Construction Lead Generation – Build a Lead Machine

As someone who owns, runs, or works for a construction company, you must put lead generation at the forefront of your marketing strategy. New leads are the lifeblood of your company, after all. The more leads you get, the better your chances are of landing new clients. 

So, how exactly can you generate leads in the construction industry? And, what can you do to nurture these leads and turn them into lifelong clients?

In this post, we’ll dive into what you can do to get more leads for your construction company and why it’s important to focus on lead generation. 

10 ways you can improve your construction lead generation strategy include: 

1. Upgrading Your Website 
2. Improving Your Local SEO 
3. Asking Clients To Leave Online Reviews 
4. Creating Valuable & Engaging Content 
5. Testing Your Email Marketing Strategy 
6. Revamping Your Lead Magnets 
7. Creating Engaging Social Media Accounts 
8. Investing In Paid Advertising 
9. Incorporating Video Marketing
10. Marketing to Existing Clients

1. Upgrade Your Website 

The first step in improving your construction lead generation strategy is upgrading your website. In our digital-first age, people expect you to have a well-designed and user-friendly website. In fact, statistics show that 50% of website visitors use web design as a defining factor when it comes to credibility. 

If your website is poorly designed and not user-friendly, you risk your construction business looking unprofessional. 

Take the time to upgrade your website and not only make it visibly pleasing but incredibly easy for users to find the solutions to their problems. The easier they learn how your services can help solve their problems, the more likely they’ll be to take action on your website. 

Consider installing the following on your website to capture leads: 

• A live chat/chatbot feature that gives your leads the assistance they need 
• Exit pop-ups that encourage leads to enter their email address before exiting a page 
• A “contact us” form where people can submit their questions 

The goal is to have a website that clearly displays who you are and how your services solve the problems of your customers. The better you do this, the more likely you’ll convert casual website visitors into viable leads.

2. Improve Your Local SEO 

Something that can really boost your construction lead generation efforts is improving your local SEO. Iinstead of listing every single result out there, Google utilizes local SEO to list local search results. This is why you see local construction companies listed if you search “construction companies near me”. 

Improving your local SEO can help you attract more leads in your area. 

Having local clients helps you establish a reputation in the community and increases your chances of positive word-of-mouth advertising. 

Strategies for improving your local SEO include: 

• Setting up and updating your Google My Business page 
• Optimizing on-page SEO for local keywords  
• Create content that’s relevant to your area 
• Make sure your business’ name, location, and contact information is accurate 
• Add a page that lists your business’ locations if you have multiple storefronts 

If you do local SEO right, your construction business can get prime real estate on Google for free. So, make it a priority to evaluate your local SEO strategy and optimize it for success. 

3. Ask Clients To Leave Online Reviews 

Another way to improve your local SEO (and your company’s reputation in general) is to ask clients to leave online reviews. Online reviews play a crucial role in your online search rankings and your overall company reputation. 

Plus, statistics show that 72% of customers won’t take any buying actions until they’ve read reviews.

Having online reviews of your construction company and services is vital for your lead generation strategy. Online reviews and testimonials serve as social proof that your company is legitimate and provides quality services. Social proof is a powerful concept in marketing that can influence buying behavior and lead generation. If people read that you’ve had happy customers in the past, it’s more likely they’ll look into your services. 

Strategies for getting more online reviews and testimonials include: 

• Asking customers to leave a review in a follow-up email 
• Running a promotion where clients can get a 5% discount if they leave an online review 
• Asking customers to film a testimonial video detailing why they liked working with your company 

The more you can prove to the public you provide quality service, the more likely you’ll obtain new leads. After all, marketing gets a lead to your site, but your reputation and services are what will convince them to buy. 

4. Create Valuable & Engaging Content 

If you want your construction business to be found online, you must create valuable and engaging content. This is an important pillar that should not be overlooked in your construction lead generation strategy. 

Creating valuable and engaging content will boost your SEO efforts and simultaneously build your brand. 

Think about it: if you create content that answers the questions your leads have, the more likely they’ll trust you and find your brand valuable. If you’re giving away that valuable content for free, your leads can only imagine the quality of service they get once they pay. 

Key ways to create valuable content include: 

• Establishing a blog on your website 
• Doing keyword research & utilizing SEO strategies to create content your leads want to engage with 
• Creating blog posts that answer common questions your client base has 

You also want to share this content on multiple channels, including via social media and email. The more you create useful content, the better the chance Google will reward you for it by ranking you higher on search pages. The higher you rank, the more likely people will find you and convert from casual web readers to paying leads. 

