Endless Customer Acquisition (ft. Marcus Sheridan)

Logan:
Hey everyone, welcome back to the Contractor Growth Network podcast. I’m Logan Shinholser, and today we have a very, very special guest. He’s the author of They Ask, You Answer, The Visual Sale, and now a new book — it’s Marcus “The Sales Lion” Sheridan.

Marcus:
Old school, old school — we’re going with that one.

Logan:
Yeah, that was back when we first met, before Impact. That was Sales Lion days.

Marcus:
Yeah. I don’t think you even had your driver’s license yet, Logan. That was a few minutes ago.

Logan:
Yeah, I think that was eight years ago — forever ago. So Marcus, we’ve got a new book coming out, and that’s what we’re diving into today. Let’s just jump in. You’ve already got two books — what’s the “why” behind this third one, Endless Customers?

Marcus:
Right. So let me give the quick background because it’s applicable to everyone. I’ve had a lot of people in the home services space say, “Marcus, I’m spending as much or more on Google ads, and I’m getting less results.” They’re working with SEO companies or agencies but don’t know what they’re paying for. There’s this growing frustration.

And on top of that, because of AI and how people search today, Google isn’t nearly as relevant as it was just a few years ago. We’re seeing massive disruption.

Logan:
Yeah, and I know AI and ChatGPT have changed the game. From your perspective, what have you seen shift since that came on the scene?

Marcus:
The biggest thing is this: you cannot build your house on Google. Not Google Search. Not Google Ads. It doesn’t mean you can’t get success now, but over time, the impact will diminish.

Let’s say you’re ranked number one in Google — you’ve still got to scroll through four or five sponsored results, then an AI summary, related questions, videos — and then finally, your result. Being #1 doesn’t mean what it used to.

Because of that, people are spending more on Google Ads. There’s more competition. Even $200M companies are asking me, “What’s going on?”

Only 18% of all searches go to Google now. That’s wild. People are searching on YouTube, on social media, on Amazon — it’s getting spread out.

Logan:
So you’re saying platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are also search engines now, effectively?

Marcus:
Exactly. Gen Z isn’t even using Google much anymore. They’re on TikTok learning how to do stuff. And the problem is contractors let their personal opinions about platforms screw up smart business decisions. They think, “I don’t use TikTok, so I don’t need to market there.” But your job is to meet the buyer where they are.

If you only go all-in on one platform — Facebook, TikTok, whatever — and ignore the rest, you’ll limit your growth. If you want to scale or eventually sell your business, you need to diversify.

Logan:
Neil Patel has been saying that too — SEO now means “Search Everywhere Optimization.”

Marcus:
Yes. You can’t just optimize for Google. And honestly, Logan — do you really think more and more people will continue using Google the way they have been?

Logan:
I do. Maybe not in the same way, but I think people still will.

Marcus:
But what’s the argument? If you can go to AI, ask a question, get a fast, ad-free answer that’s more accurate — why keep using Google?

For the first time in over a decade, Google had to react. ChatGPT forced their hand. They were late because they were protecting their business model — search ads.

This is what happens when companies are at the top — they stop innovating. Think Kodak, BlackBerry, Blockbuster. They didn’t evolve because they were protecting old revenue.

Logan:
So we agree — don’t build everything on Google alone. Same with TikTok, or any one platform.

Marcus:
Exactly. In fact, I think within seven years, YouTube will be the most profitable part of Google unless they release some wild AI tech. I think Google’s future is in video and AI — not search.

And again — as businesses, we can’t market like it’s still 2005. The core message of Endless Customers is: we have to lean into disruption, break rules, and think differently.

Logan:
So practically speaking — where should contractors spend their time?

Marcus:
Let’s start with first principles. In Endless Customers, I introduce a system — four pillars to become the most known and trusted brand in your market.

1. Say what others won’t say.

2. Show what others won’t show.

3. Sell in ways others won’t sell.

4. Be more human than others are willing to be.

Logan:
Let’s break them down. What do you mean by “say what others won’t”?

Marcus:
Let me give you a quick example. I was working with personal injury attorneys. I asked them, “What’s the #1 question your clients ask?” They said, “What’s my case worth?” and “What happens if I lose?”

Then I asked how many of them address those questions on their websites. None did.

The same goes for contractors. There are five big questions every buyer has:

1. How much does it cost?

2. What could go wrong?

3. How does it compare to other options?

4. What are the reviews — good, bad, and ugly?

5. What’s the best option?

These run the economy of search — yet most businesses avoid them.

Logan:
Those are the original They Ask, You Answer principles.

Marcus:
Exactly. Now let’s go to show what others won’t show — through video. Video is no longer optional. If you’re good with customers, you can learn to be good on video. It’s a skill.

One video every contractor needs is a cost video — 5 to 15 minutes long. Break down what drives cost up or down, what variables matter, and give a ballpark range. These videos are long-form because the more serious a buyer is, the more they’re willing to watch.

Also add landing page videos next to forms. Explain exactly what happens when someone fills it out. It calms fears and increases conversion.

Lastly, shoot claim-proofing videos. If you say you have the best team, prove it on video.

Logan:
Okay — next is sell in ways others won’t. What does that look like?

Marcus:
Buyers want control. 75% say they’d prefer a seller-free sales experience. So we have to offer self-service tools:

• Self-assessment tools (ScoreApp is great).

• Self-selection/recommendation tools (like River Pools’ pool selector).

• Configurators (let people design their space online).

• Self-scheduling tools (choose your own salesperson).

• Self-pricing tools (use my tool, Price Guide).

These tools drive leads and trust. One of our pool pricing tools gets 100–200 leads per day. And yet, almost no contractors have one.

Logan:
But what about custom jobs like home additions — does a pricing tool work for that?

Marcus:
Absolutely. If a friend asked you at a coffee shop for a ballpark price, you’d ask 10–12 questions and give them a range. That’s exactly what the estimator does. It gives them clarity and builds trust.

Logan:
Final pillar — be more human?

Marcus:
Yes. People trust people, not logos. The personal brand behind your company matters.

Use video to humanize your team. Use 1:1 video messages for leads. And going forward, AI can help here too.

For example, at River Pools, we’re developing a digital Marcus avatar — trained on all my content — that talks to people on the website, answers their questions, or even gives an estimate.

And when someone fills out a form? An AI assistant will call them within 60 seconds to book a meeting.

Logan:
But if the first contact is AI, isn’t that less human?

Marcus:
Not if it feels like a great experience. Speed builds trust. If you respond to a lead within five minutes, you’re 9x more likely to connect with them. Human + fast + helpful = win.

And these AI avatars? Soon they’ll feel even more human than text on a website. But none of this works without original content. That’s how you train the AI.

Logan:
Man, my wife told me that if something ever happened to her, I should remarry. I told her, if something happens to me, take all my podcasts and YouTube videos, train an AI off it, and just keep it going.

Marcus:
Exactly. Digital legacy.

Logan:
So when’s the book dropping?

Marcus:
Mid-April. It’s in final stages. Go to endlesscustomers.com, grab the book, get the bonuses, and check out priceguide.ai too.

Logan:
Awesome. Marcus, thanks for coming on, man. This was a great episode.

Marcus:
Appreciate it, brother. Thank you.