Episode Summary

Joe and Mike break down why Google reviews matter more than ever for home service businesses. They share fresh ranking and consumer-behavior stats, explain the concept of review velocity, and give a practical, low-tech “Google Review Hack” that makes leaving reviews easy for customers and consistent for your team. If you want more calls from your Google Business Profile, this episode is a playbook.

What You’ll Learn

• Why Google reviews are the new word-of-mouth for home services
• How replying to reviews impacts trust and conversion
• What “review velocity” is and how it affects rankings
• Why reputation can beat ranking position for call volume
• How reviews influence results in tools like ChatGPT, Yelp, and Reddit
• A simple QR code system to get more reviews on the spot
• How to encourage techs to ask for reviews consistently

Visit Joe at: https://bigwestmarketing.com/
Or his Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/joeburnich

Visit Mike at: https://www.mancinidigital.com/
Or his Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/@MikeMancini

n this episode of Home Service Marketing Pros, hosts Joe Burnich and Mike Mancini tackle one of the most common — yet confusing — questions home service pros face: “How much should I spend on marketing?”

They break down practical budgeting strategies for every stage of business, from brand-new startups to established multi-truck operations. Whether you’re an electrical Contractor, HVAC tech, pressure washer or carpet cleaner, this conversation will help you set up a sustainable marketing plan that grows your business without draining your wallet.

Key Topics Covered

• The 10% Rule: Why allocating 10% of your revenue to marketing can keep your business healthy and growing.
• Adjusting for Your Stage of Business: What to do if you’re just starting out vs. already established.
• Referrals Aren’t Enough: Why relying solely on word-of-mouth will eventually stall your growth.
• Budgeting Habits: How to set up a dedicated savings account for marketing and make it automatic.
• Hustling Without a Budget: Proven ways to market your services for free — from door hangers to partnerships and community networking.
• Avoiding the Comparison Trap: Why chasing “big competitors” can lead to overspending and burnout.
• Smart Scaling: How to reinvest wisely as you grow and when to slow down or ramp up your ad spend.

Real-World Advice:

Joe and Mike share personal experiences from their own service businesses and marketing agencies, revealing both the wins and the lessons learned. Their bottom line? Marketing never stops — it just evolves.

Visit Joe at: https://bigwestmarketing.com/
Or his Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/joeburnich

Visit Mike at: https://www.mancinidigital.com/
Or his Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/@MikeMancini

In this episode of Home Service Marketing Pros, hosts Joe Burnich and Mike Mancini break down one of the biggest frustrations for home service businesses — when Google seems to ignore or “hate” your business listing. They explain why your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) may not be ranking in the local map pack and what you can do to fix it.

Key topics include:

• Why your business address plays a huge role in whether you rank or not.
• The major problems with using PO boxes, UPS mailboxes, or virtual office addresses.
• The truth about home addresses and why hiding them can still help you rank.
• The difference between Google Ads and SEO — and why they don’t impact each other.
• How Google decides which businesses appear near the city center (centroid bias).
• The importance of updating your profile regularly, uploading real photos, and engaging with reviews.
• Why consistent address and citation information across your website, Yelp, and other directories matters.

Joe and Mike also share insider data from over 100 businesses and real-world experiences to help you understand what Google really wants to see from legitimate home service pros.

Visit Joe at: https://bigwestmarketing.com/
Or his Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/joeburnich

Visit Mike at: https://www.mancinidigital.com/
Or his Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/@MikeMancini