Looking to expand your contractor business? Partnering with a lead generation company is key. Choosing the right lead generation company means finding a service that not only understands your industry and locale but also specializes in connecting you with clients who need exactly what you offer.
If you’re uncertain about how to pinpoint the perfect lead generation firm for your needs, worry not—Inquirly is here to guide you.
We’ve scoured the market to find you a list of the 10 best lead generation companies for contractors, from well-known platforms like Yelp and Thumbtack to specialized services like Angi and Inquirly.
Ready to grow your business? Let’s dive in and explore your best options.
1. Angi Ads/Angi
Angi Ads, also known as Angi, offers contractors a robust platform to increase their market reach by connecting them with potential customers in their local area who are actively seeking their services.
Creating a professional profile on Angi is free of charge; however, Angi Ads does charge a fee for each new lead generated, regardless of whether a deal is closed.
For those looking to boost their visibility further, paid advertising options are available to ensure your services are featured prominently in recommendations.
What Contractors Appreciate About Angi Ads:
- Enhanced Visibility: Angi helps boost your business’s visibility in Google’s search results, drawing more potential customers to your profile.
- Reputation Management: Using Angi Ads to solicit customer reviews can significantly enhance and improve your online reputation.
- User-Friendly Interface: Angi is accessible via both a website and a mobile app, making it easy to manage your presence on the go.
Areas for Improvement:
- Lead Quality Concerns: Some contractors have experienced issues with fake or low-quality leads that do not result in actual jobs, leading to potential losses.
- Cost Transparency: While exact pricing details are not publicly disclosed, many users find Angi Ads expensive due to the combined costs of lead acquisition, advertising, and possibly an annual subscription.
Ideal Users for Angi Ads:
Angi Ads is most effective for contractors specializing in low-cost, quick-turnaround projects.
This includes professionals like plumbers, pest control specialists, HVAC technicians, residential cleaners, and painters, who can greatly benefit from the platform’s targeted lead generation.
2. Inquirly
Inquirly is a premier lead generation service dedicated to contractors and home service professionals across the United States. Founded by experts with extensive experience in the industry, Inquirly strives to be the most authentic and transparent lead generation company in the home services market.
Why Choose Inquirly?
- Exclusive Leads: We sell each lead to only one company, ensuring you never have to compete or bid against others. Every lead you receive is exclusively yours, enhancing your chances of securing the job.
- Proven Success: Our leads have resulted in significant contracts for our partners, with jobs ranging up to $600,000. This success underscores the quality and potential ROI of partnering with Inquirly.
- Targeted Campaigns: Our marketing experts continuously optimize our campaigns to deliver the highest quality leads. We understand the urgency required in the home services sector and prioritize leads from homeowners or authorized decision-makers who are actively seeking services.
- Quick Turnaround: We ensure that our leads are ready to act, putting you in touch with potential customers who need your services now.
Leads We Generate:
3. Houzz
Houzz positions itself as an “all-in-one” marketing toolkit for professionals in the home improvement industry. Like Angi, Houzz allows contractors to set up a free business profile that potential customers can easily browse. This platform provides comprehensive lead management solutions designed to streamline the client acquisition process.
Key Features of Houzz’s Lead Management Solutions:
- Comprehensive Lead Management: Manage all types of leads effectively. You can import leads into the system and maintain seamless communication with all prospects.
- Follow-Up Prompts: Receive automated prompts on when to follow up with leads, ensuring you never miss an opportunity to advance to the next steps.
- Integrated Scheduling: Easily schedule meetings with integrated calendar functionality and the capability to host video calls directly through the platform.
- File Sharing: Share everything from inspirational articles to service contracts with prospects, enhancing engagement and providing valuable resources.
- Estimate and Proposal Creation: Use Houzz’s templates to create estimates and proposals that include your branding, offering a personalized touch to your communications.
4. HomeAdvisor (now Angi Leads)
HomeAdvisor, which has been rebranded as Angi Leads, operates similarly to Angi but with some distinct differences. To utilize this platform, contractors need to create a profile and pay an annual membership fee, in addition to a fee for each lead received.
Advantages of Angi Leads:
- Repeat Business Potential: Contractors report a good return on investment with leads that often turn into repeat customers.
- Lead Management Tools: The platform’s website and app make it easy to manage leads effectively.
