The Most Overlooked Factor
You can have the best offer, the best follow-up, and the best product. But if you're targeting the wrong geography, you'll fail. Location is everything in lead generation.
Market Selection Criteria
When choosing a geographic market, evaluate:
- Population Density: Need 100K+ people in trade area
- Median Home Value: $200K+ (indicates ability to pay)
- Age of Housing Stock: Older homes = more replacement needs
- Weather Patterns: Storm frequency, temperature extremes
- Competition Level: How many established players?
- Seasonality: Year-round demand or seasonal spikes?
Good vs. Bad Markets
Good Market Example: Oklahoma City, OK
- Population: 1.4M metro
- Median Home: $180K
- Housing Age: 35 years (older stock)
- Weather: Frequent storms, hail, tornadoes
- Competition: Moderate
Bad Market Example: Naples, FL
- Population: 750K metro (smaller)
- Median Home: $600K (wealthy but retiree-heavy)
- Housing Age: 15 years (newer construction)
- Weather: Hurricane risk, but less frequent
- Competition: Saturated with national players
DMA vs. City vs. Zip
You can target at different levels:
- DMA (Designated Market Area): Broadest. Good for brand awareness, bad for lead quality.
- City: Sweet spot. Large enough for volume, specific enough for relevance.
- Zip Code: Most precise. Best for high-ticket, low-volume verticals.
Geo-Exclusion
Equally important: where NOT to advertise.
- Low-income areas (can't afford high-ticket)
- Rural areas (too spread out, high travel costs)
- New construction zones (no replacement needs)
- Renter-heavy areas (no decision-making authority)
Testing Strategy
Don't guess—test:
- Start with 3-5 cities in one state
- Run $500-1K ad spend per city
- Measure lead quality (not just volume)
- Double down on winners, cut losers
- Expand to adjacent markets
The 50-Mile Rule
Most trades won't travel more than 50 miles for a job. Make sure your target geography has enough density within that radius to support your buyer's capacity.