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Talking Shop

Tales from
the trades.

Marketing plays, lead-gen tactics, and straight talk for contractors who’d rather grow than get sold to. Written by operators who’ve actually done the work.

Why Your Website Doesn’t Need to Be a Custom Masterpiece (Yet)

Every weekend at the paint counter, I watched homeowners chase the perfect Pinterest color — and never actually paint the room. Most contractors do the same thing with their website. Here's what to build first.

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The Contractor’s Local Lead Playbook

The exact 12-step checklist we use to make a trades business the first name homeowners call — Map Pack, reviews, LSAs, and the follow-up system most shops skip. No fluff.

Latest

Fresh off the truck

Can I Do SEO Myself? (Honest Answer: Yes)

There's no secret wizardry behind the curtain. But is DIY really the best use of your time? Let's do the math.

Surviving & Thriving in a Contracting Market

The economy shifted. Here's how the smart shops are tightening their marketing instead of killing it.

Local Service Ads: The Fastest Phone-Ringer There Is

Google Guaranteed leads can hit your phone in days. Here's how to set them up so you're not lighting money on fire.

The Review Engine: How to Get to 110+ Five-Stars

Reviews aren't luck. They're a system. Here's the exact ask-and-follow-up flow we install for every client.

Your Site Is Slow. That’s Why the Phone Isn’t Ringing.

A three-second load time can cut your leads in half. The fixes that actually matter for a trades site.

When to Hire a Fractional CMO vs. an Agency

Past $1M and feeling the marketing chaos? Here's how to tell which one your business actually needs.

The Shop Memo

Plays for your inbox, ~2x a month.

One short email with a marketing play you can actually run, a real number from the field, and zero filler. Built for busy operators.

Done Reading?

Let’s make the phone ring.

Reading about it is step one. Want us to build the engine? Start with a no-pressure discovery call.

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