Service Business Mastery for Skilled Trades: HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Home Service

Marketing for home service businesses is evolving faster than ever.

Rising lead costs, private equity competition, new AI-driven ad platforms, and changing consumer behavior are forcing contractors to rethink how they attract customers.

In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett sits down with Justin Riley, founder of UpFrog, to talk about what the future of marketing really looks like for HVAC, plumbing, and other home service companies.

If you want to understand where marketing for home service businesses is heading and how to stay competitive in the years ahead, this episode is packed with practical insights.
What You Will Learn in This Episode
• Why lead generation alone is no longer enough for home service companies
• The difference between lead generation and demand generation
• How organic content impacts paid advertising performance
• Why social media algorithms now reward brand engagement
• How contractors can compete with private equity-backed companies
• Why online pricing tools generate higher-value customers
• The role giveaways and tune-up offers play in customer acquisition
• Why brand awareness before equipment failure leads to better conversions
• How AI tools are influencing marketing automation
• The growing importance of marketing compliance and data management
Timestamps
00:00 "Podcast Reunion and New Program"
09:46 "Algorithms Driving Content and Ads"
12:38 Prevention-Based HVAC Marketing Strategy
17:44 "Improving Sales Success Process"
21:51 Rethinking Business Profit Expectations
28:32 "Accelerating Business Growth Opportunities"
33:21 "Opti: Compliance Tool for Messaging"
38:00 TCPA Compliance and Risk Awareness
46:12 Scaling Through Demand Generation
48:52 "Creative Local Giveaway Ideas"
53:24 Cost Efficiency of Tune-Up Pricing
01:00:12 Marketing Costs and Growth Strategy
01:05:31 Economic Cycles and Industry Trends
01:08:26 "Uncertainty and Building Challenges"
01:17:10 "Opti: ServiceTitan-GoHighLevel Integration"
01:18:48 "Steps to Business Success"
 
Follow the Host and Guest
Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/
Justin Riley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justintriley/
UpFrog: https://www.linkedin.com/company/upfrog/
Connect with Us
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmastery
• Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast

Register for NHPC26 in Columbus, OH (April 13-16) and save $270! Use code MASTERY for the $825 rate: nhpc26.org/svc-mastery | Registration deadline: April 9

This episode is kindly powered by:

UpFrog: upfrog.com
MarketStorm is an AI-powered advertising platform. Results vary by market, budget, and campaign configuration: https://marketstorm.ai/
Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod
CompanyCam: https://companycam.com/
Breezy: https://getbreezyapp.com/
Your calls hold the key to growing your business. PhoneTAP gives you instant AI analysis, real customer lifetime value, and tools to coach your team. Learn more: phonetap.ai/demo

Electrification is accelerating across North America. Rebates are expanding. Regulations are tightening. And HVAC contractors are being asked to deliver higher efficiency, lower emissions, and better comfort all at the same time.
So where does dual fuel fit in?
In this episode of Service Business Mastery, recorded live at AHR Expo, Tersh Blissett sits down with Matt Schlegel and Charles Hurd to break down how dual fuel heat pumps are becoming a powerful solution for commercial and residential contractors.
If you're trying to navigate electrification, cold climate performance, rebate programs, and evolving control requirements, this episode gives you clarity and strategy.
What You Will Learn in This Episode
• What dual fuel heat pumps are and how they operate
• The difference between single heat operation and simultaneous heating
• Why electrification incentives are driving commercial demand
• How dual fuel helps avoid expensive electrical upgrades
• Why gas can outperform electric strip heat in extreme cold
• How adjustable changeover temperatures impact comfort and cost
• How to calculate annual operating costs and emissions impact
• How Controls Verification Protocol affects inverter systems
• The growing push toward communicating equipment
• What AHRI 1380 demand response compliance means for contractors
• How manufacturers are using AI to improve troubleshooting and service
Timestamps
00:00 Adjustable changeover temperature explained
05:23 What dual fuel solves in commercial applications
08:12 Gas vs electric strip heat in extreme cold
12:24 Utility cost and emissions comparison tool
16:02 How thermostats and changeover logic work
23:39 Brand loyalty after COVID shortages
28:24 Refrigerant transition challenges
33:01 CVP and communicating systems
35:31 Future of proprietary thermostats
40:49 AI in HVAC troubleshooting
44:09 Automation vs AI hype
48:15 How to become a dealer

