Surefire Local Podcast

Tune in to hear the latest Google trends and tips for marketing your local business. In this free webinar, you'll walk through the anatomy of Google Search and discover techniques that will help you make sure your business is easily found on the world’s most popular search engine. You’ll come away with actionable steps you can take to increase your business’s local search visibility using your website and Google’s tools: Google My Business, Google Ads, Local Service Ads, YouTube, Image Search, and more. Some of the things you'll learn are how to: - Use your Google My Business listing to its maximum potential - Get Google to recognize your entire service area and the essential elements to include on your website - Expand your reach exponentially and get found at the top of Google by quality prospects

Discover proven techniques and tips to expand your business’s local reach exponentially with Google Ads. In this online workshop, you will walk through the top techniques that the most successful local businesses use to get found on Google’s network of tools (Google Search, Gmail, YouTube, Remarketing, etc.) and the many benefits Google Ads can have as you grow your business and reach more local customers in your service area. Some of the things you'll learn from the Google Ads Workshop are: -Generate quality leads by targeting the right local clientele in your area -Tailor your Google Ads to an ever-evolving search experience -Do’s & don’ts for running a successful local Google Ads campaign

A staggering 97% of customers read online reviews before they buy, and nearly 1 in 2 customers trust only businesses with a 4-star rating or higher. As social proof has become more and more important, it’s time to get your reviews strategy in tip-top shape. Tune in to hear Kelsey Coleman, Director of Communications and Public Affairs at BBB share a guide on how to get more online reviews and deal with the bad ones. Some of the things you’ll learn on the webinar are: - Using lifetime customers and positive reviews to drive new customer growth - How to get more positive reviews for your business - Tips to handle and resolve negative reviews and customer frustrations - Do's & Don'ts for managing your online reputation and how to avoid common mistakes

Whether you’re a small business serving a single location or a larger business that spans multiple states, increasing your online presence in the local markets you serve is an essential way to generate qualified leads and bring in new customers. During this 30 minute webinar, we share the latest trends and insights into how you can magnify your business’s digital presence to reach a more local clientele and win lifetime customers through digital marketing.

With over 7,040 marketing tools available today, there’s no shortage of advice when it comes to changing your digital marketing efforts. The catch is knowing which tools work together so that you get a complete picture of how your marketing is performing. To help, we’ve put together this ultimate guide to marketing technology; a free 30 minute webinar in which you’ll learn: - The best tools and methods that apply specifically to local marketing - How you can boost your business’s local visibility on Google and other major search engines - How to measure your success and stop wasting money on underperforming campaigns By the end of the webinar, you’ll walk away with the confidence that your business is visible in all the places potential customers use to find you.

Successful local marketing has always been predicated on how local customers find you. With search becoming increasingly mobile, voice-assisted and hyperlocal, the search journey has shifted from browsing to asking. Therefore, your goal as a business is to show up and answer questions everywhere your customers are looking. Listen to this on-demand video of our 5 surefire ways to stand out online.

Explore how local businesses are using Google My Business - a free and easy-to-use tool - to manage and improve their online presence across Google, including Search & Maps. You'll get hands-on training with all of the latest Google My Business features, including how you can: -Control what information people see when they search for your business online -Read & respond to reviews and share photos that represent your quality work -View insights on how customers find your business online - from search keywords to devices used -Publish relevant content using Posts & engage in real-time with people who are searching for your business on Google

According to a voice study by Microsoft, 1 in 2 people use voice search to find information about a local business every day. So it begs the question… how confident are you that your business is ready for the voice search era? Join us for a free webinar with Yext, an innovative company that helps local businesses control their digital information, to learn how you can get your business ready to roll when voice search becomes the new norm for your customers to find you online. We’ll walk through a few ways you can get your website and digital presence optimized to rank in voice search and recommended on devices like Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Siri. Some of the things we’ll cover are: - Key local search signals to build into your digital presence - How business listings make you more “recommendable” to voice assistants - The latest voice trends and tips for local businesses

