Our Client Results: Before-and-After Marketing Metrics Across 12 Trades

We talk a lot about performance-based marketing. Revenue share. Skin in the game. Aligned incentives. But talk is cheap — every agency says they deliver results. The difference is showing the numbers.

This article presents the aggregated before-and-after marketing metrics from our clients across all 12 trades we serve. These are real numbers from real contractors who partnered with Contractor Bear and gave us permission to share their anonymized results.

We are not cherry-picking our best performers. This data represents the median results across our client base — the typical outcome, not the outlier.

Methodology: How We Measure

Before presenting the numbers, here is how we track and attribute results:

Lead attribution. We track leads by source: organic search, Google Business Profile, Google Ads, Google LSA, social media, and direct (website visits from typed URLs, bookmarks, or untracked sources). Referral and word-of-mouth leads that come through a non-digital channel are excluded from our attribution.

Revenue attribution. We connect marketing leads to closed revenue using the client’s field service software (ServiceTitan, FieldEdge, Jobber, or equivalent). Only revenue from leads that originated through our marketing channels is counted toward our performance metrics.

Timeline. All “after” metrics represent performance at the 6-month mark unless otherwise noted. We chose 6 months because it is enough time for SEO and content to take effect while being recent enough to be relevant. Some trades show 12-month data where the growth curve is particularly meaningful.

Sample sizes. The number of clients varies by trade. Our largest samples are in plumbing, HVAC, and electrical. Newer trades (like concrete/masonry and fencing) have smaller samples. We note sample sizes in each section.

Aggregate Results: All Trades Combined

Before looking at individual trades, here is the big picture across our entire client base:

Average ROI across all trades: 4.8x — For every dollar spent on marketing through Contractor Bear, clients generated $4.80 in attributable revenue.

Average time to positive ROI: 2.8 months. Most clients see their marketing spend pay for itself within 3 months. The first month is typically negative (investment in website building and foundation), month 2 approaches break-even, and month 3 turns positive.

Results by Trade

1. Plumbing

Sample size: 24 clients

Plumbing clients consistently show the fastest time to ROI (average 2.3 months) because of the high volume of “emergency” searches. When someone’s pipe bursts, they search immediately and call the first credible result. Our combination of GBP optimization, LSA, and fast-loading websites captures these high-intent leads effectively.

The 13% increase in average job value is a common pattern: well-built websites educate customers about premium services (water heater upgrades, whole-house repiping, water filtration) before the service call, leading to higher-value bookings.

Detailed plumber case study: How a solo plumber in Phoenix went from 5 to 40 leads per month

2. HVAC

Sample size: 19 clients

HVAC companies see the highest average job values and the most dramatic improvement in shoulder-season revenue. Our year-round marketing strategy — targeting maintenance agreements, indoor air quality, and equipment replacement research during off-peak months — consistently smooths the seasonal revenue curve.

The 20% increase in average job value comes from maintenance agreement marketing (lower ticket but recurring), combined with equipment replacement content that drives higher-ticket system sales.

Detailed HVAC case study: HVAC company doubles revenue with year-round digital marketing

3. Electrical

Sample size: 14 clients

Electrical contractors show the largest average job value increase (44%) of any trade. This is driven by two factors: EV charger installations (high-ticket, growing demand) and panel upgrade marketing (necessary for EV chargers and increasingly relevant as homes add electric appliances).

Electricians who lean into EV charger marketing see outsized growth. The market is still early enough that competition for EV-related keywords is low, making it one of the most cost-effective lead generation opportunities across any trade.

Detailed electrician case study: Electrician rides the EV charger wave to 3X growth

4. Roofing

Sample size: 12 clients

Roofing companies have the highest average job values in our client base, which means each lead is worth significantly more. A single roofing lead that converts to a $9,200 job justifies substantial marketing investment.

The storm season numbers are particularly striking. Companies with pre-built storm damage content and ready-to-activate ad campaigns capture 5 to 7 times more leads during storm events than companies that scramble to market after the fact.

Detailed roofing case study: Roofing company dominates storm season with SEO and LSA

5. Landscaping

Sample size: 11 clients

Landscaping companies show the most dramatic shift in revenue composition. Going from 12% recurring revenue to 48% recurring revenue transforms the business model from project-dependent to subscription-based. This shift enables confident hiring, equipment investment, and year-round employment for crews.

