Local Domination In 5 Months And An Extra $1.25M InRevenue For $27,000
Case Study: High Sierra Remodeling, remodeling company in Reno, NV
Table of Contents
The Background
Back in November 2022, Travis Gunter, one of the co-owners of High Sierra Remodeling, reached out to us with a unique situation.
He was running a remodeling business that started picking up momentum, but he couldn’t capitalize on it because he was “running around like a headless chicken” – his words, not ours.
Travis and Jason had propelled their business from $275k to a whopping $1 million in just a year in 2022. But behind the scenes, they were facing a struggle we see many contractors dealing with – ineffective marketing tactics that promised the world but delivered squat.
They’d tried the coaching programs out there but quickly outgrew them. They were hungry for strategies to skyrocket their revenue further and bring in high-quality local leads, not just empty clicks and impressions that don’t mean anything without context.
Listen to Travis’ raw, uncut thoughts after his first conversation with Contracting Empire. P.S. We did bring the results we promised—scroll to find out how!
@butters775 Truck rambling
♬ original sound - Butters
The Background
Back in November 2022, Travis Gunter, one of the co-owners of High Sierra Remodeling, reached out to us with a unique situation.
He was running a remodeling business that started picking up momentum, but he couldn’t capitalize on it because he was “running around like a headless chicken” – his words, not ours.
Travis and Jason had propelled their business from $275k to a whopping $1 million in just a year in 2022. But behind the scenes, they were facing a struggle we see many contractors dealing with – ineffective marketing tactics that promised the world but delivered squat.
They’d tried the coaching programs out there but quickly outgrew them. They were hungry for strategies to skyrocket their revenue further and bring in high-quality local leads, not just empty clicks and impressions that don’t mean anything without context.
Listen to Travis’ raw, uncut thoughts after his first conversation with Contracting Empire. P.S. We did bring the results we promised—scroll to find out how!
Travis was drowning in sales and meetings, a one-man army trying to keep the ship afloat. He wanted to get out of production and do office work alone. But for that, he needed the revenue predictability to make it happen.
- But the leads? Inconsistent.
- The close rate? A lousy 7%.
- And the marketing they were paying for? A joke.
Their four-page website and basic marketing were just a sinkhole for opportunity, time, and money.
The Strategy
Travis and Jason weren’t settling for mediocrity. They had a vision – to triple their lead pipeline, break through the $2 million mark, and add more support staff and crews. They wanted predictability in their operations and real, tangible results from their marketing efforts.
That’s where we came in.
And we didn’t come bearing empty promises or flashy numbers. We came armed with a plan rooted in reality – a strategy that prioritized local leads, clear customer journeys, and measurable results.
We understood that marketing for a million-dollar business isn’t about vanity metrics – it’s about bottom-line impact.
After showing Travis how his website and his marketing were actually performing, he fired his agency as soon as we hung up the call.
Their Google Ads spend made no sense, and the website dashboard they were looking at had terrible results wrapped up in a pretty chart.
This is way too common with these agencies that have no clue what they’re doing, but they steal the show with high numbers and ascending charts that they didn’t even contribute to. We call this “glorified reporting”.
Together, we revamped their website into a lead-generating machine, crafted strategies to boost their lead pipeline with quality leads, and helped them cut through the noise in their market.
Your website isn’t a choose-your-own-journey type of thing.
They say you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. Well, we’ve built a path that takes the horse exactly where you want it, and when he gets there, he’ll be so thirsty that he’ll consume almost everything.
In other words, we’ve found a predictable way to turn prospects into high-value leads.
Your website is also not something you build and forget about. If you’re not consistent with pushing out content, Google will consider you unworthy of being in front of your audience, so it takes away your authority. Why would it show you to users if your competitor has better and fresher content?
Today, High Sierra Remodeling isn’t just surviving – it’s thriving. With a steady stream of high-quality local leads and a clear path to revenue growth, Travis and Jay are dominating local rankings for all their remodeling services.
No smoke, no mirrors – just transparent, results-driven marketing that actually works.
We gave Travis a brutal reality check – marketing is a long-term game, and he was sitting on a gold mine, which is probably what’s happening in your contracting business, too.
Take your tools and start digging.
Demand results.
Demand transparency.
And when you’re ready to take your business to new heights, we’ll be here, ready to deliver.
Implementation & Results
It must feel great when your business is visibly growing at a much higher rate than before. This is what we do, and we do it good.
Or, in Travis’ words….
When someone searches for a service, like “bathroom remodeling”, Google often shows a special section at the top of the search results called the local map pack. It’s like a digital billboard showcasing the top businesses in the area that offer that service.
And guess what?
Being in that top spot means you’re getting prime real estate on Google. We got High Sierra to appear in that map pack when people search for “bathroom remodeling Reno NV.”
When folks in Reno are looking to spruce up their bathrooms, where do you think they’re going to click first? That’s right – one of those three top spots in the local map pack.
Our goal is to secure those top spots for all your services so that you can win on all fronts. That’s how we fill your lead pipeline and bring your business to a point where you can choose the customers you want to work with and don’t accept any job just for the sake of making it through the month.
