Buying Internet Leads - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Contractor Talk Articles · 01-31-2008, 03:42 PM

Though I am completely against purchasing leads, there are many contractors out there that continue to use this method as a form of their marketing budget. This article is written, for contractors who decide to purchase leads. Be careful and follow some of the advice in this article.

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milancole · 05-13-2008, 12:54 AM

Can anyone suggest any companies that offer exclusive real-time leads like they are described in this article?

reallylight · 05-13-2008, 08:37 AM

We did actually have some success with this type of promotion 3 or 4 years ago. But recently it's just been a complete waste of money/time.

Candlewood · 05-14-2008, 06:41 AM

Wow, I learned a thing or two.

I have been buying leads from Reliable Remodelers and let me tell you, out of 250 spent I have seen more flakes with them, then the normal 2-3 a week. I am cancelling the account today. One lead didnt even own his house but wanted a roofing price without coming and looking at, an "estimate". People are getting pretty stupid. But the lead thing is a total waste of money, I mean total waste. They all swear that they only sell the lead 2-3 times. Well I put that question to the test and called and asked for a Roofing price on my house, BAM 22 phone calls.

Looking into other ways to market, got any ideas ?

carlsore · 05-14-2008, 12:41 PM

The lead generation/retail industry is something I know very well.

#1. When you buy a lead from a retailer you pretty much have ZERO control over what the advertisment says that they've responded to. This is critical if you want to be dealing with quality and qualified prospects. Contractors don't make money wasting time with the wrong people.

#2. The lead retailers usually don't start earning profit from a lead until it's been sold 3-4 times. Many of the lead retailers simple buy overage from other companies. So they didn't even generate the lead in the first place.

Even when a company is selling an "Exclusive Lead" it is often not exclusive... They simply let the lead go through a "cool down" period after selling it to someone and then when that period expires (2-14+ days) they will then sell it to someone else.

Don't be fooled by the "Real-Time" designation either... It just means you're getting the lead immediately after they request more information. If you generate your own leads then they are ALL going to be "Real-Time" leads.

As a contractor you're waaaay better off dealing with people who've requested information about your companies services and not just anyone.

I would suspect many Contractors get by spending less then $500 per month on marketing and promotion. This is more then enough to start generating your own leads through your own advertising and self-promotion.

In the area I live in we are a smaller community. There is bulletin boards up in various places around town. These are filled with various contracting services ads. Personally I've already found and hired two different contractors via these community bulletin boards.

One guy did some mini-excavating work for us
Another guy is getting the contract to do our fence

The simply had a flyer on the bulletin board. The flyer had a little bit about each contracting company, services they provided, average price a picture or two and then a bunch of "tear-off" strips with their #'s.

When I tore off their # there wasn't very many left, so they obviously generate plenty of calls and business for them.

Just seems like a very easy thing to do and not too expensive.

Just my 2cents.

Carl

Remodel Bud · 09-02-2008, 07:02 AM

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rbsremodeling · 09-02-2008, 07:07 AM

There is a company that sells exclusive leads, The charge a % of the job the leads are well qualified and you don't pay unless you get the job. They qualify the contractors and they are all on the same page. No hacks allowed

Remodel Bud · 09-02-2008, 07:11 AM

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Remodel Bud · 09-02-2008, 07:16 AM

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Remodel Bud · 09-04-2008, 12:46 PM

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klordbock · 09-04-2008, 12:56 PM

Do not go with Everycontractor.com - they are rude, pushy liars and when I said no to the VP on the second call he gave me the f*** word and hung up. Both times they told me that THEY are the number one search engine in the world. They claim to spend $50,000 with Google every year. That still makes Google the search engine and them a website.

handyhands · 09-08-2008, 12:39 PM

they all as of lately have been selling the same leads as each other.

Each ceo of each of these lead generating companies should be placed on a filthy garbage barge and sent out to sea.

Remodel Bud · 09-08-2008, 02:18 PM

Ha!

turbodream · 09-12-2008, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbsremodeling

There is a company that sells exclusive leads, The charge a % of the job the leads are well qualified and you don't pay unless you get the job. They qualify the contractors and they are all on the same page. No hacks allowed

This is for RBS Remodeling, would you let us know the company that sells exclusive leads

screening · 10-01-2008, 03:53 PM

I've heard not-so-good stories about buying such leads

maxgocon · 10-03-2008, 01:08 PM

I bought a ton of leads from Reliable Remodel when I started my compony just so I could stay busy it became a nightmare I ended spending over two grand and I got nothing in return the problem with componys that do that on line the give the same lead to about 4 to 7 contractors so you endup with loosing time gas.

Max

ct plumber · 01-08-2009, 09:24 PM

Guys i need help,have any of you used service magic?I cant belive what i got myself into,the people dont even call you back(leads)and none of them understand that your paying to talk with them,there just on the key board clicking away,please help and tell me if this is normal?

thanks
Mike in ct

tinner666 · 01-08-2009, 10:41 PM

As long as you have a bottomless budget and they have Carte Blanc, they'll be fine. What's the problem?

tinner666 · 01-08-2009, 10:44 PM

I haven't used them. I rely on organic listings. From other posts here from other contractors, I get the impression they, SM, should be dumped and avoided like the plague.

tinner666 · 01-08-2009, 10:46 PM

Here's the link to Online Leads. http://www.contractortalk.com/f100/