Builder Spotlight:

Jason Radford's journey from startup to $4M in 6 yearsJason started Radford Building Company in 2020 (Raleigh-Durham, NC), got stuck at $2 million for 3 years, then broke through to $3M heading to $4M.

THE BREAKTHROUGH:- Hard personnel decisions (finally made them)- Started charging for pre-construction- Fixed-cost model with 3% accuracy- Website as #1 marketing asset

KEY LESSON - Charging for Estimates:Rick's story: Builder went from 3% to 9% net profit in 12 months just by charging more. "We were our own worst enemies—clients weren't fighting price."

JASON'S TWO-STEP PROCESS:1. Concept Agreement (signed, deposit, hour-limited drawings)2. Preliminary Building Agreement (selections before contract)Result: 3% delta from concept to final cost over 2 years.

NUMBERS:- Custom homes: $900K-$1.2M avg- Renovations: $180K-$250K avg

WISDOM:"Get comfortable with uncomfortable. That's where we gotta live."

Rick's observation: Young builders cut marketing in downturns. Veterans say "spend MORE, it's harder to get clients."

Preview for International Builders Show presentation (Orlando, February).

radfordbuildingcompany.combuilderleadconverter.com/contact-us/

#builderspotlight #customhomebuilder #constructionbusiness #builderleadconverter

Series finale—the part where most builders fall apart: converting captured leads into appointments.

Brutal reality: You can have perfect marketing, but if your follow-up sucks, none of it matters. Every lead either buys or dies.

KEY STATS:

• 80% of buyers choose first company that responds
• Respond in 5 minutes or your conversion tanks
• After 40 minutes, qualification chance drops 80%
• Only 20-40% of leads ready to talk in first 2 weeks
• Other 60-80% need long-term nurturing (sometimes 2-5 years)

WHAT WE COVER:

The Booking Campaign (2 Weeks)

• Multi-channel: email + AI text + sales calls
• Automated reminders reduce no-shows 70%
• Gather project details before call

Long-Term Nurturing (6 Months)

• Educational content positioning you as local expert
• When they're ready, you're top of mind

Referral Systems

• Past clients: quarterly contact minimum
• B2B partners: talk to 3-5 per week
• Referrals = highest ROI activity

AI Digital Assistants

• Works 24/7, never sick, never asks for raise
• 90-95% accuracy
• Multiple bots for different campaigns

Video Conversion Case Study

October (no video): 2 leads

January (with video): 24 booked appointments

Same event, same offer—just added video = 12X increase

Rick breaks down the entire conversion system from booking campaigns to AI integration to referral follow-up.

COMPLETE SERIES:

Part 1 - Branding & Offerings

Part 2 - Pipelines & Budget

Part 3 - Website Optimization

Part 4 - Lead Magnets & Referrals

Part 5 - Video & Paid Ads

Part 6 - Converting Leads (This Episode)

All episodes: builderleadconverter.com/podcast

ABOUT THE SHOW:

Conversations That Convert is for custom home builders, remodelers, and design-build companies. Rick's been in construction since 1988. Dru handles digital marketing. We give you systems, not theory.

Schedule a call: builderleadconverter.com/contact-us/

Free video: builderleadvideos.com

Follow us:

Instagram: @builderleadconverter

Facebook: Builder Lead Converter

LinkedIn: Builder Lead Converter

YouTube: @builderleadconverter

Google: Builder Lead Converter

"For my brothers and sisters in Christ, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Always."

#leadconversion #constructionmarketing #homebuildermarketing #salesfollowup #aiforbuilders #referralmarketing #videomarketing #builderleadconverter #conversationsthatconvert

Final episode of our 5-part marketing series, and we're talking about the stuff most builders want to start with—video and paid ads. But here's the thing: if parts 1-4 aren't solid, this stuff won't work no matter how much you spend.

We break down the 3 types of videos you actually need (awareness, lead generation, and conversion—they're all different), the truth about organic social media (it's not about going viral), and when to finally pull the trigger on paid advertising.

Real talk: Most ad agencies will treat you like a plumber or dentist. They don't understand 6-12 month sales cycles for $200K+ projects. You need someone who knows construction marketing specifically, or you'll burn through cash and quit before you see results.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Video Strategy

- Awareness videos = visibility (track reach and website visits, not likes)

- Lead gen videos = 20-60 seconds with ONE clear call to action

- Conversion videos = answer "why should I talk to you?"

