Lead Generation
"Critically low lead generation & sales volume" Not enough projects, only meets with ~2 potential projects/year Low website conversion rate Heavy reliance on referrals and word-of-mouth, which is insufficient
Financial Instability
Living off savings, insufficient profit Net Profit Trailing twelve months Total Revenue Over two years Cash flow concerns with increased project volume Dilemma: needs to invest in marketing but has limited financial resources
Lack of Systems
SOP documentation rated "1/5" (non-existent) Processes "in my head," dislikes building manuals Manual scheduling due to cost concerns
Owner Dependency
Business entirely revolves around Chris; work stops if she's unavailable.
Pricing/Profitability
Low margins for high-end niche Loses deals on "Price" Conservative markups (e.g., 20% on Sean's labor) Clients sometimes take designs without hiring for the build
Skill/Mindset Gap
High Passion Design and craftsmanship Aversion To "Technical" business management: Systems SOPs Analytics SEO
Apprehension About Scaling
Concerns about hiring, delegation, and maintaining personal involvement.
Financial Clarity & Pricing
Tools & Metrics Introduced pricing calculator and "twelve critical numbers" to manage margins and workforce Calculated break-even point on a project Aimed for a higher overhead coverage percentage (~3%) Pricing Recommendations Advised increasing labor markup to ~30% to buffer against variable costs Suggested adding a contingency to estimated hours for risk management Offered to help review project numbers for profitability
Social Media & Content Strategy
Automation Automated posting and content creation Developed voice and style guide for consistent brand messaging Content Planning Structured a 30-day content calendar for regular posts Targeted posting frequency: two social posts/week, one article/week, monthly lead magnet AI Integration Utilized AI models (Gemini) for social media and newsletter content Provided content checklists and AI tools for copy generation Visual Content Incorporated personal content (Chris working, before/after photos) Introduced Site Story for content collection during projects Recommended repurposing newsletter content into blog posts for SEO
Google Review Strategy
Planned to obtain Google posts and text from positive client reviews Suggested repurposing reviews on Houzz Advised on a strategy for responding to negative reviews to attract new business
Two-Website Approach
Marketing Domain Separate site for blog, newsletter, lead magnets Main Company Site Wix-based for core business info Benefits: Ensures cohesive branding between sites Improved load times Broadened reach Focused on building templated, geo-specific landing pages for SEO
Sales Framework & Knowledge Hub
Tools Implementation Introduced Notebook LM (free AI tool) for sales prep and knowledge management Process Development Outlined best practices for the sales process, from ideal client re-evaluation to follow-ups Communication Strategy Recommended manual text message reminders before calls to supplement automation Resource Access Provided access to a toolbox with SOPs and guides Developing a CRM draft with SPICED methodology for lead qualification Helped define email protocol following discovery calls
Project Management & Operations
Task Tracking Addresses task tracking challenges and importance of SOPs for efficiency Process Documentation Reviewed and discussed the change order process Visual Documentation Emphasized the value of consistent documentation (photos/videos) Workflow Integration Introduced email-to-task integration in To-Doist for better workflow
Client Cost Education
Emphasized educating clients on hard vs. soft costs Added this critical topic to the content calendar for future content
General Support
Provided access to shared Google Drive for documents and resources Guided on Google Calendar appointment scheduling, exploring integrations with Stripe and Zelle Addressed email configuration from Outlook to Google Offers ongoing support for specific software (House, Wix, To-Doist, Calendly)
AI Tool Utilization
Current Usage Confirmed and sought to enhance Chris's existing use of Gemini for product comparison, pros/cons, and drafting communications Custom Tools Introduced custom AI tools ("Gems") to further capabilities Content Creation Utilizing AI for content condensation and marketing copy generation
- Meeting Cadence: Weekly meetings for two hours to review progress and set new tasks
- Consistent Lead Flow: Goal is a predictable influx of qualified leads, booking projects 6 to 12 months out
- Enhanced Client Trust: Focus on accurate estimates and transparent communication
- Systematized Operations: Building an "operational backbone" to reduce owner dependency and enable scalable growth
- Increased Confidence: Chris expressed readiness to "move forward" and "scale," trusting the process to manage future hiring needs
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