That’s the case for most Replacement 100 companies. “Leads are always a challenge,” Acri says. But just as much of a challenge, he points out, is “finding and retaining good salespeople.” Last February, Premium Home Products hired two new reps, both of whom “made really good money” and both of whom left. Because the company uses independent contractors as sales reps, “the only thing I can do is pay them a lot of money,” Acri says. And sometimes that’s not enough.
But having reps as employees comes with its own problems. At Renaissance Exteriors, the biggest challenge is “getting our sales reps to bring in referrals as their own leads,” Pattison says. “I think there’s going to come a point where we figure out the marketing piece, but even then, with costs increasing, we can’t continue to give reps the leads as we have been doing.” Possible solutions would include charging for leads, which Pattison says no other companies “have the guts to do,” and combining that with a bonus program for referrals and self-gen.
For Merv Hollander, owner of Weathertite Windows, in Youngstown, Ohio, the challenge is to come up with a steady supply of marketing ideas that grab the attention of previous and future customers. “In today’s marketplace, it’s about nurturing the past customer,” he says, with “our guarantees and our service department,” with unconventional advertising — the company’s call-in radio program, hosted by Hollander — and with company-sponsored events. Such means have enabled Weathertite Windows to hold marketing costs to 10.56% while building considerable brand. “You gotta get out of the box and stay focused,” he says.
