DMA Industry Insights

15 Minutes Per Week Saves Thousands

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 04:47:15 GMT

The 15‑Minute Weekly Inventory Check That Saves $1,000s in Lost Parts

It’s not the big mistakes that quietly drain your profits — it’s the little ones.
Like that $12 part you thought you had in stock… until your tech is standing in a customer’s driveway without it.

Multiply that by a few jobs a month, and you’re bleeding time, fuel, and money.

The 15‑Minute Process:

Pick the same day/time each week.
Scan your shelves, bins, and truck stock.
Note what’s low or missing.

Step 3: Adjust Scheduling Windows

Instead of “We’ll be there sometime between 8 and 12,” tighten your windows and plan routes so techs aren’t criss‑crossing the city. Customers love the accuracy, and you save fuel + time.

Step 4: Use Live Traffic Data

Apps like Google Maps or Waze aren’t just for finding addresses — they can help you reroute in real time to dodge delays. Build this into your dispatch process.

Nail Home Service Seasonal Marketing

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 04:38:02 GMT

How to Fill Your Schedule Before the Busy Season Hits

Every year it happens — the phones blow up all at once, techs are booked solid, and you’re turning away work.

But here’s the thing: the smart service pros? They’re already booked before the rush hits.

Why? Seasonal campaigns. They outperform generic ads because they tap into what customers are already thinking about right now.

Step 1: Identify Your Seasonal Services

Think “AC tune‑ups before summer,” “gutter cleaning before the rains,” or “furnace checks before the first cold snap.” Is it a good idea to get sewer lines checked before a freezing winter? Hmmm. Think about it.

Step 2: Create Seasonal Landing Pages

A dedicated page for each seasonal service means you can rank in Google and send ad traffic to a page that’s laser‑focused on what people want today — not a generic “services” page.

Step 3: Promote via Email & Social

Send a quick “Season’s Coming — Book Now” email to past customers. Post before/after pics or quick tips on social. Keep it timely, keep it relevant.

Many home service pros are quite busy running their operations and may not have resources to dedicate to seasonal marketing. We just want you to know that we have a dedicated home services marketing team that can gladly manage your seasonal advertising. Give us a shout and we are glad to setup a limited run so that you can see how we work. Hint: Hit the big orange button. ��

Cut Rookie Mistakes Now and Save Cash

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 03:37:16 GMT

The 3‑Step Ride‑Along Training That Cuts Rookie Mistakes by 40%

Every rookie mistake costs you — in time, in materials, and in customer trust.
But there’s a simple, field‑tested way to slash those errors almost in half: structured ride‑alongs .

Step 1: Shadowing
New tech rides with a seasoned pro, watching every move. No pressure, just learning the ropes.

Step 2: Guided Practice
They start doing parts of the job with the pro right there to coach — not just “figure it out” solo.

Step 3: Feedback Loop
After each job, take 5 minutes to review what went well and what to tweak. The learning sticks because it’s immediate.

Feel free to implement these steps in your service business and expect to reduce costs associated with common rookie mistakes. This one is a shorty, but hopefully you found it useful.

The 60‑Second Business Card for Service Pros

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 03:20:11 GMT

Why 60‑Second ‘How‑To’ Videos Are the New Business Card for Service Pros

Before a customer ever meets you, they’ve already decided if they trust you.
And in 2025, nothing builds that trust faster than a short, helpful video.

Think of it as your digital handshake — a quick clip that shows you know your stuff and that you’re a real, approachable human.

What to Film:

Quick fixes customers can do themselves (yes, give away a little free value — it pays back).
FAQs you answer all the time.
Meet‑the‑team intros so customers recognize a friendly face at the door.

How to Shoot:

• Your phone is fine — just use good lighting (face a window, avoid shadows).

• Keep it steady — prop it up or use a cheap tripod.

• Smile. Seriously.

Where to Post:

• Google Business Profile (videos show up right in search results).

• Your website — especially service pages.

• Social media — Facebook, Instagram, even TikTok if your audience is there.

Want These Videos Working 24/7 for You?

I can embed them on high‑converting pages of your site so they’re not just “nice to have” — they’re booking you jobs.

Also, if you happen to need a plan to maintain your social media and let your prospective clients know that your business is alive and well, give us a shout and we can work a full month and provide deliverables to you, including assets for your social media so that you can check out our work. No commitment past the 30 days is necessary.

