Not all marketing is created equal. Some strategies work like a charm—when done by the right company. Others are a total dumpster fire, no matter how much your cousin’s friend’s “marketing guy” swears they work. Here are 9 marketing strategies we actually believe in and the companies who do them right—plus 5 marketing tactics so bad, you might as well flush your budget straight down the toilet.
✅ 9 Marketing Strategies That Actually Work (If You Hire the Right People)
1. Google Maps Marketing / Local SEO
🧠 Who to Hire: SO Good
Because 90% of your customers are searching on Google Maps. If your business isn’t showing up there, it might as well not exist. We wrote the playbook. Literally.
2. Social Media Management
🌭 Who to Hire: HotDog Marketing
HotDog actually knows how to turn likes into leads. Everyone else is still posting memes your niece already saw on TikTok three weeks ago.
3. Email Marketing
📬 Who to Hire: InboxArmy
Most email marketers just help you spam people. InboxArmy helps you convert. Huge difference.
4. SEO for Home Services
🔧 Who to Hire: Hook Agency
SEO is a beast. These guys tame it, especially for roofers, HVAC techs, and other trades pros.
Alt Option: NP Digital – if you’re not niche, and want a big name with a track record.
5. PPC (Google & Bing Ads)
💸 Who to Hire: 1SEO
When every click feels like burning a $20 bill, 1SEO actually makes your spend profitable.
6. Video Marketing
🎥 Who to Hire: Likelu Productions
Don’t want to be on camera? No problem. These folks will still make you look like Spielberg.
7. SMS Marketing
📱 Who to Hire: RP-1
Built for home services but smart enough for anyone. Think of it as text marketing that doesn’t feel like spam.
8. Web Design & Development
🖥️ Who to Hire: Ad Leverage
If you want the full experience and a site that actually sells, this is the crew.
9. Direct Mail (The Right Way)
📬 Who to Hire: Mail Shark
Direct mail is usually a garbage fire. These guys know how to make it not suck. That’s rare. Use them or don’t bother.
🔥 Bonus: Broadcast, Streaming & CTV
📺 Who to Hire: iHeart Media
Special shoutout to Lesli Mosser, Director of Brand Partnerships, who makes sure your ads actually reach the people who matter. This isn’t your grandma’s radio ad.
🚫 5 Marketing Strategies You Should Just Avoid (And Why They Suck)
1. Neighborhood Magazines
Look, no one cares that you live in the same zip code as your customer. If you’re banking on that to close a sale, you’re already losing to someone with more reviews and better visibility.
2. Most Direct Mail
Yes, we said it was good—if you use Mail Shark. Everyone else? It’s basically junk mail with a logo. If your campaign isn’t surgical and strategic, just burn your money instead. It’s more fun.
3. Display Ads
These are clickbait in banner form. If you’re not retargeting, you’re wasting your money. And even if you are retargeting, you’re probably still wasting 94% of it.
4. Billboards
Unless your billboard is a work of art or viral meme, people speeding past it at 80mph aren’t scanning your QR code. Stop pretending they are. This is not Times Square.
5. GBP Scheme Marketers
Anyone selling you “guaranteed reviews,” “direction requests,” or “business name lookups” is handing you a ticking time bomb. Best-case scenario: nothing happens. Worst-case: your Google Business Profile is banned and your digital presence evaporates overnight.
🏁 Final Word
If your deepest desire for your business is success through growth…
If your biggest fear is that you won’t get enough customers to survive, let alone thrive…
If you’re tired of “solutions” that don’t work, are too expensive, or just confuse the hell out of you…
And if you want to be where 90% of your customers are searching…