Building Momentum

AI is no longer a future trend. It is actively shaping how buyers make decisions today.

In this episode, Ryan Kovach and Perryn Olson break down a major new statistic from SEMrush: 50% of buyers now use AI in their research before making a purchase. Even more impactful, nearly 70% expect AI to play a bigger role moving forward.

This isn’t a slow shift like the early days of SEO or mobile traffic. It’s happening at an unprecedented speed. What took years for mobile adoption is happening in months with AI.

Ryan and Perryn explain why this matters for construction companies, trade contractors, and B2B businesses that traditionally rely on referrals, relationships, and bid opportunities. Even in referral-driven industries, buyers are validating decisions online, increasingly through AI platforms, before moving forward.

The conversation highlights how AI search differs from traditional Google search. Instead of broad, cluttered results filled with ads and sponsored content, AI delivers cleaner, more personalized answers based on detailed prompts. Buyers can now describe their exact needs and receive tailored recommendations, which significantly influences final decisions.

They also explore how small details can determine whether your company gets recommended. Two businesses may appear identical on the surface, but if one has stronger content, clearer positioning, or more relevant proof points, AI is more likely to surface that company as the better fit.

A key takeaway from this episode is that AI is not replacing SEO; it is building on top of it. Strong websites, consistent content, social proof, and brand authority all play a critical role in how AI evaluates and recommends businesses.

Ryan and Perryn also discuss a less obvious but powerful impact of AI: it doesn’t just generate new opportunities, it can protect existing ones. Buyers are increasingly using AI to evaluate current vendors, compare alternatives, and validate whether they should continue working with a company. If your brand presence is weak, AI may not recommend you at all. If it’s strong, it can reinforce trust and keep clients from switching.

The conversation covers:

• The rise of AI-driven buying behavior and what it means for businesses

• Key insights from SEMrush data on AI and purchasing decisions

• How AI search differs from traditional Google search

• Why SEO still matters in an AI-driven world

• How detailed prompts lead to more qualified leads

• The role of content, authority, and social proof in AI recommendations

• How AI can influence both new business and existing client retention

• Why referral-based businesses still need strong digital visibility

• The importance of niche positioning in AI search results

• Challenges internal teams face in keeping up with AI optimization

One of the most important ideas from this episode is simple: if your business is not visible in AI-driven search, you are already being excluded from a growing portion of buying decisions.

Key Takeaways:

• 50% of buyers are already using AI in their decision-making process

• AI adoption is accelerating faster than previous digital shifts

• Strong SEO and content foundations are essential for AI visibility

• AI delivers more personalized and higher-quality recommendations

• Small differentiators can determine whether your company is recommended

• AI can both generate new leads and protect existing client relationships

• Referral-based businesses are still heavily influenced by online validation

• Niche positioning improves your chances of being surfaced by AI

• Early adopters will gain a long-term competitive advantage

Follow AltCMO for more construction marketing insights

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altcmo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/altcmo/

Blog: https://altcmo.net/blog/

Connect with Ryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/c-r-kovach/

Connect with Perryn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perryn/

Most construction companies approach marketing reactively. A storm hits, a major project gets announced, or a conference begins, and only then do contractors start thinking about how to promote themselves. By that time, the opportunity had already started to pass.

In this episode, Ryan Kovach and Perryn Olson discuss a different mindset: building proactive marketing campaigns that are ready before the opportunity even appears.

The conversation begins with a real-world example of a roofing contractor preparing an entire marketing campaign in anticipation of a potential hailstorm. The campaign may never run, but if a storm does occur, the client is ready to deploy immediately. Digital ads, targeted outreach, and even direct mail campaigns are already planned. Instead of scrambling to react after the damage occurs, the company can activate a full marketing strategy within hours.

Ryan and Perryn explain why this type of preparation is uncommon. Many companies build campaigns only after something happens, leaving them already behind competitors who have prepared in advance.

The discussion then expands beyond natural disasters into other creative ways businesses can run proactive marketing campaigns. One example includes targeting major construction projects by purchasing search ads around the project name. When people search for information about that project, your company appears, creating brand visibility even if you are not directly involved in the build.

They also explore marketing opportunities around conferences and industry events. Through geofencing, targeted advertising, and strategic outdoor placements near convention centers or airports, companies can capture their ideal audience's attention during key industry moments.

Another major theme in this episode is the untapped potential inside a company’s own CRM. Many contractors collect thousands of contacts through door knocking, proposals, or past inquiries, but rarely use that data strategically. Ryan and Perryn explain how remarketing, follow-ups, and preemptive communication campaigns can turn existing contacts into a powerful source of new business.