The 7‑Minute Dispatch Audit

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 22:55:05 GMT

Cut Drive Time and Add One Extra Job Per Tech Per Day

Here’s a scary stat: for most home service companies, 20–30% of paid hours are spent driving — not working. Noooooooo! That’s like paying your techs to sit in traffic.

The good news? A quick, no‑nonsense dispatch audit can slash wasted miles and open up enough time for one more paying job per tech, per day .

Step 1: Map Current Routes

Pull up last week’s jobs and plot them on a map. You’ll instantly see if your team’s zig‑zagging across town instead of working in tight clusters.

Step 2: Group Jobs by Proximity

When possible, schedule nearby jobs back‑to‑back. Even shaving 10 minutes off each drive adds up fast over a week.

Step 3: Adjust Scheduling Windows

Instead of “We’ll be there sometime between 8 and 12,” tighten your windows and plan routes so techs aren’t criss‑crossing the city. Customers love the accuracy, and you save fuel + time.

Step 4: Use Live Traffic Data

Apps like Google Maps or Waze aren’t just for finding addresses — they can help you reroute in real time to dodge delays. Build this into your dispatch process.

AI for Home Services

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 21:00:54 GMT

3 Tools That Write Ads, Emails, and Social Posts in Minutes

Imagine having a marketing assistant who never sleeps, never complains, and cranks out content faster than you can say “leaky faucet.”

That’s AI in 2025 and beyond — and if you’re not using it yet, you’re leaving time and money on the table. I know, I know. It may seem a little scary, impersonal, etc. But, you can actually train it on your business and vibe.

Here are 3 tools that can handle your ad copy, email sequences, and social posts while you focus on running the business.

1. Ad Copy That Actually Converts

Forget staring at a blank screen trying to write a Google or Facebook ad.
AI tools can generate high-performing ad copy in seconds — tailored to your service, your location, and your ideal customer.
Just feed it a few details (like “Seattle drain cleaning” or “emergency HVAC repair”) and boom — you’ve got 3 headline options and a call-to-action that doesn’t sound like a robot.

2. Email Sequences That Nurture Leads Automatically

You know those leads who say “I’ll think about it” and disappear?
AI can write a 5-email follow-up sequence that keeps you top of mind without sounding pushy.
Think: helpful tips, seasonal reminders, and subtle nudges that turn maybe into booked. All you have to do is ask AI!

3. Social Posts and Google Profile Updates That Don’t Feel Like a Chore

Posting consistently is hard when you’re juggling jobs.
AI tools can generate and schedule a month’s worth of content — photos, captions, hashtags — in one sitting.
You stay visible, build trust, and never scramble for something to post again.

Keep Your Brand Voice Consistent

Pro tip: Feed your AI tool examples of how you talk — casual, friendly, no corporate fluff.
That way, everything it writes sounds like you, not a generic template.

You will notice that AI is finding its way into your customer tracking systems (CRMs). So, feel free to take advantage of the AI writing features in your software. It may well be an upgrade you have not noticed yet. Snoop around and see. If not, there are good external systems that come to the rescue.

Want to See What AI Can Do for Your Google Business Profile and Social Posts?

Of course, you know that keeping your GBP posts active is a REALLY good signal to Google to improve your ranking and let people know you are still an active and engaged business. We have a cost-effective AI which maintains your Google profile, posts images your team submits and shares them to your social media and YouTube. A lifesaver and money-maker! Let us know if you want to sign-up!

The Service Menu Method

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 20:21:30 GMT

How to Add $200+ to Every Job Without Feeling ‘Salesy’

Let’s be honest — most upsells flop. Why? Because they feel like… well, upsells. Customers can smell a “pitch” a mile away, and the second they think you’re trying to squeeze them, the walls go up. The fix? Stop “selling” and start showing .

The Service Menu Concept

Think of it like a restaurant menu — clear, visual, and easy to browse.
Instead of your techs awkwardly rattling off extras, they hand the customer a simple, well‑designed menu of add‑on services. The customer chooses what they want, just like ordering dessert.

Make It Look Good

Use big, clear photos of the service in action.
Keep descriptions short and benefit‑driven (“Protects your system for 5+ years” beats “Extended warranty”).
Price it clearly — no mystery math.

Bundle for Value

People love a deal. Group related services into packages that make sense:

“Seasonal Tune‑Up + Filter Replacement”
“Drain Cleaning + Camera Inspection”
Bundle pricing makes the upsell feel like a smart choice, not an extra expense.

