How can i generate leads for a new business?

[m3jappa]

I am in the process of starting an artificial grass installation company.

The business itself, branding, web text, quoting etc etc etc is all ok, in fact i am very optimistic. After 20 odd years in the paving and landscaping game i am confident this could be 'the one' (ill let you know this time next year rodney )

Anyway.

I need advice on what is the best way to generate leads. My paving work is quite literally all word of mouth. Thats taken years to get to that stage, in fact at times when the phone rings that in itself is an issue i only have so much capacity with that type of work. It is simply too complicated to just 'get more blokes' .

I plan the following:

New website. do i need to spend a decent amount or do i do a cheaper not as professional type (i think the dearer tbh) I have been quoted 1400 by someone who did my original site years ago. they are quite well known and i am happy with their service.

facebook and instagram pages.

Leaflets. i generally dont like these but i imagine bombarding every new build estate within 15 miles could be fruitful. i am unsure on how to find out how to get them delivered though?

Frequent posting or replying when people ask for recommendation on facebook groups, i hate this but as everyone else does it so will i.

Things like checkatrade etc are quite expensive and as i am new on there im not sure if it would generate any leads.


So what can i do. should i be spending a fortune on seo for the new website? my issue is i do not understand any of it so i feel i could be easily led or i could just never sign on the line as i am too concerned they are all pulling my pants down.

I really would like to generate just 2-5 enquires per week within say a 10-15 mile radius of where im based. I am confident i can turn that into 1 or possibly even 2 jobs a week. On the face of it i don't see it being impossible to generate those leads, others do it, so can i.

thank you

[CoolHands]

I know nothing but I think facebook proves fruitful for these types of local businesses. You set up a company facebook account and once you’re underway post regular photos of current jobs. I don’t know how advertising works on fb but I think I’ve read in here that response rate is generally good.

[Traffic]

Exploratory Google Ads campaign is the short-term.
Use that to then inform what you do regarding SEO.
Remarket with Meta/Youtube etc

Collect emails

[jagnet]

Don't skimp on the website, it's a false economy.

Definitely don't spend a fortune on SEO at this stage. I'd be surprised if you ever needed to for a local business targeting a small area, but I've not had a look at what the search results currently look like for your target market.

If it were me, I'd make use of your existing paving company site to get a massive head start. Get that website rebuilt (it really does need doing anyway) and include a service page for the artificial grass installation. With a long-established website like yours, you shouldn't have any difficulties ranking that new page well to start getting the leads in. Paving and artificial turf are related, so it's not like you're trying to leverage completely unrelated search terms.

You can make it clear that it's a sister company, link to the new website from it, and you've got a head start on getting the new site to rank quickly. If it's done well then there's a good chance that you'll end up with both your existing site and the new site showing in the search results for "near me" searches for artificial grass. Depending on competition from other sites, add in your Facebook and Insta pages, a free Yell listing, your Google Business Profile and you could have half of the first page results being your business for some of your target search terms without spending anything on SEO and PPC. Nice.

[m3jappa]

jagnet said:

Don't skimp on the website, it's a false economy.

Definitely don't spend a fortune on SEO at this stage. I'd be surprised if you ever needed to for a local business targeting a small area, but I've not had a look at what the search results currently look like for your target market.

If it were me, I'd make use of your existing paving company site to get a massive head start. Get that website rebuilt (it really does need doing anyway) and include a service page for the artificial grass installation. With a long-established website like yours, you shouldn't have any difficulties ranking that new page well to start getting the leads in. Paving and artificial turf are related, so it's not like you're trying to leverage completely unrelated search terms.

You can make it clear that it's a sister company, link to the new website from it, and you've got a head start on getting the new site to rank quickly. If it's done well then there's a good chance that you'll end up with both your existing site and the new site showing in the search results for "near me" searches for artificial grass. Depending on competition from other sites, add in your Facebook and Insta pages, a free Yell listing, your Google Business Profile and you could have half of the first page results being your business for some of your target search terms without spending anything on SEO and PPC. Nice.

