Small Business Marketing Archives - Stoddard Agency

The Art of War in Business Building

Jesse Stoddard — Mon, 29 May 2023 14:53:30 +0000

March is named for the Roman God of War, Mars. War has been used throughout history to achieve victory over one’s economic “Enemies.” This article will explain how modern business practices can apply some of these principles.

For businesses to succeed in today’s competitive market, they must learn to use tactics similar to those employed by military generals when planning their campaigns against competitors or other entities within their industry.

Marketing Strategies vs. Tactics

I have the same conversation nearly every day with clients and prospects. Everyone is screwing this all up by not fully understanding the difference. First, you should base all your marketing and business development plans on sound business principles that lead to good strategy. Finally, the strategies are what dictate the specific marketing tactics and techniques.

Don’t get that wrong by reversing the order, which we all tend to do. Every entrepreneur I have ever met loves shiny objects and flashy distractions. Techniques, tactics, and the latest fad are always attractive.
Let’s take an example from the tactics category to illustrate my point. You might be saying to yourself and your team:

“Tik Tok is the hot thing! We should be on Tik Tok.”

Hold on a second there, bucko. I am going to push back on you right away there. Why? Is your ideal target market actually on Tick Tok a lot?

TikTok has about 80 million monthly active users in the United States. 60% are female, and 40% are male. 60% are between the ages of 16-24. 26% are between the ages of 25-44. 80% are between the ages of 16-34.

Now, some of the statistics point to these people being from high-income households. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the individuals on Tik Tok are those who pay the bills. Can some 16 to 34-year-olds live in mom and dad’s basement?
Is your perfect customer between 16 and 24 years old?

The next thing to look at is what kind of content people are looking for and expecting on the platform.

TikTok mainly consists of short-form video content focusing on entertainment, dance challenges, pranks, and informational content.

Does your business lend itself to entertainment? Can your informational content be attractive enough to compete against prank or dance videos? Even if you can, how much time and effort will you put in to get an ROI?

If you go the influencers route (paying for people to promote you), how much are you willing to wager and test to see if you get a result, and for how long?

Have you considered your overall business and marketing plan, your core focus, your unique selling proposition, and your ideal target market so that you can build your strategy and determine if this particular tactic even fits your business at all?

Strategy and tactics are two essential concepts in business. They help you understand what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, and how to improve your results.

Strategies are long-term plans that guide your marketing efforts over time. Tactics are specific actions taken to pursue a strategy, including creating content or sending emails to customers (or both).

The difference between these two concepts can be confusing for some people because they sound similar but mean different things–and it’s easy to confuse them if you need a clear understanding of each one! An excellent way to think about this is by imagining yourself at war: Your strategies would be like general battle plans; tactics would be specific strategies used during battles themselves (like using cavalry against infantry).

Business Principles

The Art of War is a guide to winning wars and a book about business. Generals and politicians have used it for centuries to gain an advantage over their opponents. The principles Sun Tzu laid out in his book apply to any kind of competition, whether war or business.

You should note that The Art of War principles isn’t just applicable to military strategy; they apply to any type of competition–including business building! Many entrepreneurs have found success by applying these same principles in their ventures:

Keep yourself from getting caught up in small details; focus on your overall strategy instead (this will help ensure that all your efforts are aligned).
Understand who your “enemy” is before fighting them (you want as much information about them as possible so you know how best to approach them).
Gather the best people on your team, and after getting clear on your strategy, delegate the techniques and tactics to those who have mastered them.
You can’t do it all yourself (nor should you).

Business Principles

Keep yourself from getting caught up in small details; focus on your overall strategy instead (this will help ensure that all your efforts are aligned).
Understand who your “enemy” is before fighting them (you want as much information about them as possible so you know how best to approach them).
Gather the best people on your team, and after getting clear on your strategy, delegate the techniques and tactics to those who have mastered them.
You can’t do it all yourself (nor should you).

Marketing Strategies

Before you can start to build your business, you need a well-defined strategy. A strategy is the action plan you will take to achieve your goals. It’s vital that your strategy is based on solid research and analysis so that it’s realistic and achievable.

To create an effective marketing strategy:

Define what success looks like for your business (e.g., sales targets)
Identify the resources available for achieving these goals (e.g., time/money)
Decide how best to allocate these resources across different channels

Marketing Tactics

The tactic is a military term for a specific maneuver or action. In the context of business building, tactics are specific actions that you take to achieve your goals. Your overall marketing strategy includes targeting previous clients and customers to get them to buy from you again or to get a referral from them. You decide that a technique is to incentivize them to buy again or refer, and the tactic is to use the medium of email for communication. You then gather and clean up your list and create a campaign with a great offer and good copy to send emails to that list.

Next, add another email tactic to compound the effects to achieve your strategic goal.
For example, if your goal is to grow your email list by 10% this month and you want to do it by running an ad campaign on Facebook (a tactic), then one way of doing this would be creating an offer that appeals directly to people who have already shown interest in similar services (targeting). For example: “If you’re interested in learning how to get the best new kitchen remodel of your dreams at the lowest possible price, click here now!” (I’m not saying that is good ad copy, by the way, you’d need to test it.)

Another way might be sending out an email blast with a “special offer” attached, maybe even giving away something free as part of the deal or offering a discount code just to sign up today! Whatever works best within your industry – whether it’s services, physical products, or digital courses – there will always be numerous options available when considering which marketing tactics work best for any situation.

Business Building

Business building is a complex process that requires you to make many decisions. The first step in making those decisions is understanding the difference between strategies and tactics. Strategies are long-term plans that help you achieve your goals, while tactics are short-term actions taken to achieve your strategy.

Every business has three primary branches or departments: sales and marketing, operations, and finance. You’ll need a strategy for sales and marketing.
For example, if one of your goals is to increase revenue by 25% over the next year, the strategy might be to build a lead generation funnel and a sales process. One tactic might be hiring new salespeople (a specific action). Another tactic might be increasing advertising spending by 10% each month until you reach your goal (another specific action).

Marketing Plans

Marketing plans are important because they help you to define your marketing strategy and tactics. You can’t just “wing it” when it comes to marketing. If you do, then there’s no way for you or anyone involved in selling your product or service (including employees) to know what exactly needs doing at any given time.

The most common type of marketing plan is one that outlines a company’s goals over a set period of time–say, three years–and then breaks those goals down into measurable objectives with specific timelines attached. This type of plan also includes an analysis of what competitors are doing in terms of their strategies and tactics so that yours can be better tailored towards beating them out on all fronts: price point vs. quality, quantity vs. quality, unique selling propositions, what makes you unique, your offer, your guarantee, and of course, your ideal target market or “client avatar.”

Business Development Plans

Business development plans are essential to the success of any business. They help you understand where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there. These plans are especially needed when building your marketing strategy and tactics around a well-defined plan.