Tune in to hear the latest trends and tips for marketing your local business on Google. This free webinar will help you make sure your business is easily found on the world’s most popular search engine and how you can increase your local visibility using your website and Google’s tools: Google My Business, Google Ads, Local Service Ads, YouTube, Image Search, and more. Some of the things we’ll cover are: - How to use your Google My Business listing to its maximum potential - How Google views your website and what you can do to get Google to recognize your entire service area - How to expand your reach exponentially and get found at the top of Google by quality prospects

Are you looking for new marketing strategies to help you reach your goals or just want to make sure you have all the essentials covered? This free webinar will give you a quick refresher on digital marketing best practices and help you maximize your marketing efforts with a high Return on Investment. Some of the things we’ll cover are: - Understanding the journey your customers take from discovering to contacting your business - Common local marketing challenges and how to overcome them - The importance of leveraging technology to enhance your digital marketing efforts - 5 key digital marketing principles to keep in mind

Have you noticed Google is changing local search and giving a big advantage to local businesses? They've done so with the introduction of Google Local Services. Local Services ads help your business connect with people who search on Google for the services you offer. These new ads appear at the very top of Google on desktop and mobile, and will only show up for the customers in your area, so you can keep your calendar full with high-quality prospects. Tune in to hear our Google Ads expert, Meg Robinson, share how your local business can get started with Google Local Service Ads. Meg will walk through everything you need to know about Google's new ad option and how it can be a game changer for your local business. This free workshop covers: 1) What Google Local Service Ads are & why they matter 2) The process of applying to get started 3) Real-world client results from 400+ Local Service Ad accounts launched this year 4) How to manage your leads 5) What to do to dispute any "bad leads" so you don't have to pay

When was the last time you made a big purchase without looking at online reviews or asking for a recommendation? Probably not recently, right? The same goes for homeowners looking for a reputable home services business in their local area. A staggering 97% of customers read online reviews before they buy, and nearly 1 in 2 customers trust only businesses with a 4-star rating or higher. With social proof becoming more and more important, it’s time to get your reviews strategy in tip-top shape.

Search Engine Optimization is one of the most critical components of your online presence...but with SEO constantly changing, it's not easy to stay ahead of the curve and outrank the competition. Join us as we walk through the latest trends and elements your website should have in order to win more local homeowners online. We'll discuss: The role online search plays in the customer journey How mobile and local search have changed dramatically over the past year Key elements your website MUST HAVE to appear in the top of searches locally How a coordinated approach to digital marketing increases your chances of getting found online by the right people If you’re not generating the kind of results you'd like from your digital marketing, then this free webcast is for you.

From our conversations with contractors across the country, we know this season has been busier than most, especially considering the increase in weather-related events and the strong economy. When times are busy, that's when you want to turn to technology as a way to alleviate stress and overwhelm. In this episode, Shashi Bellamkonda (Surefire Local's Chief Marketing Officer) breaks down why local businesses should consider a marketing software to help them manage the operations of their business, from leads to online visibility. And in doing so, have the ability to see and strengthen all your digital efforts because you'll be working with a single place of truth.

Social media is a large part of our world today — it’s important to know how to use social media as a local business in the home services industry, everything from the basics to winning loyal customers for your company. This training will help you discover ways to use social media to your advantage. You'll get an overview of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, Houzz, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and more and how to incorporate them best into your strategy. In this workshop, you'll walk through how to create a focused strategy and build a sense of community in your local area. Plus, you'll get the tools necessary to manage social media and the know-how to create effective content to engage homeowners. Some of the things you'll learn are: - What social channels should home services contractors focus on to get results from social media - The types of content you should be posting and sharing - The Do's and Don'ts of interacting with your community on social media - Expert tips for going from likes to leads

Learn How to Get Started and Dominate Local Search Results with Google Ads. Expand your local reach exponentially with Google Ads. During this free online webcast, Meg Robinson (Director of Advertising) will walk you through how to get started with Google Ads and the many benefits it can have as you look to grow your business and reach homeowners in your local area. Some of the things you'll learn are: - Generate quality leads by targeting homeowners in your local area - Tailor your ads to an ever-growing mobile experience - The Do's and Don'ts of running local campaigns

