How to Market to Decision Makers Not Gatekeepers

What is the Difference Between a Decision Maker and a Gatekeeper?

Most business owners spend time talking to the wrong people.

A gatekeeper is someone who answers the phone or greets you at the front desk, but they do not control the budget or make final choices.

The decision maker is the person who actually hires you and controls the money.

If you want more jobs, you have to reach the people who say yes, not the ones who just pass your info along.

Why Does Reaching the Right Person Matter?

Every minute spent on the wrong contact is wasted effort.

Getting in front of the decision maker gets you one step closer to booked work and paid invoices.

If you focus your marketing on the right person, you get better leads and close more jobs.

Which Decision Makers Should You Target?

If you are a painter, roofer, landscaper, or handyman, your best customers are usually homeowners or small business managers.

For homeowners, you want to contact the property owner, not just a tenant or family member.

If you serve commercial clients, look for the building manager, owner, or the head of maintenance, not just the receptionist or an assistant.

• Property owners
• Small business owners
• Facilities managers
• HOA board members
• General managers

What Stops You from Getting to the Decision Maker?

Many times, the first person you talk to is polite, but cannot say yes to your offer.

They might take your business card and promise to pass it on, but it often goes nowhere.

People are busy and only pass along the most urgent messages.

This is why you want your website, Google Business Profile, and first impression to show you solve real needs for decision makers.

How to Speak Directly to the People Who Hire You

Decision makers care about cost, value, peace of mind, and proven results.

Telling them you want to help their business or home run better gets their attention.

When you talk about solving actual problems, you stand out from companies just handing out flyers or asking to be put on a vendor list.

• Be clear about what you do and the area you serve on every call, email, and webpage
• Show real examples of past work and include before and after pictures
• Add reviews from happy customers to build instant trust
• Offer simple ways to get a quote or book a service without back and forth

Making your business easy to understand and easy to hire saves the decision maker time.

Busy owners want a hassle-free solution, not another meeting or pile of paperwork.

What Information Makes Decision Makers Take Action?

Decision makers want facts, not fluff.

They care about how you solve their problem, the time it will take, and what it will cost.

Don’t hide your pricing or make it hard to find—show your value up front.

• List your main services and give ballpark figures when possible
• Explain what’s included in your price, like cleanup or warranty
• Use simple language so there’s no confusion
• Share details about insurance, licensing, and guarantees

This reduces hesitation and cuts down on back-and-forth, which helps you get hired faster.

Your website should answer all the important questions before the first call is even made.

How Can a Website Bring You More Decision Makers?

Decision makers look up your business online before reaching out.

If they land on a site that shows clear services, real photos, honest reviews, and fast ways to contact you, you’re already ahead.

A Google Business Profile that links to an up-to-date website helps prove you’re legit.

Many service businesses waste money on flashy multi-page sites with useless pages—what actually works is a simple site that shows what you do, where you work, photos of finished jobs, real testimonials, and your contact info right up front.

A platform like Good Stuart offers this setup with no upfront cost—you only pay for qualified leads—so you can skip big bills and get right to the results.

You own the phone calls and emails you get, not just some vanity number or inbox.

What Should You Stop Doing if You Want Better Results?

Stop paying for ads or listings that only get you clicks but not actual calls.

Avoid giving business cards or flyers to the wrong people who cannot say yes to hiring you.

• Don’t invest in marketing agencies promising website traffic but no job leads
• Don’t waste time cold-calling companies without finding the decision maker first
• Don’t pay for expensive Yellow Pages or magazine ads that are impossible to track

Everything you spend should lead to real opportunities or you are burning money.

Focus your time and budget where it produces work, not empty promises.

How to Get in Front of Decision Makers Consistently

Consistency makes it easier for decision makers to remember and trust you.

Update your Google Business Profile regularly, add fresh project photos, and keep your contact details right on the landing page.

If you need more customers, start with a simple, solid website that’s designed to convert visits into phone calls and emails.

Good Stuart believes you should not pay for a website unless it brings actual results, which is why we set up sites with no upfront cost and let you see the value in real leads.

If you are not sure where to start or want us to handle it for you, get started with our easy and quick onboarding process so we can do the heavy lifting while you focus on the jobs that matter.

Simple Changes That Make Decision Makers Say Yes

Get rid of confusing offers or long forms on your website.

