You’ve tried Facebook ads. You’ve posted on Instagram. You’ve even paid for Google Ads. But you’re still chasing the same handful of leads every month while watching other tradies turn away work because they’re too busy.
The question keeping you up at night: Should you hire a lead generation agency or keep doing it yourself?
Is it worth hiring a lead generation agency? For most tradies earning over $500k annually, yes. The time you spend fumbling with Meta Ads Manager costs more than paying someone who knows what they’re doing. But not all agencies are created equal, and some will burn your budget faster than a faulty RCD.
The difference between tradies who are booked out and those constantly hustling for the next job often comes down to one thing: they stopped trying to be marketing experts and started focusing on what they’re actually good at.
What Is A Lead Generation Agency And What Do They Actually Do?
A lead generation agency is a company that gets qualified leads for your trade business. Not followers. Not likes. Not website visits. Actual potential clients who want quotes for the services you provide.
According to a 2025 report from the Housing Industry Association, 68% of trade businesses that partner with specialised marketing agencies report higher quality leads compared to their own DIY efforts. The keyword is “specialised” because not all marketing agencies understand the trade industry.
What a good lead generation agency does:
- Runs paid advertising campaigns on Google, Facebook, and Instagram that target homeowners actively looking for your services
- Manages your ad budget so you’re not wasting money on clicks from people who’ll never hire you
- Creates landing pages designed specifically to convert visitors into enquiries
- Handles follow-up systems so leads don’t fall through the cracks while you’re on the tools
- Tracks what’s working and adjusts campaigns based on real data, not guesses
What they don’t do is magic. They can’t turn a $500 monthly budget into 50 quality leads. They can’t fix a business with bad reviews or dodgy work. They can’t make people want services you don’t actually provide well.
At One Click Digital, we work exclusively with construction companies and tradies because generic marketing agencies don’t understand the difference between residential plumbing leads and commercial electrical work. The targeting, messaging, and follow-up process is completely different.
The Real Cost Of DIY Lead Generation For Trade Businesses
Most tradies think they’re saving money by handling their own marketing. The reality is different when you actually add up the costs.
Time is the highest hidden cost. Every hour you spend learning Facebook Ads Manager, writing posts, or trying to figure out why your Google Ads aren’t working is an hour you’re not on the tools earning $100-150 per hour. If you spend 10 hours per week on marketing (and most tradies spend more), that’s $1,000-1,500 in lost income weekly.
Wasted ad spend adds up fast. Without proper targeting, you’ll pay for clicks from people outside your service area, people who can’t afford your services, and people who aren’t actually ready to hire anyone. Most DIY campaigns waste 40-60% of their budget on useless clicks.
The learning curve is brutal. Marketing platforms change constantly. What worked six months ago doesn’t work now. By the time you figure out Meta’s latest algorithm change, they’ve changed it again. Professional agencies stay on top of these changes because it’s literally their only job.
Opportunity cost is real. While you’re trying to figure out why your ads aren’t converting, your competitors who hired agencies are booking jobs three months out. Those clients aren’t coming back to you later. They’re gone.
When DIY Lead Generation Actually Makes Sense For Tradies
DIY isn’t always the wrong choice. Some situations actually favour handling your own marketing.
You’re just starting and cash flow is tight. If you’re in year one and every dollar counts, spending $2,000+ monthly on an agency might not be realistic yet. Focus on Google Business Profile optimisation, asking happy clients for reviews, and building a basic website.
You have genuine marketing skills or experience. If you’ve run successful campaigns before or have a background in digital marketing, you might be the rare tradie who can actually pull this off. Most can’t.
Your business is extremely local and word-of-mouth driven. If you’re a sparky in a small town where everyone knows everyone, paying for ads might be overkill. Focus on service quality and referrals.
You have someone on staff dedicated to marketing. If you’ve hired an admin person or office manager who has time to learn and implement marketing properly, that can work. But they need actual time, not just “squeeze it in between answering phones.”
Research from Master Builders Australia shows that trade businesses earning under $300k annually typically see better ROI from organic methods like Google Business Profile and referral systems than paid advertising. Once you cross $500k in revenue, the math changes dramatically.
What To Look For In A Lead Generation Agency For Trade Businesses
Not all lead generation agencies are worth hiring. Some will take your money and deliver nothing but excuses. What separates the good ones from the time wasters?
Industry Specialisation Matters
Agencies that work with all types of businesses won’t understand your specific challenges. At One Click Digital, we only work with construction and trade businesses because the targeting, messaging, and sales process for a plumber is completely different from a software company.
An agency specialising in trades should understand things like service areas, seasonal demand, project timelines, and the difference between residential and commercial work. If they’re showing you case studies from dentists and gyms, walk away.
Transparent Pricing And Reporting
Good agencies tell you exactly what you’re paying for and what results you’re getting. You should receive monthly reports showing ad spend, leads generated, cost per lead, and conversion rates. If an agency won’t share this data or talks in vague terms about “building your brand,” that’s a red flag.
Avoid agencies that lock you into 12-month contracts with no performance guarantees. Three to six-month commitments are standard. If they’re confident in their work, they won’t need to trap you in a year-long agreement.