- First 3-5 seconds determine if people keep watching

- Stop using the same video everywhere—they serve different purposes

Organic Social Media

- Post 3x per week minimum (consistency beats perfection)

- Show real people, real job sites, real faces—nobody wants staged photos

- Best platforms: Meta, YouTube, Google Business Profile, TikTok

- Boost one post weekly (pick the one with human element)

- It's NOT your top priority—fix your website and follow-up first

Paid Advertising Reality

- Budget minimum: $1,000/month per platform (Meta + Google = $2K/month)

- Testing period: 90 days minimum before judging results

- Commitment: 6 months of budget ready to go

- Lead in month 4 might not buy until month 12 (plan for this)

- Review monthly, make big moves quarterly

- Ad fatigue is real—test new creative every 90 days

Skip These for Premium Projects

- Angie, Thumbtack, Houzz Pro = waste for $50K+ projects

- They work fine for handyman services, not custom builds or high-end remodeling

- Put that budget into Google/Meta instead

What We Cover:

→ Why most builders are using the wrong video types

→ Metrics that matter vs vanity metrics (likes don't pay bills)

→ The secret to social media (hint: not about viral content)

→ When you're actually ready for paid ads (and when you're not)

→ The $1,000/month rule and why anything less is wasting money

→ How to avoid ad agencies that don't understand construction

PREVIOUS EPISODES:

Part 1 - Branding & Offerings

Part 2 - Pipelines & Budget

Part 3 - Website Optimization

Part 4 - Lead Magnets & Referrals

All episodes at: builderleadconverter.com/podcast

ABOUT THE SHOW:

Conversations That Convert is for custom home builders, remodelers, and design-build companies who are tired of generic marketing advice. Rick's been in construction since 1988—from carpenter to sales training to launching Builder Lead Converter in 2020. Dru runs digital marketing and knows what actually converts (not what sounds good in theory).

We focus on high-ticket projects with long sales cycles. No fluff, just strategies you can implement this week.

Want help building a marketing system that works for builders (not plumbers)? Schedule a call: builderleadconverter.com/schedule

Follow us:

Instagram: @builderleadconverter

Facebook: Builder Lead Converter

LinkedIn: Builder Lead Converter

"For my brothers and sisters in Christ, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Always."

#constructionmarketing #homebuildermarketing #videomarketing #paidads #leadgeneration #builderleadconverter

Master how to turn website visitors into qualified leads with proven lead magnets and referral systems.

In this episode of Conversations That Convert, Rick and Drew explore the second step of building a high-quality annual marketing plan: capturing leads. You'll discover what separates high-quality lead magnets from low-performing ones, how to systematize referrals, and why B2B partnerships are often overlooked but critical for sustainable growth.

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TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro: Capturing Leads

0:42 Welcome & Overview: From Attracting to Capturing​

1:47 The Foundation: Define Your Offer​

3:21 The Two Fs: Phone & Contact Forms​

4:40 Eliminate Spam: Two-Factor Authentication​

5:24 Live Chat Widgets and Appointment Booking​

5:41 White Papers, Planning Guides & Educational Content​

6:07 Interactive Tools (Design Libraries, Pricing Tools)​

6:22 Why Interactive Lead Magnets Convert Better​

8:51 Test & Measure: Which Lead Magnets Work Best​

9:31 Multiple Offers: Meet Leads Where They're At​

11:12 Outbound Referral Networks: Systematize Referrals​

11:36 Past Clients: Review Requests & Google Business Profile​

12:44 Business-to-Business (B2B) Referral Strategy​

13:06 Reaching Out: 20 Outreach Per Week to Partners​

14:24 When to Ask for Reviews (Contract & Completion)​

15:30 Avoid Review Spam: Request Strategy (10-20/week)​

16:28 Best Review Platforms: Google Business Profile & Houzz​

17:15 Offer Value First: How to Build B2B Relationships​

19:23 Position Yourself as an Industry Leader

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What you'll learn:

How to create interactive lead magnets that get higher conversion rates than static PDFs and downloads

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The "Two Fs" (Phone and Form) and why click-to-call is critical on mobile

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Why offering free estimates devalues your services before the relationship even starts

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How to build a systematic review request process that looks organic to Google (not spammy)

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The power of B2B referral networks with realtors, architects, and interior designers

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Why offering value first is the key to building trusted business partnerships

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How to track lead quality, conversion rates, and appointment bookings across different lead magnets

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This is the second pillar of your 2026 marketing plan: once you attract opportunities, capture them with irresistible offers and referral relationships.

Ready to build a systematic lead capture process? Schedule your strategy call using the link below.

