Conversations That Convert

Rick Storlie
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  • Marketing
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A conversation for remodelers, home builders, and home improvement companies about increasing lead conversions without added expense, and watching your bottom line grow.

  1. Jul 30

    The 25% Upsell: How Offering Home Improvement Financing Drives Larger Projects with Larry Collins

    THE 25% UPSELL: HOW OFFERING HOME IMPROVEMENT FINANCING DRIVES LARGER PROJECTS Larry Collins of HFS Home Improvement Loans joins Rick to explain why remodelers who offer financing to customers close bigger, more profitable jobs. THE CORE INSIGHT:→ Homeowners spend about 25% more once they see an affordable monthly payment→ Almost no remodeler asks a lead if they're paying cash or financing→ That one missed question is costing contractors real project size HOW THE LOAN WORKS: Rates from 7.89% to 13.99%Approval up to $450,000, terms up to 30 yearsApproved for 20% more than requestedFunded in 5 to 7 business daysNo prepayment penalty, everHELOC VS. PERSONAL LOAN: HELOC needs 20-30% home equityHELOC carries a variable rateHFS loans skip the appraisal and lock a fixed rate for 30 yearsWHAT WORKED:✓ A financing link in the appointment confirmation email✓ A one-page flyer at the first meeting✓ Soft credit checks that never touch the customer's score WHAT DOESN'T WORK:✗ Treating financing like a big-box retailer tactic✗ Waiting until the estimate to bring it up for the first time KEY INSIGHTS:→ Nearly 25,000 contractors nationwide already use HFS→ Design-build clients use financing on purpose, not necessity FINAL MESSAGE:Stop assuming every lead is paying cash.Offer financing to customers as a standard part of every pitch.Bigger jobs follow. Learn more: hfsfin.com

  2. Jul 23

    How to Build a High-Converting, Hacker-Proof Website with Alexandre Godinho

    YOUR WEBSITE ISN'T DONE JUST BECAUSE IT'S LIVE Alexandre Godinho (A.G.), BLC's lead website developer for 3 years, walks through what actually goes into a construction website that keeps performing after launch, from first mockup to ongoing maintenance. SECURITY & BACKUPS: → Wordfence firewall on every build → SiteGround server-side blocking → Daily cloud backups, stored off-host → Fast restore if anything ever gets hacked WHAT GETS TRACKED: 1. Page views 2. Scroll depth (50% and 75%) 3. Form submissions 4. Booked appointments SCHEMA & LOCAL SEO: → Rank Math schema markup → FAQ schema for direct Google answers → Google Business Profile matched across 70+ citations WHAT WORKED: ✓ Dynamic linking (URLs can change without breaking buttons) ✓ Pre-launch crawls with Screaming Frog and SEMrush ✓ 90+ PageSpeed score, desktop and mobile WHAT DIDN'T: ✗ Treating a website like a one-time brochure ✗ Skipping the privacy policy ✗ Letting broken links pile up unnoticed THE AI LAYER: → llm.txt alongside robots.txt → E-E-A-T: Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trust → Reviewed every 90 days with Microsoft Clarity FINAL MESSAGE: A website is a system. Build it right once. Review it forever. Then let it keep working for you. Book a call: builderleadconverter.com

  3. Jul 16

    The AI Advantage: Why College City Is Scaling While The Competition Stagnates with Jeremy Hussey

    THE AI ADVANTAGE: COLLEGE CITY VS. THE COMPETITION Jeremy Hussey breaks down how AI in construction search is already sending remodelers real, high-intent leads. THE WAKE-UP MOMENT:→ Jeremy's first AI-referred lead: "Wait, what? That's crazy"→ Rick's data: ~70% of remodeling leads now touch AI search→ Why an AI recommendation feels like a referral, not an ad HOW COLLEGE CITY TESTED IT: Rebuilt the websiteStarted AI/SEO visibility work in JanuaryJeremy searched "kitchen remodeler in Lakeville" in ClaudeLanded near the top, sometimes firstTHE GROWTH NUMBERS: Best lead month ever: 19-20 website leadsOver 50% booked a call directly~9 out of 10 booked calls show upKEY INSIGHTS: 1969 roots as P&M Construction in Northfield, MN90-95% design-to-construction conversion rate$1,500-2,000 person database, reactivated on a rolling basisSix-person local roundtable shows the visibility gap in real timeWHAT'S WORKING:✓ AI search visibility stacked on top of existing marketing✓ Sending budget estimates ahead of meetings so homeowners can "marinate"✓ No change order fees — just standard margin WHAT DOESN'T:✗ Relying only on referrals and yard signs as leads dry up✗ Skipping qualifying calls and hoping site visits sort it out✗ Letting a job site go unbudgeted past a 10% variance FINAL MESSAGE:AI isn't replacing the fundamentals.It's just changing who gets found first. Learn more: builderleadconverter.com