Realistic Expectations
Be suspicious of agencies promising specific lead numbers. “We’ll get you 50 leads per month guaranteed” is usually nonsense because lead volume depends on your budget, service area, competition, and dozens of other factors.
Good agencies talk about cost per lead, lead quality, and conversion rates. They’ll explain that getting five qualified leads who actually hire you is better than 50 tyre kickers who waste your time on free quotes.
How Lead Generation Agencies Use Technology To Get Better Results
The gap between DIY and professional agencies isn’t just experience. It’s also the technology and systems they use that most tradies can’t access or afford individually.
Professional agencies use tracking systems that show exactly which ads generated which leads and which leads turned into actual jobs. This means they can kill ads that don’t work and scale up ads that do. Most tradies running their own campaigns have no idea which leads came from which source.
Advanced targeting capabilities make a huge difference. Agencies can target homeowners in specific suburbs, specific income brackets, specific property types, and even people who recently searched for your services. DIY campaigns usually use basic targeting that wastes money on unqualified clicks.
Automation systems handle follow-up so leads don’t go cold. If someone fills out your quote form at 9pm on a Saturday, an automated system can send an immediate response and book them into your calendar. Most tradies don’t follow up until Monday morning, and by then the lead has hired someone else.
At One Click Digital, our AI implementation services help trade businesses automate repetitive tasks like quote follow-ups, appointment reminders, and review requests. This technology used to cost $50,000+ to build custom. Now it’s accessible to small trade businesses.
The Hybrid Approach: Combining Agency Services With Internal Control
You don’t have to choose between all agency or all DIY. Many successful trade businesses use a hybrid model that gets results without handing over complete control.
Agencies handle the technical execution like setting up campaigns, managing bids, creating ads, and building landing pages. You handle the business side like answering leads, providing quotes, and closing jobs. This division of labour makes sense because it keeps everyone in their zone of expertise.
Some tradies start with just Google Ads management through an agency while handling their own social media organically. Others do the opposite, outsourcing social content while running their own Google campaigns. The right split depends on your skills, available time, and budget.
The key is clear communication about who’s responsible for what. If you’re handling quote follow-up, the agency needs to know your response time capabilities so they can set proper expectations with leads.
Common Lead Generation Agency Red Flags To Avoid
Some warning signs that an agency will waste your money:
They guarantee specific results. No legitimate agency can guarantee 50 leads per month or $100k in new business because they don’t control whether you answer your phone, how you quote, or how you close jobs.
They won’t explain their process. If they’re secretive about how they’ll actually generate leads or won’t walk you through their strategy, something’s wrong.
They require full payment upfront. Standard practice is monthly billing or at most quarterly. Anyone demanding six months upfront is probably planning to disappear.
They focus entirely on vanity metrics. If they’re talking about Facebook followers and website traffic instead of actual leads and jobs booked, they don’t understand trade businesses.
Making The Decision: Agency vs DIY For Your Trade Business
The decision comes down to three factors: your revenue, your available time, and your actual marketing skill level.
If you’re doing under $300k annually, start with DIY using organic methods. Focus on Google Business Profile, getting reviews, and asking for referrals. Once you hit $500k+, hiring an agency makes financial sense because the opportunity cost of your time exceeds the agency fees.
Calculate what your time is actually worth. If you bill at $120 per hour and spend 10 hours weekly on marketing, that’s $1,200 in lost income. An agency charging $1,500 monthly suddenly looks like a bargain if they’re more effective than you.
Be honest about your marketing abilities. Most tradies are brilliant at their craft but terrible at marketing. There’s no shame in that. You wouldn’t expect a digital marketer to rewire a house. Why expect yourself to master paid advertising while running a trade business?
FAQs About Lead Generation
How long before I see results from a lead generation agency?
Expect 30-60 days for initial results and 90 days to properly optimise campaigns. Anyone promising results in two weeks is lying. Good agencies set realistic timelines.
Can I do lead generation myself if I have no marketing experience?
You can, but it’ll be expensive and frustrating. If you’re determined to DIY, start with Google Business Profile and organic methods before spending money on ads you don’t understand.
What’s better: Google Ads or Facebook Ads for tradies?
Google Ads typically work better for emergency services (plumbing, electrical) because people are actively searching. Facebook works well for project-based work (renovations, landscaping) where you’re creating demand.
How do I know if my lead generation agency is doing a good job?
Track cost per lead, lead quality, and actual jobs booked. If cost per lead is rising, lead quality is dropping, or you’re not closing jobs from their leads, something’s wrong.
Should I hire a general marketing agency or one specialising in trades?
Always choose trade specialists. Generic agencies don’t understand your business model, sales cycle, or customer psychology. At One Click Digital, we only work with construction and trade businesses for this reason.
Ready To Stop Wasting Money On Marketing That Doesn’t Work?
One Click Digital specialises in lead generation for construction and trade businesses across Australia. We don’t work with dentists, lawyers, or gyms. Just tradies who need more qualified leads without the hassle of doing it themselves.
