Marketing Strategy & 90-Day Planning for Contractors

Random marketing acts don't grow businesses. We build focused 90-day roadmaps that align your budget, channels, and team around one goal: more booked jobs at a lower cost.

Get Your 90-Day Roadmap
67%
of contractors have no documented marketing strategy
3x
more likely to hit growth goals with a written plan
90
days—the timeframe that balances quick wins with sustainable growth
$60M+
in sales influenced by Capstone-built marketing systems

Data from CoSchedule, HubSpot State of Marketing, and Capstone client engagements

The Problem: Marketing Without a Map

You're spending money on marketing. Maybe a lot of it. Quick gut check—can you honestly say yes to these?

I know exactly how much I'm paying for each lead—and whether it's worth it

I can point to which marketing activities actually put jobs on the board

If I had an extra $5K tomorrow, I'd know exactly where to put it

My team isn't guessing—they know exactly what to work on this week

I could fire an underperforming vendor today and have data to back it up

$2,400+

wasted per month on channels
you haven't cut yet

35%

of leads lost because
no one owns intake

10+ hrs

per week firefighting
instead of growing

Every unchecked box is costing you money. Right now. Every month.

The Root Cause

No strategy. No priorities. No plan.

What's In a 90-Day Marketing Strategy

01

Discovery & Market Analysis

We dig into your current marketing—what's working, what's not, where you're bleeding money. Then we analyze your local market: competitor positioning, share of voice, and gaps you can exploit.

02

ICP & Channel Strategy

We define exactly who you're targeting and how they find contractors like you. Then we recommend which channels deserve investment, how much to spend where, and what to expect from each.

03

Execution Roadmap & Decision Framework

A week-by-week plan with clear priorities, owners, and milestones. Plus decision triggers for when to scale up, dial back, or cut a channel—based on data, not emotion.

04

KPIs, Scorecards & QBR Structure

We define the metrics that matter and build a dashboard so you can see performance at a glance. Vendor scorecards show who's delivering. Quarterly reviews keep the strategy alive.

Why 90 Days?

30 days is too short to see meaningful results. 6-12 months is too long—markets change, priorities shift, plans become stale. 90 days is the sweet spot: enough time to execute meaningful initiatives, see results, and adjust—without letting bad strategies run too long.

Strategy & Planning Investment

The roadmap is the starting point. Choose the level of ongoing support that fits your team.

90-Day Roadmap

$3,500 one-time

✓ Full discovery & diagnosis

✓ Market & competitive analysis

✓ Channel mix & budget allocation

✓ Week-by-week execution plan

Best for: Teams with capable marketing staff who just need direction.

Most Popular

Roadmap + Advisory

$5,500/mo

✓ Complete 90-day roadmap

✓ Monthly strategic oversight

✓ Vendor accountability

✓ Quarterly plan refresh

Best for: Teams with doers who need ongoing guidance and accountability.

Roadmap + Operator

$8,500/mo

✓ Complete 90-day roadmap

✓ Weekly execution management

✓ Vendor management

✓ Full marketing KPI ownership

Best for: Owners who want to hand off marketing leadership entirely.

The 90-Day Roadmap is included in all Fractional CMO engagements. It's how we start every relationship.

No long-term contracts required for standalone roadmap. Ongoing engagements are month-to-month.

Is This Right for You?

Perfect For

Contractors doing $2M–$10M who spend on marketing but can't connect it to revenue
Owners tired of managing disconnected agencies and tactics
Businesses that grew on referrals and need a second growth engine
Teams with marketing staff or vendors who lack strategic direction
Companies preparing for a growth push, new market, or acquisition

Not Right For

Startups with no marketing budget or history
Contractors who want decisions made without their input
Businesses looking for "set it and forget it"
Companies unwilling to share financials or analytics access

How We Build Your 90-Day Roadmap

Our planning process is designed to move fast without cutting corners. Most clients have a complete roadmap within 2-3 weeks.

01
Week 1

Discovery & Data Gathering

Kickoff call to understand goals, constraints, and history. We get access to analytics, ad accounts, and CRM. Stakeholder interviews with owner, sales manager, and key team members. Current vendor audit and competitive landscape scan.