Business development plans can take many forms: some companies use them as roadmaps for their annual budgets; others use them as an outline for long-term goals; still, others use them as a guide when making decisions about hiring or firing employees (or for designing their organization and accountability charts to move people around to put the right people in the right seats on the bus). But whatever form they take, business development plans serve one purpose: helping owners and managers make better decisions about where their company should focus its resources over time to reach its goals most effectively.

Conclusion

In this article, I have tried to explain the difference between strategies and tactics. I have also given some examples of how to use these two concepts in your business-building activities. If you need help with strategy, contact us at suppor@stoddardagency.com.

Baseball and Your Business: Swinging for the Fences in Leadership and Coaching

Jesse Stoddard — Fri, 26 May 2023 15:03:35 +0000

How my 15-year-old son’s baseball team taught me a thing or two about running a successful business

Ah, the sweet smell of freshly cut grass, the crack of the bat, and the roar of the crowd! Opening day of Major League Baseball is upon us once again, friends, and for me, even more importantly, it’s time for dad to help some teenage kids enjoy the sport.

This time of year always gets me reminiscing about my days playing catch with my dad, and now I get to do the same with my son while coaching my 15-year-old’s baseball team.

I can’t help but notice the striking parallels between baseball and business and how the lessons learned on the field can provide invaluable insights for business owners everywhere.

So, without further ado, let’s dive into three home-run lessons from baseball that’ll have you knocking your business goals out of the park!

1. The Importance of Team Chemistry

As any baseball coach knows, you can have a roster full of MVPs, but you won’t win many games if they don’t gel as a team. The same holds true in business. You might have the most talented employees in the world, but if they can’t work together effectively, your company’s performance will suffer.

Focus on fostering a positive company culture and encourage collaboration and communication. Regular team-building exercises and open communication channels can help employees feel more connected and committed to the company’s success. Remember, in baseball and business alike, there’s no “I” in “team!”

I like the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). A friend sent me the book Traction by Gino Wickman. I’ve been hooked ever since. Some entrepreneurs find it a little rigid, but I believe it helps create the structure needed to foster team chemistry.

Nobody can function without plans and frameworks, just like computers can’t function without operating systems. Once you align your team with the right vision, you can get traction by following processes. The team meetings keep everybody on the same page, which helps the relationships grow and, therefore, can help with the chemistry as well

2. Recognizing and Utilizing Individual Strengths

In baseball, each player has a unique set of skills that contribute to the team’s overall success. Whether it’s a pitcher with a killer fastball, a slugger who can hit it out of the park, or a shortstop with lightning-fast reflexes, these individual strengths make the team stronger as a whole.
In the business world, it’s crucial to recognize and capitalize on the unique talents and abilities of each team member. By assigning tasks and projects that align with their strengths, you’ll not only boost productivity but also increase job satisfaction and employee engagement. It’s a win-win!

I’m a huge believer in the Strategic Coach Unique Ability program. You’ve likely taken personality and aptitude tests before, but have you ever applied them? You need to find what you and your team are best at and focus on becoming world-class. This fits right in with the 80/20 rule. If you want to take this to another level for hiring and recruiting, that’s what one of our contributing authors, Grant Robinson does at People Values.

3. Consistent Coaching and Mentorship

Great baseball coaches understand that their job isn’t just about teaching players the basics of the game – it’s about providing ongoing support, guidance, and mentorship. By offering constructive feedback and helping players refine their skills, coaches can help their teams reach their full potential. In business, the same principle applies. Regular one-on-one meetings, Personal Development Interviews (see Keith Lee’s Management System), and constructive feedback can help your employees grow and develop in their roles. By investing in your team’s professional development, you’ll not only improve their skills and performance but also create a more motivated and loyal workforce. So there you have it – three grand-slam lessons from the baseball diamond that can help you take your business to the major leagues. As you embark on another season of America’s favorite pastime, remember that the key to success in both baseball and business is a strong team, a strategic approach, and a commitment to growth and development. Now, play ball! The Stoddard Agency is a full-service marketing strategy consulting firm and digital marketing agency. Visit www.StoddardAgency.comor call (206) 880-0913 to hire Jesse Stoddard as the Fractional CMO of your business today.

More Than Time and Money: How Attention Shapes Your Business’s Value

Jesse Stoddard — Fri, 26 May 2023 13:32:03 +0000

Where You Look is Where You Go: The Role of Attention in Business Success

With May being home to multiple celebrations, one day that stands out for me is Bitcoin Pizza Day. This event, commemorated globally every 22nd of May, marks the first recorded transaction where cryptocurrency was used to buy real-world goods. The item in question? Two pizzas from Papa John’s were purchased by Laszlo Hanyecz on May 22, 2010, for the hefty sum of 10,000 Bitcoins. Fast forward a few months, and the cost of these pizzas inflated to $10,000. By 2015, their worth had skyrocketed to $2.4 million, and given the Bitcoin high of $63,000 in 2021, their value reached an eye-watering $630 million.

This somewhat eccentric holiday provides food for thought on value, bringing basic economic principles like supply and demand to the fore. It also leads us to ponder the importance of value within our businesses.

So, what is the heart of your business’s value? Could it be the tangible assets or the flow of finances? Perhaps, it’s the team you have meticulously built or the brand you have painstakingly cultivated. It could be the reputation you have earned, underpinned by glowing reviews, or a finely-tuned sales process. Is it the fruits of your labor, the spark of your creativity, or the extent of your influence as an entrepreneur and a leader?

While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, here are some of the most valuable aspects of a business or for an entrepreneur:

People and Relationships: The most valuable asset for any business is its people, including employees, customers, and partners. The relationships the entrepreneur builds with these groups are essential employees drive innovation and execution, customers provide revenue and feedback, and partners can extend a company’s reach and capabilities.
Intellectual Property: This includes patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. Intellectual property can provide a significant competitive advantage and sometimes be a company’s main value proposition.
Brand Reputation: Building a solid and trustworthy brand can foster customer loyalty and give businesses an edge in competitive markets.
Knowledge and Skills: This applies to both the entrepreneur and their team. The more knowledge and skills they possess, the better equipped they are to overcome challenges and seize opportunities.
Resilience: The ability to persevere through setbacks, learn from failures, and pivot when necessary is crucial in the unpredictable world of entrepreneurship.
Financial Health: A strong balance sheet and positive cash flows are vital for a business’s sustainability and growth.
Product/Service Quality: Regardless of everything else, the business will only work if the product or service is valuable to the customer. Ensuring a high-quality product or service is crucial.
Customer Base: Without customers, there’s no business. Cultivating a loyal and growing customer base is one of the most critical tasks for an entrepreneur.
Leadership: A company’s leadership often shapes its direction and culture. Good leaders inspire their teams, steer the company through tough times, and make strategic decisions to foster growth and innovation.