Google My Business is an easy way to make your business more discoverable in your local market across Google Search & Maps...resulting in higher quality leads contacting your home services business. With Google constantly updating the features and capabilities your business can take advantage of, we put together this online training to help walk you through the big announcements and important updates for using your Google My Business listing to win in local search. During this training, you'll learn how to optimize and leverage your Google My Business listing, including: - How to engage homeowners with Google Posts, Videos, and Photos across Search and Maps. - Details on Google's recent updates to service area and how to make sure your listing is set up correctly - Why you absolutely want to take advantage of the Services List feature in Google My Business - And more best practices to increase your search visibility on Google

Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Hailstorms. Thunderstorms. To homeowners, these extreme weather events are a source of dread. For those in the home contractor industry, however, they mean more work. With the potential influx of out-of-town contractors, it can be a challenge for a local company to help homeowners find you first. Each contractor is looking to help people by bringing their services to the table just like you. In this webinar, we've invited an expert from Hailpost to give some insight on how you can set yourself up for success in this sea of contractors. In this online training, you'll learn: - The three most impactful times to market after a storm event - Five considerations to finding new prospective customers - Why you should add direct mail to your marketing mix - Other considerations and how to get started

In This Episode... Host: David Reed, VP of Sales at Surefire Local Guest: Thomas Basch, National Account Executive at HOVER Having previously worked in almost every capacity in the roofing industry, Thomas is in an excellent position to offer insight into how contractors can save time and money on projects and close more business. His favorite trick? Bringing new technology to an age-old industry. Thomas is proof that forward-thinking often trumps formal sales training in an age of fast-paced change. As new generations of contractors enter the home improvement industry, it becomes everyone’s responsibility to learn not just to ride the wave of disruption, but to leverage it. Learn to ask not just what game-changing technologies are out there, but how you can use them—to broaden your reach, to drive more leads, to stay top-of-mind, to increase your close rates, to be a real mover and shaker in your local market. Thanks for listening to the Surefire Local podcast! Here at Surefire, we’ve had the unique opportunity to talk with hundreds of successful business owners in the home services space, not to mention work closely with inspiring thought leaders in digital marketing and tech. This podcast is one of the ways we’re giving back to that amazing community.

In order to increase your leads and new jobs, it's crucial to prove the effectiveness of your marketing program with reliable data to decide what to focus on in the future. However, that's not always an easy task. In this webinar, you'll learn how to easily and effectively track each of your marketing programs and prove how they drive revenue. In this webinar training, we cover the following: - How to maximize results from your existing marketing budget - Key metrics and reports every business should have - How to identify your top-performing programs & predict revenue from future activities

Bringing on new team members is one of the most vital and misunderstood skills in business. In this webinar, we cover the key steps required to find, filter and hire the perfect team members, who give you the space and ability to grow your business to the next level. You will be given: - A proven system to have the top talent in your industry applying to work for you - A screening process to ensure you only spend your time with qualified applicants - Templates and systems that you can use immediately to professionalize your hiring process

You know that digital marketing is a huge part of winning the business of local homeowners. However, with all of the options out there, do you know what to focus on and what to ignore? This 3-part contractor training (over the course of 90 minutes) covers the latest insights and tips to help make sure you have a focused digital strategy that is packed full of best practices to getting found online today.

