Home security and automation sales are heavily dependent on consumer life stages. People moving into a new home is one of the most sought-after groups, yet many off-the-shelf lead lists are of people who have already moved. Clearlink’s advanced targeting knowledge and ability to tie online behavior to offline sales helped us identify movers before they relocated, putting Vivint top of mind for this holy grail of consumer groups. This innovative pairing of paid search and expert sales teams led to an average YOY growth of 60% and made Clearlink the biggest online partner for Vivint.

The Problem

Vivint, a leading home automation company, was looking for ways to boost sales while elevating their brand from the competition. Vivint has a compelling product offering but in 2012 was relatively new to the industry. They needed a powerful combination of sales and marketing to establish their position as a market leader, all while delivering a great ROI on their marketing spend.

The Methodology

Moving is one of the life events that prompts people to buy home automation, making new movers a prime demographic for Vivint and Clearlink. According to a Zillow study, 21% of new movers spend $10,000 or more during their moving process. That figure makes them the holy grail of consumer groups in the home automation/security industry. Clearlink used advanced targeting and behavior analysis capabilities to identify and engage with these potential customers earlier, giving Vivint the advantage in capturing long-term, high-value customers and building early brand awareness.

Clearlink’s expertise in connecting the paid search and offline sales experience was an ideal match for Vivint’s goals. Clearlink and Vivint outlined the strategy, messaging, and offerings collaboratively, while Clearlink’s paid search team optimized keyword targets and landing pages, and used our proprietary bidding algorithm to ensure the best ad placement. Clearlink’s sales experts were trained in Vivint’s offerings and product features to give customers a consistent brand experience with both sides being connected by the Clearlink data science team.

Data science was a crucial component to the success of the partnership, as it used predictive analytics to identify the customer behavior indicative of a likely new mover before that person appeared on an off-the-shelf customer list. Once that customer was identified, they were routed to a sales agent who was familiar with the products they were looking at online—and often from the same geographic region to help in establishing an immediate rapport. These subtle, familiarizing moves add up to a better experience, an experience that makes gaining a customer more likely.

As a foundational element of Intelligent CX, feedback loops help refine the process each time, which has led to a 241% increase in Clearlink’s click volume, while CPC has sustained the same average cost.