Same $3,000 in ads. Seven signed contracts instead of four.

The situation

The ads were doing their job. Requests for estimates came in every week. The problem started after that: the owner was the one answering them, in between job sites, whenever there was a free moment.

On a good day a homeowner heard back the same afternoon. On a busy day, the next morning. Proposals went out and then nobody had time to follow up, so a lot of them simply went quiet.

What I found

• The average first reply to a new lead took about 5 hours.
• The form asked for more than it needed, and still didn’t say what kind of project it was.
• Leads didn’t have an owner. They waited for the owner of the company.
• Sent proposals had no follow-up at all unless the homeowner called back.

What I changed

• A shorter, more direct form that asks for the project type up front.
• An automatic first reply within minutes, with a way to book a visit.
• Leads distributed to the right person instead of waiting for the owner.
• Reminders to follow up on every proposal until there is a yes or a no.

The numbers

Two weeks to set up. Results compared after three months.

Why it worked

Nothing about the ads changed. Same budget, same campaigns. What changed is what happened in the hours after someone asked for an estimate. Remodels are compared across two or three companies, and the one that answers first and keeps in touch wins more of them.

This is the leak most businesses never measure, because the ads report stops at the lead.

Real clients. Names and identifying details are withheld, and numbers are rounded. Ad cost figures are media spend only, without the management fee. Results depend on the market and are not a promise of future results. Work done by Leo Agostini.