Businesses and entrepreneurs prioritize these differently based on their unique context, industry, and goals.

For the longest time, I always thought that my time and money were the most essential things in my entrepreneurial career.

At the core of any entrepreneurial venture lie time and money, the twin resources that fuel the journey. As the adage suggests, money, though essential, can be recouped once spent. But time, once gone, can never be reclaimed. However, within the entrepreneurial tapestry, another thread carries even more significance—attention.

Attention operates as the rudder that steers the course of time and money, directing where these resources flow. It’s what delineates a successful entrepreneur from the rest of the pack. An entrepreneur’s attention dictates what gets done and what falls by the wayside. In essence, it’s the lens through which they view their business world and all its components: people, intellectual property, brand reputation, knowledge and skills, financial health, product or service quality, customer base, and leadership.

Consider this: if an entrepreneur focuses on nurturing their team, they will invest time and money in their employees’ growth, eventually leading to a competent and committed workforce that can drive the business forward. Similarly, if entrepreneurs focus on maintaining their business’s financial health, they will invest time and money wisely, ensuring the company remains sustainable and can seize growth opportunities.

When entrepreneurs consider every experience a learning opportunity, they nurture a culture of continuous improvement. This ethos imbues their team with resilience, spurs innovation, and fosters a customer-centric mindset – all crucial for business success. Entrepreneurs essentially water the seeds of growth by measuring and focusing on the aspects of their business that truly matter.

So, in the grand scheme of things, while time and money are invaluable resources in the entrepreneurial journey, attention genuinely brings value into focus, acting as the catalyst that converts these resources into tangible results.

Applying these principles of value in a small business context can yield significant results. Here are a few steps a small business can take:

Invest in People: Build a team that shares your vision and is motivated to help your business grow. This can translate into higher productivity, better customer service, and more innovation. Offering development opportunities and creating a positive work environment can help attract and retain top talent.
Develop Intellectual Property: Look for opportunities to patent, trademark, or copyright elements of your business. This can protect your competitive advantage and potentially generate revenue through licensing.
Build a Strong Brand: Invest in branding efforts to create a consistent, positive image for your company. This can foster customer loyalty and make your business more recognizable.
Cultivate Skills and Knowledge: Keep learning, whether that’s about your industry, entrepreneurship, or business management. Encourage your team to do the same. This can help you adapt to changes in the market and improve your decision-making.
Maintain Financial Health: Regularly review your finances, look for ways to increase revenue, control costs, and manage risks. This can ensure your business’s sustainability and enable investment in growth opportunities.
Ensure Product/Service Quality: Consistently delivering high-quality products can lead to repeat business and referrals. Listen to customer feedback and make improvements as necessary.
Nurture Customer Relationships: Make an effort to understand and meet your customers’ needs. A happy, loyal customer base can provide steady revenue and word-of-mouth advertising.
Practice Resilient Leadership: Stay flexible and be ready to pivot in response to challenges or changes in the market. This can help your business weather difficult times and seize new opportunities.

Each step involves tangible actions that can improve a business’s performance. Small businesses can increase their chances of success by focusing on these areas of value.

Celebrating Bitcoin Pizza Day each May prompts us to contemplate the intriguing concept of value, highlighting how it can fluctuate over time based on supply, demand, and perceived worth. This phenomenon applies not only to cryptocurrencies but also to the entrepreneurial world, where the value of a business can be derived from various components, such as its people, intellectual property, brand reputation, knowledge and skills, financial health, product or service quality, customer base, and leadership.

Successful entrepreneurs invest their time and money wisely, using these resources to nurture their businesses. However, the real game-changer in any industry is the entrepreneur’s attention. It acts as the catalyst, transforming time and money into valuable business assets. Attention directs the flow of resources, determining which business aspects are prioritized and developed.

Whether focusing on team building, safeguarding intellectual property, or maintaining financial health, the area that receives the entrepreneur’s attention is likely to grow and prosper. Moreover, by viewing every experience as a learning opportunity, entrepreneurs foster a culture of continuous improvement within their business, building resilience, driving innovation, and creating a customer-centric mindset.

In essence, while time and money are critical resources, the entrepreneur’s focused attention truly brings value into focus, acting as the accelerator that transforms these resources into tangible, meaningful results in the business world. Therefore, to add value to our businesses, we must focus on the areas that matter most, steering our time and money toward creating the most significant impact.

So whether you think Bitcoin is a silly collectible fad, or you think it is changing the world and disrupting the monetary system as we know it, rest assured that the real value lies between your own two ears and doing what entrepreneurs do best; creating something (value) out of nothing!

Supercharge Your Home Services Business: Mastering Social Media Marketing

Jesse Stoddard — Fri, 05 May 2023 12:01:59 +0000

As a home services contractor, you know the importance of marketing your business to generate leads and gain new clients. Traditional marketing methods like print advertisements and direct mail can only take you so far in today’s digital era.

To stay ahead of the competition, embracing the power of social media marketing is crucial. In this blog post, we’ll explore the most effective ways home services contractors can leverage social media platforms for marketing success.

Choosing the Right Platforms

The first step in leveraging social media for your home services business is selecting the right platforms. While many social media networks are available, not all of them may be suitable for your business. Focus on the most popular platforms with your target audience and best suited for showcasing your services. Some of the top platforms for home services contractors include:

Facebook

With its vast user base, Facebook is an excellent platform for sharing promotional content, engaging with customers, and showcasing your services through photos and videos.
Instagram: Perfect for visually-driven businesses, Instagram allows you to share before-and-after photos, behind-the-scenes content, and creative images that showcase your work.

As a professional networking site, LinkedIn is ideal for connecting with other industry professionals and sharing content that positions you as an expert in your field.
YouTube: If you’re comfortable creating video content, YouTube can be a powerful platform for sharing educational how-tos, project walkthroughs, and other informative videos.

Creating Engaging Content

Once you’ve chosen the right platforms, creating content that will resonate with your target audience is crucial. Keep the following tips in mind when crafting your social media content:

Show Your Expertise

Your potential clients want to see that you know your stuff. Share informative posts demonstrating your expertise in your field, such as how-to articles, industry news, and tips for homeowners.

Share Success Stories

People love a good transformation story. Share before-and-after photos of your projects to showcase your skills and give potential clients an idea of what you can do for their homes.

Be Authentic

Authenticity goes a long way in building trust with your audience. Don’t be afraid to show the personal side of your business, such as photos of your team or behind-the-scenes glimpses of your projects.

Engage Your Audience

Social media is a two-way street. Encourage engagement by asking questions, responding to comments, and soliciting feedback on your content. The more you engage with your audience, the more likely they will remember your business when they need your services.

Promoting Your Content

Creating great content is only half the battle. To make the most of your social media marketing efforts, you’ll need to promote your content to reach a larger audience actively. Consider the following strategies:

Utilize hashtags

Use relevant hashtags on platforms like Instagram and Twitter to increase the visibility of your content.

