Lead Generation Software for Grounds Maintenance: The Core Tools You Need To Grow Your Business

Introduction

The grounds maintenance industry is full of challenges; generating a steady flow of leads and new business should not be one of them.

Whether you’re managing community spaces, irrigation and drainage, snow removal, or doing general maintenance like lawn care and mulch, balancing your workload while also trying to grow your customer base can feel like an overwhelming task.

The good news is- it doesn’t have to be.

For years, landscaping and grounds maintenance companies have relied on traditional lead generation methods like local advertising, networking, generating word-of-mouth referrals, and cold contacting (e.g., cold email and cold calling).

These methods were great until COVID hit. All at once, everyone was forced online, which drove up ad costs and wiped out a lot of in-person events.

Today, modern communication devices automatically filter out messages from unknown numbers and email addresses. Email spam filters are getting rid of almost any email that seems unfamiliar, and most smartphones are set up to automatically silence calls from anyone who’s not in your contacts.

Which makes reaching decision-makers a real challenge.

That’s where lead generation tools come in. With the right lead generation software and strategies, you can maximize your outreach efforts and streamline the process of capturing new leads to focus on what truly matters—generating new business and delivering great services.

In this article, we’re going to discuss how to build an outbound lead generation machine for your business that uses technology to find and alert you when local property owners, managers, and tenants are looking for your services, so you can reach out to them at the right time.

We’ll also explore the top lead generation tools, walking you through the features to look for, how to use them effectively, and why integrating these and other tools into your lead generation process can help you consistently attract new leads and scale your business.

So, let’s get into it!

What is Lead Generation?

Let’s cover the basics first. We’re going to talk about two different lead generation processes today; inbound and outbound lead generation.

Inbound Lead Generation

Inbound lead generation is the process of identifying potential customers and attracting them to your products and services.

The inbound lead generation process generally involves several steps:

1. Creating valuable content that attracts website visitors and interactions on company social media accounts.
2. Capturing that traffic with the goal of converting them into leads using lead capture forms or engaging them via live chat tools.
3. Tracking leads and guiding them through the sales funnel or sales cycle until they become paying customers.

The challenge with inbound lead generation is that it takes a lot of work, and requires time to “spin-up.” Writing blog posts is great for being found on Google, but it may take 6 months to generate leads with an ROI, posting content on social media could work faster, but how many grounds maintenance executives want to show up on camera everyday, write regular posts on LinkedIn, or hire a video editing team to create content.

These are great tools for long-term growth (12 months+), but they present real challenges if you’re trying to close new business this quarter.

Outbound Lead Generation for Grounds Maintenance

Outbound lead generation is far more predictable than inbound- but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. “Outbound” involves a mix of traditional methods like:

1. Messaging on LinkedIn,
2. Social media outreach,
3. Cold calling,
4. Cold emailing,
5. Direct mail

And other methods that “push” messages to your ideal customer profile (ICP) (e.g., property owners, tenants, and facilities managers). This approach is more proactive than inbound lead generation, as you are actively seeking out and contacting prospects rather than waiting for them to come to you.

Now, you may be thinking, “But didn’t you just say modern communication devices like iPhones and “spam” settings filter out this communication?”

Yes, unless the messages are hyper-personalized and tailored to your customer’s needs.

See, most sales reps send outreach messages like,

Hey (person),
I hope your day is going well! I’m reaching out because I saw that you took a job at (XYZ Properties), and I want to congratulate you on your new role!
If you ever need lawn care services, I’m your guy…
Click here to schedule your free quote!
Have a great day,
(sales rep)

The problem is that the moment a prospect reads this email, they know it’s not about them or what they need, and they mark it as spam, so they never have to see a message from that rep again.

Chances are, you’ve probably received a few emails like this yourself, and if you’re anything like me, at best, you didn’t respond; at worst, you thought, “Here we go again…” before you asked to be removed from their list or “unsubscribed.”

This is where having the right lead generation tools can make all the difference. Lead generation platforms like Convex use data and “buying signals” to help you reach out to decision-makers at the right time with the right message so your outreach is not only seen, it’s also relevant and timely.

But we’ll come back to this in a moment.

Why Lead Generation is Essential for Grounds Maintenance Businesses

Today’s market is more competitive than ever, and your competition is flooding your prospect’s LinkedIn accounts, email inboxes, and voicemails with the generic messages we covered in the previous section.

Some would view this as an obstacle, but it’s really an opportunity.

Industry-wide, 25% to 55% of new deals (depending on who reports the data) come from personalized, well-targeted cold outreach. So, if you’re not sending the right messages to the right people at the right time, you’re leaving a lot of money on the table.

In today’s competitive market, it’s not enough to wait for prospective customers and clients to come to you (inbound). You need to actively pursue finding and converting new leads and customers (outbound) to keep your business growing.

