In Q4 of 2024, we surveyed over 500 pool builders across the United States and asked, “What are your top business concerns for 2025 and beyond?”
The top concern was clear: Finding enough good quality leads.
For the past decade, digital marketing (i.e. Google Ads) has been the top source for new pool leads. It was reliable, cost-effective, and aligned with how most homeowners began their pool search, making it a consistently smart place to advertise.
In today’s hyper-competitive post-COVID market, fewer homeowners are looking for a new pool — many already made their purchase during the COVID boom three years ago — while more builders than ever before are competing for leads on Google. As a result, the cost per lead is higher, while the number of available leads are a fraction of what they used to be.
It’s a classic case of “too many hungry lions and not enough antelope to go around.” Google Search just isn’t coming through for most pool builders like it used to.
That’s why now is the perfect time to explore alternative lead sources that are often overlooked. The three outlined in this article are especially worth your attention, as they will almost certainly help you drum up more qualified leads without throwing more money at Google.
ALTERNATE LEAD SOURCE NO. 1: REFERRALS
I’m not talking about the passive, “We appreciate your referrals,” approach. And I’m not talking about begging or bribing them. I’m talking about simple, proactive strategies that can greatly improve the likelihood of getting more referrals from current and past clients.
Now, if you’re among the 10% or so of builders who offer a cash reward when a client refers to someone who ends up buying a pool, let me be blunt: That’s a bribe. No offense — but this strategy typically comes from companies that didn’t impress their clients enough to earn a referral on their own. And while I’m not saying you need to stop doing it, let me show you an alternative, better way.
Take a moment to think about the last time you referred a friend or neighbor to a business. Was it because the business owner bribed you with a referral fee? Or begged you for names, so they could pitch your contacts? Or more likely, was it because you were honestly thrilled with the experience, and just wanted your friends and neighbors to have that same great experience, too?
When I refer my friends to certain businesses, it’s because I want to help my friends. I don’t do it because the business asked me to.
And consider this — that homeowner probably paid you $150 thousand or more to transform their backyard into something beautiful. Which likely means their home is worth $750 thousand or more. Their annual income is probably $200 thousand or more. If they wanted to buy a new $50 thousand car tomorrow, they would probably just pay cash.
So, do you really think a mere $500 referral check is going to inspire them to take action on your behalf? Personally, I don’t think so. In fact, I think it’s a little insulting.
Let me take it one step further: The rare homeowner who is motivated by your token referral fee of $500 is probably a budget buyer who had to stretch a little to afford their pool in the first place. And while there’s nothing wrong with that, it likely means the friends they refer you to are also going to be budget-conscious buyers who may be similarly stretched to finance a pool.
Instead of tossing out $500 to chase people who probably can’t afford you anyway, I’d encourage you to focus on keeping your clients as happy as possible. And while building them a finely crafted product is important, it’s just as crucial to maximize your communication — from the very first interaction to 20 years after the pool is finished.
In my experience talking with homeowners who’ve bought pools from my clients, I can tell you this: The single most powerful way to create happy, loyal clients is through proactive communication. Especially during the construction process — but also long after the pool is completed.
For example, I’m a big fan of sending an automated, “Happy Birthday to Your Pool,” message every year, celebrating the day their pool was finished. It’s a simple, low-effort way to stay top-of-mind for decades to come.
A more aggressive way to garner additional referrals is to throw a catered party for your top-tier clients who are well-positioned to refer you to similar top-tier prospects. I know a pool builder who once spent $50 thousand to fly in a world-famous chef and throw a catered party for one of his ideal clients. Sounds crazy, right? But he ended up selling well over $2 million in new business from that one event. That’s less than a 2.5% marketing expense — and let’s be honest, that’s probably a better return than you’re getting from Google right now.
ALTERNATE LEAD SOURCE NO. 2: HOME BUILDERS
Recently, a pool builder in Florida shared his frustration with me that “thousands of people are moving to Florida, and homes are being built all over the place — and I haven’t gotten a single lead from any of those neighborhoods.”
So I asked him, “Have you gone over and introduced yourself to any of the home builders?”
He hadn’t.
I told him about a client of mine in Southern California who takes a very different approach. He gets laserfocused on a few new neighborhood developments, and strives to become the preferred pool builder for everyone who moves in. Here’s what he does:
- Meets with the developer.
- Finds out who the primary home builders will be for the neighborhood.
- Calls each builder and offers to buy them lunch.
- Establishes a real relationship with each builder and discusses possible referral partnerships.
- Goes out of his way to make sure the homeowners AND the home builders are thrilled with his work.
- And occasionally, he does something special for the home builders (once a year or so) to remind them of his appreciation for their referrals.
As a result, he gets a steady stream of referrals from both the home builders and the homeowners, and typically sells and builds more pools in that neighborhood than all the other pool builders combined.
The only difference between these two builders is that one is sitting at his desk complaining, while the other is out there building relationships.
ALTERNATE LEAD SOURCE NO. 3: NETWORKING
As powerful as networking can be for generating new leads, I’ve noticed that most pool builders and designers think they’re too busy to spend a couple of hours each week meeting with other business owners and agents who might know someone looking for a new pool.
And hey, if you’re already booked solid with plenty of projects, then perhaps this strategy isn’t for you.
But if your designers and salespeople are “not-so-busy” these days, and they’re complaining about a lack of leads, you might want to point them toward a more aggressive networking strategy.
After all, just about every decentsized town in America has dozens of networking meetings every week. (A quick Google search will find them for you.) And in a room of 50 people, chances are at least two or three are either thinking about buying a pool, or know someone who is.
When you attend a networking event, be sure to bring at least 50 business cards with you. Most groups will let you pass them around to everyone in the room. And don’t just show up — use a strong, compelling elevator pitch that 1) interrupts and engages your listeners, and 2) gives them an easy and clear reason to connect with you.
And don’t forget my dirty little secret about networking meetings. You don’t have to join one group and see the same 50 people over and over again, week after week. Or you can visit 50 different networking meetings and meet several thousand people instead. I call this the, “Visit ALL, Join NONE,” strategy — and it works.
So there you have it: three alternative ways to generate new pool leads without giving any more money to Google. I encourage you to try at least one of these strategies, and keep the leads flowing (and your team busy) for the rest of the year.
This article first appeared in the June 2025 issue of AQUA Magazine — the top resource for retailers, builders and service pros in the pool and spa industry. Subscriptions to the print magazine are free to all industry professionals. Click here to subscribe.
