We started as contractors. Before Prime Choice Media, we were the ones paying agencies for our flooring company and wondering where the money went. Here are the most common ways trades waste money on marketing, and what to look for instead.
1. Paying for clicks, likes and impressions
Reports full of impressions and engagement look nice but don’t pay your crew. The only numbers that matter are leads, booked estimates and jobs won, and what each one cost. If your agency can’t tell you that, you’re paying for activity, not results.
2. Generic ads that could be for anyone
Stock photos and “quality work at a fair price” text ads make you look like every other contractor. Homeowners trust what they can see: your crew, your work, your face. That’s why we lead with real job-site video.
3. Long contracts that lock you in
A 12-month contract protects the agency, not you. If the work is good, you’ll stay. We don’t do long-term contracts for exactly that reason.
4. Agencies that don’t understand the trades
Most marketers have never quoted a job, chased a homeowner or lost a weekend to a tire-kicker. They don’t know which jobs are worth driving to, what makes a good lead, or why a fast callback matters so much. The result is ads that bring in the wrong people.
5. Leads with no follow-up system
Even great ads fail if leads sit in an inbox while you’re on a job site. Make sure every lead is tracked and followed up fast, with a proper CRM that sends instant replies, automated follow-ups and reminders, so no lead slips through.
6. Setting campaigns and forgetting them
Ads need ongoing work. Testing new videos, cutting what doesn’t work, adjusting areas and budgets. If nobody is touching your campaigns each week, you’re overpaying.
What to look for instead
- Someone who understands contracting, ideally runs a trade business themselves
- Reporting on leads, estimates and jobs, not just clicks
- Real video and photos of your work, not stock content
- No long-term contracts
- A local team you can actually meet in person
- Fast, direct communication with the person running your ads
Talk to a contractor-run marketing team
Prime Choice Media was founded by the owners of Prime Choice Flooring in the Lower Mainland. We help contractors and trades of every kind get more booked jobs with video ads, Meta Ads, Google Ads and SEO. Meet us at our Delta office, on your job site, or on Zoom.
Or call/text (778) 200-1167 · Prime Choice Media, 7188 Progress Way, Delta, BC