Collaborate with influencers

Partner with local influencers or other industry professionals to expand your reach and tap into new audiences.

Run paid ads

Invest in paid social media ads, such as Facebook or Instagram, to target specific demographics and boost your content’s visibility.

Cross-promote

Share your content across multiple platforms to maximize exposure.

Tracking Your Success

Finally, tracking your social media marketing efforts to understand what’s working and what’s not is essential. Use analytics tools provided by the platforms or third-party tools to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as engagement, reach, and conversions. This data will help you refine your strategy and make data-driven decisions to improve your marketing efforts.

Social media marketing presents a massive opportunity for home services contractors to reach new clients and grow their businesses. By choosing the right platforms, creating engaging content, promoting it effectively, and tracking your success, you can harness the power of social media to supercharge your home services business.

What Makes Stoddard Agency the Right Choice for Your Home Services Social Media Campaigns?

Stoddard Agency is a full-service marketing strategy consulting firm and digital marketing agency offering various services to help businesses grow and expand their online presence. If you are a home services contractor looking to find and recruit the right marketing help for your growing business, Stoddard Agency is the right choice for your social media campaigns.

Stoddard Agency has a proven track record of helping businesses in the home services industry expand their online presence through effective social media campaigns. They work closely with clients to understand their needs and goals and then develop customized strategies to help them achieve their objectives. Whether you need help with website design, SEO, reputation management, or digital marketing and advertising, Stoddard Agency has the expertise and experience to help you succeed.

“The Stoddard Agency has done a great job of helping me expand my business online. They are excellent at website design, boosted my SEO, helped establish my social media presence, improved my reputation management, and are masters at digital marketing and advertising. I cannot recommend them highly enough to any business owner!”

~ Casey George

One of the key advantages of working with Stoddard Agency is their focus on communication and professionalism. They emphasize building strong relationships with their clients and work hard to ensure that they understand their client’s needs and goals. This allows them to develop customized strategies tailored to each client’s unique situation and provide ongoing support and guidance throughout the process.

In addition, Stoddard Agency has a team of highly skilled professionals who are experts in their respective fields. From website design and SEO to digital marketing and advertising, they have the knowledge and experience to help you succeed. They stay current with the latest industry trends and technologies and are constantly working to improve their skills and knowledge. This ensures they can provide their clients with the most effective and cutting-edge solutions.

Overall, if you are a home services contractor looking to expand your online presence through effective social media campaigns, Stoddard Agency is the right choice.

Discover the incredible outcome of Stoddard Agency’s collaboration with an attic restoration company, achieving a remarkable 100% ROI in their initial year and a staggering $4 million growth. Witness the company’s revenue that skyrocketed from $13.8 million to $17.8 million within a year.

Master the Challenges of the Landscaping Industry with Expert Strategies and Solutions

Jesse Stoddard — Mon, 01 May 2023 14:25:10 +0000

Are you struggling to grow your landscaping business? Are you facing challenges that seem insurmountable? Look no further than Stoddard Agency, your one-stop shop for expert strategies and solutions to help you overcome the challenges facing your landscaping business.

The landscaping industry is highly competitive, and businesses in the Washington/Pacific Northwest region face unique challenges, such as seasonal fluctuations, intense competition, and rising costs. To succeed in this industry, it is essential to have a clear understanding of these challenges and a landscaping marketing strategy to overcome them.

Managing customer expectations is one of the biggest pain points in the landscaping industry. Customers often have unrealistic expectations or change their minds mid-project, which can cause delays and frustration for you and your team. The Stoddard Agency can help you communicate more effectively with your clients, set clear expectations, and manage any changes that arise. This will improve the customer experience, boost your reputation, and help you secure more business in the future.

Another major challenge is dealing with weather elements. Rain, snow, and other weather conditions can wreak havoc on your schedule and impact your ability to complete projects on time. The Stoddard Agency can help you develop contingency plans, such as rescheduling or working on indoor projects during inclement weather. This schedule will help you stay on track and deliver high-quality work, regardless of the weather.

Finally, many landscapers struggle with marketing and promoting their businesses. With so much competition in the industry, it cannot be easy to stand out and attract new clients. The Stoddard Agency can help you develop a comprehensive marketing strategy that includes social media, SEO, and other digital marketing tactics. These proven techniques help you reach a wider audience, build your brand, and generate more leads and sales.

At Stoddard Agency, we specialize in helping landscaping businesses thrive in a competitive market. We understand businesses’ pain points and have the expertise to help you overcome them. Our team of experts will work with you to develop a customized strategy that addresses your business’s unique challenges.

Our solutions include various services, including marketing and advertising, business development, and financial planning. We will work with you to develop a comprehensive plan to help you grow your business and achieve your goals.

One of the key benefits of working with Stoddard Agency is our deep understanding of the landscaping industry. We know what it takes to succeed in this market and have a proven track record of helping businesses achieve their goals. We stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends and best practices, so you can ensure our strategies are effective and relevant.

So if you’re ready to take your landscaping business to the next level, it’s time to partner with Stoddard Agency. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and uncover the secret to landscaping business growth. With our expert strategies and solutions, you can master the challenges of the landscaping industry and achieve success like never before.

Landscaping Enterprises Encounter a

Multitude of Obstacles.

Seasonal Fluctuations

Landscaping is a highly seasonal business, with peak demand in the spring and summer months. This can lead to a feast or famine, where businesses struggle to maintain steady cash flow throughout the year.

Intense Competition

The landscaping industry is highly competitive, with many businesses offering similar services. This can make it challenging for businesses to stand out and attract new customers.

Rising Costs

The cost of labor, materials, and equipment is rising, making it challenging for businesses to maintain profitability. In addition, many businesses struggle to pass these costs onto customers without losing business to cheaper competitors.

Marketing and Advertising

Many landscaping businesses struggle to effectively market and advertise their services, making attracting new customers and growing their businesses difficult.

Staffing

Finding and retaining skilled employees can be challenging in landscaping, requiring specialized skills and knowledge.

Weather-related risks

Weather can significantly impact a landscaping business, especially in areas with extreme weather conditions such as heavy snowfall or drought. These risks can impact work schedules, equipment damage, and client satisfaction.

Safety risks

Landscaping can be physically demanding and involves heavy machinery and tools, posing significant safety risks to employees.

Managing Cash Flow

The nature of landscaping work, with its seasonal fluctuations, can make it challenging to manage cash flow effectively. This can impact a business’s ability to invest in new equipment, marketing efforts, or employee development.

Managing Client Expectations

Clients may have unrealistic expectations about what can be achieved within their budget and timeline, leading to dissatisfaction with the final result. Managing these expectations and delivering quality work can challenge a landscaping business.

