How to Get Handyman Leads: 15 Actionable Ways

1. Local SEO

Local SEO is how you get your business to stand out at the top of local searches on search engines like Google and Bing.

It’s an effective lead-generation strategy for handyman contractors because local SEO targets customers in your service area.

Local SEO strategies involve including relevant keywords on your website pages. For example, if you’re a plumber in Tallahassee, you’ll want to include keyphrases like ‘Plumbing Tallahassee FL’ in your web content. 

When people search for that term, Google’s web crawlers will identify your website as a relevant result—and your website will be more likely to appear closer to the top of their search. 

Don’t know where to start? Try creating a Google Business Profile first.

Optimize your Google Business Profile

If you don’t have a Google Business Profile yet, it’s time to get one! It’s free, and your profile will tell Google your business is legit, making it much more likely to appear in local searches.

To rank highly, make sure your business profile is complete. That includes basic details like:

• Hours of operation

• Description of your service

• Photos and videos

• A local phone number

Another way to improve your ranking in local search is to get more customer reviews. Make sure to ask for reviews from satisfied customers once work is complete.

You can automate this process with ServiceTitan’s Reputation Management features. Send automatic links to customers asking them to post a review, and your techs won’t even have to remember to ask.

You can use this feature to manage reviews across multiple sites to stay on top of your online reputation.

Local services website pages

Creating location-based pages is also a good idea, especially if you have multiple service areas. Include important local keywords in each page header to rank higher on searches in each location.

Here are some ways you can find keywords for your service pages.

Google autocomplete

Type your keyword into Google’s search bar and see what additional keywords it adds. This can help you come up with content that uses these keywords strategically.

Related searches

Conduct a search using your target local keywords, then scroll to the bottom of the results page to find other related searches.

However, remember that your audience isn’t solely on Google. You’ll also want to rank highly on social media too.

2. Facebook Lead Ads

Facebook lead ads are a type of paid social media ad that lets customers click on an ad and instantly send their contact details. It’s good for handyman leads for a few reasons:

• You can create a local following with Facebook Groups (more on that later).

• You can post videos and photos on social media that show leads who you are, making your brand feel familiar.

• You can use targeting features so you only spend money on advertising directly to your ideal customers.

To use Facebook ads, start with an image or video that tells customers about the services you want to promote. Select a budget and a target audience, then choose whether you want to prompt them to message or call you.

You can also use Facebook lead ads to retarget customers who have seen the ad before. This creates familiarity which makes customers more likely to take action.

3. Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising

PPC ads are digital ads that you only pay for when someone clicks on them. The most popular type of PPC ads are Google search ads that show up as “sponsored” links on Google, but you can also run banner and video PPC ads on websites.

Like Facebook ads, they’re highly targeted; if you’re using Google search ads, you won’t need graphics. You’ll just need to create the text that links to a landing page.

You can specify your budget, location, and the audience you want to reach, and even run campaigns at certain times. For example, if you’re a roofer and there has been a storm in a particular area, you can run a PPC campaign advertising roof repairs.

These ads also give you detailed metrics on clicks and conversions. With ServiceTitan, you can take PPC ads a step further and link ad performance to ROI so you know exactly which ads are driving revenue for your business.

ServiceTitan’s ads feature also gives you a heatmap to track the most profitable ads, showing you where your ads should focus for better business performance.

Speaking of performance, ServiceTitan can use your business information to help you identify the ads that result in the highest-earning jobs. You’ll be able to continuously improve your ads by linking campaign performance directly to revenue.

4. Local Services Ads

Local Services Ads are paid Google ads that display your reviews, business name, and contact info at the top of local searches.

These ads can help you attract more handyman leads because they make it easy for people to get in touch. Also, rather than paying for clicks, you’ll only pay when someone reaches out to your business through the ad.

To start with Local Services Ads, you’ll need a Google Guaranteed badge. You’ll go through a screening process that includes checks on background, business registration, insurance, and license. Once you get it, your customers have a little extra peace of mind since it means that Google may reimburse them if they aren’t happy with your services.

With ServiceTitan, you can make booking even easier by integrating Local Services Ads with your call booking software. Customers can book with you in just a few clicks, and their appointment info will be sent to your ServiceTitan dashboard.

From there, you can schedule techs right away for a more efficient service.

5. Referral Marketing

Referral marketing leverages your existing customers by encouraging them to tell their family and friends about your services. This strategy involves offering incentives and promotions to customers who get others to book jobs with you. 

