From Organic Growth to Strategic Planning: Amber McKee's Marketing Insights for Trades

In this episode of the Kee to Growth podcast, host Jen McKee sits down with Amber McKee to unpack the secrets to creating a successful marketing plan for home service businesses. With a wealth of experience in trades marketing, Amber shares her journey from starting at Goettl, a company she helped grow from $10 million to $240 million in revenue, to founding Amber's Marketing Group, where she now assists companies in strategizing and implementing effective marketing operations. Amber delves into her strategies for setting achievable business goals and backing them into detailed plans for operational and marketing success. She emphasizes the importance of aligning operational capabilities with marketing efforts, highlighting the integration of goals and marketing strategies with call centers and business managers. Throughout the discussion, Amber provides actionable insights on crafting plans that match the capacity to run calls, market size, and ZIP code targeting for maximum return on investment. Jen and Amber explore the impact of social media and branding in trades marketing, emphasizing the significance of both organic and paid strategies. Amber elucidates the differences between organic, boosted, and paid social media tactics, advising companies on how to utilize these platforms effectively without overspending on inefficacious marketing methods. They discuss the role of social media in recruitment, brand positioning, and customer acquisition, and how to determine the right mix of digital and traditional marketing strategies based on a company's specific goals and market conditions. As they dive into topics like budgeting, ROI measurement, and seasonal trends, Amber stresses the importance of dynamic marketing plans that allow for frequent pivoting based on data and outcomes. The conversation also shines a light on the critical role of maintaining a healthy marketing budget percentage and leveraging emerging channels like YouTube and OTT for targeted reach. Amber closes with her philosophy of marrying a business's "why" with market demands and ensuring consistent work through planned marketing, affecting positive employee and community outcomes. Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction by Announcer and Jen McKee 0:30 Jen McKee welcomes guest Amber McKee 0:59 Amber's background and journey in marketing 2:36 The silver bullet for Goettl's success 4:00 Key strategies for trade companies in competitive markets 5:12 Importance of alignment between marketing and operations 6:16 Determining the right mix of traditional and digital marketing 8:35 Targeting local markets through social media 11:09 Building a marketing plan and timeline discussions 13:06 Importance of leads and new customer acquisition 16:41 Crafting a business's 'why' and its importance in marketing 18:26 Amber talks about budget percentages in marketing 20:31 Handling seasons and marketing adjustments 23:33 New marketing trends and areas of focus 25:30 The responsibility of marketers in trades 27:09 Wrap-up and ways to reach Amber's Marketing Group Listening on a desktop & can't see the links? Just search for Kee to Growth in your favorite podcast player.   This episode was produced and brought to you by the Skilled Trades Syndicate @ServiceBusinessMasteryPodcast https://www.servicebusinessmastery.com/