When To Say No

If you’ve been following my work for a while, you know taking good before and after pictures of your work are VITAL if you’re serious about marketing your contracting business. But what I’ve noticed is many contractors seem to struggle with identifying the difference between what “good or bad” actually is… So today, I’m going to DEFINE what makes a before and after picture effective in terms of marketing your services to attract new clients. Ready? Okay… Here we go: 1) Always put the before picture on the left, and the after picture on the right. Some languages read right to left, but for the most part, your brain is trained to process information from left to right. 2) Put the words “before” on the left picture, and “after” on the right picture to make it even more clear for people to understand. 3) The “before” picture should always be darker than the “after” picture. If it’s the other way around (and I see this constantly) it takes away from the drama of the transformation. The lighting in your before picture should NEVER look better than the after picture. 4) Try your best to take the before and after picture in the same exact spot. If the after picture is taken at a different angle, it’s harder for people to see the difference. When you take the after photo, have the before shot handy, so you can compare before giving it the green light. 5) Remove any construction equipment (example: ladders, paint cans, tarps, cables, tools) from the after picture. Your goal is to make the after photo as visually appealing as possible. It should be the final vision that the homeowner has been dreaming of… unfortunately your tools aren’t included in that vision aha. And those are the most common things I see. Obviously it can be tough in terms of timing to follow this exactly, but before you take that after photo, take the extra 5-10mins to make it look as presentable as you can. These before/after photos can be the difference between an ad that pulls like crazy, and a complete dud. Cheers, Matt PS. If you’re a residential contractor looking for more qualified leads and a team to do all your marketing campaigns FOR you… Request your free strategy call today!

When people are looking for a local business, they usually turn to Google for answers. That’s why many renovation contractors rely on Google Ads to generate residential jobs. Within only hours, you could be at the top of Google for the most valuable keywords in your area. That means a lot more phone calls, estimates, and jobs coming your way – fast! Yet recently, a flood of new advertisers has entered the market, and they’re pouring money into ads by the droves. This spike in competition has made it more difficult than it used to be for the average Joe to succeed, but here’s the good news: There are still plenty of profits to be made with Google Ads in 2021 and for the foreseeable future. You just need to stay one step ahead of everyone else! So today, you will learn the top five most powerful Google Ad “tricks” in 2021: 1) Conversion Tracking Too often, people get caught up in how many clicks or impressions their ads get. But the reality is, clicks don’t matter. Conversions (qualified leads) are what matters. Having your conversion tracking set up is key to a profitable campaign. After all, you can’t improve what you don’t measure! For most contracting businesses, a conversion is a prospect requesting an estimate. With conversion tracking, you can easily understand which keywords and ads are profitable, and which are not. This removes guesswork and allows you to make decisions based on data instead of emotion. It also allows Google’s AI to optimize for more conversions and lower your cost per lead (CPL). If you’re running Google Ads and haven’t setup conversion tracking yet, it’s never too late to get started. Make this a priority, so you can get more customers and save more money. 2) Click Fraud Protection Click fraud often goes under the radar, but it’s as real as the words you’re reading on this page. What is click fraud? A competitor or spammer repeatedly clicks your ad without intention of buying from you. Their goal is to deplete your ad budget, spike your costs, and make it impossible for you to successfully advertise online. Now, Google claims they’ve solved this issue, but it’s not as effective as it could be. We’re still seeing many businesses fall victim to click fraud. So how do you stop this? The best solution is to use protection software such as PPC Shield, Click Cease, or Clixtell. These are easy to use software tools that identify and block suspicious users on your behalf. Over time, this will cut fraudulent clicks from your account. And the only people clicking your ads will be legitimate, qualified prospects. But is it worth the investment? In our opinion, absolutely. Click fraud protection has saved ourselves and our clients thousands of dollars. It’s a must-have if you’re serious about advertising with Google Ads. 3) Remarketing The average website converts only 2% of website visitors into leads. A high-converting website would be 15% or more. That means 15 people out of 100 visitors turn into potential new business. But what about the other 85% of people who weren’t ready to contact you the first time around? Sales people often say, “The money