Are Expensive leads ignoring your calls and beating you down on price?

I use strategy to help contractors lower the cost of generating new business.

If you’ve ever spent hundreds—maybe thousands—of dollars on third-party leads, only to get ghosted or pressured for deep discounts, you're not alone. For many contractors, this is one of the most frustrating parts of the business. You're investing money to grow your company, but the return often feels like a gamble.

Here’s the good news: there is a better way. While buying leads can open doors, what truly gets results is what happens after that lead comes in. Here’s why most contractors allow leads to fall through the cracks—and how a smart, consistent sales strategy combined with helpful content can turn the tide in your favor.

The Problem: Overpriced Leads and Underwhelming Results

Let’s face it—lead generation services like Angi & Porch are expensive. Contractors often shell out $50–$300 per lead, expecting people ready to book an estimate. Instead, you get:

• No answers. You call right away, and nothing. No response to texts, no call back.

• Price shoppers. The first thing they ask? “What kind of discount can you give me?”

• Duplicate leads. You realize the “exclusive” lead was also sold to five other contractors.

At this point, it’s easy to feel like the game is rigged. But here’s the truth: most leads aren’t bad—they’re just not ready yet, and they’re not being followed up with the right way.

Why Most Leads Go Cold

Homeowners requesting quotes online are often still in the research phase, not the decision phase. They might be comparing options, waiting on insurance approvals, or just procrastinating. If they don't hear from a contractor who stands out and stays visible, they forget who you are or go with whoever follows up last.

The key is persistence with value.

The Solution: A Smart Sales Cadence That Builds Trust

Rather than calling a few times and giving up, successful contractors use a structured sales cadence—a planned series of outreach steps across different channels.

Here’s what an effective sales cadence might look like for a contractor:

1. Initial Call & Voicemail

Call the lead within 5 minutes of receiving it. If no answer, leave a friendly voicemail introducing yourself and setting expectations.

2. Follow-Up Text

Send a short, helpful text message. Example:

“Hi [Name], this is Mike from WeatherGuard Roofing. Just left you a voicemail about your roofing request. I’d be happy to help with a free inspection—what time works for you?”

3. Follow-Up Email (with Value)

Send an email that includes:

• A brief intro

• A link to a helpful blog post (e.g., “What to Expect During a Roof Inspection”)

• A call to action to schedule a consultation

4. Ongoing Nurture (3–10 days)

Over the next week or two, continue with:

• A couple more calls

• Follow-up texts or emails with links that feature testimonials or educational content.

• Retargeting ads (if possible) that help you stay on their radar while they’re still doing their research

The goal here is not to nag—but to stay top of mind and provide useful info that builds trust over time.

How Blog Content Makes You the Obvious Choice

Yes, blog content is great for SEO, but it can do much more than that. Here’s where most contractors miss the mark: they try to close the lead instead of nurture it with posts that inform and build trust.

By sharing content like:

• “5 Signs Your Roof Needs Repair”

• “How to Choose a Contractor You Can Trust”

• “The Truth About Warranties & Insurance”

…you position yourself as a helpful authority, not just another contractor trying to make a sale. Prospects who see your content over time are far more likely to remember you, trust you, and hire you when they’re ready.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Just Chase Leads—Build Relationships

Expensive leads aren’t going away—but frustration doesn’t have to be part of the package. With a strategic follow-up process and content that educates and reassures, you can turn more of those leads into booked jobs and loyal customers.

If you want to stand out in a crowded market, don’t rely on the lead source to do all the work. Make your process the difference-maker.

Need Help developing an effective sales strategy and creating Content That Builds Trust?

I specialize in developing effective sales cadences and writing SEO-friendly, value-driven blog posts for contractors that are localized for a specific region (e.g., seasonal needs in Texas or insurance-driven repairs in Florida). Reach out today to learn how strategically delivering consistent content can help you close more deals—with less frustration.

I can also help create follow-up emails or text templates to include in your sales cadence. Click here and lets start the conversation!

More about me

As impressive as all the marketing skills are, probably the coolest thing to come out of my career has been how I’ve managed to leverage it into travel and living abroad. I'm originally from Long Island, NY, but I’ve been living in Medellin, Colombia for the last 8. Really love it here. It’s called the “City of Eternal Spring” for its great year round climate, and that’s just one of the reasons I’m happy to wake up each morning in such a beautiful city.

The quality of life is really great. Especially for those lucky few that are earning dollars and spending pesos.

Before that I spent 4 years in Barcelona. That’s a really long story but I’ll probably share more about that and other experiences I’ve had living abroad in future blog posts, so hope to see you back.