The 3 Marketing Systems Every Contractor Needs to Scale Fast
The 3 Marketing Systems Every Contractor Needs to Scale Fast
By Joe Crisara, America’s Service Sales Coach
When it comes to growing a home service business, too many contractors are stuck in the same slow, expensive cycle: paying big money up front for SEO and ads, waiting months to see results, and often ending up with nothing to show for it.
That’s why my conversation with Phil Risher from Phlash Consulting hit home. He’s built and scaled service companies using a framework that mirrors a lot of what I did back before Google ads even existed—and it works just as well today.
The truth is, you don’t have to wait six months for results. You can start generating quality leads, converting more of them, and creating repeat business this month if you focus on these three marketing pillars.
Pillar 1: Build B2B Partnerships That Actually Send You Leads
Most contractors think “marketing” means fighting for Google rankings. But in a saturated market, the companies that have been running SEO for 10 years are hard to catch. You need a shortcut—and B2B partnerships are it.
Here’s the play:
- Find complementary businesses
- HVAC contractor? Partner with plumbers or electricians.
- Gutter cleaner? Partner with landscaper
2. Offer a pay-per-lead deal.
- If you’re willing to pay Google $100 for a lead, pay a local partner the same. No upfront cost—just pay when they send you a legitimate lead.
3. Make it stupid simple for them to send leads.
- Give their techs a QR code they can scan in the field.
- Send them a monthly email with reminders, promos, and a direct link to submit leads.
- When I built my $12M business in the pre-Internet era, I had a “Top 100” list of local partners. We traded coupons, stapled offers to pizza boxes, and made sure each other’s customers knew we were trusted partners. That grassroots approach still works—it just needs a digital upgrade.
Action Step:
Make a list of 25 potential B2B partners this week. Reach out with a simple “I’ll pay you per lead” offer and create a QR code form they can use instantly.
Pillar 2: Master Conversions with a Lead Management Plan
Getting leads is great—but most companies are terrible at turning them into booked jobs.
Here’s the stat that should scare you: 63% of home service companies only follow up once. If the customer doesn’t answer the phone, they give up.
You need a lead nurture system that works every lead until you get a “yes” or “no.” That means:
- Multiple contact methods. Text, email, AND calls—let the customer choose their channel.
- Automated follow-up. If they don’t respond, send a series of messages over the next 14–21 days (or faster for urgent jobs).
Estimate nurture sequences. - Estimate nurture sequences.
- Don’t just ask “Have you looked at the quote?”—remind them of the pain that made them call you.
- Add expiration dates to create urgency.
Phil shared a killer differentiator: send short videos at key points in the customer journey.
- After they fill out your form: “Thanks for reaching out, here’s what happens next…”
- After sending an estimate: “Just sent this over—happy to answer questions…”
- After approval: “Can’t wait to start your project, here’s what to expect…”
- After completion: “Thanks for trusting us. If you know anyone else we can help…”
These videos take minutes to record but will set you apart from every competitor who only sends plain-text emails.
Action Step:
Map out a 4-step video process in your sales funnel this week. Record them once, then automate them to send at the right time.
Pillar 3: Retarget & Re-Engage Your Past Customers
The fastest revenue you can generate is from people who already know and trust you.
Most contractors ignore this goldmine. I’ve seen companies with thousands of past customers who have never received a single follow-up email.
Phil told me about an HVAC contractor with 6,000 contacts who had never emailed them once. One email per month for a year generated $250,000 in revenue.
Here’s how to make it work:
- Seasonal reminders. “It’s been a year since your last maintenance—time to schedule.”
- Cross-sell campaigns. “We cleaned your ducts last spring—did you know we also offer insulation upgrades?”
- Urgency promos. Limited-time discounts or bonuses for booking now.
- Even one good campaign can fill your schedule in slow weeks.
Action Step:
Pull last year’s customer list. Send a targeted email today inviting them to schedule the same service again—or a complementary service they’ve never tried.
The Two Pitfalls That Kill This Strategy
Not every contractor succeeds with this system. Here’s why:
- No infrastructure. If you don’t have a CRM, you can’t track your data or automate follow-ups.
- Owner bottleneck. If you’re the salesperson, the CSR, and the manager, you won’t have time to respond to leads fast enough. Build a team or outsource before launching full campaigns.
Technology can help, but people are the real engine of your marketing. Relationships, responsiveness, and consistent communication will always beat waiting for an algorithm to put you at the top of Google.
If you implement even one of these pillars this month, you’ll see results. If you commit to all three, you’ll see transformation.
So—what’s your first move going to be?
From the desk of Joe Crisara, America's Service Sales Coach
Founder, Service MVP
