The Battle Plan Marketing Podcast

Today, we have a special guest on the podcast, Mickie Kennedy, Founder of the Public Relations firm, eReleases.com. For over 25 years, Mickie and his team have been helping small businesses gain effective media exposure.A true master of his craft, Mickie shares incredible insights on how to build your brand locally, gain valuable media exposure, and become the trusted source for local journalists and bloggers in your area.We also discussed the pitfalls of most online press release services and what to avoid when seeking media attention and valuable links to your brand and website.This episode provides excellent guidance on gaining effective media exposure to increase your local brand presence and search engine optimization the right way.Enjoy!Guest Website:http://www.ereleases.comFor more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Grow Sales Without Ads:https://plumber-dominance.com/reactivationBattle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsCapture - Book - Closehttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we have a special guest on the podcast, Joe Gunderson, Founder of 608 Plumbing in Viroqua Wisconsin.As a volunteer Fireman and local Plumbing & HVAC business owner in a rural area, Joe discusses the importance of community involvement and relationships in growing a business.As a Master Plumber for the local Union Joe eventually ventured out and started his company in 2019.He purchased a local HVAC service company in 2020 and has been growing both sectors ever since.We talked about how Joe puts customers, training, performance, and team building at the top of his success-building systems.Businesses are all about people and systems, give this episode a listen for more about building both.Enjoy!Guest Website:https://www.608plumbing.com/Business Success Tips Podcasthttps://contractorstaffingsource.com/podcast-webinar-links/For more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Grow Sales Without Ads:https://plumber-dominance.com/reactivationBattle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsCapture - Book - Closehttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we have a special guest on the podcast, Ray Snesrud, Founder and President of Water Heaters Now in the Twin Cities of Minnesota.After sub-contracting with builders for over 13 years Ray first tested and then changed his business model to the service sector with just two products, water heaters, and water softeners.He created super-efficient systems and changed the way he worked with his employees. He made them part of a team where everyone contributed to creating a better customer experience and a more efficient delivery system.He created a culture of pride, craftsmanship, quality, and superior customer service by sharing the financial successes of the company with training, performance pay, and profit sharing.As a result, he now has a long line of talent looking to work at his company.With over 800 five-star Google reviews and two locations in just six years, I’d say they’re doing it right over there.If you’re looking to improve the culture of your company and motivate your team to care as much or more than you do, then this episode is for you.Enjoy!Guest Website:https://www.waterheatersnow.com/Business Success Tips Podcasthttps://contractorstaffingsource.com/podcast-webinar-links/For more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Grow Sales Without Ads:https://plumber-dominance.com/reactivationBattle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsCapture - Book - Closehttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we have a special guest on the podcast, Paul Sanneman - Founder & President of Contractor Staffing Source.Paul and his talented team of 25 dedicated staff help over 200 contracting companies recruit A+ talent.Paul has over 40 years as a business coach and decided to help with their number one problem; hiring and retaining great talent.As an author, business owner, and podcast host, he offered up some excellent advice plus some mindsets to avoid.Dive and learn the 6 myths of hiring and best practices for recruiting that can take your company from seven figures to eight and nine.A great episode for everyone who hires talent to build their team.Enjoy!Guest Website:www.contractorstaffingsource.comBusiness Success Tips Podcasthttps://contractorstaffingsource.com/podcast-webinar-links/For more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Grow Sales Without Ads:https://plumber-dominance.com/reactivationBattle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsCapture - Book - Closehttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we have a special guest on the podcast, Carl Larkin, Founder of Trade Masters Online, Master Plumber, inventor of the Rattlesnake Pipe Tracer, and host & trainer of EPA 608 Certification training for HVAC.If you’re a plumber or work for a plumbing company, you don’t want to miss this episode.Carl’s Rattlesnake device turns leak detection and pipe re-routes into a fast, one-person job.We also talk a lot about slab leaks, water damage mitigation and restoration, and what plumbing work insurance companies might pay for.If you’ve got an HVAC team going, our discussion on EPA 608 Certification training may help you.Enjoy!Trade Masters Online Rattlesnake Toolhttps://trademastersonline.com/p/rattlesnakeEPA 608 Certification Traininghttps://trademastersonline.com/p/epa608Flow Expo, March 9, 2024 - Pomona CAhttps://flowexpousa.com/WWETT 24 Trade Show & Conference, Jan 25-27 Indianapolis INhttps://www.wwettshow.com/en/home.htmlFor more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Grow Sales Without Ads:https://plumber-dominance.com/reactivationBattle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsCapture - Book - Closehttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we have a special guest on the podcast, Susanne Mariga, CPA, CGMA, and Founder of The Mariga