How To Get Customers Without Relying on Thumbtack or Lead Generation Apps?

I have a background in marketing before starting junk removal, as soon as I started junk removal we really popped off because the marketing was spot on. Thumbtack, yelp, angi's, etc really suck. You need 1. Verified Google Business Profile with 5 star reviews, 2. Clean website with good SEO/keywords, 3. dialed in google search ads, 4. Google local service ads. We got leads with just a website before google business but most service companies are found in the google map pack so make sure your google business profile is up. Ads REALLY change the game if they are set up right.

I just started using Marblism for AI to manage social media posts and blogs to create a better online presence, it takes some managing to get the ads keyed in but once you get it dialed in, it works pretty smoothly. I have it posting across my social media pages daily. I started it about 6 weeks ago and Im starting to see my online presence grow, if you want to see the type of ads it creates my social media links are on my website www.gearwayav.com

I would also highly recommend FB ads. We do a wide variety of marketing including Google, Print, Video, and FB/Instagram.  I really feel like the social media platforms get us very good traction.  You can start posting and then get an ad going also. Just something to look into.

My fiancé and I have some sales and marketing experience as well as website design and an understanding of SEO and AEO tactics to make yourself very visible in your market. You need a website and it needs to be polished enough for people to take you seriously and then backlink your site to your area. We went from not ranked on Google to ranked second below a franchise handyman when you google handyman near me. Also set up your Google business profile and update with pictures and jobs, before and after, and get reviews! People trust that so much!  

It’s important to be known in your community. As someone who was born and raised in my hometown, establishing customers has come from lifelong friends. Showing up on time and being available. Being of service in the community is also important. I give back by volunteering my time coaching 9u travel baseball with no kids on the team. This has allowed me to extend my customer base by showing that my time is valuable and that I will help any way I can

Man the besT thing I can tell is get boots on the ground. Make a list of your scope of work then search those companies in your area. Go shake hands hand business cards out. Make sure when u approach potential clients you seem interested in the business and the their pocket books .

I put it into two categories (A) Cost effective steps for immediate leads, and (B) Tangible steps towards long term, reoccuring leads.

As cash flow is huge I tend to protect it (calculated risk taker) and not take quick risks on paid ads/leads until I'm ready to scale or have a safety net. If you are a mobile welder, I would consider possibly the following:

(1) Block schedule to Call businesses that have equipment and may need your services now or in the future. Devote 1-2 hrs. every/every other day on that and if they say no, ask if they have any recommendations towards someone else that might. This costs time (opportunity cost) over marketing dollars. 
(2) Block schedule another 30-60 minutes every/every other day to call existing clients for any service needs or recommendations on someone who might need serviced. 
(3) Ask in local fb pages if anyone needs/knows anyone who needs your services (if they allow business posts)
(4) Make sure you have a business page on social media so you can personally share your business posts for more exposure. BBB is not that expensive and I usually get 5 leads a year from them plus extra exposure for future growth and leads. Simple Godaddy website and google set up gets you there. 
(5) I generally work all unpaid practices of lead generation I can before paying for leads but you may need to do both simotaneously so you can boost leads in the short term while you grow your base clients. 
(6) Ask for feedback from customers/prospects if there are any other services that they need and see what they say. You may be able to add something a service that generates additional cash flow and increases client base. 

Depending on what your 3-5 year plan looks like, you may want to scale with marketing. If so, paid leads often come with the need to monitor and qualify the quality of the leads to get reimbursed for bad leads. It can be a process when you are using multiple aggregate lead sources. 

Keep hustling, you're doing great! 

Good luck, I think you will do well! 

Great information!!! Thanks for sharing