3 Marketing Pillars to Skyrocket Your Sales with Phil Risher | Business Success Tips Podcast #15

Are you ready to take your contracting business to the next level using the Marketing Pillars of success? In this episode of the Business Success Tips Podcast, Paul Sanneman, founder of Contractor Staffing Source, sits down with Phil Risher, owner of Phlash Consulting, to share proven strategies for scaling home service businesses across the U.S. and Canada. Whether you’re an HVAC contractor, remodeler, or any other home service professional, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you grow your sales, increase visibility, and maximize conversions.


1. The Three Marketing Pillars of a Winning Strategy

Phil Risher dives deep into the three Marketing Pillars that every home service business must master to achieve sustainable growth. These Marketing Pillars—VisibilityConversions, and Retargeting—form the foundation of a winning strategy for scaling your business.

  • 1. Visibility: The first of the Marketing Pillars, Visibility, is all about getting your business in front of the right local audience. This involves strategies like hyperlocal SEO, optimizing your Google My Business profile, and building strong B2B referral partnerships. By mastering this pillar, you ensure that potential customers can easily find you when they need your services. Increasing your visibility is the first step toward driving consistent, high-quality leads.
  • 2. Conversions: The second Marketing Pillar, Conversions, focuses on turning website visitors into paying customers. Phil emphasizes the importance of using tools like chat widgetsestimate calculators, and streamlined lead management systems. These tools not only enhance the user experience but also significantly boost your conversion rates, helping you close more deals. By optimizing this pillar, you ensure that your visibility efforts translate into tangible results.
  • 3. Retargeting: The third Marketing Pillar, Retargeting, is all about staying top of mind with past clients. Through strategic follow-ups like email newsletters and text message marketing, you can maintain strong relationships with your customers. This ensures repeat business, cross-sell opportunities, and a steady stream of referrals, which are essential for long-term success. Retargeting completes the cycle of the Marketing Pillars, ensuring that your customers remain engaged and loyal.
  • By mastering these Marketing Pillars, you can create a seamless customer journey—from attracting local customers to converting them into leads and retaining them for life. Start implementing these strategies today to unlock the full potential of your home service business.

2. The Power of Referral Partnerships: A Key Marketing Pillar

One of the most underutilized yet highly effective strategies in the contracting industry is building B2B referral partnerships—a critical component of the Marketing Pillars framework. Phil Risher explains how partnering with complementary businesses—like electricians, HVAC technicians, and plumbers—can create a steady stream of warm, high-quality leads.

By establishing a simple yet strategic referral program, you can tap into a network of trusted professionals who will consistently send business your way. This not only strengthens your local reputation but also aligns perfectly with the Visibility and Retargeting pillars of your marketing strategy. Referral partnerships ensure that your business remains top of mind within your industry, driving consistent growth and fostering long-term relationships.

3. Conversion Optimization: A Core Marketing Pillar for Growth

Is your website effectively converting visitors into leads? Phil Risher highlights Conversion Optimization as one of the essential Marketing Pillars for scaling your business. He explains how small yet impactful changes—like adding chat widgetsestimate calculators, and clear calls-to-action—can increase your conversion rate by 10-30%.

These tools are designed to remove friction for potential customers, making it easy and intuitive for them to take the next step. Whether it’s requesting a quote, scheduling a service, or simply reaching out for more information, a well-optimized website ensures that no lead slips through the cracks. By focusing on this critical pillar, you can transform casual visitors into loyal customers, driving both immediate revenue and long-term growth.

4. Retargeting: The Secret to Lifetime Customer Value

As Phil Risher puts it, “You can’t get lifetime value without a lifetime relationship.” This principle lies at the heart of the Retargeting Marketing Pillar, one of the three core Marketing Pillars essential for sustainable business growth. Retargeting strategies—such as email newsletterstext messages, and special offers—are designed to keep your business top of mind for past clients.

By staying connected with your audience, you not only drive repeat business but also encourage referrals, which are invaluable for building a loyal customer base. This pillar ensures that your customers don’t just think of you once—they think of you every time they need your services. When combined with the other Marketing Pillars—Visibility and Conversion Optimization—retargeting creates a powerful cycle of engagement, trust, and long-term profitability.

Why Listen to Phil Risher?

Phil Risher is a proven expert in scaling home service businesses, and his deep understanding of the Marketing Pillars has been the cornerstone of his success. After helping a 20-year-old, 3 million company grow to 3 million company grow to 5 million in just 24 months—and eventually sell to private equity—he took that winning blueprint and now helps other businesses achieve similar results.

