The $50,000 Question: Calculating the True Cost of Your 'Dead' Leads
- Augusto Pena
- Jul 25
- 3 min read
TL;DR
Roofing and impact‑window contractors regularly spend 175 – 230 dollars for every lead that enters their pipeline. If even fifty of those leads go silent, you have burned roughly $11,000 dollars on marketing and left at least $40,000 dollars of profit on the table. This post shows the exact math and a five‑step playbook to reclaim that revenue.
1. Lead costs keep climbing while follow‑up rates stay low
Roofing and gutter campaigns now average 228.15 dollars per lead. Doors and windows follow at 200.34 dollars. (localiq.com)
Multiple industry surveys still put the practical range for roofing at 150 – 300 dollars. (contractormarketingpros.net)
Nearly 68 percent of salespeople never make a single follow‑up attempt, even though 80 percent of conversions happen after the fifth contact. (peaksalesrecruiting.com, spotio.com)
The result is a widening gap between what you pay to acquire a lead and the effort required to convert it.
2. Put a real price tag on your CRM graveyard
*CPL stands for Cost Per Lead
Cost of Dead Lead Formula:
Stalled Quotes × Average CPLLost Profit Formula:
Recoverable Deals × Average Gross Profit per JobExport stalled quotes. Filter every opportunity older than 14 days with no next step in mind.
Use a realistic CPL. If you do not track it, use 228 dollars for roofing or 200 dollars for windows. (localiq.com)
Assume 15 percent are still winnable. That is conservative compared with our own Reehash pilots.
Insert your gross profit per job. Typical roof or full‑house window jobs net 3 000 – 6 000 dollars.
Example
Even if you rescue only half of those sales, you are still staring at the fifty‑thousand‑dollar leak in your business.
3. The hidden costs owners and sales managers overlook
Idle crews today create overtime tomorrow. Gaps in the calendar push jobs into peak periods and inflate labor costs.
Marketing ROI shrinks. Rising CPL means you must spend more just to stay level.
Reputation risk grows. Unanswered quotes can turn into silent one‑star reviews.
Team morale drops. Reps hate dialing old leads and quickly abandon them.
4. Field story: from “trash lead” to 42,000 dollars
A South Florida window contractor handed us thirty ghosted leads that had been silent for weeks – roughly 6 810 dollars in sunk marketing cost at 227 dollars each. Reehash ran branded video follow‑ups and closed five of them for a total contract value of 42 000 dollars. The contractor paid nothing but Reehash's 3 percent fee.
5. Five‑step plan to revive revenue fast
Audit weekly. Run a report for quotes 14‑180 days old.
Segment smartly. Tag jobs over 10 000 dollars and those tied to urgent events like hurricane season.
Use a three‑touch cadence. Text, email, then call within seven days.
Make the value tangible. Screen‑share a 3‑D mock‑up or financing scenario so the homeowner can picture the result.
Own or outsource. Assign a dedicated closer or let Reehash’s 3 percent success‑only model do the heavy lifting while you stay focused on fresh leads.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times should I follow up before calling it quits?
Industry data shows that 80 percent of deals close after at least five touches, so plan for six to eight contacts before retiring a lead. (spotio.com)
What is a “good” cost per lead for roofing and windows in 2025?
Benchmarks place roofing at roughly 228 dollars and windows at about 200 dollars per lead through paid search. Organic channels typically run 25 percent lower but require longer ramp‑up time. (localiq.com)
Won’t relentless follow‑up annoy homeowners?
Not if you add value each time. Financing options, scheduling convenience, or warranty clarifications turn a nudge into helpful service.
Next step – Book a 15‑minute demo and let Reehash revive one stalled quote at no cost. If we do not close, you do not pay.
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