Only 3% of Homeowners Are Ready to Hire — What That Means for Your Marketing
Most contractors get frustrated with social media. They post a job photo, a before-and-after, or even a testimonial graphic—and then get mad when the phone doesn’t ring. But here’s the truth: that’s not how social media works.
The numbers don’t lie: only 3% of homeowners are actively ready to hire today. That doesn’t mean 3% of your followers are going to hire you, that means 3% are actively looking to see if you’re even the right choice. The rest fall into other categories that change how you should market your business.
So the real question is: How do you use content to stay top of mind for the 97% who aren’t even looking?
What the Numbers Really Mean
3% Actively Looking: These are the rare homeowners ready to hire today. Valuable, but chasing them alone keeps you on the feast-or-famine rollercoaster.
7% Open to It: These are the dreamers. They have projects in mind and can picture them happening soon, but something is holding them back right now—budget, timing, or priorities. They’re casually browsing, saving ideas, and following along. Stay visible so when their situation changes, you’re the first call.
30% Future Buyers: The goldmine. They will need your service, but their plans are further out. These homeowners are seriously planning ahead—maybe saving money, waiting for kids to move out, or mapping out a big renovation for next year. They aren’t casually daydreaming like the 7%; they know the project will happen, just not yet. If you disappear online during this stage, someone else will be the one they remember when the time finally comes—and that means you’ve lost the job before it ever hit the market.
30% Unaware of the Issue: Homeowners with problems they don’t even recognize yet. Content is how you wake them up and plant the idea. This is why contractors need to go beyond just posting before-and-after pictures. By becoming teachers and leaders in their field, they can show and uncover issues homeowners didn’t realize existed—problems that, once revealed, those customers will gladly pay to have fixed.
30% Never Buy: They’re never going to call you. That’s fine—don’t waste energy here. But just because they won’t buy doesn’t mean they won’t engage with your content or even refer you to someone else. Not everyone who follows you is a customer—and that’s okay. Everyone has their purpose in your audience.
Data from Tom Reber @The Contractor Fight
Why This Changes Everything About Social Media
Most contractors think marketing is about filling this week’s schedule. But the real power of content is keeping you booked for next season, next year, and beyond.
Your posts aren’t supposed to flood your phone with calls tomorrow. They’re supposed to position you as the contractor homeowners already trust—so when they move from “future buyer” to “active now,” they don’t shop around. They call you.
Marketing Is Playing the Long Game
Think of every post, video, or testimonial as a seed. Some sprout right away. Some take months. But the harvest only comes if you keep planting.
Contractors who stop posting because “it doesn’t work” are really just quitting before the crop was ready.
The Big Takeaway
Only 3% of your market is ready to buy today. That’s why the real value of social media isn’t quick leads—it’s staying visible, building trust, and being remembered when homeowners are finally ready.
Stay top of mind now, and you’ll be the first call later.
Next steps
Want to learn how to create a video system that keeps you visible to the 97% who aren’t ready yet? Schedule a call to learn more about the Lieber Media Video ROI Framework.