The Homeowner Experience

In this module, we're going to be covering everything to do with the homeowner experience. We're going to go through how homeowners experience your instant estimator and how trust is built and lost online, why your instant estimator is often your very first impression, and how to choose questions in your instant estimator that are going to help your leads convert. We're also going to go through how to tailor the experience for different lead sources while keeping everything very easy to manage.Okay, like I said, for this lesson, I want us to think like a homeowner. They really just want to know two things: "Can I trust this company?" and "How much is this going to cost me?". As you know, trust is huge when it comes to dealing with people's homes. In our digital world, your online presence is often your first impression and it can absolutely be the difference between building trust or losing the lead. So, there's a couple ways that the instant estimator immediately builds that trust. It's a fast, easy online experience. And the interactive address search, easy to understand questions, and tailored quote really provide a professional experience with company branding, contact details, personal info that's going to allow your lead to feel confident in your business and your numbers.

Now that we've talked about how the instant estimator builds that trust, let's get exactly into what the homeowner sees when they go through a completed instant estimator. When a homeowner opens up your instant estimator, the first thing they're going to do is include their address. This question is going to be mandatory. So, they will always have to include their address and you'll have to include it in your instant estimator. It's very important because obviously immediately personalizes the experience to your lead's home. From there, they're guided through a short set of questions like roof slope, building type, and material that they're interested in. All of these questions are customizable. You can reorder them, remove them, or add others. But the goal is simple: gather just enough information to create a realistic estimate but while also avoiding drop off.

After that, they enter their contact details and they're going to click "Get My Estimate". This then brings them to the final results page. And this is the most important part of the experience because on this page, they're going to see their estimated price ranges, the options that you've set, and a clear breakdown showing where numbers the estimate is based on. But just as important, they're also going to see a real contact person with a photo and a bio, Google reviews if you decided to include them, and examples of your past work. So, this is where personalization and transparency are coming together. Instead of a generic quote, the homeowner sees a tailored estimate and a company that they can trust before you even follow up.

So, now that we've seen what the homeowner sees, let's walk through how to build this out on your own account. Like I said, when someone opens your Instant Estimator, they're guided through a short set of questions. And at the end, they see a price range based on their home and your pricing. And to them, this entire experience should feel simple, fast, easy to understand. If it feels confusing or too long, they'll leave and you'll potentially lose a lead. While the estimate itself at the end is very important, it's not the only thing homeowners are deciding on. On the final results page, homeowners are also asking, "Can I trust this company with my home?". That's why all the details around the estimate matter so much.

The profile card is going to show them that there's a real person behind the estimate, not just a form. And a photo, name, and short bio will make a follow-up feel more personal instead of just a cold call. The photos for each option in your estimates help homeowners visualize what they're actually choosing, and they turn these prices into something much more tangible rather than just abstract. The descriptions for each option add additional clarity and explain what's included. They set better expectations and reduce confusion before you could even talk. If you decide to include CompanyCam project images, it is a great way to show proof of work. They answer the unspoken question: "Have you done jobs like mine before?". And Google reviews provide social proof at the exact moment that homeowners are deciding whether or not to move forward. Together, they create a personalized and transparent experience that builds confidence and makes it much easier for homeowners to say yes to the next step.

Okay, let's go through how to customize for different lead sources. One of the most powerful things about the instant estimator is that you can create more than one. For example, a website estimator might be very simple with only a couple questions because you know that they're already familiar with the company because they're on your website. A paid ads estimator might ask one or two different questions depending on who that paid ad is targeting. And a solar specific estimator might include some solar questions. So when you create a new instant estimator, make sure you name it based on where you'll be using it. For example: Solar Conference Business Cards. Then you can go through all the questions and ask yourself: "What information do I actually need from a lead in this situation?". In this example, we'd include solar specific questions and remove anything that doesn't apply.

So, now that we've gone through why it's so important to add in all of these details to your final page within your Instant Estimator, let's go through how. One of the most important parts of the final page in the Instant Estimator, in my opinion, is setting up that profile. So, you can go ahead to your settings and you'll be able to upload a photo. Also, include a short bio, and that'll automatically be pulled to your Instant Estimator when you are assigned as the automatic team member who will get assigned the jobs that come through that Instant Estimator. Additionally, you'll also be able to include any calendar links. So, if you have a very excited homeowner or lead, they'll be able to book directly with you from there.

So, now that we have your pricing and we've set up your contact card, your bio, and all the photos and Google reviews, let's test it like a homeowner. Run it through addresses from past jobs. Click through it on your phone, your laptop, anywhere your homeowner might view it, and ask yourself: "Is this clear and is this easy?". If something feels confusing to you, it's definitely going to feel confusing to the homeowner. Once the homeowner completes your instant estimator, this is where the magic happens because you're already five steps ahead in your follow-up process. In the next lesson, we'll walk through exactly where those leads go, how they're assigned within your team, and how to follow up quickly so that nothing slips through the cracks. I'll see you there.