Have you noticed Google is changing local search and giving a big advantage to local businesses? Local Service Ads (a pay-per-lead ad) can be found at the very top of Google to help homeowners find you right away. Join us online at our first-ever Google Local Service Ads webinar! Our in-house expert, Meg Robinson, will be walking through everything you need to know: the opt-in process, best practices to get started and optimize along the way, and common misconceptions. This webinar is FREE and you'll learn: - What Local Service Ads are & why they matter for you - The process of applying to Local Services Ads - Real world client results from 300+ Local Service Ad accounts launched this year - How to manage leads in the dashboard - What to do to dispute any "bad leads"

When we have a finite resource (like time), we must figure out how to spend it in an optimal way. We’re all given 24 hours in a day, how we choose to spend this time defines our success. In this webinar, Mark is going to walk through his time and business mastery system, focusing specifically on how you can take control of your client meetings and work, help your team be efficient and productive, and ultimately how you, yourself, can become a master of time. This training covers: - Common misconceptions and causes of “time stress” - Differences between being efficient vs. effective; and which is better to strive for - The essential steps to take control of your time and manage it in a realistic way - How to foster stronger client relationships, team culture, and personal growth If given the opportunity to have 1 extra hour each day, what would you do with it? With Mark’s time mastery system, the possibilities are nearly endless!

Google My Business allows you to control what information a potential customer sees when they search for your business on Google Search and Maps. And no, your Google My Business listing does not replace your business’s website. It complements your existing website by giving your business a presence with a listing on Google, the most popular search engine in the world. During this workshop training, you'll get hands-on training with the latest Google My Business features: - Control what information people see when they search for your business online - Read & respond to reviews and share photos that represent your quality work - View insights on how customers find your business online - from search keywords to devices used - Publish relevant content using Posts & message in real-time with people who are searching for your business on Google

Thanks for listening to the Surefire Local podcast! Here at Surefire, we’ve had the unique opportunity to talk with hundreds of successful business owners in the home services space, not to mention work closely with inspiring thought leaders in digital marketing and tech. This podcast is one of the ways we’re giving back to that amazing community. In This Episode... Host: David Reed, VP of Sales at Surefire Local Guest: Tony Hoty, Owner of Tony Hoty Training & Consulting Tony offers an insider’s perspective on one of the most challenging segments of the remodeling business: lead generation through door-to-door canvassing and road shows. At Surefire, we often talk about how crucial it is for a brand to have a robust web presence and wide digital footprint, but what of face-to-face contact? Is there room for it in a modern-day marketing strategy? Tony’s answer is a resounding yes. Tune in as he talks us through what he calls the “five pillars” of the remodeling industry, common lead boosters and lead busters, how to use the law of reciprocity to influence clients, and more. There’s something here for everybody! “If you want more leads, give more leadership.” —Tony Hoty

You helped us identify the most-talked-about social media marketing platforms for 2019. Our in-house gurus have heard your questions and dove into a 2-hour training course in which they discussed ideas, tips, and secrets to marketing and branding your business on Facebook, Nextdoor, Houzz, YouTube and the surprise social network of the year - Google. Part 1: 11 Steps to Go From Facebook Likes to Leads  (02:30) 2.3 billion people now use Facebook every month, and 1.5 billion every day. Chances are your customers are on Facebook and you can reach them with these 11 simple steps. Part 2: Join the Conversation About Your Business on Nextdoor (23:56) Homeowners in your service area are using Nextdoor to recommend home services contractors to their neighbors...have you been recommended? We'll show you how to join the conversation about your business and become a Nextdoor favorite. Part 3: How to Rock Your Houzz Profile (47:57) There's a huge opportunity to get your business in front of customers online... Houzz is a favorite among 40 million homeowners, and not many exterior contractor businesses are using this platform to its fullest potential. Join this webinar to learn how to create the ultimate Houzz presence that allows you to engage this growing community. Part 4: Google & YouTube - The Big Social Network (1:35:55) With digital marketing constantly changing, there's a lot a business has to keep up with to stay ahead of the competition. Google has introduced these 12 new features that make it the biggest social network...how can you use them for your business? What questions do you have? Social media is one of the most fascinating aspects of digital marketing. It's always changing and there is something new to learn and discover. Connect with a digital marketing strategist today to learn how you can manage social media as well as your entire online presence (website, ads, reviews, content, local business listings, etc) from a single, easy-to-use platform. Call 571-327-3391 or email marketing@surefirelocal.com to get started.

