How to Close More Sales with the Leads You Already Have

Running a home improvement business today means paying more for every lead — sometimes hundreds of dollars before you even knock on the door.

According to industry benchmarks from Pro Remodeler and Qualified Remodeler, home improvement leads now cost $400 to $850. That’s before you even set foot in a customer’s home.

Yet even the best companies close only about 30 to 40% of those leads. The rest — 60 to 70% — walk away without buying. As lead generation expert Megan Beattie points out, at least half of those homeowners end up purchasing within the year.

That means you’re paying top dollar for leads that will buy something… just not from you.

The fix isn’t chasing more leads. It’s understanding how to rehash – and building a system that makes it an automatic part of your home improvement process.

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Why Most Contractors Miss Easy Sales

Most contractors work hard to fill their pipeline but drop the ball once a lead goes cold. It’s easy to focus on the next shiny opportunity instead of revisiting the ones that said “not now.”

But that “not now” often just means:

• They needed more time or financing.
• They wanted a second quote.
• They weren’t ready to make a big decision on the spot.

These leads are already educated on your product and process. They’ve met your team. They know your company’s name. That’s a far warmer audience than a brand-new lead from the internet — and it’s sitting right there in your contractor CRM.

Implement a rehash campaign to turn those missed chances into second looks and real revenue.

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What “Rehash” Actually Means (and Why It Works)

In simple terms, rehash means following up on unsold estimates and giving those homeowners another chance to say yes. It focuses on recovering the value of leads you’ve already paid for and turning yesterday’s “not now” into tomorrow’s “let’s do it.” 

Think of rehash as asset recovery for your marketing budget. You’ve already invested hundreds of dollars for each lead. A rehash program helps you get that investment back by:

• Reconnecting with qualified homeowners who didn’t buy.
• Offering adjusted options or incentives.
• Addressing objections that stopped the first sale.

According to Beattie, a well-run rehash program can easily generate $1 million or more in additional annual sales for many home improvement companies.

Rehash works because it creates structure around what most contractors leave to chance: the follow-up that turns missed opportunities into revenue.

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How to Build a Simple Rehash System

A rehash program doesn’t have to be complicated. The most successful companies follow a few simple rules:

1. Follow up fast. Reach out within 48 hours after a demo-no-sale while your visit is still fresh in the homeowner’s mind.

2. Stay consistent. Call, text, and email regularly for the first 30 days. Many contractors double their conversion rate just by following a clear cadence.

3. Assign ownership. Rehash can’t be a side task for your call center. Dedicate someone to handle it full-time or at least on a fixed weekly schedule.

4. Track results. Know your rehash appointment rate, close rate, and total recovered revenue. When you see the numbers, it’s easy to justify the time spent.

Do this well, and you’ll not only recover lost sales — you’ll improve your sales team’s performance across the board. When reps know someone will follow up behind them, they tend to close stronger the first time.

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Why Generic CRMs Make Rehash Harder Than It Has to Be

Here’s where most contractors struggle: their systems can’t keep up. 

Sticky notes, spreadsheets, and generic CRMs might help you store leads — but they won’t help you sell them.

They don’t distinguish between new opportunities and rehash opportunities, so tracking follow-ups becomes a guessing game. You lose visibility into:

• Which leads didn’t close.
• Who’s responsible for follow-up.
• How rehash performance compares to new sales.

That’s how potential revenue slips through the cracks. And with the cost of leads today, every missed follow-up hurts your bottom line.

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How Builder Prime Makes Rehash Automatic 

Builder Prime is a CRM designed specifically for home improvement contractors, not corporate sales teams. That means rehash isn’t an afterthought; it’s built right in.

With Builder Prime, you can:

• Automate your rehash workflows: Send text and email sequences automatically 48 hours after a demo-no-sale.
• Create clear opportunity types: Separate new from rehash leads so you always know what’s in play.
• Trigger call prompts: Automatically add unsold home improvement leads to your call queue so your team never misses a follow-up.
• Track your rehash ROI: Use dedicated performance reports to see set rates, close rates, and revenue recovered.
• Connect your tools: Integrate SMS, call center dashboards, and marketing automation — all in one system.

No more sticky notes. No more manual tracking. Just a clear, automated process that helps you recover lost sales without extra effort.

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Make Every Lead Count

Rehashing helps you get more value from the leads you’ve already earned. Every quote you’ve written, every homeowner you’ve met — those are opportunities worth another look.

A consistent rehash program strengthens your sales pipeline, protects your marketing dollars, and adds measurable revenue to your bottom line.

With Builder Prime’s home improvement CRM, that process becomes simple. Automated follow-ups, clear tracking, and built-in reporting give your team everything they need to reconnect and close the deal.

See how Builder Prime helps you turn unsold leads into booked jobs. Book your demo today. 

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