Regulations and Permits

The landscaping industry is subject to various regulations and permits, such as environmental regulations, building codes, and permits for operating equipment. Keeping up with these requirements can be challenging for businesses, resulting in penalties or legal consequences if not followed properly.

How can a digital marketing agency help you succeed? After all, you’ve been in business for years and have a loyal customer base; why do you need outside help?

The truth is that most landscaping businesses are not equipped to handle the demands of today’s market. Customers expect more from their providers than ever, and if your company doesn’t keep up with these changes, it could lose out on potential customers–and even some current ones!

Finding New Customers

Suppose your business relies heavily on word-of-mouth referrals for new clients. In that case, it can be difficult for you or anyone else in charge at the office (or even out in the field) to keep up with all those requests from current customers who want their lawns mowed or gardens watered again next week!

Stoddard Agency Marketing Solutions

Stoddard Agency Marketing Solutions is a digital marketing agency that can help you with these pain points. For example, if you want to improve the performance of your website, we can help with that. Or if you want more leads and sales from Google Ads, we can do that too! And if it’s improving customer engagement through social media or email marketing campaigns, we’ve got you covered!

Our clients have seen great results by working with us: more leads and sales; better conversion rates; increased brand awareness; higher rankings in search engines…the list goes on!

The Benefits of Stoddard Agency Marketing

Improved customer acquisition and retention.
Increased efficiency in your business.

If you’re interested in hiring a digital marketing agency to help your landscaping business succeed, here are the proven tips for success:

Regularly Track and Analyze Performance Data

A good agency will provide regular reports on how well your website performs, what keywords drive traffic, and where visitors are coming from. This way, you can make changes as needed based on the information provided by the agency.

Leverage Customer Feedback

The best way for an online business owner or manager like yourself to know what’s working (or not) is through direct communication with customers- and there’s no better way than through social media platforms like Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp!

By enabling customers who have interacted with us recently via one of these channels as well as those who have simply filled out our form asking them how we could improve our services/products/etc., we hope that more people will feel comfortable sharing their thoughts on both sides of this conversation so that we may learn more about ourselves as well as each other.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Stoddard Agency can optimize the landscaping company’s website for search engines, making it easier for potential customers to find them when searching for landscaping services online.

Google Ads

Stoddard Agency can create and manage Google Ads campaigns for the landscaping company, ensuring they reach the right audience with targeted ads.

Social Media Marketing

Stoddard Agency can help the landscaping company create and manage their social media profiles, posting engaging content and running targeted ad campaigns to attract more followers and customers.

Email Marketing

Stoddard Agency can help the landscaping company create and send regular email newsletters to their subscribers, promoting their services and specials.

Website Design

Stoddard Agency can design a modern and user-friendly website for the landscaping company, ensuring it is optimized for conversions and driving more leads.

Content Marketing

Stoddard Agency can help landscaping create and publish high-quality blog posts and other content to attract and engage potential customers.

Local Listings Management

Stoddard Agency can ensure the landscaping company’s business information is accurate and up-to-date across all local directories and review sites, helping them rank higher in local search results.

Using these digital marketing strategies, Stoddard Agency can help landscaping companies attract customers, increase online visibility, and grow their business.

Stoddard Agency Landscaping Case Study

Rios Landscaping Services, a well-established company specializing in designing, maintaining, and installing outdoor living spaces, faced challenges in expanding its digital presence and generating new leads. This case study explores the obstacles Rios encountered and how Stoddard Agency was instrumental in overcoming them, resulting in a marked improvement in its digital marketing efforts.

II. Background

Operating in the competitive landscaping industry, Rios Landscaping Services primarily caters to residential and commercial clients seeking to improve their outdoor spaces. Before working with Stoddard Agency, Rios relied on traditional marketing methods and word-of-mouth referrals. Still, with the ever-evolving digital landscape, they recognized the need for a digital marketing overhaul.

Rios’ previous digital marketing efforts lacked coherence and focus, resulting in limited online visibility and missed opportunities for lead generation. Stoddard Agency, a renowned digital marketing firm, was brought on board to help Rios redefine their online presence and reach their target audience more effectively.

III. Strategy

Stoddard Agency devised Rios’s comprehensive digital marketing strategy, focusing on search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, and website redesign.

Search Engine Optimization: Stoddard Agency conducted thorough keyword research, optimizing Rios’ website content to rank higher on search engines and attract more organic traffic.
Social Media Marketing: Stoddard Agency developed engaging content for Rios’ social media channels, fostering brand awareness and increasing customer engagement.
Website Redesign: The agency revamped Rios’ website, enhancing user experience and incorporating clear calls-to-action to facilitate lead generation.

Implementing the strategy came with its challenges, including staying ahead of ever-changing search engine algorithms and adapting to the unique needs of Rios’ target audience.

IV. Results

Implementing Stoddard Agency’s strategy led to a significant improvement in Rios Landscaping Services’ digital presence. Data from Stoddard Agency’s dashboard demonstrated tangible results, including:

A 65% increase in website traffic
A 45% growth in leads generated
A 30% increase in social media engagement
Rios’ management expressed satisfaction with the results, noting a boost in new clients and increased online visibility.

V. Conclusion

Stoddard Agency’s comprehensive digital marketing strategy improved Rios Landscaping Services’ online presence and lead generation capabilities. This case study highlights the importance of a well-executed digital marketing strategy in today’s competitive business landscape. For businesses seeking to enhance their digital presence and generate tangible results, Stoddard Agency is the go-to partner for all digital marketing needs.

You can achieve the success you desire through your landscaping business.

If you’re a landscaping business owner looking for help with marketing, contact Stoddard Agency Marketing. We can help you develop a plan to grow your business, get more leads and turn them into customers.

Dear Home Services, Construction, or Trades Business Owners: Wait Before Spending on Marketing and Hiring Personnel, Agencies, Vendors, or Firms – Here’s Why You Should Read This First

Turning Groundhog Day Into Valentine’s Day

Jesse Stoddard — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 16:11:18 +0000

Groundhog day is a holiday celebrated on February 2. The holiday probably originated from the German celebration of Candlemas, an ancient Christian celebration of the purification of Mary and the presentation of Jesus at the Temple. Today, it is associated with the tradition of seeing if a groundhog will emerge from its burrow to indicate how much longer winter will last.

I laugh when I learn things like that. Most of our ridiculous holidays and special days are based on something that once had significant meaning and now is trivialized into something with less than meaningful significance. This is reminiscent of Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day is a “celebration of love,” which takes place on February 14 every year. It was created by the Roman Catholic Church, and many other countries adopted the tradition. It is believed that the day was named after Saint Valentine, who died on February 14 during the 3rd century. Interestingly, some think that it has its origins in an earlier pagan festival called Lupercalia.

Now, it is a “Hallmark holiday.” It sells roses, chocolates, restaurants, and cards.

