Warm Calling Tips: Win Over Prospects and Book More Jobs

A warm call is just the start of a relationship that could last days, weeks, or months, depending on the size of the project. Use our warm calling tips to boost your odds of getting the estimate scheduled and ultimately, getting the job.

What Is a Warm Lead?

A warm lead is a homeowner who’s interested in hiring a service professional to complete a job. With the warm leads provided by Angi, the hard work is done for you because a homeowner has already shown interest in your products or services. 

Angi offers you prospects who are ready to make a hiring decision and are actively soliciting bids. While warm leads are already interested, they often require nurturing to seal the deal.

Hot vs. Warm vs. Cold Leads

Cold leads are just the opposite of warm leads: homeowners who haven't expressed interest in hiring a service professional. Cold calling has a higher rejection rate because you're not calling based on customer initiation. Salespeople used to compare cold calling to picking up a 100-pound dumbbell. It’s not easy. 

A warm lead offers a better success rate with less work because you already know they're interested. With the right nurturing, warm leads turn into hot leads where customers are ready to schedule projects.

5 Tips for Excelling at Warm Calling

Excelling at warm calling requires a strategic balance between speed and genuine engagement to convert interested prospects into loyal clients. To succeed, you must prioritize rapid response times while using open-ended questions to uncover the specific needs and pain points of the homeowner. By establishing a clear timeline and following a consistent follow-up schedule, you can build the necessary trust to move a project from a simple inquiry to a scheduled contract.

1. Respond Within 24 Hours

It's important to respond to a lead within a day by phone or email or text because many homeowners do "shotgun" outreach when seeking services. Follow up as soon as possible with a sales call (instead of waiting for a lead pile) to boost your chances of getting the job.

2. Learn More About Their Needs

Use the conversation to gather more information about the potential customer’s issue (aka “lead nurturing”). The more you know about a prospect's specific needs, the better you can sell yourself as the solution. Lead the conversation using open-ended questions that allow the decision-makers to feel heard instead of pitching your products or services. 

Example conversation starter questions could be:

• Can you tell me more about [project]?

• What do you not like about your [room] currently?

• What does your ideal [room] look like?

• When would you like us to come over and take a look?

3. Ask About a Completion Date

Discussing a timeline helps turn a project from hypothetical to reality. Asking about a completion date gets you closer to a successful bid and ensures that the customer’s expectations are doable.

4. Don't Let an Unanswered Phone Call Be a Dead End

Always leave a voicemail if a contact doesn't answer the phone. Even better? It's important to respond to a lead within a day by phone, email, or text because many homeowners do "shotgun" outreach when seeking services. You should try to time calls during commutes, lunch hours, or after work hours to increase your odds of getting an answer.

5. Create an "Ideal Customer" Blueprint

Draw on your experience to build an ideal customer profile based on factors like location, job size, budget, and timeline. This will help you avoid jobs that might end up being more trouble than they're worth. 

Another approach is to factor in these extra costs so that no job is more trouble than the budget. The client might reject the job based on the price, but if they accept it, the project will be a win-win (for you and the client).

Warm Lead Scripts: 2 Templates You Can Use

It’s helpful to have call scripts saved as templates that are accessible for your entire team. Always start by introducing yourself and explaining why you're calling. Then, promote the value of your service and offer them an open ear to learn more.

Initial Outreach Script

Introduction: "Hi, this is John from Clover Roofing."

Reason for calling: "I'm calling because of your interest in learning about roofing options."

Value of service: "I'm not sure if you already know that we offer 15-year warranties for roof repairs and replacements."

Open ear: "If you can tell me a bit about what you're looking for, I can set up a time to come out and give you an estimate."

Follow-Up Script

Introduction: "Hi, this is John from Clover Roofing."

Reason for calling: "I'm following up to see how things are moving along with your roofing project."

Value of service: "I'm not sure if I mentioned last time I reached out that Clover Roofing offers roof repairs and replacements with a 15-year workmanship warranty. We offer more than 12 roofing material options from top-tier manufacturers.” 

Open ear: "If you're not happy with your roof, let's set up a time to come out to give you an estimate for something that meets your needs."

Following Up on Warm Leads

Didn’t book the estimate or job on the first call? Your next step is to follow up within a week, preferably on a Wednesday or Thursday afternoon, according to a lead response study. 

Emphasize the existing connection when following up with a warm lead to remind them of how, when, and why they last interacted with your company, so you can avoid looking like a cold call. Be sure to mention the specific service they inquired about previously and reemphasize your ability to get the job done.

Always speak directly to a prospective customer’s specific need or problem to show off your expertise and upsell. For instance, a prospect who called about a new roof following a snow-related collapse might be interested in ice-dam protection. But a potential customer who called about a failed conventional septic system might want to know about an aerobic conversion. 

You should also invite the prospect to look at your reviews, testimonials, and before and after photos online to build trust.

How Angi Leads Differ

Tired of trying to find and organize leads? Angi has millions of homeowners looking to book projects today. Get pre-vetted leads sent directly to your inbox and tools to manage them with ease. Turn warm leads into more business by signing up for Angi today.