is in the follow-up.” You see, most people won’t act the very first time they come across your ad or website – even if they intend to! They get busy, distracted, or encounter something that stops them from moving forward. Whatever it is, your job is to make sure you follow up with them and remind them about your service. Otherwise, you’re missing out on 85% of prospects who could buy from you later. The best way is to deploy Google Display or YouTube remarketing ads to remind them of your offer. This technology “pixels” your prospect. They begin to see your brand all over the internet, requesting them to request a quote again. Some of the biggest brands in the world use remarketing because it works, and it’s cheap. In fact, you only pay a small fraction of your original cost to get them to your page. This means you can follow up and reach ideal prospects for pennies on the dollar. Take some time to set this up right, and you’ll be light-years ahead of everyone else. 4) SEM Tools One of the most important aspects of Google Ads is bidding on profitable keywords. Unfortunately, many contractors pick keywords based on a gut feeling or hunch. But your odds of success increase when you know your numbers. For that reason, I recommend using a keyword analysis tool or a “SEM Tool” such as SE Ranking, SEM Rush, or Spyfu. These software tools show keyword traffic, cost, and competition. They also allow you to “spy” on your competitors ads, so you can model their success for your own campaigns. Stop guessing which keywords are best. Start doing research based on real data you can make predictions from! 5) Irresistible Offers This isn’t a tip specific to only Google Ads, but it should apply to all your marketing efforts. In 2021, successful advertisers make irresistible offers to their customers to stand out. What’s an irresistible offer? It’s a message that gives the prospect exactly what they want, with the least amount of risk. This could be a guarantee, extended warranty offer, or a bonus you include with a sale. Whatever you decide, it must be something the prospect wants… badly. This increases your odds of success because you’re adding more incentive for them to contact you, and not someone else. The better the offer, the easier advertising becomes. Think of it like offering a cold-water bottle to someone who’s been walking through a hot, dry desert for an hour or two. You won’t have to say much more to get them to buy! So, there you have it. Using these tested and proven Google Ads tricks, I’m confident you’ll easily soar past your competition in 2021 and beyond. And remember—your results are in direct proportion to the effort you put in. To your success, Matt Thibeau, CEO of Savant Marketing Agency P.S. For more great marketing insight like this, download your 100% FREE copy of Digital Marketing Secrets for Contractors when you visit www.ContractorMarketingBook.com .

The other day I was speaking with a prospect about their online reputation… We’ll call him Josh. Josh has been struggling with some negative reviews in the past couple of months. “Matt, what are some tricks and tips to getting rid of these reviews?” He asked. I paused for a moment, then asked a sobering follow-up question: “Why do you think you’ve gotten these negative reviews anyways?” I asked. His answer was something like, “It’s not my fault.” Listen… If you want to grow your business, at each stage of growth, you need to become a different person. That means taking accountability for your actions and stepping up to make things right. A bad review here and there is expected, but if your clients are repeatedly giving you the same negative feedback… The problem is you. And the only way to fix this isn’t by coming up with some trick to remove your bad reviews… It’s to adopt something called, The Strategy of Preeminence. Here’s the gist of it: Every day, you must strive to serve your clients at a higher level. You must see yourself not as just a service provider, sales representative, or business owner… But the #1 trusted advisor and PROTECTOR of your market. That means going out of your way to do whatever you can to provide the best outcome for your clients… It means doing what’s in the best interest of the client, not yourself… It means striving to provide value beyond just your service… and holding yourself accountable to everything. Easier said than done, I know. And don’t get me wrong. We’re all in business to make a profit. (If you’re not, then you shouldn’t be in business in the first place.) But if you’re not focused every day on increasing the outcome and benefit to your clients… You will lose. Because clients don’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care. Good marketing and sales can fix a lot of things… But it can’t make a bad service successful long term. Build a legacy. To your success, Matt “Preeminence” Thibeau PS. If you’re a renovations contractor who wants more qualified leads, sales, referrals, and growth… Go to www.SavantMarketingAgency.com

