lead groups

[Riograndeelectric]

How many of you belong to any type of lead generation groups like service magic. com etc.
I know service magic is not that good as I used them in the past.
I am looking into a couple of different lead groups that charge a flat rate instead of a per lead fee.
do any of you have any good recommendations?

I seem to be very slow and trying to build my work back up.
Thanks.
Cameron

 

[petersonra]

I tried to use Service magic to get quotes for some work I needed done. I was unimpressed from the consumer side.

The thing that aggravated me was that of the three requests I put in, the contractor Service magic recommended only bothered to call me for one of them. And he seemed uninterested in the work I had in mind.

 

[nhfire77]

Ive heard it varies region to region. Personally, I think, it sucks. No way to sugar coat it.

 

[Kdog76]

What are lead generation groups?

 

[LarryFine]

What are lead generation groups?

Why, groups that generate leads, of course!

 

[jes25]

What about Angie's list? I've heard there ads on NPR; I guess I should say, I've heard heard about them on NPR. NPR doesn't really have ads per se. They seem good though.

 

[shermansfather]

For whatever it?s worth: Lead services connect you with shoppers, sometimes window shoppers, if they were going to use the first guy they see they wouldn?t be using the internet to find multiple vendors.
Up here (NE Ohio) I find:
Service Magic: You list by the zip code and service offered, depending on category $25, $50 or $100 a lead no matter how pitiful, billed on your credit card. Half are window shoppers, other half I?ve closed about a 30% to 40%. You end up paying about $300 per decent lead plus your time for estimates. With that kind of sales load you?ll have to go in high and be a good closer. In the right zip code with the right service (maybe PVs or generators) you might actually break even.
Angie?s List: You don? t directly pay to be on Angie?s list, but plenty of guys have paid the (about) $80 to go in as the consumer and give a rousing review , even twice or three times to get the ball rolling. Expect to see real sticklers , these folks take the contractor selection process serious, almost a fetish.
Craig?s List: Hey it?s free (where I am), expect calls from some absolete idiots. You?ll need to know how to get rid of a dead end without going in person. Considering the price $0 (again, where I am, I don?t think I?d pay for it) not too bad.
I do mostly commercial but a do a little Resi. to bridge cash flow gaps.

 

[satcom]

A not so funny thing happened a few years ago, when we went to look at a service upgrade, the owner must of called every online service company, and 8 or 9 local yellow listed EC's and he gave them all the same time to arrive, well when we came down the street all we could see was EC trucks for blocks, as it turned out, the homeowner came to the front steps of his home, and said who ever gives me the best price gets the job, just write your price on one of your business cards, and drop it in the basket on the steps, he then went in the house and closed the door. Well, it was on, one of the EC went to his truck and came back to the front of the house with a piece of 3/4 rigid and started banging the basket into pieces, daring the customer to come out, we all had to restrain him until we could get him out of the area. In my view, these online service lead companies are just some place for all these beat them down shoppers to go.

 

[Karl H]

A not so funny thing happened a few years ago, when we went to look at a service upgrade, the owner must of called every online service company, and 8 or 9 local yellow listed EC's and he gave them all the same time to arrive, well when we came down the street all we could see was EC trucks for blocks, as it turned out, the homeowner came to the front steps of his home, and said who ever gives me the best price gets the job, just write your price on one of your business cards, and drop it in the basket on the steps, he then went in the house and closed the door. Well, it was on, one of the EC went to his truck and came back to the front of the house with a piece of 3/4 rigid and started banging the basket into pieces, daring the customer to come out, we all had to restrain him until we could get him out of the area. In my view, these online service lead companies are just some place for all these beat them down shoppers to go.

That is one of the funniest things I have ever heard! :grin::grin::grin:

To be honest, if I saw a block worth of EC trucks that were there to
bid on a service change I would have kept on driving. Not even worth my
time.

 

[okeefe]

I will not pay a lead group or service company for residential job leads. Think outside the box for your adversting.

 

[daleuger]

That is one of the funniest things I have ever heard! :grin::grin::grin:

To be honest, if I saw a block worth of EC trucks that were there to
bid on a service change I would have kept on driving. Not even worth my
time.

Eh you could watch for a few minutes just for the entertainment value (case in point) but I wouldn't seriously consider throwing in a bid. :roll:

 

[nhfire77]

Maybe instead of a $ you could write down directions on where to go...... and then leave

What a jerk.