Groundhog Day is a 1993 American comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, and Chris Elliott. It was written by Ramis and Danny Rubin, based on a story by Rubin. In the film, Bill plays Phil Connors, a weatherman who finds himself stuck in time on Groundhog Day. Phil Connors suffers through the most unfortunate day of his life over and over again. Groundhog Day is a cult classic film and will remain a timeless classic for years to come. I love it.

What does all of this have to do with you and your business?

We all have routines in our business and our lives that either serve us or hurt us. They say that big doors swing on small hinges. I read a book years ago called The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. The idea is that to win, you just need a slight edge over your competition, kind of like how an Olympic sprinter can get first place and have all their dreams come true in a fraction of a second, whereas the person another fraction of a second slower goes home in tears.

So it is with the Slight Edge concept: Small, seemingly insignificant positive choices, compounding over time, can ultimately lead to great heights and success. This is opposed to minor, seemingly insignificant errors of judgment that can compound over time to total failure.

Think about weight loss as an example. If you go and pig out on french fries today as your primary food source, can you look in the mirror that afternoon and instantly see yourself twenty pounds fatter? No. Do you instantly have health issues you have to go to the doctor for? Probably not.

However, if you do the same thing for months and years on end, you end up a giant whale on a broken-down couch with EMTs having a hard time rolling you onto a stretcher to race off to the emergency room.

The same goes for the positive side of the slight edge. If you make a healthy food choice today, can you walk right over to the mirror and see the twenty pounds melt off? Nope. Do all your vital stats at your health check from your doctor report perfect numbers? No way.

But if you make these small choices every day, over time, it turns into a huge difference. People underestimate the difference in compounding impact. Just like compound interest, you can end up rich in monetary reward. The opposite is true with bad choices; you get compounded terrible failure.

Back to the holiday analogy: In the case of Groundhog day (either the holiday or the movie), what it represents is, at best silly, and, at worst, a nightmare of a life. The entire premise of the movie is akin to Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, where Scrooge has to be faced with harsh reality to get a wakeup call and change his life (or if you prefer, Jimmy Stewart’s character in It’s a Wonderful Life; all of these movies are the same story with different details).

If you are stuck in a destructive pattern, part of the solution is always to make a minimal change in your life. A significant change usually fails due to overwhelming, unrealistic expectations and poor execution. A small slight edge change reverses the tide. Bill Murry had to realize that his terrible situation was really an opportunity in disguise; he had the chance to rewrite history and create the perfect day (which then turned out to be a crazy ride, so the analogy breaks down a little there, but you get my point).

Valentine’s Day, on the other hand, besides being somewhat ridiculous, was turned into a commercial success. There is a hidden lesson in here somewhere as well for us entrepreneurs. Would you, instead, have your silly “holiday” represent spinning your wheels, stuck in a rut doing the same pointless things over and over again and getting nowhere, or would you rather your “holiday” represent raking in the dough on more sales of roses, chocolates, fine dining, limos, and cards?

I, for one, would rather get rich while helping others get what they want and make the investments necessary to benefit from compounding positive action.

So look at your business and your life and turn it from Groundhog Day into Valentine’s Day. Turn your bad habits into good ones with very SMALL (seemingly insignificant) changes that you can take action on NOW that reinforce your core values. Take that list of core values out and dust it off, freshen it up, and schedule just one to three small daily habits that will take you out of “Groundhog Day” and into a new routine of prosperity.

After all, Valentine’s Day might be ridiculous, but getting kisses and cash sounds a lot better than the daily hell of doing what you know you shouldn’t be doing over and over again.

Stoddard Agency has been Recognized as one of Everett’s Best Digital Marketing Agencies.

Loida Dofiles — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 08:42:47 +0000

Expertise.com recognizes Stoddard Agency as the best marketing agency to use when expanding your business in Everett.

Stoddard Agency, a full-service marketing agency that offers digital marketing strategies for small to mid-sized businesses and franchises, was identified as one of the best digital marketing agencies in Everett by Expertise.com, a trusted resource that helps businesses find the best local service providers.

Expertise is a review platform that helps customers find the best-qualified professional for their needs. They help people find local experts in over 200 industries—from dentists to event planners to tax preparers—and they do it by doing extensive monthly research that includes reviewing more than 60,000 businesses. Expertise says they are proud to be able to provide a service that helps people get the professional they need when they need it.

Exceptional performance in all aspects of digital marketing

The award honors companies that have demonstrated exceptional performance in all aspects of digital marketing, including web design and development, search engine optimization (SEO); pay-per-click advertising (PPC); social media management; and Fractional CMO services.

"Our mission has always been to deliver meaningful results for our clients through effective marketing strategies. Being recognized as one of Everett's top digital marketing agencies is a testament to our commitment."

Jesse Stoddard, Fractional CMO | Stoddard Agency Tweet

Stoddard Agency has been recognized as one of Everett’s top digital marketing agencies. As a result of their efforts, Stoddard Agency achieved a 100% satisfaction rating from clients who were surveyed and engaged in the services provided by their team.

You can’t go wrong with Stoddard Agency for your next digital marketing campaign in Everett. As one of the top digital marketing firms in the area, we offer a full range of services to help you grow your business.

Expertise also added, “Stoddard Agency delivers digital marketing solutions to various industries in Everett and the neighboring communities. The company offers brand analytics, lead generation, digital advertising, social media management, and mobile-responsive websites.

It has previously worked with 32 Pearls, Appliance Mechanics, and Skelton Law Firm. Founder Jesse Stoddard is experienced in developing business and marketing plans and has helped one of the companies he has previously worked for go from $13.8 million to $17.8 million in a year.”

Years of digital marketing experience

Stoddard Agency has years of experience working with businesses and franchises to create customized solutions that meet their needs. Services include:

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising
Social Media Management
Website Development & Design

From building custom websites from scratch to optimizing existing ones, Stoddard Agency creates effective digital strategies that help clients achieve their goals and exceed their expectations.

Marketing your local business can be tough, so it’s great to know Stoddard Agency delivers.
Marketing is not a one size fits all solution. It’s a complex process that takes time and money but can pay off in the long run.

Stoddard Agency offers services that go beyond standard digitalized services.

Stoddard Agency is a digital marketing agency located in Snohomish, Wa., but they serve the world.
You get everything a regular digital marketing service does and much more.

Website Design

Get a stunning custom website that captivates visitors with advanced tools and a highly talented development team.

Social Marketing Solutions

With Social Marketing services, you’ll gain social exposure and website traffic to improve client engagement.

SEO

Keep your site updated with the latest SEO and mobile strategies, which means customers can easily find your business in local searches.

Content Creation

Whether you need help with a blog or social media strategy or even just some copywriting work (we love copywriting!), The Stoddard team will help you create something that fits the needs of your business.

