Do Yard Signs Actually Work for Home Service Businesses?

In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson is joined by Sam Preston, CEO of Service Scalers, to break down one of the simplest—and most debated—marketing channels in home services: yard signs.

Are they actually effective, or just cheap noise?

John and Sam dig into the real economics behind yard signs, including why they can be 10–100x cheaper per impression than billboards—but come with tradeoffs in reach and perceived credibility. They also explore real-world examples, including a company that scaled to millions in revenue largely using yard signs alone.

The conversation goes beyond theory and into execution: what makes a yard sign convert, where they work best, and the common mistakes that cause most operators to fail with them.

In this episode, we cover:

• The true cost vs. return of yard signs compared to billboards
• Why repetition in a neighborhood builds trust and drives calls
• Real examples of businesses scaling with yard signs
• The biggest mistakes operators make (and how to avoid them)
• What actually makes a yard sign convert
• When yard signs work best—and when they don’t

If you’re looking for low-cost ways to generate more local demand—or wondering if yard signs are worth testing—this episode gives you a practical, no-BS breakdown of how to think about them.

Host: John Wilson https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbwilson1/
Guest: Sam Preston https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-preston-a682103b6/

💼 Shoutout to Quick Staffers LLC

Need trained HVAC & plumbing CSRs at a fraction of the cost? Quick Staffers LLC specializes in placing top-tier global talent with the best SOPs and scripts.

🔥 Get $500 off your first placement here

💼Shoutout to Avoca AI!

Looking to train your call center and improve technician performance? Avoca AI helps teams identify issues, improve call quality, and drive results from start to finish.

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💼 Extra Special Thanks to Service Scalers!

We’ve been partnering with Service Scalers to maximize our Local Service Ads (LSAs) and optimize our Google My Business profiles, and the results have been incredible. With hundreds of thousands in sales and 900+ calls in a single week, GMBs are now our top-performing organic lead channel.

Want to learn how Service Scalers can do the same for you?

🔗Check Them Out Here

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• John's YouTube Channel
• Weekly Newsletter
• Owned and Operated

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John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Companies
Jack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.

How do you double a plumbing business in just 90 days after buying it?

In this episode, John Wilson breaks down the exact moves that led to nearly 100% growth immediately post-acquisition. From simple operational fixes to high-impact decisions, this is a practical look at what actually drives results in a small service business.

If you're buying—or thinking about buying—a home service company, this episode shows how to unlock growth fast and run a business effectively from day one.

Follow John Wilson:
https://x.com/WilsonCompanies

More Solo Content:
https://www.youtube.com/@JohnWilsonStudio

Send Us Mail!

More Ways To Connect with O&O

• John's YouTube Channel
• Weekly Newsletter
• Owned and Operated

Leave a Review

John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Companies
Jack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.

I Bought 3 Home Service Businesses in 90 Days… Here’s What Happened

In this episode of Owned and Operated, John Wilson sits down with co-host Jack Carr (CEO of Rapid HVAC) to break down what actually happens when you aggressively scale through acquisitions.

After buying three businesses in 90 days, John walks through the strategy, the chaos, and the results—from rapid revenue growth to hitting 24% EBITDA and transforming the structure of his business almost overnight.

This isn’t theory. It’s a real-time look at what it takes to scale a home service company through M&A—and when it actually works.

What we cover:

• Why the best companies combine organic growth + acquisitions
• How John added $10–12M in run-rate revenue in one quarter
• The real reason acquisitions worked this time (and broke the business in the past)
• How shared services (marketing, call center, dispatch) drive massive efficiency gains
• Why infrastructure—not deal flow—is the key to scaling acquisitions

If you’re thinking about buying businesses—or wondering when you’re actually ready—this episode is a candid breakdown of what it really takes to scale through M&A.

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💼 Extra Special Thanks to Service Scalers!

We’ve been partnering with Service Scalers to maximize our Local Service Ads (LSAs) and optimize our Google My Business profiles, and the results have been incredible. With hundreds of thousands in sales and 900+ calls in a single week, GMBs are now our top-performing organic lead channel.

Want to learn how Service Scalers can do the same for you?

🔗Check Them Out Here

💼 Shoutout to Quick Staffers LLC

Need trained HVAC & plumbing CSRs at a fraction of the cost? Quick Staffers LLC specializes in placing top-tier global talent with the best SOPs and scripts.

🔥 Get $500 off your first placement here

Host: John Wilson https://x.com/WilsonCompanies
Guest: Jack Carr (Rapid HVAC) https://x.com/thehvacjack

#HomeServices #HVAC #Plumbing #BusinessAcquisition #Entrepreneurship #ServiceBusiness

Send Us Mail!

More Ways To Connect with O&O

• John's YouTube Channel
• Weekly Newsletter
• Owned and Operated

Leave a Review

John Wilson, CEO of Wilson Companies
Jack Carr, CEO of Rapid HVAC

📌 Disclaimer: Some links may include UTM parameters or affiliate relationships, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Episodes may feature sponsors, but all opinions expressed are our own.