Wow, thats a great reply. thank you

I assume you looked at my paving site? it is very old now and i have just left it as i dont really need the enquiries. However if what you say is the case then i totally get that its got to be worth doing.

As with all this type of work there are loads doing it.

However. I truly believe its a case of i can do it too, i just need to do it better.

The place who originally built my website have quoted 1400 for each site. Do you think thats an ok cost? The only reason i moved my site away from them was at the time i couldn't update it myself easily, i am led to believe i now can. Someone local took it over and they basically fked it up, since then i just left it.

I did want to rebuild my existing site to try and target driveway work as for me its a lot easier than landscaping. But i just thought for now get the grass thing going (which is even easier). So tbh this could actually benefit quite substantially if it means i kill two birds with one stone so to speak.

Edited by m3jappa on Sunday 23 July 08:59

[mcflurry]

How about the business network group meetings, for example BNI or FSB ?

[m3jappa]

mcflurry said:

How about the business network group meetings, for example BNI or FSB ?

I am not sure how these work if your chasing domestic work? I do know people seem to speak highly of them though so it may be worth looking at.

[Vincecj]

m3jappa said:

mcflurry said:

How about the business network group meetings, for example BNI or FSB ?

I am not sure how these work if your chasing domestic work? I do know people seem to speak highly of them though so it may be worth looking at.

I was a BNI member for nearly 18 years, worked for my garden services/landscaping business.

[shedweller]

I run a small landscaping business that hasn't need to advertise for many years either.
But recently me and a designer friend have been trying a new business idea similar to yours but focussed on particular demographics and locations (first time buyers, new builds)

Google ads has been working very well for me, being able to target specific areas, search terms and demographics and is bringing in the right kind of leads.

I've self taught myself through multiple online resources and have refined keywords and my Ads to a nice level and it's working very well for the overall cost..

The hardest part is ignoring Google's constant 'advice' to increase my impressions and clicks... And coincidentally their revenue,
I'm using it to target specific postcodes, towns and villages and Google wants people hundreds of miles away to land on my site looking for "free garden design" and suchlike....

[Slowboathome]

Whenever I'm looking for someone to do work on my house or garden, I:

1. Use people who've done work for me before - so, obviously let your current customers know about your new venture
2. Look on the local facebook page and ask neighbours
3. Look in the local magazine - comes round very few months - the last 3 pages are all small trade ads.

A few new businesses have started up round here and they've let people know on facebook and also let their mates know (said mates normally chime in on the Facebook post with 'good luck's and recommendations.

A word of warning though, I've seen people asking for recommendations for artificial grass on a local facebook page get a somewhat frosty reception from people who think it's environmentally unfriendly. You might want to have your response ready when they make those points.

Best of luck.

[m3jappa]

Again a couple more great replies. Thank you.

And yes it is a very very controversial material. I do get why it is as ultimately if everyone covered their lawn up then thats terrible (although i also think hang on isn't something like 85% of the uk farmland) but people who are so furious about it need to realise that not everyone has the time or ability to tend to a half decent lawn, they might have a shaded garden, a dog or be too immobile to worry about the grass.

They may also be too lazy, simple as that.

I don't know why some people are so opinionated about things they don't even think about.

It is one reason why as well that i want to start a stand alone company offering this service which isn't obviously related to my main work.

[jagnet]

m3jappa said:

I assume you looked at my paving site? it is very old now and i have just left it as i dont really need the enquiries. However if what you say is the case then i totally get that its got to be worth doing.

Yeah, it's definitely showing its age now

m3jappa said:

The place who originally built my website have quoted 1400 for each site. Do you think thats an ok cost?