This creates instant social proof for handyman services since the referral comes from someone your leads trust. To get more referrals, you can:

• Include referral requests at the bottom of your invoices

• Offer special deals when customers refer you to someone else

• Encourage your techs to request referrals from satisfied customers

• Add referral requests to your email newsletter

• Send referral message templates to customers

For example, you could offer a 15 percent discount on future maintenance services for customers who successfully refer you to someone else.

6. Lead Magnets

Lead magnets are free resources you offer customers in exchange for their contact details. They’re often things like e-books or courses customers want to sign up for.

It’s an excellent strategy for handyman leads because often, customers don’t know how tough a job is, so they might look for information and DIY strategies first.

For example, say you offer irrigation services. One of your customers might be interested in landscaping tips about what plants work well for their climate, and what they need to do to maintain them. That helps them become interested in irrigation services to keep their plants healthy.

With ServiceTitan, you can create email newsletters that act as lead magnets and keep a steady stream of information flowing to leads. Simply add a form to your website that asks for basic contact info to have them sign up for your newsletter.

From there, you can use ServiceTitan’s email campaign features to send out professional newsletters automatically.

One of the best things about this approach is that you can also target customers based on the information you have about them in ServiceTitan. 

You can filter audiences by revenue, location, and more for targeted email newsletters and promotional offers.

7. Community Involvement 

Involving yourself in the local community can help people get to know you more personally. This builds trust and creates brand awareness, which generates new leads.

You can participate in your local community by:

• Sponsoring local fairs, festivals, and sports events

• Donating to local charities that support a cause you care about

• Hosting free workshops that showcase your expertise

• Offering free or low-cost services to homeowners in need

• Attending local networking or industry events

This helps make you a familiar brand (and a familiar face) in your service area. People will see your logo on sponsored events and meet you when you get involved. That will help them feel like they know who you are, and make them more likely to trust you.

8. Flyers

Sending out flyers is a time-tested strategy that can work wonders with older homeowners or people who aren’t online as much.

One of this strategy's main advantages is that people can pin flyers to their bulletin board or fridge if they’re considering booking your services. That way, your brand has a physical presence in people’s homes before they even book with you.

To create flyers, you must decide on a graphic that captures attention. Ideally, your flyer should focus on one message with easily visible contact details.

You can also include a QR code in flyers so customers can access booking options on mobile, combining the best of both physical and online media.

9. Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs offer perks for repeat services like discounts on maintenance, special items, or bonus services with an additional purchase.

This helps increase customer lifetime value and boost your maintenance agreements for services requiring regular upkeep.

First, you’ll want to find out what type of perk your customers want. Collect feedback through surveys and peek at what competitors offer to create more competitive loyalty programs.

You can also tailor loyalty programs to different customer demographics. For example, you might offer a discount on gutter cleaning after a customer books a roof repair or a discount on seasonal touch-ups for exterior painting jobs.

Ensure you coach CSRs on your loyalty programs so they can offer them to customers when they call.

10. Social Media Contests

Social media contests encourage customers to follow you, like a post, or share something on social media for the chance to win a prize.

They’re a fun way to grow your presence on social media and get your followers to engage with your business. To make social media contests work, offer something small your ideal customer would want, like a discount on home repairs. 

But choose your prize carefully. If you offer money or something big, you might attract people who enter contests as a hobby and aren’t really interested in your services.

Here are a few other tips about making social media contests work:

• Set a time limit. Social media contests can become tough to manage if they last too long, but contests that are too short can end before they capture attention. Aim for contests to last about 12 to 15 days.

• Make it fun. Make your contest post engaging, or create a contest that encourages participants to create something fun. That makes people more likely to share and like contest posts.

• Be transparent. The laws around promotional contests in your area might require you to spell out the award and winning criteria.

For example, you could create a contest that encourages participants to post their own handyman fails with your contest hashtag, then pick your favorite for the winner. Or, ask them to comment on the contest post with their best DIY home repair tip.

11. Trade Shows

Trade shows are a great way to pitch your services to local customers and network with other people in your industry. 

There are trade shows for plumbers, roofers, electricians, and other home services where you can set up a booth and pitch your services to locals while you network with other industry professionals.

When you set up a booth at a trade show, you can hand out flyers and merch and meet leads face-to-face. You can also enter promotional partnerships with complementary businesses, leading to more referrals.

To stand out at trade shows, you’ll need to have physical banners and eye-catching booth decorations. You should also have business cards and even small freebies to hand out to leads, such as pins or bumper stickers.

