Lead Generation Optimization: How to Convert More Traffic Into Leads
PART 1: GETTING NEW CUSTOMERS
Getting more leads doesn’t have to be a mystery. There are only four ways to bring customers into your business: Cold Outreach, Warm Outreach, Ads, and Free Content. Mastering these four methods — and the funnel that follows — is the difference between waiting for work and having a consistent pipeline of leads you control.
WARM OUTREACH
This is your lowest hanging fruit. It’s reaching out to people who already know you: old clients, friends, family, previous inquiries, your email list, your personal network. Most businesses ignore this goldmine.
Real example:
The first thing I did for one of my clients was ask him for his entire customer list. I took the next few days sending emails and even calling his top tier customers. In a few short days, I closed a handful of jobs that added roughly $200k in revenue. After this, he said to me “You know...I never really thought about reaching out to my current customer list.” Now you may be thinking, why didn’t he think of it, but keep in mind his main focus at that time was getting new customers. This was great to focus on but you also can’t forget about your current customers. This serves as a double reminder. One, to never forget about your current customers and for your current customers to never forget about you. Reaching out to your current customers lets them know “hey, we are still here if you need us”.
Email or text script:
“Hey ”customer name”
[Personalized Message or Question]
We’re filling up our spring schedule. Let me know if you need any “insert your service”. I’ll give you 10% off if you book this week.”
Warm outreach works because there’s already trust. Don't overthink it, just send the message.
COLD OUTREACH
Here’s an easy 3 step process inspired by the $100M Leads book by Alex Hormozi. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend it.
Find a Way to Contact Them - Before you can say anything, you need a way to reach them. That might be: a phone number, a front desk, an email address, a social media profile, a physical business location, etc.
Cool story from a Client:
One of my clients who sells B2B services, couldn’t access the office to drop off a piece of mail to a potential customer. The mail was a sales letter, so he looked at the parking lot, spotted the nicest vehicle, and stuck the letter under the windshield. Amazingly, the vehicle was owned by the owner of the business. It worked! The owner called him later that day and became a customer that same week. Coolest story I’ve ever heard.
Give Value - Don’t overthink your script or email copy. Just make it valuable. Speak to their pain. Solve a problem. Offer help. Examples:
Forget clever. Be useful. Solve a problem for your customer and do it faster than your competition.
Keep Reaching Out Until They’re Ready - Just because they don’t answer today doesn’t mean they’re not interested. People buy when they’re ready and able, not when you’re ready to sell. So keep showing up with consistent value until the timing is right. Stay polite, stay relevant, follow up, rotate your channel (email > text > call > mail)
BUILDING HIGH-CONVERTING ADS (GOOGLE & FACEBOOK)
When it comes to generating quality leads through ads, your ads need to do one thing above all else; grab attention and convert it into action. Whether you're running Facebook, Google ads, or any other form of ads, you’re working with just a few core components: Headline, Ad copy, Visuals, and Offer. But, the way you approach each of these can drastically affect your results. Below is a proven framework tailored for construction and service businesses. It gives you a checklist of elements you can mix and match to build better performing ads. You don’t need all of them in one ad, but using the right combinations will help your ads stand out in a noisy market and drive real leads into your pipeline.
Headline Elements:
Your headline is the first thing someone sees. It should stop the scroll and clearly CALLOUT your customers so they know it’s for them. Ex. “Service Business Owners”, “Homeowners”, “Single Mothers”, etc. Then, after the callout add a mixture of aspects given below:
Time-based - Emphasize speed or availability (Ex. "Next-day service")
Local-focus - Mention your city or region to stand out locally
Specific benefit - Highlight the clear result or transformation
Status positioning - Implies they'll be better off after choosing you
Curiosity hook - Makes them want to read more
Fear/problem-based - Touches on what they’re trying to avoid
Contrarian/reverse - Say the opposite of what’s expected to draw interest
Challenge-based - Poses a challenge or question that invites them in
Copy Options:
Your copy (the written part of your ad) can vary in length and tone depending on the platform, audience, and objective. It should move people from attention to action. Your copy can be:
Short, medium, or long - Test different lengths to see what converts best
Offer-driven - Highlight a free quote, inspection, or consultation
“Reason why” - Explain why you're running this offer or doing this now
Benefit-to-transformation - Show how their situation will improve
"So that you can" language - Connect the benefit to what they actually want
Descriptive (no fluff) -Paint a clear picture, don’t just make claims
Scarcity/Urgency - Give people a reason to act now (limited spots, timesensitive)
Implied authority - Show credibility without bragging (Ex. # of jobs done, years in service)
Visuals (Photo or Video):
Photo: Your image will either draw someone in or make them scroll past. It should look real, match your brand, and help build trust.
