Performance Marketing
Lead generation – Engels

Case

Lead generation – Engels

Maximum Results for Engels Windows & Doors in an Exceptional Year

After a 7-year collaboration with their previous performance agency, window and door manufacturer Engels chose Hybrid as their new partner for lead generation at the start of 2020. Their ambitions were clear—achieve an overall growth of +20%.

The challenge became even greater when, right after Batibouw (and shortly after our kickoff), COVID-19 broke out. Operating in a sector driven by face-to-face sales and showroom visits, we had to rapidly digitize this traditional process due to lockdowns and restrictive measures.

Despite these additional challenges, strengthened by a deep partnership with Engels, we doubled the number of qualified, sales-accepted leads in just one year, while reducing the cost per lead by half compared to 2019.

The client: Engels

Engels is a well-known provider of refined window and door solutions, crafted in wood, aluminum, and PVC. Above all, they focus on quality and aesthetics!

Founded as a family business, Engels has been managed by its third generation since 2007 and is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. The Engels Group employs approximately 175 people and includes two production facilities (wood in Lokeren, aluminum in Eeklo), a division dedicated to the project market, a private label division, and a network of 12 Engels stores.

The Challenge: Increasing Qualified Leads in a Highly Competitive Market

Engels aimed for further growth in 2020 in the highly competitive private windows and doors market.

Their clear objective? Achieve +20% growth in the retail segment (sales to private customers).

Assuming no change in buyer journey parameters (conversion rates, average order value), this ambition translated into a concrete target: +20% Sales Accepted Leads (SALs) via digital channels compared to 2019, at 20% lower cost per lead (CPL).

For Engels, this means quote requests and showroom appointments that meet internal criteria such as budget or project size.

This growth target was ambitious on its own, but several extra challenges made the task even more demanding:

  • Strict Sales Accepted Lead criteria, including financial capacity and specific project requirements.
  • COVID lockdowns and restrictions significantly limiting face-to-face sales and showroom visits.
  • The key Batibouw period (January-February) was still managed by the previous agency—this crucial time, along with its budget, was already spent.
  • Aligning lead generation and sales follow-ups with the capacity, planning, and physical distribution of 25 showroom employees across 11 branches.
Case - Engels

Our Approach

We developed a phased strategy in close collaboration with Engels:
Phase 0 – Analysis and action plan
Phase 1 – Maximizing efficiency
Phase 2 – Scaling growth

Case - Engels

Phase 0 – Analysis

We started with an in-depth analysis of the English “as is” approach.

  • CRM & sales data – What type of sales were closed through which channel? What is the ideal customer profile? What is the actual CPA? Are there clusters within the different order amounts? What are the metrics of the current lead and sales funnel?
  • Analytics and website data – What visit and conversion paths are typical for the eventual customer?
  • Marketing, channel, and campaign data – Which channels are the lead drivers? What is the CPL per channel? Where is optimization possible?

After auditing the current performance, we focused on analyzing the “as should” potential.

  • Competition analysis – How do competitors perform regarding online presence and lead generation?
  • Keyword research to map the full potential across the entire buyer journey.

Based on the data and insights from these analyses, we reverse-engineered the sales and marketing funnel, starting from effective sales.

In consultation with Engels, we defined a plan of approach and a “Performance Playbook” with rules of engagement (e.g., lead acceptance criteria, CPA, CPL, CPC, targets, ROAS, lead load balancing, etc.), with the output being an objective, data-driven compass for every marketing or sales action focused on effective sales.

Tracking and a real-time dashboard via Google Data Studio were set up for continuous monitoring and optimization.

Additionally, we implemented a feedback loop between marketing and sales regarding the quality and actual sales conversion of the generated leads.

Phase 1 – Increasing Returns

Analysis revealed a significant volume of “high-intent” yet competitive search traffic. All ongoing awareness campaigns were halted, with 100% focus shifted to conversion through Paid Search (Google, Bing) combined with remarketing. In parallel, opportunities were identified for “high volume – low keyword difficulty” keywords to also score organically (SEO).

