Top 10 Lead Providers For Handyman Services

Most handymen (or women) are one-person operations that don’t have a lot of time and resources to spend on marketing or lead generation.

For those who have been in the business for a while, they can likely fill their pipelines with referrals and existing clients. However, it’s not always easy if you’re new to the business or looking to rapidly expand your client base.

Everybody needs a handyperson once in a while. The question is, how can you show up in the right place, at the right time, and in front of the right prospects so you get the job?

Most people go online to search for local service providers and it’s no exception when they need a handyman. If you want to get found by prospects, you need to make sure your information shows up in the relevant search engine results.

The challenge faced by most handyman business owners is that they don’t have the resources to invest in online marketing, which has a lot of moving parts. From SEO and paid ads to website optimization and lead capture, everything needs to be dialed in to maximize your ROI.

The good news is, there are many lead generation services you can use to get your business in front of high-quality prospects.

These vendors use a variety of techniques to generate leads and they structure their services differently.

Some drive traffic to their platforms on which prospects fill out a web form to request a quote. The vendors will then verify the leads and distribute them to contractors who have signed up for their services.

Other vendors create a marketing funnel for you (e.g., website, SEO) and use online marketing techniques to drive prospects to your website through which they can get in touch with you.

Some of these vendors offer their services for a flat monthly fee while others charge per-lead or per-call.

Different lead generation services work for different business models, budgets, and markets. To help you select the right vendor for your business, we have created a list of top 10 lead generation services for handyman businesses:

	Exclusive Leads	Lead Verification	Lead Source(s)
Networx.com	No	Yes	Prospects submit requests on vendor’s website
CraftJack.com	No	Yes	Prospects submit requests on vendor’s website
Connexion​Solutions​.com	Yes	Yes	Prospects visit contractor’s website
Handyman​JobLeads​.com	Yes	Yes	Prospects visit contractor’s website
Ring-Leader.net	Yes	Yes	Prospects visit contractor’s website
FreeContractors​Leads​.com	Yes	Yes	Vendor sets up sales calls on your behalf
Advertising​​And​Lead​Generation​.com	Yes	Yes	Prospects submit requests on vendor’s website
Contractors​99.com	Yes (selected programs)	N/A	Prospects submit requests on vendor’s website
HomeYou.com	Yes	Yes	Prospects submit requests on vendor’s website
99calls.com	Yes	Yes	Prospects visit contractor’s website

Figure 1: How each lead generation service handles lead generation, verification, and distribution

What You Need To Know When Selecting a Lead Generation Service For Your Handyman Business

In order to find the right lead generation service for your business, you need to understand how these vendors work. Here are a few key terms you should know when making your selection:

Shared Leads vs. Exclusive Leads

In general, shared leads have a lower cost-per-lead than exclusive leads. However, they are distributed to more than one service provider. Therefore, the chances of winning a job are lower and you are more likely to get stuck in a pricing war that will impact your profits.

On the other hand, purchasing exclusive leads means you’re the only service provider to receive the prospect’s information from the vendor. The competition is lower and you’re more likely to get the job at your standard rate.

Shared leads can work well for businesses that have the resources to pitch many prospects while exclusive leads often deliver a higher ROI for handypeople who are relatively new to the business or don’t have much time to spend on client acquisition.

Verified Leads

Verifying a lead means either the vendor or your team has to review the information submitted via a web form or call the prospects to make sure their projects match your criteria.

If you have the time or resources to speak to each prospect, getting verified leads from a vendor may not be of high priority. Otherwise, you may want to work with vendors that deliver verified leads to save you time and efforts.

There is also a trade-off between getting verified shared leads vs. direct exclusive leads. While verified shared leads takes the verification process off your plate, you’d be competing with other handyman businesses.

On the other hand, the competition is lower with direct exclusive leads but their quality may vary depending on the traffic source and lead capture mechanism.

If a vendor sends calls to you directly, make sure there’s a system to track and record these leads. There should be a frictionless way for you to dispute a lead and get credited for bad ones.

In general, pre-verified leads will save you time while post-verified leads are more economical. Regardless of your choice, make sure to review how the leads are screened (e.g. whether the vendor requires prospects to fill out a detail web form or calls the prospects on your behalf to set up an appointment) before signing up for a service.

Lead Sources

A prospect can come across your information in many places, such as online ads, organic search results, online directories, third-party review sites, referral, or offline promotions.

Depending on your market, some of these sources may generate higher-converting traffic than others. Knowing which of them are most effective will help you determine where to invest your marketing dollars.

If you use a lead generation service that drives traffic to your website, you can review the analytics to see which lead source is most effective.

