Clerics of Marketing

In this episode of the Clerks Marketing podcast, Brian and Adam clarify the difference between AI-generated content and email automations. They explain that the automations they recommend are created by humans but are triggered to send automatically based on specific timeframes or prerequisites.
The hosts detail five foundational email automations that every contractor should be running:
Review Requests: Following a completed job, an automated email asks the customer for a review. The system tracks if the link was clicked; if it wasn't, a gentle reminder is sent, avoiding the spammy approach of endless follow-ups.
90-Day Check-Ins: Sending an email 90 days after a job catches potential warranty issues early. Fixing these problems promptly stops homeowners from becoming frustrated and helps prevent negative one-star Google reviews.
1-Year Reminders: A one-year follow-up keeps your business fresh in the customer's mind. It is also an excellent opportunity for targeted upsells, such as offering an EV charging installation to a customer who previously had their electrical service upgraded.
18-Month Win-Backs: This campaign targets inactive subscribers who haven't engaged recently. Citing Mailchimp, the hosts note that win-back campaigns can recover around 14% of inactive subscribers.
Anniversaries and Birthdays: Sending personalized emails for birthdays, move-in anniversaries, or service anniversaries builds the relationship and shows you care about the customer.
To highlight the value of these systems, the hosts share data from Campaign Monitor and DMA showing that triggered automation emails generate roughly 320% more revenue than manual email campaigns. Finally, they offer listeners a $599 trial to test their current email list before committing to a full automation program.

In this episode of Clerics and Marketing, the hosts use the story of the Master and the Servants (often known as the Parable of the Talents) to illustrate a critical business lesson. Just as the faithful servants multiplied their master's coins instead of burying them, business owners are called to actively "steward" the trust and relationships they have built with their customers.
Key Takeaways from this Episode:
The Value of Loyalty: Returning customers spend 67% more between months 31 and 36 than they do in their first six months.
Conversion Realities: Past customers are 60% to 70% more likely to convert on a new service. By contrast, new prospects only convert at a rate of 5% to 20%.
Acquisition Costs: Acquiring a brand-new customer can cost a business anywhere from $60 to $350 depending on the lead source. Re-engaging an existing customer costs virtually nothing because the foundational trust is already there.
The True Purpose of Email: Email marketing should not be viewed solely as a transactional machine meant to generate immediate bookings. Rather, it is a tool for maintaining presence, sharing company updates, and building long-term loyalty.
The Stewardship Program The hosts introduce their customer retention approach, highlighting that consistent email communication keeps your business top-of-mind so customers don't forget about you. They encourage listeners to visit MarketingClerks.com to use their ROI calculator, which helps estimate potential revenue based on list size and average job value.
For businesses ready to test these strategies, the team is currently offering a $599 trial to send one targeted email test to their existing customer list.

Are you guilty of sending the exact same email blast to your entire customer base? If so, you are likely leaving money on the table—and annoying your past clients into hitting the "unsubscribe" button.
Join Brian and Adam as they dive into the do's and don'ts of email marketing for trades businesses. They discuss why treating an EV charger installation client the same as a drain-clearing client is a massive missed opportunity. Whether you are utilizing advanced, AI-driven integrations like their custom HouseCall Pro build, or simply sorting your list manually, this episode will teach you how to stop "blasting" and start communicating with intent.
What you will learn in this episode:
The Problem with "Blasts": Why one-size-fits-all emails get instantly deleted, and how to avoid spamming your customers.
The Data Behind Personalization: Primary source statistics from Mailchimp and Litmus showing how segmented campaigns can double your click-through rates and deliver up to a 43:1 ROI.
Leveraging Your Data: How to use job history, estimate notes, and past services to craft highly relevant, conversational check-ins.
Actionable Starting Points: Simple ways to begin segmenting your audience today based on service types, even if you don't have complex automation software yet.
Curious about what your current customer list is actually worth? Head over to MarketingClerics.com to learn more about their trial send.

Have you ever done a stellar job for a customer, only to find out they hired a competitor a year later for a new project? It's a frustrating experience, but it rarely happens because they were unhappy with your work. The harsh reality? They simply forgot about you.
Join Adam and Ryan on this episode of the Clerics of Marketing podcast as they break down the real reason behind customer churn in the trades. Whether you are an electrician, a plumber, or an HVAC contractor, relying solely on the quality of your initial work isn't enough to secure long-term loyalty. The hosts discuss why staying present is crucial and how to follow up with purpose, rather than being a nuisance.
What you will learn in this episode:
The Memory Gap: Why customers default to Google instead of calling you back, even after a great experience.
Perceived Indifference vs. Forgetfulness: Understanding the real reason clients drift away to your competition.
Creative Follow-Ups: How to use real-world events—like checking in on a generator after a major storm—to send highly relevant, timely messages.
Building Brand Advocates: How staying top-of-mind not only wins you repeat business but also keeps you front-and-center when your clients' friends and family need a referral.
Tune in to discover how a little bit of automation and a lot of right-time, right-message communication can keep your schedule booked and your customers loyal.

Welcome back to The Clerics of Marketing! Following up on our pivot to a single-service focus, Brian Wires and Adam tackle one of the most common questions we hear: Is email marketing dead?
The short answer is no—but the old way of doing it certainly is. If you are buying lead lists or sending the exact same "Storm Season" promotional blast to every customer in your database, you are training your audience to send you straight to the spam folder. In this episode, we break down why generic emails fail and how hyper-personalization is the key to unlocking massive ROI for plumbers, electricians, and HVAC professionals.
Key Takeaways from this Episode:
The ROI Breakdown: Why paid search is currently yielding about $2 for every $1 spent, while strategic, personalized email marketing boasts an ROI of $36 to $40 for every $1 spent.
Overcoming the "Spam" Fear: Why reaching out to past customers isn't bothering them—as long as the message is highly relevant to their specific history with your business.
The Housecall Pro Advantage: How we integrate directly with your database to pull specific data points (service type, date, technician name, and spend) to dynamically customize emails.
Trackable Results: How to accurately track clicks, calls, and booked revenue so you know exactly what your marketing dollars are doing.
Ready to see the data in action? We’re offering a $599 trial run for a customized list send. This covers the database integration, the creation of 30+ dynamic copy variations, and a tracked trial send so you can see the results for yourself. Check out the interactive demo and apply at MarketingClerics.com.