The conversation also highlights the importance of bold marketing. Too many companies play it safe, often resulting in messaging that blends in. Ryan and Perryn discuss how brands that confidently highlight industry pain points, contrast themselves against common failures, and communicate clear differentiation are far more memorable in crowded markets.

Throughout the episode, they challenge business owners to stop thinking of marketing as a reactive response to events and start building campaigns that anticipate opportunities before they happen.

The conversation covers

• Proactive marketing campaigns for storms, disasters, and seasonal events

• How to prepare advertising campaigns before opportunities arise

• Using project-specific keywords to capture search traffic

• Marketing strategies around industry conferences and events

• The power of geofencing and targeted location-based ads

• Why most contractors underutilize their CRM data

• Turning past prospects and leads into future opportunities

• Remarketing strategies that keep your brand top of mind

• The importance of bold messaging in competitive industries

• How proactive marketing creates long-term brand visibility

One of the core ideas from this episode is simple but powerful: the companies that win are rarely the ones reacting the fastest. They are the ones who prepared long before the opportunity arrived.

If you are a construction leader, contractor, or business owner looking to improve your marketing strategy, this episode explores how proactive thinking and alternative campaign ideas can create a major competitive advantage.

Many construction companies start the same way: one rainmaker founder whose relationships, reputation, and hustle bring in all the work.

But what happens when that founder steps away?

In this episode, Ryan Kovach and Perryn Olson unpack one of the biggest challenges in construction businesses today: transitioning from founder-led sales to a scalable team-driven system built on sales processes, marketing infrastructure, and brand authority.

Many companies unknowingly build a ceiling into their growth because everything flows through the owner. When the founder retires, the company often becomes difficult to scale, sell, or even sustain.

Ryan and Perryn discuss how leaders can begin transforming their company from a personality-driven business into a systems-driven organization. The conversation explores how companies that invest in systems, branding, and digital visibility become far more attractive to buyers, employees, and future leadership. Strong domain authority, SEO visibility, and brand recognition don’t just generate leads; they directly increase company valuation and improve talent acquisition.

They also highlight a growing shift in workforce expectations. Today’s skilled professionals research companies before joining them. A strong brand, culture, and digital presence signal stability, opportunity, and long-term growth, while founder-dependent companies often struggle to attract top talent, forcing them to pay more to hire talent.

The episode also delves into the mindset shift leaders must make to scale beyond themselves. Instead of being the single rainmaker, founders must learn to build teams, delegate responsibility, and create systems that multiply their impact.

The conversation covers:

• Founder-led sales and the risks of relationship-dependent companies

• Why many construction companies hit a growth ceiling

• How CRM systems help institutionalize client relationships

• Transitioning from individual rainmakers to team sales structures

• Why marketing is often the missing system in construction companies

• How brand visibility impacts company valuation in acquisitions

• The role of SEO, domain authority, and digital presence in M&A

• Why strong brands attract better talent and improve retention

• How companies can begin building sales and marketing infrastructure

• The difference between lifestyle businesses and scalable companies

They also challenge leaders to ask a simple but powerful question: If you stepped away for four weeks, would your company keep running, or would everything stop?

The answer often reveals whether a business is truly scalable or still dependent on one person.

If you’re a construction founder, executive, or leader thinking about growth, succession planning, or long-term company value, this episode breaks down the systems and mindset shifts needed to transition from a founder-driven company to a scalable organization.

Key Takeaways:

• Founder-led companies often hit a natural growth ceiling

• Documenting relationships in CRM systems is critical for scale

• Sales and marketing systems increase company valuation

• Digital visibility strengthens both sales pipelines and hiring

• Brand authority compounds over time

• Strong brands attract better employees and partners

• Systems allow founders to step back without risking operations

Follow AltCMO for more construction marketing insights:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altcmo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/altcmo/

Blog: https://altcmo.net/blog/

Connect with Ryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/c-r-kovach/

Connect with Perryn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perryn/

“What should our marketing budget be?”

It’s one of the most common questions construction leaders ask, and one of the hardest to answer.

In this episode, Ryan Kovach and Perryn Olson break down real benchmarks from the AEC industry and explain why percentages alone don’t tell the full story. From 5–6% of net service revenue for typical AEC firms to 7–10% for high-growth companies, the numbers vary widely depending on margins, goals, and market position.

But the real question isn’t just “What should we spend?” It’s “What happens if your competitor is spending double?”

They unpack the difference between maintaining position and fueling growth, and why a 2% marketing investment can dramatically outperform 1% when executed strategically. Visibility compounds. Authority compounds. Talent pipelines compound.