Lead generation software is the best way to do this. Tools like Convex and Hubspot help your team automate and streamline this process, delivering valuable insights, sales qualified leads, and ensuring that your sales team spends more time closing deals and less time doing research or chasing unqualified leads.

Types of Lead Generation Tools for Grounds Maintenance

There are many tools in the “lead-gen” category, but you only need two to three to be extremely effective in your outbound approach.

Keep in mind that every business is different, and there are various types of lead-generation tools to help you create an effective sales process. Today, we’ll focus on the key tools to identify prospects, manage and automate core aspects of your outreach efforts, and create follow-up or nurture sequences so you miss as few sales opportunities as possible.

Property Intelligence Software/ Sales Intelligence Software

The first and most important tool you need is either sales intelligence or property intelligence software. Think of these “intelligence” tools as the sales assistant who works 24/7 to find you new leads and optimize sales operations.

Many people have the misconception that Property Intelligence tools are only for real estate developers, investors, brokers, lenders, and tenants – basically, people looking for deals or doing due -diligence on them.

But this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Property Intelligence solutions like Convex are a must-have for a commercial services sales team as they use data and buying signals to show you who’s “in-market” and ready to buy. In this way, Convex can find new prospects for you on autopilot – but we’ll cover this in the next section.

Complete Marketing Automation/ Pipeline Management/ CRM Tools:

Next, you need some type of customer relationship management (CRM)/ marketing and sales automation solution to integrate with your sales or property intelligence solution. This way, you can take a prospect who’s converted into a lead and build a relationship with them if they’re not ready to buy.

HubSpot and Salesforce offer all-in-one solutions, integrating lead generation, customer relationship management (CRM), and sales automation. These platforms help you manage every aspect of your sales process, from the initial outbound sales to nurturing leads.

Sales Process Automation Tools:

Finally, you’ll need a sales process automation tool like Pipedrive, or Zapier, or you can have custom automations built in Make or similar tools.

Pipedrive and Zapier streamline your sales workflow by automating tasks such as lead qualification and follow-ups, enabling you to focus on closing deals. A lot of companies probably won’t even need those tools since Hubspot and Salesforce are so versatile that they cover many aspects of the sales process.

But if you want to take your team to the next level, Zapier, Pipedrive, and Make can automate many sales operations so your sales team is focused on the deals most likely to close, not every single prospect that comes in through the door.

And that’s really all you need, but some companies will struggle with other aspects of lead generation, such as converting website visitors into leads, finding email addresses, or creating effective landing pages and forms to capture contact information. So, just to cover our bases, here are a few tools that can supplement your lead generation efforts and enhance your overall strategy so your business doesn’t miss out on a great deal!

Website Visitor Identification Tools:

Tools like Leadfeeder and HubSpot track engagement on your website. This allows you to further track leads and focus your sales engagement efforts on those most likely to convert.

Lead Data Collection Tools:

Tools like Overloop and D&B Hoovers help gather and organize contact data, including email addresses and company details, ensuring that your outreach is targeted and effective.

Email Address Lookup Tools:

Hunter.io and Voila Norbert help you find and verify email addresses, enabling you to connect with the right people at the right time.

Email Follow-up Tools:

Automating follow-ups is a game-changer in modern sales. Tools like Boomerang for Gmail and HubSpot Sales ensure that no lead falls through the cracks, keeping you top-of-mind with qualified leads.

Email Marketing Tools:

Platforms like Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign allow you to create customized email marketing campaigns, helping you nurture leads through well-timed and personalized outreach.

Landing Page Creation and Lead Capture Tools:

A custom landing page builder like Unbounce, Leadpages, Clickfunnels, or Instapage helps you design optimized pages with lead capture forms to gather contact details from interested prospects. Depending on your budget, the lower end of these landing page builders starts at less than $20 per month, with tools like Clickfunnels costing almost $300 per month.

Live Chat Tools:

Tools like Intercom and Tawk allow you to engage visitors in real time, answer their questions, and capture leads directly from your website.

Customer Insights and Satisfaction Tools:

Tools like ProProfs Survey Maker and Qualaroo provide feedback from customers, giving you insights into how to improve your services and maintain high levels of customer satisfaction.