Phil’s expertise lies in breaking down complex growth strategies into actionable steps, focusing on the three core Marketing Pillars: VisibilityConversion Optimization, and Retargeting. His insights have been featured on ForbesCNBCYahoo Finance, and The Wall Street Journal, solidifying his reputation as a trusted voice in the industry.

If you’re looking to transform your business by mastering these Marketing Pillars, Phil’s proven methods and real-world experience make him the ideal guide to help you succeed.

3 Actionable Strategies You Can Start Using Today

1. Boost Your Visibility

The foundation of any successful marketing strategy lies in the first of the Marketing Pillars: Visibility. To ensure your business stands out, focus on hyperlocal SEO to rank higher in local search results and attract customers in your area. Optimize your Google My Business profile with accurate information, photos, and customer reviews to build trust and credibility.

Additionally, build strong B2B partnerships with complementary businesses—like electricians, plumbers, or HVAC technicians—to create a network of referrals. These partnerships not only drive consistent, high-quality leads but also strengthen your presence in the local market. By mastering this pillar, you ensure your business is seen by the right audience at the right time.

2. Optimize for Conversions

Once your business is visible, the next step is to focus on the second Marketing Pillar: Conversion Optimization. Your website is often the first point of contact for potential customers, so it’s crucial to make it as user-friendly as possible. Add tools like chat widgets to provide instant support, estimate calculators to give quick quotes, and clear calls-to-action to guide visitors toward the next step.

These small but impactful changes remove friction from the customer journey, making it easier for visitors to become leads—and ultimately, paying customers. By optimizing for conversions, you ensure that your visibility efforts translate into tangible results.

3. Master Retargeting

The final Marketing Pillar is Retargeting, which focuses on nurturing relationships with past clients to drive repeat business and referrals. Stay connected with your audience through email newsletters and text messages, sharing valuable content, updates, and special promotions.

For example, offering exclusive discounts or seasonal deals can encourage past clients to return for additional services. Retargeting keeps your business top of mind, turning one-time customers into loyal advocates. By mastering this pillar, you not only increase customer lifetime value but also build a strong referral network that fuels long-term growth.


Don’t Miss Out on These Game-Changing Insights

This episode is a must-watch for any contractor looking to grow their business. From referral partnerships to conversion optimization and retargeting, Paul and Phil provide a clear roadmap to success by breaking down the essential Marketing Pillars. Tune in now to learn how to implement these strategies and start transforming your business today!

Watch the full episode here: 

YouTube player

Let’s Build Community and Winning Teams Together!

If you’re serious about growing your contracting business, it’s time to take action. Paul Sanneman and Phil Risher have the expertise and proven systems to help you master the Marketing Pillars and achieve lasting success. Whether you need help with staffing, marketing, or overall business strategy, they’ve got you covered.

📞 Contact Phil Risher (Phlash Consulting):

Ready to find your next great hire? Contact Contractor Staffing Source today and let us help you build a reliable, skilled team for your construction projects.

Navigating the complexities of recruitment in the construction industry doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With Contractor Staffing Source by your side, you can confidently tackle hiring challenges, avoid unnecessary setbacks like offer rescissions, and create a team that drives your projects forward.

For a more detailed understanding of how CSS can transform your recruitment process and ensure a perfect alignment with your company’s culture, visit our website at Contractor Staffing Source. Should you wish to have a direct conversation and tailor an approach suited to your unique needs, please reach out to Paul Sanneman. You can contact him at Contractor Staffing Source by phone at 858-727-0165 or email [email protected], or book a time to meet today to ensure a dedicated and personalized service.

For more insights and tips on contractor recruitment, continue to follow our blog at Contractor Staffing Source. Don’t forget, you can also gain further valuable industry insights by joining us on the Business Success Tips Podcast available here: YouTube: @BusinesSuccessTips

Let Contractor Staffing Source be your trusted partner in forging a stronger team, tailored to the unique culture of your construction company. Together, let’s build your future.

#ContractorRecruiting #RecruitmentStrategies #BusinessGrowth #MarketingStrategy #LeadGeneration #HVACBusiness #ContractorStaffingSource

Paul Sanneman
Founder & President


With over 40 years of experience, Paul has created several business coaching companies and consulted more than 400 construction companies. Contractor Staffing Source is the product of this experience and his most profound inspiration, as well as a solution to the most common issue his clients face; finding good people. Paul’s dedication to working with residential contractors stems from his belief that they are the most exciting and ethical business owners. He is passionate about helping them build successful teams so they can make more money in less time and have more FUN. Paul holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Education. He studied metaphysics as a post graduate and has facilitated and attended numerous seminars in personal growth and business success over the years. Check out Paul’s latest album with the Beach Road Band, Mostly for Kids.
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