Service Business Mastery for Skilled Trades: HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Home Service

When someone searches for your type of service business, what ad do you show them? What landing page does that ad bring you to? Are you keeping the user’s attention on your website?    These are all important questions to keep in mind when evaluating the quality of your advertising (or advertising agency). If you want to learn more about how to ensure your ads and landing pages are converting leads into paying customers (for life), this week’s guest is here to make it all make sense…   Forrest Perry is the Owner of Forrest Perry Digital Marketing where he does pay per click marketing for 80 home service companies, from HVAC and plumbing to electrical and garage doors. Over the last 10 years, Forrest has crafted a unique pay per click strategy that delivers 4x the industry standard return on investment.    Join us as we talk with Forrest about the basics of working with a marketing agency and using pay per click marketing to gain more customers for your home service business.   In this episode, we discuss: How to outperform the average landing page conversion rates in your industry. How to know your marketing agency is or isn’t performing well. What is pay per click advertising and how does it benefit service businesses? Advice on how to better leverage the work your marketing agency is doing.   Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: This episode is kindly sponsored by Sera (visit their website) and CompanyCam (visit www.companycam.com/SBM for 14 day trial and 50% off your first two months), and UpFrog (visit their website). Learn more about Forrest Perry Digital Marketing Join the Service Business Mastery Facebook group   Meet the Hosts: Tersh Blissett is a serial entrepreneur who has created and scaled multiple profitable home service businesses in his small town market. He’s dedicated to giving back to the industry that has provided so much for him and his family. Connect with him on LinkedIn.   Joshua Crouch has been in the home services industry, specifically HVAC, for 8+ years as an Operations Manager, Branch Manager, Territory Sales Manager and Director of Marketing. He’s also the Founder of Relentless Digital, where their focus is dominating your local market online. Connect with him on LinkedIn.   Meet the Guest: Forrest Perry is the Owner of Forrest Perry Digital Marketing, a pay per click marketing agency that works with 80 home service businesses to increase their efficiency, ROI, customer lifetime value, and much more.   Visit his website: https://forrestperry.com Connect with Forrest on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/forrestperry  Tune in to hear the latest and greatest in business services trends on Service Business Mastery on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and our website.     Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Service Business Mastery in your favorite podcast player. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/support

When it comes to building your long-term wealth, being proactive is crucial. Throughout every stage of growth and change, it’s important to nurture, preserve, and protect your business, and that’s exactly what this week’s guests do!   Meet Austin Peterson and Landon Mance, Representatives of Backbone Planning Partners and hosts of the Tycoons of Small Biz Podcast. Backbone Planning is a wealth management firm that works closely with you to design a financial plan to support all aspects of your life and business. Austin and Landon are not CFOs or CPAs, but they know exactly what business owners need to thrive.    Join us as we speak with Austin and Landon about long-term wealth-building strategies you can start implementing today!   In this episode we discuss: The key differences between a CPA, CFO, and Wealth Manager/Advisor. How a Fractional CFO can benefit your service business. Long-term wealth-building strategies for trades business owners.   Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: This episode is kindly sponsored by Sera (visit their website) and CompanyCam (visit www.companycam.com/SBM for 14 day trial and 50% off your first two months), and UpFrog (visit their website). Backbone Planning Partners Join the Service Business Mastery Facebook group   Meet the Hosts: Tersh Blissett is a serial entrepreneur who has created and scaled multiple profitable home service businesses in his small town market. He’s dedicated to giving back to the industry that has provided so much for him and his family. Connect with him on LinkedIn.   Joshua Crouch has been in the home services industry, specifically HVAC, for 8+ years as an Operations Manager, Branch Manager, Territory Sales Manager and Director of Marketing. He’s also the Founder of Relentless Digital, where their focus is dominating your local market online. Connect with him on LinkedIn.   Meet the Guest: Austin Peterson and Landon Mance are hosts of the Tycoons of Small Biz Podcast. They’re also Representatives of Backbone Planning Partners, a cross-disciplinary wealth management firm that specializes in family-owned/closely held businesses and high net-worth individuals. They believe your business and personal goals are intertwined, and they work to design a financial plan to support all aspects of your life.   Links to content here:  Visit their website: https://www.backboneplanning.com  Connect with them on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/backbone-planning-partners  Listen to Tycoons of Small Biz Podcast: https://tycoonsofsmallbiz.com   Tune in to hear the latest and greatest in business services trends on Service Business Mastery on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and our website.     Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Service Business Mastery in your favorite podcast player. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/support

