The top 5 lead generation methods for service businesses are:
These 5 strategies can take your business to the next level so pay attention and we’ll teach you how to implement them well. Whether your business falls under arts, design, education, health care, home management, social assistance, transportation, or others, you can benefit from a good lead generation strategy.
As you will learn in this article, local lead generation is the best route to take. You’ll benefit from the increased traffic that comes through organic ranking.
5 ways to generate leads for a service business
To generate leads for your service business, you should use high-converting landing pages, pay-per-click campaigns, email marketing, social media marketing, and search engine ranking through local lead generation.
1. Creating high-converting landing pages
A good landing page allows you to convert more of your casual website visitors into leads - and then into customers.
First off, a landing page is different from a homepage (which works like your website’s table of contents). As defined by Mailchimp, a landing page is “a standalone web page that potential customers can ‘land’ on when they click through from an email, ad, or other digital location.” Its main purpose is to collect information from your service business’ target market.
Regardless of industry, landing pages have an average conversion rate of 9.7%, according to Hubspot. Furthermore, we also learn that “addressing buyer fears on landing pages” can boost conversion rates up to 80%.
Tips to optimize your landing page as a lead generation tool:
Don’t make it too wordy.
Think of your landing page as your elevator pitch - it’s short but memorable. Avoid overloading it with information. Be concise as you show what you have to offer.
Simplify the sign-up process.
You want to get your target audience’s names, email addresses, and phone numbers. Make it easy for users to leave their personal details. That way, users will hesitate less about giving their contact information.
Offer value and eliminate fear.
You’ll attract more people to your service if you offer great deals and address their hesitations at the same time.
Have a clear call-to-action.
Your call-to-action should be simple and direct so people know what exactly you expect from them. CTAs should be at least 2 to 5 words (Buy Now, Get 50% Off Now, Sign Up, Start Your Free Trial, etc).
As an example, go check out how Netflix came up with an effective landing page and CTA using just a few words:
2. Making the most of your pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns
Pay-per-click campaigns can also be a great way to generate leads for your service business. This type of paid advertising model allows you, the advertiser, to reach more potential leads via increased brand awareness. As your ads appear on search engine results or social media feeds, you’ll have higher chances of expanding your quality lead base.
Some of the top PPC platforms for service businesses include:
The great thing about PPC marketing is that, as the name implies, you’ll only have to pay for each click on your ad. It’s practical, especially because you can adjust your budget and stop anytime if you want to. Plus since your ads are focused on your target demographic, you can get the best results from your lead generation effort.
To improve your PPC campaign, you should:
Point ads towards your landing pages.
As mentioned above, landing pages are important and, yes, they can play a huge role in your lead generation strategies. By guiding ad clicks to landing pages, you can give visitors relevant information and get more potential leads for your business.
Take note of negative keywords.
Your PPC campaign will perform better if you also avoid the use of specific keywords you don’t want your business to be associated with. For example, if you’re selling used cars, you wouldn’t want your business to come up when searchers look for “luxury cars” or “new cars” using Google. By specifying these negative keywords, you can avoid paying for irrelevant clicks to your site.
Use automation tools.
Running a PPC campaign can seem complicated and overwhelming for the inexperienced. To streamline the process and increase your efficiency, consider using automation software such as Google Ads Editor, Optmyzr, Report Garden, Reporting Ninja, Swydo, and WordStream PPC Advisor.
3. Staying active on social media
A solid social media presence goes a long way. It can help your service business find high quality leads. As an important factor in your overall digital marketing plan, staying active on your preferred social networking platforms is a must.
Some benefits of social media usage include “improved traffic, lead generation and growing fan loyalty,” reports Statista. The website likewise mentions that Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are “the top three most used social platforms among global marketers.”
To generate leads and win customers via social networking sites, try these proven strategies:
Post regularly and see what works with your target audience.
Engagement is key when it comes to social media marketing. Posting often increases your chances of staying visible to your market. More importantly, you want to determine which of your posts are getting the most attention and are helping you with the lead conversion process. Use analytic tools to get data-based information about your business page’s performance. For example, Facebook Page Insights allow you to “find insights on how others discover and interact with your page.”
Share customer reviews.
The wonderful thing about social media is that customers can instantly leave feedback - which can be a big deal. Statistics suggest that 95% of consumers read reviews online before making a purchase, while 67% don’t even trust high ratings unless there are available reviews. So when you get positive reviews, feature them on your feed for your social media followers to see.
Make sure your profile has relevant information.
The whole point of the entire lead gen process is to make it easy for your target audience to contact you. As such, you should fill your profile with updated contact details. Check if your address, phone number, email, and website information are accurate.
4. Improving your email marketing efforts
Despite the popularity of social media, email remains as a suitable tool for lead generation today. In fact, 89% of marketers say they use email as their main channel for generating leads.
Email can be effective in warming cold leads, nurturing existing customers, and reaching more of your target market. To improve the response rate, consider the following ideas:
Personalize your emails.
According to research, 26% of recipients are more likely to open personalized emails. To save time, you can use tools like HubSpot, Gmail Mail Merge, and others.
Offer special discounts.
One sure way to attract new sales ladies is to give them discounts via your email list. Besides, people love the idea of saving money. So if you can offer exclusive promos, they’ll be more eager to give your service business a chance.
Optimize your campaign for mobile devices.
Studies show that around 42% of mobile device users simply delete non-optimized emails. You definitely need to optimize your messages well before hitting send, especially since most people today use mobile for reading emails.
5. Boosting your search engine ranking through local lead generation
Studies say the first page of Google search results capture around 71% to 92% of web traffic. With that in mind, your lead generation strategies should focus on boosting your search engine ranking. Compared with paid advertising and pay-per-lead generation services, organic ranking puts your business in front of potential buyers for free. You enjoy premium exposure and continuous stream of traffic once your business website appears on page 1 of search engine results.