High contrast or clean color - Easy to see and eye-catching
Realtime photos - Real work, real crews, real tools
Before & after photos - Instant proof of transformation
Team/selfie style - Helps humanize your brand
Photos with graphic overlays - Add a quote, headline, or call to action
Meme-style or humorous - Occasionally works well depending on tone
Video: Video is powerful for service businesses, it shows, proves, and builds trust all at once.
Raw/iPhone video or pro-quality - Both can work; test what feels most authentic
Tour of job site/project - Give a behind-the-scenes look
Whiteboard explanation - Teach something simply to build trust
Time-lapse - Condense a full job into 15–30 seconds
Owner/staff talking to camera - Straightforward, personal touch
Testimonials - Especially from everyday customers (not overly produced)
How to Use This:
Think of each ad like a combo meal...you’re choosing 1 or 2 elements from each section above to build the final product. One ad might use a fear-based headline, short copy, a raw job-site photo, and a clear free offer. Another might use a timelapse video, “so that you can” copy, and urgency in the CTA. Don’t overthink it...test, learn, repeat. The key is relevance, clarity, and trust. Your prospects aren’t looking to be “wowed” by clever marketing. They just want to feel like they’re hiring the right company. Keep it real, focus on what matters to them, and let the ad do the work.
CONTENT THAT ATTRACTS LEADS WITHOUT CHASING
When most people think of lead generation, they think of ads or cold DMs. But, there’s a quieter, long-term engine that works around the clock and that’s content. You don’t need to be a content machine. You just need to show up consistently, stay clear about what you do, and make it easy for people to reach out when they’re ready.
Here’s how to keep it simple but effective:
Optimize Your Website for Leads
Think of your website as your digital storefront. You wouldn’t leave your shop window empty, same goes here.
At minimum, make sure it has:
A clear call-to-action (like “Book a Free Quote” or “Call Us Today”).
A link to a landing page or contact form where they can actually submit their info.
Your business details clearly displayed - phone number, email, service area, and hours.
A mobile-friendly design - most leads will find you on their phone
Show What You Do...Daily
You don’t need flashy editing or expensive gear. Just post what you do.
Installing a new system? Snap a photo.
Finishing a job? Share a before & after.
Working in the rain or heat? Show your work ethic.
Solving a problem for a client? Talk about it.
This kind of real world content builds trust. People don’t want perfect, they want proof. When you consistently show your work, you become the go-to in your space without even trying to "sell."
Talk About Your Services—Often
A lot of business owners assume people know what they offer. Most don’t. So make it part of your content:
What services do you offer?
What problems do you solve?
Who are your services for?
When should someone reach out?
Say it often. Say it simply. People need to hear it multiple times before they act.
Visibility Builds Trust
Even if someone doesn’t reach out right away, your content plants the seed and when the timing is right they will already trust you. That’s the power of showing up with consistent helpful content. It doesn’t just attract attention, it turns you into the business they remember when it matters.
PART 2: OPTIMIZING YOUR LEAD FUNNEL
Once you've started generating leads through either: Warm Outreach, Cold Outreach, Content, or Ads. The next key is to guide those people through a clear and simple path. This is where your lead funnel comes into play. Think of a funnel in three parts:
The Ad (First Touch Point):
This could be a Facebook ad, a Google search result, a LinkedIn post, or even a cold DM with a link. However they find you, the goal is simple...get them to take the next step. We already broke down what makes an effective ad in Part 1 so refer to that when creating your ads.
Landing Page:
Once clicked, they land on a page built for one thing: conversion. This page should offer something valuable: a free resource, a limited-time deal, or a quick quote form (we’ll talk more about “free value” later). Keep it clean and focused with a clear next step...usually to collect a name, phone number, or email address.