So, you would do really, really well to look at your entire list of service offerings and determine what the good match-ups are. You should also consider having an automation set up in your CRM or funnel tool to automatically send follow-ups to customers of certain products or services that need maintenance over time. 6-year water heater install checkup? Might drain clean customers need a full sewer inspection 6 months or a year after service? Your call. Just start thinking about related services and using that valuable book of business you already have.

Train Your Techs to Present, Not Push

The magic line:

“Here’s a quick menu of options other customers love — take a look while I get set up.”
No pressure, no awkwardness. Just an invitation to choose.

Hopefully this info was helpful. Now your team can start adding $200+ to every job without feeling like pushy, icky salespeople.

The New Rules of Online Reviews

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 06:32:14 GMT

How to Get 50% More 5‑Star Ratings Without Begging

Let’s face it — reviews are the new word‑of‑mouth.
When someone needs a plumber, electrician, or HVAC tech, they don’t ask their neighbor anymore… they ask Google. And Google listens to the crowd.

If your reviews are glowing and plentiful, you win. If they’re sparse or stale, you’re invisible.

Where to Focus in 2025

Sure, there are dozens of review sites, but the heavy hitters for home service pros right now are:

Google Business Profile (non‑negotiable)
Nextdoor (hyper‑local trust)
Yelp (still matters in some markets)
Facebook Recommendations (especially for community groups)

Timing Is Everything

The best time to ask for a review? Right after you’ve made their day.
That moment when the leak is fixed, the heat’s back on, or the lights are working again — that’s when customers are happiest and most likely to rave about you.

Automate the Ask

Stop relying on memory (or sticky notes). Use a simple tool that:

• Sends a text or email with your review link

• Personalizes the message with their name and job details

• Follows up automatically if they forget

Templates make it painless — for you and for them.

Respond Like a Human

• Good reviews: Thank them, mention something specific from the job, and keep it warm.

• Bad reviews: Stay calm, acknowledge the issue, and offer to make it right. Future customers are watching how you handle it.

Want This To Work for You?

If you have a CRM, check with your admin or support team first to see if it has a built-in "Review Request" feature. Activate that, and you should be golden. Service Titan has such a feature if you get the "Marketing Pro" add-on as of this writing. However, if you do not have that feature available to you, I can set up a fully automated review flow that gets you more 5‑stars without awkward follow‑ups or extra admin work.

Bonus

We can even set it up to respond automatically in your own human terms to each review so that you don't have to. Google LOVES when you respond to each review and we can take that load off of your already busy shoulders. Reach out via the button below to see how.

From Call to Close

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 22:58:42 GMT

5 Proven Scripts That Turn 30% More Inquiries into Paying Jobs

Let’s talk about the silent profit killer in your business: bad phone handling . You can spend thousands on ads, SEO, and lead gen… but if the person answering the phone fumbles the call, that lead is gone. Forever.

The good news? A few simple scripts can turn “just shopping around” into “when can you start?”

1. Greeting & Trust‑Building

First impressions happen in seconds.
Instead of a flat “Hello, this is Joe’s Plumbing,” try:

“Thanks for calling Joe’s Plumbing — this is Sarah. How can I make your day easier?”
It’s warm, it’s confident, and it sets the tone that you’re here to help.

2. Qualifying Without Losing the Lead

You need to know if they’re a fit — but don’t make it feel like an interrogation.

“Can I grab a couple quick details so I can get you the fastest, most accurate help?”
This frames your questions as a benefit to them, not a hurdle.

3. Urgency Framing

If they’re dragging their feet, help them see why acting now matters.

“We’ve got one opening left this week — want me to lock that in for you?”
Scarcity works, but only if it’s real.

4. Overcoming Price Objections

When they say, “That’s more than I expected,” don’t fold.

“I get it — and here’s why our customers say it’s worth every penny…”
Then share a quick, specific benefit or success story.

5. Closing with Confidence

Don’t leave the call hanging.

“Let’s get you on the schedule — does Tuesday morning or Thursday afternoon work better?”
Give them a choice, not an escape route.