Have the team create a customized business plan and provides a marketing strategy.

Stoddard Consulting is a Marketing Strategy Consulting Firm specializing in creating individualized advertising plans and budgets for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Deep-Dive Market Research and Planning
Marketing Strategy Engineering
Budget Analysis and Planning
Professionally Written Plan

Need to expand your franchise business? They do that, too.

Stoddard Agency understands the most important factors with the expansion of a franchise. Franchise marketing is a unique blend of marketing strategies, including web design and development, social media management, search engine optimization (SEO), email marketing, content marketing, and public relations.

With a proven track record of success in assisting franchisors, Stoddard Agency helps franchise owners with marketing and franchise consulting and works with the industry’s top firms.

Stoddard Agency provides fractional CMO services to help your home services business grow.

Learn how to turn your home services business into a multi-state powerhouse! Jesse Stoddard, Fractional CMO for Home Services, helped a home services business owner increase revenue by four million dollars in one year! Who knows? Maybe your business is next.

Get More Qualified Leads Than Your Competitors and Delegate All Your Marketing Without Spending a Fortune, Guaranteed.

Fractional CMO Services for every type of business all around the world.

Fractional Chief Marketing Officer Jesse Stoddard will work with you and your sales and marketing teams to create a unified sales and marketing strategy that focuses on the customer. The fractional CMO approach allows you to access top marketing minds in a fraction of the time and for a fraction of the cost.

With fractional CMO services, you get a competitive advantage by identifying inefficiencies and opportunities for cost savings across all business units. Your business will grow with market research, consumer insights, and strategic planning for new business opportunities.

And that’s a guarantee!

What else can you ask for from a Digital Marketing Agency? Find out at Stoddardagency.com.

“So thankful to Jesse and his team at The Stoddard Agency. They redesigned our website with updated SEO and are helping us with digital marketing. We are glad for help with our social media presence as well. If you are looking for a passionate, professional company to help meet your digital marketing goals - we highly recommend the Stoddard Agency.”

Laura Pelton Tweet

5 Steps to Renegade Marketing

Jesse Stoddard — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 07:15:01 +0000

There’s no doubt about it — marketing can be overwhelming today. It’s hard to navigate through all the options and sometimes it feels like you have to do everything at once to be successful (obviously, that is not the case.) Therefore, if you are feeling overwhelmed by marketing, don’t fret! There are clear steps that can provide clarity in your marketing.

Step 1: Identify your market: take the time and focus on identifying who is your ideal client.

The first step to Renegade Marketing is identifying the market you want to target. This is not just a list of demographics or industries, but this is where you have the opportunity to identify your ideal client. Who are they? What do they do? What are their challenges? What motivates them? Why would they purchase from you? Where can you find them?

Putting yourself in your client’s shoes will help make you think differently about your product, service, or offering and how it would appeal to your ideal client. By doing this, you’ll be able to craft better a marketing message that addresses their specific pain points and motivators. You’ll be able to see opportunities that competitors may not see because they’re only focused on the industry or profession as a whole instead of focusing on a much smaller niche within that industry or profession.

Step 2: Match the message to your market: create a marketing message that resonates with your ideal client’s problems.

Once you know your ideal client, you can start creating content that speaks directly to them. You need to learn about the top problems your ideal client is facing and then create content that educates them and helps solve these problems.

Use a variety of media to create this content. For example, if you’re a financial advisor, you could write an eBook about retirement planning for people in their 50s or record a webinar about saving for college. The key is to understand what type of information your clients are looking for so you can deliver it in the most effective way possible.

Next, distribute that content through all available channels: email newsletters, blog posts, social media sites (such as Facebook and LinkedIn), etc.

Step 3: Create a marketing automation plan: build a plan for automated lead generation using a variety of channels, not just social media, email and networking.

Now that you have identified your audience and determined which of the channels they are most likely to interact with, it’s time to create a marketing automation plan. The focus is on creating a series of automated actions that will guide your prospects through the buying cycle.

Your goal is to identify the right piece of content for each stage in the buying process and make it available to them when they need it. The great thing about setting up a marketing automation plan is that once it’s set up properly, your system guides prospects through each step and identifies who is ready for what information and delivers that information at just the right time.

In other words, you no longer have to invent new content or messages from scratch every time you want to get in front of someone in your network or follow up with contacts in your sales funnel. As long as you are diligent about adding new people into your system, sending them what they need when they need it becomes virtually automatic.

Step 4: Media: be creative about presenting your information for maximum impact.

The next step in renegade marketing is to be creative about presenting your information for maximum impact. This brings us back to the idea of not being boring and ensuring that the way you share your content is as engaging as possible.

There are a few things to consider when thinking about how you’re presenting your content. The first thing to think about is: do I want people’s attention? If so, then use engaging images! Social media posts with images receive more engagement than those without. Also, consider using video—people love watching a video, and it can help connect with your audience.

The next thing you need to think about is: does this work for my audience? Are they likely to respond well if I use this type of media for my message? You may want to find out what other brands in your niche are doing that work well and go from there. Finally, ask yourself: does this make sense given the message I’m trying to convey? For example, if I’m trying to advertise something straightforward, like purchasing an item online or downloading something online, then a general video about the company would probably not be the best method of communication at this point because it’s not necessary.

Step 5: Measure: use analytics to measure results, then tweak based on what’s working and what’s not.

You’re almost there. Once you have your campaign up and running, the only thing left is to analyze the results. Use an analytics tool like Google Analytics (or a similar service) to understand how well your campaign performs. Some things you may want to look at:

Total visitors
Bounce rate
Conversion rate
Video views/play-throughs
Cost per acquisition

Once you have this data, look for areas where you can improve in future campaigns. Taking note of what works in each phase of your trebuchet gives you a blueprint for building better marketing strategies with each iteration. You’ll be making waves (and waves of leads) before long.Hopefully, this guide will be enough to get you started on your marketing strategy. However, if anyone is interested in learning more or would like some additional information, feel free to reach out to us. We’d be happy to talk.

Is Your Small Business Getting Enough Attention? The Big Mistakes New Businesses Make In Digital Marketing

Jesse Stoddard — Sat, 09 Apr 2022 03:49:05 +0000

If you are one of the many executed but frustrated entrepreneurs out there today, I can relate. I have been in your current spot before, struggling to get a new local or small business off the ground. The solution was the right kind of branding, marketing, and advertising, and it made all the difference. My team and I will help you find and use the right digital marketing strategies to get your new business jump-started and off to a solid start.