  4. Jul 7

    Stop Getting Skipped. How AI Search Is Reshaping the Building Industry

    Rick and Dru break down how AI search engine optimization is reshaping the building industry. THE BIG SHIFT:→ 1 person used to build your website→ Now it takes 4 specialists→ 75%+ of home buyers use zero-click AI search WHAT AI ENGINES ACTUALLY REWARD (EAT): Experience: show the proof, not the claimExpertise: teach, don't just tellAuthoritativeness: what others say about youTrust: the result of all three working togetherKEY INSIGHTS:→ Getting cited beats getting ranked→ Small builders can out-rank big ad budgets→ Confusion causes a bounce, clarity keeps leads→ A homepage has exactly one job WEBSITE DESIGN PRIORITIES: Remodel leads want inspiration firstBuilder leads want floor plans and available homesEvery page should remove fear, not add detailFollow the one-click ruleWHAT WORKED:✓ Small builders out-ranking big ad budgets✓ Aggregated Google Business reviews over pasted testimonials✓ AI-trained live chat plus click-to-call on mobile WHAT TO WATCH:✗ ChatGPT's new beta ads program✗ OpenAI's shift from nonprofit to ad-funded platform✗ Algorithm changes happening almost weekly FINAL MESSAGE:Stop designing for humans only.Stop designing for AI only.Balance both, or get skipped. Schedule a strategy call: builderleadconverter.com

  5. Jul 2

    TURNING WEB TRAFFIC INTO SALES: THE AI STRATEGY TO CONVERT HIGH-VALUE BUYERS

    MacArthur Homes grew online leads 30%, onsite visits 52%, and sales 24% using AI, an OSC, and smart automation. THE REAL NUMBERS:→ 42 leads/month in 2025→ 60 leads/month in early 2026→ 70–80% of calls convert to qualified appointments→ ~100% show rate for calls and model home visits HOW THE AI + HUMAN STACK WORKS: AI chatbot engages and qualifies the leadPaige monitors and intervenes when the bot hits its limitQualification call covers price, timeline, and product fitAutomated intro text connects lead to onsite agentFace-to-face model home visit closes the loopWHAT ACTUALLY WORKS:✓ "Schedule a Tour" = highest-quality leads✓ AI chatbot for 24/7 warm follow-up✓ Monthly KPI reports driving team accountability✓ Infill location + strong product = 100+ event attendees WHAT'S NEXT:→ Short-form video next to lead magnet forms→ Engagement-triggered AI nurture for cold leads→ Prompt engineering to sharpen Sophie the bot KEY INSIGHT:Getting AI to 90–95% accuracy is the ceiling right now.The gap is why you still need a Paige. THE FINAL MESSAGE:You don't need more leads.You need better systems handling the ones you already have. Learn more: builderleadconverter.com

  6. Jun 24

    Stop Chasing. Start Specializing. From Storm Chaser to Porch & Deck Expert with Jason Jewison

    STOP CHASING. START SPECIALIZING. Jason Jewison of Personal Pride Porches & Decks shares how niching down from general remodeling to porch and deck specialist changed their leads, revenue, and operations in six months. THE NUMBERS:→ Revenue up from $2.5M to projected $3M in one year→ Average project size: $20K → $27K→ Mix shift from 50/50 to 60/40 decks and porches in six months→ Backlog now sitting at six weeks out WHAT CHANGED WITH THE WEBSITE: Wrong-fit leads stopped submitting formsPrice-shoppers self-qualified outConversion rate climbed without increasing ad spendThe brand now signals quality before anyone picks up the phoneSALES PROCESS UPDATES:→ 15-minute qualifying call replaces the kitchen table pitch→ Investment ranges discussed on call one→ Design and estimating agreement on complex projects→ Goal: land within 10% of final price before contract OPERATIONS SHIFT:✓ Moved from in-house carpenters to trained subcontractor crews✓ Lead carpenter promoted to job superintendent✓ Projects now run five days a week, every single week✓ No more slinky effect between selling and building GROWTH PLAN:→ Target: $5M within 3 years→ 80–90% porches and decks→ Second office in Medina already open→ Showroom with in-house designer planned next THE ADVICE:Just decide to do it.It takes time. It is not instant. But the clarity you get after committing to a niche is worth every uncomfortable week in between. builderleadconverter.com