One Last Gap: Missed Calls and After Hours

Did you know that 75-80% of people who get a voicemail box will hang up? Why? They think (KNOW) that they will not hear from a soul for hours or days. And what about when the admin takes vacation/restroom/lunch? YIKES! Possible solutions to this include:

- Hiring more internal staff, which can be expensive (They still miss and flub calls sometimes)

- Hiring an external team which can answer your phone and book appointments using your CRM (We can refer you, if needed)

- Using a smart, AI assistant to communicate with the client, take information and either book the appointment OR send the info to your staff for follow-up. AI is REALLY improving and can be told to understand your business information and tone. (Don't be scared ��)

Your CRM (Like Service Titan) may have a customizable, built-in, human-sounding AI voice agent for this. If not, we setup AI voice chatbots and phone reps which can talk to your clients , take information and book appointments on your calendar. Stop missing calls and business. Contact us to get your own chat bot or AI Voice agent.

The 2025 Local SEO Playbook

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 21:33:59 GMT

How Home Service Pros Can Dominate Google's Map Pack

Why this matters: For plumbers, electricians, HVAC techs, and other home service pros, that first impression often happens in Google’s “Map Pack.” If you’re not showing up there, you’re invisible to the majority of ready‑to‑book customers.

The Map Pack Advantage

The Map Pack is the set of three local business listings that appear above organic results when someone searches for a service near them. It’s prime real estate—high visibility, click‑heavy, and mobile‑friendly. For home service businesses, winning a Map Pack spot means more calls, more leads, and less reliance on paid ads.

Ranking Factors in 2025

Google’s local algorithm keeps evolving, but the big levers this year are:

Google Business Profile (GBP) Optimization – Complete, accurate, keyword‑rich profiles win.
Reviews & Ratings – Volume, recency, and response rate all influence trust and rank.
Proximity – Google prioritizes businesses physically close to the searcher.
Relevance – Service categories, descriptions, and content that match search intent.

Quick Wins You Can Implement Today

Add Fresh Photos Weekly – Before/after shots, team photos, and project highlights.
Use the Q&A Section – Seed it with common customer questions and clear answers.
Dial In Your Service Categories – Make sure every relevant service is listed.

Pro Tip: Track Your Map Pack Rankings

Use a local rank tracking tool that shows results from multiple ZIP codes—not just your own. This reveals your true visibility footprint and helps you spot areas where you’re slipping or surging.

Get Your Free GBP Visibility Audit

Want to know exactly how your business stacks up in the Map Pack? I’m offering a complimentary Google Business Profile audit —you’ll get a clear scorecard, priority fixes, and a roadmap to outrank your competitors. Click below to get your audit or discuss your marketing needs.

5 Key Elements to Making a Good Web Site

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 07:25:00 GMT

How to Build A Business Website

1. Base Specifications on Your Business Plan

This may be an obvious statement, but the best web designs begin with plane ol’ boring planning. That planning begins well before the building of the site begins. For business websites, the business owner must clearly understand their business model, products and service, branding, their customers and processes such as sales and lead generation.
The business model helps determine the type of website. An online retail business or a brick-and-mortar business with an online sales component will likely need an ecommerce store with the ability to display a product catalog and process payments.
A law or consulting office will not need an ecommerce function, but may need to allow online credit card payments. A real estate office may need to show dream homes via live MLS listings. Branding information helps determine the colors, imagery, font styles to use on the website so they are in harmony with your business. You don’t want the customer hesitating to interact with your website because they are unsure that it belongs to you.
If a business understands their customers and processes, the web designer will know whether online appointment schedule is needed. Do their customers prefer Apple Pay? If the business provides medical services, they may need HIPAA-client form integration. These are but a few examples of website integrations that are often overlooked.
Once these key criteria have been determined and clearly documented, it is time to turn attention to design of the actual website. Design principles, system integrations and performance must be taken into account.

2. Design with your Customer in Mind

A fork is designed to be picked up with at least one hand, lowered into something yummy, raised and inserted into your face port. Its size, shape, weight and features allow a fork to be used effectively. A website also has a particular function and must be designed to that in the best and most efficient way possible. So, rather than just putting pictures and words on a screen, design principles are applied.
Design principles are based on contributions from professionals in industries as diverse as psychology and behavioral science, physics, ergonomics, and more. In general, these principles are fluid set of laws that guide designers in efforts to produce effective websites. They affect which components make it into the final design and how they are organized.
Design Principles

When you find a website that makes sense, looks decent and works as it should, it means that you, dear human, are benefitting from the work of GM senior product designer, Jon Yablonski. His book, titled “ Laws of UX: Using Psychology to Design Better Products & Services ”, (UX meaning “user experience”) guides designers with a list of considerations that make user interfaces intuitive to navigate. ( Check the website for more of the science behind the design ... or just enjoy the trippy graphics)

Hick’s Law (Minimum # of choices)

Fitt’s Law (Main Actionable targets easy to reach)

Jakob’s Law (Avoid complex, novel navigation)

Law of Common Region. (Which of these things belong together?)