Thank You Page:
After they opt in, this is where you can start building more trust. A short thank you message, a video introducing yourself, or a button to book a call can significantly increase engagement. While many service-based businesses skip this, it’s an easy way to stand out and look 10x more professional.
One Funnel, All Roads
Here’s a simple rule that will make your life easier. Send all traffic from all channels into the same funnel. Whether it's from your social media profile, a paid ad, a LinkedIn post, a QR code, or even your email signature, direct everyone to the same free offer and funnel.
This creates one consistent customer journey:
They see something valuable → Landing page with free offer → They enter their info → Thank you page + next steps. No confusion. No distractions. No broken paths.
And One More Thing…
This exact funnel structure can be adjusted based on your business, but this is a great starting point for any business. The important aspect here is to have a funnel for your business that makes sense.
The goal:
(1) Lead magnet is a complete solution to a problem your customer has in exchange for their contact info.
(2) Make it valuable, which will build trust.
(3) Guide them to the next problem - the service that your paid offer solves.
The 3-step funnel: Ad → Landing Page → Thank You Page is the simplest and most universal starting point. But there are plenty of other funnel styles, such as:
Phone funnels (text-to-call or missed-call text back)
DM/Chat funnels (capture leads via Messenger or Instagram)
Direct booking funnels (ad straight to a booking calendar)
The point isn’t to pick the “perfect” funnel...it’s to pick one that makes sense for your business and keeps the path to action simple and friction-free.
BONUS: LEAD NURTURE THAT ACTUALLY CLOSES THE DEAL
Getting leads is only half the battle. What you do after someone shows interest is what actually determines whether or not you win the job. The truth is, most construction and service-based business owners drop the ball here. They either follow up too slow, give up too early, or sound too generic. To make the most of every lead, there are four key principles you need to understand. These aren’t complicated, but they’re powerful and when done right, they’ll significantly increase your close rate and keep your pipeline full.
Speed Wins
The faster you respond to a new lead, the better your chances of turning them into a paying customer. Whether it’s a form submission, a DM, or a missed call, response time is one of the biggest factors in who wins the job. If they reached out, they’re likely reaching out to others too. Being first to respond makes a big difference. Even a simple “Got your message, will follow up soon” can buy you time and keep the conversation alive.
Follow-Up Volume Matters
Most leads don’t respond on the first try and that’s normal. The businesses that win are the ones that keep showing up. Whether it’s a call, text, or message, staying consistent months or even years is where the magic happens. People are busy, distracted, or just need the right moment. That’s why multiple outreach attempts often lead to more appointments and conversions. Don’t assume no response means no interest.
One of my clients came to me for advice about a top customer in their city who told him no, but that he would still like a quote, even though he wasn’t going to change installers. My advice was simple: follow up once a year, every year. Not with pressure, but with professionalism. He already has a provider he trusts, and that’s fine. Every year, you can send a friendly quote, and every year, he will still say no until he doesn’t. Why do we do it? Because one day, that other provider might retire, move, shut down, or maybe that customer may be ready for a change. When that day comes, you’ll be the first name he thinks of. Because you showed up consistently, not for the sale, but for the relationship.
Personal Touches Go a Long Way
People want to know they’re talking to a real human. Personalizing your followups with their name, project type, or location builds trust and shows you’re paying attention. You don’t need a long message...just something that doesn’t feel like a copy-paste blast. Even small touches like referencing what they mentioned in a form or DM can separate you from every other business spamming out templates.
Be Available When They Are
Being responsive doesn’t just mean answering quickly it also means being reachable when it matters. If you’re hard to get a hold of, they’ll move on. The easier you make it for someone to talk to you, get answers, or book a time, the more likely they are to say yes.
Bottom line:
Speed, consistency, personalization, and availability are the key to lead nurture. If you're dropping the ball on any of these, you're leaving money on the table.
QUICK SUMMARY:
Four ways to generate leads: warm outreach, cold outreach, ads, & content. Direct all traffic into one simple funnel: ad or link → landing page → thank you page. This keeps things consistent, easy to manage, and far more effective.
BONUS - LEAD NURTURE:
Getting leads is just the beginning...how you follow up determines whether they convert.
Focus on four key areas: respond quickly, follow up consistently, personalize your outreach, and be available when they’re ready. Do this right, and you’ll win more jobs without spending a dollar more on ads.
