Door hangers for contractors: how to make them bring in calls

Door hangers are old school, and they still work. A homeowner who sees your truck in their street on Monday and finds your hanger on their door on Tuesday is far more likely to call than one who sees an ad on their phone.

They also go wrong easily: cluttered designs, no clear offer, no way to know if they worked. Here is how to do them right.

When door hangers work best

• Right after a job. Hang them on 20 to 50 houses around a job you just finished. Neighbors have seen the work and often have the same problem: the same age of roof, the same cracked driveway, the same overgrown yard.
• Seasonal trades. Sealcoating, pressure washing, gutter cleaning, lawn care and snow removal all have a clear "now is the time" moment.
• Neighborhoods that fit your work. Older homes for repair trades, newer subdivisions for fences and patios, larger lots for landscaping.

What to put on a door hanger

Someone looks at it for three seconds while holding groceries. It needs to answer three questions instantly: what do you do, why should I care now, how do I reach you.

1. A headline about the customer's problem, not your name. "Cracked driveway?" beats "Miller Concrete LLC".
2. A real photo of your work, ideally before and after. See before and after photos that win jobs.
3. One clear offer with a deadline, such as a free estimate this month or a neighbor discount.
4. Your phone number in large print.
5. Your website and a QR code that opens it.
6. Proof: years in business, licensed and insured, star rating.

Leave white space. A hanger crammed with every service you offer gets thrown away.

The "we just worked next door" hanger

The highest response usually comes from a short personal note: "We just finished a new driveway at 214 Oak Street. While we are in the neighborhood, we are offering free estimates to neighbors this week." Specific, local and timely. Some contractors leave a blank line to write the address by hand.

Rules to know

• Never use the mailbox. Federal law forbids putting unstamped items in or on mailboxes.
• Check local rules. Some towns and HOAs require a solicitation permit or ban flyers. Respect "no solicitation" signs.
• Hang them securely so they do not blow into the street as litter.

What door hangers cost

Printing is cheap: online printers sell full color hangers in quantities of 500 to 5,000, and the price per piece drops as you order more. The bigger cost is the time to hang them, whether that is you, an employee or a paid distribution service. Doing it yourself after a job costs almost nothing extra.

How to track if they work

Without tracking you will never know if the money was worth it. Simple ways:

• A special offer code that only appears on the hanger.
• A QR code pointing to a page on your website made for the hanger, so visits can be counted.
• A separate phone number through a call tracking service.
• Just ask every new caller how they heard about you, and write it down.

Where the hanger sends people matters

Many people will not call straight from the hanger. They will scan the code or type your website to check you out first. If they find a slow site, no photos or no site at all, the hanger was wasted. Make sure the page they land on loads fast on a phone, shows your work and has a big call button. See what a contractor website needs.

Door hangers work even better alongside online marketing: a strong Google Business Profile, Nextdoor and a steady flow of reviews.

If you need a page for your door hangers to point to, a one-page landing site is a good fit. We build one as a free preview first, and you only pay if you like it. See pricing.

Frequently asked questions

Do door hangers work for contractors?

They can, especially right after you finish a job in a neighborhood, when neighbors have just seen your truck and your work.

Can I put door hangers in mailboxes?

No. Federal law forbids putting unstamped items in or on a mailbox. Hang them on the door handle instead, and check whether your town requires a permit for distributing flyers.

How many door hangers should I print?

Start with 500 to 1,000 for one or two neighborhoods, measure the calls, then print more of the version that worked.