Getting quote requests online: where they come from, and which ones are worth something

For a tradesperson or any business selling to consumers, the online quote request has become the first contact. It arrives through a form, a message, a call from an ad. But they are not all equal: some come from people ready to sign, others from browsers comparing five businesses.

The four sources

Your website. A clear page with a form. It brings nobody in by itself: it converts the visitors the other sources send it.

Google. People who type your trade and their town have a need, often an urgent one. Your Google Business Profile and your Google Ads capture that demand. Google Ads for tradespeople and the Google Business Profile.

Facebook and Instagram advertising. It reaches people before they search, in your area. It is the steadiest source for projects that take time to mature: kitchens, pools, renovation. How to get more customers from Facebook.

Lead platforms. Handy at first, but the same contact is often sold to several businesses, and the conversation quickly turns to price. Buying leads: what it really costs.

The form, where it all happens

A short form raises the number of enquiries. It also lets through people with no budget and no date for their project. A longer form brings fewer, but more serious ones.

The right length depends on how fast you can call back. If you can call everyone back within the hour, a short form makes sense. If your time is limited, two or three questions about budget and timing save you pointless calls. It is often the first thing I change on an account that gets lots of enquiries and signs few. Qualifying your quote requests.

What turns an enquiry into a customer

• Speed of callback. Someone who has just filled in a form expects an answer. The longer you wait, the more businesses they contact.
• A first exchange that reassures. Photos of jobs, reviews, a clear timeline.
• Follow-up. Note where each enquiry comes from and what becomes of it. It is the only way to know which source really pays.

What a quote request costs

It depends on the trade, the area and the source. For a joinery business I worked with, a request from Facebook advertising cost €33.68 on average, for an average basket of around €4,000. The joinery case. The right price for a request is worked out from your margin and your closing rate. The cost of a signed job.

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Further reading: Cost per lead and finding renovation jobs without platforms.

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