It's a not unreasonable amount to get a half decent site up and running and I'd definitely expect it to be a good level above a £500 copypasta job. I'd be inclined to ask for a bit of a discount if you're having 2 websites done at the same time.

m3jappa said:

I did want to rebuild my existing site to try and target driveway work as for me its a lot easier than landscaping. But i just thought for now get the grass thing going (which is even easier). So tbh this could actually benefit quite substantially if it means i kill two birds with one stone so to speak.

It sounds quite timely then. Not at all unusual with manual work to want to concentrate on the less back-breaking jobs as time goes on. With more enquiries than you have time to complete jobs for you can cherry-pick to a greater extent.

If the existing site is updated with more emphasis on the driveway work and less on the landscaping, it'll hopefully give your back and knees even more respite. If the artificial grass business doesn't take off, then you're still sitting pretty. If it does, then an up-to-date landscaping site and n times more enquiries per week would make the business more enticing to someone wanting to buy it if you decided to go that route.

[jeremyc]

I'd say the first place to look is your existing happy paving and landscaping customers.

Contact them again and ask if they might be interested in having their lawns updated.

[m3jappa]

jagnet said:

m3jappa said:

I assume you looked at my paving site? it is very old now and i have just left it as i dont really need the enquiries. However if what you say is the case then i totally get that its got to be worth doing.

Yeah, it's definitely showing its age now

m3jappa said:

The place who originally built my website have quoted 1400 for each site. Do you think thats an ok cost?

It's a not unreasonable amount to get a half decent site up and running and I'd definitely expect it to be a good level above a £500 copypasta job. I'd be inclined to ask for a bit of a discount if you're having 2 websites done at the same time.

m3jappa said:

I did want to rebuild my existing site to try and target driveway work as for me its a lot easier than landscaping. But i just thought for now get the grass thing going (which is even easier). So tbh this could actually benefit quite substantially if it means i kill two birds with one stone so to speak.

It sounds quite timely then. Not at all unusual with manual work to want to concentrate on the less back-breaking jobs as time goes on. With more enquiries than you have time to complete jobs for you can cherry-pick to a greater extent.

If the existing site is updated with more emphasis on the driveway work and less on the landscaping, it'll hopefully give your back and knees even more respite. If the artificial grass business doesn't take off, then you're still sitting pretty. If it does, then an up-to-date landscaping site and n times more enquiries per week would make the business more enticing to someone wanting to buy it if you decided to go that route.

Thanks very much, it really is appreciated

I really need to find and carry out an easier type of work. the driveway work is no problem, the landscaping is something else though. It is too expensive, too skilled, too much to go wrong. I end up working 3 times harder than if im doing a driveway and earning less, with more risk. It has been ruining my life and now its time to do something about it. The jobs can take so long that it can take months to recover from one job and you never ever do better out of a landscaping job than planned, only worse, almost every single time.

I just didn't know what to do. Now i do.

Even if i just try and generate more driveway quotes that alone is good.

[m3jappa]

jeremyc said:

I'd say the first place to look is your existing happy paving and landscaping customers.

Contact them again and ask if they might be interested in having their lawns updated.

I have got to say thats a great idea. I didn't think of that.

It has surprised me over time that people just dont realise we might do other work. I mean we could be doing a really complicated landscaping job and they are shocked that we might be able to do a new gate

Just recently i was finalising a large driveway for around december time and i mentioned my artificial grass idea, net result was i gave him an estimate there and then and its good to go.......

[PositronicRay]

Cards on notice boards
Garden centres
Newsagents
Parish notice boards
Pub
Social clubs
Village Hall
Supermarket
DIY shed


Also a double sided business cards, paving on one side, grass on the other.

[Neddy Sea Goon]

m3jappa said:

It has surprised me over time that people just dont realise we might do other work. I mean we could be doing a really complicated landscaping job and they are shocked that we might be able to do a new gate

I'm in totally different industry to you, but I just added a line to the bottom of every document with a list of everything we did, along the lines of "we design and install driveways, pathways, fences, gates, drainage, walls, shed bases, foundations, an so on"