 

[MJW]

Several years ago my wife belonged to a group called Colorado business leads. It was basically a group of people with one representative from different fields that would send leads to each other. There would be one person who was a real estate agent, one person who was a plumber, one person who owned a car repair shop and so on. It seems like the membership fee was nominal and they would meet once a week to exchange leads. I think my wife got a fair amount of business from her group (she was a residential lender at the time) and was a member until she switched careers. I know there are several similar groups in Colorado. It might be worth looking into. I think the biggest investment is your time.

 

[ultramegabob]

Several years ago my wife belonged to a group called Colorado business leads. It was basically a group of people with one representative from different fields that would send leads to each other. There would be one person who was a real estate agent, one person who was a plumber, one person who owned a car repair shop and so on. It seems like the membership fee was nominal and they would meet once a week to exchange leads. I think my wife got a fair amount of business from her group (she was a residential lender at the time) and was a member until she switched careers. I know there are several similar groups in Colorado. It might be worth looking into. I think the biggest investment is your time.

A few years ago I joined a group just like that called BNI (Business Networking Industries, Indiana or whatever...) I dont know if they are all the same, it may depend on the group of people that you wind up with, but I never got anything out of it. There were not very many business owners that were there, most of them were employees, salesmen, assistant managers and such. They were all gung-ho for going to all kinds of "Power Lunches" and "One on One" meetings in addition to the weekly breakfast get together... It didnt take to long to figgure out what was going on, these guys are all getting paid to screw around several times a week and eat meals on thier companies tab (at Applebees, Red lobster, etc.), while I was buying my own meals and should be on a jobsite making money....

 

[nhfire77]

A few years ago I joined a group just like that called BNI (Business Networking Industries, Indiana or whatever...) I dont know if they are all the same, it may depend on the group of people that you wind up with, but I never got anything out of it. There were not very many business owners that were there, most of them were employees, salesmen, assistant managers and such. They were all gung-ho for going to all kinds of "Power Lunches" and "One on One" meetings in addition to the weekly breakfast get together... It didnt take to long to figgure out what was going on, these guys are all getting paid to screw around several times a week and eat meals on thier companies tab (at Applebees, Red lobster, etc.), while I was buying my own meals and should be on a jobsite making money....

Ive tried BNI for myself and as an employee. Not much luck. More owners than anything around here, but, it wasn't worth the effort to always show You meet once a week and can only miss three meetings in a year and you are out. What if you are a sol proprietor? Your customers needs come first, you know what I mean?

 

[ultramegabob]

You meet once a week and can only miss three meetings in a year and you are out. What if you are a sol proprietor? Your customers needs come first, you know what I mean?

Thats exactly what I mean, most of the people that went to it were being paid to be "there". When I was going to it, you were required to be there for the regular meeting every week, and also had to have a minimum number of "One on One" meetings per month. The whole thing ate up alot of time.

 

[Riograndeelectric]

Several years ago my wife belonged to a group called Colorado business leads. It was basically a group of people with one representative from different fields that would send leads to each other. There would be one person who was a real estate agent, one person who was a plumber, one person who owned a car repair shop and so on. It seems like the membership fee was nominal and they would meet once a week to exchange leads. I think my wife got a fair amount of business from her group (she was a residential lender at the time) and was a member until she switched careers. I know there are several similar groups in Colorado. It might be worth looking into. I think the biggest investment is your time.

was this called new network business?

I belonged to that group for awhile . I had to pay for each area I wanted and then was exclusive. I had the option to only buy 1 just 1 area but that meant if some one else bought an area I was not not in and the I wanted that are a I could not have it.

I believe they folded with in a couple of years after start up.

 

[MJW]

was this called new network business?

I belonged to that group for awhile . I had to pay for each area I wanted and then was exclusive. I had the option to only buy 1 just 1 area but that meant if some one else bought an area I was not not in and the I wanted that are a I could not have it.

I believe they folded with in a couple of years after start up.

I don't think it was called new network business but it might have been similar. I don't remember that my wife had to buy an area but I do know that they had different groups in different parts of town. I think it worked well for her because one lead might equal a three to five thousand dollar commission. I'm not sure profit/lead is worth the time commitment for an electrical contractor, but I wanted to put it out there as an option.