- Flexible Lead Handling: You can pause lead reception during busy periods, giving you control over the flow of potential jobs.
Areas for Improvement:
- Cost of Leads: Leads can be quite expensive, and you pay for them regardless of whether they convert into actual jobs.
- Lead Quality Issues: Some contractors have reported receiving fake and low-quality leads, which can be a significant drawback.
Ideal Users for Angi Leads:
Angi Leads is best suited to contractors capable of handling larger and more expensive projects. This includes general contractors, landscapers, roofers, and arborists, who are likely to find the most value in the high potential job sizes facilitated by Angi Leads.
5. Porch
Porch differentiates itself from platforms like Angi Ads and Angi Leads by offering contractors flexible budgeting options. Contractors can choose to pay per lead, set a monthly budget, or utilize a combination of both methods.
Additionally, for an annual fee of $360, contractors can join Porch’s Vetted Pro network, which includes benefits such as a profile badge and lead credits.
Advantages of Porch:
- Flexible Lead Payment Options: Contractors have the flexibility to save money by selecting which leads they wish to pay for, allowing for better control over expenditures.
- Transparent Pricing: Porch provides clear pricing structures, making it easier for contractors to plan and budget effectively.
Areas for Improvement:
- Lead Quality Concerns: Like many lead generation platforms, some contractors have noted issues with the quality of leads received from Porch.
- Comparison to Larger Services: There is a perception that the availability of high-quality leads on Porch is less than what can be found on larger, more established lead generation services.
Ideal Users for Porch:
Porch is particularly suited for contractors specializing in home improvement projects, general contracting, and moving services. The platform’s flexible pricing and budgeting options make it a viable choice for businesses that prefer a more tailored approach to lead management.
6. Thumbtack
Thumbtack operates as a directory-style lead generation platform where contractors pay only when a lead contacts them directly. This makes it distinct from many other platforms where you may pay per lead or for visibility.
How It Works:
- Profile Creation: Contractors build a detailed profile showcasing their reviews, pricing, and completed projects, similar to other directory sites.
- Project and Customer Preferences: Once your profile is set up, you can specify the types of projects you are interested in and target specific customer demographics.
- Competition Management: Thumbtack aims to reduce competition by limiting how many professionals in the same area can match with a given customer’s search criteria.
- Cost Control: You can set weekly spending limits and Thumbtack offers refunds in some cases, providing a safeguard against unsatisfactory leads.
Advantages of Thumbtack:
- Payment on Contact: You only pay when a potential client reaches out to you, which can provide significant cost savings.
- Control Over Costs: The ability to set spending limits and the possibility of refunds help manage and mitigate financial risk.
Areas for Improvement:
- Self-Service Nature: While the platform is user-friendly, the self-service aspect may not suit every contractor, especially those who prefer more hands-on support.
Ideal Users for Thumbtack: Thumbtack is particularly well-suited for contractors who have limited budgets and prefer a more controlled approach to lead generation. It’s ideal for those who are comfortable navigating a self-service platform to connect with potential clients in their area.
7. EverConnect
EverConnect is a scalable lead generation platform designed specifically for contractors. It is important to note that EverConnect is under the same corporate umbrella as Inside Advisor, providing a unified approach to digital marketing and lead generation strategies.
Key Features of EverConnect:
- Simplified Setup: To get started, contractors only need to provide their region, service category, and specific criteria.
- Lead Vetting: EverConnect takes care of vetting leads, ensuring that you spend your time only on potential customers who are genuinely interested in hiring services.
- Plug and Play Solution: The platform requires no backend work from the users’ end. EverConnect’s systems are designed to be user-friendly, delivering clicks, calls, form leads, and appointments directly into your CRM or internal systems.
Advantages of EverConnect:
- Ease of Use: The platform’s plug-and-play nature means you can start receiving leads with minimal setup, making it ideal for contractors who prefer straightforward solutions.
- Strategic Support: EverConnect not only provides leads but also helps develop strategies to attract more customers, acting as a strategic partner rather than just a service provider.
Ideal for:
EverConnect is best suited for contractors looking for a comprehensive, full-service lead generation solution. It is particularly beneficial for those who do not have the time or expertise to manage complex digital marketing campaigns but still want to benefit from targeted lead generation.
