THE 25% UPSELL: HOW OFFERING HOME IMPROVEMENT FINANCING DRIVES LARGER PROJECTS

Larry Collins of HFS Home Improvement Loans joins Rick to explain why remodelers who offer financing to customers close bigger, more profitable jobs.

THE CORE INSIGHT:→ Homeowners spend about 25% more once they see an affordable monthly payment→ Almost no remodeler asks a lead if they're paying cash or financing→ That one missed question is costing contractors real project size

HOW THE LOAN WORKS:

1. Rates from 7.89% to 13.99%
2. Approval up to $450,000, terms up to 30 years
3. Approved for 20% more than requested
4. Funded in 5 to 7 business days
5. No prepayment penalty, ever

HELOC VS. PERSONAL LOAN:

• HELOC needs 20-30% home equity
• HELOC carries a variable rate
• HFS loans skip the appraisal and lock a fixed rate for 30 years

WHAT WORKED:✓ A financing link in the appointment confirmation email✓ A one-page flyer at the first meeting✓ Soft credit checks that never touch the customer's score

WHAT DOESN'T WORK:✗ Treating financing like a big-box retailer tactic✗ Waiting until the estimate to bring it up for the first time

KEY INSIGHTS:→ Nearly 25,000 contractors nationwide already use HFS→ Design-build clients use financing on purpose, not necessity

FINAL MESSAGE:Stop assuming every lead is paying cash.Offer financing to customers as a standard part of every pitch.Bigger jobs follow.

Learn more: hfsfin.com

YOUR WEBSITE ISN'T DONE JUST BECAUSE IT'S LIVE

Alexandre Godinho (A.G.), BLC's lead website developer for 3 years, walks through what actually goes into a construction website that keeps performing after launch, from first mockup to ongoing maintenance.

SECURITY & BACKUPS:

→ Wordfence firewall on every build

→ SiteGround server-side blocking

→ Daily cloud backups, stored off-host

→ Fast restore if anything ever gets hacked

WHAT GETS TRACKED:

1. Page views

2. Scroll depth (50% and 75%)

3. Form submissions

4. Booked appointments

SCHEMA & LOCAL SEO:

→ Rank Math schema markup

→ FAQ schema for direct Google answers

→ Google Business Profile matched across 70+ citations

WHAT WORKED:

✓ Dynamic linking (URLs can change without breaking buttons)

✓ Pre-launch crawls with Screaming Frog and SEMrush

✓ 90+ PageSpeed score, desktop and mobile

WHAT DIDN'T:

✗ Treating a website like a one-time brochure

✗ Skipping the privacy policy

✗ Letting broken links pile up unnoticed

THE AI LAYER:

→ llm.txt alongside robots.txt

→ E-E-A-T: Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trust

→ Reviewed every 90 days with Microsoft Clarity

FINAL MESSAGE:

A website is a system.

Build it right once. Review it forever.

Then let it keep working for you.

Book a call: builderleadconverter.com

THE AI ADVANTAGE: COLLEGE CITY VS. THE COMPETITION

Jeremy Hussey breaks down how AI in construction search is already sending remodelers real, high-intent leads.

THE WAKE-UP MOMENT:
→ Jeremy's first AI-referred lead: "Wait, what? That's crazy"
→ Rick's data: ~70% of remodeling leads now touch AI search
→ Why an AI recommendation feels like a referral, not an ad

HOW COLLEGE CITY TESTED IT:

1. Rebuilt the website
2. Started AI/SEO visibility work in January
3. Jeremy searched "kitchen remodeler in Lakeville" in Claude
4. Landed near the top, sometimes first

THE GROWTH NUMBERS:

• Best lead month ever: 19-20 website leads
• Over 50% booked a call directly
• ~9 out of 10 booked calls show up

KEY INSIGHTS:

• 1969 roots as P&M Construction in Northfield, MN
• 90-95% design-to-construction conversion rate
• $1,500-2,000 person database, reactivated on a rolling basis
• Six-person local roundtable shows the visibility gap in real time

WHAT'S WORKING:
✓ AI search visibility stacked on top of existing marketing
✓ Sending budget estimates ahead of meetings so homeowners can "marinate"
✓ No change order fees — just standard margin

WHAT DOESN'T:
✗ Relying only on referrals and yard signs as leads dry up
✗ Skipping qualifying calls and hoping site visits sort it out
✗ Letting a job site go unbudgeted past a 10% variance

FINAL MESSAGE:
AI isn't replacing the fundamentals.
It's just changing who gets found first.

Learn more: builderleadconverter.com

Rick and Dru break down how AI search engine optimization is reshaping the building industry.

