Talk Of The Trades

Hosted by Leadhub

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Mar 2026

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About the show

Talk Of The Trades Podcast is your go-to resource for HVAC, plumbing, electrical and home services professionals. Hosted by Aaron Watters and Dennis Ayotte from Leadhub, we cover marketing tips, business strategies and the latest industry trends. Each week we dive into SEO, lead generation, AI, Google updates and tools like ServiceTitan. Stay ahead in a competitive market with proven strategies and expert insights.

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March 20, 2026Episode 171 hr 11 min

How Contractors Win on Social Media Without Faking It 🎥 | Talk Of The Trades | Ep. 017

💪 How contractors win on social media without faking it is the focus of this episode of Talk Of The Trades, as Dennis Ayotte sits down with Jen McKee of Kee Hart Marketing to unpack what actually works for home service businesses. They cover authenticity, video strategy, consistency, profile optimization, and why contractors need to stop overthinking content and start showing up as themselves. 💯 😎If your marketing feels forced, inconsistent, or overly polished, this episode is packed with practical takeaways you can use right away. Subscribe, watch to the end, and share this with a contractor who wants better results from social media. ✅💡 Chapters 💡 0:00 Introduction to Jen McKee 1:38 From restaurants to marketing leadership 9:33 Why social media matters for contractors 12:28 What home service companies get wrong on social 23:25 Authenticity, branding, and building trust 27:55 Why video content wins 32:53 Optimizing social profiles for search visibility 43:39 Mindset, growth, and leadership habits 52:33 Delegation and scaling without burnout 56:45 The Growth Experience and final takeaways🌐 Connect with Jen McKee: Kee Hart Marketing: https://keehartmarketing.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-mckee-72114824/ The Growth Experience: https://thegrowth-experience.com/📢 Follow Us: Talk Of The Trades: https://linktr.ee/TalkOfTheTrades Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadhub/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leadhubagency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadhub/🎧 More Episodes: https://open.spotify.com/show/0ocMWKCzR8kzO5W7Zaz0FC?si=710b2f6bbfed401d

February 20, 2026Episode 1624 min

Google Business Profile: The AI‑Ready 2026 Checklist ✅ Talk Of The Trades | Ep. 016

🌐 Google Business Profile is your AI‑ready business card—use this 2026 checklist to boost local visibility, conversions, and trust. Hosts Aaron Watters & Dennis Ayotte explain what to fill, how Instagram posts and events/schema feed Google and where GBP can outshine your website. Subscribe for more Talk Of The Trades! 💡 Chapters0:00 Cold open & rapid‑fire agenda1:06 Meet the hosts (Dennis & Aaron)3:10 LSA: 3 hard “don’ts” (name, address, pausing)7:15 LSA: must‑dos + “hidden” metrics (API/Data Studio)10:55 Google calling for quotes; AI‑to‑AI conversations12:29 GBP as your AI‑facing business directory14:13 Fill every field: badges, amenities, inclusivity & pricing16:20 Social signals: Instagram posts indexed in Google18:51 Events & schema + local credibility (chambers, location pages)23:35 Client win‑backs & wrap📢 Follow Us:Talk Of The Trades: https://linktr.ee/TalkOfTheTradesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadhub/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leadhubagencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadhub/🎧 More Episodes: Talk of the Trades

January 21, 2026Episode 151 hr 3 min

Building Killer Sales Teams: Coaching, Culture & Closing 🧠 Talk Of The Trades | Ep. 015

