Construction Lead Generation Guide: How To Win More Construction Leads

This guide is part of a home services lead generation series, where we dissect profitable groups of leads & how to generate them: roofing leads, cleaning leads, HVAC leads, solar leads, and many more.

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With well over $1.5 trillion spent on new construction projects in the United States annually, every company that knows how to generate construction leads has a fighting chance, if not to outshine the behemoths, then to “at least” double, triple, quadruple their bottom line – your bottom line.

And why not?

The market is wide open, with the three underlying lead gen strategies remaining as profitable as ever: you can generate construction leads from your own media channels, paid advertising, or buy construction leads from agencies, lead generators, and affiliate networks.

The big question, though, is: which of the construction lead generation strategies are most effective in your particular case? On the one hand, you can try and rely on free construction leads from earned media, a strategy viable for companies with a solid online presence. On the other hand, if free leads are insufficient – a likely situation for less-known construction companies – you will have to resort to paid advertising or buy construction leads.

So what do you do?

via GIPHY

Right: you ask for advice, and you’ve landed just right. Construction lead generation is no mystery to the Phonexa team, nor will it be to you after finishing this guide.

More specifically, you will learn three key things:

• How to get more construction leads from earned media
• How to get construction leads from paid advertising
• How to buy construction leads from third-party providers

Without any further ado, let’s dig into it, starting from organic construction lead acquisition.

How To Get More Construction Leads From Earned Media

Step 1 – Segment Your Construction Leads

Not all construction leads are equal, with the two most distinctive categories being residential and commercial leads. Therefore, you should segment your construction leads so you can develop effective marketing strategies for each target group.

Here’s how to get leads in construction via segmentation:

Commercial construction leads	Commercial construction leads are entrepreneurs, investment groups, and corporate executives searching for medium and large-scale projects. You are likely to deal with a longer sales cycle, bigger average checks, and stricter deadlines. Generating commercial construction project leads may involve coordinating with stakeholders and complying with stricter safety standards and building codes.
Residential construction leads	Residential construction leads typically look for smaller-scale projects, even if they want to build a home. You will likely deal with a slower sales cycle, smaller average checks, and more or less loose deadlines. More attention will be given to aesthetics and comfort that reflect dream fulfillment.

Make no mistake, dividing your construction leads into commercial and residential would only be the first step into segmentation, as both groups employ more subgroups. For example, commercial construction leads can be further categorized by the construction structure, revenue, and location, among other factors. The same goes for residential construction leads.

Step 2 – Create Compelling USPs for Every Target Group of Leads

Another basic step in lead generation for construction companies is crafting a unique selling proposition (USP) – or several ones for every client group – that reflects your core benefits and intrigues leads to take action.

Here’s an example of how to get leads in construction with a unique selling proposition:

• Targeting commercial construction leads: “25% ahead of schedule and 40% below the budget – compelling commercial construction services with 98% on-time completion and 99% satisfaction rates”
• Targeting residential construction leads: “Cut your maintenance costs by 20% and save up to 50% on energy bills – build the home of your dreams with us”

Targeting commercial construction leads: “25% ahead of schedule and 40% below the budget – compelling commercial construction services with 98% on-time completion and 99% satisfaction rates” <liTargeting residential construction leads: “Cut your maintenance costs by 20% and save up to 50% on energy bills – build the home of your dreams with us” </li</li

Of course, you can rework these USPs into ones that resonate with your demographics, psychographics, and budget and possibly reflect market trends. For instance, a low-budget market segment might appreciate the cost-effectiveness and durability of your solutions; large-scale businesses might get hooked by adherence to building codes and deadlines.

Step 3 – Optimize Your Content and Web Pages for Conversions

Building a website for construction leads is all about knowing your construction leads: their needs, wants, motivations, pain points, interactions across touchpoints, and more. The better you know your clients, the higher the chance of making an educated guess about the website design & structure, CTA wording and placement, blogging schedule, and keywords.

Optimizing website elements for conversions is much easier when you have exhaustive insights into on-site user behavior, which you can collect with software like HitMetrix. This advanced user behavior analytics software can track every step of the client’s journey and issue real-time prompts to move this very client to a conversion. 

Here’s more about HitMetrix:

Book a demo to learn how HitMetrix works, synergizing with seven other Phonexa’s performance marketing solutions.

And now to the keywords. I do believe SEO deserves special attention because of its huge impact on traffic. Prioritizing the right keywords — ones with a decent search volume, high cost per click, and low competition — can revolutionize your content marketing.

Here’s an example of how to get construction leads for free using SEO (taken from Ahrefs):

Assume your construction company builds homes, and you want to target the most profitable keywords. If so, you can use Ahrefs to research the search queries – all queries shown on the screenshot are relevant, barring “to build a home lyrics” – and choose the ones you have a realistic chance to rank for and receive some traffic.

What are the right keywords, though? All of them seem right.