In this online training, explore how the top HVAC contractors are using Google My Business - a free and easy-to-use tool - to manage and improve their online presence across Google, including Search & Maps. You'll get hands-on training with the latest Google My Business features:   - Control what information people see when they search for your business online - Read & respond to reviews and share photos that represent your quality work - View insights on how customers find your business online - from search keywords to devices used - Publish relevant content using Posts & message in real-time with people who are searching for your business on Google

Does your office staff have the marketing talent your company needs? Chances are, yes. When it comes to marketing, it's crucial to have someone inside your company, that knows the day-to-day processes, and can really connect the sales and marketing pieces together for success. Join our webinar with Heidi Ellsworth and Karen Edwards to learn how you can work with your office staff to develop and execute a winning marketing plan (digital and traditional) for your company. SPEAKERS Heidi Ellsworth and Karen Edwards have worked together in various roofing-oriented companies since 2006. They now collaborate on sales and marketing consulting focused on the construction field and specifically for roofing. Both are actively involved in RoofersCoffeeShop.com, Ellsworth as a partner and Edwards as the site’s editor. They also have their own consulting companies, HJE Consulting and Casimir Group LLC respectively. Ellsworth consults for National Roofing Contractors Association and also has an ongoing marketing column in Western Roofing Magazine since 2014. Edwards writes for numerous roofing publications, while also leading Roofing Technology Think Tank (RT3) communications and member engagement.

The latest numbers are in! It now costs Home Services companies $403.60 for each and every ‘issued’ lead they give to their salespeople. With an average closing ratio of about 33%, that means is costs $1210.80 for each SOLD lead. Yikes! This number is going up every year! So, What’s the Solution? Simply put, the best way to combat these out of control leads costs is to get MUCH BETTER at lead conversion. In this webinar, Tim Musch will detail each of the 5 sales you and your staff need to make to optimize lead conversion. Once identified, we’ll detail exactly what it takes to get much more efficient at each of those 5 sales you need to make. You'll learn: - The one painless thing you could do tomorrow that would drive 10-20% more profit to your bottom line - How you can immediately increase sales without generating more leads or increasing closing ratios - How to separate your company from ALL your competitors (this is key) - Specific strategies to turn your unsold leads into profitable business (huge) - Simple processes to easily create "lifetime" customers (repeat business)

In This Episode... Host: David Reed, VP of Sales at Surefire Local Guest: Danny Kerr, Managing Partner at Breakthrough Academy Inc. How does one go about professionalizing companies in an industry that’s traditionally—and still largely—unprofessional? Listen in on our host and special guest as they go deep into three areas that pose a big challenge to remodelers, both fledgling and decades-old: hiring, business planning and KPIs. Danny, whose personal success story is one for the books, talks about the value of constant problem-solving, of attracting the right kind of people to the right positions, and of balancing “getting shit done” and “thinking through shit.” If you’re one of the many business owners struggling with the shift from working IN your company to working ON it, this is one episode you don’t want to miss. “[Go] from being a boss who’s telling people what to do all the time to being a coach who helps someone meet their goals.” —Danny Kerr

The Google Masterclass Series is a free online workshop with 4 sessions to help you market your business on Google and get found by homeowners in your local area who are searching for your services. The Google Masterclass will help you: - Incorporate the important search signals that Google looks for on your website - Leverage your Google My Business listing to appear on Google Maps in all of your service areas - Learn the exciting new Google Ads features that will help you get more qualified leads - Think about the best technologies that home contractors are using for their online marketing

Time is our most precious resource and you know full well how valuable time becomes when you’re managing a business. If you’ve ever found yourself stressed over not having enough time to accomplish all that you need to, this chat is for you. During this free online training, Mark G. Richardson walks you through the techniques and tools that'll make you more efficient at managing your time and running your home services business. This system has been developed and taught to business owners and home services contractors for the past 25 years. Some of the things you'll learn are: - The differences in being efficient vs. effective; and understanding proactive vs. reactive time - The essential steps to establish a time mastery system that empowers you to take control of your time - Time-Tested tactics you need to know to avoid common mistakes that cost you valuable time "Probably the most important time manage training seminar I have ever attended. I took this seminar early in my career and have used it throughout my professional life in a variety of roles. Mark's system is easy to implement into your daily workflow, and it will increase your productivity without adding more hours to your day." - Tim Burch, Vice President, Middleburg Office at BOWA

