How to Get Free Painting Leads in 2024

Painting leads are the lifeblood of any painting business. They are the primary way to build revenue and expand clientele. The question that most painting business owners ask is: How can I get free painting leads? 

Here we will review several methods you can implement today to start generating more business, for free.

Let’s jump in…

Without a consistent supply of new painting leads, most painting businesses wouldn’t be able to grow.

Leads should be your primary focus, especially when first starting out. One closed painting lead can bring you more painting leads through word-of-mouth referrals. It’s a vicious cycle that can generate a ton of revenue for your painting business. So where do you start?

We wrote a detailed article for claiming and optimizing your Google Business Profile for your painting business. Why is this so critical? Two reasons: It’s free, and it’s the best way to generate new business on Google.

Your Google Business Profile is displayed in two areas: On Google Maps, and in Google Local Search Results in a section called the Map Pack. The latter is a section consisting of the three most popular related local businesses for a given search query. These results are displayed at the top of search results next to a map, hence the name Map Pack.

This profile is made up of only a few components, including your company name, address, phone number, business hours, photos, and customer reviews.

Here are some stats to illustrate the power of a well-optimized Google Business Profile:

In other words, securing your painting business in the Local Map Pack results can help you capture more free painting leads long term.

We all know that one guy who built a $500k painting business off of word-of-mouth referrals alone. These cases should be considered an exception, not a rule. With that said, referrals from existing customers are still one of the most powerful, free resources your painting company can rely on to generate new business.

The process is simple. Acquire a new customer and produce an exceptional result. For best results consider incentivizing referrals with monetary payouts or future discounts.

While time-consuming, one of the best ways to get more painting leads is by door-to-door marketing. Door-to-door marketing is much more effective than a lawn sign or flyers as you interact with potential customers face to face. Why? Because your customers are more likely to connect with you on a human basis rather than through a poster or flier.

Consider this: On your next slow day find a local high-value neighborhood and see if any homes need work. If you find a house with cracked or peeling paint, provide the owner with a free estimate on the spot. Even if they don’t commit now they’ll most definitely call you in the future when the time comes to repaint.

Generally speaking, the internet is a great place to network with potential customers. However, it can get expensive. The painting industry tends to rely heavily on in-person networking to get new leads, and rightfully so. You can spend money on lawn signs and mailers, but nothing beats a face-to-face chat.

Fortunately, most painting companies have several options for in-person networking, from industry events and trade shows to painting organizations and community events. These public gatherings can help your painting business establish a reputation as a local expert, and ultimately earn you more business.

Social media is a great medium for generating free painting leads. This is because social media provides you with a way to personalize your outreach without the effort required for face-to-face meetings.

For example, if you follow your local Facebook Community Group you will often see community members requesting painting referrals. Why? Because word-of-mouth referrals carry more weight than cold outreach. By responding to these requests with a personalized message on social media it is perceived the same as a face-to-face interaction.

Social media is also a great place to showcase your work. Use Instagram to post before and after images of your painting projects and monitor closely. When a lead comes in it’s important that you respond quickly (within minutes).

Most of your customers will begin searching for your services on Google. The best way to be found on Google, aside from creating your Google Business Profile, is with a website.

Most business owners are aware of the costs associated with a well-optimized website, but there are some free options that are good for new businesses just getting started. While we already wrote an article covering this topic in detail, we wanted to offer up a 100% free option as well.

For this, we recommend looking into Yola. At the time of writing this article they offer a free plan which includes a custom domain. Yes, they embed advertisements with the free plan, but free is free!

Search Engine Optimization is another powerful marketing strategy your business can leverage to generate free painting leads. SEO involves the strategic use of keywords and phrases throughout the content on your website.

While there are hundreds of factors that determine how well your site ranks organically in search engines, a few critical points include:

We wrote a comprehensive article covering the essential SEO tactics for any painting business, so be sure to give that a read.

As a painting business owner, you need to feel comfortable showcasing your work to potential customers. Why? Because photos are a crucial part of advertising your painting business.

Think about it. The professional painting industry is rather unique as a home service. Unlike plumbers and electricians, your work can be photographed. Plus customers love to get an idea of the results they can expect.

Lead generation gets a lot easier when your past work is visible for others to see. Your work history also shows what kind of clients you work with. If a customer is requesting a specific service, they are more likely to hire a painting contractor that has a verifiable history in those services.

If you don’t have a dedicated webpage for your painting business yet post your images on social media and to your Google Business Profile.

Ok this may seem out of place given that this article is about free painting leads. So why are we bringing it up? Because shared lead sites like Angi and HomeAdvisor can seem like an attractive option. With consistent painting leads for as little as $35/lead, why shouldn’t you give it a try? Unfortunately, most painting contractors end up falling for the trap.

Simply, shared lead sites are too good to be true. Anytime a new lead hits your inbox that same lead is also in the inbox of your direct competition. Often this equates to low-quality leads or outright fraud.

Furthermore, most of these services completely take over your online presence. Instead of sending visitors to your website for closing they hijack that traffic and send them to your profile on their website. So what would have otherwise been a free painting lead, you end up paying them for. Stay away!

Generating new painting leads can be challenging when your business is just getting started. It can take over a year to build a sizable customer base and establish yourself within your local market. But once you do the painting leads will come MUCH easier.

The most important things to monitor are the number of leads you acquire each month and the number of jobs you closed. A simple formula (closed jobs/painting leads * 100) will give you your close ratio. Aim for something between 35-50% — If you can close half the leads you receive you’ll be well on your way to a successful career as a professional painter.

If you are starting as a new painting contractor, you can either invest your time into guerilla marketing or invest your money in a marketing agency to do the work for you.

If you’re looking for a marketing agency that is exclusive to the professional painting industry, look no further. Here at Base Coat Marketing, we have over 15 years of industry experience. Our tried and true marketing strategies can maximize your reach and help scale your painting business quickly, and effectively.