Group out of Houston, Texas.Susanne specializes in high net-worth tax strategies for 7 and 8-figure entrepreneurs using the very popular “Profit First” system developed by Mike Michalowicz.Susanne was a delight to speak with and shared lots of helpful info on how to transform from a company whose profits are what’s left over after deducting all of your expenses to one that makes profits very intentional and the first part of your pricing calculations.For companies that are seeking to take a serious analysis of your company’s financial strengths and weaknesses and how to improve their cash flow and profitability, we discussed how hiring a Fractional CFO may be the perfect prescription for optimal organizational health.No matter what business you’re in, its profitability, viability, and scalability are 100% dependent upon getting the math right. Fail at that, and your business fails no matter how hard you work and how great you take care of your customers. Start 2024 off with a dedication to getting the math right!This episode will give you some points to consider, enjoy!The Mariga Group Website:https://www.marigagroup.comFree Guide:How Do Your Operating Expenses Compare To Others In Your Industry? Find out with your FREE Profit Map here: https://www.profitmap.co Book: Profit First For Minority Business Enterprises by Susanne Mariga: https://www.amazon.com/Profit-First-Minority-Business-Enterprises/dp/1735775908/For more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Grow Sales Without Ads:https://plumber-dominance.com/reactivationBattle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsCapture - Book - Closehttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we have a special guest on the podcast, Ben Davis, Founder & President of Express Plumbing Heating & Air in Boise Idaho.After a severe health problem that nearly cost him his life, Ben retooled his company to make sure it could run without him and still take care of his family and his employees.Ben shared many words of wisdom with other operators. We discussed everything from training & building culture as the core of a business to marketing and making your company a star in your local community. Ever so humble and modest, Ben is a superstar that we all can learn from.I know I’m not supposed to have favorites, but I could have talked with Ben for days because he’s such a great human, has such a comfortable style, and is willing to share what made him successful.You do not want to miss this episode and stay to the end because it just gets better all the way up to the final sign-off.Enjoy!Guest Website:https://expressplumbingidaho.com/For more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Grow Sales Without Ads:https://plumber-dominance.com/reactivationBattle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsCapture - Book - Closehttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we have a special guest on the podcast, Matt DiBara, the 4th generation owner of DiBara Masonry and Founder of The Contractor Connection.Like most of you, Matt found the hiring and training of the team members to be one of the most difficult parts of running a home service business.Struggling to hire and train great technicians and other team members directly equates to a business struggling.Matt was losing business due to hiring issues so he dedicated himself to curing that single problem.Once he developed processes that consistently worked then his team and business started to flourish. Then business owner friends took notice and asked for his help.As a result, he created a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) course and a Done-For-You (DFY) service.We had a good conversation about the hiring process and some unique outside-the-box things they do to attract A+ players.Enjoy the episode!Guest Website:www.thecontractorconsultants.comFor more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Grow Sales Without Ads:https://plumber-dominance.com/reactivationBattle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsCapture - Book - Closehttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we have a special guest on the podcast, Stephen Rhyne, CEO of Conveyour.com.  Our previous episode featured the tool, WhoHire, which uses AI and behavioral data for the hiring process.  And it’s an awesome tool.This week’s episode brings an interview with a company that picks it up from there with automations for onboarding, training, and retaining those new hires.Conveyour.com’s Stephen Rhyne is a down-to-earth smart guy who has built efficiency systems for large enterprise companies and now brings that talent to small service businesses.We had a great conversation about the entire hiring process and how to find great employees.If hiring, onboarding, and training new team members is consuming too much of your daily life, then you’ll want to take a listen to this episode.Enjoy!Guest Website:https://conveyour.com/For more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Grow Sales Without Ads:https://plumber-dominance.com/reactivationBattle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsCapture - Book - Closehttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we have a special guest on the podcast, Jonathan Porter-Whistman, Co-Owner of Who Hire and international bestselling author of The Sales Boss.If you’re seeking proven solutions that make the hiring process both simpler and more effective in finding great people who fit your company culture, this episode is for you.Jonathan took the solutions of his other company, Perception Predict, which helps Enterprise companies improve their hiring process and results, and redeveloped them for the home services industry.We had a great conversation on why personality tests don’t quite get the job done, why hiring is so difficult, and how Artificial Intelligence and data science are now playing a major role in successfully recruiting and screening the best applicants