Strive LeadGen Field ManualLearning libraryRev. 2026.10.07
Learning library
How service businesses get more leads.
Channel guides, lead economics and search demand data by industry and state. Written for owners. Every number linked to its source.
Contents3 parts
- Part 1
- 19 guides
- Part 2
- 78 industry playbooks
- Part 3
- 1,811 state reports
- Data
- Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
00Start herePillar guide
Start here
Read this first
How can a service business get more leads?
How to get more leads for a service business: every lead generation channel for contractors and small businesses, its cost, its speed and when to add it.
Part 1
Guides
19 guides, 6 sections
01Getting leads
3 guides- 1.1Angi vs Thumbtack vs Yelp: how do lead marketplaces compare?Angi vs Thumbtack vs Yelp: how Angi, HomeAdvisor, Thumbtack, Yelp, Houzz, Porch, Modernize, Networx and Nextdoor charge for leads and who else gets them.
- 1.2How do you choose a lead generation company?How to choose a lead generation company: questions to ask any lead seller or agency about lead source, exclusivity, consent, credits, contracts and red flags.
- 1.3How do service businesses get more referrals and repeat work?How to get more referrals and repeat customers: referral programs, maintenance memberships, past-customer reactivation, partner referrals, referral-fee rules.
02Lead economics
5 guides- 2.1Organic vs paid leads: which costs less over time?Organic vs paid leads: what each really costs a service business over 12 to 36 months, why one compounds and the other is rented, with lead generation math.
- 2.2Exclusive vs shared leads: which is cheaper per job?Exclusive leads vs shared leads: how marketplaces send one request to several pros, how that changes contact and close rates, and the real cost per booked job.
- 2.3Lead pricing models: per lead, per call, per job and moreLead pricing models compared: pay per lead, per call, per appointment, retainer and per job, who carries the risk, what platforms credit, how to compare offers.
- 2.4What is a good cost per lead for a service business?Average cost per lead by industry for home services, legal, health and other local businesses, with each source's method, and why cost per booked job matters.
- 2.5How much is a lead worth to a service business?How much is a lead worth: work out lead value, the most you can pay per lead, cost per acquisition and payback, with plumber, roofer and therapist examples.
03Google and AI search
4 guides- 3.1How does a service business rank in the Google Map Pack?Google Business Profile ranking: what Google says decides the Map Pack, what 47 local SEO experts rank highest, what gets profiles suspended, a checklist.
- 3.2How do Google Local Services Ads work, and are they worth it?Google Local Services Ads explained: how they charge per lead, screening and the Verified badge, ranking, lead credits, and the 2026 move into Google Ads.
- 3.3How does local SEO work for a service business website?Local SEO for contractors and service businesses: service pages, city pages that are not doorway spam, internal links, LocalBusiness schema, citations, speed.
- 3.4How do AI search tools decide which local businesses to recommend?AI search marketing for local businesses: how Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini find local businesses, and what is still unknown.
04Reviews and reputation
1 guide05Sales process
3 guides- 5.1How fast should a service business respond to a new lead?Speed to lead for service businesses: what the research says about lead response time, covering nights and weekends, call and text scripts, and texting rules.
- 5.2Why doesn't my website turn visitors into calls?Website conversion for service businesses: speed, click-to-call, the first screen, trust signals, form length, financing and chat, and what the data says.
- 5.3How do you track which marketing actually brings in jobs?Lead tracking for service businesses: call tracking, UTM tags, GA4 key events and CRM stages, so you see cost per booked job by channel, not just clicks.
06Compliance
2 guides- 6.1How do you buy or generate leads without breaking the TCPA?TCPA compliance for lead buyers: FCC consent rules, Do Not Call, Florida and Oklahoma laws, the vacated one-to-one rule and the 2026 opt-out changes.
- 6.2How can a healthcare practice market for new patients legally?Healthcare marketing compliance for therapy, PT, speech, medical and O&P practices: Anti-Kickback Statute, EKRA, Texas law, HIPAA pixels, Google ads.
Part 2
Industry playbooks
78 industries in 11 groups
Each playbook covers how customers search for that trade, what a lead is worth, the channels that work, the rules that apply, and a 90-day plan, with state-by-state market reports.
01Home services
17 playbooks- P01Fencing42 states
- P02Fire sprinkler inspection17 states
- P03Foundation repair32 states
- P04Gutters and windows46 states
- P05House cleaning47 states
- P06HVAC50 states
- P07Mold testing and remediation17 states
- P08Pest control51 states
- P09Plumbing51 states
- P10Roofing45 states
- P11Septic systems51 states
- P12Standby generators44 states
- P13Tree service44 states
- P14Water damage restoration48 states
- P15Water heaters51 states
- P16Water well drilling39 states
- P17Wildlife removal8 states
02Remodeling and construction
14 playbooks- P18Barndominiums26 states
- P19Concrete40 states
- P20Decks45 states
- P21Garage storage and floors48 states
- P22Home additions19 states
- P23Land clearing and forestry mulching1 state
- P24Landscaping47 states
- P25Metal buildings41 states
- P26Pond and stock tank construction4 states
- P27Pool removal1 state
- P28Pools39 states
- P29Remodeling49 states
- P30Storm shelters and safe rooms0 states
- P31Walk-in showers and bath remodels45 states
03Specialty cleanup
2 playbooks04Health practices
6 playbooks05Legal and claims
3 playbooks06Financial and tax services
12 playbooks- P43Annuity sales27 states
- P44Annuity surrender and exchange help26 states
- P45Business electricity brokers1 state
- P46Commercial property tax protest0 states
- P47Cost segregation studies1 state
- P48Financial advisors51 states
- P49Life settlements4 states
- P50Merchant cash advance relief4 states
- P51Private student loan help30 states
- P52Property tax protest3 states
- P53Sales tax and utility overcharge recovery0 states
- P54Structured settlement purchasing0 states
07Real estate and land
7 playbooks08Contract exit services
7 playbooks09Mobility equipment
2 playbooks10Recreation and specialty
4 playbooks11B2B and industrial
4 playbooksAll 78 industries as a table, with median ad bids.
Part 3
State reports
1,811 one-page market briefs
Each state report shows what customers in that state search for, how much advertisers bid, and how the market compares with the rest of the country. Open one from the bottom of any industry playbook.
See a sample: Plumbing in TexasMarket briefTX / Plumbing
- Demand breadth
- Top 5 of 51
- Distinct terms
- 527
- Median bid
- $26.95 (+34%)
- Per resident
- 78 (US = 100)
Disclosure. Strive LeadGen is a new company (founded 2026) building lead generation sites and flat-fee marketing for businesses like these. It has no clients yet. Guides cover channels Strive does not sell and cite their sources. Market figures are Strive's analysis of Google Keyword Planner data (method).
Market data comes from Google Ads Keyword Planner and the US Census Bureau. How the data is built.
Free playbook
The Lead Generation Playbook for Service Businesses.
The library's best material in one PDF: lead-value worksheets, a channel scorecard, the questions to ask any lead vendor, speed-to-lead checklists, the consent rules, and a 90-day plan. Every number is sourced.
- Work out what a lead is worth to you
- Compare every channel on one page
- A week-by-week 90-day plan
Organic lead generation
Leads from organic search, not ad auctions.
Strive is a new company (founded 2026) building organic search sites that send each inquiry to one business per territory. Ask whether your trade and area are planned.