One challenge that all restoration companies face is ensuring they have enough leads that actually translate into sales. This doesn’t have to look like a large influx of new customers coming in every single day, but it should be a steady enough stream to guarantee ongoing future work for your company.
However, not every lead will be the right fit for your business. Focus on making sure the leads you’re bringing in are substantial and will convert into paying customers.
Three steps to getting leads
There are three main stages to think about when it comes to getting leads: discovery, research, and engagement. Let’s break them down:
- Discovery – people need to be able to find you. This can be through adverts, your social media, or local search listings (to name only a few).
- Research – once they’ve found your business and are on your website, you need to clearly show what you do and that you are trustworthy (often through reviews). You also need to make the next step clear – how to contact you.
- Engagement – When they call or use live chat, make sure there is a real person there with a warm and friendly hello to help. This builds connection and you can easily capture each lead.
Optimize your website
Your website is the most powerful tool that your business has to showcase your company and services. It’s crucial that your website is optimized to make it easy for customers to find all of the information they need.
Make sure your website is accessible across all devices, including computers, cell phones, tablets, and even smart speakers. There’s no telling where your customers will be when they need restoration work, so give them a seamless experience.
Maintain a regular blog on your site to showcase your company’s personality and give you a competitive edge over similar businesses. Aim to upload new content to your blog at least once a month. This shows you’re actively updating your website and proves that you’re knowledgeable and engaged in your industry.
Update your business information on Google
A key place to get leads for your restoration business is through people using search engines like Google. When looking for a restoration business, especially in an emergency, people will look local. Make sure you have set up your Business Profile with Google and keep the information up to date.
Clearly showing where you work, how you can be contacted, and other key information is essential to make sure when potential customers are searching for a restoration business in their community.
Reply to reviews
People trust what other people think. Especially for restoration and other service industry businesses when customers are not experts, they want to see how trustworthy your business is. Encourage happy customers to leave a review about their experience with you to show potential leads that you can be trusted.
Remember to set aside some time each week to go through and reply to all of your new reviews—good or bad. Not every review will be positive, and your customers will be judging you based on how you respond.
If they see that your business goes the extra mile then you’ll be their first choice when they have a restoration emergency.
Display clear calls to action
Having a brilliant website and a good online presence doesn’t mean much if your leads aren’t sure how to contact you. Display a clear call-to-action on every single page of your website and make it easy for customers to get in touch.
Make sure your customers will always reach a real person when calling your business. Don’t rely on automated or recorded messages. 80% of customers hang up when they get to a voicemail, and they will try a competitor instead.
If a customer is looking for a restoration business when they have an emergency, they don’t have time to leave a message and wait for a callback. They want to speak to someone immediately and feel like they’ve been heard.
AnswerForce’s restoration answering service lets you be there for your customers 24/7. We have a team of trained receptionists who will make sure your customers’ calls and chats get answered every time, ensuring you capture every possible lead.