Features to Consider When Purchasing Lead Generation Software

We’ll dive into picking the best lead-generation software for your business after we share our top picks (in the next section). But while you’re reviewing the list, here are the most important factors to consider:

1. Lead Generation Tool Capabilities: If your goal is to drive leads to sales, make sure the software offers a variety of lead generation tools to support your efforts, whether it’s buying signals, intent data, outreach tools, Generative AI, landing page builders, or email marketing automation. Ensure that the platforms you’re considering actually allow you to meet your primary goals in the most effective and efficient way.
2. Integration with Other Software: If you have a stack of tools that are currently working and you don’t want to make a change, look for platforms that integrate seamlessly with your existing CRM or marketing tools, such as Google Analytics, Hubspot, or Zapier. This will help you streamline operations and give you a comprehensive view of your sales cycle.
3. Customization and Automation Options: Customization is key to capturing the right leads. Look for platforms that allow you to create personalized outreach messaging (key to “cutting through the noise”), automate buying signals and lead qualification, and include contact enrichment, follow-up reminders, and pipeline management.
4. Analytics and Reporting Features: Tracking and analyzing your campaigns and outreach efforts is critical to building effective sales processes. Good lead generation software should provide detailed reports on your sales pipeline, website traffic, conversion rates, and lead sources that help you tailor your sales efforts for efficiency and effectiveness.

Top 7 Lead Generation Software for Grounds Maintenance

Now, let’s explore the best lead generation software for grounds maintenance businesses:

1. Convex – If you’re in grounds and maintenance, Convex should be at the top of your list. This property intelligence platform was built from the ground up with field sales teams in mind, and it shows. Rated 4.7/ 5 on Capterra, Convex helps sales teams accelerate their sales pipeline and offers a powerful combination of tools and AI-powered outreach that can transform your sales process. It’s so easy to use, lead-generation only takes four steps:

• Log in to Convex. Then, check the Signals (our proprietary buyer intent data) category to see who is ready to buy in your market.
• Then, search for a property type (e.g., hospital, restaurant, multi-family, manufacturing, etc.), contact name, job title, account name, property address, or tenants to identify who to contact.
• With just two clicks, you can use Generative AI trained on their buying signals and your own company and contact data to send them a hyper-personalized email or draft a phone call script.
• Set up an automated follow-up or reminder, or add to your pipeline.

Built for outside salespeople in grounds, HVAC, generators, roofing, elevators, waste management, commercial cleaning and janitorial, and more, Convex offers a suite of sales prospecting tools that find leads, enrich data, map sales routes, perform light CRM activities, and integrate with the best follow-up tools on the market.

2. Salesforce – Salesforce is a comprehensive CRM platform that offers powerful lead generation tools, including email marketing and pipeline management. Its marketing automation features make it one of the top choices for businesses looking to scale their lead-generation efforts.

3. HubSpot – HubSpot provides an all-in-one CRM solution, including email marketing tools, landing page creation, and sales automation. It’s perfect for organizing your leads and managing your outreach efforts from one platform.

4. LinkedIn Sales Navigator – This powerful tool allows you to find and connect with potential leads on LinkedIn. With advanced search filters and personalized outreach options, LinkedIn “Sales Nav” an excellent option for businesses looking to target specific industries or job titles.

5. Pipedrive – Pipedrive is a user-friendly CRM platform that helps sales teams organize their pipeline and track their progress. Its built-in automation features make it easy to consistently follow up with leads.

6. Zapier – Zapier is a powerful automation tool that helps connect your existing software and streamline your lead generation efforts. With its integration capabilities, it can help ground maintenance businesses capture leads from different sources and manage them efficiently.

7. Overloop – Overloop is a lead capturing software that helps businesses gather contact details and other relevant information about their prospects. It integrates with popular CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot to automate the process of collecting and organizing leads.

How to Choose the Right Lead Generation Software for Your Grounds Maintenance Business

With so many options out there, how do you choose the right lead generation software for your grounds maintenance business? It all starts with a clear understanding of your sales goals and business objectives and then how the different lead generation software aligns with those. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you make the best choice:

1. Define Your Sales Goals

The first step in choosing the right top marketing software is to set clear, measurable goals for your business. For example, if your goal is to increase sales by 20% next quarter, you’ll need to decide how to achieve that – whether it’s through ad campaigns driving traffic to lead capture pages or a more direct outreach strategy. Your goals should be the filter for the tools that will help you achieve those goals.

2. Budget

Once you set your goals, you need to determine your budget for the lead generation software. Prices can vary greatly depending on the lead gen tool’s features, scalability, and capabilities. Make sure the cost fits your budget, but also consider the return on investment. Some platforms offer scalable pricing that grows with your business, while others require a higher upfront cost. Choosing the right software can save you time and resources in the long run, so think of it as an investment in your business growth.

3. Target the Right Leads

Not all software will give you access to your ideal customer. If you want to reach decision-makers directly, avoid tools that only give you basic contact information. Instead, look for platforms that give you enriched data with direct access to your target customers – whether residential, commercial, or industrial. Choose software that matches your customer profile, and your lead generation will be streamlined, and you’ll be targeting the right prospects.

4. What’s Your Business

Every business is unique, and your software should address that. Do you need to increase website traffic, improve pipeline management, or create better landing pages for lead capture? By identifying your most critical areas, you can find tools with the right features, like CRM integration or marketing automation, that address your business challenges.

