A regular website tells people who you are. A lead generation website gets people with a job to contact you. That sounds similar, but they're two different products, with different price tags and completely different returns.
The difference between a business card and a lead generation website
Most trade business websites are digital business cards: a photo album, a bit of history, and a contact page somewhere at the bottom. Neat, but that kind of site does nothing. A lead generation website is built around one goal: turning visitors into requests.
Concretely, that means:
- One clear action per page. Request a quote or schedule a demo, not ten menu items all competing for attention.
- Locally focused. The page shows within a second which region you work in, because that's what the customer is searching for.
- Proof above the fold. Reviews, photos of real work, numbers. People choose the trade business that others recommend.
- Form plus WhatsApp. Half of visitors won't fill out a form, but will send a WhatsApp message instead.
- Speed. Every second of load time costs you visitors, especially on mobile, where most traffic comes from.
For a realistic percentage of visitors that turn into requests, read what counts as good conversion for a trade business website.
What does it cost to build a lead generation website?
Search online for "website cost to build" and you'll find everything between €500 and €20,000. That's because three completely different things fall under that heading:
| Option | Cost | What you get | |-------|--------|---------------| | Template builder or freelancer | €500 to €2,000 one-time | A business card website, maintenance is your own problem | | Web agency | €3,000 to €10,000 one-time | A custom-built site, followed by a maintenance contract | | System subscription | $200 to $700 per month | A lead generation website plus follow-up, management, and updates included |
The one-time route looks cheaper, but a website is never finished: hosting, updates, copy, speed, and security all require ongoing maintenance. And the most important part is missing: what happens after someone fills out the form. A site that generates requests with no follow-up behind it is a bucket with a hole in it.
Specifically for flooring contractors, we broke down the one-time route earlier in what does a website cost for a flooring contractor.
What to look for when having one built
Ask every builder these five questions:
- Does the site show proof that previous websites generate requests (not design prices, but actual numbers)?
- Who writes the copy, and is it targeted at the keywords your customers actually search for?
- What happens to a request that comes in at 9 p.m.?
- Who owns the website and the data if you stop?
- What will a change cost next year?
Question three especially exposes business-card builders: if the answer is "it'll be in your inbox tomorrow," you're buying a site with no engine.
Website as part of a system
At ForthScaling, the lead generation website is one of four components, alongside automatic follow-up, a 24/7 assistant, and a review funnel. Everything runs as one system starting at $200 per month, with no setup costs, and the requests are yours. Want to see what that looks like for your business? Schedule a free demo.