💪 💼 Building killer sales teams takes more than motivation — it takes coaching, culture and trust. In this episode of Talk Of The Trades, hosts Aaron Watters and Dennis Ayotte sit down with sales veteran Rob McCann, founder of McCann Sales Consulting, to break down what actually works when it comes to hiring, training and leading high-performing sales teams.With over 25 years of experience and a track record of scaling teams, Rob shares real-world lessons on sales coaching, ride-alongs, handling slumps and why most “objections” are really just stalls. If you’re a business owner, sales manager or contractor looking to close more deals with fewer leads, this episode is packed with practical takeaways you can use immediately. Watch the full episode and learn how to build a sales team that consistently wins.Chapters: 0:00 Introduction & Meet Rob McCann 3:00 From Law Enforcement to Sales Leadership 7:30 Phone Sales vs. In-Home Sales 12:00 Rapport, First Impressions & Likability 18:30 Hiring High-Performing Sales Teams 25:30 Training, Ride-Alongs & Coaching 32:30 Sales Slumps & Accountability 38:30 Turning a No Into a Yes (Ride-Along Story) 47:00 Objections vs. Stalls & Price Conditioning 57:30 Trust, Follow-Ups & Closing Long-Term👤 Mentioned: Rob McCannhttps://www.mccannsalesconsulting.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-mccann-493a69386/📢 Follow Us:Talk Of The Trades: https://linktr.ee/TalkOfTheTrades🎧 More Episodes:https://open.spotify.com/show/0ocMWKCzR8kzO5W7Zaz0FC?si=89c71d8200cf49d1

November 14, 2025Episode 1452 min

⚠️ Contractors Beware: Google Review Fraud Is On The Rise (Again)! | Talk Of The Trades | Ep. 014

Google review scams are on the rise — and contractors are the top targets. In this episode of Talk Of The Trades, Aaron Watters and Dennis Ayotte expose the latest fraud tactics hurting home service businesses — from fake 1-star reviews to review extortion schemes — and share the exact steps to protect your reputation online. Aaron also discusses long-term planning, including the importance of attribution tools like The Graphite Lab's assembly feature for re-attributing call sources.0:00 – Welcome Back & The TACCA Golf Tournament1:40 – Why Networking Still Matters in the Trades4:50 – Smart Networking Ideas for Contractors8:10 – Leadership Groups & Building Business Relationships10:55 – Google Review Scams Are Exploding12:20 – How to Handle Review Extortion the Right Way17:25 – Other Online Scams Hitting Contractors20:00 – How to Protect Your Reputation Online24:50 – How can businesses successfully manage big software or system changes?33:45 – Planning for 2026: Budgets, Brand Awareness & AIThey also dive into networking strategies, Leadhub’s ClickUp transition, and best practices for 2026 marketing and budgeting.👤 Mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/@thegraphitelab2379👉 Subscribe for weekly insights on marketing, leadership, and business growth in the trades!📢 Follow Us:Talk Of The Trades: https://linktr.ee/TalkOfTheTrades🎧 More Episodes:https://open.spotify.com/show/0ocMWKCzR8kzO5W7Zaz0FC?si=219d22fb5f2d4ab6

October 24, 2025Episode 1351 min

Truth Behind Google’s Latest Update: What It Means for Home Service Pros | Talk Of The Trades Ep.013

👻 Audio was a bit spooky on this one but our studio is almost finished! 🥳😬 Google’s latest Search Console update left SEOs panicking — but Aaron and Dennis break down what really happened and what home service pros should do next. They also dig into GBP suspensions, AI-driven search and the importance of simplifying your marketing. ✅0:00 – Welcome to Talk Of The Trades1:00 – Pantheon Recap: AI Takes the Stage4:30 – How AI Is Reshaping Skilled Labor8:30 – Google’s Search Console Shake-Up Explained12:00 – What It Means for Contractors and Marketers15:00 – The GBP Suspension Epidemic20:00 – Top 5 Citation Sites That Still Matter25:00 – How to Show Up in LLM Search Results33:00 – Short Wins vs. Long-Term SEO Strategy40:00 – Simplify Your Marketing: Focus on What Works👉 Subscribe for more insights from Talk Of The Trades!📢 Follow Us: https://linktr.ee/TalkOfTheTrades🎧 More Episodes: • Talk of the Trades