Should you charge for estimates, or not? It’s an ongoing debate I hear contractors discuss over and over again. But I’ve never seen anyone break down the pros and cons of doing either. So in this article, I’m going to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both options. Let’s get right into it… Free Estimates – The Good Offering free estimates/quotes are a fantastic way to get your foot in the door. You have the opportunity to meet with the client. Understand their needs. Build a relationship, and put together a plan for their project. In short, it’s a very low-barrier strategy to start a conversation and get the ball rolling. Free estimates are also great if you’re planning on advertising to cold prospects (people who don’t know you). Here’s why: Their level of trust in you won’t be very high, because they don’t know you. Stranger danger, right? So, a no-obligation quote or estimate is a good way to start building that trust quickly. On top of that, the word FREE is one of the most powerful words in advertising by the way… It gets people’s attention and implies they can get something for nothing. This will get much more people on the phone with you. Free Estimates – The Bad By offering free estimates, you’re going to be able to start a lot of conversations with potential buyers… The problem, though, is you’ll encounter price shoppers, tire kickers, and looky-loos… You invest a bunch of time into a prospect who in the end… Doesn’t pay you a penny. Over time, this can bog down your operations, increase your costs, and burn you out. This is the main reason why some contractors will start charging for estimates. Paid Estimates – The Good In response, some contractors decide they’ve had enough. They start charging for estimates to discourage this behavior from prospects. Charging for estimates is a great way to instantly cut out anyone who might not be a qualified buyer. It also increases your sales conversions. If someone is willing to pay you for an estimate, they’re probably going to move forward with you. Makes sense, right? Not to mention, you remove the risk of not getting paid for the time you put in. You always get paid to show up, whether they move forward or not. Finally, paid estimates can position you as a top-tier company. It implies your time is worth more than other companies willing to do the estimate for free. This last point is by far one of the biggest advantages to offering paid estimates. You’re perceived as being more valuable. Paid Estimates – The Bad Now, obviously, the big downfall of paid estimates is the prospect must pay upfront to get the quote. This will dramatically reduce the number of incoming leads you get… You basically have zero ability to start a dialogue with the prospect. Building the necessary trust needed to close the deal becomes much, much harder. Plus, now you’re competing with other companies that ARE willing to offer free estimates. So, you’re definitely going to lose business to your competition by doing this. No doubt. This makes it very difficult to create a successful advertising campaign. Unless you’re willing to give something else away for free as “bait” to pull prospects in (more on that in just a second.) At Savant Marketing Agency, there are no black and white answers. To know for sure which is best for your business, you will need to test. Yet, there are some key practices you must perform if you want to be successful with either… Free Estimates – How to Do Them Right Like I mentioned, free estimates are a great way to start a conversation and generate more leads. But there is a right and wrong way to go about doing them… For starters, you must qualify the prospect! Before you go through the trouble to drive out to prospects’ house, inspect their home, and write up an estimate… Do yourself a favor and make sure they’re qualified. Give them a quick call, build some rapport, and ask them questions like: “Have you ever worked with a contractor before?” “What’s the purpose of the project?” “What’s your timeline like to get this project done?” “Just a ballpark, what kind of budget did you have in mind?” I know it can sometimes feel awkward to do this. But trust me, it’ll save you so much time and energy. You’ll be able to identify red flags early. Second, assume the sale in your language. You’re not a charity. Sure, you want to help the prospect and provide them with value, but until they close, you’re not getting paid. Use what’s called a closing seed. Here’s how it works: After you ask the prospect some of the initial questions on your intro call and assuming they pass your screening… You must suggest to them if everything checks out, they’ll move forward with your plan and PAY YOU. But you’ve gotta do it a little more eloquently than that… Say something like this: “Perfect. So, let’s get you booked in for an appointment. I’ll come in, assess the scope of the project, and put together a customized estimate for you. Then, if we’re a good fit, and the plan makes sense for you… We can move forward with the deposit. Sound good?” If they agree and say yes, you just planted a powerful closing seed, my friend. I recommend you take the opportunity to drop a couple more closing seeds after… Repeat to them again after your meeting, “Thanks for your time today. I’ll present the estimate to you in a couple of days. Then, if you like it, and it makes sense to you, we can move forward. Sound good?” You get the picture… If you qualify your prospects properly, provide amazing value, and plant lots of closing seeds… There should be NO reason you’re not closing deals