Your Reviews, Going Viral With Your Marketing, Making 2019 Predictions + More

End of month reflections

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving weekend and started this week very well. This week we were very excited to have a 1-day Google Masterclass Series, which had an audience of more than 400 contractors. I am going to be finishing the production on Monday and will send all 4 sessions out next week. Want to watch the recordings? Let me know by replying to this email. Hint – Do you know why Google is actually the biggest social network?

PSA: We received a few messages from subscribers of this newsletter that you stopped receiving the newsletter. If you are not getting messages from Surefire Local, check your spam folder and move any emails you find to your inbox.

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Review your reviews

If you have a strategy where you regularly ask for reviews, you are on top of the game. Only about 1/5th of small businesses ask for reviews. According to Media Post, 66% of consumers conduct online research before making a decision. More than recommendations from family or friends, good reviews are the main influence on purchase decisions.

The kicker – 89% will change a negative review, depending on that response. And most expect a response within 24 hours. Ask one of my friendly digital marketing expert colleagues for a strategy your business can use.

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Going viral – How does that happen?

We were watching this ad that 11 million people have already watched and wondered how does viral happen? Checking each other’s address books and scratching our heads, we came up with a name. Angel Djambazov, Co-Founder, Marketing, Mayhem, and master of viral marketing at Lab6 Media.

December may be the best time for you to start a strategy to get your content popular with your specific audience and Angel will show you the way. Register here!

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Back to the future: Making better predictions in 2019

Do you listen to Podcasts? What is your favorite? Subscribe to Remodeling Mastery on iTunes, Google Play or anywhere you get your podcasts. Here is a link to Mark G. Richardson’s latest Remodeling Mastery episode. Mark shares his top predictions for the upcoming year and how you can better position your business for success. BTW, while it’s called Remodeling Mastery, but Mark’s advice is great for any business owner.

In 2018, 73 million people in the US will listen to a podcast at least once a month, according to eMarketer estimates.

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Going beyond just existing customer referrals

When selecting contractors, 41% of homeowners said they would depend on website recommendations, while 29% would depend on online search results. Is your website ready? We can of course help. Our friends at Modernize did this study. Check it out.

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Home sales low, but consumer spending up – What to make of this?

BTW, I haven’t told anyone this yet and not even my parents but here is what I may ask them…. Read this article from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. You’ll know!

But the headlines from today’s Washington Post are confusing!

• Consumers boosted their spending in October at the fastest pace in seven months
• US pending home sales fell 2.6 percent in October

Then the Fed Chairman said two words – “Just below” — Fed’s benchmark interest rate was “just below” the neutral level.

I asked a few experts and they said:

1. If home sales are slow, homeowners may be investing in their existing homes with new home improvement projects
2. Since consumer spending is high, incomes are increasing, they can afford to spend on new renovation projects
3. If the interest rates stop increasing or even come down again, 2019 looks promising

In any case, 2019 should be the year of connecting with your customers online everywhere. We can help.

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Michelle Lettmann
Content Writer
Text me questions at: 571.327.3391