How to start your smart home installation business

Home Automation is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States – growing billions of dollars by the year. With more homeowners looking to purchase or build a smart home, there’s no wonder why hundreds of companies are expanding their skill set to the next level with true automation.

1. Choose a smart home solution

You need a system that is structured and organized. The best part about Loxone is that we bring a whole home solution with 150+ integrated products – a reliable, future-proof foundation for your smart home business. With other smart home solutions you are constantly adding complexity with different products from different companies that take the “smart” away from a smart solution when all put together. With Loxone you have everything you need in one solution, including the professional backing and support of your manufacturer. A partner that supports you – from the initial planning to the implementation and beyond project completion – is crucial to your company’s growth.

2. Training and certifications

With every skill comes practice and trainings that are necessary to learn and excel. Learning to install and configure a smart home is no different.

First off, you will need Low voltage education if you haven’t done that already. Now once you have low voltage knowledge you will need to exercise your skills on the products you will be using. Your options here would be to go out and purchase all the products you may think you will need to complete a project, or you could attend a Loxone training course which covers how to sell your business, and also how to wire and configure a smart home with hands-on experience.

3. Become a brand ambassador for your business

In order to sell a smart home solution, you need to not only know the products by heart, but you also need to become a brand ambassador for your business. Having the solution outfitted in your own home or show room shows potential clients that you believe in your brand and solution, and that you aren’t just selling it – you’re offering a lifestyle that you want for yourself too.

In a show room, you can show prospective clients what it’s really like to experience such an environment. A showroom of your own can follow later, but it’s a good idea to think ahead for future growth while planning now.

Plus, we have great incentives for Loxone Partners to use the solution in their own homes. (You can find out more about this later.)

4. Make yourself visible and known

Internet – Get your business on the internet. This may seem obvious but you’d be surprised by how many business still don’t have a website. The first place people go to find something is online, so make your presence known. To start, it is necessary that you have both a user-friendly website and a Facebook page, both of which should showcase what you have to offer as a business.

Connections – Not all business is done on the internet. Make sure to get out there and connect with home builders, electricians, contractors, and others in the home automation industry. Networking is crucial in every aspect of business, so do yourself a favor and get your name out there. Make sure to visit any networking or trade show events that come through your area.

Advertising – Word of mouth can only get you so far. Now that you have an internet presence, it’s time for local advertising. You can go the old school route and post an ad or two in the paper, but we always recommend that you focus most of your advertising efforts online. This can be done via AdWords, Facebook Ads, and SEO.

We know you’ll be busy running a business at this time, so it may be best to reach out to someone that specializes in online advertising. These companies tend to charge per month and do all of the leg work for you. If you are more of a DIY type, there are plenty of tutorials online that can walk you through setting up your own online campaigns.

5. Deliver great quality and service

Customer satisfaction is a major key to success.

When it comes to finding new customers, our partners report that word of mouth and referrals from existing customers still lead the way, so delivering a good job and looking after your customer should not be underestimated.

6. Grow a team

After getting started with your first projects, you will find yourself crazy busy in no time, and will have to grow your team. The best way to go about this is to find people with basic tech and electrical skills and train them yourself. Once you have them ready you can send them to manufacturer training to get the most out of learning the products you use.