Add a one-click way to call you from a mobile phone, and short forms for quick quotes.

• Post 5-star reviews and a few sentences about past jobs
• Make your service area map or list easy to see
• Clear up what makes your business stand out—fast response, local roots, satisfaction guarantee
• Keep all info up to date so decision makers are not frustrated by bad links or out-of-service numbers

Small updates like these remove friction and help you win jobs while competitors are stuck waiting for callbacks.

Decision makers respect a business that treats their time as valuable as their own.

How to Build Trust and Get Chosen Over Competitors

Trust is everything when a property owner or manager is deciding who to hire for a job on their building or home.

You can build real trust by showing proof that you are honest, reliable, and have a track record of good work.

Decision makers want to see social proof—this means recent, real reviews from homeowners or business managers in your area, not just generic testimonials.

Ask happy past customers if they will let you use a photo of the finished job and a short statement about their experience, and make sure these are the first things visitors see when they check out your online presence.

Update your reviews regularly and respond to every review—good or bad—so people know you care about doing quality work and making things right if there are any issues.

• Add a photo of you or your team to show you are real people, not just a faceless company
• List local neighborhoods or businesses you have worked for by name when you have permission
• Use real customer language, not marketing jargon, in your service descriptions and reviews
• Add links from your reviews or project writeups to third-party platforms like Google or Yelp for credibility

This extra step sets you apart from bigger companies who often can’t personalize the experience as well.

How a Simple, Honest Approach Wins More Work Long Term

Decision makers are flooded with messages every day from companies trying to sell something—if you make your process as simple and honest as possible, you rise above the noise.

Answer calls quickly or have a friendly greeting on your voicemail so they know you appreciate the opportunity.

Send short follow-up texts or emails when a request comes in, even if you’re on a job site and can’t answer right away.

Do what you promise, show up when you say you will, and let the client know exactly what to expect before you start work.

• Write estimates in plain language
• Explain the schedule and payment process clearly
• Offer a satisfaction guarantee or warranty in writing to set their mind at ease
• Check in after the work is finished to make sure they are happy

Over time, these habits mean you get more repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals from people who control the budgets—no marketing tricks needed.

The Real Difference: Results You Can See and Feel

Every decision maker wants to know exactly what they are getting and how it benefits them, not just a string of empty numbers like website visits or ads shown.

With Good Stuart, you only pay when you receive real leads—actual calls, emails, or form submissions—not for traffic or rankings that may not turn into a single job.

This model puts the focus back where it belongs: on getting you more work, not just online exposure.

If you have tried agencies, big listing sites, or expensive directory ads in the past with no results, it is time to switch to a plan that is as straightforward as the work you do every day.

We know you are busy and just want the phone to ring or your inbox to fill up with people asking for your service.

That is why our onboarding process is quick and easy—you give us the details and we handle the website, messages, and ongoing updates so you are always front and center for the right clients.

Every Step Should Bring You Closer to a Booked Job

The gap between seeing your business and getting hired should be as small as possible.

Each photo, review, service description, and call-to-action button should move a decision maker to pick up the phone or send a message.

If it is not clear what to do next, or your info is out of date, people will go to the next company on the list and you lose the opportunity.

Check your site a few times each season to make sure it is up to date, with current contact numbers, accurate service areas, and photos that actually reflect your work right now.

• Use call tracking numbers (like those provided by Good Stuart) to see which marketing brings in real leads
• Save customer messages and photos for fresh website updates to keep your business looking active and responsive
• Ask for feedback and reviews from every client, especially after a job is done well

It does not take a huge staff or endless marketing meetings—a clear, honest approach will win more jobs from decision makers looking for someone who respects their time and money.

Stay Focused on Results That Matter for Your Business

Busy owners do not have the time or money to waste on marketing that leads nowhere.

Your goal should always be to put your message in front of real decision makers: the people who decide who gets hired and who cuts the check.

Everything else—likes, clicks, and impressions—should come second to ringing phones and signed job contracts.

If you want to feel less stress and see your business grow with steady work, put your energy into making it easy for decision makers to understand, trust, and hire you.

Doing good work is important, but making sure the right clients know you exist and can reach you is what fills your schedule and keeps your crew moving.

If you want help with a website and lead system that is focused only on real results, start today with our simple setup and see the difference for yourself.