In 2019, the same old approach to home improvement lead generation is not going to cut it.

That’s nothing new — and yet research shows contractors do not utilize digital and online information or capabilities to further their business interests. Think about the amount of time we’re all on social media – less than one percent of home improvement contractors are using social media to reach potential clients! That’s a huge missed opportunity in today’s digital marketing environment.

Meet your 2019 key performance indicators (KPIs) and exceed them with an intentional approach. One of the easiest—and fastest—ways to assess the current state of your business is processing some data that you already have.

Data analytics measure your online presence and determine which parts of your business are currently and potentially most profitable. Online programs such as Google Analytics measure and report on the following aspects of your websites:

• Total site visits for a given period (day, week, month, etc.)
• Individual page visits
• Where visitors come from geographically
• How your site visitors came to your page — which links they used to get to you, or an online derivative of referrals

At Modernize, for example, we use the thousands of surveys homeowners submit to us to learn more about homeowner needs and challenges in the home improvement space — whether for solar, roofing, HVAC, windows, or other projects. Learn more about our most recent findings in the latest Homeowner Survey Index: Q1 2019. 

Repeat Successful Contractor Behaviors for Successful Outcomes

What are your best-performing channels? What types of projects led to the most repeat business? How are you using referral data to create new leads and create an ongoing funnel of new work?

These are some basic questions to get you started on finding out what works for your business and what doesn’t. Some contractors repeat past behavior without the data to back it up, relying instead on memory or top-line information — like product brand and time of project — to assess current tactics.

That’s not enough. Supplement your unique marketing strategy with an additional online presence and increased storytelling in the form of blogs and social media posts. You’re also going to need to keep track of the feedback you receive from homeowners. Within your CRM or Lead Management Tool, you should always add a lead status pick list to show where homeowners live within your sales funnel, and how the lead ended up closing out in the end. For example: Completed Project, Budget, Timing, Not a homeowner, Credit Reject, etc. By religiously updating your lead source, lead status, and close dispositions, you’ll be able to make informed marketing decisions over time, discard leads that will never convert,  and create drip campaigns for the ones that have the potential to eventually convert. The more detailed information you can capture, the more you can make intelligent business decisions about where and how to invest your outreach, marketing, and lead generation budgets.

Whether you restart an old lead generation campaign that didn’t work out in the past or amp up your social media creativity, this is the year to start taking chances for the sake of growing your company. Just don’t take silly risks, take informed ones.

Keep An Eye on the State of the Home Improvement Market

While your own data is important, new business means new data — if you want to generate leads, you know to get to know clients you haven’t worked with yet.

For example, you should know and base your tactics on the fact that between 40 and 60 percent of homeowners conduct most of their research online before taking on a home improvement project — depending on which trade is involved, from solar paneling to roofing.

The term online is a vast and broad one, and we can get more specific because Modernize data provides perspective from thousands of homeowner surveys — it’s one way we stand out in the value we can offer you.

Here are the online resources homeowners find “the most helpful” with planning their project:

• 54%: Google
• 17%: Home improvement websites (like Modernize)
• 14%: Social media
• 8%: Youtube
• 7%: Email Newsletters

It’s this type of information that you can compare to your own past work to come up with a data-driven and intentional strategy in the year ahead. Many contractors use Modernize for assistance in devising and building just such a strategy. Find out today how Modernize can help do the same for you.

Other Lead Generation Tips to Help You Meet Your KPIs in 2019

Modernize provides a vast array of resources for contractors to achieve their objectives and learn about the homeowners they want to work with.

Take a look at our blogs, case studies, infographics, videos, and more to learn something new today. For now, here some quick hits to take away and use while you build an analytics-based strategy for the coming year.

• 78% of prospects convert with the first party that makes contact.
• 80% of leads do not close on the first call.
• 40% of leads eventually convert with long-term follow-up.
• 50% of leads only get one call.
• Calling a prospect twice as opposed to once increases the chance of making contact by 87%.

The best days to contact a lead are, in order:

1. 1. Thursday
   2. Tuesday
   3. Wednesday

And the best hours to contact a lead are, in order:

1. 1. 4 to 5 p.m.
   2. 2 to 3 p.m.
   3. 8 to 9 a.m.
   4. 3 to 4 p.m.
   5. 9 to 10 a.m.

Whether it’s starting your online efforts from scratch or diving into your decades of experience to discern trends and help you sharpen your client base, learn more about us today and find out how we can help you.