You’re probably generating leads through your website, at home shows and maybe a through remodeling sweepstakes contest. But, what do you do with the ones that don’t sell immediately? The right answer is to nurture those leads with automated email marketing (sometimes called drip marketing, or marketing automation.)
What is marketing automation?
Marketing automation, or email nurturing, sends messages to your home improvement prospects according to a pre-set schedule, or when they take certain actions, like opening an email, clicking a link in an email, or visiting a specific page on your site. Let’s look at how it works….
Marketing automation and home improvement leads
Let’s say someone comes to your site and enters to win a bath remodel sweepstakes. When they fill out a form on your site, they’re automatically entered into an email automation that sends a series of messages about the contest and about your home improvement company.
If that same prospect later goes to your site to look at information about tub-to-shower conversions, now you know a bit more about what kinds of products they’re likely interested in. So, it doesn’t make sense to keep sending generic remodeling messages when you know they’re interested in tub-to-shower conversions.
With marketing automation in place, you can personalize and tailor the email messages you send to your prospects based on their interests. Studies have shown that when emails are targeted with more relevant information, open rates go up by 119%.
Playing the long game with your remodeling prospects
Automated follow-up also helps you play the long game. You can set your system up send messages to prospects for weeks, or even months in advance. Most marketing automation systems also have lead scoring rules. That means that your leads will “earn points” every time they interact with your emails or your website. Once an older, colder leads achieve a certain score, then the system can alert your sales staff to make a follow up call.
These kinds of systems are amazing for home improvement and remodeling companies. Why? Because a healthy roofing, siding, or bath company might generate several hundred leads per month. Not all of those leads are ready to buy, but they should be nurtured, because many will buy over time, and you want them to buy from your company.
We have experience with setting up several different marketing automation systems.
If you’d like to know more about how one of these systems can help your lead gen and sales efforts, call us, we’d love to talk!