If you work with vendors that use online marketing techniques to attract prospects to their platforms, you should experiment with a few because these lead sources and lead quality vary.

Pricing Structure and Cost Per Lead

Some vendors charge per lead or per call, while others offer packages for a flat monthly fee.

Selecting services with a pricing structure that meets your needs can help you maximize your marketing budget.

For example, if you only want to get leads once in a while, a pay-per-lead or pay-per-call service is likely to be more cost-efficient. If you need leads consistently, packages with a flat monthly fee can help you better control your budget.

To make the right decision, you should understand the vendors’ pricing structures and your conversion rate so you can select the right service offering that gives you the optimal number of leads.

Here is the pricing information for some of the vendors we have listed:

	Cost Per Lead
Networx​.com	$30-$70/shared lead
CraftJack​.com	Ranges from $9 – $25.50 per shared lead
ConnexionSolutions​.com	$499/month for unlimited exclusive leads
Handyman​Job​Leads​.com	Starting from $250 setup fee, plus $37 per month
Ring-Leader.net	$30/lead, no setup fee
FreeContractors​Leads​.com	Base on various qualifying criteria, such as years in business and location
Advertising​And​Lead​Generation​.com	Varies based on service package
Contractors99.com	$29 per shared lead and $69 per exclusive lead
HomeYou.com	Depends on the type of service and location
99calls.com	Intro offer: $199 setup and $99/month for first 10 months of unlimited leads. $24.90 per exclusive lead after the intro period

Figure 2: Pricing structure comparison

Top 10 Lead Generation Services For Handyman Businesses

To select a lead generation service that works best for your business model and budget, you should understand how the vendors get leads, their fee structures, and the pros and cons of their offerings.

In addition, don’t forget to look up customer reviews to see if the strengths of the vendor match your needs.

Here’s an overview of the vendors on our list:

1. Networx

Cost per handyman lead: $30 – $70 per shared lead.

Lead distribution system: Leads are shared by up to 4 contractors.

Lead source: The vendor drives traffic to its website using online advertising and SEO tactics. Prospects fill out a detailed web form and are shown profiles of matching contractors.

Pros:

• You can set up a custom profile with photos and reviews to showcase your services.

• The vendor has received positive reviews on its personalized services.

Cons:

• You’ll be getting shared leads, which means you’ll likely be competing with other handymen.

Reviews:

Source: Better Business Bureau

2. CraftJack

Cost per handyman lead: $9 – $25.50 per shared lead.

Lead distribution system: Leads are distributed to as many as four contractors.

Lead source: The vendor drives traffic to its website using SEO tactics. Prospects then fill out a web form to request a quote.

Lead Verification System: When potential clients submit their requests on the vendor’s website, its automated system calls them to verify their information.

Pros:

• The vendor offers a “speed-to-call” discount that encourages contractors to call a lead within 30 minutes of receiving it to increase the chances of winning the job.

• You can get both residential and commercial leads through this platform.

• The lead management tool allows you to ask past clients for reviews, which will be posted on your profile.

• You can request a credit through the lead management tool if you receive a bad lead.

Cons:

• Getting shared leads means you’ll be competing with other handyman businesses for the same jobs.

Reviews:

Source: Better Business Bureau

3. Connexion Solutions

Pricing structure: Lead generation packages start at a flat monthly fee of $499.

Lead distribution system: Exclusive.

Lead source: The vendor uses SEO strategies to drive traffic to your website, which will be created for you as part of the service package.

Lead Verification System: Prospects fill out a web form to request quotes.

Pros:

• Packages include a lead generation website that can benefit your business in the long-run.
• The vendor does the advertising, SEO, and social media marketing for you to drive website traffic.
• The vendor guarantees minimum lead calls and form-fills each month.

Cons:

• It’s more expensive than many other pay-per-lead services.

Reviews:

No client reviews found at time of publishing.

4. Handyman Job Leads

Pricing structure: Service packages include a one-time design fee (from $250) plus a monthly management fee (starting at $37.)

Lead distribution system: Exclusive.

Lead source: The vendor uses SEO strategies to drive traffic to your website, which will be built for you as part of the service.

Lead Verification System: Prospects contact you either by filling out a web form or calling a tracking number on your website.

Pros:

• The “Professional” package includes the implementation of advanced SEO strategies such as content marketing, location citations, reputation marketing, and authority backlinks.
• Packages include building a lead generation website that can benefit your business in the long-run.
• A monthly flat fee helps you control your budget.

Cons:

• It’s more expensive than many other pay-per-lead services.

Reviews:

Source: Handyman Job Leads Website

5. Ring-Leader

Pricing structure: $30 per lead.

