Emergency vs scheduled work sets the strategy
Emergency electrical work is won by whoever ranks in the map pack at 2am and answers the phone; project work is won by reviews, photos and quotes that arrive first. The budget split follows from that mix, which is why the calculator asks. Both halves depend on the same foundation: reviews, service-area pages and call handling.
What the est. ranges assume
Home-services convention: est. 4–6% of revenue to maintain, est. 8–12% to grow, floor around est. $600–$1,000/month for small shops where channel minimums dominate. Lead costs in the trade commonly run est. $25–$95 per lead through LSA depending on market — verify against your own booked-job numbers.
Where electrician budgets leak
- City-page spam that never ranks — ten thin pages lose to three real service-area pages with photos and reviews.
- Tracking clicks instead of booked jobs. The report should end in a decision.
- Shared-lead marketplaces as the only channel — the margin goes to the marketplace forever.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a electrical contractor spend on marketing?
The est. home-services convention is 4–6% of revenue to maintain and 8–12% to grow, with a practical floor around est. $600–$1,000/month for small operations. An $800k electrical contractor aiming to grow typically lands around est. $5,300–$8,000/month.
Where should the first marketing dollars go?
Local search: Google Business Profile, reviews and service-plus-city pages. That traffic converts at intent paid ads must pay for repeatedly. Local Services Ads usually come second because the pay-per-lead model caps downside while reviews build.
Are Local Services Ads worth it?
Usually yes as a second channel: you pay per lead rather than per click and the Google Guaranteed badge helps conversion. Rank within LSA is driven heavily by review count and response speed, so the review system has to come first.
What should I expect from an agency at this budget?
Named deliverables monthly, call tracking tied to jobs booked (not clicks), and no long contract. Guaranteed rankings or lead counts are the red flag — nobody controls Google. My pricing is published: $800 or $1,500/month, no contract, you keep everything.