September 10, 2025Episode 1247 min

AI Agents vs Humans: Who Books More Calls? 🤔 | Talk Of The Trades | Ep. 012

🤖 AI booking agents for home services—Dennis Ayotte and Aaron Watters compare bots vs humans, when to hand off and the KPIs that prove what’s working. Subscribe for industry wins and watch more episodes. ▶️Chapters0:00 – Cold open & welcome0:44 – What’s new this week (quick host banter)4:23 – Today’s agenda: AI agents + local SEO updates5:55 – What AI booking agents can do right now in home services8:52 – When bots should hand off to humans (and why)10:08 – Scripts, IVR flows & QA for your AI CSR14:24 – Metrics that matter: booking rate, CSAT & cost math19:08 – AI-first local SEO: Bing Webmaster, Apple Maps & Yelp basics22:33 – Aligning GBP, website, and pricebook taxonomy for AI crawlers25:34 – ChatGPT referrals drop; Reddit & Wikipedia on the rise30:16 – Keep one brand voice (even with AI content)33:33 – Google’s new “Verified” era & cross-property trust signals38:28 – PSA: Google Ads MCC phishing/impersonation scam42:07 – ServiceTitan Pantheon preview45:55 – Wrap-up & next steps📢 Follow Us: Talk Of The Trades: https://linktr.ee/TalkOfTheTradesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadhub/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leadhubagencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadhub/🎧 More Episodes: https://open.spotify.com/show/0ocMWKCzR8kzO5W7Zaz0FC?si=1390ea8bc0eb4a8d

August 13, 2025Episode 111 hr 5 min

GBP Suspensions, GLS Merges & AI Meltdowns 🤖 | Talk Of The Trades | Ep. 011

Google Business Profile suspensions are rising—and AI isn’t helping. In this episode, Aaron and Dennis break down the chaos around GBP verification, GLS review merges, and their hands-on experience with Gemini Ultra. Whether you’re a home service pro or agency marketer, this one’s full of local SEO gold (and a few AI rants).👉 Subscribe for more episodes and marketing insights!🎥 Watch next: Full playlist below.⏱️ Chapters:0:00 – Welcome Back & Episode Preview2:45 – New Leadhub Office & Growing Pains6:30 – GBP Suspensions & Google Verification Frustrations10:45 – Pro Tips for Setting Up New Locations in GBP14:30 – Post-Verification SEO: Do This First18:15 – The Power of Google Reviews22:00 – GLS & GBP Reviews Are Merging26:00 – How to Get More from GLS Without Wasting Budget30:30 – Traditional Media Is Not Dead34:00 – The “Right Stuff” Campaign Breakdown38:45 – Is Google Gemini Ultra Worth $220?44:30 – AI vs. H.I. (Human Intelligence)📢 Follow Us:Talk Of The Trades: https://linktr.ee/TalkOfTheTradesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadhub/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leadhubagencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadhub/🎧 More Episodes:https://open.spotify.com/show/0ocMWKCzR8kzO5W7Zaz0FC?si=2b02ede30e4b4035

June 18, 2025Episode 1057 min

Data Doesn’t Lie: Building Trust with Homeowners Through Honest Marketing 📊 | Talk Of The Trades | Ep. 010

