What Marketing SHOULD Look Like at $1M $5M and $10M

📅 March 12, 2026 ⏱️ 49:20 🎤 John Wilson, Ethan Wright

Chapters

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0:00

Marketing Stages Overview

John and Ethan introduce the episode's focus on marketing strategies for businesses at $1M, $5M, and $10M revenue levels.
1:24

1 Million Dollar Marketing

At the $1 million stage, the primary focus is simply on generating leads, with most marketing spend directed towards filling the job board and hiring more technicians.
2:13

Scrappy Lead Generation

Ethan suggests leveraging Google Local Service Ads, aggregators like Thumbtack and Angie's List, and prioritizing customer reviews over branding at the initial growth stage.
3:05

Avoiding Early Marketing Hires

The hosts advise against hiring full-time marketing personnel too early, as a good agency can provide more value and expertise for the investment at this stage.
4:02

5 Million Dollar Marketing

At $5 million, the strategy involves optimizing existing successful lead generation methods, introducing pay-per-click ads, and developing a real SEO strategy.
5:05

Leveraging Customer Lists

This stage emphasizes the importance of utilizing existing customer lists for outbounding and retargeting, which offers high ROI.
6:32

10 Million Dollar Marketing

At $10 million, the business has a well-oiled machine, with dialed-in tracking and attribution, a strong focus on lifecycle marketing, and the potential for a strategic in-house marketing hire.
7:57

Brand and Growth

At this level, the brand naturally strengthens, leading to lower customer acquisition costs, reinforcing the 'bigger you get, the bigger you get' principle in home services.

Speakers

John Wilson

Host — CEO of Wilson Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electric

Ethan Wright

Service Scalers

Key Takeaways

✦

At $1 million, prioritize direct lead generation through Google Local Service Ads (LSA) and aggregators. Avoid expensive brand advertising like billboards or radio ads.

✦

Implement speed-to-lead technology immediately. Rapid response to inquiries from platforms like LSA and aggregators significantly increases booking rates.

✦

Actively solicit customer reviews, especially on your Google Business Profile (GBP). Owner involvement in review requests can yield higher response rates and build trust.

✦

Test all available aggregators in your market (Thumbtack, Yelp, Angie's List). Don't dismiss them without a robust follow-up process, including multiple call attempts and quick texting.

✦

Address pricing issues. If you can't afford leads, reassess your pricing structure. Higher average tickets and gross margins allow you to outbid competitors for quality leads.

✦

Utilize your existing customer list for outbound calls and win-back campaigns. Commissioning call center staff for booked jobs can turn this into a highly effective and self-sustaining lead channel.

✦

At $5 million, consider introducing Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads for highly targeted campaigns that showcase your unique selling propositions, complementing your LSA and aggregator efforts.

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