02
Week 2

Analysis & Strategy Development

Lead source audit—where are leads coming from and at what cost? Intake audit—what happens after the lead comes in? Channel performance analysis, opportunity identification covering quick wins and long-term plays, draft strategy and channel mix.

03
Week 3

Roadmap Delivery & Alignment

90-day roadmap presentation in a 60-90 minute working session. Budget allocation and expected outcomes. Week-by-week execution priorities and KPI targets. Decision point: execute with Capstone or take the plan in-house.

04
Ongoing

Execution & Optimization

Weekly or monthly check-ins depending on engagement level. Progress tracking against milestones. Real-time adjustments based on data. 90-day QBR and next-quarter planning.

What Strategic Planning Produces

Example results from an HVAC contractor who had been marketing without a cohesive strategy.

Before
After 90 Days
Marketing Channels
7 (unfocused)
4 (prioritized)
Cost Per Lead
$187
$112
Lead-to-Appointment Rate
34%
52%
Marketing Spend
$28,000/mo
$24,000/mo
Booked Jobs from Marketing
23/mo
41/mo
Owner Hours on Marketing
15+/week
2/week

Results vary by market, starting point, and execution quality.

What Separates a Real Strategy from a To-Do List

A lot of "marketing plans" are just lists of tactics. Here's the difference.

Strategy — The Why & Where
"Dominate the Map Pack in our top 5 cities to reduce reliance on paid leads"
"Reduce CAC by 20% by fixing intake leakage"
"Expand into 3 new service areas by Q3"
Tactics — The How
"Optimize GBP, build citations, generate reviews"
"Implement call tracking, train CSRs, add live chat"
"Build service area pages, run geo-targeted ads"

The 5 Marks of a Good Strategy

01

It's Focused

Says "no" more than "yes." 2-3 priorities that move the needle, not 15 things to try.

02

It's Tied to Revenue

Every activity connects to booked jobs and revenue, not vanity metrics.

03

It Has Clear Owners

One person accountable per initiative. No "the team will handle it."

04

It Has Decision Triggers

Defines when to double down or cut—before emotions get involved.

05

It Evolves

Built-in review points to adjust as markets change.

Frequently Asked Questions About Marketing Strategy

What's included in a 90-day marketing roadmap? +

A complete 90-day roadmap includes: discovery and diagnosis of your current marketing, competitive and market analysis, ideal customer profile, channel mix strategy with budget allocation, week-by-week execution priorities, KPI targets and measurement framework, and a QBR structure for ongoing review. You'll walk away with a documented strategy and actionable plan—not just recommendations.

How long does it take to build the roadmap? +

Typically 2-3 weeks from kickoff to delivery. Week 1 is discovery and data gathering, week 2 is analysis and strategy development, and week 3 is roadmap presentation and alignment. We move fast without cutting corners.

Do I have to hire you to execute the plan? +

No. The 90-day roadmap is a standalone deliverable. Many clients take it and execute with their own team or existing vendors. Others choose to continue with us for advisory or full CMO engagement—but there's no obligation.

How is this different from what a marketing agency would give me? +

Agencies typically give you a proposal for what they want to do (their services). We give you a strategy for what you need—whether that's done by us, another agency, or your internal team. We're not selling execution; we're selling clarity and direction.

What if I already have a marketing plan? +

Great—we'll audit it. Most "plans" we see are really just lists of tactics without strategic prioritization. If your plan is solid, we'll tell you. If it has gaps, we'll identify them and recommend improvements.

How much does a 90-day roadmap cost? +

A standalone 90-day roadmap is $3,500–$5,000 depending on complexity (number of locations, channels, vendors to audit). If you continue with ongoing Fractional CMO engagement, the roadmap is included in your monthly retainer.

What do you need from me to get started? +

Access to your analytics (Google Analytics, Search Console), ad accounts (Google Ads, Meta), CRM or lead tracking system, and 2-3 hours of your time for discovery interviews. We'll also need financial context: current revenue, marketing spend, and growth goals.

What if the strategy doesn't work? +

No strategy is guaranteed, but ours are built on data and proven frameworks—not guesses. We also build in checkpoints and decision triggers so you can adjust before 90 days is up. And because we're focused on your business (not selling you more services), our incentive is to give you a plan that actually works.

Stop Guessing. Start Growing.

Get a 90-day roadmap built for your market, your budget, and your goals.

Book Your Strategy Call