Planning for Performance
Establishing Marketing Goals
Setting clear, measurable marketing goals is a cornerstone of sustainable business growth. In the custom installation industry, where client relationships and word-of-mouth often dominate, being intentional about your goals ensures every dollar and hour spent on marketing delivers real value.
Start by aligning marketing goals with broader business objectives. Whether you’re looking to grow revenue, expand into new services, or dominate a local market, your goals should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Common Marketing Objectives)
Lead Generation
Increase inbound inquiries through web forms, phone calls, and showroom visits. This might involve tactics like SEO, paid search, local advertising, or referral programs.
Brand Awareness
Grow recognition in your local market or among a specific audience segment, such as interior designers, builders, or high-net-worth homeowners. Campaigns might include social media advertising, sponsorships, or public relations efforts.
Market Positioning
Position your company as the local expert in emerging categories like lighting design, energy management, or smart home automation. This can involve content marketing, video case studies, or educational workshops.
Client Retention & Upselling
Don’t forget your existing clients — email marketing, seasonal maintenance reminders, and system upgrade campaigns can all drive new revenue from past jobs.
Defining Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
KPIs help translate big-picture goals into actionable, trackable metrics. Without them, it’s hard to know what’s working — or where to improve.
Some core KPIs for custom integrators include:
Website Performance
Bounce rate and average time on site
Conversion rate (visits that lead to inquiries)
Total traffic and unique visitors
Digital Marketing Metrics
Social media follower growth and engagement rate
Email open and click-through rates
Paid ad metrics: cost-per-click (CPC), cost-per-lead (CPL), and return on ad spend (ROAS)
Lead Quality & Volume
Number of qualified leads per month
Lead-to-sale conversion rate
Average deal size and sales cycle length
Customer Acquisition & Retention
Customer acquisition cost (CAC)
Repeat customer rate
Net Promoter Score (NPS) or customer satisfaction surveys
Tracking & Refining
Use tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, CallRail, and Meta Business Suite to track results in real time. More importantly, set aside time each month to review marketing performance with your leadership team or agency partner.
Ask questions like:
Which campaigns or channels are giving us the best return?
What can we tweak to improve efficiency or conversion rates?
Are we generating more of the right kinds of leads?
Make data-driven decisions part of your culture — and treat marketing like the revenue engine it is.