Construction Sales Leads

Grow your building business by building up your construction sales leads

By Stephanie Fagnani, Freelance Writer/Editor

It often takes a lot of legwork and phone calls to cultivate solid construction sales leads. But hitting the pavement isn't the only way to build your list of construction leads. In today's construction industry, sales leads can come from a variety of sources. To increase the number of construction sales leads:

1. Use online sources for construction sales leads and construction referral services.

2. Network with former clients and colleagues in the construction industry - sales leads often result from these connections.

3. Narrow your marketing efforts and you may land more qualified construction leads.

4. Manage your construction leads wisely and satisfied customers will provide even more referrals to your business.

Peruse online databases for construction sales leads

The Internet is a powerful tool for helping stay connected to job opportunities in your field. Several online databases exist that provide listings of various construction projects coming up for bid. You'll be able to search for potential construction sales leads by geography, industry and job function.
Try: BidClerk is a search engine dedicated to the commercial construction industry that is chock full of construction leads. For a monthly fee, you can view thousands of construction projects nationwide and bid on the projects you want. ConstructionWire, Dodge and Onvia provide similar services.

Use contractor referral services for construction leads

Online contractor referral services handle all the marketing and advertising for you then pass on the construction sales leads to you. Typically, it's pay-for-performance with these referral services - you only pay for the construction leads you get.
Try: CalFinder qualifies construction sales leads before passing them on to you. For construction leads on home improvement projects, consider using QuinStreet, or Renovation Referrals.

Increase your construction sales leads with targeted marketing

Purchasing the right mailing lists, telemarketing lists and email lists can be the key to growing your own list of construction leads.
Try: ConstructionLists, a division of The Information Refinery, is a full-service list broker specializing in the construction industry. Construction sales leads can result if you target your marketing using their lists of architects, property managers and more.

Invest in software to help manage construction sales leads

Once the construction sales leads start to roll in, the real work begins. Contacting your leads, setting appointments, creating estimates - managing your construction leads takes time but is crucial to landing projects and keeping customers satisfied. Customer-relationship management software can facilitate the process and let you focus on what you do best.
Try: Although sales lead software, such as Salesforce.com or Leads360, may not be designed specifically for the construction industry, it can still be a useful tool for managing construction sales leads.

Stay organized. You don't want to get so overwhelmed that you miss out on promising construction sales leads or have to turn down any construction projects because you are overbooked.
Many customers still like to do business the old-fashioned way, through face-to-face contact. Network with other players in the construction industry. Sales leads are often a hot topic of discussion at industry events.
Construction jobs are plentiful. Keep sniffing out construction sales leads until you find the project you'd like to bid on.