Shared lead sites send the same homeowner to four fence companies at once and charge each of them. The company that wins is usually the one that calls back first and quotes lowest. You can build a steady flow of fence jobs that only call you. Here is where they come from.
1. Google Maps
When someone types "fence company near me" or "fence installation" into Google, the map with three companies shows up first. Most fence jobs that come from search start there. Three things move you into that map:
- A complete Google Business Profile with the right category, your service area and real photos of your fences. See the Google Business Profile guide for fence companies
- A steady flow of new reviews. Ask after every install. Here is how to get Google reviews
- A website with a page for each fence type and each town you work in, so Google can match you to "vinyl fence Round Rock" and not only to your company name
2. A website that shows a price
A fence is a big purchase, so people compare three companies at night on their phone. Two of them say "call for a free estimate". If your site lets them pick wood or vinyl, enter the feet and see a range, you get the call, and the caller already accepts the number. A fence company website with a calculator does that.
3. Yard signs on every job
A new fence is the most visible home project on the street. Put a clean yard sign in front of every install for the days you are there and a week after, with permission. Neighbors who walk by are often thinking about their own fence, and a sign with your name and website turns a look into a call.
4. Neighbors of every customer
When you finish a fence, the two neighbors who share it already know your work. Leave a door hanger at the five houses on each side with a photo of the fence you just built. Many backyard fences are shared, and some neighbors will split the cost of a new one.
5. Realtors and property managers
Realtors need repairs and gates fixed before a listing goes live. Property managers need chain link repairs, gate latches and replacements across dozens of rentals. Both pay reliably and come back. Call ten in your area, explain that you do repairs within a week, and send a simple price sheet.
6. Builders and pool companies
New homes need fences, and new pools need code-compliant barriers. Pool builders often prefer one fence company they trust to meet inspections. One builder relationship can mean twenty fences a year.
7. Answer the phone
Every source above ends in a phone call, and fence crews are bad at answering it. You are on a job site, running an auger, carrying panels. The homeowner who wanted a fence quote does not leave a voicemail; they call the next company on the map. A missed call on a $6,000 fence is the most expensive thing in your business. Read what missed calls cost a fence company, and look at an answering service that quotes from your prices.
8. Show up in Spanish and Portuguese too
In many US markets, a large share of homeowners prefer to talk in Spanish or Portuguese. A website and a phone line that answer in their language win jobs that English-only competitors never hear about.
What to stop doing
- Paying for shared leads that four other companies also get
- Quoting jobs where the customer has no budget. A price range on your site filters them out before you drive there
- Waiting a week to send the quote. Same day, or the next morning at the latest
Turn every install into the next one
The best fence customers come from other fence customers. On the final walk, after you ask for the review, ask one more question: "Do any of your neighbors need a fence or a repair?" Leave two business cards. Many fences are shared, and the neighbor on the other side just watched your crew work for two days.
Track where jobs come from
Ask every customer how they found you and write it down. After a season, you will know which two sources bring most of your fences, and you can put your time there. For timing, see the fence business seasonality guide: spring is when everyone calls, and the companies that prepared in winter get the jobs.
Frequently asked questions
How do fence companies get customers?
Mostly from Google Maps, their own website, yard signs on jobs, neighbors of past customers, and realtors, property managers and builders. Answering every call quickly matters as much as the source.
Are shared fence leads worth it?
Usually not for a small company. The same lead goes to several contractors and the lowest price wins. Leads from your own Google profile and website only call you.