We often talk about CompanyCam and their major SEO benefits, but let’s dive deeper into how their other features are turning inefficient service businesses into leaders in their field.   Meet Claire Ficke, the Trade Manager at CompanyCam. Claire drives growth within HVAC and home services trades and she’s here to help YOU do the same. Ready to learn how their photo documentation and other unique features can level up your business?   Join us as we talk with Claire about how CompanyCam’s one-of-a-kind technology can improve your team’s performance, communication, and customer experience.   In this episode we discuss: Why photo documentation is vital to mastering your service business. The power of photos for the growth of your customer base, your team, and your company as a whole. CompanyCam features, benefits, and SBM’s special offer. Is CompanyCam right for your business? Find out!   Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: This episode is kindly sponsored by Sera (visit their website) CompanyCam (visit their website), and UpFrog (visit their website). Visit www.companycam.com/SBM and use code SBM for a free 2-week trial, 1:1 training and account setup, and 50% off your first two months! Join the Service Business Mastery Facebook group   Meet the Hosts: Tersh Blissett is a serial entrepreneur who has created and scaled multiple profitable home service businesses in his small town market. He’s dedicated to giving back to the industry that has provided so much for him and his family. Connect with him on LinkedIn.   Joshua Crouch has been in the home services industry, specifically HVAC, for 8+ years as an Operations Manager, Branch Manager, Territory Sales Manager and Director of Marketing. He’s also the Founder of Relentless Digital, where their focus is dominating your local market online. Connect with him on LinkedIn.   Meet the Guest: Claire Ficke drives growth within HVAC and home services trades at CompanyCam. She has been in tech sales since 2018 and has a passion for educating service professionals about the use of technology for business growth. As Trade Manager, Claire works with CompanyCam’s multiple home services partner to help their members learn about the importance of visual documentation for the protection and growth of their businesses. Outside of work, Claire enjoys living in sunny Santa Barbara, CA, hiking, playing bluegrass tunes, and traveling with her friends and family.   Links to content here:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-ficke-a6300096 https://companycam.com/claire https://www.instagram.com/companycamclaire  https://www.instagram.com/companycamapp    Tune in to hear the latest and greatest in business services trends on Service Business Mastery on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and our website.     Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Service Business Mastery in your favorite podcast player. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/support

If you’re utilizing technology and even basic psychology in your marketing tactics, you too can turn your business into a growth engine. Even better, you can turn disengaged and dissatisfied customers into PAYING customers (pretty quickly, too).  This isn’t click bait, it’s proven! Automation and strategic messaging are two powerful ways you can recover old customers and stubborn leads and convert them into loyal customers. Joining us today are two experts in digital marketing, Justin Riley, President of UpFrog, along with Noah Carter, Head of Operations at UpFrog.  Last time we talked with Justin and Noah about customer reactivation, so this time we’re talking about customer recovery.  In this episode, we discuss: What is customer recovery and why is it so important for service businesses? How your marketing messaging and timing is impacting your sales and customer engagement. Simple ways to convert dissatisfied/disengaged customers into loyal, paying customers. How important are customer reviews? Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: This episode is kindly sponsored by Sera (visit their website) and CompanyCam (visit www.companycam.com/SBM for 14 day trial and 50% off your first two months), and UpFrog (visit their website). Join the Service Business Mastery Facebook group Meet the Hosts: Tersh Blissett is a serial entrepreneur who has created and scaled multiple profitable home service businesses in his small town market. He’s dedicated to giving back to the industry that has provided so much for him and his family. Connect with him on LinkedIn. Joshua Crouch has been in the home services industry, specifically HVAC, for 8+ years as an Operations Manager, Branch Manager, Territory Sales Manager and Director of Marketing. He’s also the Founder of Relentless Digital, where their focus is dominating your local market online. Connect with him on LinkedIn. Meet the Guests: Justin Riley is the President of UpFrog, a digital agency and growth engine dedicated to helping local businesses thrive in the ever changing technology era. Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justintriley Noah Carter is the Head of Operations at UpFrog.  Connect with Noah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-carter-97514b151  Tune in to hear the latest and greatest in business services trends on Service Business Mastery on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and our website.   Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Service Business Mastery in your favorite podcast player. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/support

