Mike Walsh Painting and Decorating
Mike Walsh spent decades painting homes—and perfecting systems. He brings both craftsmanship and operational genius to his business. But telling that story online required a different kind of brushstroke. He partnered with MarketSmiths’ creative team to reimagine his website copywriting and marketing.
Client
“This business needs to be a good deal for every stakeholder involved.”
“I was fed up with the shenanigans.”
After decades in the painting industry, Mike Walsh had seen it all: contractors ghosting clients, timelines dragging on endlessly, and homeowners nickel-and-dimed for every extra. That’s why, when he refreshed his brand, his mission was clear—elevate the experience for everyone involved.
But in a crowded, chaotic space, skill with a brush wasn’t enough. Mike needed messaging that cut through the noise. “I didn’t want to sound like every other painting contractor,” he says.
That’s when he turned to MarketSmiths.
“I feel like MarketSmiths got inside my head and captured the business philosophy.”
— Mike Walsh, Founder of Mike Walsh Painting and Decorating
Challenges
“Somebody said, ‘Hey man, your website should be working for you.’"
Running a business means wearing a lot of hats—and marketing was one Mike was ready to hand off.
Faint impressions: low response, high frustration
For years, Mike relied on sending simple black-and-white mailers. “My marketing felt painfully amateur,” he admits. “It just wasn’t converting.” With response rates dipping below 0.2%, Mike needed “something sharp-looking that catches the attention of people who have the coin to buy.”
Dormant leads: untapped potential
Some of Mike’s most valuable leads aren’t new—they’re just dormant. “People need a painter every five or 10 years,” Mike notes. “I absolutely do not want to lose track of these folks. When they’re ready, I want them to remember me.” But without consistent marketing, past clients and prospects were slipping away.
Dull presence: a website that just sat there
Mike built his first website in the early 2000s. “I knew it was a legitimizer—like having a sign outside your business,” he says. “But I didn’t expect it to do anything—until someone said, ‘Hey man, your website should be working for you.’”
Promise of pristine—without perfectionism
“We don’t do perfect—we do pristine.” Setting expectations is a key part of Mike’s sales process. “Contractors can cover everything in plastic, vacuum, mop. And still, you’ll find some dust.” He wanted messaging that balanced polish with realism. “We had to put our best foot forward,” Mike says, “without making promises we couldn’t keep.”
Cookie-cutter copy: bland as beige
First, he tried hiring a freelancer. “The copy I got back was just okay—generic stuff I could find anywhere,” Mike says. “ChatGPT spits out the same puffery.” But, to Mike, “Words matter.”
A good website is about more than a splashy design and placeholder text for SEO. Inspired by direct-response legends Claude Hopkins and Jay Conrad Levinson, he understood: “People read things. Everybody has the attention span—if it matters to them. This has got to be completely client-centric.”
After discovering MarketSmiths’ founder Jean Tang’s TED Talk, Declaring War on Bland, Mike knew: “That’s exactly what I’m looking for.”
“The copy that the MarketSmiths team created has life to it. It’s alive. Chat GPT did not write it.”
— Mike Walsh, Founder of Mike Walsh Painting and Decorating
Shared Success
“Each time an email’s gone out, I’ve gotten calls from customers.”
Within just a few months of launching his new website and content strategy, Mike began seeing vibrant results. A layered approach—evocative copy, strategic SEO, and cohesive design—has turned his online presence into a lead generator.
Here’s what MarketSmiths rolled out:
Primer: a website that works
Crafted to Mike’s vision, the new site is drawing eyes. In 30 days, there were 113 sessions, with 60% from new visitors—proof that local buzz is growing in Wisconsin’s competitive home services market—without paid ads.
Basecoat: deeper engagement
Visitors browse—then stay. Strategic rewrites and intuitive structure boosted pages per session by 16.83%, surpassing the 4-10% benchmark. Average session length rose 6.18%, with most users exploring two or more pages.
Topcoat: leads that convert
Beyond generating clicks, Mike’s site engages. Customers praise the new messaging, and job seekers reach out saying they want to work for the company. It’s a welcome bonus—because as Mike puts it, “I’m marketing in two directions: I need great customers—and I need great people to work for me.”
Email campaigns, like “The Mike Walsh Way” (with a 26.83% open rate vs. the 21.33% industry average), are rekindling dormant leads. “I’m looking at a reply to an email we just sent. A year ago, this guy said I was too expensive. Now he’s saying, ‘We need to get this done.’”
Layered brilliance: a full marketing ecosystem that runs itself
No more half-baked marketing for Mike. Now, he has:
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A revitalized, reader-focused website
Mike’s new site does more than look good—it speaks to prospects. From the opening line (“Tell us your vision / We’ll bring it to life”), visitors step into a story centered on their needs and dreams.
“We’re more than painters—we’re partners in crafting treasured spaces. Our passion? Seeing the delight in your eyes once the paint is dry,” the homepage says. “From sipping coffee on your front porch to cozying up by the fireplace, we elevate every moment in your favorite spaces.”
“MarketSmiths got inside my head,” Mike says. “They captured the business philosophy and told the story in a reassuring way. The copy has sparks—it’s alive. ChatGPT did not write it.”
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A trust-building blog
Before partnering with MarketSmiths, Mike had never blogged. Now, Strokes of Insight is a custom-built content engine with SEO-grounded posts written to resonate with his target audience. MarketSmiths manages the calendar and keeps the cadence humming—all Mike has to do is approve posts.
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Personality-packed emails that convert
“Every time an email goes out, I get calls,” Mike says. Sometimes it’s a recent lead. Sometimes it’s someone from a year ago, suddenly ready to book. “I send to a mix of contacts—recent leads, past clients, even people who once said no. Even if they don’t reply, they’re still watching. No doesn’t mean no forever.”
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Print materials that pop
“Reading the new print materials is like stepping into Oz for the first time,” says MarketSmiths content strategist Briana Pagano. “We bring Mike’s vision to life in vivid color—just like he does for his clients.” Rather than mailing, Mike hands them to prospects in place of business cards.
Like a flawless paint job, each content layer builds on the last—to stick, shine, and stand the test of time.
Turnkey marketing allows Mike to focus on painting homes and growing his business, knowing every detail—from image selection to layout to storytelling—aligns with his brand.
“Now I only wear 10 or 11 hats,” he jokes. “MarketSmiths gets things done. And done has value.”
Contact MarketSmiths
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