If you want more paving jobs, you need to understand a simple truth about modern buyers. They do not reach out the way you want them to. They reach out the way that is easiest in the moment.
Some will call. Some will fill out a form. Some will text the number they find on your Google listing. Some will message you on Facebook. Some will ask a friend, then call the first number they get.
If your business only handles one channel well, you will lose work in the other channels, even if you are excellent at paving.
The goal is not to force everyone into one method. The goal is to capture and respond to every inquiry, no matter how it arrives.
Why phone calls still dominate in paving
Paving is a local, trust based purchase. Many customers want to hear a real voice before they schedule an estimate. A phone call feels faster and more personal than typing out details.
Phone calls also come from sources that naturally drive calling, like yard signs, truck signage, referrals, and Google Business Profile listings where the call button is the primary action.
There is also a simple reason phone calls dominate. The customer often cannot easily describe the project. They do not know square footage. They do not know asphalt depth. They do not know what they need. They just know they want someone to look at it. Calling feels like the fastest path.
The downside of phone calls is missed calls
If you do not have office staff, phone calls are hard because they interrupt production. You miss them during equipment operation, driving, and job site work. Many contractors rely on voicemail, but many customers do not leave one. They call the next contractor.
That is why missed call text back matters so much. It turns a missed call into an instant response that keeps the lead warm and starts the conversation.
Why forms still matter, and why they often fail
Website forms are common, especially for customers browsing late at night. A homeowner might not want to call at 9:00 pm, but they will fill out a form.
Forms also come from paid ads. Many Facebook and Google campaigns push people to a landing page where the form is the main action.
Forms are useful because they can collect structured information: name, phone, address, and project type. They can also automatically push the lead into a CRM and trigger follow up.
The problem is that many paving companies treat the form like an email, not like a lead. A form submission goes to an inbox that no one checks quickly. The next day the customer has already talked to someone else.
Speed matters here as well. Research from the InsideSales and MIT lead response study showed the odds of contacting a lead in five minutes versus thirty minutes dropped one hundred times, and the odds of qualifying dropped twenty one times.
If you respond to a form submission with a same day email, you are still late. The first response should be a text within minutes, and ideally an email as a backup.
A good first response to a form is simple:
"Thanks for reaching out to [Company]. What address is the paving project at? If you want the fastest quote, you can book an estimate here: [link]."
Now the customer knows you are real and that there is a next step.
The hidden channels contractors forget
Phone calls and forms are the big two, but there are other channels that quietly create leads.
Google Business Profile messages can come in when someone clicks "message" instead of "call."
Facebook messages can come in from your page, especially if you run ads or post project photos.
Text messages can come in directly, because many customers would rather text than talk.
If you do not monitor these channels, you lose leads without even knowing you lost them.
This is why a unified inbox matters. When calls, texts, emails, forms, and social messages flow into one place, you can respond quickly and consistently without logging into five different apps.
What channel is best for conversion?
The best channel is the one you respond to fast.
A phone call that is missed and never followed up is worse than a form submission that gets an instant text response and a scheduled estimate.
A form that is answered in two minutes with a clear next step is better than a phone call answered in a rush with no plan.
So instead of debating calls versus forms, build a process that makes both work.
A simple system that handles both calls and forms
Start with these core rules.
Every call that is missed triggers an instant text back and creates a lead record.
Every form submission triggers an instant text and email, and creates a lead record.
Every lead gets pushed into a pipeline stage that matches reality, like new lead or estimate scheduled.
Every lead is offered a scheduling option, either by calendar link or by a clear window you propose.
Every quote triggers a follow up sequence until the customer says yes or no.
That is not complicated. It is just consistent.
It is also exactly how GoPave is designed to work for paving contractors. The platform is built to capture leads from calls and forms, respond instantly, and keep the entire journey organized in a simple pipeline so nothing falls through the cracks.
How to decide what to prioritize first
If you want quick progress, prioritize the channel you already get the most of.
If most of your work comes from phone calls, start with missed call text back and call tracking. Make sure every missed call gets a response.
If most of your work comes from web ads or your website, start with instant form follow up and a scheduling link.
If you are not sure, track it for two weeks. Count how many inquiries come in by call, by form, and by message. You will see the pattern quickly.
Then fix the biggest leak.
In paving, you do not need more lead sources before you fix lead capture. You need a process that catches what you already have. When calls and forms both flow into the same system and both get a fast first response, you stop losing jobs to faster competitors, and you start winning work simply because you are easier to do business with.