80 Getting Ahead of The Competition with Voice Search and Google Guarantee with Lorne Sederoff

With half of people now using voice search monthly, Lorne Sederoff predicts that a customer in duress will simply say 'Hey Google, I need a plumber,' and the machine will have to serve up a trusted, nearby, available provider rather than an ad.

Sederoff believes Google Local Services will become the de facto voice search directory because it satisfies Google's criteria of trust, reviews, and being open and ready to serve.

The Google Guarantee program endears itself to customers because it verifies companies and surfaces those with strong reviews and real availability.

SearchKings charges a flat management fee instead of a percentage of spend, aligning incentives around building profitable campaigns rather than inflating budgets.

Effective lead generation should aim at the lifetime value of a customer, not just the cost of a single lead, so operators understand what a long-term relationship is really worth.

Sederoff sees AI beginning to answer phones and change the game, making it critical for home service businesses to adapt how they capture and handle calls.

Knowing exactly where the profit lives in your business model is essential, and a good marketing partner acts as a trusted advisor around that profitability.