---
title: Tommy Mello Shares His $1 Billion Marketing Strategy
description: Tommy Mello shares the marketing, pricing, hiring, and review moves behind his garage door empire on The Sales Podcast from The Sales Whisperer®.
image: https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hubfs/Blog_Featured_Images/pexels-1888014.jpg
---
[Skip to content](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/tommy-mello-marketing-strategy#main-content)
[](https://www.thesaleswhisperer.com/)
- Work With Me
Show submenu for Work With Me
- [Fix Your Follow-Up](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/follow-up)
- [Best Day Ever](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/best-day-ever)
- [HANK The AI](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hank)
- [AI Tools Compared](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/ai-compared)
- [12 Weeks To Peak™](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/12-weeks-to-peak)
- [48-Hour Fix](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/48-hour-fix)
- [Start](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/start)
- [Blog](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog)
- [The Daily](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/daily)
- [Speaking](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/sales-keynote-speaker)
- [Podcast](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/podcast)
Show submenu for Podcast
- [Podcast Guests](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/podcast-guests)
- [About](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/about)
Open main navigation
Close main navigation
- Work With Me
Show submenu for Work With Me
- [Fix Your Follow-Up](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/follow-up)
- [Best Day Ever](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/best-day-ever)
- [HANK The AI](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hank)
- [AI Tools Compared](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/ai-compared)
- [12 Weeks To Peak™](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/12-weeks-to-peak)
- [48-Hour Fix](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/48-hour-fix)
- [Start](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/start)
- [Blog](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog)
- [The Daily](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/daily)
- [Speaking](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/sales-keynote-speaker)
- [Podcast](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/podcast)
Show submenu for Podcast
- [Podcast Guests](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/podcast-guests)
- [About](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/about)
- [Get The Daily](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/daily)
[Get The Daily](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/daily)
Oct 29, 2020
# Tommy Mello Shares His $1 Billion Marketing Strategy
 [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer)
Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/tommy-mello-marketing-strategy) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/tommy-mello-marketing-strategy) [Twitter icon](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/tommy-mello-marketing-strategy) [pinterest-p icon](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/tommy-mello-marketing-strategy) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/tommy-mello-marketing-strategy)
## Offer your best first, then work down if you must
***[\[ LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS OR SPOTIFY \]](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/podcast-guests)***
---
---
***[](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLINqZ7y%2BF4lvbpDYo8z1AsbJVIBfmZxZn7TDzj6r9BbXXR40SC9LZTOohguJe5zVqXm7f8oIN7dvE8rLc%2BrJRAAjHu9vA77H33asUQ1gVCsxjMgP3naUrQF1ieOvjJiVarjxOV6Tg96vlOFYuh2C9X2hL8fDu39ngO5UAz2zhYTZBkXRNBowj1eSmBKaqpPjG1MB59xXp5yvU%2BpNcgGt90h&webInteractiveContentId=185369604869&portalId=443614)***
## [Sales Growth Strategies](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/daily) you'll learn today on [The Sales Podcast](https://www.thesaleswhisperer.com/podcast)...
- Big fan of traditional marketing
- Wizard of Ads
- "Google is God"
- PPC
- Google Guarantee (LSA)
- Google My Business
- Straight-up organic (He does $2.6 million/mo from here)
- Still does ValPak, [direct mail](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/craig-simpson/), etc
- Differentiate
- Use a local number for the neighborhood
- Get a 1,000% ROI from ValPak
Before You Buy Anything
Tommy can spend on ValPak, PPC, and local numbers because he knows his numbers first. He wrote his process down, then he bought the tools to run it.
[Get a process before you get the software →](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/process-first)
[](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLK8guSVriCUW8BFENo0ToS%2FwoL6%2BPhFgW6pkHN%2BITUWmwGYE%2FO%2FJEzf4E0McXdi7ZH6kRqQ9uhGJYG3sRAF5QD6Pcoz5PeNOvS1tXgX3ers1NMNi%2FkF9GPxdTxDhp2927pIkZg0gqty9DocYGvShBO1KfMkzSyX4jpop82ApsVnYf5wi1E2V8C5Fr6OyR3W%2B4p9uGcGTI1fb0HtkzMJCvCM&webInteractiveContentId=184500196010&portalId=443614)
- He doesn't want to be the "Wal-Mart" and the "Quality Brand"
- Right
- Fast
- Cheap
- Have good books
- P&L
- Direct and fixed costs
- Add in your profit
- If you can't get to 15% margins you're failing
> "If you can't get to 15% margins you're failing."
