If Your Last Job Came From a Referral, You Need to Read This

Referrals are great, but they aren’t sustainable…

You’ve built a great reputation. Clients love your work. Your name gets passed around.

And yet, your business still feels like a rollercoaster. Some months you’re booked solid. Other months? Silence. No new enquiries, no new contracts—just stress.

For years, referrals have been your best (or only) marketing strategy. And while they’re valuable, they’re also unpredictable. You have no control over when they come in, who they bring, or whether the lead will even be a good fit.

That’s exactly why so many builders struggled in 2024. The market shifted. Referrals dried up. And the ones that did come in? Often unqualified, budget-conscious, and shopping around for the cheapest deal.

Meanwhile, the builders who invested in marketing—those who proactively put their business in front of the right clients—didn’t just survive. They achieved their most profitable years on record.

If you want predictable sales, steady profits, and the ability to choose your clients instead of taking whatever comes your way, it’s time to take marketing seriously.

Marketing by the Numbers

According to the 2025 State of Residential Construction Industry (SORCI) Report, builders who invest in strategic marketing see higher revenue, stronger margins, and better clients compared to those who don’t.

The data shows that builders who rely on referrals for more than 50% of their leads face reduced profitability. Yet, 48.4% of builders reported referrals as their primary lead source.
Builders who allocate a portion of their revenue to marketing achieve higher markups and profitability. For instance, builders who spend 3% of revenue on marketing hit a 27.5% gross markup, compared to just 20% for those who invest nothing.
Builders who invest in content marketing (publishing two or more articles per year) report a 26% gross markup, compared to 20% for those who don’t.

The takeaway? Marketing isn’t an expense—it’s an investment that pays off in more jobs, better clients, and higher profits.

Most Builders Avoid Marketing—Here’s Why

If the benefits are so clear, why do so many builders hesitate to invest in their marketing?

“I get all my work from referrals.” That’s great—for now. But relying only on referrals leaves your business vulnerable to slow months and unpredictable workloads.
“Marketing is expensive.” What’s expensive is not having a steady flow of profitable jobs. The right marketing strategy generates far more revenue than it costs.
“I don’t know where to start.” You’re a builder, not a marketer. But the builders who scale don’t do it alone—they get the right experts to handle it.

The truth? If you don’t invest in marketing, your competitors will—and they’ll be the ones winning the best jobs.

What Effective Marketing Looks Like for Builders

Right now, you might feel like you’re constantly chasing leads, hoping the next enquiry is serious—not just another price shopper wasting your time. But imagine a different reality…

A potential client reaches out. They already know your reputation. They’ve seen your work, read your testimonials, and followed your projects online. There’s no hesitation, no shopping around—they want you to build their home.

Because you’ve positioned your business as the go-to builder in your market, price isn’t the first question they ask. Instead, they’re interested in your process, your expertise, and how soon you can get started.

Your pipeline stays full, not because you’re scrambling for referrals, but because your marketing consistently brings in high-quality clients. Revenue becomes predictable. Slow months? A thing of the past.

And the best part? You get to choose who you work with—homeowners who respect your expertise, trust your process, and are willing to pay for quality. No more competing on price just to keep the jobs flowing.

That’s the power of marketing done right.

How to Start Marketing the Right Way

Think about how your ideal client begins their search for a builder. They don’t just rely on word of mouth—they go online. They research, compare, and look for proof that you’re the right choice. If your website isn’t showcasing your best work, answering their key questions, and making it easy to contact you, they’ll move on to someone who does.

But having a great website isn’t enough if no one sees it. That’s where targeted advertising comes in. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google let you reach high-value clients who are actively looking for a builder, putting you in front of the right people at the right time.

Once they find you, they need to trust you. That’s why social proof such as testimonials, case studies, and high-quality project photos are essential. When potential clients see real results from real people, their confidence in choosing you skyrockets.

But even the best marketing efforts fall flat if you don’t follow up. Too many builders lose jobs simply because they don’t respond quickly or nurture leads properly. A simple automated email or text sequence can make the difference between winning the job or losing it to a competitor.

And finally, just as your clients trust you to build their dream home, you should trust experts to build your brand. Marketing isn’t just another task on your to-do list—it’s a system that, when done right, brings in the right clients, at the right price, on demand.

What’s the Cost of Doing Nothing?

You could keep relying on referrals. Keep hoping the right clients find you. Keep competing on price because no one understands why you’re better.

Or… you could take control. Invest in marketing. Build a brand that attracts profitable projects on demand.

Because at the end of the day, the builders who grow aren’t necessarily the best builders—they’re the ones who know how to market themselves.

Which one will you be?

If you’re serious about landing better jobs, bigger profits, and a more predictable business, it starts with marketing.

Get your copy of the 2025 SORCI Report to unlock 100+ more critical benchmarking statistics that will help drive your business forward this year.