left, right, and center (especially if you couple that with a kick-ass USP!). Paid Estimates – How To Do Them Right There’s a lot that can go wrong with paid estimates too. In fact, most people shouldn’t do them. You should only consider doing paid estimates if you have more than enough work on your hands… And you have no problem attracting new, high-value leads. If that’s the case, read on. First off, if you’re going to start charging for estimates, you must stop calling it an “estimate.” People naturally try to compare things. If they don’t understand it, they’ll compare it to something they DO understand. You do not want this to happen to you. In the buyer’s mind, they’re asking themselves, “Why on earth would I pay for an estimate when I can just get one for FREE?” To combat this, I recommend you rename your estimate to something else. Call them Success Consultations… Or Discovery Sessions… Or whatever… But stop calling them estimates. This will allow you to deliver more perceived value and avoid them comparing you to others. Next, you must create something to give away for free. Something you can leverage without giving up your time. I recommend you create a free consumer awareness guide. A form of content that educates the prospect on the Dos and Don’ts of your niche. Example: “6 Contractor Rip-offs You Don’t Want To Miss!” Or “8 Things To Look For Before You Hire a Contractor” And so on… This will be the “bait” you throw out into the marketplace. Of course, there are many nuances to this concept. But, for the most part, this is the breakdown of each. Remember, there’s no right and wrong answer here… But there are good and bad ways to go about it. Cheers! Matt Thibeau P.S. Want my team and I to handle all your marketing FOR you? Go to www.CallSavant.com and request your 100% Free, No-Obligation Strategy Call Today.

So the other day a client asked me: “Matt, what do you think about doing social media contests? You know, where I ask my followers to like, share, or comment on a post to win something. Do those actually work?” “Only if they’re done right. Otherwise, they’re kind of pointless.” I answered. And after walking him through the entire process shortly after… I realized many contractors could probably profit from this information too… I’ve used contests like these in the contracting industry, and many other industries too. So today, I’d like to teach this to you too. I’m confident you’ll get great value from it. A quick note before we start – I want to make it very clear the goal with these social media contests should be to SELL… If you’re doing these contests for fun, or to impress people, or to look good online… This article is NOT for you. Anyways… Back to social media contests that sell… Let’s get right to it! Step 1) Create an Irresistible Offer Too often, business owners get greedy when they try to do these types of contests and they don’t go all in. Instead, they get cold feet and offer something like a 20% off discount, tickets to a sports game, or worst… Some hats, shirts, or hoodies with their logo on them. (I think I saw Homestars try and do that one last month… BIG waste of time.) Newsflash – You’re underestimating how much it’s going to take to get people to MOVE on your contest/offer! To make a social media contest that sells… You must offer something irresistible and congruent with your prospect’s desires. In fact, your offer must be so incredible, so beneficial, and have such a high perceived value… Most people would think it’s almost too good to be true. This will grab their attention… And pique their curiosity enough for them to actually get off their butt and do something about it. Consumers today are very skeptical and smart… Yet people treat them like idiots. They can smell a gimmick or a bad cheapskate a mile away. So, if you’re going to do social media contests… Do them right. But what exactly does a good offer look like? From my experience, a great offer should be related to your service… And deliver a lot of value without ANY risk for the person entering. (In other words… Don’t make them embarrassed, look a fool, or publically humiliated in any way.) Some examples of irresistible offers include: A FREE credit of $10,000 towards a luxurious bathroom remodel… 2000sqf worth of FREE Floor Refinishing… Etc. Whatever it is, choose something you can give away that won’t cost you an arm and a leg… But has a VERY high perceived value from the prospect’s perspective. Think of it like paying $5,000 for a full-blown marketing campaign… And recruit someone to become your spokesperson at the end (your contest winner.) Step 2) The Ad Creative Ad creative (or the image you use in your ad) is very important. It needs to catch the eye. If you can’t stand out and grab people’s attention as they scroll their feed, you’re basically dead in the water. For that reason, I recommend you use a picture of WHAT people could actually win. If it’s a free bathroom renovation, use a picture of a previous bathroom renovation you did. If it’s a new deck build, show a picture of your finest deck. You get the idea… One thing worth noting here is DO NOT use a stock image. It’s obvious to the prospect it’s not your work and will make them suspicious or uneasy… Mostly because there’s no proof you know what you’re doing. If you were actually legit, you’d have plenty of photos of your work. So, make sure you only use original-looking photos. Last thing when it comes to ad creative: Add some small graphics to the image with some copy that says words like WIN or FREE GIVEAWAY. You should also use colors like red, orange, or yellow because they catch the eye very quickly. Here’s an example of the type of ad creative I’m talking about:

