Is Your Home Improvement Company Making the Most of Its Marketing Investments? (Now and Post-Covid)

If your business is part of the home improvement industry, you are most likely reaping the benefits from the pandemic-created changes that now allow most employees to work from home. Projects that were once defined by the consumer as a long-term luxury desire are now being defined as a necessity. Now that homeowners have a more flexible work schedule, they are more likely to set aside the time needed for a one-call close. You're breaking records right now - it’s no secret that your company is thriving because of the dramatic increase in demand.

This economic shift has created an illusion of success and a blind spot where there is opportunity. This has left leaders of the industry feeling complacent, with a false sense of progress. Don't be fooled. Your competitors are breaking records, too. The real question is, what steps can you take to ensure a competitive advantage now, and when the market stabilizes?

Every successful company in this industry has the same marketing strategy in common – they refuse to compromise on the quality of their Inside Sales Center (ISC). The best marketing teams know the value of an exceptional lead-setting, confirmation, and re-visit team. The results have been analyzed and compared from the moment the lead is generated to the point of sale to measure the impact an ISC has on the overall success of the company.

There are proactive steps you can take to ensure continued growth and success for the future, regardless of what it brings. Now more than ever is the time to look inward, reflect, and implement fundamental strategies that will help maximize your return on marketing investments. Here's an assessment to help you determine if you're getting the most out of your ISC:

• Is the ISC representing your brand well by making an outstanding first impression? (Being respectful, addressing the homeowner properly, building rapport, offering solutions, showing empathy, and actively listening.)

• How quickly is the ISC reaching out to new leads? Are you beating the competition to the punch? Are they getting in touch with the homeowner while the project is still a priority?

• Are the ISC agents creating urgency for the homeowner by making a strong effort to set the appointment within 72 hours after the initial contact?

• Is the ISC team strong enough and ready to handle the projected increase in volume of non-traditional leads as events and canvassing begin to roll back out?

• Is the ISC qualifying your leads properly? Or is your sales team running into several 'No Demo' scenarios that could have been prevented by asking the right questions?

• Are your appointments being confirmed by a specialized agent skilled in retention, active listening, and attention to detail?

• Is the confirmation team looking at appointment locations and times when scheduling/confirming? Do appointments on the calendar make logistical sense for your sales team in the field?

• Does the ISC have a proven method for handling insistent one-party appointment requests without offending any homeowners in the process? (This is especially important if your company strives for a one-call close and you prefer all decision-makers present for the appointment.)

• Does the ISC practice absolute lead exhaustion by nurturing your database? How often is the ISC reaching out to old leads? Are they giving up on them too easily?

• Is the ISC setting your sales team up for success with detailed notes about the homeowner and any information discovered that could help them build trust and close the sale?

• Does the ISC have a dedicated re-visit agent to review appointment results, consult with the sales manager, and follow-up on any 'Demo No Sale' deemed worthy of a second visit?

• Is the ISC trained on the importance of accurately sourcing all leads so the marketing team can run reports and analyze which sources to continue, stop, or increase investments in?

• Do the ISC leaders understand how each source is paid for? (Agents should be trained to handle leads based on the potential return or loss on investment with each interaction.)

• Do the ISC leaders work closely with your marketing team to regularly compare and analyze data to find trends or patterns that may be impacting certain KPIs? Do the ISC agents understand how KPIs are calculated and how they can directly impact those numbers?

• Is the ISC accurately logging every single interaction with a lead into the CRM for future reference, as well as tracking other types of important data independent from the CRM to help recognize patterns and opportunities?

• Is the ISC selling the appointment, or selling the product? ISC agents should have the product knowledge but understand when to use it to their advantage. (Delivering too much product information or revealing prices over the phone can eliminate the homeowner’s need to schedule a consultation, ultimately destroying a potential sale.)

• What's the ISC turnover rate? (This has a domino affect on your business - the lower the turnover rate, the better employees perform, the more success your company will have.)

If you've determined that you’re not getting the best possible results, there could be several reasons with many different solutions. If you already outsource your contact center, you might consider paying more for a team of dedicated agents that specialize in your industry. If you have the office space, you might consider starting your own in-house call center operation. If you already have your own in-house contact center, you may need to implement new processes, re-train the team, revise your hiring practices, increase pay and incentives, hire a consultant to analyze and re-structure your operation, or consider outsourcing as an alternative.