Every day we talk to contractors looking to get more water damage jobs. One of the most surprising things is the number that use IVRs or call centers. Although they may seem like a good idea, they are likely preventing you from getting jobs.

Despite many technological advancements, water damage and disaster mitigation is still a phone-based industry. A customer with water damage or a sewage backup doesn’t want to “Press 1” or wait for an expert to call them back.

Few things are as frustrating as spam calls. Depending on how you handle these spam calls, you could end up blocking incoming leads. As annoying as these calls are, blocking the number could impact the number of leads you get. We look at alternatives to blocking spam calls that ensure you don’t end up blocking real calls from customers.

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The key to getting more jobs is with more leads. You’ve also probably heard a lot of different things about buying leads. While some of the things you’ve hard might be true, there are also a lot of myths about lead generation. We look at the most common lead generation myths and help separate the fact from the myth. Plus, we tell you what you need to know about buying leads.

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Even in the face of a disaster or emergency, customers often fixate on location. We listen to thousands of calls each week and customers ask where the contractor is located in more than half of them. The most successful contractors are able to respond to this question with confidence, turning it into an opening to sell their services and connect with their customers. Learn the proper way to respond when customers ask where are you located and you’ll end up with more customers and more jobs.

Company hopping is extremely common with contractors and home service companies. You sign up with a company that promises to get you jobs, but they don’t perform as you expected. Within a few weeks, you’re canceling your contract and moving on to another company. We’ve heard similar stories for many of our contractors, but unfortunately, every marketing strategy and company take a little time to perform.

Company hopping not only makes it hard for you to track your revenue but also wastes money and time.

Many contractors are initially concerned about buying leads. Some think they are too expensive while others are worried that they will pay for junk calls. However, there are several advantages to buying leads as well. You get all the benefits of an industry-specific advertising agency, but you only pay a flat-rate for valid leads. Here are the 8 biggest advantages of buying leads from 33 Mile Radius.

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Every water damage contractor wants the most lucrative jobs possible, but sometimes those jobs will come during off-hours. If you don’t have a process for answering calls around the clock, you are definitely missing out on great opportunities to land big water damage jobs. Customers that call after normal business hours are more likely to need immediate service. This also means they are more likely to hire the first company that responds to their call.

Due to the nature of the restoration industry, it’s impossible to predict when you’ll get a lead. This goes for buying leads as well as for generating your own leads through marketing and advertising. Depending on your industry and service area, the volume of leads you get will vary depending on the season, the weather, and even the time of day. We look at some of the common expectations and misconceptions about lead generation as well as explain what you can expect when buying leads.

Most restoration leads are still predominantly phone-based. This is especially true with water damage leads and fire damage leads because the customer usually needs emergency services and immediate response. Regardless of how you generate each lead, they are still only opportunities. You still need to convert that customer from an opportunity into a job. Many guides recommend converting leads through sales tactics. While this works some of the time, we find that good customer service and a little compassion are even more effective.

Reviews are one of the most influential factors when customers are making a purchasing decision. Even in an emergency situation, customers are looking at reviews to determine if they want to use your services. According to the BrightLocal 2018 Local Consumer Review Survey, 95% of customers between 18 and 34 read reviews before making a decision. The survey also found that 57% of consumers will only use a business if it has 4 or more stars.