Learn 4 steps to create the ultimate lead generating Facebook and Instagram Ads Strategy for home services contractors. In this online workshop recording, learn how to get started, define your audiences, how to create a compelling ad, and how to ensure your business stays top of mind and gets seen online. You'll learn: Objective #1: Get in front of homeowners who are already on Facebook & Instagram and having conversations about your services Objective #2: Understand the different Facebook Ad and Instagram Ad types available and when to use which Objective #3: Building & defining your target audience to keep costs down with social advertising Objective #4: Designing your ad: what visuals to use, what words to use, and how to create a strong call to action Objective #5: Learn how the Facebook Pixel works and how to use it to increase your ad results

David Reed is back with a new episode of the Surefire Local podcast with special guest, Kyle Hoffman of Roofing & More, Inc. Tune in to hear Kyle’s personal success story and learn about the pivotal mindsets he needed to develop along the way. In This Episode... Host: David Reed, VP of Sales at Surefire Local Guest: Kyle Hoffman, President and Owner of Roofing & More, Inc. David and Kyle sit down to talk about the challenges of starting and running a successful company—both on a personal and a business level—and the many pivotal mindsets Kyle needed to develop along the way. This episode takes us through a number of key lessons, from mentorship and overcoming family tragedies to the key differences between a ‘contractor’ and a ‘businessman who owns a construction company.’

SMS texting has become the most popular method of communicating with prospects and customers. Did you know that over 96% of text messages are read within 3 minutes? Compare this with the fact that only 14% of people listen to their voicemails and less than 20% open emails that are not work-related, it's no wonder that text message marketing is on the rise. In this webinar, dive into the basics of SMS marketing and how it can apply to your business and your unique marketing campaigns. In the webinar, you'll learn: - Why your prospects and customers aren't reading emails or listening to voicemails...and why they will pay attention to your text messages - Understanding the basics of SMS messaging, including objective, offer types, etc. - How you can measure the success of your SMS marketing campaigns - What trends we see growing in home contractor industry in the next year Speakers: Mark Highbaugh Sr. - CEO and Chief Strategist at Marlimar Mobile Strategies Mark G. Richardson - Author, Speaker, Business Consultant in the Home Services Industry

Roller coasters can be fun and exciting…but they’re not so fun when they’re used to describe your business revenue. This webinar is for you if you've ever experienced the following: - You hurry up and bid a bunch of jobs to “Get some work,” but then you have to shift over to project manager mode to “Do the work” - But you have to keep your crews busy, so you find some work to bid and because you feel the pressure….you go LOWER ON THE BID THAN YOU’D LIKE to and get the job - Since there’s no pipeline of High Margin jobs, you don’t take any risks to grow the business because you need a ton of working capital in the bank. During this contractor training, you will learn: - Why is not having predictability a problem? - What the root causes of UN-Predictability are - The 5 steps to get your business to predictability

New data shows that 91% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal referral. And, one of the first things homeowners do when looking for a local home contracting business, is to search online and read their reviews. This online workshop will help you tackle the biggest challenges, myths, and opportunities home improvement contractors face as it relates to their online reputation and presence. Some of the things covered in the workshop are: - A simple plan for managing online reviews - Best practices for responding to negative and positive reviews - Tips and tools to increase your number of online reviews - Which review sites and channels to prioritize - Using online reviews in your online and offline marketing to close more business

Watch this online workshop to learn how you can use your website to more effectively engage online visitors and convert the right leads. Your website and it's search-ability can either make or break a sale. Today, homeowners are most often searching for a nearby home contracting business on their mobile phone or asking their smart speaker device. To help ensure your website appears in these searches across all devices, your website needs to have the correct "signals" built in that Google and other search engines can detect. Some of the things covered in this workshop are: - Best practices for building a website that ranks high in local online search - Mobile vs Desktop and how to optimize for each - Why WordPress is one of the best platforms for your website - Why it's absolutely necessary to OWN your website, not rent it - And much more!