The conversation covers:

• Industry benchmarks from Zweig, Gartner, and SMPS

• The difference between maintenance budgets and growth budgets

• Why GCs and trade contractors have very different margin realities

• How to separate marketing from business development spending

• Why events, sponsorships, and swag are not pure marketing

• How stronger marketing improves talent acquisition

• Why recruiters, temp agencies, and job boards inflate hidden costs

• How to renegotiate staffing costs using marketing authority

• The impact of focus, ideal client profiles, and message clarity

• How to reverse engineer your marketing budget from revenue targets

They also challenge leaders to rethink budgeting entirely. Instead of starting with a percentage, start with revenue goals. Define how many qualified leads you need each month, then determine how marketing and sales share ownership of that number.

From cutting underperforming spend to reallocating dollars into digital visibility, this episode reframes marketing not as an expense, but as a revenue and talent engine.

If you are a contractor, executive, or marketer trying to balance growth, margins, and hiring, this episode will help you think more strategically about where your marketing dollars actually go.

Key Takeaways:

• 5–6% may maintain position, but growth often requires more

• Marketing and business development budgets must be separated

• Visibility compounds over time and fuels both sales and hiring

• Talent acquisition is marketing, not just HR

• Focused positioning outperforms generic messaging

• Revenue targets should determine marketing investment

• Strategic reallocation often beats simply increasing budget

Connect with AltCMO and Learn More

Follow AltCMO for more construction-focused marketing insights:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altcmo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/altcmo/

Blog: https://altcmo.net/blog/

Connect with Ryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/c-r-kovach/

Connect with Perryn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perryn/

You might be wasting 30–50% of your Google Ads budget and not even know it.

In this episode, Ryan Kovach and Perryn Olson break down two of the most overlooked and most expensive gaps in paid search: negative keywords and click fraud protection.

Too many PPC campaigns are set up once and left alone. Budgets get maxed out every month. Click numbers look strong. But when you dig deeper, a large percentage of that spend may be going to bots, competitors, out-of-market clicks, or searches that were never qualified to begin with.

They unpack a real-world example of a contractor spending $100,000 per month on Google Ads. After installing click fraud software and properly building out negative keywords, ad spend dropped to $60,000 without losing lead volume.

That’s a $40,000 monthly savings with the same business output.

The conversation covers:

• What click fraud actually is (bots, competitors, VPN abuse, foreign traffic)

• Why Google doesn’t fully eliminate fraudulent clicks

• How click fraud software protects your ad budget

• What negative keywords are and why they must be constantly updated

• How broad keywords quietly drain commercial contractors’ budgets

• Why residential searches can crush commercial-only campaigns

• How geography settings can waste thousands overnight

• The broken PPC model of percentage-based ad management

• How AI is improving keyword refinement and filtering

• Why most construction marketers don’t even know this problem exists

They also explain the dangerous math behind PPC. If only 4,000 real people are searching, but you’re paying for 10,000 clicks, where did the extra 6,000 clicks come from?

From commercial roofers accidentally paying for residential leads to HVAC contractors getting clicks for car AC repairs, this episode exposes how easily ad budgets get burned.

If you’re running paid search campaigns, especially in construction, mechanical, electrical, roofing, or specialty trades, this episode could immediately save you money.

Key Takeaways:

• Click fraud can silently eat 30–50% of your ad budget

• Negative keywords must be actively managed, not set once

• Geographic targeting mistakes are common and expensive

• Commercial contractors must aggressively filter residential searches

• Flat-fee PPC management reduces incentive misalignment

• AI can accelerate keyword refinement, but still needs human oversight

• Lower ad spend with the same leads is the real win

Connect with AltCMO and Learn More

Follow AltCMO for more construction-focused marketing insights:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altcmo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/altcmo/

Blog: https://altcmo.net/blog/

Connect with Ryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/c-r-kovach/

Connect with Perryn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perryn/

Website traffic is down. Revenue is up.

How does that make sense?

In this episode, Ryan Kovach and Perryn Olson unpack a major shift happening in digital marketing: why less traffic can actually mean better results.

With AI summaries reducing clicks and search behavior evolving, many companies are panicking over declining website visits. But as they explain, traffic alone is a vanity metric. What actually matters is attracting the right audience, your Ideal Client Profile (ICP), and eliminating the wrong one.

They break down the real-world example of HubSpot’s reported traffic drop while revenue increased, and why that same principle applies directly to contractors, engineers, and AEC firms. From toxic backlinks and spam scores to outdated content and misaligned keywords, they explain how websites quietly attract the wrong prospects and waste your time.

