Lead generation is a buzz word in the home service industry. Everyone wants leads. Leads. Leads. But through my experience with my own company, and working with others, there’s a big leak in the funnel (another buzz word), after the lead is captured.
You see signs of this in any marketing discussion online. Contractors are looking for where they can find ‘good leads’. They don’t want to have to call them more then once. They don’t want price shoppers. They don’t want tire kickers thinking about next year. They don’t want people who have no idea what they want.
They just want someone who says “I know what I want, I want you to do the work, I just need you to tell me everything is going to be alright.” That’s a good lead. And within my company dealing with over 1000 leads some months, my sales team classifies less than 5% of our leads as ‘good’.
Yes, with my marketing experience and a team, the best we can do is not even generating 5% good leads.
If you’re not answering ‘yes’ to these next 3 questions you might as well be throwing your money away. Or go to just word of mouth.
So what are they ?
Are you following up like a sales pro?
When you get a lead, follow up with them quickly. I’m not talking in a few hours, but rather minutes, while it is still fresh on their mind.
Of course you run into the issue of “they don’t answer” — Commonplace in 2019 where nobody answers the phone. So here’s what I do.
If they don’t answer, leave a message introducing yourself and telling them that you’ll be calling them back in a few minutes. Now they’ll recognize the number and answer.
If still no answer, send them email. Ask one or two simple questions about their project to provoke a response.
Pro Tip: Include a headshot in the email.
Wait 24 hours. If no response to the phone calls or emails, send a final outlining the attempts you’ve made to follow up with them.
“Good afternoon Mr. Doe, I tried calling you twice yesterday and sent you an email regarding the estimate request that you made for ______ . As I haven’t heard from you, should I close this estimate request request?”
This increases our response rate multiple times over. If they don’t reply however, you’ll catch them with relationship marketing by email and Facebook ads.
Do you have a strong sales process?
Showing up and meandering around project site doesn’t cut it.
You need a repeatable sales process that builds trust and connection and end with an ask… for the sale. Asking for the sale, can turn even
My signature ‘ask’…. “Should we get this written up?”
Do you have an expert level Relationship marketing system?
Relationship marketing starts from the second you capture a lead. You want to identify this audience and use content to build the connection and establish that coveted know / like / trust trifecta. Do this right, and they will have already seen your content before you follow up, or go on site.
Get your content in front of them by email and Facebook ads. Serve bits and pieces around your company story, the people in your company, and your recently completed projects. Always have new content so there is always something new / unique / different.
Letting them ‘find’ the content online as much more profound effect then just ‘telling’ them in person. They’ll be the hero to their own story.
Back to leads that never replied…
You’ll never make 100% contact with all your leads, nor will every lead be qualified for an estimate. It doesn’t mean they’re a waste. With consistent content strategically deliver may of them will
- Get inspired by past projects that they see.
- Establish a personal connection after seeing and learning about your team.
- Appreciate your professionalism.
- Realize your price was not so out of line.
- Come back around when they are more serious.
The relationship marketing stuff is not easy (creating, publishing, and setting it all up in Email marketing and Facebook Ads is tedious), but it is incredibly powerful.
For those that want to learn how to implement it themselves, I suggest checking out the Market Domination Method.
For those interested in a ‘hands off’, done for your solution, I launched the Connected Contractor. It’s a done for you service, that will make your customers say “these are the guys for the project. Learn more and get pricing here: https://go.homeprosuccess.com/connected-contractor
Having these processes in place will ensure that no lead is going to waste.