for your open positions.Whether you’re seeking to hire technicians, salespeople, CSRs, or managers, Who Hire is a solution you should learn more about.There’s a ton of golden nuggets in this episode for any business owner.Enjoy!Guest Website:https://whohire.comFor more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Grow Sales Without Ads:https://plumber-dominance.com/reactivationBattle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsCapture - Book - Closehttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we have a special guest on the podcast, Brad Waldrop, General Manager and Co-Owner of Ward Plumbing, Heating, and Air in Western North Carolina.Ward PH&A has been in business since 1977 and Brad and his co-owners bought the company several years back and installed software, systems, training, marketing, and more that exponentially grew the business.This is a great conversation about taking a business from the stone age and bringing it into the modern world.We talked a lot about creating company culture, hiring great humans instead of great techs, and how training, leadership, and performance pay to develop a team where everyone is motivated and truly cares about every aspect of their customer’s experience. I have no doubt that you’ll wish this interview didn’t end. Brad openly shares all he learned along the way to success and how that knowledge can help your company.Guest Website:https://www.wardph.com/For more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Grow Sales Without Ads:https://plumber-dominance.com/reactivationBattle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsCapture - Book - Closehttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we have a special guest on the podcast, Al Fagundes, founder and owner of A. Fagundes Plumbing & Heating is located in NE Massachusetts.Al’s been in business for over 17 years and started as the sole technician and a single truck to now having a team of over 30 people and 17 technicians.We touched on how he grew the business from just himself to now hiring a General Manager to take over the day-to-day and free him up to look at the bigger picture and future growth strategies.Al shared his insights on training, systems, and software, as well as what’s working for them in marketing and advertising.I was impressed with how he’s pivoted his company to be on the leading edge of marketing systems and platforms and where he’s investing his time, money, and energy to grow his business.We’re sure you’ll get some golden nuggets from this interview to help your business, enjoy!Guest Websites:www.afphpro.comFor more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Grow Sales Without Ads:https://plumber-dominance.com/reactivationBattle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsCapture - Book - Closehttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we have two special guests on the podcast who help home service companies increase their booking rates with professional answering services and virtual assistants.Nikki and John DeCausmaker are the owners of Your Call Boss.John is a super-polished operator who is dedicated to helping his team succeed.We had a great discussion on the importance of answering your phone, capturing more leads, booking more jobs, and reducing wasted advertising and lead costs.We met at the Flow Expo trade show for plumbers in Pomona CA early this year and we’re delighted they came on our show to share this super important topic with our listeners. We’re sure you’ll get some valuable info from this interview, enjoy!Guest Websites:www.yourcallboss.comFor more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Grow Sales Without Ads:https://plumber-dominance.com/reactivationBattle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsCapture - Book - Closehttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we have a special guest on the podcast who is crushing it in the Denver CO area.Levi Torres, Founder & Owner of High 5 Plumbing, with 3 locations in Denver, Littleton, and Golden Colorado areas.Levi is a super-polished operator who is dedicated to helping his team succeed.He has created one of the most dialed-in operations I’ve discussed to date.Levi shares his unique and smart approach to networking and how he’s implemented it into his business.His wife and he are dedicated to helping non-profits in their community and they’ve brilliantly made it an integral part of their core company values and actions.We had a great discussion about the importance of branding, dedication to training, the mentors who helped him dial it all in, and how he’s grown from one to three locations.You don’t want to miss this episode, Levi and his team do some unique things every company should consider implementing.Create a great day!Guest Websites:www.high5plumbing.com@High5PlumbingDenverFor more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Grow Sales Without Ads:https://plumber-dominance.com/reactivationBattle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsCapture - Book - Closehttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we are super-honored to have a special guest on the podcast who is an absolute legend in the home service industry.Tommy Mello, Founder & Owner of A1 Garage Door Service, with 32 locations in 22 states and doing 9 figures in annual revenues with some 700+ employees.He’s also an Amazon best-selling author of the book “Home Service Millionaire” and now he’s got a new book out titled “Elevate” to help business owners build a business where everyone wins.He’s also the host of the hugely popular podcast, Home Service Expert. If you’re not already subscribed I highly recommend it - I’ve learned a ton just listening to him and his guests.We had a great discussion on what it takes to build a winning business for everyone, how to scale, and what he looks for in takeover targets.Tommy recently sold part of his company to a Private Equity firm and we talked about that