The conversation covers:

• Why AI overviews are reducing clicks but not necessarily reducing revenue

• How high traffic can hide low-quality leads

• Why auditing old blog content can increase profitability

• The danger of generic positioning for contractors

• How negative keywords in Google Ads save money and improve lead quality

• Why toxic backlinks and spam scores damage credibility

• How domain history can tank performance after a rebrand

• Why long-tail keywords convert better than broad searches

• How to use AI tools to test your digital perception

• The difference between vanity metrics and profit-driving metrics

  
  

They also challenge a common fear: “Our traffic dropped.” Sometimes that drop means you finally eliminated the 16,000 wrong visitors and kept the 4,000 right ones.

From industrial contractors filtering out residential leads to firms accidentally ranking for “drug testing” instead of building labs, this episode reframes SEO as a precision tool, not a volume game.

If you are a contractor, executive, or marketer in the AEC space, this episode will help you shift from chasing traffic to driving revenue.

Key Takeaways:

• Traffic volume is not the same as business growth

• AI search is filtering low-intent clicks

• Quality leads outperform high-traffic websites 

• Negative keywords prevent wasted ad spend

• Toxic backlinks and malware can distort performance

• Your website must clearly reflect your ICP

• Less traffic with higher conversion is the win

Connect with AltCMO and Learn More

Follow AltCMO for more construction-focused marketing insights:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altcmo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/altcmo/

Blog: https://altcmo.net/blog/

Connect with Ryan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/c-r-kovach/

Connect with Perryn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perryn/

Most construction companies treat their career page like a digital job board: list the openings, paste a generic job description, and hope someone applies.That approach is outdated.In this episode, Ryan Kovach and Perryn Olson break down what it actually takes to build a career page that converts, not just collects resumes. Coming off their presentation at the SMPS Southern Regional Conference in San Antonio, they unpack why your website is your first interview, how spouses often influence job decisions, and why shortening your application could dramatically increase qualified applicants.They challenge the idea that “we get plenty of applicants” and instead focus on attracting A-players, the kind of talent that elevates culture, drives growth, and expects excellence from the companies they join.The conversation covers:- Why mediocre career pages attract mediocre talent- How bounce rates are an easy indicator of poor performing career pages- How long, clunky applications silently kill conversions- Why nurturing rejected candidates builds a powerful future talent bench- The difference between inbound applicants and low-performing outbound recruiting blasts- How storytelling frameworks like StoryBrand can transform boring job descriptions into compelling invitations- Why culture transparency, including core values, leadership style, safety standards, and project quality, filters the right people in and the wrong people outThey also explore a powerful mindset shift: The applicant who is not a fit today could be your rockstar hire in five years if you nurture them instead of discarding them.From DISC transparency to project galleries, safety pages, spouse-driven applications, and AI-assisted career storytelling, this episode reframes recruiting as a marketing discipline, not just an HR function.If you are a contractor, executive, marketer, or recruiter in construction, this episode will challenge how you think about employer branding and show you how to reduce recruiting costs while building a stronger talent pipeline.Key Takeaways:- Your career page is your first interview; treat it like a conversion asset- Shorter applications increase completion rates and reduce bounce- A-players expect excellence, great digital presence is the baseline- Spouses often research construction companies, speak to them, too- Nurturing past applicants builds a long-term talent bench and lowers future recruiting spend- Culture clarity repels the wrong fit and attracts the right oneConnect with AltCMO and Learn MoreFollow AltCMO on social media to stay updated on industry insights and news:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altcmo/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/altcmo/Blog: https://altcmo.net/blog/Get in touch or learn more about our team:Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/c-r-kovach/ Connect with Perryn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perryn/

AI has flipped the script on recruiting in construction and the skilled trades. Candidates are now using tools like ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, and others as "super Google" to run hyper-targeted, sniper-style job searches-factoring in relocation, company size, revenue, specialization (e.g., data centers), and more-often bypassing job boards entirely.

Meanwhile, forward-thinking employers are leveraging AI to attract hidden talent, speed up response times, automate nurturing, ghostwrite thought leadership, and build long-term talent pipelines from existing applicants.

In this episode, Ryan Kovach and Perryn Olson break down real-world examples: senior estimators relocating, international applicants moving continents, candidates arriving ultra-prepared for interviews thanks to AI briefings, and why your website must now be the ultimate "source of truth" for AI-powered searches.

They also cover the flip side-how HR and marketing teams use AI for content repurposing, brand voice consistency, instant candidate engagement agents, FAQ generation, ATS mining for future hires, and turning overlooked applicants into a high-yield talent bench.

