8 Questions About How Sales Is Changing
Selling home services has changed, but most contractors don’t know exactly what that looks like for their business… So today I’ve put together a Q&A for you on what’s changing in home service sales, and how it’s probably affecting your business:
Q: We already train on product, objections, and closing. What’s different from what we’re doing?
The teams winning now let homeowners shop, not sit through a lecture. We turn the kitchen-table “presentation” into an interactive shopping experience they can drive.
Q: Okay, but how does that increase sales?
Proposal strength predicts revenue. A 10-point lift in proposal strength correlates with about $960 higher average ticket. Strength = wider option range, relevant add-ons, real personalization, the right equipment mix, even cross‑trade adds.
Q: What should I be measuring day to day?
The two most overlooked KPIs: response time and “eyeball time” on proposals. Faster replies and higher view timecorrelate with more closes - yet most shops don’t track either. We track engagement automatically in Mantel so you know who needs coaching this week.
Q: Benchmarks matter - against who?
Against the best, not industry averages. We benchmark each seller privately against peers across the Mantel platform, not just your team.
Q: We’re at $10–$30M. What changes as we scale?
Simplicity scales. Standardize one simple sales playbook across every seller, then coach to a few KPIs. We help you roll that out fast and keep it consistent.
Q: Are people really closing remote now?
Yep—remote selling is rising. High‑fidelity, interactive experiences over Zoom/phone are the next frontier.
Q: Homeowners still just want the cheapest price, right?
Not really. 69% look for pricing online, but only ~15% find it clear. Transparency plus interactivity beats discounting. Give buyers options they can revisit and you’ll see tickets rise.
Q: Coaching is my bottleneck.
Coach with data, not hunches. Live feedback on proposal quality, engagement, and follow‑ups lets average performers become consistent closers.
