Finding the Right Mix of Lead Sources
Every glazing company needs a steady stream of qualified leads. But which sources deliver the best return on investment? After 20 years working with window companies across the UK, we've seen clear patterns in what works — and what doesn't.
The Major Lead Sources for Glazing Companies
1. Door-to-Door Promoters
Typical conversion rate: 15-25% of leads to sale Cost per lead: £25-40
Promoter-generated leads remain the backbone of many successful glazing operations. The leads are warm — someone has spoken to a real person at their door and expressed genuine interest. The key success factors are:
- Quality training for promoters on qualifying leads
- Targeting the right areas (property age, type, demographics)
- Fast follow-up from the sales team (within 2 hours ideally)
2. Website & Digital Marketing
Typical conversion rate: 8-15% of leads to sale Cost per lead: £30-80
Online leads from Google Ads, SEO, and social media are growing rapidly. These customers are actively researching, which means they're often getting multiple quotes. Speed and professionalism in your response are critical.
3. Showroom Walk-Ins
Typical conversion rate: 25-40% of leads to sale Cost per lead: High fixed cost, low per-lead
Showroom visitors are typically the most qualified leads — they've made the effort to visit, they can see and touch your products, and they're usually further along in their buying journey. The challenge is the fixed cost of maintaining a showroom.
4. Bought Data / Lead Lists
Typical conversion rate: 3-8% of leads to sale Cost per lead: £5-15
Cold data is cheap but the conversion rates reflect that. These leads haven't expressed interest — they match a demographic profile. Best used as a supplement to warmer sources, not a primary strategy.
5. Customer Referrals
Typical conversion rate: 30-50% of leads to sale Cost per lead: £0-20 (referral incentive)
The highest converting source by far. A recommendation from a satisfied customer carries more weight than any marketing message. Building a structured referral programme is one of the highest-ROI investments a glazing company can make.
Tracking ROI by Source
The only way to optimise your lead source mix is to track every lead from source through to completed sale. Your CRM should automatically calculate:
- Cost per lead by source
- Conversion rate by source
- Average order value by source
- True cost per acquisition (including marketing spend, promoter costs, and sales team time)
The Seasonal Factor
Lead sources perform differently throughout the year:
- Promoters: Strongest March-September (lighter evenings, people are home)
- Web leads: More consistent year-round, peak in spring
- Showroom: Strongest on weekends and bank holidays
- Referrals: Spike after installation seasons (when neighbours see new windows)
Plan your marketing budget seasonally, not equally across 12 months.