When Dana Spears assumed full ownership of Cornerstone Pros in 2009, it was a very different company than it is today. She credits much of her Tampa Bay, FL business’ increased success to her relationship with KickCharge Creative, a New Jersey-based marketing agency that serves small businesses across the country. The partnership began in 2013 Read more
branding
When Dana Spears assumed full ownership of Cornerstone Pros in 2009, it was a very different company than it is today. She credits much of her Tampa Bay, FL business’ increased success to her relationship with KickCharge Creative, a New Jersey-based marketing agency that serves small businesses across the country.
The partnership began in 2013 when Cornerstone sought KickCharge’s expertise to rebrand the heating and cooling company. As the company expanded its services to include plumbing and electrical, its name changed from Cornerstone Air to Cornerstone Pros. The team at KickCharge created a dapper, friendly retro technician mascot to communicate Cornerstone’s differentiator—old-fashioned quality service in today’s fast-paced world. KickCharge Creative wove the retro brand into all of Cornerstone’s marketing efforts, including its service vehicles, initial brand announcement, brochures, blogs, print ads, billboards and stationery.
Cornerstone Pros had five service vehicles when its rebranded fleet first hit the streets in 2014. But Spears said the visibility and power of the new brand made customers feel like there were many more vehicles out there. Today, Cornerstone has roughly 56 vehicles in its fleet. Spears said the increased visibility has helped with employee recruitment efforts, too.
During the eight years since this partnership began, the new brand continues to pay dividends, including a 300% boost in revenue. Spears said annual revenue was $3 million before the rebrand and it jumped quickly to $5 million within the first year after introducing the retro brand and new services.
Since 2016, KickCharge has been managing Cornerstone’s highly successful digital marketing campaigns, which include search engine optimization, email marketing and pay-per-click advertising. KickCharge also launched a retro-themed, custom-designed website for this brand.
THE STATS:
- 300% growth in annual revenue since rebrand\
- Increase from 5 to 35 service vehicles
Spears’ goal is slow-based growth. As of 2020, the company had more than $12 million in annual revenue and roughly 78 employees. Cornerstone has nearly 2,000 reviews on Google with a 4.8/5 average rating. Its closing ratio is 87 percent even when the team has too much work to tackle same-day appointments.
For Cornerstone, newspaper ads were once a primary driver of leads and Spears relied heavily on print, billboards and home-based advertising as well as some radio spots. These days, digital marketing is the dominant force. Google is the leading source of call volume (80 percent of leads), followed by repeat and referral customers.
“I am now dominating online so I don’t need to spend as much in other marketing areas,” she said.
Digital marketing campaigns offer more control over lead volume because they can be targeted specifically and adjusted instantly based on demand and seasonality. Those are factors Spears likes. It’s also easier to track these campaigns and to evaluate results.
“Although I was reluctant to turn my marketing over to an agency,” Spears said. “I’m glad that I did.”
RLS® LLC (“RLS”), manufacturer of the first press-to-connect fittings for the HVAC and refrigeration industries, announces the launch of their new RLS Certified Installer online training program at training.rapidlockingsystem.com. The new training portal walks HVAC/R contractors through the step-by-step process of making reliable, permanent copper tube connections using RLS press technology. “We’re very excited to Read more
RLS® LLC (“RLS”), manufacturer of the first press-to-connect fittings for the HVAC and refrigeration industries, announces the launch of their new RLS Certified Installer online training program at training.rapidlockingsystem.com. The new training portal walks HVAC/R contractors through the step-by-step process of making reliable, permanent copper tube connections using RLS press technology.
“We’re very excited to offer this comprehensive new training program for users of RLS press fittings,” said Paul Schubert, President of RLS. “The new portal explains our patented press technology, how and why it works so well, and the steps required for proper installation. Both audio descriptions and video demonstrations are used to reinforce the material and facilitate learning.”
Users must pass a series of quizzes as they work through each section of the training program, as well as a final test after completing the entire course. After passing the final test, a customized certificate of completion can be downloaded.
In conjunction with the new training program launch, RLS has also introduced a new company logo. The new design comes as the company celebrates the sixth anniversary of the introduction of its revolutionary technology to the HVAC/R market. Originally introduced in 2015 under the ZoomLock® brand through a partnership with Parker Hannifin Corporation, RLS fittings are now sold exclusively under the RLS brand.
“Now that RLS press fittings have taken on their own identity in the marketplace, we felt it was time to give our logo a new look that represents our leadership position in the industry,” said Schubert. “The logo emphasizes our patented fitting design, including the unique flared ends which make it instantly recognizable as an HVAC/R fitting, setting it apart from those used for plumbing.”
RLS designs, develops, and proudly manufactures its fittings in America, at its centrally located Missouri factory. The press fittings replace the time-consuming and demanding conventional practice of manually brazing HVAC/R copper joints. RLS fittings allow for faster, more consistent connections that reduce total installed cost while also enhancing safety, since they do not require an open flame.
RLS is a subsidiary of Marmon Holdings, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company. For more information, visit rapidlockingsystem.com or training.rapidlockingsystem.com for the new online training program.