In a service business, growth can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, it's great to see your company expanding and taking on new clients. On the other hand, growth can put a strain on your resources, making it difficult to maintain the same level of service.    That's why it's important to focus on efficiency when you're trying to save money and improve profitability. In other words, rather than simply raising prices, look for ways to cut costs and increase productivity.    For example, you might consider offering extended warranties to your customers. While this can be beneficial for companies, self-warrantying can cause issues with valuation if not done correctly.    In this episode of Service Business Mastery we discuss: How focusing on improving efficiencies within a company can help save money and improve profitability, rather than simply raising prices. When considering changing pricing, businesses should look at their overall financial state and make data-driven decisions. Why offering extended warranties can be beneficial for companies, but self-warranting can cause issues with valuation if not done correctly.   The bottom line is that when it comes to pricing, businesses should look at their overall financial state and make data-driven decisions. By taking a strategic approach to pricing, you can ensure that your service business remains profitable as it grows! Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: This episode is kindly sponsored by Sera (visit their website) and CompanyCam (visit www.companycam.com/SBM for 14 day trial and 50% off your first two months), and UpFrog (visit their website). Join the Service Business Mastery Facebook group   Meet the Hosts: Tersh Blissett is a serial entrepreneur who has created and scaled multiple profitable home service businesses in his small town market. He’s dedicated to giving back to the industry that has provided so much for him and his family. Connect with him on LinkedIn.   Joshua Crouch has been in the home services industry, specifically HVAC, for 8+ years as an Operations Manager, Branch Manager, Territory Sales Manager and Director of Marketing. He’s also the Founder of Relentless Digital, where their focus is dominating your local market online. Connect with him on LinkedIn.   Meet the Guest: Billy Stevens began his professional career in 1996 with Berkeys, an HVAC and plumbing business based in South Texas. Billy purchased Berkeys in 1996. Not having much experience in the trades allowed him to look outside of the box as the company grew.   Billy cleaned up the image of plumbers and implemented other time saving strategies. These things seem ordinary now but no other companies were doing this at the time.    One important thing Billy learned at Berkeys: Dispatchers are pulled in every direction... by technicians, CSRs, managers, owners, customers & support staff.   Compounding the problem, current software requires even MORE staff.    The key obstacle to growth is the chaos in the office. Industry software is fundamentally flawed... It not only ignores the chaos, it compounds it!   And nobody has created a viable solution!   Until now.   Enter: **drum roll** .... ServiceSHIFT!   Links to content here:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billy-stevens-a54a1819/   Tune in to hear the latest and greatest in business services trends on Service Business Mastery on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and our website.     Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Service Business Mastery in your favorite podcast player. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/support

As the service business industry continues to grow, it's more important than ever for business owners to have a firm handle on their finances. That's where Cheryl Lanahan from PlumbBooks comes in.  On this episode of Service Business Mastery, Cheryl discusses her background and how she got started with PlumbBooks. She talks about the problems she saw when working with contractors and how she turned that data into actionable intelligence. Cheryl explains what the process looks like for cleaning up books that are in disarray. Finally, she gives advice on what business owners should be thinking about as they plan for the new year. Joshua Crouch from Relentless Digital discusses with Cheryl about: How she got started with PlumbBooks and her professional background What problems Cheryl saw working in the service business industry and how she applied that data towards improving the business’ financial process and output for clients. When business owners should be thinking about their work as they plan for the new year. What the process looks like for cleaning up books that are in disarray. Whether you're just getting started in the service business industry or you've been in business for years, this podcast interview is a must-listen. You'll come away with actionable advice that will help you take your business to the next level. Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: This episode is kindly sponsored by Sera (visit their website) and CompanyCam (visit www.companycam.com/SBM for 14 day trial and 50% off your first two months), and UpFrog (visit there website). Join the Service Business Mastery Facebook group Meet the Hosts: Tersh Blissett is a serial entrepreneur who has created and scaled multiple profitable home service businesses in his small town market. He’s dedicated to giving back to the industry that has provided so much for him and his family. Connect with him on LinkedIn. Joshua Crouch has been in the home services industry, specifically HVAC, for 8+ years as an Operations Manager, Branch Manager, Territory Sales Manager and Director of Marketing. He’s also the Founder of Relentless Digital, where their focus is dominating your local market online. Connect with him on LinkedIn. Meet the Guest:  Cheryl Lanahan is the Founder of PlumbBooks. She is dedicated to providing meaningful, accurate, and on-time custom reporting so that decision makers understand their financial position and can make informed money moves. Cheryl’s goal is to have a business where people love to work, clients are wowed with their services, and providing value is #1. PlumbBooks has helped clients grow their businesses, adjust their spending so that they are more profitable, and feel completely at peace that their books are in great shape. When not working, Cheryl enjoys playing a little Zelda Breath of the Wild, and she can’t wait for the next one to come out. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryl-lanahan-531560a8/  Tune in to hear the latest and greatest in business services trends on Service Business Mastery on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and our website.   Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Service Business Mastery in your favorite podcast player. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/support