Detailed landscaping case study: Landscaping company builds $50K/month in recurring revenue

6. Painting

Sample size: 8 clients

Painting contractors benefit heavily from portfolio-driven content. Before/after galleries, color consultation pages, and project showcases build trust and help customers visualize outcomes. Painting also has strong seasonal patterns (spring and summer peaks), and content marketing during the off-season builds a pipeline that fills the schedule when demand returns.

7. Pest Control

Sample size: 7 clients

Pest control is naturally a recurring-revenue business, and our marketing amplifies this. Content targeting specific pests (termites, bed bugs, mosquitoes, rodents) with local seasonality information drives high-intent leads. Recurring treatment plan marketing — similar to HVAC maintenance agreements — builds a predictable revenue base.

8. Cleaning / House Cleaning

Sample size: 6 clients

House cleaning companies see the highest recurring revenue percentages of any trade. Weekly or bi-weekly cleaning clients provide extremely predictable revenue. Marketing focuses on converting one-time deep cleaning customers into recurring clients through follow-up sequences and loyalty pricing.

9. Garage Door

Sample size: 5 clients

Garage door is an emergency-driven trade similar to plumbing, which means fast time-to-ROI. “Garage door stuck” and “garage door repair near me” searches have high intent and convert well. LSA and GBP visibility are critical because most customers call the first company they find.

10. Fencing

Sample size: 4 clients

Fencing is a high-ticket, project-based trade with strong seasonal demand (spring and summer). Content marketing targeting material comparisons (wood vs. vinyl vs. aluminum), permit information, and neighborhood-specific content drives research-stage leads that convert 30 to 60 days later.

11. Concrete / Masonry

Sample size: 3 clients

Concrete and masonry contractors have the highest average job values after roofing. These are considered purchases — customers research for weeks before choosing a contractor. Content that showcases portfolio work, explains material options, and provides cost estimates captures these research-phase buyers.

12. General Contractor

Sample size: 4 clients

General contractors have the longest sales cycles and highest job values. Marketing focuses on portfolio content, trust signals (licensing, insurance, bonding), and educational content about the renovation/construction process. The 21% increase in average job value comes from content that pre-qualifies leads — customers who read detailed project guides tend to have higher budgets and clearer project scopes.

What Is Included in These Results

Every client represented in this data received:

• Custom website built on the Astro framework with Tailwind CSS, mobile-first design, and SEO optimization. Page counts ranged from 50 to 500+ depending on trade, market size, and package tier.
• Google Business Profile optimization including professional photos, complete service listings, regular posts, and review management.
• Automated review generation through post-job text/email sequences.
• Local SEO including citation building, NAP consistency, and schema markup.
• Content marketing (Growth and Dominate tiers) with trade-specific blog posts and service pages.
• Paid advertising management (Dominate tier only) including Google Ads and/or Google LSA.

Timeline to Results

Based on our client data, here is the typical trajectory:

The compounding effect is real. Each month builds on the previous month’s work. More content improves domain authority, which helps all pages rank higher. More reviews improve Map Pack visibility, which drives more traffic to the website. More website traffic generates more leads, which creates more completed jobs, which generates more reviews. The flywheel accelerates over time.

After month 6, growth continues but the rate of change moderates. Months 7 through 12 typically add another 30 to 60% on top of the 6-month numbers, for total 12-month growth of 200 to 350% above baseline.

What These Numbers Do Not Include

Transparency requires noting what is not in these numbers:

• Referral and word-of-mouth leads that were not digitally tracked. Many clients report significant increases in referrals after improving their online presence, but we do not count these in our attribution.
• Brand effect. Having a professional website and strong review profile increases close rates on all leads — including those from non-marketing sources. This halo effect is real but not quantified.
• Operational improvements. Clients who grow through marketing often improve their operations simultaneously — better dispatch, CSR training, sales processes. Some revenue growth is attributable to these improvements, not purely marketing.

We prefer to under-claim rather than over-claim. The numbers presented here represent conservatively attributed results.

See Your Trade’s Potential

These results are achievable for contractors who are committed to growth and willing to invest in a marketing partnership. The specific numbers vary by market size, competition level, and starting point — but the patterns are consistent across trades and geographies.

If you want to see what these results could look like for your specific business, we are happy to run the numbers with you.

• View our pricing plans
• Contact us for a free strategy session
• See trade-specific results for plumbers in Phoenix, HVAC companies in Houston, roofing businesses in Dallas, and electricians ready to grow
• Read about what makes Contractor Bear different
• Understand how our pricing model works