Here are some pro tips to help you:
Target area-specific keywords.
To rank your website higher, you will need to target keywords your customers often use when they’re searching for your service online. Say for example, a potential customer based in Detroit, Michigan wants to hire an electrician. That person will likely enter the keywords “electrician in Detroit Michigan” or other related terms when they use Google. So focus your efforts on these keywords instead on broader keywords (such as “electrician service” or “electrician company”) where you will get a lot of competition. It’s easier to rank your small business if you’re only competing against similar businesses in your area.
Sign up with Google Business Profile.
With Google Business Profile, you can list important information about your company, such as your address, phone number, website, and operating hours. Additionally, you can also mention your areas served, add photos, respond to reviews, and even drop pin for your small business location on Google Maps. Whether you’re hoping to increase web traffic or get more people to visit your shop, having an updated Business Profile can be to your advantage. Besides, you get to connect with more prospective customers looking for your services.
Invest in a coaching program.
Generating leads from organic ranking requires SEO knowledge and skills. To be an expert, you can sign up with our local lead generation coaching program. We go in-depth and teach our students what it takes to rank websites using our proven 3-step process. All things considered, learning local lead generation is a significant investment that can help you save more time and money in the long run.
How can you start getting customers with lead generation?
You can start getting customers with lead generation by making it easy for them to find your business. Lead generation is “the process of attracting prospects to your business and increasing their interest through nurturing, all with the end goal of converting them into a customer,” according to a definition by Upwork.
Primarily, lead generation can be done through inbound and outbound strategies. Inbound lead generation involves educating your target about your brand and typically includes the use of blogging, social media, and other similar methods. Meanwhile, an outbound generation strategy is mostly about pitching your company directly to gain sales lead. This may entail cold calling, direct mail, paid advertising, and more.
Read my article on how to start a local lead generation business to see the 5 steps that will put you on the path of financial freedom.
Can you use interactive content to generate qualified leads?
Interactive content can be useful in generating qualified leads as you provide people with dynamic ways to connect with your business. As a result, you can increase brand awareness and grow your market base by delivering an interesting customer experience.
No wonder, 81% of marketers say that interactive content is more effective at attracting user attention than static content.
Examples of interactive content you can use in your lead generation efforts:
Top 3 lead generation marketplaces for service businesses
Today, some of the top lead generation marketplaces for service businesses are Bark, Thumbtack, and Yelp. These platforms can be a great way to promote your company to interested consumers and eventually connect with them. But before you decide on the best one for your business, consider how much lead generation companies make and what your ROIs will look like.
Bark
First, we have Bark. This platform caters to individuals and startups in the service industry including house cleaners and dog trainers, to digital illustrators and photographers, to immigration attorneys and private investigators, and more.
Pros
Free platform. It’s free to create an account and review leads on Bark.
Local and national reach. Depending on your preference, you can get leads from Bark on a local or national level.
Cons
Not exactly without hidden fees. Although their website claims no commissions or hidden fees, users actually have to spend on credits to access prospective customers’ contact details. Credit pricing also isn’t clearly indicated on the website.
Questionable lead quality. The platform is often criticized by users for providing poor quality of leads, with some claiming that the leads provided are shared among several businesses.
Thumbtack
Although mostly known as a home management platform, Thumbtack actually has over 1,000 different services on their online marketplace. Service listings include posts from handymen, lawyers, photographers, transcriptionists, tutors, web designers, etc.
Pros
The platform delivers leads. According to a reviewer, Thumbtack has helped her “find high-quality leads who have converted into clients.” Moreover, businesses get to see insights and information about each new lead.
You grow your business with good reviews. As with most platforms, getting positive reviews on Thumbtack can help you gain customer trust - and grow your business as a result.
Cons
Can be costly. Users will be charged whenever a lead replies to them. This can be expensive, especially if the leads fail to convert.
You’ll have to bid for projects. At times, several professionals will compete for the same project. This means you’ll have to offer the lowest quote to attract jobs.
Yelp for Business
According to their website, Yelp for Business works to “connect people with great local businesses.” The platform maintains a wide category of professionals and businesses, including event planning (bartenders, floral designers, party supplies), home services (cleaners, contractors, electricians, locksmiths), restaurants (delivery, reservations), and many others.
Pros
Easy way to get leads. With over 178 million unique visits per month, Yelp is indeed an effective source in finding new customers.
User-friendly interface. Business owners and customers alike love how Yelp’s interface is non-complicated. Navigating through the site and searching services is really easy to do..
Cons
Some reviews may be hidden. Yelp goes the extra mile to filter and hide unreliable reviews on their site. However, this may also affect positive or negative reviews written by users who don’t have many reviews or Yelp contacts yet.
Reports lack details. One customer noted Yelp doesn’t provide “sophisticated reporting where you can drill down metrics.” So expect little if you’re the type who prefers detailed reports.
What are your fastest lead generation options?
Local lead generation is the fastest option for lead generation. As you implement the best SEO practices, you can outrank your competitors’ websites in your targeted keywords. You will be more visible to local Google results and more people will check out your brand.
Another way to get quick leads is to ask existing customers for referrals. Reports indicate 91% of customers are willing to give referrals but only 11% of salespeople take time to ask. So make sure to encourage your clients to refer you to others who may need your service.
Conclusion
Using multiple lead generation methods is always a good idea for service businesses. You want to reach as many people as possible for your small business lead generation campaign to work.
Of course, it’s best to focus greater time and resources on local lead generation since most customers today rely on Google when finding service businesses in their area. You’ll have greater chances of growing your revenue as you appear on search results and outrank your local competition.