8. BuildZoom
BuildZoom stands out as a lead generation platform tailored specifically for contractors. Its unique pay structure means you only compensate BuildZoom when you secure new contracts, aligning their success directly with yours.
How It Works:
- Profile and Application: Contractors begin by creating an application and setting up a profile on BuildZoom.
- Referral Agreement: Before moving forward, you’ll need to sign a referral agreement which details the terms of lead generation and payment.
- Job Opportunity Review: BuildZoom allows you to review potential job opportunities and decide whether you want to proceed with them. If you choose to take a job, you’ll receive an introduction to the client and can start working directly.
- Tools and Features: The platform includes a CRM system, facilities to submit bids and contracts, and a performance dashboard to help you track and optimize your lead management process.
Advantages of BuildZoom:
- Performance-Based Access: The platform’s intelligent matching system ensures that you are connected with clients that best fit your capabilities and preferences.
- Vetted Leads and Clients: BuildZoom vets all potential clients, reducing the risk of unproductive engagements.
- Comprehensive Tools: With integrated tools for CRM, bidding, and contract management, BuildZoom offers a robust system for handling all aspects of contractor-client interactions.
Ideal for:
BuildZoom is best suited for contractors who desire greater control over their lead generation process and who value thorough vetting of potential clients. It is also ideal for those who require additional business management tools like a CRM and bid/proposal systems to efficiently run their operations.
9. CraftJack
CraftJack sets itself apart as a lead generation platform with a particularly diverse range of job opportunities for contractors. It is especially advantageous for niche companies as opposed to general contractors, offering access to specialized projects.
How It Works:
- No Membership Fees: Contractors pay only for the leads they receive, with no upfront membership or subscription fees.
- Discounted Lead Pricing: CraftJack provides opportunities to purchase leads in bulk, allowing contractors to lower their per-lead cost, optimizing their investment in the platform.
- Profile and Lead Manager Tool: Upon creating a profile, contractors gain access to CraftJack’s Lead Manager tool, which organizes and manages leads efficiently.
- Lead Verification: One of CraftJack’s standout features is its automated system that calls homeowners to verify the accuracy of the information they submitted, ensuring higher quality leads.
Advantages of CraftJack:
- Diverse Job Opportunities: The platform offers a wide range of job types, making it an excellent choice for contractors in niche markets.
- Verified Leads: The unique lead verification process reduces the chances of inaccurate or low-quality leads, saving time and increasing the likelihood of successful job completion.
- Flexible Lead Purchasing: The ability to buy more leads at a discounted rate allows for scalable lead generation based on business needs and budget.
Ideal for:
CraftJack is best suited for contractors looking for a flexible and cost-effective way to access a wide variety of job opportunities, particularly those in niche sectors. Its no-membership-fee model and lead verification process make it a valuable tool for small to medium-sized contracting businesses.
10. Yelp
Yelp is a popular consumer review platform where users search for and evaluate local businesses, including contractors. Similar to Google Business Profiles, Yelp allows businesses to claim a free profile to enhance their online visibility and build their reputation based on customer reviews.
How It Works:
- Free Business Profile: Contractors can claim a free Yelp business profile, enabling them to establish an online presence without initial costs.
- Business Information Sharing: Through your profile, you can share detailed information about your business, including photos and specific service offerings.
- Enhanced Business Profile Options: For a more prominent presence, Yelp offers enhanced profiles, which include features like call-to-action buttons, allowing potential clients to contact you directly.
Advantages of Yelp:
- No Cost for Basic Listing: The ability to claim a free profile makes Yelp accessible for all businesses, regardless of budget.
- Customer Engagement: You can directly engage with customers through reviews and updated business information.
- Direct Contact with Leads: Enhanced profiles offer additional tools for lead generation, such as direct call-to-action buttons.
Areas for Improvement:
- Advertising Commitment: Yelp requires a one-year contract for those who choose to advertise, which can be a significant commitment for smaller contractors.
- Costs for Enhanced Listings: To access advertising and enhanced listing features, contractors must pay for an upgraded Yelp profile.
Ideal for:
Yelp is best suited for contractors seeking to increase their local visibility and credibility through customer reviews. It is particularly beneficial for businesses that are ready to engage actively with their community and can benefit from the direct communication features provided by an enhanced profile.