You find yourself going to and from work every day, working hard for your new business, and putting most of your time and money into the startup. But despite your efforts, you do not see the results. The sad thing is, you don’t know how to use digital marketing well enough. Here are the biggest mistakes new business owners make in digital marketing:

Mistake #1: Thinking that Digital Marketing is a “get-rich-quick” scheme

Digital marketing can be a powerful tool for small businesses, but don’t think digital marketing alone, without the proper systems to maximize results, is a shortcut to riches. That’s the mistake new businesses make when considering hiring us to help them with their digital marketing needs. They say, “We’re willing to spend $100 on Adwords, SEO, and other online marketing options if it brings us 40 to 50 leads in a week.” That won’t work. Creating a successful digital marketing lead generation process takes time, intelligence, focus, persistence, and patience.

Mistake#2: Lack of investment in their website

Your website is the most crucial tool in your marketing arsenal—it’s where you make a lot of your sales, customer service, brand building, and even fundraising. So when you’re starting up a new business, it’s easy to focus on the other tools first—marketing campaigns, social media, and SEO. But if you don’t have a great overall website, you might as well not start at all.

Mistake #3: Assuming your digital strategy is a passive activity.

You can do many things wrong when it comes to digital marketing, but one of the most common mistakes is assuming that once you have a plan in place, you’re set. That’s just not the case, though.

An excellent digital marketing strategy is not one size fits all, and it’s an ongoing process that requires constant attention if it’s going to work as well as it can. Digital marketing is dynamic and ever-changing, with new channels and approaches popping up constantly. That means you have to be willing to change your strategy accordingly, whether adjusting your budget or switching up your focus.

It’s easy to let your digital strategy fall by the wayside when it becomes less exciting than other aspects of running a business. But if you don’t keep an eye on your plan and make adjustments where needed, you could miss out on crucial opportunities or waste money on approaches that aren’t worthwhile.

Digital marketing is an incredibly effective way to reach new customers and grow your business, but making it a priority is not enough. Digital marketing should always be a consideration for entrepreneurs, especially new ones. There are always new things to learn and improvements you can always make to your marketing plan. Still, they all start with a commitment to digital marketing—specifically an optimized website. If digital marketing seems overwhelming, remember that you have the experts at Stoddard Agency at your service. We have a New Business Special package to handle all your digital marketing needs to focus on growing your business.

How Home Services Contractors Can Get Quality Leads Consistently from the Internet

Jesse Stoddard — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 05:12:24 +0000

Are you a home services professional or local contractor? If so, then you’re probably wondering if there’s an easier way to generate quality leads from the internet. Well, I have great news for you: there’s still tons of traffic out there for you to capture online, and it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. In fact, there are a few things you can put in place that will get you the majority of your results.

Your Contractor Google My Business (GMB, or Google Business Page) listing won't do you any good if it isn't verified, optimized and current.

Go to https://business.google.com/locations to claim or find your listing. You need a Google account (any old free gmail address will work, or sign up for Google Workspace, etc.)

If you want your GMB listing to work for you, follow these steps:

Claim your listing (or create one) and then verify your account. This step can be frustrating because you need to have them send you a postcard that you get in the old snail mail. Then, you need to enter that code into your GMB listing. If you don’t do that, they will not make you visible to the public and it’s a total loss. You NEED to do this step. Sometimes, in some conditions, they will allow you to verify by text or phone, but most of the time, for new businesses, the postcard method is required.
Make sure your name, address, and phone number are correct and consistent across all directories.
Add photos (lots of them).
Add attributes that describe what makes your business unique.
Add posts and specials to keep customers informed about what’s happening with your business.
Add offers from time to time to drive foot traffic in the door or encourage more appointments made online.
Add products/services so people can browse through them on Google without picking up the phone or emailing you first (this saves you time).
Answer customers’ questions as they come up so they get answers immediately when they look at your listing (this also saves you time).

Quality home services leads from Google My Business come from doing some simple things consistently.

As a long-time Small Business Owner, I know that having quality leads is essential for your business to be successful. For home services contractors, who are often in uncharted waters and don’t have the time or money to create a website of their own, I recommend using Google My Business (GMB). In fact, if you’re not using GMB yet, you should do it now.

GMB provides businesses such as yours with a comprehensive profile on Google Maps and Search. It allows people to find your business on the map and use search tools directly from the website to find your business based on the information you provide in your profile. This means that no matter how busy you are running your small business, this is one place where potential customers can always find it.

To get the most out of your home services Google My Business traffic, a dedicated home services website with an attractive design and a strong user experience is essential.

The fact is, to get the most out of your home services Google My Business traffic, a dedicated home services website with an attractive design and a strong user experience is essential.

Think of your website as the place where you can be more persuasive, more engaging, and more informative than your GMB listing allows you to be. It’s where you can guide prospective customers through every stage of their journey before they call or email for an estimate. It’s also where techniques like conversion rate optimization can help you make every visitor count.

Having the right elements on your website increases the number of leads you will get from your home services or contractor website

A website is the hub of your marketing. It’s a place that potential customers can go to learn about you and what you do. But a poorly designed website can do more harm than good. So make sure you have these elements on your home services or contractor website:

Mobile-optimized
Fast (you can check it with Google’s tools, like this one: https://pagespeed.web.dev/
SEO-friendly
Quick and easy call to action
Prominently displayed contact information
A form with relevant questions
Lots of pictures
Your services spelled out using great keywords

By having all of these elements on your website you will drastically increase the number of leads you get from your site and decrease the number of tire-kicker, fake, or spam leads.

These are just a few of the most important elements that should be incorporated into all home services contractor websites. There are many others that can be implemented to help improve the quality of leads a site gets. For example, adding ReCAPTCHA V3 to forms on your site can help reduce spam form fills by identifying malicious users and removing them from your lead funnel before they fill out a form.

Continually focus on getting new customer reviews on Google My Business and then proudly display them on your website

This one is a no-brainer for many contractors, but it’s still worth mentioning because so many do not do this. Just by asking your customers to leave reviews on Google My Business, you can increase the number of reviews you get by 100x!

How to Get New Reviews on Google My Business

You should be collecting new customer reviews on Google My Business consistently. The easiest way to do this is by putting a little bit of effort into it when talking to your customers.

After you complete a job, immediately send an email or text message asking the customer for feedback, and include a link straight to your GMB listing. That way, they don’t have to try to find it. If they have to find it themselves, some people will procrastinate and never get around to it. Make it easy for them so they do it!

Most people who have been online before know how big leaving reviews for businesses is, so all you have to do is point them in the right direction and let them know that their review would mean a lot to you. 99% of people will follow through with what you ask them, granted that they had a good experience with your business services.

Getting quality leads from the internet doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult. There are still loads of people searching Google daily, which means there is still a great deal of traffic to be had. That said, there are some things that you can do that will make it easier for you to get leads consistently, and don’t require you to pay hundreds of dollars or spend hours doing so anymore.

At Stoddard Agency, we make sure the websites we develop include lead generation tools. Our Google My Business page optimization services give your business a boost on Google maps. Contact us to learn more about our digital marketing packages for new home services businesses.