Offering convenience and security amidst a range of other benefits, smart home automation systems are rapidly growing in popularity. As these systems are designed to control more and more operations within the home, they’re increasingly appealing to a broader consumer base - and that means good news for any business selling and installing these systems.
Smart home automation’s popularity is driven by multiple factors, and the systems are rapidly evolving. What started out as a convenient way to control and access security systems and thermostats has expanded into wide-ranging options that can control everything from entertainment centers to garage doors.
This evolution means there are more opportunities for selling home automation systems now than ever before. Developing and refining a sales strategy can help your business to convert more leads into customers, growing your customer base, and increasing your profits.
Home Automation Is in High Demand
When selling home automation systems, demand is in your favor. The home automation industry is both thriving and growing, which bodes well for your sales opportunities.
The 2017 Smart Home Marketplace Survey found that Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers all use smart home functionality. Of those who already have smart home technology, 72% want that technology to have voice control capability. Respondents cited benefits including user-friendliness and hands-free control as reasons why they wanted voice control capabilities.
That trend is likely because nearly three-quarters of Americans who had smart home products already used their smartphones’ voice control, meaning the transition into voice-controlled smart home products is a natural one.
Those statistics may be from 2017, but the popularity of home automation systems has only grown since then. Mordor Intelligence reports that in 2020, the smart homes market held a value of $79.13 billion, and that value should reach $313.95 billion by 2026. The North American market is the fastest-growing market in the smart home industry.
Several factors are driving the popularity of home automation and control. Wireless technology, including wireless security, entertainment, and HVAC controls, offers increased convenience. The decreasing prices of sensors and processors make these systems more accessible to more consumers, and a growing need for home security should also boost sales.
With the increasing demand, now is the ideal time to focus on your home automation sales strategy.
It’s Easy to Sell the Product of the Future
Home automation systems offer so many benefits, and touch on so many pain points for homeowners, that they’re actually easy to sell. Once you’re familiar with these benefits and can help potential customers to understand how automation systems can help them, you can often easily close these deals. Best of all, when you’re selling home automation systems, you’re selling a product that truly adds value to a customer’s life, and you’re helping them to live better, safer, and more conveniently.
Smart Home Automation Increases Safety
One of the most captivating benefits of smart home automation is that it can increase home and personal safety. Knowing that a home is protected whether the owner is there or not buys peace of mind, and the fact that homeowners can summon help without ever having to call 911 is particularly important to anyone looking to protect their families.
Safety is on everyone’s minds right now, with good reason. The news is filled with stories of home break-ins, vandalism, and violence. Homeowners want to know that their homes are secure and their families are protected, and they’re willing to invest in that protection if it makes them feel safer.
That safety can also have important financial returns for the homeowner. Many home insurance policies offer discounts for the presence of an alarm system, as well as for smoke detectors that automatically alert the local fire department when activated. The home and its occupants are safer because of these systems, and the insurance savings are an added bonus.
Smart Home Automation Reduces Stress and Anxiety
The prevalence of violence on the news is stressful for homeowners, and they will look for solutions to reduce their anxiety. Smart home automation is a solution that’s affordable and practical.
Knowing that their home is protected can reassure homeowners. They may sleep better at night, spend less time worrying about fires or break-ins, and may feel more comfortable when they’re out of the house, too. Systems that feature cameras that are accessible remotely can offer further reassurance, letting homeowners check in on their homes, pets, and even kids while they’re away at work.
Smart Home Automation Makes Life More Convenient
Smart home automation isn’t just about security. It’s also a major convenience that makes homeowners’ lives easier.
With smart home technology capable of controlling everything from temperature to lights to entertainment systems, homeowners can operate all of these systems and more, right from a smartphone. It’s a convenient option when you don’t want to get off the couch or out of bed.
That convenience also extends to when homeowners are out of the house. Being able to turn lights on and off and turn down the heat remotely is convenient, but it also extends into other benefits, like energy bill savings.
Smart Home Automation is Easy to Upgrade
One of the major benefits of investing in smart home automation is that these systems are incredibly easy to upgrade. This is a significant advantage for your home automation sales strategy.
When selling these systems, all you need to do is show customers the benefits of buying even a base system package. The low price point makes these base packages appealing, particularly because homeowners can then upgrade them and customize them later on if they choose.
Whether a homeowner is looking for a single component or wants to expand a base system into a more comprehensive system, add-ons are affordable and easy to install. These add-ons can also help you to upsell products and increase your profits.
Smart Home Automation Creates Added Privacy
Smart home automation also enhances a homeowner’s privacy. With features like video doorbells and cameras that can be accessed via a smartphone, homeowners don’t have to answer the door in person. This makes it easier to avoid unwanted solicitors, leaving families to their privacy and cutting down on interruptions.
Privacy is worth a premium to many homeowners. In today’s world, we’re bombarded by social media, constant connections to others via our cell phones, and the expectation to always be engaging with the world. Being able to come home and retreat into privacy is a luxury that many homeowners don’t yet have, but they’re willing to pay for. A home automation system offers that privacy and that extra layer of protection, and that’s a highly valuable benefit for many people.
Smart Home Automation Increases a Home’s Value
While homeowners may initially invest in smart home automation because of the benefits it offers them while they live in the house, they may see additional returns on that investment when it’s time to sell their home. Smart home automation can increase a home’s value and provide multiple advantages during the sales process.
A home automation system can catch a buyer’s eye during the sales process. It’s an appealing feature for the tech-savvy, forward-thinking buyer, or for a buyer who may be looking for a home that they’ll feel safe in. A system that’s already been installed makes for a more move-in-ready house, and it might be the feature that compels a buyer to make an offer.
The presence of a home automation system also demonstrates that the seller cares for their home. The system is evidence that the seller is willing to invest money in the home, and that the home has been actively protected. This can be appealing to a buyer and can boost their confidence in buying a particular home.
With so many benefits to smart home automation, and the systems in such high demand, now is the perfect time to refine your home automation sales strategy. Consider the unique and valuable benefits that the products you sell offer to your audience, and be sure to train your team on how to use those benefits to address customers’ pain points.
When focusing on your sales management, you might also want to examine your pricing structure and consider providing special offers and incentives to get new customers to make their initial purchases. Offering sales commissions can also help to further motivate your team to close sales.
When selling home automation systems, staying organized and being able to provide potential customers with prompt, detailed pricing and quotes can help you to close deals. D-Tools’ software products, including D-Tools Cloud and System Integration, can both help. With features like CRM integration and the ability to develop accurate quotes and budgets (leveraging detailed product information and supplier pricing) while you’re in the field, these tools improve your efficiency and accuracy, contributing to your sales success, too.
Investing in D-Tools software products positions your team to better sell automation systems, but these products also contribute to your productivity, customer service quality, profitability, and more. Request a live demo of D-Tools Cloud or System Integrator today to see how they can help drive sales for your business.
