Simon Hogben
Founder of Lead Forge Marketing — Lead Generation Systems for Local Service Businesses
I’m Simon Hogben, founder of Lead Forge Marketing — a lead generation agency built specifically for local service businesses. I’ve spent 25+ years in sales, marketing, and business development, and I’ve helped hundreds of business owners build systems that get them found on Google, convert visitors into enquiries, and follow up on every lead automatically.
I don’t do social media management. I don’t do brand awareness campaigns. I build lead generation systems — because for local service businesses, that’s what actually moves the needle.
What services do I offer?
I build complete lead generation systems around three pillars:
- Attract — Local SEO and Google Ads to get you found on Google Search, Maps, and Ads before your competitors.
- Convert — Website design and landing pages built around one goal: turning visits into enquiries.
- Scale — AI-powered automation that follows up on every lead instantly, so nothing goes cold and you can focus on the work.
These aren’t sold as separate services bolted together. They’re engineered as one joined-up system — because that’s the only way they work properly. See my packages for how it all fits together.
Who do I work with?
Local service businesses — in the UK and internationally. Plumbers, electricians, roofers, accountants, solicitors, dentists, photographers, and dozens of other trades and professions. If you serve customers in a local area and need a steady pipeline of qualified leads, I can help.
How do I work?
I start with a conversation — not a sales pitch. I want to understand where you are now, where you want to be, and what’s stopping you from getting more leads from Google. From there, I’ll tell you exactly what I’d do, how long it would take, and what you can realistically expect. No fluff, no guarantees I can’t back up.
Below you’ll find more detail on my background, my approach, and why I focus exclusively on local service businesses.
The Story Behind Lead Forge
After 25+ years in sales and marketing across multiple industries, one truth kept showing up: the businesses that win are the ones that get found by the right people at the right time.
Not the ones with the biggest ad budget. Not the ones with the flashiest brand. The ones with a system that puts them in front of customers who are actively searching for what they offer.
That insight is what led me to build Lead Forge. I saw too many local service businesses — good businesses — struggling to get leads. Not because their work was bad, but because their marketing was disconnected. They’d have SEO from one provider, ads from another, a website that didn’t convert, and no follow-up system at all.
So I built an agency that engineers the whole thing as one system. Attract the right people. Convert them into enquiries. Follow up instantly so no lead goes cold. That’s what Lead Forge does.
Over the years, I’ve worked with hundreds of local service businesses across the UK and internationally — from tradespeople and contractors to professional services and healthcare providers — helping them dominate their local Google results and build predictable, consistent pipelines.
Why Lead Generation Systems?
Most marketing agencies offer a bit of everything — SEO, social media, email, content, branding. I don’t. I focus on one thing: building lead generation systems for local service businesses.
Here’s why. When a homeowner searches “emergency plumber near me” or a business owner searches “accountant in Stockton,” they’re ready to act. Search marketing meets people at the exact moment they need you. That’s more powerful than any social media post or brand awareness campaign.
But getting found is only part of the equation. If your website doesn’t convert, those clicks are wasted. If you don’t follow up fast enough, someone else gets the job. That’s why I don’t just do SEO or just run ads — I build the full system around it, powered by AI automation that responds to leads in seconds, not hours.
Specialisation wins. By going deep on one thing instead of spreading across many, I deliver better results, faster, than any generalist agency could.
My Approach
Everything I do is built on transparency, straight-talking, and measurable results. Here’s how I work:
- Listen first. Before I recommend anything, I need to understand your business, your goals, and what’s actually preventing leads from coming in.
- Honest about what’s possible. I won’t overpromise. I’ll tell you what I can do, how long it’ll take, and what you can realistically expect.
- Measurable results. Every strategy I implement is tracked. You’ll get regular reports showing exactly what’s working, what’s not, and what I’m adjusting.
- No long-term contracts. I work month-to-month. I earn your business every month by delivering results — not by locking you in.
- Invested in your success. Your leads and revenue are my metrics. Not impressions, not traffic — actual business growth.
Why Local Service Businesses Choose Lead Forge
I work exclusively with local service businesses because I understand their challenges inside out. You’re not selling products online — you’re selling services locally. You need customers in your area, not worldwide. You need leads that convert into booked jobs, not just website visits. You need a predictable pipeline, not vanity metrics.
Having worked with hundreds of local businesses across dozens of industries, I know what works for plumbers, what works for solicitors, what works for dentists, and what works for photographers. That specialised knowledge means faster results and a system tailored to your specific market.
Clients choose Lead Forge because it is:
- Specialised — Lead generation systems built exclusively for local service businesses
- Experienced — 25+ years in sales and marketing, hundreds of local business clients
- Straight-talking — No jargon, no overpromising, just honest advice and measurable outcomes
- Systems-focused — Not just SEO or ads in isolation, but a complete Attract → Convert → Scale system
- Flexible — No long-term contracts, month-to-month partnerships based on performance
Let’s Work Together
If you want to build a lead generation system that gets your local service business found on Google and turns searches into paying customers, let’s talk.
Book a free consultation call. We’ll review your current visibility, identify what’s working and what isn’t, and I’ll give you honest recommendations about what could work for your business. No obligation — just a conversation.