How discovering the importance of one number led to £337,000 in extra sales in a year...unlocking £168,000 profit!
This £1.2m blind and shading business based in the South of England was doing just fine. A solid reputation, a steady flow of enquiries and a hardworking team who cared deeply about doing things properly.
The owner told us they were busy all the time yet somehow the profit didn’t seem to reflect all the effort that was being put in. He couldn’t put his finger on why this was the case and, so, was unsure as to what to do.
What he wanted wasn’t a miracle, or a flashy new strategy, but clarity. Clear targets. Clear numbers.
Something to base decisions on and track progress.
It started with a financial plan...
So, he asked us to build a Financial Plan with simple, measurable targets that would show him where the real opportunities were hiding.
As we mapped out his numbers properly, one metric stood out the Estimate %. In simple terms, this was the percentage of incoming leads who asked for (and received) an estimate or rough quote.
It was sitting at just 20%. His first reaction was completely understandable: “We can’t really do much about that.”
But when we translated that number into business reality, everything changed. For this business, every 1% improvement in Estimate % was worth roughly £50,000 in additional annual sales.
In an instant, he could see how he could generate more sales without spending a penny more on marketing.
The Plan: Simple, not dramatic
There was no grand overhaul, no extra marketing spend, no pressure to work longer hours. Instead, we focused on a clear, practical plan built around one idea: make it easier and more consistent to get estimates out the door.
The steps were straightforward:
Step 1: Clarify the process
We mapped the journey from enquiry to estimate and removed unnecessary friction and delays.
Step 2: Upgrade the marketing emails
The marketing copy of the email sequence was improved to encourage prospects to ask for an estimate.
Step 3: Track the number weekly
Estimate % became a visible metric, not something buried in reports.
Step 4: Have better conversations
The team adjusted how they qualified and more consistently followed up on leads, without being pushy.
Step 5: Upgrade the estimate document
The three-page estimate document was overhauled to convey the value proposition. By making the offer more compelling this increased the number of prospects who asked for a measure.
The Results: Simple, not dramatic - but massive!
That was it. No complexity. Just focus.
Over the next 12 months, that single metric moved from 20% to 26.5%. It doesn’t sound dramatic but the impact was massive!
That improvement alone was worth £337,000 in additional annual sales and around £168,000 in additional profit.
What also changed was how the business owner felt about the business.
There was a focus on the numbers that mattered. There were clear targets. Performance was being tracked against those targets every week and month.
He knew whether he was ahead or behind…and why.
Having that clarity meant he felt properly in control of his business.
Key Takeaway
This story illustrates the power of knowing your numbers properly. It’s a case of identifying the few metrics that have a disproportionate effect on your sales and profit.
If you feel like there’s untapped potential in your business then you’re probably right...
…and if you’d like help uncovering it, let’s have a conversation.
To get in touch you can drop us an email to [email protected] or call one of the team on 0161 410 0020.
Disclaimer
You must take professional advice before making any decisions based on the information that you have learnt here. While every effort has been made, to make sure it is accurate it cannot be precisely tailored to your personal circumstances. This article is for general information only and no action should be taken, or refrained from, as a result of this information. Professional advice should be taken based on specific circumstances in each individual case. Whilst we endeavor to ensure that the information contained in the article is correct, no liability will be accepted by Krystal Clear Accounting which is a trading name of Kim Marlor Associates Ltd or damages of any kind arising from the contents of this communication, or for any action, inaction or decision taken as a result of using any such information.
