Marketing fundamentals still matter in an AI-driven world

By The Coffee Shops®. 

How contractors can adapt their marketing while staying focused on proven customer journey principles. 

On a recent episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down with Sara Nay, CEO of Duct Tape Marketing, to discuss how marketing is evolving for contractors and home improvement companies as artificial intelligence reshapes the way customers research and buy. 

Sara explained that while technology continues to change rapidly, the core principles of effective marketing remain the same. Duct Tape Marketing was founded on the idea that small businesses need a clear, repeatable approach to marketing rather than a collection of disconnected tactics. "There has to be a systematic approach to marketing," Sara said. "Like there's a systematic approach to finance and operations and client services and all the other areas of your business." 

That system is built around what the company calls the marketing hourglass, a framework that guides customers through stages including know, like, trust, try, buy, repeat and refer. According to Sara, those stages remain relevant, but the way people move through them is changing dramatically. 

One example is the growing role of artificial intelligence in search and customer research. Sara shared the story of an artificial turf company that began testing advertising within ChatGPT. The company generated its largest client to date, while experiencing a shorter sales cycle. "The reason I believe that happened is someone was able to find them within an AI platform," Sara explained. By the time prospects contacted the company, they had already conducted extensive research, compared competitors and reviewed customer feedback. 

For contractors, that shift creates new challenges. Traditional search engine optimization remains important, but Sara noted that businesses must also think about how they appear within AI-powered search experiences. 

At the same time, AI is increasing the value of authenticity. Sara observed that customers increasingly want genuine connections and real expertise rather than overly polished content. "What they're craving is more of that like human connection, that authenticity, that buying from people and not just a company," she said. 

As customer behavior changes, contractors who combine strategic marketing systems with authentic communication may be best positioned to keep pace. 

Listen to the full podcast or Watch the recording to learn more about marketing systems, AI search and the customer journey.