Hi Reader,

It's 2025. What are you excited about?

Building Connections!

(... not just the name of this newsletter. It's also an aspect of what I'm building).

For far too long, too many of us have had our heads down "doing the work" in isolation or in silos within our own company. And this year, I aim to change this!

Connection Point #1: Getting Out of My Silo

In late December, I joined a (paid) community that brings together entrepreneurs from all across the world and in a variety of industries ... and not just website developers and marketing strategists (like me), but wardrobe visionaries, chiropractors, holistic health professionals, psychotherapists, consultants and more! I've always found in fascinating to learn about others, and this group has shown me that it doesn't matter what industry we're in, we are all working through similar challenges. It's the connection by which this community is based.

During our call yesterday, I connected with three other business owners living in the Seattle area. We exchanged emails and are already in the process of finding a date for a real-life meet-up. 😮 Fun!

Connection Point #2: Teaching Workshops

My business is shifting. Because I can only take on so many 1:1 clients at a time (and many of them are on retainer), I'm developing Done WITH You programs where I am the coach/teacher/mentor to help businesses "do marketing" on their own with my oversight. The first one is a Blogging Workshop, which is focused on helping your in-house marketing person (this could be you) create content that gets results for your business.

This workshop is a small-group setting designed to give you plenty of personalized time with me and allow you to CONNECT, share, and grow with each other! I'm super excited to lead a small-yet-mighty group of in-house marketers for my first workshop of the year in February. If you are interested in joining this group (or want to learn more), email me! 👈

Connection Point #3: Hosting The Book Club

A professional Book Club is something I've always wanted to participate in, but when I searched around, I never found what I was looking for. So, guess what? I just decided to create the darn thing! :)

The first Book Club meeting will be next Friday, January 31, at 12:00 PM ET. The book is Atomic Habits.

If you don't have time to finish the book, come anyway! Don't let that be why you don't connect with us!

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As you can see, I'm dedicated to talking to more people this year and Building Connections. I truly enjoy hearing your stories, learning from your experiences, and, yes, helping you grow, too.

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5 Common Blogging Mistakes Remodeling Firms Make—and How to Avoid Them

Blogging is one of the most effective ways to attract leads, establish authority, and showcase your expertise as a remodeling firm. But if you’re not careful, certain missteps can undermine your efforts and prevent you from seeing the results you’re looking for.

I regularly encounter this when working with custom home builders and remodeling clients, so this week, I am highlighting five common blogging mistakes and providing actionable tips to help you avoid them.

1. Picking Topics That Don’t Resonate with Your Audience

One of the biggest mistakes is choosing blog topics based on what you think is important rather than what your audience actually cares about.

For example, while you may want to write about the technical aspects of construction, your clients are more likely to search for topics like “How to Budget for a Kitchen Remodel” or “The Pros and Cons of Open Floor Plans.”

How to Avoid It:

• Use tools like Google and Ubersuggest to identify what your audience is searching for.
  • For Google: start typing in a search, then scroll down to the bottom for the People Also Ask section
  • For Ubersuggest: the Chrome Extension is limited but free.
• Pay attention to the questions clients frequently ask during consultations—these are great blog topics.

2. Writing for Search Engines, Not People

Don’t get me wrong. Keywords are important, but there needs to be a strategy.

What will backfire: Overloading your blog posts with keywords or creating content solely for the sake of ranking high on Google. Search engines now prioritize content that provides real value to readers (called user-first content). If your posts feel unnatural or overly promotional, you risk losing trust and credibility.

How to Avoid It:

• Focus on writing user-first content that answers your audience’s questions and solves their problems.
• Incorporate keywords naturally into headings, subheadings, and body text without overstuffing.

3. Being Inconsistent with Posting

Publishing a few blog posts and then abandoning your blog for months is a common pitfall. Inconsistency makes it harder to build momentum, attract repeat visitors, and signal to search engines that your website is active and a reliable information source.

How to Avoid It:

• Create a content calendar to plan and schedule blog posts in advance.
• Aim for consistency over quantity; publishing one high-quality post monthly is better than sporadic bursts of low-quality content.

4. Ignoring Local SEO Opportunities

As a remodeling firm, your target audience typically consists of local homeowners. Not including local keywords and references in your blog content can result in missing out on potential clients in your area.

How to Avoid It:

• Use location-specific keywords, such as “bathroom remodels in Dallas” or “kitchen upgrades in Dayton, Ohio.”
• Highlight local success stories or projects to build a connection with your audience (this one is incredibly impactful!)

5. Missing a Clear Call to Action (CTA)

Your blog post may be packed with valuable information, but if you don’t tell readers what to do next, you’re missing an opportunity to convert them into leads. Many remodeling firms omit effective CTAs in their posts.

How to Avoid It:

• At the end of each blog post, include a clear, actionable CTA, such as “Schedule a Free Consultation,” "Join Us For Our Next Workshop," or “Download Our Remodeling Cost Guide.”
  • 💡ProTip: After years of isolation due to COVID-19, in-person programs are making a comeback (yes, they are!) I wrote about it as a recommended marketing tactic (#7). You can read that article on my website.​
• Use buttons or hyperlinks to make it easy for readers to take the next step.

Bonus Tip: How to Ensure Your Blogging Success

Avoiding these mistakes is just the start. To maximize your blogging efforts, consider joining my 4-week Content Creation Mastery Workshop. Details below.

🎯Blogging Mastery Workshop Begins February 5

If you’re ready to elevate your blogging strategy, my 4-week Content Creation Mastery Workshop is designed to help you:

• Build a tailored content calendar that aligns with your business goals.
• Learn how to write engaging, SEO-friendly blog posts efficiently.
• Master tools and techniques to extend your blog’s reach across platforms.

Blogging has changed so much in just the last few years, so focusing on creating content that actually drives traffic and leads to your business is what this workshop is all about. And BTW, if you'd prefer to make videos or record podcasts instead of writing blog posts, I can help with that, too.

Don’t miss the opportunity to leverage it for your remodeling or building business.

Let’s get started! I don't have a fancy sales page for this event, but I have a PDF with all the details. If you'd like to learn more, here's the link.

And if you want to join this workshop (or have questions), email me! 👈

Book Club: Atomic Habits by James Clear

➡ NEXT FRIDAY! Friday, January 31 at 12:00 pm ET

Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on James Clear’s best-selling book, Atomic Habits. Discover how small, consistent changes can lead to remarkable personal and professional growth, and gain insights on building better habits to achieve success. This virtual event is perfect for construction professionals and others looking to enhance their habits and performance.

Grab your lunch (or snack) and your thoughts on the book, and join us for an engaging roundtable discussion that will inspire you to take action!

​Register here (it's free!) ​

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We bought the tickets!

Jason and I debated whether to buy tickets to see Collective Soul in concert at one of our local casinos.

Why was such a seemingly easy decision so vexing?

We'd seen this band in concert several times before (my second, Jason's fifth), and they were [cough] not great every time. In our previous experiences, Ed Roland's (the lead singer) voice seemed unable to withstand the grind of singing night after night.

But last week, something changed. His voice didn't crack until the final 3-4 songs. But up until that point, he gave a fine 75-minute performance.

I'm glad we bought the tickets and had a night out. Not only did we enjoy some music from the 90s, but we were also introduced to a new venue. We have already snagged tickets for another concert next month!

For us, living "beyond the grind" can be as simple as changing something up - like going to a concert on a weeknight.

Until next week,

Tess Wittler
Custom Home Builder & Remodeler Marketing Strategist