Digital Marketing Do’s & Don’ts for HVAC and Plumbing Pros with Ryan Redding You’re not a marketing expert, you’re an HVAC or plumbing pro! So, instead of throwing money at pay per click ads every time you’re waiting for the phone to ring, tune in to this episode to learn a few digital marketing tips and tricks that will help you get more leads. Our guest, Ryan Redding, is the Founder of DP Marketing Services, a digital marketing company that provides Web Design, SEO, PPC, & Social Media Management to Tier 2 companies. Ryan is an experienced strategist who has led organizations of all sizes to solve complicated challenges and exceed goals. Thus, there’s no better person to help you develop a more effective marketing strategy (and better yet, save money doing it!). Join us as we chat with Ryan about digital marketing strategies that work (and don’t work) for home service businesses! In this episode we discuss: Common mistakes business owners make with digital marketing. Are Local Service Ads worth it for my business? How leadership and self-development determines your business’s growth and success.   Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: This episode is kindly sponsored by Sera (visit their website) and CompanyCam (visit www.companycam.com/SBM for 14 day trial and 50% off your first two months), and UpFrog (visit their website). DP Marketing Services Join the Service Business Mastery Facebook group   Meet the Hosts: Tersh Blissett is a serial entrepreneur who has created and scaled multiple profitable home service businesses in his small town market. He’s dedicated to giving back to the industry that has provided so much for him and his family. Connect with him on LinkedIn. Joshua Crouch has been in the home services industry, specifically HVAC, for 8+ years as an Operations Manager, Branch Manager, Territory Sales Manager and Director of Marketing. He’s also the Founder of Relentless Digital, where their focus is dominating your local market online. Connect with him on LinkedIn. Meet the Guest: Ryan Redding is a business consultant & marketing strategist with experience in multiple industries and market sectors. He is the Owner of DP Marketing Services, a digital marketing company that provides Web Design, SEO, PPC, & Social Media Management to Tier 2 companies, and has extensive experience in non-profit sector. Ryan is an experienced strategist. From change management to leadership development, he has led organizations large and small solve complicated challenges, and exceed goals. Links to content here:  Learn more about DP Marketing Services: https://www.dpmarketing.services/ Tune in to hear the latest and greatest in business services trends on Service Business Mastery on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and our website.   Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Service Business Mastery in your favorite podcast player. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/support

In this conversation, Tersh welcomes Joe to talk about how to train technicians to be successful in their jobs and how to create a successful training program that will help contractors learn everything they need to be successful in their service businesses. Joe helps technicians get past the "eight-to-four mentality" and help them develop life skills so they can grow their career. Tune in to learn valuable business advice for service business owners and reach a seven-figure revenue mark!    [00:01 - 05:29] Opening Segment Introducing Joe to the show Joe Cunningham is a world-renowned expert in the air conditioning industry and has been working with service business owners, managers, and technicians for over 30 years   [05:30 - 13:16] Training Techs from Within The 10-day fast track program Joe offers is nonstop and designed to help technicians learn customer communication skills and run perfect service calls. The typical day at the technician training center is 60 to 65% hands-on, with the remainder spent in lectures The most important aspect of the training is giving technicians a personal learning experience that allows them to enhance their career There is no set tool list requirement for technicians, but they are given a basic set of tools when they arrive   [13:17 - 24:13] Hands-On Training for HVAC Technicians The benefits of a hands-on training program for technicians The school offers a tuition discount for veterans and offers scholarships for those who qualify Joe shares his advice on how to pick the right candidate for a service business He recommends that potential employees have technical aptitude and be able to communicate with customers He also advises against taking on too many clients at once Businesses should keep classes small to ensure that everyone in attendance can learn from the instructor   [24:14 - 27:04] Closing Segment See the links below to connect with Joe Final words   Quotes:   “If you’ve got somebody that doesn’t give a damn whether you show up at 8 or 10…he’s probably not gonna make it for you.” - Joe Cunningham Connect with Joe through LinkedIn, or visit www.TechnicalArtsCenter.com. You can also call 318-286-7742.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/support