Dominate your local search results and drive high-quality leads from Google — leads that convert to customers. During this free online webcast, Surefire Local's Director of Advertising, Meg Robinson will walk you through how home improvement contractors can get started with Google Ads and the many benefits it can have as you look to grow your business and reach homeowners in your local area. Some of the things you'll learn are: - Generate quality leads by targeting homeowners in your local area - Tailor your ads to an ever-growing mobile experience - The Do's and Don'ts of running local campaigns - How to set up the right tracking methods in the beginning so you're measuring performance

Thanks for listening to the Surefire Local podcast! One of the best things about getting to do what we do, is we get to work with contractors and have had the unique opportunity to talk with hundreds of very successful owners as well as meet some interesting partners that have developed some amazing systems and technology. Our goal with this podcast is to really give back to the contractor community, and with the help of some of these thought leaders and experts, help guide you on the next chapter of your business. In this episode… Host: David Reed, Surefire Local’s VP of Sales Guest: Ryan Groth from the Sales Transformation Group Their talk transcends just sales and marketing and touches on the importance of family and how family can influence you in ways never thought imaginable before. From making it to Major League Baseball to helping grow a roofing contracting company to a $50 million dollar company, Ryan and David talk about life lessons and how to think about sales procedures and processes that really hit home. This episode’s transcription is available on Otter.ai: https://otter.ai/s/c9e9a103c5054bedb61339ee04218116

Watch the video recording from this webinar on the Surefire Local blog! https://www.surefirelocal.com/blog/2019/01/how-google-helps-home-improvement-contractors-use-ar-vr-technology-and-bigdata-tools-to-be-more-efficient/ Augmented and virtual reality is a growing trend in many industries, including the home services, HVAC, roofing, and remodeling industry. With the power of Google's technology, it may not be too far off that using these technologies will become common practice. Google Developer Expert, Noble Ackerson, is here to discuss just that in this online webinar. Noble shares practical tips for how home improvement contractors can incorporate augmented reality, virtual reality, and big data tools to be more efficient and accomplish more work.

Watch the webinar replay: https://www.surefirelocal.com/blog/2019/01/google-my-business-workshop-how-your-home-contracting-business-can-rank-higher-on-google/ Join us to explore how the top home improvement contractors are using Google My Business - a free and easy-to-use tool - to manage and improve their online presence across Google, including Search & Maps. During this workshop, you'll get hands-on training with the latest Google My Business features: - Control what information people see when they search for your business online - Message with prospects searching for your business directly on Google - Read & respond to reviews and share photos that represent your quality work - View insights on how customers find your business online - from search keywords to devices used - Publish relevant content using Posts & message in real-time with people who are searching for your business on Google

Join Mark G. Richardson to explore new changes in the home services market and how your business can prepare for a successful 2019. The difference between winning and losing in business often lies in making better predictions. If you can predict what clients will need or the impact of a changing economy, you will likely see even more success in the new year. Mark G. Richardson has had the opportunity to talk with some of the industry's best and has developed predictions for how to best position your business in 2019. We're excited to welcome him for a webinar to share his ideas and predictions. We're going to show you: - A look back to 2018 & how the industry performed - The mindset business owners should have to close more jobs and best practices to follow along the way - 9 important predictions for 2019

If you’ve ever wondered how to navigate the hectic aisles of an industry home show – or how to best represent your business and attract prospects to your booth – Hillary Berman (Owner of Popcorn & Ice Cream) has you covered. Join us to learn ways you can maximize your home show and community presence. This training covers: - Pre-Event – messaging, promotion and essential materials. - Main Event – how to separate yourself from the competition to attract booth attendees, engage and capture their contact info for follow-up. - Post-Event – see real ROI on the time and money you invest in events with tips to convert event leads into sales.