Ever notice how most of the words on websites, social media pages, and brochures kind of sound all the same? “On time and on budget.” “Reliable service, guaranteed.” “Providing the best quality, price, and service in town.” Imagine if you actually took what everyone was claiming at face value… You’d think everyone was the best contractor in the world. But you and I both know that’s not true, right? You know most contractors say what everyone else says… or writes what they think sounds “professional”… Just so they can fill up more white space. But here’s the truth: Your customers see past that, and will NOT tolerate lies or be spoken to like a 3rd class citizen. Maybe back in the early 2000s when there was less competition this could work… But today’s consumer is very sharp and highly skeptical. It’s too easy to fake stuff online. Doing things like: – Using stock photos to promote your services… – Showing reviews without the full name/picture of the client… – Making guarantees without a “or else” type promise… … Are all tip-offs you’re not being 100% honest with them… And this dramatically affects your marketing campaign results. They’ll think to themselves, “there’s just not something quite right here…” And that’s more than enough to get them to click exit, and never come back again. Sound too good to be true? Then test it out for yourself… Start adding as many “proof assets” as you can to your landing pages, your website, your social media ads, and so on … And I can virtually guarantee you’ll see an increase in response. What are proof assets? These are various forms of proof that what you are saying is actually true. For example: If you state that you’re Ottawa’s Top Rated Bathroom Renovations Expert… You should put in the effort to make a case for your claim from a measurable standpoint. Ask yourself… “Do I have the most 5-Star reviews in the city?” “Do we have the largest presence on all review platforms?” “Is our ratio of negative to positive reviews the most positive out of everyone else?” These will help you arrive at a non-biased perspective in all this. From here, you can begin to build a case for yourself through the eyes of your prospect. – Showcase review badges from websites like Houzz, BBB, Trusted Pros and more… – Add some rave reviews you received from clients too… – Include a picture of an award you received this year as one of the top contractors in your city… … These are all proof assets you can display to defend the claims you are making. I’ll give you another example just so I can really drive this point home for you: If you state, “We provide the best quality products on the market…” You might want to consider backing up that claim by providing the prospect with: – A detailed customer testimonial comparing an inferior product to yours… – A lifetime warranty on all products (hey, you said they’re quality right?)… – A stamp of approval from an authority or celebrity in your industry… … These are just some ideas you can put to work in your marketing to start to provide more proof to back up your claims. Your challenge this week? Start adding more proof to your marketing to back up what you say. Don’t just tell them you’re the best. SHOW them you’re the best… Using proof. Anyways… Gotta run! Cheers, Matt “Proof Marketing” Thibeau P.S . If you’d like our team to build and manage all your marketing campaigns FOR you… Request your 100% Free, No-Obligation Strategy Call today and we’ll see if we’re a good fit >> www.CallSavant.com

Growing a successful contracting business in 2021 isn’t easy. There’s plenty of competition out there, and homeowners are more jaded than ever. And even if you’re busy right now, you might have some problems in your business you aren’t even aware of… Do you sometimes struggle with? 1) Price resistance from clients 2) Lack of qualified leads 3) Project delays If so, there’s a good chance your business is suffering from a common, but deadly error in the industry… And that error is being a generalist. You see… Being a generalist is one of the hardest ways to charge higher fees, attract qualified leads, and grow your business. You’re always negotiating price… You’re constantly dealing with tire kickers… And you’re forever playing ‘catch up’ on jobs that sounded like easy profits… but turned into an endless money pit of despair. Some contractors might tell you these issues are just part of the game… but they’re not. They’re a symptom of being spread too thin… and can easily be avoided with 1 simple solution: Niche down your services. This means to focus all your marketing and business development on 1-2 services you offer… that provide the MOST profit and least amount of headaches. The reason niching works so well to combat the issues stated above are that: 1) You can charge more than generalists. Specialists offer more value than a generalist. When you attempt to be a jack of all trades, you essentially become a glorified handyman… and so you get paid like one. Focus your efforts on getting really good at one specific thing. This reduces price resistance… and allows you to charge higher fees than your competition. 