Water Damage Leads: How and Where to Get the Best Leads for Your Restoration Business

A fully functioning lead generation pipeline contributes to the overall sustainability of a restoration business. 

While lead generation can take many forms, most restoration companies depend on leads from the insurance industry, referrals from trades, marketing, and networking. 

New restoration businesses might find more immediate success from activities like pay-per-click ads and focusing on building a great Google My Business profileBuilding relationships and starting to get referrals from those connections will lead more established businesses to further revenue and growth. 

Here’s an overview of how restoration businesses can get water damage leads. 

Table of contents

• Insurance industry lead sources
• Join networking groups and create relationships
• Implement marketing strategies
• Target emergency work
• Start bringing in restoration leads

Note: While we’ll focus on water damage, these principles apply to all kinds of restoration jobs. 

Insurance industry lead sources 

There are two types of lead sources when it comes to the insurance industry: getting referrals from insurance companies and agents, and paying for leads through third-party administrators (TPAs). Both have pros and cons, which we’ll cover below. 

Insurance companies and agents

Insurance agents can be a main source of leads for your restoration business, especially early on. Here’s how it works: you’ll network with different insurance agents or companies and form connections. The goal is that when an agent receives a question or a claim from a client, they’ll refer them directly to you. 

During your initial discussions with insurance agents, expert Shane O’Dazier recommends, “Don’t ask for the claims, ask for the questions.” 

Essentially, even if insurance agents aren’t seeing claims come through, they’re likely getting questions from clients. You want to be the company those insurance agents send those questions to. 

Challenges: Sometimes the questions adjusters get don’t lead to full claims. Because of this, referrals from insurance adjusters can be smaller deals that aren’t necessarily full scale restoration jobs. 

Benefits: Clients often put a lot of trust into their insurance agent. 

Third-Party Administrators (TPAs)

Getting leads through Third-Party Administrators (TPAs) is quite different from the process of working with insurance agents. 

TPAs act as intermediaries between insurance companies and restoration companies. Rather than leveraging your networking skills, you’ll pay different fees for enrollment and referrals directly to the TPA. 

Benefits: You’re more likely to get a reliable flow of qualified leads by using TPAs. You can often also choose the services (solely water damage restoration, for example) you’d like to use TPAs for.  

Challenges: Working with TPAs often entails increased administrative tasks, like detailed reporting and compliance with specific software. They also might impose requirements on what you can include in each scope of work. You’ll also need to pay fees that can add up over time. According to R&R Magazine, these fees usually end up around 8% per job. 

Resources: 

• The Benefits of TPA Relationships
• What Can Restoration Business Owners Expect from TPAs?

Join networking groups and create relationships

Networking groups are organizations specific to different trades or fields where members can build camaraderie, learn from each other, and even provide job referrals. These groups are often online but some meet in person as well. 

Networking groups exist for specific job types (marketing or small business owners) and industries (plumbing or real estate). There are even networking groups for hobbyists, like gardening clubs. 

Because these groups bring together people who are usually working in a similar field, they can be great resources for lead acquisition. 

Here are the types of networking groups that you should seek out as a restoration professional: 

Restoration specific groups

Any restoration groups, whether local or regional, can connect you with fellow restoration experts. These people likely have encountered the same roadblocks as you and can share advice for how to get the best leads for your business. 

Resource: Restoration Industry Association 

Industry adjacent groups 

Restoration industry-adjacent groups, like plumbers, carpet cleaners, property managers, contractors, or real estate, can also be solid networking groups for you to join. For example, you could become a member of the r/plumbers subreddit. 

General business networking groups

Finding more general networking groups––groups for small business owners––can also help if you’re looking to improve things like marketing, customer service, website design, branding, etc. 

In order to find the best ones for you, you’ll likely have to conduct some research. Asking on different subreddits or forums is a good first step to get connected to these groups. 

Trade shows and conferences

Attending trade shows or conferences may not be a lucrative source of leads by itself, but it’s a great way to network in person with other professionals, learn about their methods, and get advice from other pros. 

Resource: 7 Tips for Building Relationships at Industry Events 

Create partnerships with plumbers and other industries

Many restoration businesses form relationships with plumbers and other trades that are relevant to restoration jobs.  

Restoration businesses generate leads from these partnerships via referrals. For example, a plumber might refer a client who needs more work done than fixing a leak. That could be replacing drywall, re-laying tile, or eradicating mold. 

For water damage leads, the best groups to partner with include:

• Plumbers
• Carpet cleaners
• Home contractors
• Real estate agents 
• Property managers 

Resource: Business Network International 

Implement marketing strategies 

Restoration marketing strategies are going to be a key part of lead generation for your business. There are four different types of marketing that we recommend focusing on: 

1. Content marketing and social media
2. Local online directories 
3. Paid ads 
4. Local search engine optimization (SEO) 

1. Content marketing and social media 

Writing blog posts and posting on social media can further add credibility to your business and help you stand out online. 

Crafting engaging and helpful blog and social posts is an additional way your business can be found when people are looking for advice that’s adjacent to the restoration industry. 

For example, Paul Davis Restoration publishes blog content on water damage, like what to do if you see water spots or the important steps to take if you have a leak. 

‍Water Out takes a similar approach on social media, sharing useful tips for its followers. 