#BuilderLeadConverter #ConversationsThatConvert #LeadGeneration #LeadMagnets #HomeBuilderMarketing #ConstructionMarketing

Simplify your 2026 marketing plan and turn your website into a true lead generator.In this episode of Conversations That Convert, Rick and Drew wrap up their three-part series on building a high-quality annual marketing plan for builders. This final part focuses on website strategy: content, images, video, layout, SEO/“GEO” for AI search, user experience, and free visibility channels that bring in high-intent leads.TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Intro: 3-Step Annual Marketing Plan (Part III)1:07 Series Overview: Attract → Capture → Convert2:24 Why Website Strategy Matters for 2026 & AI Search2:54 Written Content: Clarity, FAQs, and “Don’t Get Eliminated”6:47 Images: Real Projects, Quality, and Load Speed11:28 Video: Humanizing Your Brand and Above-the-Fold Use16:18 Lead-Centric vs Builder-Centric Website Format20:28 Optimizing for Search (SEO + GEO for AI Tools)24:19 User Experience: Navigation, Mobile, and Behavior Tracking27:17 SEO Basics: Locations, Services, Reviews, Structure30:35 Free Referral Platforms: GBP, Social, Houzz33:23 Start with Foundations Before Paid Ads & Social35:16 Why Cutting Marketing in a Slowdown BackfiresWhat you’ll learn in this episode- How to write website content that both AI/search engines and homeowners can understand, scan, and trust.- How to use high-quality project images and professional photography to increase perceived value and conversions.- Practical ways to add short-form video, humanize your brand, and keep key content “above the fold” on desktop and mobile.- The difference between a builder-centric “digital monument” and a lead-centric site that focuses on designs, budgets, and locations.- SEO and “GEO” essentials: structure, FAQs, locations, and why this channel compounds as a top driver of qualified leads.- How to fully leverage Google Business Profile, social media, and Houzz as free, high-trust referral sources.If you want your website to perform better in both search and AI results, while also converting more of your visitors into real opportunities, this episode is your playbook for 2026.Ready to attract, capture, and convert high-quality leads so you can pick and choose your clients and jobs? Schedule a strategy call using the link below.#BuilderLeadConverter #ConversationsThatConvert #HomeBuilderMarketing #ConstructionMarketing #SEO #AIMarketing

Part 2 of our must-watch marketing series! Rick and digital Marketing Manager Dru dive deeper into creating a high-ROI marketing plan for 2026, focusing on pipelines, budgets, and offline/online strategies that actually deliver leads for builders and remodelers.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Intro & Series Overview0:38 Welcome & 2026 Planning Season1:43 Sales Pipelines: Why They Drive Marketing2:49 Closed-Loop Marketing Systems4:07 3 Key Pipelines (Referrals, Digital, Database)8:01 Stop Free Estimates - Charge for Value10:01 Marketing Budgets (1-2% Revenue for Builders)11:23 Review Budgets Every 90 Days13:23 Track 4 KPIs for Every Ad Campaign15:23 Offline Marketing (Trucks, Signs, Direct Mail)17:36 Referral Outreach & Model Homes18:58 Trackable Phone Numbers & QR Codes21:20 Human Element of Offline Marketing25:10 Online Marketing Priorities (GEO/SEO First)27:26 Highest Conversion Channels Ranked29:36 GEO Builds Long-Term Foundation34:50 Boost Organic Social Posts36:12 Double Down in DownturnsKey takeaways for your 2026 plan: Build 3 defined sales pipelines to stop leaking leads Budget 1-2% revenue (builders) / 2-3% (remodelers) & review quarterly Track opportunities - leads - appointments - contracts for every dollar spent Offline wins: Truck wraps, job site signs with CTAs, project open houses Online priority: GEO/SEO - Paid Ads - Organic Social (boost posts!) Pro tip: Charge for designs/feasibility - low-value offers attract low-value leadsPerfect timing post-Thanksgiving to plan your banner year ahead!Ready to build a marketing system that attracts high-quality leads? Schedule your strategy call below.#BuilderLeadConverter #MarketingPlan #HomeBuilders #ConstructionMarketing #LeadGeneration #2026Marketing

This episode of Conversations That Convert kicks off a special three-part series: "3 Steps to a High Quality Annual Marketing Plan for Builders." Rick is joined by digital marketing manager Drew, as they break down the most crucial first step—how to ATTRACT more and better opportunities in the coming year.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Introduction to the Series2:45 Building Your Brand Book: Essential Elements7:00 Color Codes and Brand Consistency11:30 Confirming Your Service Offerings14:00 Floor Plans for Custom Builders18:30 Remodelers: Focus on 5-6 Project Types21:30 Segment New Homes vs Remodeling24:00 Branding Builds Credibility & ProfitsKEY TOPICS COVERED: Why starting with strong branding and a defined brand book is non-negotiable for growth How to avoid common mistakes with logos, fonts, and brand consistency across every platform The importance of updating your service offerings to match what buyers want today (and how your website can help) The make-or-break value of showcasing the right floor plans or project types to convert website visitors into leads Why simplicity and clarity in your messaging wins every time—confused leads don't convert! How segmenting new homes and remodeling offerings is key for capturing more qualified leadsFrom must-have basics to critical pro tips, you'll hear real-world examples on how the best builders use marketing plans to build credibility, charge more, and attract better-fit clients. Whether you're planning your first marketing calendar or refining years of strategy, this episode is packed with insights to help you dominate your market.Watch now to take step one towards your highest ROI marketing plan for the year ahead.Ready to attract, capture, and convert the right leads for your business? Click the link below to schedule a strategy call with our team.#BuilderLeadConverter #MarketingPlan #HomeBuilders #Remodeling #LeadGeneration #Branding #BusinessGrowth

