You may be asking what the final results of “Who Are the Best Pool Builders in Richmond, Virginia (Reviews/Ratings)” are.

To put it lightly, the results have been profound.

First of all, as mentioned before, if you search anything to do with “Best Pool Builders Richmond, Virginia,” this is the first result you see in Google.

But the second result is where things get really, really interesting.

Let’s assume you went online today and searched for “Reviews Pla-Mor Pools Richmond, Virginia.” (Note: Pla-Mor is our biggest competitor in the Richmond area.) Once you enter such a search query, the first result you’re going to see is, again, that article.

In fact, today, whenever anyone is researching reviews of our competitors, they usually land on one of these articles (as we’ve now produced many) on our website. All this while outranking such websites as the Better Business Bureau, Angie’s List, and others that often own the conversation about reviews in multiple industries, especially in home improvement.

To put it all in perspective, allow me to share the following story of a lady who bought a swimming pool from us a few years ago. Upon discussing her decision to go with our company, she said:

Marcus, the most interesting thing happened. I was so close to signing a contract with Pla-Mor Pools for my swimming pool. But before I signed the contract, I decided to go online and research their company. While I was researching their company, I immediately stumbled across this article you guys had written and thought to myself, My goodness, these guys are so honest, I should probably call them too!

Of course, you know the end result. That lady bought a $50,000 swimming pool from us. And she bought it all because she had a common question and we were the ones that had been willing to answer it—honestly and transparently.

The year it was published, that one little article resulted in $150,000 in sales. And still today, if you go online and research the best swimming pool builders in Richmond Virginia, we will probably be one of the first companies you come across.

Now, you may be thinking to yourself, Yeah, but Marcus, aren’t you afraid you’ve now introduced them to the competition? And if you’re thinking this, let’s be clear about something:

If someone wants to know who your competitors are, roughly, how long will it take them to figure it out?

Maybe five seconds . . . if they’re slow!

The reality is this: Consumer ignorance is no longer a viable sales and marketing strategy.

It just isn’t.

I knew at some point the buyer would learn about my competitors, just like I knew at some point they’d realize there are three types of inground pools (concrete, fiberglass, and vinyl). Plus, I could see how addressing these types of questions would give us a chance at doing business with folks who never would have found us otherwise—just as the lady who almost bought a Pla-Mor Pool had done. But because we had addressed the question, we were now able to enter the conversation with her and many, many others.

To this day, we are still getting rewarded for taking this bold approach to They Ask, You Answer with new business every single month.

And finally, if you’re wondering how our competitors reacted to these articles, I can tell you that over the years, I’ve heard from many of them, and the response is almost always the same:

“Marcus, I don’t know why you wrote that article, but thank you.”

As for me, all I can do is chuckle, knowing the simplistic power and impact of They Ask, You Answer.

Putting It Into Action