How to become a YORK dealer 
https://www.york.com/dealers/become-a-contractor 

Follow the Host and Guest
Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/
Josh Crouch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-crouch/
Matt Schlegel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-schlegel/
Charles Hurd: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesrhurd/ 
Bosch: https://www.linkedin.com/company/boschhomecomfortgroup/

Connect with Us
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmastery
• Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast

👉 Enroll Today - https://bit.ly/3CZTDte
🚀 Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!
👉 Visit: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod

Most HVAC contractors focus on equipment upgrades, but one of the biggest opportunities for better installs and higher profit is hiding in the ductwork.

In this episode of Service Business Mastery, recorded live at AHR 2026 in Las Vegas, Tersh Blissett sits down with Jarrod Scott from Aeroseal to explain how duct sealing from the inside works, why it is different from traditional mastic and tape, and how contractors can use it to improve comfort, increase system efficiency, reduce callbacks, and create a real competitive advantage.

They also discuss commercial and multifamily applications, how to think about static pressure, and why tighter buildings must still breathe through controlled mechanical ventilation.
What You Will Learn in This Episode
• How internal duct sealing works using physics and pressure
• The difference between duct sealing and duct encapsulation
• How precise sealing improves airflow and energy efficiency
• How much leakage the system can realistically seal
• Whether sealing ducts raises static pressure
• Why responsible contractors think holistically before sealing
• How tight buildings must be paired with mechanical ventilation
• The ROI case for apartment complexes and commercial buildings
• How duct sealing reduces callbacks and boosts customer satisfaction
• How to turn efficiency upgrades into a competitive advantage
Timestamps
00:00 How sealing ducts from the inside works
01:14 The physics behind internal duct sealing
04:22 How large of a leak can be sealed
06:08 Static pressure concerns and responsible installation
08:47 Why buildings must breathe mechanically
10:05 ROI for sealing apartment and commercial HVAC
12:28 Cure time and odor concerns
13:58 Water-based sealant and fire safety
16:03 Reducing callbacks and increasing customer satisfaction
17:29 Turning duct sealing into a competitive advantage

Follow the Host and Guest
Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/
Josh Crouch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-crouch/
Jarrod Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarrod-scott-06573835/
Aeroseal: https://www.aeroseal.com

Connect with Us
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmastery
• Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast

👉 Enroll Today - https://bit.ly/3CZTDte
🚀 Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!
👉 Visit: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod

This episode is kindly powered by:

UpFrog: https://upfrog.com
MarketStorm: https://marketstorm.ai/
CallRail: https://www.callrail.com/
CompanyCam: https://companycam.com/

AI is moving faster than most service businesses can keep up with.
Voice agents. Text automation. Follow-up systems. AI sales emails. Predictive messaging.
But here's the real question:
How do you use AI to convert more leads without losing the human touch?
In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett and Joshua Crouch sit down with Ryan Fenn, CEO at CHIIRP, to break down what's actually working in AI-driven lead conversion right now.
They dive into:
Why speed to lead still wins (and why seconds matter)