When you talk to customers, have an ‘elevator pitch’ prepared so you can describe your business in a few sentences. If possible, consider showcasing materials or interactive demos to illustrate what you offer.

12. Partnerships

Chances are, there’s a local business out there that could be your next best advocate.

With partnerships, you can collaborate to reach another business’s customer base in exchange for something of value you offer. For example, if you do landscaping, you could partner with a local homeowners’ association to help make sure lawns comply with property rules.

If you’re a roofer, you could partner with an exterior painter and offer a package deal for refurbishing houses, including a commission for the leads they bring in.

This is great for getting handyman leads because you can align yourself with other local businesses that have already established trust with homeowners.

To start, research businesses in your area that you might be able to partner with. Consider what you can offer them in return, whether commissions, free marketing, or even a job well done.

13. Online Directories

An online directory is a list of businesses with links and reviews. You can join them to target homeowners who search for services on the directories they trust.

Directory listings also help you rank higher in Google searches, and get on Google’s map pack. Signing up is usually free—you just need to enter basic business info and a link to your website.

Here are some examples of handyman directories:

• Thumbtack

• Angi

• Bark

• HomeStars

• HomeAdvisor

• Yelp

Make sure to keep your name, address, and phone number consistent across directories to signal to Google that your business is authentic.

Remember that you’ll also need to stay on top of the reviews you get on these sites. ServiceTitan’s reputation management tool makes it easy by compiling all your reviews in one place, so you can track them and comment on any negative ones to show customers you’re listening.

You’ll also see which customers left the review and which tech served them for an overview of what you’re doing well and where you can improve.

14. Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups are communities on Facebook that are organized around causes, industries, and brands.

Handyman services can create a group to speak more directly to customers or join an industry group to widen their reach among customers in their area.

Facebook groups can be public or private, depending on your preferences. For example, you could create a private group of loyal customers to share behind-the-scenes footage, special projects, and memes.

Don't be overly promotional, whether you’re creating your own group or joining another one. Instead, concentrate on building a community and providing helpful tips and in-depth answers to common questions.

15. SMS Marketing

SMS marketing is when a business sends promotional texts to customers. Eighty-six percent of business owners reported higher response rates from SMS compared to email marketing, making it a great option for getting customer attention.

Customers will need to opt in to receive text promotions from you, so it’s better to use SMS for follow-up maintenance reminders rather than regular promotions.

Texts should be:

• Short and to the point

• Focused on existing customers

• Linked to mobile-friendly landing pages

Setting up SMS marketing can be a challenge. Fortunately, ServiceTitan’s SMS features can help. Simply set a day, time, and audience for reminders, then sit back and let your software do the work.

Since all your customer information is in ServiceTitan, you can schedule text messages to send out reminders to customers exactly when they need maintenance.

Why is Lead Generation Important for Handyman Businesses?

Businesses with solid lead generation strategies can boost sales-ready leads by 50 percent and lower acquisition costs by 33 percent. 

Handyman businesses can use lead generation to attract new customers. Once you get the ball rolling, you can automate your strategies to make lead generation even more powerful.

Here are a few other key benefits of lead generation:

• It leverages the mere exposure effect. Even if leads aren’t ready to buy from you now, they’re more likely to remember you if they have seen your name pop up multiple times in searches and on social media.

• It increases your options. When you have more customers coming in the door, you’ll be able to choose what niche you prefer.

• It boosts your profit. Creating more demand for your services gives you the chance to increase your price point. You’ll also be able to use the information from lead generation strategies to reach out to the customers who spend the most money.

That said, 80 percent of leads won’t turn into customers. Your lead nurturing campaigns should focus on the other 20 percent that helps your business grow.

Over to You

There are many lead generation strategies to choose from, each offering unique benefits for your business.

If you don’t know where to begin, pick the one that resonates with you and then switch approaches if it doesn’t pan out. Automating lead generation with tools like ServiceTitan can save you time and help you try multiple strategies simultaneously.

Finally, just like any skill, getting good at lead generation takes time. Experiment, and you’ll discover what strategies work for your business. You’ll be well on your way to new doorsteps and more revenue!

ServiceTitan is a comprehensive software solution built specifically to help handyman companies streamline their operations, get more leads, and boost revenue. Our comprehensive, cloud-based platform is used by thousands of electrical, HVAC, plumbing, garage door, and chimney sweep shops across the country—and has increased their revenue by an average of 25 percent in just their first year with us.