Lead distribution system: Exclusive.

Lead source: The vendor builds an optimized website for you and drives traffic to it using SEO tactics.

Lead Verification System: Prospects contact you by calling a tracking number listed on the website and the calls are forwarded to your phone.

Pros:

• Service package includes building a lead generation website that can benefit your business in the long-run.
• There is no setup fee or design charge.

Cons:

• Unproven – no reviews found.

Reviews:

No review available at the time of publication.

6. Free Contractors Leads

Pricing structure: Base on various qualifying criteria, such as years in business and location. The vendor also offers a pay-per-sale option.

Lead distribution system: Exclusive.

Lead source: The vendor generates leads using online ads and sends the calls directly to your phone.

Lead Verification System: You get inbound phone calls from prospects that are actively looking for a handyman.

Pros:

• The vendor only works with a few handyman businesses in each geographic region to ensure there are enough leads for each.
• The vendor will develop a website and landing page for your business as part of the service.

Cons:

• The full-funnel service and pay-per-sale option could cost more than pay-per-lead services.

Reviews:

No review available at the time of publication.

7. Advertising & Lead Generation

Pricing structure: Varies based on service package.

Lead distribution system: Exclusive.

Lead source: The vendor uses direct response marketing methods to generate leads.

Lead Verification System: Prospects contact you by either filling out a web form or calling a tracking number on an ad, which sends the calls directly to your phone.

Pros:

• You have the chance to scrub out bad leads so you don’t get charged for them.
• Geofence marketing ensures that you’re only getting leads within your service area.
• There’s no down payment or monthly fee.

Cons:

• The vendor’s website doesn’t provide much information on pricing structure or how it generates leads.

Reviews:

No review available at the time of publication.

8. Contractors 99

Cost per handyman lead: $29 per shared lead and $69 per exclusive lead.

Lead distribution system: Both shared and exclusive leads.

Lead source: Prospects submit requests on vendor’s website.

Lead Verification System: Not specified, the vendor will issue a refund on invalid leads.

Pros:

• Simple pay-per-lead pricing means you can get as many or as few leads as you need.
• Real-time lead posting allows you to respond to prospects’ requests promptly and increase the chances of winning a job.
• You can set up filters for project types, service area, and daily budget limit to get more targeted leads.

Cons:

• The vendor doesn’t offer additional or personalized services.

Reviews:

No reviews available at the time of publication.

9. HomeYou

Cost per handyman lead: Depends on the type of service and market.

Lead distribution system: Both shared and exclusive leads, varies by package.

Lead source: The vendor uses online marketing techniques (e.g., SEO) to drive traffic to its website on which potential clients submit their requests for quotes.

Lead Verification System: The vendor verifies the requests before sending the leads to you.

Pros:

• Many contractors are satisfied with the quality of the leads from this vendor.
• You get a profile page on the vendor’s website to showcase your services.
• The vendor offers refunds on bad leads.

Cons:

• Price per lead may be higher than some other pay-per-lead websites.

Reviews:

Source: Better Business Bureau

10. 99 Calls

Pricing structure: $199 setup fee. $99 per month for the first 10 months to get unlimited leads. $24.90 per exclusive lead after the intro period.

Lead distribution system: Exclusive.

Lead source: The vendor builds a website for your business. It’s optimized to show up on top of search engine results so you get found by prospects looking for handyman service in your area. Prospects will call your business directly using a tracking number.

Pros:

• You’ll receive exclusive leads that are searching for handyman service in your area.

• You get an optimized website that will rank high in organic searches, boosting your SEO and generating long-term results.

• Your company will be listed on prominent local directories. These profiles, along with a Facebook business page, will be properly set up so you can promote special offers to attract potential clients.

• The vendor guarantees a minimum number of leads per month or your bill is prorated. Calls are recorded so it’s easy to dispute bad leads.

• Monthly reporting helps you track results and maximize ROI.

• Over 130 5-star testimonials

Reviews:

Source: Better Business Bureau

Also see:
Google reviews for 99 Calls
Facebook reviews for 99 Calls

Conclusion

For many prospects, time is of the essence when they need a handyman.

To increase the chances of winning a job, make sure to contact the prospect as soon as possible after you have received a lead and schedule an in-person quote – which has been found to increase conversion – if you can.

As a handyman, most of your revenue will come from repeat customers. When clients find a good handyman, they’d likely stick with him/her so a small job done well can lead to more and bigger projects.

Not to mention, the cost of retaining a customer is much lower than that of acquiring a new client. When you bid for jobs and deliver your services, consider customer retention and customer lifetime value as well as the immediate revenue so you can build a loyal client base for a profitable and sustainable business.