The Complete Guide to General Contractor Marketing in Canada

The construction industry in Canada is booming, but so is the competition. The contractors who win consistently aren't necessarily the best builders—they're the ones who respond fastest, follow up relentlessly, and have the reviews to prove their quality.

The Speed-to-Lead Advantage

Research shows that responding to a lead within 5 minutes makes you 21x more likely to qualify that lead compared to waiting 30 minutes. For contractors who are often on job sites, this seems impossible.

The solution: automated instant response. When a lead comes in, they immediately receive a professional response confirming receipt, setting expectations, and often starting the qualification process.

What an Instant Response Should Include

• Thank them for reaching out
• Confirm you received their inquiry
• Set expectations for next steps
• Ask qualifying questions (project type, timeline, budget range)
• Offer easy ways to share more details (photos, etc.)

Building a Quote Follow-Up System

You spend hours on a detailed proposal, send it off... and then what? Most contractors either forget to follow up or do it once and give up. Studies show it takes 5-7 touchpoints to close a sale.

The Perfect Follow-Up Sequence

Generating Reviews That Sell

For contractors, reviews are everything. They're your portfolio, your references, and your sales team all in one. But getting reviews requires asking at the right time.

When to Ask for Reviews

The best time is right after project completion, during the final walkthrough when excitement is highest. Follow up with an automated text 2-4 hours later with a direct review link.

Creating a Referral Engine

Past clients are your best source of new business, but they need to be reminded. A systematic referral program turns happy clients into ongoing lead sources.

Referral Program Elements

• Annual check-in with past clients ("How's the renovation holding up?")
• Clear referral incentive (gift card, discount on future work)
• Easy referral process (simple form or text)
• Thank you for every referral, whether it closes or not

Client Communication Best Practices

The #1 complaint about contractors: poor communication. Solve this with proactive updates that keep clients informed before they have to ask.

Project Update Cadence

• Weekly: Progress summary with photos
• Milestone: Automatic notification when phases complete
• Issue: Immediate communication about delays or changes
• Completion: Final walkthrough scheduling