Talk to Yelp for tips and 3 proven steps to building an online review strategy and optimizing your Yelp business page! Does your home contracting company have a presence on Yelp? It may not be your favorite reviews site, but it is your customers' and having a complete Yelp listing is a great way to maximize your business's real estate on the search engine results page. We've invited an expert from Yelp to show us the best practices for completing your Yelp business page and to answer any of your questions about Yelp. You'll leave this webinar knowing: - How to establish a practice of managing your presence on review sites - How to claim and update information on your free Yelp business page - Making reviews a priority and how to respond as a business owner

Let's talk about reviews for a moment... ☝️ 88% of people trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. ✌️ When it comes to starting a home project, homeowners are turning to online reviews on Google, Facebook, Yelp and other sites more than ever before. So that begs the question…do you have a reviews and ratings plan in place at your company? If so, do you know if it's working? Get in touch: www.surefirelocal.com/contact-us/ Sign up for Surefire's online reviews strategy webinar: https://webinar.surefirelocal.com/contractor-webinar-online-reviews-with-a-yelp-expert/ Learn more at: https://www.surefirelocal.com/blog/2018/12/lets-talk-about-reviews/

Andy Donnelly of LP Building Products talks about LP Shed's donation to the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Cincinnati on the Gary Sullivan Radio Show. Listen now for more details on the donation, and LP Building Product's commitment to their communities.

Put aside your business for a minute (or an hour) to focus on you. The end of the year is the ideal time to step back and take inventory of your personal goals, strengths and weaknesses. Mark G. Richardson will share a process he's perfected over the past dozen years that can help you reach your personal goals, and in turn, your business goals...the same process he teaches to business owners across the country at industry events. Some of the things you'll learn are: - A highly effective process to establishing your priorities so you can focus on what matters most - Ways to gift yourself with more time by implementing Mark G. Richardson's proven time mastery system - How to identify your key opportunities for personal growth - Tools you can start using today to improve yourself and your processes - How to combine all of this to create your plan & start 2019 STRONG

Sing it with me...Wouldn't it be nice if you could wake up and see a steady flow of quality leads coming to your business from your online presence? Okay, maybe I'm remembering that song a bit differently. The point is, you want to claim as many online profiles as you can for your business so that when someone searches for you on Google, you own the results page. Your online presence is much more than just your website too. It's all the places online that your business information is found like Google My Business, Facebook, Nextdoor, YouTube, Houzz, and so on. That's the question we tackled in this latest webinar: Houzz for HVAC Dealers: How to Rock Your Houzz Profile. I am a Houzz Certified Marketer and Marketing Strategist here at Surefire and took a deep dive into Houzz and why it's an important part of your online presence. More specifically, she walks through: - The importance of having an online presence - How Houzz fits into that puzzle - What Houzz offers you as an Exterior Replacement Contractor -- [hint: It helps you get found in search for starters] - 4 steps to getting started and create an effective Houzz profile for your business - And 10 tips to help along the way

Sing it with me...Wouldn't it be nice if you could wake up and see a steady flow of quality leads coming to your business from your online presence? Okay, maybe I'm remembering that song a bit differently. The point is, you want to claim as many online profiles as you can for your business so that when someone searches for you on Google, you own the results page. Your online presence is much more than just your website too. It's all the places online that your business information is found like Google My Business, Facebook, Nextdoor, YouTube, Houzz, and so on. That's the question we tackled in this latest webinar: Houzz for Remodelers: How to Rock Your Houzz Profile. Michelle Lettmann (Houzz Certified Marketer and Marketing Strategist here at Surefire) took a deep dive into Houzz and why it's an important part of your online presence. More specifically, she walks through: - The importance of having an online presence - How Houzz fits into that puzzle - What Houzz offers you as a Remodeler -- [hint: It helps you get found in search for starters] - 4 steps to getting started and create an effective Houzz profile for your business - And 10 tips to help along the way