Part 7 of YouTube University for Builders is here, and it is the final episode in the series. Rick and Dru show 4 simple video types you can use to convert captured leads into real phone appointments.You will see examples of:Booking campaign videos that run right after a lead opts in.Appointment reminder videos that cut down on no shows.Long term nurture videos that keep unready leads engaged.Event and open house invite videos that reactivate older leads.If you missed Parts 1–6, go back and watch the rest of YouTube University for Builders to see the full attract, capture, convert video strategy.​Timestamps:00:00 Intro: Part 7 and series recap02:10 Why video still wins in 202506:30 Booking campaign video example14:20 Appointment reminder video example22:45 Long term nurture video strategy31:10 Event and open house video invites39:30 Final thoughts and next step#ConversationsThatConvert #YouTubeUniversityForBuilders #BuilderLeadConverter #HomeBuilders

Are you letting things happen TO you, or are YOU making things happen?

In this episode, Rick sits down with Steve Wheeler, Executive Director of Roundtables at Remodelers Advantage, to discuss the critical mindset shifts that separate struggling remodeling businesses from thriving ones.

Steve shares insights from working with hundreds of remodeling business owners across North America, revealing how the most successful companies approach challenges, sales, and company culture differently—even in the same market conditions.

What You'll Learn:

• The difference between fixed mindset and growth mindset in remodeling
• Why some remodelers thrive while others struggle in identical markets
• How to transition from working IN your business to working ON your business
• Sales strategies that work in today's challenging market
• The 3-step framework for building company culture: Define It, Model It, Embed It
• Why repeat and referral business alone isn't enough
• How to qualify leads properly and stop wasting time

About Steve Wheeler:After 12 years owning a residential remodeling firm in Delaware, Steve now helps remodeling business owners improve processes and increase profit as Executive Director of Roundtables at Remodelers Advantage. He's also co-host of The Why We Build podcast and a frequent speaker at IBS, NARI, NAHB, and NKBA events.

Key Quote:"The culture of any organization is shaped by the worst behavior that you allow." - Steve Wheeler

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: "Mindset" by Carol Dweck
• Remodelers Advantage: remodelersadvantage.com
• Remodelers Summit: September 17-19, 2025 in Denver, CO
• Take the Path to Success assessment at remodelersadvantage.com

Conversations That Convert is brought to you by Builder Lead Converter - your perfect sales assistant for home builders and remodelers.

Visit builderleadconverter.com to learn how we help attract, capture, and convert high-quality leads.

#Remodeling #BusinessMindset #CompanyCulture #HomeImprovement #ConstructionBusiness #Leadership

Welcome to Conversations That Convert brought to you by Builder Lead Converter, your trusted sales assistant for home builders, remodelers, and home improvement companies.

In this episode, Rick talks with Morgan Smith from Smith & Company about the challenges of software integration for builders and remodelers. If you have ever struggled with do-it-yourself software setups or switching between platforms like JobTread, BuilderTrend, or CoConstruct, this episode offers valuable insights.

Morgan explains why software integration can often take up to 140 hours when done without expert help. They discuss how Smith & Company helps contractors by eliminating guesswork, customizing software to fit each company’s unique operations, and providing ongoing training and support.

Topics covered include:

• The hidden costs of DIY software integration and why professional help saves time

• Understanding your company’s sales, project management, and financial operations for smooth software setup

• Getting owner and team buy-in to succeed with new software

• How ongoing support ensures better software adoption and efficiency

• Tips for migrating data and improving processes when changing platforms

If you are considering changing your software or want to maximize your current system, this episode provides actionable advice to simplify integration and improve your business operations.

Learn more about Smith & Company at smithandco.ltd or find them in the JobTread marketplace.

Subscribe to Conversations That Convert and never miss expert advice on lead generation and sales for home builders.

#BuilderLeadConverter #SoftwareIntegration #HomeBuilders #ConstructionSoftware #LeadGeneration #RemodelingIndustry