5. Test Your Email Marketing Strategy 

Email marketing is an incredibly valuable tool in your lead generation strategy. You can use email marketing tactics to nurture your leads with valuable content, build trust, and convert them into customers. 

When done right, email is a marketing channel that yields a high ROI. 

Some companies report ROIs that hit above 300% with email marketing. If you want a good return on your investment, you must test your email marketing tactics. 

These include: 

• Running A/B split tests to test subject lines, calls to action, and content 
• Testing how often you send leads emails 
• Testing what days of the week get the best open and click rates  

You should also utilize segmentation to send the right leads the right content. If someone’s interested in building a new home, you don’t want to send them content that relates to commercial construction or office space construction. Segmenting your audience will help you nurture them properly and show them how you specifically solve the problem they have. 

6. Revamp Your Lead Magnets 

Believe it or not, your lead magnets could be hindering your construction lead generation strategy. Look at the lead magnets you currently have and evaluate their effectiveness. Are they capturing enough email addresses? Are they properly nurturing your leads? 

Some common issues that could be holding your lead magnets back include: 

• The magnet isn’t offering the value it promised 
• The magnet doesn’t hit on your leads’ pain points 
• The magnet takes too long to provide value to your leads 

If your lead magnets aren’t working correctly, you’re leaving money on the table. That’s why you need to adjust them accordingly and make them as effective as possible. 

Not sure where your lead magnets are falling flat? If you want feedback, you can email past leads that didn’t buy from your lead magnets and ask them to provide the reason(s) they didn’t purchase your services. The more honest feedback you get, the more you can improve your lead magnets and optimize them for conversions. 

7. Create Engaging Social Media Accounts 

Social media plays a huge part in your construction lead generation strategy. You may be thinking, “There’s no way construction companies need to be active on social media.” However, that’s incredibly far from the truth. 

Statista.com reports that nearly 50% of the world’s population uses social media, which comes out to more than 3 billion users worldwide. If your construction company isn’t active on social media, you’re missing out on a powerful channel that reaches a large audience and drives lead generation. 

Make sure you have accounts set up on the social media platforms your target audience is on frequently. These platforms may include: 

• Facebook 
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Instagram 
• Pinterest 

Then, make sure you post valuable content on your social media accounts. One of the main reasons people will follow you on social media is because they trust your brand and find your information valuable. Post valuable content that people will like and share and watch your social media following grow. 

8. Invest In Paid Advertising 

Investing in paid advertising can take your construction lead generation strategy to the next level. Statistics show that paid advertisements, on average, have a 200% ROI. That means if you spend $1 on paid ads, you could make $2 back in revenue. 

You can invest in a number of paid ads on different platforms, including: 

• Google ads 
• Google display ads 
• Facebook ads 
• LinkedIn ads 
• YouTube ads 

You want to be strategic with your paid advertising strategy by targeting relevant keywords to your business and industry. 

If you don’t do your research and target the wrong audience with the wrong keywords, you could burn through your paid ad budget with nothing to show for it. Make sure you know what you’re paying for and who you’re paying to reach with these ads. 

9. Incorporate Video Marketing 

Something that can set your construction lead generation strategy apart from the others is incorporating video marketing into your plans. Video marketing is when you create video content to promote your business and its services. You can use this content to push out on social media or to incorporate it into your email marketing campaigns. 

One of the most popular ways to incorporate video marketing into your lead generation strategy is to start a YouTube channel. YouTube allows you to publish video content and optimize it for your target audience. As a construction company, some ideas for video content include: 

• Creating a “Top 10” list of DIY home renovations 
• Publishing a video testimonial from a happy client 
• Hosting a Q&A construction livestream for leads 

You can also incorporate video into your email marketing tactics by recording a personalized video for leads and sending it in an email. 

This gives your email marketing a personal touch, which will make leads remember your brand. 

10. Market To Existing Clients 

It’s less expensive to keep a customer than it is to acquire a new one. 

If you want to keep your lead generation strategy intact and on budget, something you can do is market to existing clients. Follow up with them and ask if there are any other construction projects they need to be done. You could talk to them about adding on to their home or taking on a remodeling project so you’re top-of-mind to them. 

Another way to market to existing clients (and gain new leads) is to set up a referral program. Referral programs rely on word-of-mouth advertising and are inexpensive ways to generate new leads. 

For instance, you can set up a program where a client can get a discount on a service if they bring in five new leads. When done right, referral programs are a true win-win for your business and your clients. 

Final Thoughts 

Construction companies need new viable leads to come in, just like any other business. The key is to attract these leads with strategic plans and valuable content that leaves an impression. Don’t just strive to get their contact information – strive to be of service to your leads. 

Watch what happens when you focus more on providing value versus pushing sales.