Using Customer Reactivation to Close Unsold Estimates with Noah Carter & Justin Riley of UpFrog In a world where artificial intelligence is replacing humans left and right, human connection is still the key to keeping customers engaged and loyal to your business. Listen in as we welcome Justin Riley and Noah Carter of UpFrog, a marketing and lead generation software for HVAC and plumbing businesses. These guys are here to shed light on how UpFrog, along with a few simple business tactics, can grow your small business to a multi-million dollar company (without dehumanizing client interaction).  Join us as we talk with Justin and Noah about how to humanize your business communication and reactivate your current client list. In this episode we discuss: How to stay top of mind for your customers and be their #1 choice (without coming off spammy or salesy). How UpFrog helps you stay connected with your customer base. The power of humanizing business. Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: This episode is kindly sponsored by UpFrog www.upfrog.io, Sera https://sera.tech/go/service-business-mastery/, and CompanyCam (visit www.companycam.com/SBM for 14 day trial and 50% off your first two months). Listen to Ep 640: HVAC eCommerce Business For Beginners With Justin Riley & Noah Carter Join the Service Business Mastery Facebook group Meet the Hosts: Tersh Blissett is a serial entrepreneur who has created and scaled multiple profitable home service businesses in his small town market. He’s dedicated to giving back to the industry that has provided so much for him and his family. Connect with him on LinkedIn. Joshua Crouch has been in the home services industry, specifically HVAC, for 8+ years as an Operations Manager, Branch Manager, Territory Sales Manager and Director of Marketing. He’s also the Founder of Relentless Digital, where their focus is dominating your local market online. Connect with him on LinkedIn.  Meet the Guest: Justin Riley is the President of UpFrog and Noah Carter is the Head of Operations at UpFrog. Links to content here:  Connect with Noah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-carter-97514b151 Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justintriley  Tune in to hear the latest and greatest in business services trends on Service Business Mastery on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and our website.   Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Service Business Mastery in your favorite podcast play --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/support

Why Understanding Your Financials is The KEY to Profitability with Ruth King Women tend to bring super powers to the trades and this week’s guest is no different. She’s a trailblazer, a finance expert, an HVAC pro, and she’s here to share her knowledge with you so you can stay profitable and keep enjoying the work you do.   Ruth King is the Channel Manager for HVACChannel.tv and President of Business Ventures Corporation. With 35 years of experience in the contracting industry, Ruth knows what it takes to make a service business succeed. She’s done it all… sales, marketing, finance, technical training, and so much more.    Join us as we talk with Ruth about how to grow your HVAC company and STAY PROFITABLE!   In this episode we discuss: Why it’s vital to track and manage your finances as a service business. Game-changing business growth strategies and tips. Expert advice on starting your own service business, from setting your prices to understanding your financial statements.   Check out these resources we mentioned during the podcast: This episode is kindly sponsored by Sera (visit their website) and CompanyCam (visit www.companycam.com/SBM for 14 day trial and 50% off your first two months), and UpFrog (visit their website). Check out Ruth King’s books HVACChannel.tv Join the Service Business Mastery Facebook group   Meet the Hosts: Tersh Blissett is a serial entrepreneur who has created and scaled multiple profitable home service businesses in his small town market. He’s dedicated to giving back to the industry that has provided so much for him and his family. Connect with him on LinkedIn.   Joshua Crouch has been in the home services industry, specifically HVAC, for 8+ years as an Operations Manager, Branch Manager, Territory Sales Manager and Director of Marketing. He’s also the Founder of Relentless Digital, where their focus is dominating your local market online. Connect with him on LinkedIn.   Meet the Guest: Ruth King is well known as “The Profitability Master.” She is passionate about helping small business owners get profitable and stay profitable. Ruth is a serial entrepreneur, having owned 8 businesses in the past 37+ years. One of her businesses, Business Ventures Corporation, began operations in 1981. Through Business Ventures, she coaches, trains, and helps contractors and others achieve the business growth and goals they want to achieve.   Links to content here:  Visit her website: https://ruthkinghvac.com  Email: ruthking@hvacchannel.tv Check out HVACChannel.tv   Tune in to hear the latest and greatest in business services trends on Service Business Mastery on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and our website.     Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Service Business Mastery in your favorite podcast player. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tershblissett/support