In addition to this rigorous channel selection, we optimized campaigns and ads based on effective sales data. Our approach: eliminate cost drivers and allocate budget where it yields results. The focus, in other words, was on reducing costs, capturing more clicks and impressions, etc.

Phase 2 – Scaling

After approximately two months, we brought returns in line with the predetermined rules.

Next step: scale where traffic potential was still available.
Additionally, we created a second lever through conversion optimization (alongside cost reduction) to lower the CPA.

Paid Search

  • Maximize impression share for intent keywords as long as we remained within the rules (CPA).
  • Target top and middle-of-funnel keywords.
  • Top-of-funnel lead generation campaigns and customer profiling:
    • Targeting different buyer phases (e.g., New Windows Checklist, Inspiration Quiz, Catalog, etc.).

Social Ads & GDN

  • Generated +1500 Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs).
  • Lead nurturing from MQL to Sales Accepted Lead (SAL) via marketing automation based on profiling: 3% conversion.

CRO – Conversion Optimization

  • Continuous A/B testing:
    • For example, optimizing the quote request form: Conv 12.47% → 19.54%.

SEO

  • Building non-branded traffic based on competitor and keyword data (see graph below).
Case - Engels

We asked Hybrid to ease off the gas pedal as our production department can no longer keep up with the sales influx.

Anthony Hoogsteyns – Business Unit Manager Retail

Hybrid & Engels: 1+1=3

Thanks to the efforts of a structured and multidisciplinary dedicated team from Hybrid, we were able to act very flexibly and quickly based on data. Using the constructed compass and set rules, the Hybrid team is capable of making proactive and autonomous decisions focused on results.

This data and forecasting model also provided much-needed “calm” during the most uncertain Covid periods.

The close 1+1=3 collaboration with the internal team at Engels ensures the perfect mix of the right tone of voice, branding, and content, combined with maximizing ROI across various digital channels.

  • Continuous data monitoring and analysis
  • Defining and fine-tuning the online acquisition strategy
  • Full management of all digital paid channels and campaigns
  • Complete budget responsibility focused on results
  • Paid channels (Search, GDN, Social Ads, Pinterest, etc.)
  • SEO (Technical, Content, and Linkbuilding)
  • CRO & UX: A/B testing
  • Website adjustments
  • Lead capture and nurture flows via marketing automation

We were looking for a partner who could not only execute and maintain our online marketing campaigns but also work alongside the Engels marketing team to define the online strategy within the predetermined marketing plan. Despite the ongoing effort to balance quality and quantity (11 regions, 25 salespeople), we can already look back on a successful journey thanks to Hybrid’s expertise and the smooth collaboration between both teams, built on transparent communication. We would certainly recommend Hybrid as a partner.

Valérie Baeke – Marketing Engels

Continuous Results

2020 vs 2019

# Sales Accepted Leads: +81%
€ Cost per Lead: -111%
€ Total Budget: -14%

# Sales Accepted Leads via Paid Advertising: +114%
€ Cost per Lead via Paid Advertising: -144%
# Sales Accepted Leads via SEO: +77%

Overall CRO: +42%

We also had a strong start in 2021. The decision to invest the freed-up Batibouw budget into our own online visibility has delivered the desired results. (See table below)

Case - Engels

A 4-Year Partnership

We have now been working together successfully for 4 years, and we can truly speak of a solid partnership.

In 2022, we launched a new website that enables us to implement the chosen strategy even more effectively. You can check the full approach and the results of this website rebuild in detail.

Compared to 2019, we are attracting 4 times more organic visitors—a critical factor in a hyper-competitive market to reach builders and renovators as early as possible in their orientation process. And we achieve this without requiring advertising budgets that would make a positive return unattainable.

Hybrid Agency Team

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Frequently Asked Questions

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