they do? They grab their phone and search “plumber near me.”

Being the first name they see on that map is the secret to getting more calls. This isn’t some computer magic. It’s your Google Business Profile, and it’s the best free tool you have.

Think of it as a free billboard on the busiest street in the world—Google. It costs you nothing, you can set it up on your lunch break, and it starts working for you right away.

Your Free Billboard on the Internet

Your Google Business Profile is that little box that shows up in Google Search and on the map. It shows your phone number, hours, reviews, and pictures. It’s what people see first.

When a person sees your nice, complete profile next to a competitor’s half-empty one, who do you think gets the call? You do. It’s about making it easy for them to choose you.

Filling it out 100% is a must-do. Don’t just put your name and number on there. Add every single thing Google asks for.

• Business Name: Use your real business name. Don’t try to stuff it with words like “Best Roofer in Ohio”—Google will get mad.
• Service Area: This is super important. List every single town, city, and neighborhood you work in. This is how you show up when someone searches “remodeler in [Their Town].”
• Services You Offer: Don’t just put “Plumbing.” Be specific. List “Drain Cleaning,” “Water Heater Repair,” and “Fixing Leaky Faucets.” The more details you give, the more Google will show you to the right people.

Make Your Profile Look Great

A basic profile is okay. A great profile gets the phone ringing. Making yours look great is easy and even a little fun. It’s your chance to show off your work and build trust before they even go to your website.

Your goal is to give a customer a great first impression. Show them you’re a real, busy, and trustworthy pro who does awesome work right in their neighborhood.

A complete and active Google Business Profile gets, on average, 7 times more clicks than one that’s missing info. That’s a huge difference in jobs, all from a free tool.

Here are the easy tricks to make your profile the best one around:

1. Add Lots of Good Photos
This is where you get to show off. Put up clear photos of your best work. I’m talking before-and-after pictures, photos of your team on the job (smiling is good!), and even a clean picture of your truck. Try to have at least 10-20 good pictures. It proves you’re a real business that’s proud of its work.

2. Ask for Customer Reviews
Reviews are like gold. Good, new reviews tell Google (and customers) that you’re a great choice. We’ll talk more about how to get them later, but just know they are super important for showing up on the map.

3. Answer Questions Fast
People can ask questions right on your profile. If you see one, answer it! It shows you’re paying attention and are helpful.

Getting your Google profile right is a huge step in getting more leads. For more help, you can learn more about how to optimize a Google Business Profile in our complete guide. It’s simple, you can do this, and if you get stuck, we’re here to help you out.

Use Online Ads Without Burning Your Money

When you hear “paid ads,” you might picture a giant company with tons of money. Good news: it doesn’t have to be like that. You can use online ads to get your phone ringing right now, even with a small budget that won’t make you nervous.

Think about it like this:

• Google Ads is like handing your business card to someone who is actively shouting, “I need a kitchen remodeler today!” You’re paying to show up at the exact moment they need you.
• Facebook Ads is more like putting a nice-looking sign up in the neighborhoods where you work. It’s great for getting your name out there so people think of you first when they need a project done later.

This isn’t about throwing money away and hoping for the best. It’s about turning on a faucet for new jobs whenever you need them. And you can do it without spending a fortune.

Getting Started with Google Ads

Google Ads can seem big and scary, but the idea behind it is super simple. You’re aiming your ads at people in your city who are typing specific things into Google, like “roofer near me” or “bathroom remodel Newark Ohio.”

The whole game is to focus on what people search for when they have a problem and need it fixed now. You aren’t guessing; you’re showing up with the answer right when they’re asking for it. This is why it’s such a great tool for getting jobs right away. For contractors, understanding PPC management for small businesses is the key to making sure every dollar you spend brings you real jobs.

And you are in total control of the money. You can start with just $10 or $20 a day and tell Google to only show your ad in the specific zip codes you actually work in. No more wasted money on clicks from people who are too far away.

Using Facebook Ads the Smart Way

Facebook is different. People aren’t on Facebook looking for a plumber. They’re looking at pictures of their grandkids or watching funny cat videos.

So, your goal on Facebook is to just introduce yourself to the community. Run simple ads showing off your best before-and-after pictures or a short video of your team finishing a beautiful project. It’s all about becoming a familiar, trusted name in the area.

This is a great, cheap way to stay on people’s minds. When their faucet finally does start leaking, your name will be the one they remember. You can even aim your ads right at homeowners of a certain age in your area, making sure only the right people see them.

Don’t make it complicated. A great ad can be as simple as a picture of a beautiful new deck you just built with the words: “Ready for a new deck this summer? We serve Licking County. Get a free quote today!”

This helps you get jobs in the future. It works great with the “I need help now!” people you get from Google. If you want to learn how, check out our simple guide on using Google Ads for local businesses to get started.

The cost for these ads isn’t as bad as you might think. The average cost for a click on a Google search ad in construction is around $6.55. That sounds like a lot, but one good job makes it totally worth it. Ads on Facebook are much cheaper, with an average click costing just $0.54, which is perfect for getting your name out there. You can find more cool facts like these about contractor marketing statistics at amraandelma.com.

It’s all doable. We can help you set it up so you’re not just spending money—you’re getting real jobs for your business.

Turn Happy Customers Into a Marketing Army

You finish a job, the customer loves it, you get paid, and you move on. Stop right there. You might be leaving your best marketing tool behind.

That happy customer is like a job-getting machine just waiting for you to turn it on. This is all about turning their happiness into a powerful way to bring you more of the best kind of customers—the ones who already trust you before they even call.

This isn’t about being pushy. It’s about building a simple, easy system that lets your great work do the talking. You can do this, and it’s way easier than you think.