THE BIG SHIFT:
→ 1 person used to build your website→ Now it takes 4 specialists→ 75%+ of home buyers use zero-click AI search

WHAT AI ENGINES ACTUALLY REWARD (EAT):

1. Experience: show the proof, not the claim
2. Expertise: teach, don't just tell
3. Authoritativeness: what others say about you
4. Trust: the result of all three working together

KEY INSIGHTS:
→ Getting cited beats getting ranked→ Small builders can out-rank big ad budgets→ Confusion causes a bounce, clarity keeps leads→ A homepage has exactly one job

WEBSITE DESIGN PRIORITIES:

• Remodel leads want inspiration first
• Builder leads want floor plans and available homes
• Every page should remove fear, not add detail
• Follow the one-click rule

WHAT WORKED:
✓ Small builders out-ranking big ad budgets✓ Aggregated Google Business reviews over pasted testimonials✓ AI-trained live chat plus click-to-call on mobile

WHAT TO WATCH:
✗ ChatGPT's new beta ads program✗ OpenAI's shift from nonprofit to ad-funded platform✗ Algorithm changes happening almost weekly

FINAL MESSAGE:
Stop designing for humans only.Stop designing for AI only.Balance both, or get skipped.

Schedule a strategy call: builderleadconverter.com

MacArthur Homes grew online leads 30%, onsite visits 52%, and sales 24% using AI, an OSC, and smart automation.

THE REAL NUMBERS:→ 42 leads/month in 2025→ 60 leads/month in early 2026→ 70–80% of calls convert to qualified appointments→ ~100% show rate for calls and model home visits

HOW THE AI + HUMAN STACK WORKS:

1. AI chatbot engages and qualifies the lead
2. Paige monitors and intervenes when the bot hits its limit
3. Qualification call covers price, timeline, and product fit
4. Automated intro text connects lead to onsite agent
5. Face-to-face model home visit closes the loop

WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS:✓ "Schedule a Tour" = highest-quality leads✓ AI chatbot for 24/7 warm follow-up✓ Monthly KPI reports driving team accountability✓ Infill location + strong product = 100+ event attendees

WHAT'S NEXT:→ Short-form video next to lead magnet forms→ Engagement-triggered AI nurture for cold leads→ Prompt engineering to sharpen Sophie the bot

KEY INSIGHT:Getting AI to 90–95% accuracy is the ceiling right now.The gap is why you still need a Paige.

THE FINAL MESSAGE:You don't need more leads.You need better systems handling the ones you already have.

Learn more: builderleadconverter.com

STOP CHASING. START SPECIALIZING.

Jason Jewison of Personal Pride Porches & Decks shares how niching down from general remodeling to porch and deck specialist changed their leads, revenue, and operations in six months.

THE NUMBERS:
→ Revenue up from $2.5M to projected $3M in one year
→ Average project size: $20K → $27K
→ Mix shift from 50/50 to 60/40 decks and porches in six months
→ Backlog now sitting at six weeks out

WHAT CHANGED WITH THE WEBSITE:

1. Wrong-fit leads stopped submitting forms
2. Price-shoppers self-qualified out
3. Conversion rate climbed without increasing ad spend
4. The brand now signals quality before anyone picks up the phone

SALES PROCESS UPDATES:
→ 15-minute qualifying call replaces the kitchen table pitch
→ Investment ranges discussed on call one
→ Design and estimating agreement on complex projects
→ Goal: land within 10% of final price before contract

OPERATIONS SHIFT:
✓ Moved from in-house carpenters to trained subcontractor crews
✓ Lead carpenter promoted to job superintendent
✓ Projects now run five days a week, every single week
✓ No more slinky effect between selling and building

GROWTH PLAN:
→ Target: $5M within 3 years
→ 80–90% porches and decks
→ Second office in Medina already open
→ Showroom with in-house designer planned next

THE ADVICE:
Just decide to do it.
It takes time. It is not instant. But the clarity you get after committing to a niche is worth every uncomfortable week in between.

builderleadconverter.com

STOP CHASING SMALL TICKETS

Michael Willson built Mr. Honey-do into a $2.5M handyman business in Lake Tahoe. Then realized the model was unsustainable. Here's how he rebuilt it around larger remodeling contracts.

THE TURNING POINT:→ Hundreds of invoices per year for $150–$2,000 jobs→ 15 employees, chaotic scheduling, shrinking margins→ Realized bigger wasn't better; profitable was better

THE TRANSITION:

1. Rebuilt the website to show design-build capabilities
2. Invested 3%+ of revenue in marketing for remodelers (Builder Lead Converter services)
3. Shifted from employees to specialty subcontractors
4. Hired a general manager with real construction experience
5. Waited 18–21 months for the pipeline to fill

WHERE HE IS NOW:→ 70% remodeling / 30% handyman→ 30-40 active pipeline projects tracked in BLC CRM→ Ranking at the top of Google in the Tahoe market→ Preparing for AI search visibility: the next wave

KEY LESSONS:

• Referral-only businesses carry lower net profit margins
• You can't DIY your own marketing and compete in 2026
• Know your numbers on every single job
• Industry-specific consultants make the difference

WHAT DIDN'T WORK:✗ Handing the reins to people without construction backgrounds✗ Ignoring job-level profitability numbers✗ Trying to cut costs instead of investing in offense

WHAT WORKED:✓ Rebuilding the website for remodeling positioning✓ Committing to marketing investment for the long game✓ Monthly KPI reviews with the industry-specific team Builder Lead Converter

THE FINAL MESSAGE:Playing defense doesn't grow your business. Playing offense does.

