For builders, upgrades like spas, outdoor kitchens, fire features, and pergolas represent a significant opportunity to increase project scope and ticket size. For homeowners, those same upgrades strengthen the value of their overall investment by creating more ways to use and enjoy their backyard well beyond the summer months, making a larger project easier to say yes to. And as traditional pool demand slows, that year-round appeal gives builders more to sell, from upgrades and remodels to the next phase of a past customer’s backyard.
Financing puts more of those possibilities within reach, giving builders a way to sell the project customers really want without letting initial budget concerns limit the vision.
According to Carla Barrera, director of marketing and advertising at Lyon Financial, it starts with looking beyond what a customer initially asks for.
“The best backyards don’t stop at the pool. Neither should the sales conversation,” Barrera says.
Build More Value Into the Project
Customers often begin the pool-buying process with a number already in mind, but that budget may be based on available cash rather than an understanding of what financing could make possible. For builders, that can mean customers start cutting additions before they ever see the bigger picture.
“With the cost of nearly everything going up, value is more important to customers than ever,” Barrera says. “If they’re going to make a significant investment in their backyard, they want to know it’s worth it.”
For builders, that means showing how a larger project can add functionality, enjoyment, and more ways to use the backyard throughout the year.
“Don’t just show customers what an upgrade costs,” Barrera says. “Show them what it adds to their experience and why that can make the overall investment more worthwhile.”
Carla Barrera, director of marketing and advertising at Lyon Financial.
Sell the Backyard, Not Just the Season
One of the strongest ways to demonstrate that value is to help customers picture the backyard as part of their lives beyond traditional pool season. And when temperatures cool, that broader appeal gives builders a reason to keep the sales conversation going.
Start by asking beyond the budget. Along with what customers want to spend, find out what they envision for the entire space. How do they want to use the backyard throughout the year? Do they entertain? Host holidays? Want more space for the family to gather?
“Help customers picture relaxing in the spa after a workout, cooking Thanksgiving dinner in the outdoor kitchen, or gathering around the fire on a cool evening,” Barrera says. “When they can see the backyard fitting into more parts of their lives, they start to see it differently. It becomes more than a pool. It becomes an extension of their home and their lifestyle.”
Those questions can uncover features customers may have already ruled out based on what they planned to spend upfront, giving builders a clearer picture of what they really want.
“If they’re already making the investment, help them think about what they really want the finished space to be,” Barrera says. “There is value in building it once and building it right, rather than looking back and wishing they had included the features they really wanted.”
Keep the Bigger Vision in the Sale
When customers uncover features that matter to them, the budget conversation can change. A project they initially assumed was out of reach may look very different when they see what it could mean as a monthly payment.
That is why financing should be introduced early, before customers start cutting the project to fit an upfront cash budget.
“If financing only comes up after the customer starts cutting their wish list, you may already be trying to save a smaller sale,” Barrera says. “Bring it up early, while you’re still talking about what they really want.”
Rather than focusing only on the total cost of an upgrade, show qualified customers what adding it could mean on a monthly basis.
“When customers see the difference in the monthly payment, they may be surprised by what is within reach,” Barrera says.
Turn the Off-Season Into Opportunity
Selling the benefits of year-round outdoor living goes beyond expanding new pool projects. It can also help builders generate business when traditional pool demand slows.
“Pool season may slow down, but people don’t stop using their backyards,” Barrera says. “That’s your opportunity to change the conversation.”
Cooler months can be a natural time to sell upgrades, remodels, and standalone outdoor living projects, especially to past customers.
“Go back to the customers who already love the pool you built,” Barrera says. “After living with it for a season or two, they may have a much better idea of what they wish they had added the first time. What once felt optional may have a lot more value after they’ve experienced the backyard firsthand.”
For builders, that creates another pipeline of business beyond peak season.
“Help customers see everything their backyard can become,” Barrera says. “When you sell the bigger vision and give them options to make it possible, you create more opportunities for them and for your business.”
For more information, visit www.lyonfinancial.net.