The Magic of Online Reviews

Getting lots of new, 5-star Google reviews is like having a dozen people telling their neighbors how great you are, 24/7. When a homeowner sees you have 50 great reviews and the other guy has three, who do you think they’re calling? It’s an easy choice.

Reviews build trust right away. They’re the new word-of-mouth, and they’re super important for showing up in local searches. Google loves to see you’re a busy, well-liked business and will show you to more people because of it.

The secret? Just make asking for a review a normal part of finishing every single job.

Simple Way to Ask for a Review:

Hey [Customer Name], it’s [Your Name] from [Your Company]. Thanks again for letting us do your project. We’d be super grateful if you could take 30 seconds to leave us a review on Google. Here’s the link: [Your Google Review Link]

That’s it. It’s a simple text that makes it really easy for them to help you out. For more ideas on looking great online, check out our other tips on online reputation management.

Your Super-Simple Referral Program

Now, let’s take it a step further. What’s even better than a good review? A friend telling another friend to hire you.

Referrals bring you the absolute best customers. They come to you ready to hire because their friend or family member already told them you do great work. You could build your whole business just on referrals—lots of people do.

Setting up a program for this is super simple. You don’t need any fancy software.

• First: Decide on a simple “thank you.” A $50 gift card to a local restaurant or a Visa gift card works great.
• Second: Tell every happy customer about it. As you’re finishing up, just say, “By the way, we get most of our work from people like you telling their friends about us. If you send someone our way who hires us, we’d love to send you a $50 gift card to say thanks.”

It’s a win-win. Your old customer feels good about helping, and you get a great new customer dropped right in your lap. This starts a word-of-mouth machine that keeps working for you long after you’ve packed up your tools.

Lots of other contractors are doing this. In fact, 79% of marketers in construction use stuff like this to get leads. You can discover more insights about these lead generation stats on explodingtopics.com to see just how well these simple ideas work.

You’ve already done the hard part by doing amazing work. Now, just put these easy systems in place to turn that great work into your best marketing tool. We can help you get it all set up.

Create a Simple System to Close More Deals

Getting that new email about a job feels good, right? But that little notification is just the start of the race.

If you’re slow to call back, that homeowner is already calling the next contractor on their list. Game over.

You did all the hard work to get the lead; now let’s make sure you actually get the job. This is where you create a super simple system to keep track of your leads so no one gets forgotten. We’re not talking about fancy, expensive computer programs. This can be a simple notebook, a whiteboard, or a basic spreadsheet on your computer.

Your Super-Simple Follow-Up Plan

The whole point is to have a simple process that turns an interested person into a happy, paying customer. It all comes down to being fast and organized.

When a new call or email comes in, how fast you respond is everything. Getting back to them in just five minutes makes it way more likely you’ll actually talk to them and get the job. If you wait even 30 minutes, there’s a good chance they’ve already found someone else.

Your system doesn’t need to be fancy to be good. The best system is the one you’ll actually use every single day. Make it simple, and make it a habit.

The job doesn’t end when you get paid. That’s when you can start a whole new cycle of business through reviews and referrals.

Track Everything Without the Headache

Creating a simple sheet to track your jobs is a total game-changer. All you need are a few columns:

• Name & Date: Who called and when.
• How they found you: (Google, Facebook, a friend?)
• Status: Are they a new lead, did you send a price, or did you get the job?
• Follow-Up Date: When you plan to check in with them next.

This simple setup stops good jobs from getting lost. It’s crazy how many good jobs are lost just because someone forgot to make one more phone call. Think about this: a huge 80% of new leads never turn into a sale. That number from Exploding Topics’ lead generation report shows exactly why a simple follow-up system is so important for turning calls into cash.

For a masterclass on this, listen to our chat about the follow-up secrets from a top solar sales pro. It’s full of simple, easy tips you can use right away.

You can build this system in under an hour, and it will help you get more of the jobs you worked so hard for. And if you need a hand getting it all organized, we’re here to help.

Got Questions About Contractor Leads?

Good. You should. Let’s answer a few of the ones I hear all the time from contractors. No fluff, just straight answers.

How Long Until My Website Shows Up on Google?

Think of it like this: ads are like turning on a firehose. Showing up on Google naturally is like planting an oak tree.

You can get some quick results by fixing up your Google Business Profile and might see some action in a few weeks. But if you want to be at the top of the search results—and stay there—it will probably take 3-6 months of doing the right things. The payoff is huge, though. Once you’re on top, the leads are basically free and they keep coming.

Do I Really Need a Website if I Have a Good Facebook Page?

Yes. 100%. Don’t even think about it.

Your Facebook page is like renting a table at a flea market. It’s cool, you can get some business, but you don’t own the place and they can kick you out tomorrow.

Your website is the land you own. It’s your online home base. You control everything, it builds real trust with homeowners, and it’s the main thing that helps you get found on Google. A real website tells customers you’re a serious business, not just a guy with a truck.

What’s the One Thing I Can Do Today to Get Jobs?

If you only have an hour, stop everything and go completely fill out your Google Business Profile. It’s free, it’s fast, and it puts you right on the map where local customers are looking for you right now.

Seriously, add your services, your real phone number, and at least 5-10 great pictures of your work. This one thing will make your phone ring faster than anything else you can do for free.

Look, this stuff is simpler than it sounds. You don’t need to be a computer whiz to get your phone ringing with jobs that actually make you money. You just need a simple plan.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and get a simple, powerful system working for you, The Cherubini Company can help. We build websites that get jobs and run ad campaigns that work, without all the confusing talk. Let’s make your phone ring—schedule a chat with us today.