Any luck with Internet Lead Companies?

3341 Views 16 Replies 12 Participants Last post by tsunamicontract, Jul 6, 2008

CharlieWis

Discussion Starter · Jun 11, 2008

Hey I got a call from findmealocalpainter.com the other day and it seemed like an all right deal. The introduction price is $100 + a mandatory 10 leads for $350 (35 per lead). After the $450 investment the rest is up to you. No annual fees, no obligation or minimum lead purchase, you can just buy leads one at a time or ten a month or whatever you want for $35 per lead. They also say that they only give out a single lead to 3 painters in the area and then that lead is toast. I'd also been the only painter in my area. Do these sites really work? I know for most of you guys, for $450, it would be worth it to find out, but for me $450 is a big investment, and I don't want to risk it on nothing. So has anyone used one of these sites, or this one in paticular? How did it go? Is it worth the money? It seemed like a good deal to me, but I wanna see what the vets think. And if anyone has a good lead site to reccomend that would be great. Thanks!

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Housepainter

· #2 · Jun 11, 2008 (Edited)

Take your city map.
Locate your house/place of business.
Draw a circle in a three / five/ ten mile radius.

go to google map
select the first street
go to whitepages.com or similar
list the street in reverse lookup
copy paste names into addressbook (I use stamps.com for both stamps and address book.
do this over and over until you cover all target areas of the circle.
Dependant on where you live, you can have a ever growing mailing list.
set up a mailing campaign mailing to these names on a regular basis.
break them into groups for mail management.

:yes::yes:
I added about 120 names to my list tonight. Took some time, but more productive than watching Fox or CNN news, to hear their opinions on the presidential races.

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tsunamicontract

· #3 · Jun 11, 2008

Hey Charlie, that seems a little expensive for leads, or at least a lot of start up. how much are leads after that? Keep in mind that once you have those leads its $.42 just to stamp the envelopes, so probably almost another $1 in materials plus the labor of getting them all made up and sent out. I don't see how you wouldn't be better off just doing it the way HP suggests. I am not a fan of "junk" mail or un-invited literature so you need to figure out if your area will be receptive of this form of advertising. I have read some research that just having an ad in the classifieds every week is the best bang for the buck. I usually get at least 1 signed job for each week my ad runs (averaged out) and at $13.50 per week its not bad, Plus then people are looking for you, not you looking for them. Its an easier sell. Another good (and free) way is just networking with people you know. I got one big staining job from a friend who is a window cleaner who the couple liked, so they were inclined to like me. Also just anyone that people respect their opinion or look up to is great to have on your side.

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JNLP

· #4 · Jun 11, 2008

tsunamicontract said:
Another good (and free) way is just networking with people you know. I got one big staining job from a friend who is a window cleaner who the couple liked, so they were inclined to like me. Also just anyone that people respect their opinion or look up to is great to have on your side.

Yep! We get tons of good jobs through a roofing company.

CharlieWis

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jun 11, 2008

Thanks for the advice guys, but I think you misunderstood the leads. The company pretty much gives me bids for $35 a pop. The HO contacts their website and leaves their contact info and a description of what needs to be done. The website says that about 90% of their leads are large jobs, like painting the entire interior of a house, or entire exterior. So each lead is a for a job thats at least $3000 +, (I have mid to low range prices usually). They only give each lead to 3 contractors in the area, they tell the HO to expect a call from a local, trusted contractor. Then they give me the lead, I call and say hey I'm from the website, and set up a bid. I'm usually really good at closing on bids, so my real issue is just getting in the door for most jobs. It sounds like you guys thought I was paying $35 for a name and adress. Thanks

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vermontpainter

· #6 · Jun 11, 2008

To me there is something about this that just doesnt work. Do your own marketing. Target the customers you want, in any format that works for you...its doesnt even have to be paid advertising. Go after the demographic you want to serve and make it work. I get sick of reading posts from people on various boards complaining about national referral services. If you decide to go down that road, be prepared for whatever "leads" they send your way.

tsunamicontract

· #7 · Jun 12, 2008

yah I would be wary of those kinds of sites. Wasn't one of them like service magic a banner ad on this site? I don't know how many people use sites like that. It looks fine and good until you are not getting the leads you expected and are out the chunk of change. I have no documented research to back this up but I feel that MOST people in our area Charlie do not choose their contractors from sites like that. Most of them do not know they exist. I have been told Madison Brushworks has had good luck with Angies list, but you have to get an angies list member to refer you to the site. The thing is though is that there are like 20 painting companies on angies list in our area and they all only have 1 or 3 reviews, as if only 45 people in this area have ever used it to find their painting contractor. The reviews all also say that "company x" is the only painting outfit they will ever use again. I think you can only reach a select few cliental this way, but they are probably good customers . . . but it is an expensive way to reach them.