Data doesn’t lie and Jerold Hall proves it! In this episode of Talk Of The Trades, we dive into how transparent marketing and a data-driven mindset help home service businesses close more deals and build lasting trust. Jerold, VP of Sales & Dealer Development at AmCoat (makers of Rhino Shield), shares how their dealers thrive using long-form content, lead quality tracking, and performance-first partnerships. 👍 Keep watching for some expert insights!⏱️ Chapters0:00 – Welcome & BBQ Throwdown4:40 – What Is Rhino Shield? Breaking the Paint Mold6:00 – Who Should Be a Dealer? The Marketing-First Mindset9:40 – Data-Driven Growth & Dealer Success16:40 – Dealership vs. Franchise: What’s the Difference?22:15 – They Ask, You Answer: Why Radical Transparency Wins33:40 – Made in America & COVID Resilience37:40 – Marketing Strategy & Lead Conversion50:58 – Products, Fishing Stories & Final Thoughts👤 Guest: Jerold HallLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeroldhall/Rhino Shield Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RhinoShieldCoatings📢 Follow Us:Talk Of The Trades: https://linktr.ee/TalkOfTheTradesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadhub/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leadhubagencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadhub/🎧 More Episodes:https://open.spotify.com/show/0ocMWKCzR8kzO5W7Zaz0FC?si=716d872be3f34fd0

May 22, 2025Episode 91 hr 0 min

Transforming Home Service Sales Through E-Commerce & AI 🤖 | Talk Of The Trades | Ep. 009

Transform your home service business with Contractor Commerce’s cutting-edge e-commerce platform and AI-powered buying journeys. In this episode, Paul Redman, VP of Sales & Customer Success at Contractor Commerce, reveals how contractors are boosting sales, improving customer loyalty and embracing digital transformation to scale their businesses.🚀 Ready to grow your trades business? Watch till the end and subscribe for more insights!📖 Chapters:0:00 - Introduction & Guest Welcome3:00 - Early Career & Ron’s Apartment Story13:30 - Sales Philosophy & Controlling The Journey25:30 - Scaling With Hard Work And Smart Hiring34:30 - Contractor Commerce Overview & Market Education41:30 - Real Customer Success Stories & Impact48:00 - Overcoming Pricing Objections & Customer Loyalty54:00 - Expansion Plans & AI Buying Journeys59:00 - Closing Remarks & A Fun “Who’s Taller?” Game📢 Follow Us:Talk Of The Trades: https://linktr.ee/TalkOfTheTradesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadhub/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leadhubagencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadhub/🤝 Connect with Paul Redman & Contractor Commerce:Paul Redman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-j-redman/Paul Redman YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@contractorcommerce/videosContractor Commerce: https://www.contractorcommerce.com/leadhub🎧 More Episodes: https://open.spotify.com/show/0ocMWKCzR8kzO5W7Zaz0FC?si=f94bd774ed9d44ec

May 9, 2025Episode 81 hr 14 min

The Secret to 90% Booking Rates? Empathy Over Efficiency 🧠 | Talk Of The Trades | Ep. 008

The secret to 90% booking rates isn’t better scripts — it’s emotional intelligence. In this powerful episode, Brigham Dickinson, founder of Power Selling Pros, shares how empathy, listening, and leadership are the real KPIs in your call center. If you want your CSRs to book more calls, serve more customers, and create lasting loyalty, this episode is a must-watch.🎯 Subscribe for more game-changing conversations on marketing, leadership, and service ops.👇 CHAPTERS0:00 - Introduction2:00 - The Wild Story Behind Winning His First Spartan Race6:00 - Adversity & the Power Selling Pros Origin Story9:00 - What Green Eggs & Ham Teaches About Sales Psychology12:00 - The Woodfin Training Story: EQ in Action17:30 - Are Gen Z Call Takers Emotionally Capable?23:30 - What It Takes to Hit 90%+ Call Booking Rates29:00 - Idle Hands? Make Outbound Calls!36:00 - From Service Calls to Sales Calls42:00 - Why Your Call Center Is a Leadership Factory48:00 - The Limits of AI in Customer Experience56:00 - Leading Without Being the Hero1:03:00 - EQ, Vision, and the Courage to Let Go1:12:00 - Final Takeaways & Gratitude📲 Connect with Brigham Dickinson🌐 LinkedIn 🎥 Youtube 📢 Follow Us:Talk Of The Trades: https://linktr.ee/TalkOfTheTradesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadhub/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leadhubagencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leadhub/🎧 More Episodes