Web design templates, which are common in modern web design environments, are often based upon those principles. So, while you are free to deviate from the templates (or “wild out”), the principles of how elements are grouped, how many things there are to interact with on one screen, complementary background colors and texts can still be of great help in developing your final, brilliant product. Yes. Einstein, Rembrandt and Henry Ford would all have loved your website.

3. Choose a Website Builder Platform

The best website builder is the one that best fits your needs. Again, as mentioned earlier, those needs depending upon the requirements that were the result of your planning. You may find that you require a specific feature that only functions on a certain platform, such as WordPress, Duda or Squarespace. Perhaps your employee or designer specializes on a specific platform. Are costs and maintenance a factor?

Are you considering an eCommerce store? You have no doubt heard of Shopify, WooCommerce, Ecwid, BigCommerce and others as ecommerce solutions. Shopify has the ability to stand alone as your ecommerce store with no Wordpress/website at all. It can also be integrated into a WordPress site. Most stores ride on website builder platforms. Ecwid runs on numerous platforms as well, including Duda. And, believe it or not, there is a FREE version! By all means, look at transaction fees, monthly plan charges and features before making your decision. Don’t worry, you can migrate later in most cases.
It is also quite possible that the majority of the features you need are actually part of a “Software as a Service” platform such as a restaurant reservation and online ordering system. In such a case, that platform can either replace your website entirely OR act as a page on your existing website. This would cut down technical complexity and maintenance concerns considerably. But the trade-off can be some loss in flexibility.

Another VERY important consideration with regard to platform is performance. Google has created a standard called Core Web Vitals which measures website performance. Websites that do not perform well according to that standard will not be prioritized in Google searches. Some platforms perform better than others in key ways. A consideration of your business needs should bring you to the best conclusion.
4. Take advantage of existing Integrations

There was a time when a website was basically a billboard. Those days are gone. For many businesses, their websites are an integral part of their marketing, operational and customer service strategy.
Certain pages of your website can be configured as landing pages. This is the place on a website where paid advertisements would be pointed. It gets right to the point of encouraging the visitor to take action. That action may include booking an appointment with you, downloading a lead magnet or collecting contact information and making service requests.

With so ma ny products and services geared toward specific industries, it would not be a common occurrence for a completely custom-programmed solution to be required. There are client management systems, accounting, appointment forms and online solutions specific to legal practice management, insurance information, restaurant reservation and ordering systems, automotive dealer finance applications and more.
So, rather than imagining performing business functions manually or by hand, it may be best to reach out to a consultant for your industry to see what integrations exist. Business owners often find that their lives can be simplified considerably with the proper combination of the correct tools and good integration into their websites.
5. Budget Wisely and for Value

Determine your budget for the initial development and ongoing monthly expense. Your budget may require you to build your own website initially. Only you know if you have the time and experience for this. There are also many quick, cheap website that can be setup in a day or less. Check the reputation and reviews on those companies. Users have reported a cheap initial cost but a substantial charge for integrations, changes or monthly maintenance fees.
In some cases, the site is delivered based on a single template and cannot be changed in appearance without rebuilding the whole site from the beginning. Ouch. That $295 website deal may not be the deal you expected. But, we all learn this at some point, right?
Know exactly what you are getting for your dollar and do not be afraid to work with a local professional you can trust. You will likely find that there is far less frustration and wasted time over the life of the website.

Conclusion

Have a business plan. Design and build your website according to established principles. Choose the best platform for your performance and business needs. Only develop custom code when your business plan is so unique and new that it is not addressed by an existing plugin or integration software.

While there is always more detail to explore, we hope this information helps you design or choose a website that meets your business requirements and delights your visitors.

What are Google Core Web Values?

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT

An Internet Standards Change that affects Your SEO Ranking

Depending on your organizational role, you may or may not have heard of a change from Google impacting the internet and therefore your business. This changed is called Google Core Web Values . It sounds innocuous enough, right?
This is one of a number of standards put forth by Google to make the internet a better virtual place to live. A benign place where only virtue, pleasantness and truth reside (que choir). Google attempted to address the virtue and truth parts with changes to their search engine algorithms. Such efforts birthed such as "keyword stuffing" and "irrelevant keywords" .