Water Out also takes its social presence a step further by optimizing for emergency work as well. The business lists its 24/7 emergency hotline as its LinkedIn banner, which allows future clients to get the help they need quickly. 

‍Companies to get inspiration from: 

• JD Restorations USA Instagram
• Paul Davis Restoration LinkedIn
• Paul David Restoration Blog

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Benefits: Build credibility with future clients and increase your ability to show up online, whether that’s on Google or via popular social media channels. 

Challenges: Social media and content marketing both require a large time investment and can take a while to show results. 

2. Local online directories

Adding your business to local online directories is a great way to capture water damage and restoration leads. Essentially, when potential clients look to one of these directories to find a restoration company, you’ll be among the available options. 

Listing on these types of sites, which already have built credibility on their own, can also help you create more trust with clients. 

Here are a few popular websites that you should consider listing on: 

• Angi (home service professionals) 
• Thumbtack (general local services) 
• HomeAdvisor (local repair and home improvement) 
• Your service area’s local chamber of commerce 

‍Benefits: Provide other avenues for clients to find you on sites that they already have trust in.

Challenges: Leads may not be as qualified as they would be from a referral from industry partners. 

Resources:

• How To Optimize and Rank Your Local Business Listings
• How To List Your Company In Business Directories

3. Paid ads

Paying for placement at the top of Google for various relevant search terms is another way to get leads for your business. These types of ads, called “pay per click,” or “PPC” ads, show up at the top of search results when a customer types in a key phrase like “water damage restoration near Portland, OR.” 

Benefits: The upside is that PPC ads help your business show up at the top of search results. Google places them above “organic” search results, which show up without paid placement but rather a strong search engine optimization “SEO” strategy. 

Challenges: The downside is that PPC ads can get expensive quickly, so they should never be your sole method of lead generation. 

Resource: Google Ads Beginners Tutorial for 2025 (Step By Step)

4. Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) 

While search engine optimization (SEO) refers to showing up at the top of search results globally, local SEO targets your specific service area. 

Prioritizing local SEO helps to ensure your business is among the top names that show up in Google’s “local pack” when searching for water damage or other types of restoration businesses in a given area. 

For example, in Las Vegas, WFM Restoration LLC, Alpha Water Damage Restoration Las Vegas, and Elevate Restore show up in this pack when people search for “water damage restoration Las Vegas, NV.” 

‍Benefits: This strategy can create a steady flow of leads for you for the long term, without having to pay for each one. 

Challenges: It can take time to rank at the top of this very coveted area, especially based on the saturation of restoration businesses around you. 

Target emergency work

Emergency restoration jobs often require immediate attention. As clients will expect fast or instant responses, businesses that can provide 24/7 availability are more likely to secure these profitable jobs. 

Here’s how to capture more emergency work: 

1. Hire an answering service

One of the first things to do when targeting emergency work is to make sure you have the capacity to handle it. One of the ways to do this is to hire an answering service. Implementing an answering service is a strategic way to ensure your business remains accessible around the clock.

Answering services are often third-party companies you can hire to be available to receive calls 24/7. They’re often a great solution for restoration businesses as they eliminate the need for you to hire an in-house team that works overnight. 

Some also offer perks like multilingual support as well. 

A couple of different answering service options include: 

• Abby Connect 
• AnswerConnect

Resource: The Fit Small Business Guide to Answering Services

2. Optimize for emergency-related SEO terms 

Optimize your website with keywords like "emergency water damage restoration [your city]" or "24/7 fire damage repair." 

Paul Davis of West Austin does this well by creating an emergency specific URL, adding “emergency” to the title of the page, and “emergency restoration” to the meta description. 

‍Resources:

• What Is a Meta Description? (+ How to Write One & Best Practices)
• How To Write Meta Descriptions: Tips and Examples

3. Bid on emergency-related PPC terms 

Google Ads can help you appear at the top of search results when someone searches for urgent restoration services. Bidding on high-intent keywords like “emergency flood cleanup near me” or “emergency flood cleanup near [insert service area]” can drive immediate leads. 

For example, the company Dry Force Austin bids on water damage-related terms so that they’re at the top of the list when someone in the area needs flood support. 

Resource: How to Create an Effective PPC Strategy in 7 Steps

4. Create a dedicated emergency services webpage 

Create a separate page on your website focused on emergency restoration services. This page should highlight your 24/7 availability, the types of emergencies you handle, and an emergency phone number that’s easy to spot. You also should quickly guide people to emergency resources on your homepage. 

For example, Paul Davis Restoration of North and South Austin, Texas places its phone number in several places on its homepage, including the top navigation and inside a bright red box.  

Clients who click on “Get Help” in the top navigation are taken to this page: 

5. Include emergency services in your Google Business Profile 

Ensure your Google Business Profile includes “emergency services” in the description and service categories. Enable messaging and ensure your phone number is up-to-date so potential customers can reach you quickly.

This can help your business rank when people search for emergency services in your area.

Paul Davis of Austin includes “emergency service” within the one sentence profile description on their Google Business Page. 

Start bringing in restoration leads

The key to getting a steady influx of water damage restoration leads is by leveraging several different channels. By diversifying the way you capture leads, you increase the probability that you’ll land lucrative jobs.

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