- Owned and Operated Weekly Insights
- Posts
- How Traditional Media Can Drive Thousands of $$$ in Leads
How Traditional Media Can Drive Thousands of $$$ in Leads
TV and radio still work in 2025
John Wilson
April 23, 2025
Today, I’m unpacking highlights from my latest podcast with Tony Castellucci from Wanamaker Advertising.
We dig into how traditional media—like TV and radio—can help home service companies drive crazy growth.
Before we get to that, here’s a message from today’s partner, Avoca.
The AI CSR for Home Services
Last year we started using a new AI tool in our call center and it’s getting us some SERIOUS numbers you should know about.
Call quality is up from 40% to 95%
Booking percentage sitting comfortably at 85%
Averaging 400 calls WEEKLY
And we’re not the only one winning big with Avoca.
When we switched to Avoca from our previous answering service our booking rate went from 55% to 90%. Our dispatch board got so full we had to hire more technicians!
Eddie Cota
Owner, Aire Serv Cota's Comfort
Want to get in on the action? Book a demo with Avoca and get these results for your home service business.
The “Old” Approach to Winning New Business
Is branding still worth it in home services?
Tony Castellucci of Wanamaker Advertising, a lead generation marketing agency, doesn’t think so.
When we sat down to talk marketing, he didn’t waste time with fluff:
“Branding is for cattle,” he said.
He’s not interested in impressions. He’s not interested in completion rates.
Why?
Because those numbers don’t mean anything if they don’t turn into work.
"Everybody’s impressions, impressions, video, completion rate…"
Tony’s seen it all. People obsessing over video views and digital branding tactics that used to work—emphasis on used to.
“I don’t care,” he said. “Can’t sit on that.”
If you’re chasing vanity metrics and hoping they somehow lead to jobs, you’re going to be disappointed.
There was a time when brand awareness alone could bring in leads. That time’s over. As Tony put it: “It’s not as great for lead gen anymore as it once was.”
Where we’re putting our attention: LSAs and GMB
The most important thing Tony has been working on lately?
Maximizing Local Service Ads (LSAs) and optimizing his company’s Google My Business (GMB) profiles.
Tip: read our complete guide on local service ads for more context.
Be sure that…
All LSAs are on when needed
They're tuned to provide the best ROI
GMB profiles are partnered with service scalers to drive more traffic
There’s no guesswork. No theory. Just execution.
This is where Tony’s clients are getting the best returns right now. If it stops working, it’s time to adjust. But for now? It’s what’s driving results.
"Conquest those guys."
Tony didn’t dance around his strategy.
He wants to win. Period.
“Conquest those guys,” he said.
And: “Foot on throat.”
If you want to piss someone off, Tony added, “ask for the n.”
(You’ll have to listen to the episode for the full context on that one.)
The mindset isn’t passive. It’s not about floating around hoping something lands. It’s about going straight at your competitors and taking market share.
Forget the fluff. Focus on what works.
We didn’t talk about long-term brand building.
We never mentioned tone, palette, or messaging guidelines.
What we talked about was what works right now—and how to use it.
That means:
Stop tracking the wrong numbers
Turn on your LSAs at the right time
Optimize your GMB profile and keep it active
Partner with people who can help you scale what’s working
If you're still stuck in old playbooks, it's time to move on.
More on all of this in the episode below. ⬇️
Go Pro With OAOPro
Are you looking for a serious edge in the home services arena?
If you’re in home services and serious about scaling, OAOPro is where you need to be.
This isn’t a “tips and tricks” group—it’s a vetted network of owners and operators building real businesses in HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and other trades.
30+ members are waiting to meet you. Come on in!
That’s all for today, but I’ll be back on Friday with another newsletter. In the meantime, take in some of our recent podcast episodes.
👊
John
Disclosure: This newsletter includes sponsored content. However, all opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Want More Owned and Operated?
📖 Check out the go-to resource for scaling your home service business here
🤝 Get your brand in front of 40,000+ home service business owners here
Reply