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Marketing leads for home improvement business
Question:
You could list your company for free on many biz to biz manufacturing sites on the Web – such as Thomas Register. It doesn’t cost you a penny! Go to http://www.thomasregister.com I know there are other sites that do the same type of supplier-finder type stuff – check one of the search engines! Good luck!
Response:
For 10 years, I worked as the Telemarketing Manager for a replacement window company with annual sales of $15 mil. During that time I tracked results, costs etc. Telemarketing and door to door canvass campaigns can be very cost effective. However, when I began our SFI program (Self Furnish & Install), it was more cost effective and higher volume than any single campaign. It is simple to set up. Simply call a nearby Handy Andy, Builders Square, Lowes, Menards etc. and ask how you can be set up for a SFI program. They will tell you who to call that handles it for their store. Once you have a contract, you can put a display in the store with a drop box…empty it daily and you have high quality consistent lead source and pay only a percentage of net sales to the store. Special Note: Our lead count was highest in December and January each year. Its like having a year round home show that doesnt cost anything.
Response:
>Anyone have suggestions and or info on how to obtain marketing leads for >replacement windows, vinyl siding, and sunrooms? Any and all input would >be greatly appreciated.
1) Lifestyle lists. Several companies send out long questionaires to consumers asking about purchasing plans. If they tick the "replacement window" box, you got a lead! 2) Retirement and old age homes. This is a booming market, if one advertises it has a "sunroom" it can charge more. You are selling a valuable business benefit. 3) Planning. If there are road schemes, airports, etc. being built or planned the houses around will be in the market for heftier noise blocking windows. 4) Police and private security firms. When do you need a new window? When the old one is broken! Make sure you are called after each break in, burglary etc! 5) PR. Show the local press and small mags how great vinyl sidings look, life in your own glazed indoors garden, growing orchids in spring etc. John Block Creative, marketing aware work which Freelance Copywriter talks rather than blandly bores, actively promotes your product, International and aims to be the best Welcomes Dollar and Sterling, in your market sector.
Response:
Anyone have suggestions and or info on how to obtain marketing leads for replacement windows, vinyl siding, and sunrooms? Any and all input would be greatly appreciated.
Response:
>Anyone have suggestions and or info on how to obtain marketing leads for >replacement windows, vinyl siding, and sunrooms? Any and all input would >be greatly appreciated.
At the library you can find the CrissCross directory for your city. It lists households by address, single-family dwelling or apartment, (I *think* it lists whether rented??), and how old the house is, the phone number is also listed. Seven years and older, Single-family units owned by the resident are likely to need some work. I wonder if the gas company could sell you a list of houses that have extraordinarily high winter bills? :)
Response:
> Anyone have suggestions and or info on how to obtain marketing leads for > replacement windows, vinyl siding, and sunrooms? Any and all input would > be greatly appreciated.
I worked for a number of years as marketing manager for a rapidly growing home improvement company in the Boston area. We used a combination of telemarketing, advertising, and other sources to generate qualified leads for the sales staff. The most productive source of leads (in terms of conversion to sales, if not in cost per lead) was appearances at home shows. It always paid to take a booth at the various Spring shows, both large and small. Tip: don’t use a sweepstakes entry as the source of your leads. They won’t be very high quality (lot of kids, non-homeowners, etc.), and are more likely to resent the follow-up telemarketing necessary to convert the name and phone number to a sales appointment. Probably the second best source of quality leads, at a very low cost, were ‘business card’ type ads in the suburban weekly papers. Don’t forget to put your name and number in the local Yellow Pages, and join the Better Business Bureau and Chamber of Commerce in your area. Particularly for small contractors just starting out, these associations can help increase your customer’s ‘comfort level’ with you. If you just want quantity, telemarketing can quickly generate a large number of leads for you, but you’ll need good oversight to insure quality, and the price per lead can be high. Finally, once you have completed a variety of jobs, ask your previous clients for referrals. There’s no lead better than a satisfied customer’s recommendation (and nothing more damaging than an unsatisfied one, so make sure you delight your customer and exceed their expectations with a job well done, on time, and under budget). Stephen Dorneman