If you’ve been in the home services world long enough, you’ve probably had that experience.
The one where you signed up with a marketing company, felt optimistic for about two weeks… and then spent the next three months wondering where your money went. You’re not alone. A 2023 BrightLocal survey found that a large percentage of small businesses using some form of digital marketing report frustration with results, especially around lead quality and ROI.
Start With What They Measure (and What They Avoid)
Good marketing companies are comfortable talking about numbers.
When you’re comparing companies, listen closely for how they talk about performance:
- Do they focus on cost per lead (CPL)?
- Do they track call volume and form submissions?
- Can they show conversion rates from clicks to leads?
- Do they separate qualified vs. unqualified leads?
Google reports that 76% of people who search for a local service visit a business within 24 hours, and 28% of those searches result in a purchase. That means traffic alone isn’t the problem. What happens after the click matters more. A strong company will talk about that entire chain.
Ask for Proof That Looks Like Your Business
A roofing company in Phoenix scaling to $1M in revenue doesn’t help much if you’re a two-truck HVAC business in Ohio.
What you want:
- Businesses similar to yours (service + size)
- Data over time (not just one good month)
- Clear starting point vs. current performance
- Actual lead numbers, not just percentages
For example, a campaign that went from:
- 10 leads/month → 35 leads/month
- $180 CPL → $85 CPL
That tells a story you can actually evaluate. Specifics matter because marketing performance varies wildly by industry. Without context, numbers don’t mean much.
Pay Attention to How They Handle Lead Quality
Getting your phone to ring is one thing; getting the right calls is another. A lot of frustration comes from this gap.
When you’re comparing companies, ask:
- How do you filter out spam or irrelevant calls?
- Do you use negative keywords in Google Ads?
- How do you define a “qualified lead”?
- Can I listen to call recordings?
If they don’t bring up lead quality on their own, that’s a signal. Fixing that alone often improves ROI without increasing spend.
Understand Their Strategy in Plain English
You shouldn’t need a marketing degree to understand what you’re paying for. A good company can explain its approach in a way that makes sense without buzzwords.
You’re looking for clarity around:
- Where your leads are coming from (Google Ads, SEO, GBP, etc.)
- How they plan to improve performance over time
- What happens in the first 30, 60, and 90 days
- What they do when performance drops
If the explanation feels complicated, it usually means the execution will be too. Simple strategies tend to be more consistent and easier to hold accountable.
Pricing Should Make Sense Without a Calculator
Marketing isn’t cheap, but it also shouldn’t feel like a guessing game. When comparing companies, break down the cost into something tangible:
- Monthly spend vs. expected leads
- Estimated cost per lead
- Management fee vs. ad spend
If someone can’t give you a reasonable range, you’re walking in blind.
The One Step That Makes This Easier
Before your next call with a marketing company, write this down on a piece of paper:
“What does a good month look like for my business?” Just a simple, clear target of the number of leads, cost per lead, and type of jobs you want more of. That one step changes the conversation. Now you’re not reacting to what they pitch, you’re comparing it to what you actually need, and that’s where better decisions start.
You’ve got a better idea now of what to look for. The next step is figuring out what’s realistic for your business.