The rule of thumb is that the right keywords have high keyword volume, low competition, and relevance to your marketing objectives. Are there the right keywords on the screen? This depends on your expertise and how big your brand already is. For example, “how much does it cost to build a container home” might be one of the best keywords if you build container homes.

But then again, most keywords for commercial construction lead generation – for example, “how much does it cost to build a home” – are way more competitive than informational keywords – for example, “how to build a tiny home.” Applying this knowledge to practice, you should try to be realistic: do not overcommit to “impossible” keywords, nor ignore simpler long-tail ones.

Step 4 – Promote on Social Media and Thematic Forums

Even for the most traditional construction companies, flirting with social media has long become a norm. In January 2024 alone, the six biggest social networks had a cumulative audience of over 12.5 billion users, making a strong social media presence imperative for commercial success.

Depending on your target leads and creativity, you can tap into LinkedIn (B2B construction leads), Facebook (the widest audience of leads), or visually-driven Instagram and TikTok. Likewise, a YouTube channel can become the focal point of your video marketing.

Here’s an example of how to generate leads in construction using TikTok:

@houseldesign 4 bedroom houde 10mx6m #construction #design #rooms #architecture #structure #fondation #armature #foryou #fyp #build #process #animation #3d #amazing #vila #simplehouse ♬ оригинальный звук – Радио BEST DEEP FM

For those in the construction business, I don’t have to explain building information modeling (BIM). Clients love to see computer models of their homes before they commit to the contract. Showcasing a simplified construction process – how it will be done – can assure clients of your competence and generate quite a few construction leads along the way.

Here’s another example:

@spec_mix_official Replying to @jrobles87 because he was on a stretch, not building a lead. This is the difference. #blocklaying #masonry #bricktok #construction #blockwork ♬ original sound – SPEC MIX

Insights into the construction process flavored with humor can grant you viral exposure on TikTok.

And one more:

@superconstructions #constructionlife #construction #timelapse #building #build #apartament ♬ 阿衣莫（陈小潇 Remix） – 陈小潇

Time-lapsed construction process is beautiful, especially for large projects. Strewn with details, such videos allow clients to visualize their success while reliving the entire construction process in just a few moments.

Here’s an example of how to get construction leads for free on Instagram:

Again, visualizing the end result of your work sends an emotionally charged message to potential clients. They feel as if they’ve already gotten this bathroom and will lose it if they don’t order your services: the loss aversion effect kicks in.

Step 5 – Organize Offline Events

In addition to generating construction leads online, you can organize offline meetings, conferences, and workshops if you have something to share with your audiences. Not only are offline events viable for generating local construction leads, but they also raise your brand awareness and reputation in the eyes of online clients.

Filling the bridge between online and offline marketing is crucial to creating a coherent brand image and omnichannel experiences for potential customers.

How To Make Free Construction Leads Generation More Realistic

I do imagine you have at least some marketing budget for generating free commercial construction leads – however small it is – so I’d like to share my thoughts on how I’d spend, say, a few hundred dollars a month to acquire the maximum number of construction leads.

Here’s what I’d do: I’d automate my construction lead generation through software. The thing is that most construction lead generation companies are actively using automated lead acquisition tools, so you might not even have a fighting chance if you process clients manually.

Here are the three lead management tools I’d get in the first place:

Lead Tracking Software	Tracking your leads means knowing what triggers and hampers sales: where your leads came from, how they interacted with you across touchpoints, and how these interactions connect to the outcome (a closed sale versus bounce).
Lead Distribution Software	Routing your construction leads to the right sales rep makes a big difference. An automated lead distribution system can guarantee the perfect routing while transferring customer insights – who a specific customer is and what they need – to the live operator before they engage with the client in question.
Lead Analytics Software	Every customer journey is worth analyzing individually and as a part of the bigger picture. Manual analytics is impossible, so you need strong analytics software to dominate CRO, identify complex data patterns, and suggest less-than-obvious business moves.

And now the good news: We at Phonexa offer all of the mentioned and much more within our all-encompassing performance marketing automation software suite that you can get starting at a laughable $100 a month.

 

How To Get Construction Leads From Paid Advertising

As I’ve already mentioned, free commercial construction leads are more of a pipe dream than a reality for advertisers without a strong social presence – even if you’re targeting construction leads for general contractors that don’t require sophisticated marketing techniques. On the bright side, though, having explored social media within your free lead gen campaigns, you now have a solid base for employing paid advertisement.

Here’s how to get more leads in construction with paid advertisement:

Step 1 – Set Your Goals

Construction lead generation ways and approaches largely depend on the campaign’s goals, so you must clearly understand what you want in the first place: generate construction business leads for conversion, increase brand awareness, promote your construction leads app, reengage clients, or boost loyalty and retention rates. I’m not saying you can’t achieve several of the mentioned within a single campaign, but you must set clear objectives all the same.

For example, if you need quote requests, you might want to target specific commercial keywords in Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and possibly LinkedIn. If your goal is to promote a conference, you might want to employ YouTube ads or, say, RSVP-driven Facebook ads.