  7. Jun 17

    Stop Chasing Small Tickets! How to Structure Your Business for Larger Remodeling Contracts with Michael Willson

    STOP CHASING SMALL TICKETS Michael Willson built Mr. Honey-do into a $2.5M handyman business in Lake Tahoe. Then realized the model was unsustainable. Here's how he rebuilt it around larger remodeling contracts. THE TURNING POINT:→ Hundreds of invoices per year for $150–$2,000 jobs→ 15 employees, chaotic scheduling, shrinking margins→ Realized bigger wasn't better; profitable was better THE TRANSITION: Rebuilt the website to show design-build capabilitiesInvested 3%+ of revenue in marketing for remodelers (Builder Lead Converter services)Shifted from employees to specialty subcontractorsHired a general manager with real construction experienceWaited 18–21 months for the pipeline to fillWHERE HE IS NOW:→ 70% remodeling / 30% handyman→ 30-40 active pipeline projects tracked in BLC CRM→ Ranking at the top of Google in the Tahoe market→ Preparing for AI search visibility: the next wave KEY LESSONS: Referral-only businesses carry lower net profit marginsYou can't DIY your own marketing and compete in 2026Know your numbers on every single jobIndustry-specific consultants make the differenceWHAT DIDN'T WORK:✗ Handing the reins to people without construction backgrounds✗ Ignoring job-level profitability numbers✗ Trying to cut costs instead of investing in offense WHAT WORKED:✓ Rebuilding the website for remodeling positioning✓ Committing to marketing investment for the long game✓ Monthly KPI reviews with the industry-specific team Builder Lead Converter THE FINAL MESSAGE:Playing defense doesn't grow your business. Playing offense does. 🔗 builderleadconverter.com

  8. Jun 10

    Breaking Down the Buyer's Wall: The Future of New Home Sales Processes with Roland Nairnsey

    BREAKING DOWN THE BUYER'S WALL: NEW HOME SALES FOR BUILDERS Roland Nairnsey (nearly four decades in new home sales, author of Mastery of Selling and Mastery of Negotiation) joins Rick Storlie to break down what's actually working right now. AI IN THE SALES PROCESS:→ 20,000 leads in a single builder's CRM (mostly untouched)→ AI placed ~4,000 calls automatically→ 137 leads requested human follow-up→ ~30 appointments booked→ Sweet spot: 5–11 follow-up attempts before diminishing returns RECRUITING THE RIGHT WAY: Build your process before you post the adHire for potential and grit, not just experienceDISC assessment: ~$13–14, major insight for ~$14General realtors ≠ automatic fit for new home salesFree 12-step guide: email roland@newhomesalesplus.comNEGOTIATION RULES:→ Most buyers want to WIN something (not a lower price)→ Show them they've already saved money before they ask→ Always get buyers back in person before you counter → "If I could, would you" the sharp angle conditional close→ Odd-number counters signal real math, not desperation→ 9 out of 10 in-person negotiations: Roland made the sale KEY STATS: 20,000 leads worked by AI outbound system5–11 attempts = follow-up sweet spot$13–14 DISC assessment costTHE FINAL MESSAGE:No magic fix. No one thing that saves you.It's the right people, the right process, and the discipline to make hard decisions consistently. 📚 newhomesalesplus.com | 🔗 builderleadconverter.com

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About

A conversation for remodelers, home builders, and home improvement companies about increasing lead conversions without added expense, and watching your bottom line grow.

Information

  • Creator
    Rick Storlie
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    200
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Rick Storlie
  • Show Website
    Conversations That Convert

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