If you're in construction, trades, or talent acquisition, this episode reveals why ignoring AI in recruiting will cost you top talent-and how to get ahead before the labor shortage intensifies even further.

Key Takeaway:

- Candidates are using AI for precise, multi-criteria job searches (location + relocation + company age/size/revenue/specialization), creating "sniper" applications from outside your market

- Relocation is a massive untapped opportunity-AI surfaces motivated movers (spouse-driven, family needs, etc.) that traditional job boards miss

- Your website is now the "source of truth" for AI-ensure it reflects accurate details on projects, safety, culture, leadership, awards, and thought leadership, or you'll get filtered out

- AI briefings help candidates arrive over-prepared for interviews; unprepared applicants stand out negatively

- Response time is everything-AI agents can auto-respond, schedule interviews, and answer policy

Connect with AltCMO and Learn More

Follow AltCMO on social media to stay updated on industry insights and news:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altcmo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/altcmo/

Blog: https://altcmo.net/blog/

Get in touch or learn more about our team:

Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/c-r-kovach/ 

Connect with Perryn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perryn/

Hiring in construction and the skilled trades is no longer just an HR challenge; marketing should help HR recruit your future employees.

In this episode, Ryan Kovach and Perryn Olson dive deep into how digital marketing strategies can attract, nurture, and retain top talent in the construction and trades industry. From geofencing job sites and competitor locations to building long-term candidate pipelines, this conversation breaks down why recruitment and marketing must work together.

You will learn how companies are reducing their reliance on job boards and temp agencies, improving candidate experience, and building employer brands that act like magnets for skilled workers. The discussion also explores the role of thought leadership, AI tools, automation, and brand dominance in solving the growing labor shortage.

If you are a construction company owner, HR leader, recruiter, or marketer, this episode will change how you think about hiring in the next decade.

Key Takeaways:

1. Talent acquisition is a marketing responsibility, not just an HR task

2. Geofencing is a powerful tool for recruiting workers directly where they already are, such as job sites, supply houses, competitors, and community locations

3. Direct applicants are typically much higher quality than job board applicants and cost significantly less over time

4. Candidate experience matters; ghosting or generic rejection emails damage your employer brand

5. Nurturing candidates over months or years builds a reliable hiring pipeline and reduces future ad spend

6. Thought leadership content creates a halo effect that attracts both clients and future employees

7. Strong employer branding can significantly reduce dependence on staffing and temp agencies

8. AI tools can automate candidate communication, answer HR questions, and improve efficiency

9. Construction companies that invest early in recruitment marketing will gain a long-term competitive advantage

10. The skilled labor shortage will intensify even more over the next few years; waiting is not an option.

Connect with AltCMO and Learn More

Follow AltCMO on social media to stay updated on industry insights and news:

LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/altcmo/⁠

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/altcmo/⁠

Blog: ⁠https://altcmo.net/blog/⁠

Get in touch or learn more about our team:

Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/c-r-kovach/⁠ 

Connect with Perryn on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/perryn/⁠ 

The construction industry is in a critical phase, where attracting and retaining skilled talent is the largest challenge for a construction company’s long-term growth. With a large portion of the workforce approaching retirement and younger generations choosing different career paths, contractors must rethink how they position themselves as employers.

In this episode, we explore how construction companies can build a truly magnetic employer brand that attracts the right people, repels the wrong ones, and creates lasting loyalty within their teams. We discuss the real impact of workforce shortages, the loss of leadership experience, and why today’s hiring competition goes far beyond other contractors.

You will learn how culture, transparency, leadership visibility, and thought leadership directly influence recruitment and retention. We also uncover why vulnerability builds trust, how retention rates signal company strength, and why winning support at home can be just as important as winning talent on the job site.

This episode is essential listening for construction leaders, marketers, and HR professionals who want to future-proof their talent acquisition strategies and build a company people are proud to work for.

Key Takeaways

• Why the construction industry is facing a major talent and leadership shortage

• How a magnetic employer brand attracts the right people and filters out the wrong fit

• The role of transparency and vulnerability in building trust with employees

• Why leadership visibility and thought leadership matter more than ever

• How company culture directly impacts retention and long-term loyalty

• The importance of tracking and sharing good employee retention rates

• Why winning family support strengthens employee retention

• How differentiation helps your company stand out in a crowded market

Connect with AltCMO and Learn More

Follow AltCMO on social media to stay updated on industry insights and news:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altcmo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/altcmo/

Blog: https://altcmo.net/blog/

Get in touch or learn more about our team:

Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/c-r-kovach/ 

Connect with Perryn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perryn/