Welcome back to The Clerics of Marketing! In this episode, Adam Hour and Brian Wires get honest about the chaotic, ever-changing landscape of digital marketing. With Google search algorithms and ad costs shifting faster than most teams can adapt, the "do-it-all" agency model just isn't cutting it anymore.
Instead of being mediocre at everything, Adam and Brian are refocusing on what consistently works: retaining the clients who already trust you. We break down the hard math behind why chasing new leads in the home service space is draining your budget, and why tapping into your existing customer base is the smartest financial move you can make today.
Key Takeaways from this Episode:
The Pivot to Excellence: Why we are stepping away from expensive Google Ads and hyper-focusing on email marketing and social media strategy.
The ROI of Reactivation: We dive into the stats—why existing customers are 60% to 70% more likely to buy from you, compared to a mere 5% to 20% for new prospects.
The True Cost of Acquisition: Backed by industry data (and a classic Michael Scott moment from The Office), learn why it costs 5 to 25 times more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one.
A New Approach to Email: This isn't about spamming cold lists. It's about maintaining relational equity and reminding past clients of the great work you've already done for them.
Don't go get more leads—just remind your current customers who you are and what you do.

Today’s episode starts with some classic office banter and a little Dungeons & Dragons energy, then we get right down to business. Adam and Brian pick up where yesterday left off and talk about the real question every electrical contractor is facing heading into 2026: how do you price your work to hit a true 30 percent net profit margin without feeling guilty or scared the phones will stop ringing?
 
They break down the two kinds of customers in every market. The “Walmart experience” crowd wants cheap, fast, and bare minimum, and they will drain your time and margins. The “Nordstrom experience” crowd wants safety, certainty, professionalism, and a job done right the first time. Those are the people you want more of, and your pricing and presentation should attract them before they ever call.
 
You’ll hear three practical moves to make premium pricing make sense:
Build a premium brand image first, then charge premium. Not the other way around. Your website, Google profile, socials, photos, and overall “digital uniform” need to look like the Cadillac you say you are.
Stop doing free estimates. Charge for them, and roll it into the job when they approve it.
Use “good, better, best” pricing. Give three options, put your ideal job in the middle, and add a higher premium option on top. Now they are comparing your choices, not shopping you against every other electrician in town.
 
They also dig into the white glove details that make people pay more happily. Clear communication, tech bios and photos before arrival, booties in the house, walk-through explanations focused on safety, and treating the home like it matters.
 
Challenge for the week: on your next service call, offer three options instead of one price and watch what happens. Even if they pick the lowest, you just repositioned yourself as a pro who offers solutions, not a laborer who dumps a number on the table.
 
Short, practical, and meant to get you paid what you’re actually worth.

Adam’s fired up this morning — fresh snow, no wind, and a big vision for how electricians can win in 2026. In this episode, he lays out what he calls the “Master of One” strategy: stop trying to be everything to everyone, and start becoming the obvious specialist for one high-value problem.
 
He breaks down why being a generalist is one of the most expensive ways to run an electrical business — more inventory, more chaos, more price shoppers, and way more stress for the same paycheck. When you’re the “electrician for anybody,” you become a commodity… and commodities fight on price.
 
Then Adam walks you through a simple but powerful exercise to find your lane: the Red & Green Pen Test.
Green pen (your joy zone): the jobs with high margins, smooth crews, grateful customers, and zero price arguing.
Red pen (your tuition zone): the jobs that cost you money, time, or sanity.
 
From there, you identify which green jobs line up with 2026 trends like electrification (EV chargers, heat pumps, generators), aging grid/panel upgrades, and smart home + security. Next, you define the who behind those jobs — your real avatar — because the money isn’t in the task, it’s in the people buying it.
 
Finally, Adam challenges you to put up a “velvet rope” in your business: pick your specialty, update your website and profiles to scream it, and start referring the low-margin headache work out. Specialists get paid for knowledge. Generalists get paid for time.
 
If you want 2026 to be the year you stop selling hours and start selling expertise, this one’s for you.

It’s freezing out, and Adam uses that bitter-cold Minnesota morning as a gut-check for business owners heading into 2026: are you about to have a “cold start,” or are you gearing up with a system worth fighting for?
 
In this solo year-end episode, Adam walks through a practical, no-fluff annual review framework built for electricians, HVAC, plumbing, and MEP contractors. He breaks down what to actually evaluate before you start setting next year’s goals: revenue vs. real profit, COGS vs. operating expenses, team structure, leadership gaps, customer loyalty (including how to use Net Promoter Score), unfinished initiatives, and how market shifts should change your strategy.
 
He also shares what The Marketing Clerics are doing behind the scenes—refining their niche, doubling down on trades, and using AI (especially Gemini) to build sharper content systems like his “viral thread writer” that helps contractors turn ideas into scroll-stopping posts with real takeaways.
 
The takeaway is simple: don’t sprint into 2026 blind. Look back clearly, learn honestly, pick a North Star metric, build OKRs that support it, and match your resources to the plan. If you want a stronger, warmer start to the new year, this episode is your blueprint.