📊 The Funnel Challenge
OC Reverse Funnel: Target vs Reality
The Monthly Gap
Why Google Ads Alone Can't Close the Gap
Bottom line: Scaling either channel 4-5× isn't realistic. We need new channels with higher intent and better economics.
🚀 Channel Expansion Plan
Premium estate work routes through trust channels — fiduciaries, attorneys, move managers — not Google searches. Here's the plan to build those channels.
Fiduciary Partner Network
Trustees, executors, and probate attorneys control premium estate decisions. Build a referral pipeline through these gatekeepers.
- • Elder law / probate attorneys
- • Professional fiduciaries
- • Trust officers at banks
- • Estate planning attorneys
Premium competitors (Comprehensive Estate Liquidations, CA Estate Sales & Auction) explicitly cite fiduciary relationships as their primary source. This is how high-value estates route.
Senior Move Manager Network
NASMM members help families downsize and transition. They already coordinate estate sales — become their default partner.
- • 25-50 move managers across OC/LA ZIPs
- • Convert 10-15 into active monthly referrers
- • Offer "preferred vendor" status + easy handoff
- • Track referrals → opps → wins by partner
Move managers already expect to coordinate estate sale assistance via partner connections. TLH becomes the default if the process is easy and outcomes are consistent.
Micro-Geo Direct Mail
Target high-value homeowners directly with tactile mail. Narrow and repeated in premium ZIPs, not broad saturation.
- • Property value $1M+
- • Ownership tenure 10+ years
- • Age proxy: 65+ household
- • 2-4 micro-geos, 500 homes each
Use tactile/interactive formats (USPS promotions), QR tracking, call tracking. Pair with retargeting so mail-driven curiosity doesn't leak to competitors.
Nextdoor (LA Only)
74% of Nextdoor members are homeowners. Didn't work in OC — test in LA with authority content, not lead-gen ads.
- • Affluent LA neighborhoods only
- • Educational "authority" posts, not promos
- • Neighborhood sponsorship format
- • 90-day test with clear success metrics
OC Nextdoor didn't convert. LA is a different market with different dynamics — worth testing before ruling out entirely.
Strategic RE Team Partnerships
Agents listing inherited/estate properties need contents cleared fast. The "golden ring" bundle: estate sale + cash offer on the home.
- • Probate/trust sale specialists
- • Senior real estate specialists (SRES)
- • High-volume listing agents in target ZIPs
- • Teams with 55+ client focus
"We clear the contents, you list the home. Or: we buy the home too — estate sale bundling discount, no commissions, close in 14 days."
Streaming Audio / Podcasts
75% of podcast listeners trust hosts. Use audio for upper-funnel trust building, then capture with retargeting.
- • Target 55+ in OC/LA metros
- • "How to settle an estate" messaging
- • Spotify demographic + location targeting
- • Pair with brand search defense
High-trust medium for complex decisions. Not last-click — builds familiarity so when they DO search, they search for TLH.
🏆 Competitive Context: How Premium Competitors Win
At the $15K+ estate tier, the competitive set isn't "weekend estate sale companies" — it's high-touch liquidation firms that emphasize discretion, fiduciary relationships, and multi-channel asset disposition.
"Premier estate liquidation advisory" — engages trustees, executors, fiduciaries directly.
35+ years, international clientele, Newport Beach estates. Multi-channel liquidation.
Full-service liquidation + licensed RE broker. Direct competitor to TLH's bundle.
TLH's Differentiation
TLH can match the bundle (estate sale + cash offer) and beat on speed/certainty. The gap is channel access — getting in front of the right decision-makers before they find competitors through fiduciary networks.
📈 Supporting Data
Win Rates by Channel (Sept–Jan)
Lead → Opp Conversion by Channel
Market Position (EstateSales.net Data)
| Region | TLH Sales/mo | Total Market | TLH Share | Grasons Share | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | ~8 | ~50 | 16% | 2% | 10 (20%) |
| Orange County | ~2 | ~42 | 5% | 25% | 6 (14%) |
| Los Angeles | ~2 | ~100 | 2% | 10% | 6 (6%) |
📋 Summary
The Problem
- • Whole funnel constrained — not enough meetings
- • PMAX: cheap volume, low quality (4.8% opp rate)
- • Search: better quality, can't scale enough
- • Google Ads alone won't close the gap
The Plan
- • Priority 1: Fiduciary + Move Manager partnerships
- • Priority 2: Direct mail in premium ZIPs, RE team partnerships
- • Test: Nextdoor in LA, streaming audio
- • Keep PMAX running — it drives activity while we build new channels
Premium estates route through trust channels, not Google searches. Build the partner network, win the premium segment.