High Sierra Remodeling is also the first option in the map pack for “home remodeling Reno NV.” This translates to an influx of high-quality leads and increased visibility among Reno homeowners looking to renovate their homes.
But it’s not just about getting noticed – it’s about standing out as the trusted authority in your niche. By clinching those top spots, High Sierra not only solidifies their reputation as a premier remodeling company but also establishes a competitive edge over rivals fighting for the same audience.
Now we’re fighting for the top spot in the local map pack for High Sierra’s kitchen remodeling service, too. We’re almost there, currently securing third place.
But we don’t settle for bronze; we’re here to take the gold medal.
So, when we say we’re here to elevate your business to new heights, we mean it – because when you dominate the local map pack, you’re not just winning clicks; you’re winning customers and transforming your business into a powerhouse of success.
And how do we make this magic happen for your contracting business?
- We analyze what people are typing into Google and the phrases they're using to find businesses like yours.
- We optimize your online profiles and listings to ensure you're showing up front and center in those local map packs.
- We fine-tune your Google My Business profile, ensuring it's fully optimized with the right keywords, compelling descriptions, and eye-catching images.
- We also work on getting your business listed in relevant directories and review sites, boosting your visibility across the web.
Whether it’s tweaking keywords, refining your content, or experimenting with new tactics, we’re always one step ahead of your competitors.
You, just like High Sierra Remodeling, likely don’t take jobs from your city alone. You extend your services to other areas. But to sell jobs in other places, people in those cities/neighborhoods need to know you exist.
That’s why our marketing efforts are not limited to your city. We scout the entire area and track metrics like population and average household income. You want to be seen by people who can afford your services, right?
We see where the money is and give you an action plan that covers locations in proximity to yours so the jobs can keep pouring in.
And when you’re doing marketing with us, this is how homeowners in your area get to know you.
Below, you see a bunch of red dots that turn to orange and, eventually, to green.
These green dots represent prime visibility in local search results. Month by month, High Sierra Remodeling took over the local map.
But what does this all mean?
- It means High Sierra is a top contender in the industry.
- It means Google sees them as a contractor worth pushing forward.
- It means High Sierra is not just another option.
- They are the go-to remodeling choice for homeowners in Reno.
You might be wondering why the map above only shows how much we pushed High Sierra to the top from November 2022 to May 2023.
Travis and Jason’s business was growing so much and so fast, we actually had to expand the map to track the growth.
And here is the best part.
A few days later, after we started focusing on more locations in the area, High Sierra sold a job for over $190k.
These are the kind of exceptional results we deliver – and we’re ready to do the same for your business.
Above, you can see what High Sierra Remodeling’s map looks like right now. It’s a 15×15 grid with a space of 3 miles between dots. Greener than a four-leaf clover. We’re talking about domination in a 45×45 mile area (and beyond)!
But here’s the kicker: getting there isn’t a stroke of luck; it’s a strategic game plan fueled by data, expertise, and relentless determination.
We always tell contractors that marketing is a long-term game. That’s because once your map is filled with green dots, it doesn’t stay that way for long. Never stop marketing, even after you’re in the top spot.
You need to:
- Continuously publish relevant content
- Optimize your Google Business Profile (GBP)
- Disaprove negative changes to your GBP
- Report shady businesses in your area that don’t follow Google’s guidelines
- Keep your website’s pages updated
- Monitor your data and adjust your strategy accordingly; be flexible and test often
- Implement targeted advertising campaigns
- And much, much more
How about ditching the solo struggle or settling for a lackluster marketing agency and, instead, teaming up with us? We’re the partner that takes care of all the marketing heavy lifting, leaving you free to do what you do best – provide outstanding service to your clients. We’re not just here to play the game. We’re here to win it.
Second Business Opening
One thing we loved about Travis and Jay is that they were never afraid to work hard and dream big. Thanks to our combined efforts, they’ve opened High Sierra Cabinets, their second business focused solely on cabinetry.
Needless to say, Travis called us as soon as he opened so we can build him a new website and take care of his marketing.
We pushed the gas pedal and brought Travis and Jay results way faster than they even expected.
The screenshot above shows Travis sharing High Sierra Cabinet’s results just a few months after opening.
Do you still think it’s impossible for you to make it as a contractor?
Key Takeaways
When you roll up your sleeves, honor your commitments, and join forces with a marketing partner who actually understands how the industry works, you push the boundaries of your business and get the financial freedom you want.
This is how it feels like:
Today:
- Travis handles all sales and office operations, just like he wanted
- Has time to spend with his two boys and hit the Jiu-Jitsu mat whenever he wants
- Jason does what he loves most - remodeling and construction
- Travis loves to travel and went for a vacation in Switzerland
- The owners left a coworking space and now own a private office
- They started High Sierra Cabinets which, 2 months after the website launch, is already generating revenue
- They have enough cashflow and business growth to build High Sierra Design Studio
- They have their lead pipeline full
- Cashed in profits, paid 401k contributions, and gave every employee health insurance
- Grew the biz from $1MM in 2022 to $2.25MM in 2023 and we’re looking at $3MM+ this year only from organic leads.
If financial independence and the power to cherry-pick your projects while raking in serious profits sound like your kind of success story, then it’s time to stake your claim in the Contracting Empire.
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