Ask-an-Expert: FREE Google Business Profile Reviews. Is Your Profile Costing You Jobs?
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is often the first thing a customer sees, and most of them are losing jobs because of it without even knowing. Hey, I'm Phil Risher, business educator and owner of Phlash Consulting. I've spent years helping home service pros get found on Google and turn profile views into booked jobs, and this week, I'm here to help you do the same. From April 15 - 21, drop your GBP link in the comments, and I'll give you personalized feedback on: What's missing or hurting your visibility Quick wins that can turn more views into real leads How you can optimize your profile with Jobber Not sure if your profile is even the problem? Ask me anything! I'm here all week. Your next customer is already Googling. Let's make sure you show up! 🔻 Please note: Due to the high level of interest in this session, I may not be able to complete every review. I’ll do my best to get through as many as possible, prioritizing those submitted earliest. Thanks for understanding, and thanks for showing up in such a big way! (This post will be closed on April 21 at 5:00 pm MST)At what point do you hire an agency?
I'm at the point in my business where I really need to not be doing stuff that I'm not good at and I have enough money to invest in different areas of the business to improve the operations. I'm actually rebranding as well so I'm changing our website then it got me thinking - My old website was good, I put a lot of work in to the back links, SEO optimizing it myself, but it does look a little DIY. I got to thinking, this would be a good time to do it correctly and potentially have a professional do it, and maybe I've been missing out on potential traffic because of the website. Has anyone hired an agency with success? What about failures? What things should I be thinking about when approaching this?
Would You Use This?
Hey, I'm sure we all use the same marketing tools to send to our customers, but to be honest, that's not actually building any sort of relationship. I myself get them and delete them. Money on the table is when a customer does not come back, remember you, or gets sick of the marketing. Enter something radically different. Ever heard of relationship automation? I'll give you an example. Current SMS/Email: "Hey Mike! Just a friendly reminder — we're running a spring AC special. 15% off if you book this week!" — Jerry, Acme Plumbing (our customers delete this) Relationship Automation: "Hey Mike! Did you see the Broncos schedule just dropped? They open at home Sept 7 — here's the link if you want to grab tickets early: broncos.com/schedule" — Jerry, Acme Plumbing That will BLOW their minds and they will forward that, refer work, etc. Another example? "Hi Sarah! Time for your annual tune-up. Book now and save 10%! →" - Mike, Comfort Air HVAC "Hey Sarah! How's Cooper settling in? Found this great puppy training guide specifically for goldens — a friend swore by it: akc.org/golden-puppy-guide" — Mike, Comfort Air HVAC I'd love to know your thoughts. Traditional marketing is dead. This is next-level stuff that has real ROI.
Marketing for a Growing Landscaping Company (When You’re Still Wearing All the Hats)
For those running small-to-mid size landscaping companies (especially maintenance-heavy businesses), how are you handling marketing as you grow? I’ve been managing ours in-house due to my convenient design background, but between operations and crew management it’s becoming unsustainable—especially when it comes to SEO and lead generation for higher-value projects (which I have less experience with) Are you outsourcing to a freelancer/agency, or hiring in-house? And at what point did that investment start to make sense for you? Do you have any recommendations for Canadian companies?Business Phone Number - Who's Should You Use and How Should You Use it?
When it comes to phone numbers, I treat the Jobber phone number as an “automation line,” not my primary business number. I use it for all the built-in Jobber automations—invoice/receipt texts, appointment reminders, “on my way” notifications, and anything else Jobber sends out automatically. It’s great for consistent system messaging and keeping those operational texts separate from my real day-to-day communication. The reason I don’t use the Jobber number as my main public-facing number (website, trucks, yard signs, etc.) is ownership and portability. The Jobber number can’t be ported out, so if you ever switch systems or change your setup, you don’t truly “own” that number long-term. I’ve made the mistake of putting a non-portable number on marketing before, and it’s a headache when you realize it can’t follow you. Instead, I recommend your primary business number be something you control and can port—either from a carrier, Google Voice (depending on your needs), or another platform where portability is confirmed. Then use tools like Chiirp (and I haven’t personally explored GoHighLevel/Hatch deeply, but they’re in the same category) for your primary communication + higher-level automation, because those platforms typically offer much more robust automation like out-of-office replies, drip campaigns, and automated texting workflows. So my personal setup philosophy is: Jobber number = system/operations messaging only; your “real” business number = portable, owned by you, and used everywhere customer-facing. Then if you need advanced automations like out-of-office replies, I’d build those in a dedicated communication/marketing platform that’s designed for it—not inside the Jobber number.Which social media platforms work best for marketing a local service business?
Managing partner here for Rene & Son's Landscaping, Inc. in Wheeling IL. Was just wondering and trying to get everyone's input on this. I'm 25 and when it comes to social media marketing I am kind of at a loss. Is Facebook still a thing that a lot of people use? I have FB but barely use it. I know older generations use Facebook but to what extent. Should I be focusing my marketing more toward Instagram or tik tok? I mean as we continue to move forward should our focus shift into different marketing trends. Should the focus be more on Google marketing or Yelp? Do people still use Yelp?
Restarting a 25-Year Landscape Business in a New City — Best Marketing Strategies Today?
Hello everyone, I have owned and operated a landscape and irrigation company for about 25 years. I originally started the business with my brother, who is a landscape architect. We launched the company in a smaller town in Idaho in the late 1990s and it grew quickly thanks to strong word-of-mouth and my brother’s design expertise. About five years ago I moved to Draper, Utah for another job. Recently I decided to restart the landscape and irrigation company here in my new location. Because our company in Idaho grew with very little advertising, I now find myself a bit behind when it comes to modern marketing and advertising strategies. One area I recognize as a weakness in my business experience is staying current with the newest and most effective ways to advertise and market a service company. While I have many years of hands-on experience in landscaping and irrigation, I am essentially starting fresh in a new market and looking for the best ways to build a strong customer base. My background is also in technology. I have a bachelor’s degree in computer software engineering and specialize in website design and e-commerce development. I am currently building a website for the company and have already listed the business on Google Maps. For those who have grown service businesses in larger metro areas, what marketing strategies have worked best for building a customer base and attracting new clients today? I would really appreciate any advice or insight from others in the industry. Thank you in advance for your suggestions.Which marketing strategies have brought you the best customers?
Hi everyone, I'm building a Junk removal Business and trying to learn more about marketing and pricing. Right now im experimenting with Thumbtack, yard signs, and email marketing. for those with experience, which marketing strategies have brought you the best customers?
