Getting More Inquiries for Your Service Business

Read in order for the full method, or jump to the chapter that matches today’s problem.

Part 1

Find out whether you need attention or conversion, choose the work to attract and make the offer easy to understand.

Attention or conversionBefore spending on marketing, check whether the gap is attention or conversion, then work backwards from the calendar you want to fill.3 min read
Customers to attractDescribe the job you would like to repeat, the customer behind it and the moment they start looking, so marketing attracts suitable work.3 min read
Offer and proofWrite an offer a customer understands at once, then build proof: a case study structure, honest testimonials and examples you can show.3 min read
Choose your channelsSmall business marketing ideas filtered by what you can sustain: how to choose two channels that fit your buyers, time and budget.1 min read

Part 2

First customers, past customers, referrals, reviews and visibility around the jobs you already do.

First customersHow to get your first customers with no list and little money: honest first conversations, free local visibility and a clear starting offer.2 min read
Past customersRepeat customers start with a relevant reason to get in touch: what to say, when, and which permissions to check. With a message to copy.2 min read
ReferralsHow to get more referrals: make your work easy to describe, set up a simple customer referral program and thank people without pressure.2 min read
Google reviewsHow to get more Google reviews without breaking Google’s review policy: when to ask, what to say and what never to offer.2 min read
Local marketingJob site signs, door hangers, Nextdoor and Facebook groups: local marketing that makes each completed job create nearby inquiries.3 min read

Part 3

Partners who meet your customers first, commercial buyers and the bids worth your estimating time.

Referral partnersReferral partnerships with complementary trades, suppliers and advisors: who to approach, what to offer and how to keep it fair.2 min read
Commercial clientsHow to get commercial clients: research buyers, approach them around a real need and write B2B outreach messages that earn a reply.3 min read
Bids and tendersWhere to find bids and government contracts, and how to decide which tenders deserve your estimating time before you start pricing.1 min read

Part 4

Business profile, service pages, SEO help and content made from your own jobs.

Google Business ProfileOptimize your Google Business Profile as a service area business: categories, services, photos, reviews and what affects local ranking.1 min read
Service and location pagesHow to write service pages and location pages that answer real questions, avoid doorway pages and turn local searches into inquiries.3 min read
Hiring an SEO companyLocal SEO for contractors explained: what an SEO company should do, how to check the work and the questions to ask before signing.1 min read
Content from your jobsContent marketing without a content team: turn finished jobs into photos, short stories and answers, then give each piece somewhere to go.3 min read

Part 5

What a customer can cost, search and social ads, Local Services Ads, lead marketplaces and quiet seasons.

Customer acquisition costHow to calculate customer acquisition cost from your own job economics: the maximum allowance per job and per inquiry, with a calculator.3 min read
Google AdsGoogle Ads for contractors and small service businesses: keywords, locations, budgets and landing pages that meet a request already made.2 min read
Local Services AdsWhat Google Local Services Ads and Google Guaranteed are, how leads are charged and credited, and how to judge the channel by booked jobs.2 min read
Facebook adsFacebook and Instagram ads for contractors: when social ads work for local services, what to show and how to tell curiosity from inquiries.1 min read
Lead marketplacesIs Thumbtack or Angi worth it for your business? How to judge lead marketplaces by cost per booked job, lead sharing and contract terms.1 min read
Quiet seasonPlan seasonal marketing before the calendar empties, and what to do when you need inquiries now without discounting into poor work.3 min read

Part 6

A website that gets inquiries, measurement, delegation and a thirty-day plan.

A website that gets inquiriesWhat a contractor website needs to turn visits into inquiries: a clear job, a service page customers can act on, a short form and a phone test.6 min read
From inquiry to contractBetween inquiry and contract: a useful first answer, a worthwhile first conversation, a quote that helps decide and a follow-up customers accept.6 min read
Measure your marketingLead source tracking for service businesses: one record from first inquiry to outcome, channels compared fairly and tests you can learn from.4 min read
Outsource marketingHow to outsource marketing to a virtual assistant or an agency for contractors: what to hand over, what to keep and how to judge the work.1 min read
By business typeWhere to start for urgent local services, home improvements, recurring maintenance, events, commercial projects and professional services.1 min read
Marketing planA small business marketing plan to follow: a worked example, the first seven days, days eight to thirty, the next ninety days and a routine.9 min read

Toolkit

Copy-ready records, checklists and messages. Replace the bracketed fields and remove what does not fit.

Marketing plan templateA one-page marketing plan template to copy: the work you want, capacity, buyer, offer, proof, channels, budget, response and review date.
Campaign test briefA campaign brief template for flyers, ads or outreach: question, audience, costs, limits, measurement and the rules to continue or stop.
Message templatesTwenty messages to adapt: past customers, referral and review requests, local replies, trade partners, commercial buyers, quotes and follow-up.
Weekly marketing reviewA weekly marketing review agenda: inquiries handled, work attracted, decisions moved, money spent, capacity left and one decision.

Sources and scope · The public discussions and official guidance behind the guide, and the limits of that research.

Contents