How one word in your follow-up could be killing 90 percent of your conversions

Why most contractors misuse AI for sales emails

How to "download your brain" into systems using AI

Why tools are becoming commodities and experience is becoming king

How AI agents are replacing static drip campaigns

If you're a service business owner trying to figure out how to adopt AI without sounding robotic, this episode will give you clarity, strategy, and practical application.
What You Will Learn in This Episode
• Why speed to lead still dramatically impacts booking rates
• The difference between static drip campaigns and dynamic AI follow-up
• How AI can analyze hundreds of millions of messages to improve conversion
• Why empathy in messaging increases response rates
• How to use AI as an editor instead of a ghostwriter
• How to turn 20 years of experience into systems and training using AI
• Why the future of software is outcome-based, not tool-based
• How to evaluate tech partners based on deployment experience, not features
• Why humans will still matter even if AI becomes indistinguishable
Timestamps
00:00 The AI arms race and what's changed
03:00 Why speed to lead still dominates
08:00 The future of AI in sales and follow-up
12:20 Why humans will still matter in the age of AI
21:20 Download your brain using AI
22:11 How to use AI to write better sales emails
27:24 Why experience matters more than software features
33:02 The single word that could be killing your sales
36:00 Is there such thing as responding too fast?
40:57 AI agents replacing static drip campaigns
49:00 What contractors should stop doing immediately
Follow the Host and Guest
Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/
Josh Crouch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-crouch/
Ryan Fenn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-fenn-76568b165/
CHIIRP: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chiirp/ 
Connect with Us
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmastery
• Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast
 
👉 Enroll Today - https://bit.ly/3CZTDte
🚀 Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!
👉 Visit: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod

This episode is kindly powered by:

UpFrog: upfrog.com
MarketStorm: https://marketstorm.ai/
CallRail: https://www.callrail.com/
CompanyCam: https://companycam.com/

Scaling a home service business is not just about running more ads or getting more leads. It is about building a real company with the right marketing strategy, the right people, and a presence that customers trust.
In this episode of Service Business Mastery, Tersh Blissett sits down with Jen McKee, founder of Kee Hart Marketing, to break down what it really takes to grow and scale in today's market.
Jen shares why video is now one of the most overlooked opportunities in home services, how Google is indexing videos across platforms, and why contractors must stop treating social media like an afterthought.
They also dive into what makes a business scalable long-term, including profitability, building an asset (not a job), and why the right rooms and relationships are often the fastest path to growth.
If you are serious about scaling your business, this episode will give you both the mindset and the marketing strategy you need.
What You Will Learn in This Episode
• Why video is one of the biggest marketing advantages in home services right now
• How Google is indexing videos from Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube
• The simple checklist that helps your videos show up in search
• Why your social media bio must clearly say what you do and where you do it
• How to scale with profits, not just revenue
• Why every owner should be building a business asset, not just a job
• The real value of conferences, networking, and being vulnerable in the right rooms
• Why you should seek advice from contractors who have actually done the thing
• How to build your presence as a leader, brand, and business in your market
Timestamps
00:00 Google is indexing all your videos now
03:10 Who Jen McKee is and what Kee Hart Marketing does
04:03 The Growth Experience conference (profits, people, presence)
10:55 Why great conferences avoid sales pitches
15:53 Why contractors should learn marketing from contractors
24:05 The mindset of continuous growth and not settling
25:17 Build an asset, not a job
26:34 The real value of conferences is your network
30:36 Stop having imposter syndrome (everyone has value)
36:16 Should contractors use AI for content?
43:18 How to get your videos indexed by Google right now
48:22 The Growth Experience details and how to get tickets
Follow the Host and Guest
Tersh Blissett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tershblissett/
Josh Crouch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-crouch/
Jen McKee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-mckee-72114824/
Kee Hart Marketing: https://keehartmarketing.com/
Kee to Growth Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@KeetoGrowthPodcast 
Connect with Us
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/service-business-mastery
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@servicebusinessmastery
• Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/servicebusinessmasterypodcast
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/servicebusinessmasterypodcast
👉 Enroll Today - https://bit.ly/3CZTDte
🚀 Get Your 14-Day Free Trial with CallRail!
👉 Visit: https://www.callrail.com/sbmpod
This episode is kindly powered by:
UpFrog: upfrog.com
MarketStorm: https://marketstorm.ai/
CallRail: https://www.callrail.com/
CompanyCam: https://companycam.com/