- He doesn't sell on price
- Effective sales training is fundamental
- He went to his distributor and got something nobody had
- Start with "best" and go down to "better" but never "good"
- Sell what you'd sell to your mom
- Used his sales and marketing skills to get great people
- 8 Steps to a 5-Star Customer Program
- Go over and above
[](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLJyg9uwj6kTaFtwioUS4URUD6sPrYFBo3tZ3OMnud1%2F5muW1RNSFRsnf%2BzjPwc55oScb654MKzFw98CZlOYOmc%2F90WlXb%2FnCN%2FjZB4TJdlaYWpAdhpZxrmFW%2FHZpwrRRNG5xMOJeMTiLPn0OXPh6CWSWpArOVfGvqt0QTiqhmZcp3n6XlNSdNXMpGejhxxIj3svlZhwqowi&webInteractiveContentId=178194433547&portalId=443614)
> "What else can we do for you?"
- Have a price book
- Look at all your numbers
- Call center conversions
- Usually, your average ticket is too low
- Look at your conversion rate
- What are your acquisition costs
- You need to be doing 15-18% marketing when you're entering a new market and 10% on average
- He has manuals for everything
- Ask great questions
- Sell like a doctor
- Do a needs analysis
- Your prospects must like and trust you
- Be known as the best quality
- Has his core values
- Already in 14 states
- He doubled his marketing during the pandemic
- Take the people with you
- He loves taking care of his people
- He trains his people like crazy and he retains his people like crazy
- He drives a used Nissan Titan with a salvaged title
- He lives in an apartment he owns
- He drinks a beer with his guys
- "[Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't](https://amzn.to/3iADlXc)"
- He's building leaders
- Had a landscaping company
- His friend recruited him over to the garage door business
- Started it in 2007 not knowing what they were doing
- Got into debt
- Mom and step-dad moved from Michigan to help him
- He learned about CRMs and learning
- Leaders are readers
- He likes to be a master/rifle shot, so he expands horizontally
- He focuses on after-market repairs and upgrades
- He grows organically
- He's a platform company, so he is worth 12x even when he buys at 4x earnings.
- He'd show up to his master's program greasy
- He built it all up from the ground up
- He did it all himself
- He didn't get out of the field completely until 2014/2015
> "It's so fun to [hire amazing people](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/john-pyke-personality-test-sales-recruiting)."
- The dream needs to become a vision.
- The vision needs to become a dream.
- The dream needs to become a plan.
- Get organized.
- Hire around your weaknesses.
- The KPIs in your [CRM](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/best-crms) are the scoreboard
- It's fun
- Teach it to your people
- He pays $1,500 to his people for new hire referrals
- He has tracking numbers for his staff to get commissions
- He has a recruiting process to hire for good fits
- Personality assessments
- Ride alongs
[](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLINvDdl4h5KUuAcuwkXnZ%2Ff9mCYXL%2Fjs03iFAY%2BA6CEoiw2hnwksATvjqPS25FDdEvUYqVYXgDrJb7WJrg6kvx7%2BdrGuJtedi5jWqKkqhwEyc%2FZVOSE4ZBnA25gxCIc4agI8AcHonKsKGANFijTyE7ZQsWpkDQ2szyYkn2QPmFTJyVCVdznilUg3fW9BwZjxkPbUXc9H7PjgGEHazVGEAk%3D&webInteractiveContentId=122574935953&portalId=443614)
- Three-week apprenticeship is to weed them out
- He's always recruiting while eating out, getting his hair cut, etc.
- His average employee is 23 and wants to be cared for
- Find out what your people want and help them get it
- He buys $2,400 worth of tools for each of his guys
- Systems, Procedures, Checks, and Balances
- He runs warranty calls first
- 1% of customers will always be mad. They're victims and it's sad. "Creative justification."
- You don't "need" a new car, etc. You "want" it.
- Compound interest. Save your money and grow smartly.
- Buy appreciating assets.
- SACRIFICE!
- A lot of people don't have what it takes. Discipline. Accountability. Work ethic.
