Especially when you're starting out, getting a steady stream of new business is crucial to building and maintaining your business. So how do you do it? And what's important to know before getting started?
1. First, sign up to Home Advisor
https://pro.homeadvisor.com/simple-sign-up/ You'll enter a few basic details about your business, such as your company name and business type, in order to get started. They'll also ask you to fill out your company information such as the type of work you'd like to get leads for, the area you'd like to serve, your billing information, as well as list a few customer and business references.
2. Speak to an online marketing consultant
Next, Home Advisor will assign an Online Marketing consultant to your account, who will walk you through the process of getting set up.
3. Understanding the fee breakdown
Paying for a yearly subscription: You'll need to pay a yearly subscription fee to become a member of Home Advisor. I was quoted $348 for a yearly subscription but was told I could receive a discount and pay $288.
Paying for leads: Home Advisor recommends going live with only a few services that you'd like to focus on, receive leads, and of course, pay for. Depending on your field of service and the type of jobs you'd like to receive leads for, you'll be able to take a look at what you can expect to pay. So, for example, if you're an HVAC professional working out of Los Angeles, CA looking to receive leads for A/C and Cooling Systems, you can expect to pay a range of around $18 – $110.
Types of leads:
Home Advisor has two types of leads that you can receive from your customers:
Market match:
These are leads that are sent not only to you but to two other Service Pros in your area.
Exact match:
These are leads that you pay to receive exclusivity for, so naturally, these leads will cost more.
4. Set your spend target
You're billed weekly for your incoming leads, so make sure you've got a handle on your lead spend, and you're able to service the leads you're getting. Also, make sure to turn off your leads if you can't get back to them right away so as not to overspend your budget.
5. Best practices and words of advice
Call your leads back as soon as possible
This greatly increases your chances of landing the job. If you can’t get back to leads ASAP, it might be a good idea to turn your leads off, so as not to blow through your budget.Start off small
Not every lead channel works for every business. So it’s a good idea to start off small and see if Home Advisor leads to ROI. Start with a few types of job categories you want to receive leads for and smaller, more inexpensive job leads. This is a good idea so you don’t burn through your budget quickly, get leads for larger jobs that don’t work out, or if you’re dealing with price shoppers who don’t want to commit.Use dedicated Call Tracking
Checks and balances are a good thing. Assign a dedicated number to Home Advisor leads, so you can track the calls coming in from this advertising channel and understand if this ad source is profitable. (You can easily do this in Workiz).Understand which lead categories are working
After you’ve been using Home Advisor for a few months, go over your leads and see which categories are creating job opportunities and which aren’t. Then ditch the categories that aren’t showing a return.
What do you think of our tips for advertising on Home Advisor? Are there any tips that you’d like to share or think a Field Service Pro should know before going live? Let us know in the comments below!