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tsunamicontract

· #8 · Jun 12, 2008

Oh and Charlie I know Sheena with Red Canary (who does really nice stuff, she has the demo faux boards) needs some help. She only does interior too.

CharlieWis

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jun 12, 2008

Is Red Canary an faux-only company? If she could use a hand that'd be fun to learn to do some simpler faux techniques. If you don't mind, give her my contact info or vice-versa, that'd be great, thanks.

And one other thing, has anyone ever used one of these internet companies? Anyone have any direct experience or know someone who has?

ProWallGuy

· #10 · Jun 12, 2008

Charlie, hop on over to contractortalk, and do a search for 'lead services', etc. Read the testimonials, then decide to run far and fast.

Mike's QP

· #11 · Jun 15, 2008

I signed up with reliableremodeler im in a small town in washington state so there isnt alot of leads in my area, and nobody else in my area is signed up so they tell me, ive purchased one lead, contacted them, they are interested but very busy, its still a toss up if it will land, but if it does i will keep the service since the first month was free, then like 49.99 plus you only pay for the leads you accept. ill let you know how it turns out

meo814

· #12 · Jun 16, 2008

hi all, i am fairly new to running my own thing but have been painting for years.....i have used some lead companies but wont do it again....i had some luck with service magic as most leads actually answered their phones or called me back.....however reliable remodeler, leads.com were no good. i was not even able to get even one homeowner on the phone to get my foot in the door..i dont think they are screened at all...so i cancelled and wont use them again....

Josh.08

· #13 · Jun 17, 2008

I have done lots of research on these companies. If my memory and experience serves me correctly, Findmealocalpainter is a spin-off of reliable remodeler. I signed with RR and the experience was not a pleasant one. The leads were expensive and it is very hard to set the appointment. I believe they purchase a lot of their leads from another company. One lady said that shed had 10 people coming to give her a quote!

acrylicrecoating

· #14 · Jun 18, 2008

A friend of mine signed up with one of these and the sent him all kinds of leads for stuff he didn't even do. Company offered to refund however their idea of a refund is to "credit" your account. It was like a merry go round never catching up.

I buy card stock, make my own post cards. I find postcards to be the most effective because people don't have to open them. I make 4 to a page and then have a paper cutter and cut them. I then do the reverse look up thing and send them out to areas that are near the business that have seen our trucks around. Works pretty well. I am sitting here tonight getting ready to send out 1000 more. I try to target a different area every other week or when things start to slow a little.

$8.00 for the card stock
$40.00 for ink
$270.00 for stamps

and a little labor while sitting in front of the TV.

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scott painting

· #15 · Jul 5, 2008

online leads good or bad???

I tried service majic which is the same concept. Here was the problem: I stayed with it for a few months and got 11 leads. I didn't land one job. On the internet it is too easy to click ok to get a painting estimate. We have all done that. We are on a site and click the button for more information. That is exactly what happened. Many of the people said we were just curious but not interested right now in a paint job. Half the people didn't even return the call even though I called at least 3 times. I have several friends that are painters that all had the same exact problem with online leads. They all told me not to go through with it. I had to find out for myself. Hope this was helpfull. You decide.
Take care.
Scott

CharlieWis said:
Hey I got a call from findmealocalpainter.com the other day and it seemed like an all right deal. The introduction price is $100 + a mandatory 10 leads for $350 (35 per lead). After the $450 investment the rest is up to you. No annual fees, no obligation or minimum lead purchase, you can just buy leads one at a time or ten a month or whatever you want for $35 per lead. They also say that they only give out a single lead to 3 painters in the area and then that lead is toast. I'd also been the only painter in my area. Do these sites really work? I know for most of you guys, for $450, it would be worth it to find out, but for me $450 is a big investment, and I don't want to risk it on nothing. So has anyone used one of these sites, or this one in paticular? How did it go? Is it worth the money? It seemed like a good deal to me, but I wanna see what the vets think. And if anyone has a good lead site to reccomend that would be great. Thanks!

Brian

· #16 · Jul 6, 2008

Here is how one of those companies advertises. Superior work at low prices is not a tag line I want to be associated with.

Brian Phillips

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tsunamicontract

· #17 · Jul 6, 2008

plus they are advertising on a board of professional painters who probably don't need any painting done by someone else

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