2) Your messaging laser attracts perfect clients. When you tell people “we do it all” you’re basically saying, “we do nothing.” The key to creating a magnetic marketing message is to be specific. A specific service, to a specific market, with a specific offer. This is what attracts qualified leads. 3) You reduce complexity/variables in your business. Different types of jobs need a different set of skills and protocols. They also introduce different problems (which waste precious time and create delays.) Niching allows you to become more efficient in systems and processes. This increases your output, and your ability to scale. Now, over time you can begin to add more services to your roster. But in the beginning, attack one service at a time so you can dominate that sector… then move on to the next. Too many contractors try to gobble up the entire marketplace at once and as a result… have little to show for it (except burning themselves out.) Give this a shot. Or at the very least, cut away those services that are eating your time… and costing you money. You’ll thank me later! Cheers, Matt Thibeau P.S. Want my team and I to help you attract more leads, close more sales, and boost your revenue with advertising that works? Then book your 100% free, no-obligation strategy call here: www.CallSavant.com

If you want to create a successful Google Ads campaign… you must understand the strategy and psychology behind picking quality keywords. Sadly, most contractors rely only on their gut feeling when it comes to keyword selection… but that’s a very poor (and expensive) way to go about it. Instead, every keyword you choose to bid on should be based on the following criteria: 1. Cost per click 2. Search volume 3. Buyer intention 4. Competition … And the only way you’re going to find out the information above is by doing your research. To do this, you will need to invest in a search engine marketing software like SEM Rush or SE Ranking. Consider these tools a small investment into creating profitable advertising on Google. Okay… Now that you’ve got the right tools for the job… let’s talk about what to look for when it comes to the first criteria: Cost Per Click Cost per click (CPC) is how much you’re charged when someone clicks your ad. This will vary depending on your niche.

Contractors always ask us… “What’s the best way to deal with negative reviews on Google?” They’re often looking for some kind of magic button that will delete their negative reviews. And while appeals can happen, they’re difficult to get. (At least in my experience.) So instead, you have 2 options when it comes to dealing with negative reviews on Google: 1) Resolution 2) Dilution Let’s start with #1… Resolution. The best thing you can do to remove negative reviews is to resolve the issue with your client offline. As painful as it can be… I recommend you call them and try to work things out in a civil way (if possible). Offer them some free stuff if you have to… Maybe give them a refund… Do whatever you believe it’s worth to get them to edit/remove their review… so you can move on with your business. Now, this is certainly the best option you have, but in reality… It’s not always possible. Sometimes people will not be willing to come to a resolution. Or maybe they’re not even a client of yours. Maybe you’re being wrongly targeted and your reputation damaged purposefully… In this case, DILUTION is your answer (and a good lawyer too of course.) The concept is simple… Get more positive reviews from clients so you can bog down the negative ones. The truth is, most clients don’t care if you have a couple of 1-star reviews. They understand you can’t please everyone… and it’s true… you can’t. That’s why you need to develop a systematic way to collect new reviews from your clients. This could mean you send a direct link to your GMB listing after the job is complete… You could bring an iPad to the Jobsite and just hand it to them, pre-loaded with your review platform and ready to go… You could do a lot of things to systemize reviews from your clients… All which I talk about in-depth in our new book, Digital Marketing Secrets for Contractors. But the bottom line is you need a process developed in your business to capture reviews. Otherwise, you’re going to forget about it, get lazy, and fall behind. In a world where online reputation drives so much buyer consumption… reviews matter big time. So there you have it — Those are the two ways I recommend you go about dealing with negative reviews. And remember: In the end… As your business begins to grow, negative reviews will become more common. It’s part of the game, unfortunately. You can’t please everyone… and you certainly can’t control what they do. But you can create systems and procedures to protect your reputation when you need it most. Hope this helps! Matt Thibeau P.S. Our agency helps you manage and build your reputation online… along with getting you more leads and manage all your marketing campaigns FOR you. Go to www.CallSavant.com to book your 100% free, no-obligation strategy call now.