Google made an effort to stop unscrupulous web admins from tricking its search engine algorithm into thinking was something it was not in order to climb to the top of the Google search heap.

Of course, we acknowledge that this will be a never-ending battle. Cheaters will always try. But, what about that "pleasantness" factor, eh? Google actually wants you to enjoy using the internet. What?! Yes they do. You only THOUGHT you were enjoying the internet. But, unfortunately, you have not. No. You have suffered slow loading web pages, pages that display but make you wait more than half of a second before you can interact with them (oh! The humanity!). Or, imagine a web page loading then waiting an unbearable number of milliseconds before the page fonts, pictures and do-dads all finish loading and settle neatly into their appointed places on the page. My apologies for the flashbacks.

Google core values measures page load speed with the metric, Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). Waiting to interact is measured by First Input Delay (FID). And the metric for all of that page/font shiftiness delay is Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). All of this because Google cares about your web surfing enjoyment. More graphically intense web page designs and technical functionality of those pages makes such delays more common even though computers and the networks are much faster than they were previously.

While Google is not making as much noise about the subject as the rest of us seem to, it serves as a guide for building higher performance web design and architecture . But it also does something else. If Google determines that your web site is not providing the best experience for your customer, your search engine ranking may be lowered if people search for services you offer on Google. (Oh, now you're listening, eh?) Even if your SEO is absolutely on point, this could be a factor.

All the more reason to make sure your web architecture is current and high performing. But, if you are wondering why Google, one "little" company gets to call this shot and are perhaps wondering what steps you may be able to take to meet the Core Web Values standard, grab the eBook on the subject . If you want to know where your website stacks up and how you compare to your competition online, just reach out. We would be glad to help out.

Beware of SEO Scams

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 01:10:00 GMT

Beware of Scam SEO

The Northwest has a reputation for being tech savvy, everybody knows somebody that works for some of the largest tech outfits in the world. But business people are not necessarily technical people; that's why when we hear about scam search engine optimization (SEO), we wanted to weigh in on the situation.

Internet scams are nothing new; they've been around forever, but one recurring scam we hate to see people fall for is scam SEO, but how does it work?
First of all, you have to know something about how search engines work to understand what's going on. Search engines deliver results to searchers based on keywords (search phrases), and an honest company selling SEO tries to consult their client to choose phrases that have traffic - search volume.

It's always a balancing act, weighing the volume of traffic a given search phrase has, against the competition from other companies that want to rank for that same phrase.

Dishonest companies use a play on words to give clients a false impression. They will say something to you like, "We guarantee you page 1 listing for three valuable search phrases!". They might even produce an impressive-looking report showing you why you are not ranking. I was actually present on one such call and perused such a document with my own eyes. Well, does the "page-one" promise sound nice? Keep reading!
What they do is select three very esoteric phrases; for example, they might choose the following for a pizza restaurant.

Example Scam (Long-Tail) Keywords: Best new york city pizza with anchovies The very best new york pizza money can buy Totally awesome New York pizza pie

These are what are known as longtail keywords or key phrases . Basically, these are keywords so long that almost nobody (or even nobody) is searching for them whatsoever. Since nobody is searching for these phrases and they have no competition, it's effortless to get a client's business to rank for them - the only problem is that they are most often worthless. Of course, not all long tail keywords are bad, but, go on and raise your hand if this is how YOU look for a pizza spot.
Scam SEO companies can do something no ethical SEO company can - they can guarantee you page 1, how? Why? Well, with no search volume and no competition, very little effort is needed to get anyone to rank for these phrases, but again, it's worthless. Our agency actually gets calls offering this "deal". *SMH*

Choosing Keywords Is an Art & Science
The truth is, choosing good keywords is an art form. It's a balance of budget vs. time .vs. traffic .vs. competition, and it's delicate and must be done with care. A true SEO campaign includes a wide variety of work ranging from content creation (writing) on up to link dropping, social bookmarking, and much much more. A quality SEO campaign is worth its weight in gold and should give durable and high ROI results.

Google is getting smarter by the day and literally tracks all traffic going to your website. If you try to trick its algorithm by executing a strategy that is too aggressive, you can be penalized in your ranking. Too slow a strategy just leaves money on the table.

When selecting someone to go with for your SEO, whether you're in Seattle, Los Angeles , New York, or anywhere in the US, consider professionals who listen to you, understand your business and take the time to do it right.