5. Features and Pricing

Not all software is created equal, and features can vary greatly across platforms. Compare the features of tools like HubSpot, Salesforce, or other niche options. Some may have advanced analytics and CRM integration, while others have more basic lead management features. If budget is a concern, look for platforms that offer free trials or basic versions so you can test them before you commit.

6. Check Reviews and Testimonials

Before you make your final decision, research what other grounds maintenance businesses are saying about the software. Reviews and testimonials will give you valuable insight into how the software performs in real life and help you avoid the pitfalls.

Pro Tip: Avoid Shiny Object Syndrome

With so many flashy features and persuasive sales reps out there it’s easy to get distracted. Stay focused on your core goals and avoid getting caught up in the bells and whistles that don’t add real value to your business. Stick to what matters: find a marketing tool that that fits your needs, aligns with your budget and helps you achieve your goals efficiently.

Tips for Using Lead Generation Software Effectively

Once you’ve chosen the lead generation tool and software you think will offer you the greatest opportunity to streamline sales and accelerate revenue, now it’s time to put it to work.

Here are some tips to help you maximize the potential of the tool you chose:

1. Team Adoption: For your lead generation software to be effective, your entire team must adopt it enthusiastically. Encourage team members to embrace the new tool by highlighting its benefits and how it will streamline their workflow. Consider assigning software champions within your team who can lead by example, fostering a positive attitude toward the change.
2. Team Training: Comprehensive training should be provided to ensure all users are comfortable with the software’s features and functionalities. Convex hosts regular workshops and online training sessions to go through key aspects of the tool, allowing your team to ask questions and gain hands-on experience from our internal team. This type of training helps to increase confidence and maximizes the software’s potential.
3. Tracking and Analyzing: Once your team is trained and using the software, it is vital to establish a routine for tracking and analyzing the generated leads. Use the software’s built-in analytics tools to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as conversion rates and lead quality. By regularly reviewing this data, you can identify patterns, refine your strategies, and make informed decisions to enhance lead-generation efforts.
4. Scaling: As your business grows, your lead generation efforts should scale accordingly. Take advantage of the scalability features offered by your chosen software including automation and integration capacities. Assess the evolving needs of your business and adjust your strategies and tool usage as necessary to maintain efficiency and effectiveness in reaching your sales goals.

Following this simple feedback loop of utilization, training, measuring, and scaling will help your team fully adopt the platform and capture as much of their market as possible.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Lead Generation

Lead generation is about focus. Any of these common pitfalls can make your lead generation process ineffective, so make sure to steer clear of them at all costs.

• Undefined target market: There’s an old saying that you can’t hit a target you can’t see. If you don’t define your target audience, your sales team will end up chasing leads that aren’t a great match for your products and services—wasting valuable time and resources. Instead, focus on honing in on your target audience and learn to speak directly to their needs and challenges. You can always expand your reach later, but starting narrow is the best way to kick off your sales efforts with a new tool.
• Poor data quality: Poor-quality data is one of the most significant hindrances to effective lead generation. Inaccurate or outdated data can steer your sales team in the wrong direction and damage their productivity. It’s essential to invest in a solution that can provide you with up-to-date, enriched, and accurate data for your target audience and make sure to keep clean data practices across your sales and marketing organizations.
• No follow-up process: If you don’t have a clear process for following up on leads, even the best lead generation efforts might not hit the mark. It’s important to have a solid plan for when, how, and why you’ll reach out to prospects after they show interest. Whether you’re using email marketing or personal outreach, having that plan in place can make all the difference.
• Neglecting analytics: Without tracking and analyzing your lead generation efforts, you won’t know what’s working and what isn’t. Take advantage of the analytics tools within your chosen software to monitor key metrics and make data-driven decisions.

Making these mistakes on an ongoing basis can feel like throwing money down a black hole. If you begin with a laser focus on your target market and take a data-driven approach to lead generation, you’ll be well on your way to success. Remember, the software is just one tool in your arsenal—success also requires a clear strategy and dedicated effort from your team.

Conclusion

Hopefully, after reading this, you can see that the right lead generation tools can truly transform how your grounds maintenance business finds new prospects, attracts and nurtures leads, and closes deals.

We’ve talked about so many tools today that it’s easy to feel a bit lost on what to do next. Since we’ve covered everything from live chat tools like Intercom to comprehensive sales intelligence platforms like Convex and pipeline management tools like Salesforce, it’s understandable if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed.

If you’re struggling to select the right tools to automate and streamline your lead generation process, remember to start by defining your target audience and their needs. Consider starting with a simple tool that fits your budget and goals, then work your way up to more advanced solutions as you learn what works for your business.

Ready to revolutionize your lead generation process?

Schedule a demo of Convex today and see how property intelligence can help you capture more qualified leads and boost your business’s growth.