Lead generation

GMac

l've been involved with Home Advisor, Service Magic, etc and wonder what others are doing to generate sales leads

Steamhead

This:

http://www.heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor



We don 't deal with Service Magic or any of those other companies. We don't need to.

M Lane

Tried it

Got suckered into SM for a while. Had very stringent settings. Only set for boiler work within my own zip code.

*They did not limit how many contractors can respond to a call. You might bid against 10 companies for a 1 day swap out.

* Can't prove this, but I suspected they would zing you with leads (you pay $ every time the phone rings) if your settings were too tight like mine. At least 50% of the 'leads' I got would not return the call. Still got billed for them though.

It's like if Dan made $20 every time someone here clicked on your profile, regardless of them actually requesting anything from you.

There are far too many people in this country who seek to only make $ by scheming; as opposed to creating something of value.

Anyone ever start a thread here deriding crap like the Northstar Network?

jonny88

Understand your frustrations

I tried one of those companies.For the first 2 weeks plenty of leads.When customer answers they are confused by how many plumbers are calling them.I am done with it.I heard this site is great for advertisement which i am planning to do .For a start up company like me its hard to break into the market and compete with established companies.Good luck,John.

Harvey Ramer

Angies List is

worth it's weight in gold as long as you spend enough money on it. You have to spend a couple thousand a year advertising on it and you have to offer great deals to get new customers and start building a network.



You have to stay sharp and on top of your game! Every customer is giving you a public review. You must make every effort to remain an A rated company. If you succeed it will pay off.



Remember this. Starting a new company with a solid foundation is not easy. You can expect about 5 years of famine before you really start coming into your own. That will vary a little bit on location but note how I said, A solid foundation! I have seen many companies start up and grow really fast, glutting up a lot of work in the area, and then suddenly they dry up and go away. That's because they didn't have a good business model.



Running a business and installing boilers are two completely separate things. Running a business is far more difficult!



Harvey

Steve Minnich

I'm with Steamhead

I'd rather not deal with those other companies. Through "Find a Contractor" on heating help.com, I get the best leads hands down. The consumer seems to be far more knowledgeable about all things Hydronics and are more interested in having the job done right.

icesailor

Steamhead Knows:

With the TV DIY shows, and everyone going to the internet and big box stores for their equipment, you have nothing to cover overhead. If you are going to cover your business overhead with what little profit you make on labor, you might as well stay an employee, have nights and weekends off and to yourself, and enjoy life. Rather than being beaten up by no brain "expert Contractors" who know more about mechanical contracting than any one here will ever know. Same with Angie's List.

There are some people that are so contrary and argumentative that if they fell in a river and drowned, they would have to look up-stream to find the body. Some come here looking for answers. I've seen them. When their equipment doesn't work.

knotgrumpy

Truth in any business

Harvey said:



"Running a business and installing boilers are two completely separate things. Running a business is far more difficult!"



Running a business and __________ are two completely separate things. Running a business is far more difficult!



A lot of talented and skilled craftsmen have no idea how to balance their craft and their business.  Payroll, insurance, regulations, good book-keeping, customer service upkeep all will run you ragged.



This year my accountant is demanding even more information to complete a corporate return and you may as well give up a month to get it all together.  The buck stops with you.