Step 2 – Define Your Target Audience

If you’ve already segmented your construction project leads within your organic lead generation campaigns, then it shouldn’t be hard to identify whom you want to target with paid advertising. Remember, the advantage of paid ads is that you can accurately hit the sought-after demographics, behavior, and interests.

It’s no secret that organic construction lead generation is especially challenging for high-ticket groups of leads. For example, C-level executives might bypass general content while engaging with well-crafted, tailored advertising on LinkedIn. Likewise, narrow-focused niches — ones lacking search volume — may be easier to target with paid advertising.

The most common case, though, is geo-targeting. Low search volumes make it ineffective to create content for less popular locations, but targeted ads can easily cover these construction leads down to zip codes. No less important, you will only pay for the ads displayed in your target locations.

Step 3 – Decide on the Most Effective Ads and Platforms

Knowing your target audience and budget and having experience with social media will give you a head start in choosing the right ads. For example, if you don’t feel strong enough to nurture medium-intent leads, you might want to focus on the highest-quality clients with, for example, pay-per-call ads. On the other hand, if paying for ad clicks is cost-effective for you, you might employ pay-per-click ads on social media and third-party websites.

Here’s how to generate leads for construction projects with paid advertisement:

Commercial construction leads	To generate commercial construction leads, it might be better to prioritize professional and “serious” platforms like LinkedIn and possibly Facebook as opposed to, say, TikTok. Targeted advertising campaigns around commercial keywords — the “buy” ones — can effectively reach companies that are already deep in the sales process.
Residential construction leads	Unlike data-driven commercial leads, residential construction leads are likelier to appreciate emotional content. Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube ads can be your best shot at generating residential construction leads.

Last but not least, it’s worth noting that audiences overlap, so you can generate some residential construction leads using ads catering to the commercial segment and vice versa. At the end of the day, it’s all about creating an overarching advertising strategy that not only focuses on a single audience but also allows you to gradually expand into untapped adjacent markets.

How To Buy Construction Leads

As good as free lead generation for construction and paid ads might be, they take time: organic lead generation – months and years; paid ads – possibly days and likely weeks. But there’s a way to get construction leads here and now: buy them.

Countless construction lead generation services and agencies offer ready-to-convert leads of any imaginable type, from shared to exclusive to live transfer to aged. As an advertiser, you “only” need to find a seller that provides the leads you need quality-wise and price-wise.

Here’s how to get leads for construction business from an agency:

Define the target construction leads	Chances are you need quality local construction leads who will be relevant to your business locations. In practice, you may have to try several types of exclusive and shared leads to see what group is more profitable.
Research as many agencies as you can	With the average cost of $280 for construction leads on sale, it’s almost a guarantee you can find better prices if you research the market.
Negotiate the price & other conditions	Don’t buy leads at their face value – negotiate for a better price and conditions with your agency or network. It’s not out of the question that you get a 10% to 20% discount without any strings attached.

And now – here are the 10 best sites for construction leads.

Fuel Your Construction Lead Generation with Phonexa

Driving an increasing number of construction leads to conversion without a loss in quality is impossible unless you automate your lead flows, and this is exactly what Phonexa offers:

➥   Phonexa’s performance marketing software suite will automate the most burdensome routines of construction lead generation – tracking, distributing, and analyzing your web and call leads – while ensuring the top-tier customer journey and ever-growing client satisfaction rates.

The synergy of eight lead management software solutions will cover your marketing from top to bottom, including sensitive avenues like affiliate marketing. Once and for all, you will close the loops between clicks, calls, and revenue.

Here’s what I’m talking about:

The synergy of these eight proprietary tools will grant you lasting success:

LMS Sync	Lead tracking & distribution
Call Logic	Call tracking & distribution
E-Delivery	Email & SMS marketing
Cloud PBX	Cloud phone system
Lynx	Click tracking
Opt-Intel	Suppression list management
HitMetrix	Use behavior recording & analytics
Books360	Automated accounting

 

Build your plan now, or book a demo to learn how Phonexa can elevate your construction business.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get leads in construction?

Here’s how to get leads for construction projects: first, you can generate construction leads using your website, blog, and social media; second, you can acquire construction leads via paid advertising; third, you can buy construction leads from agencies and affiliate networks.

How do I buy construction leads?

Buying construction leads mostly boils down to finding the right construction lead generation platform, as this is the most challenging part of the task. Explore these construction lead services & websites if you want to buy construction leads.

How do I get more construction leads within my budget?

The best way to get construction leads within a limited budget is to research available advertising options – for example, social media advertising – and construction lead generation platforms. The latter offers shared, exclusive, aged, and more types of construction sales leads, sometimes even giving you an idea of the expected conversion rate for the leads in question.

Are there free construction leads?

There’s no such thing as a free lunch in business: you can’t get leads for nothing. Even the allegedly free construction leads you can generate from earned media channels require nurturing before they convert and bring you profit. One way to significantly lower your lead acquisition cost is via automating your construction lead generation.