Why tenacity is still key in today’s evolving sales landscape

Leads 2 Trade’s Andy Royle explains why persistence still pays off for installers.

As co-founder and MD of Leads 2 Trade, I’ve witnessed first-hand how lead generation in the home improvement industry has evolved over the last 17 years. And while digital transformation has revolutionised how installers connect with potential customers, one crucial element remains unchanged – the importance of tenacity in the sales process.

Having provided hundreds of thousands of leads to installers across the UK, I can tell you that, regardless of whether you’re receiving our double qualified leads, hot key transfers, or premium booked appointments, your approach to following up and closing the sale is what ultimately determines success – because the quality of the lead is only part of the equation.

Even with our premium booked appointments, which we only send to two installers, or our hot key transfers that connect you directly to interested consumers, you still need to sell effectively. We can open the door, but it’s up to you to walk through it and close the deal.

In today’s digital age, and particularly in the home improvement B2C market, there’s really no such thing as an exclusive lead anymore. Homeowners are more informed than ever, with instant access to a wealth of information, including comparisons between different suppliers and installers and multiple quotes. This makes your sales process crucial in differentiating yourself from your competitors.

Get the basics right

Speed of response is particularly critical with our double qualified leads, double qualified premium leads, which are supplied to you and one other installer. Research from InsideSales.com shows that 35-50% of sales go to the vendor who responds first. That’s a significant advantage that shouldn’t be overlooked.

But even if you’re not first to respond, persistence is key. The same research found sales reps typically give up after just 1.3 call attempts to a new lead. In my experience, this is leaving money on the table.

Leads 2 Trade’s own in-house contact centre has found a sweet spot of 10 -12 call attempts over the first 3-4 days before diminishing returns make it less effective to continue chasing a lead as fresher leads are added to call. If you’re doing much less than that you’re almost certainly leaving a lot of potential value on the table, and your ROI on your current lead gen spend could be significantly better.

From our years of data, we’ve seen that successful installers implement a structured contact strategy. This doesn’t mean just repeatedly calling – it means using a mix of communication channels including strategic voicemail messages, emails, and even SMS.

Make a connection

Once you’ve made contact and got your foot in the door, the real work begins. While product knowledge is essential, the most successful installers focus on building genuine connections with their prospects. They take time to understand the customer’s needs, share valuable insights, and position themselves as trusted advisors rather than just salespeople.

This consultative approach is particularly effective in the home improvement sector, where purchases are significant investments for homeowners. By demonstrating your expertise while showing genuine interest in helping customers find the right solution – even if it’s not your product – you build trust that can set you apart from competitors.

Improve your strategy  

What I’ve learned from working with thousands of installers is that improving your contact strategy isn’t a one-time exercise – for the most successful businesses, it’s an ongoing process of testing, measuring, and refining to improve their conversion rates.

Those who combine persistent follow-up with effective selling skills are the ones who consistently outperform their competitors.

My advice? Embrace the challenge, maintain your tenacity, and never stop improving your approach. In today’s competitive market, it’s often not the product that wins the sale – it’s the installer.

As one of the UK’s largest lead generators, from windows, doors, heating, renewable energy products such as solar panels, air source heat pumps and even home security, we have a wealth of knowledge and experience to help our clients get better. To find out how we could help you please contact our team: sales@leads2trade.co.uk