- Order the book, "[Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength](https://amzn.to/2Gw6iql)"
- Accept responsibility for everything in your life
- Most businesses fail
- "The Augusta Law"
- He has a team dedicated to the trolls
- He understands that mistakes are made and he listens and lets them vent and offers a solution
- A 1-star review costs money, so address it
- Consumers have a lot of power now
## Links Mentioned In [The Sales Podcast](https://www.thesaleswhisperer.com/podcast)
- [Get Your Free Copy Of Home Service Millionaire](https://angels.homeservicemillionaire.com/book-audiobook-vimeo-21624626828273)
- Follow [Tommy Mello on X](https://x.com/realtommymello)
- Meet every guest on [The Sales Podcast guest index](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/podcast-guests)
[The Sales Podcast](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/the-sales-podcast)
## Related posts
[](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/nigel-green)
[The Sales Podcast](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/the-sales-podcast)
## [Harvest More Sales Revenue With Sales Management Expert Nigel Green](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/nigel-green)
 [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer)
Mar 16, 2020
"Time in" dilutes "awareness of." Click here to download the episode.
[Read more](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/nigel-green)
[](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/jonny-cooper)
[The Sales Podcast](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/the-sales-podcast)
## [Jonny Hates Marketing So You Should Listen To Him](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/jonny-cooper)
 [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer)
Feb 08, 2020
Show You're Alive By Going Live .
[Read more](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/jonny-cooper)
[](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/michael-oliver)
[The Sales Podcast](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/topic/the-sales-podcast)
## [How To Sell The Way People Buy, Michael Oliver](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/michael-oliver)
 [Wes Schaeffer](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer)
Oct 24, 2024
"The words you say give you away." \[ LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS OR SPOTIFY \]
[Read more](https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/michael-oliver)
```json
{
"@context" : "https://schema.org",
"@type" : "BlogPosting",
"author" : {
"@type" : "Person",
"name" : "Wes Schaeffer",
"url" : "https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/author/wes-schaeffer"
},
"dateModified" : "2026-10-05T14:24:15.918Z",
"datePublished" : "2020-10-29T12:00:00.000Z",
"headline" : "Tommy Mello Shares His $1 Billion Marketing Strategy",
"image" : [ "https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hubfs/Blog_Featured_Images/pexels-1888014.jpg" ],
"mainEntityOfPage" : {
"@id" : "https://thesaleswhisperer.com/blog/tommy-mello-marketing-strategy",
"@type" : "WebPage"
},
"publisher" : {
"@type" : "Organization",
"logo" : {
"@type" : "ImageObject",
"url" : "https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hubfs/wes-header-lockup.png"
},
"name" : "Fixer Wes"
}
}
```
```json
{
"@context" : "https://schema.org",
"@id" : "https://thesaleswhisperer.com/#organization",
"@type" : "Organization",
"founder" : {
"@id" : "https://thesaleswhisperer.com/#wes"
},
"legalName" : "TSW Group, Inc.",
"logo" : {
"@type" : "ImageObject",
"url" : "https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Wes%20Schaeffer%20The%20Business%20Fixer%20white.png"
},
"name" : "The Sales Whisperer®",
"sameAs" : [ "https://www.instagram.com/fixerwes", "https://x.com/fixerwes", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesaleswhisperer/", "https://www.youtube.com/@TheSalesWhispererWes" ],
"url" : "https://thesaleswhisperer.com/"
}
```
```json
{
"@context" : "https://schema.org",
"@id" : "https://thesaleswhisperer.com/#website",
"@type" : "WebSite",
"name" : "The Sales Whisperer®",
"potentialAction" : {
"@type" : "SearchAction",
"query-input" : "required name=search_term_string",
"target" : {
"@type" : "EntryPoint",
"urlTemplate" : "https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hs-search-results?term={search_term_string}"
}
},
"publisher" : {
"@id" : "https://thesaleswhisperer.com/#organization"
},
"url" : "https://thesaleswhisperer.com/"
}
```
```json
{
"@context" : "https://schema.org",
"@id" : "https://thesaleswhisperer.com/#wes",
"@type" : "Person",
"alternateName" : "The Sales Whisperer",
"image" : "https://thesaleswhisperer.com/hubfs/wes-suit-forward.jpeg",
"jobTitle" : "Founder",
"name" : "Wes Schaeffer",
"sameAs" : [ "https://www.instagram.com/fixerwes", "https://x.com/fixerwes", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesaleswhisperer/", "https://www.youtube.com/@TheSalesWhispererWes" ],
"url" : "https://thesaleswhisperer.com/about",
"worksFor" : {
"@id" : "https://thesaleswhisperer.com/#organization"
}
}
```