Security is sold in hours. A guard company's revenue is the number of hours it bills each week across all its posts and patrols, and a single new site with coverage every night can change the shape of a month. Security guard leads that bring that kind of recurring coverage, from a person with the authority to sign, are the ones a security company can build a schedule around.
We reach property managers, contractors and facility directors inside your territory, in your company's name, and send you the ones who want coverage you provide. The lead belongs to you and nobody else.
What is a security guard lead?
A security guard lead is an organization that wants security coverage at a site and has explained what it needs: the site, the type of coverage, the hours, how long, and when to start. From LeadWharf, the lead also names the person who signs the contract and gives you a direct line to them.
Who buys security services?
- Commercial property managers. Office towers, retail centers and mixed-use properties that want lobby officers, patrols of the parking areas, or overnight coverage.
- Multifamily and HOA managers. Gated communities, apartment complexes and condo buildings wanting patrols, access control or a concierge officer.
- General contractors and developers. Construction sites with materials and equipment to protect overnight and on weekends.
- Warehouses and logistics operators. Gatehouses, yard checks and loss prevention at distribution sites.
- Healthcare and senior living. Emergency department coverage, visitor management, and overnight rounds.
- Retail and hospitality. Loss prevention, hotel night security, and bar and venue staff.
- Event organizers. Short-term coverage for concerts, conferences and private events.
How the three checks apply to security work
- In your area. The site is inside the territory where you can staff, supervise and relieve posts. A post you cannot cover reliably is a contract you will lose.
- At your hours or contract size. For recurring coverage, the contact wants ongoing guard or patrol hours at the level you set. For short-term work, the booking meets your minimum in hours or value.
- The signer. The property manager, director of security, facilities director or project manager who can approve the contract. Not a front desk clerk who sees the problem but cannot fix it.
A lead that misses a check is credited. The full flow is on how it works.
When do buyers look for security coverage?
Security demand is less seasonal than exterior trades, but it has clear peaks:
- Construction season. New projects need site security as materials arrive.
- The holiday retail season. Stores and malls add loss prevention and parking patrols.
- Summer events. Festivals, concerts and outdoor gatherings need short-term staffing.
- After an incident. A break-in, a vehicle theft or a safety event often triggers a new contract within days.
- Contract renewals. Many managed properties review vendor contracts annually, often tied to budget years.
The most reliable time to reach a property manager is before an incident, when they are thinking about renewals, rather than after one, when they will call whoever answers.
How are security contracts written?
- Hourly bill rates. Most contracts price per guard hour, with different rates for armed and unarmed officers, supervisors, and holiday hours.
- Patrol pricing. Mobile patrol is usually priced per hit (a set number of checks per night) or per month.
- Post orders. The site-specific instructions: duties, rounds, access rules, emergency contacts and reporting.
- Term and notice. Annual agreements are common, with notice clauses that let either side exit.
- Insurance. General liability and often specific coverage for armed work, with the client named on the certificate.
Licensing is part of every conversation. Rules are set by each state or province. In California, for example, the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services administers guard registration, and guards must complete Power to Arrest training before registration, 32 hours of security officer skills training within the first six months, and eight hours of continuing training each year (BSIS). Buyers ask about training records, so keep them in your proposal pack.
How do exclusive leads compare with RFPs and brokers?
Security companies typically win work from formal RFPs, brokers and facility service aggregators, referrals from property managers, and inbound calls after incidents. RFPs are real opportunities but often decided on hourly rate. Brokers and aggregators can supply volume but take a share of the margin. Referrals are the best source and slow to scale.
An exclusive lead is a signer who has told us they want coverage, sent to your company only. You price it on your terms, and you own the relationship from the first call. For more on these trade-offs, see in-house sales vs outsourced lead generation and exclusive vs shared leads.
Armed, unarmed, patrol or concierge: which leads fit your company?
Security is several businesses under one name, and the right leads depend on which you run.
- Unarmed standing posts are the largest share of most contracts: lobbies, gatehouses, front desks and overnight watch. Consistent staffing and supervision decide who keeps them.
- Armed posts need extra licensing and insurance and suit banks, cash handling, some healthcare settings and high-risk sites. Fewer buyers, higher rates.
- Mobile patrol covers several sites per shift with scheduled checks. It works well for apartment communities, construction sites and business parks that cannot justify a full-time guard.
- Concierge and front desk officers in residential towers and Class A offices, where appearance and customer service matter as much as security.
- Fire watch and short-term coverage, often booked at short notice when fire systems are down or buildings are vacant.
Tell us which of these you want to grow. The campaign is written for that buyer, and the second check is set to the hours and type of coverage you staff best.
Which security leads are worth the most?
- Around-the-clock or nightly coverage. Consistent hours make scheduling easier and revenue predictable.
- Multi-site portfolios. A property management company or logistics operator with several sites.
- Sites with a clear risk. Construction sites, vacant buildings and high-theft retail tend to buy quickly.
- Unhappy incumbents. Missed posts, sleeping guards, and poor reporting are the most common reasons buildings change security vendors.
How do you win the contract?
- Do a site assessment. Walk the site with the contact, note entrances, lighting, blind spots and past incidents.
- Write draft post orders. Showing what the officer will do is more persuasive than a rate sheet.
- Explain supervision. How you check that officers are on post, and how incidents are reported.
- Offer technology where it helps. Patrol tracking, daily activity reports, and photo logs.
- Start with a trial period. A short start lets a nervous buyer say yes.
Security companies share buyers with maintenance and cleaning firms. See facility maintenance leads, the property management cleaning leads page for the manager you will meet most often, and warehouse cleaning leads for logistics sites.
Terms
A one-time setup, then a flat fee per qualified lead. No monthly retainer, no minimum term, and you can stop any time. The price depends on your territory and we give it on a call. Book a call and tell us the sites you want to guard.
