Most contractors are great at their trade but terrible at marketing. And that’s not an insult — you got into this business to build things, not to write Instagram captions. But here’s the reality: the contractors who market well get the best jobs. The good news? AI tools like ChatGPT can handle the marketing stuff you hate, and apps like SimplyWise Cost Estimator can help you close those leads faster with instant, professional estimates.
Here are five marketing prompts that’ll help you get more leads without becoming a full-time content creator.
1. Write Social Media Posts That Don’t Sound Generic
“Quality work at fair prices” is what every contractor says. It’s meaningless. You need posts that actually stop the scroll.
The Prompt:
“Write 5 Instagram captions for a [kitchen remodeling] contractor. Make them conversational, not salesy. Include a call to action. Keep each under 150 words.”
Pro tip: Feed it a recent project: “Write a caption about this kitchen remodel where we knocked down a wall to create an open concept layout. The client had been dreaming about it for 10 years.”
Story beats sales pitch every time.
2. Generate Google Review Responses
Responding to reviews matters — both good and bad. But crafting thoughtful responses takes time you don’t have.
The Prompt:
“Write a professional response to this 5-star Google review: [paste review]. Keep it warm, thank them specifically for what they mentioned, and subtly encourage referrals.”
For negative reviews:
“Write a professional, non-defensive response to this negative review: [paste review]. Acknowledge their concern, offer to make it right, and take the conversation offline.”
How you handle criticism publicly tells potential customers everything.
3. Create Email Templates for Follow-Ups
The money is in the follow-up. Most contractors send one quote and then… nothing. Meanwhile, your lead is getting three other quotes and forgetting who you are.
The Prompt:
“Write a friendly follow-up email for a contractor to send 3 days after providing an estimate. Don’t be pushy. Remind them of the value, ask if they have questions, and make it easy to say yes.”
Want a sequence? Ask for:
“Write a 3-email follow-up sequence for after sending an estimate: Day 3, Day 7, and Day 14. Each should have a different angle — first is helpful, second addresses common concerns, third is a soft close.”
4. Write Website Copy That Converts
Your website probably says a lot of words but doesn’t actually convince anyone to call. Let’s fix that.
The Prompt:
“Write homepage copy for a [roofing] contractor in [Denver]. Focus on trust, speed, and quality. Include a clear call to action. Keep it scannable — short paragraphs, bullet points where helpful.”
For service pages:
“Write a service page for bathroom remodeling. Address common homeowner concerns (cost, timeline, living through renovation). Include what makes us different and end with a call to action.”
5. Generate Ideas for Before/After Content
Before/after posts crush on social media. But writing about them in an interesting way? That’s where most contractors struggle.
The Prompt:
“I just finished a deck build. The old deck was rotting and unsafe, the new one is cedar with built-in lighting. Write 3 different captions I could use for before/after posts — one emotional, one educational, one funny.”
Now you’ve got options. Test which style your audience responds to.
Marketing Gets You Leads. Speed Closes Them.
Here’s the thing about leads: speed wins. The contractor who responds fastest and sends a professional estimate first usually gets the job.
ChatGPT can help you market better. But when that lead comes in, you need to close fast. That’s where SimplyWise Cost Estimator comes in — generate accurate, professional estimates on-site in minutes, not hours.
Get the lead. Close the lead. Build the thing.
Ready to close leads faster? Try SimplyWise Cost Estimator — AI-powered estimates that make you look like a pro.