🔗 builderleadconverter.com

BREAKING DOWN THE BUYER'S WALL: NEW HOME SALES FOR BUILDERS

Roland Nairnsey (nearly four decades in new home sales, author of Mastery of Selling and Mastery of Negotiation) joins Rick Storlie to break down what's actually working right now.

AI IN THE SALES PROCESS:→ 20,000 leads in a single builder's CRM (mostly untouched)→ AI placed ~4,000 calls automatically→ 137 leads requested human follow-up→ ~30 appointments booked→ Sweet spot: 5–11 follow-up attempts before diminishing returns

RECRUITING THE RIGHT WAY:

1. Build your process before you post the ad
2. Hire for potential and grit, not just experience
3. DISC assessment: ~$13–14, major insight for ~$14
4. General realtors ≠ automatic fit for new home sales
5. Free 12-step guide: email [email protected]

NEGOTIATION RULES:→ Most buyers want to WIN something (not a lower price)→ Show them they've already saved money before they ask→ Always get buyers back in person before you counter → "If I could, would you" the sharp angle conditional close→ Odd-number counters signal real math, not desperation→ 9 out of 10 in-person negotiations: Roland made the sale

KEY STATS:

• 20,000 leads worked by AI outbound system
• 5–11 attempts = follow-up sweet spot
• $13–14 DISC assessment cost

THE FINAL MESSAGE:No magic fix. No one thing that saves you.It's the right people, the right process, and the discipline to make hard decisions consistently.

📚 newhomesalesplus.com | 🔗 builderleadconverter.com

STOP BEING A QUOTE SHOP

Ryan Groth from Sales Transformation Group reveals the complete sales training for contractors system that removes founders from sales and builds high-performing teams.

THE BRUTAL STATS:→ 50% of salespeople are weak→ 75% of sales managers untrained→ Only 7% are truly elite→ You're missing deals you don't know exist

BASEBALL DIAMOND PROCESS:

1. Home → 1st: Identify + schedule appointment
2. 1st → 2nd: Rapport + questions + polarity
3. 2nd → 3rd: Qualify commitment + get objections early
4. 3rd → Home: Estimate + present + close

CONVERSION RATES BY SOURCE:

• Cold calls = 1%
• Inbound leads = 30%
• Referrals = 50%
• Introductions = 80%

ACCSC OBJECTION FRAMEWORK:→ Acknowledge + ask permission→ Consequences of alternative conversation→ Solve it + close again

RECRUITING RIGHT:✓ Build recruiting VSL (8-20 min)✓ Skills assessment✓ Video interview✓ Role play simulator (8/10 before real leads)✓ Record field calls

KEY INSIGHTS:→ Referral success ≠ sales skill (you're playing t-ball)→ Hire for attainment not experience→ Bad habits take 8-268 days to rewire→ 91% give referrals when asked, only 11% ever ask→ Don't measure "did they close?" measure the 6 steps before it

THE FINAL MESSAGE:Stop quoting and hoping.Build a process. Train your team.Become a sales organization.

Book a call: salestransformationgroup.com

HIDDEN GEM TO MARKET LEADER IN 13 MONTHS

S. Brown Construction: what social media for construction companies looks like when done right. $300K+ design-build remodeler, small market of 100K people.

THE PROBLEM:→ Built luxury but looked like $5K handyman online→ Zero link clicks month one→ Digital presence didn't match craftsmanship→ Invisible = replaceable

13-MONTH STRATEGY:

1. Educational content (give value first)
2. Job site transparency (trust ≠ perfection)
3. Before/afters + CTAs (aspirational builder)
4. Omnipresence (projects across the city)
5. Lifestyle content (sell dream not dust)
6. Authority stacking (cost breakdowns + expert tips)
7. PEAK: 0 → 248 link clicks
8. Brand building (job site + 5-star review overlays)
9. Luxury visuals → 941 profile visits

FORMAT INSIGHTS:

• Reels = high reach (discovery)
• Static/Carousel = high-ticket buyer validation
• Instagram = design validation engine
• Facebook = community amplifier

KEY PRINCIPLES:→ Educational content = pre-sold clients→ Show $1.5M projects to land $1M clients→ Neighborhood proof > general testimonials→ Personality trumps product always→ Value = quality perception ÷ price performance

WHAT WORKED:✓ Clean intentional angles✓ Technical win carousels✓ Local neighborhood callouts✓ Review overlays on luxury photos

WHAT DIDN'T:✗ Generic CTAs✗ Messy job site visuals✗ Drive-by quick photos✗ Competing on price

THE FINAL MESSAGE:Stop competing on price.Start competing on brand.When brand matches value → only logical choice.

Free video: builderleadvideos.com