too.If you listen to only one of our podcasts, make sure it’s this one. I guarantee you’ll come away with the knowledge to be a better operator for it.Enjoy!Guest Websites:https://a1garage.com/https://www.youtube.com/@homeserviceexpert7029For more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Battle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsCapture - Book - Closehttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we’ve got a special guest on the podcast, Chris Lalomia, founder and owner of The Trusted Toolbox out of the Atlanta Georgia metro area.Chris left a high-paying corporate career in the middle of a deep recession in 2008 and started a bathroom and kitchen remodeling company in the Atlanta metro area and has been crushing it ever since.With nearly 800 reviews on Google & Facebook and a 4.7 average rating, it will be no surprise to see Chris has got his systems and training dialed in.We had a great discussion on marketing, training, quality control, software systems, local trade associations, and developing his team and department managers.He also founded and runs The Home Service Institute which provides excellent customer service training for home service companies.Chris took his managerial knowledge and skills from the corporate world and successfully applied them to the home services industry.I thoroughly enjoyed the talk and am sure you’ll find some golden nuggets in there for your company.Guest Website:www.thetrustedtoolbox.comwww.thehomeserviceinstitute.comFor more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Battle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsCapture - Book - Closehttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we’ve got a special guest on the podcast, Chris Henningsen, founder and owner of Gator Garage Door with two locations in the Austin TX area.With over 1200 five-star reviews on Google and Yelp it will be no surprise to see Chris has got his business dialed in nicely.Chris freely shares what’s been working to grow his company and what hasn’t.We discuss finding great referral sources, tech training, software, SOPs, and more.We dive into marketing for two locations and how well radio ads are working for them.Towards the end, we talk about his two potential end-game goals.This was a great discussion and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.Guest Website:https://www.gatorgaragedoorrepair.com/For more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Battle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsCapture - Book - Closehttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we’ve got a special guest on the podcast, Ryan Lucia, the founder and owner of Aaron Garage Door out of Atlanta GA.Ryan’s built an impressive three-location high-end garage door installation and repair company since 2018.They specialize in beautiful glass garage doors for the upscale, executive home market.They also do extensive work in the commercial space.His path from the world of software to home services is super interesting.We had a great discussion on everything from networking to training, scaling, and selling to private equity.You don’t want to miss this one!Enjoy!Guest Website:https://aaronoverheaddoors.com/For more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Battle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsAnalysis - Strategy - Growthhttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we’ve got a special guest on the podcast, Chris Crew, the President of The Blue Collar Success Group.Chris discussed how their training company helps contractors build great businesses, get out of the field, work ON instead of IN their business, and more.I need more of that myself!The Blue Collar Success Group specializes in helping home service contractors learn how to build their company with professional, live, web-based training.The company’s founder Kenny Chapman, started, scaled, and sold a multi-million dollar plumbing company.Our guest Chris did the same himself with an electrical service company.These guys know their business and I was thoroughly impressed with the depth of their knowledge and the training systems they’ve put together. Their social proof shows it too.We also discussed selling to private equity firms, which was interesting.If you’re looking to fine-tune your service business to grow more while you work smarter instead of harder, we’re sure you’ll enjoy this episode.Guest Website:www.thebluecollarsuccessgroup.comFor more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Battle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsAnalysis - Strategy - Growthhttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing

Today we’ve got a special guest on the podcast, Tom Howard, the VP of Customer Experience at Service Titan and owner of six home service companies with annual sales over $60M.Tom has built, bought, and sold several home service companies in the HVAC, plumbing, and pest control industries. His businesses are in Arizona, California, and Nevada.We discussed systems, software, marketing, branding, accounting, and more.He shared how he finds and trains General Managers to run the day-to-day operations and oversees six businesses in multiple states.Tom has sold companies to private equity firms and shared his knowledge of what they look for in a purchase acquisition.I wish I had several more hours to pick his brain. He’s got a depth of knowledge and skill we barely touched the surface on.If you want or have wondered how to prepare your company for the sale or to grow it as big as possible in your local market, this is one episode you won’t want to miss.Enjoy!Guest Website & Email:www.leesair.comthoward@servicetitan.comFor more podcast episodes, visitwww.battleplan-marketing.com/podcast/Battle Plan Marketing®Next-Level Marketing for ContractorsAnalysis - Strategy - Growthhttps://battleplan-marketing.com/LinkedInhttps://linkedin.com/company/battleplan-marketing