Most people don’t set out to become marketing experts in the cleaning and restoration industry. For Ivan Turner, that journey started after building and systemizing his own restoration company—then realizing that most contractors weren’t struggling because they lacked tools, but because they lacked clarity.
After years of working directly with insurance agents, adjusters, plumbers, and restoration business owners, Ivan shifted his focus toward education. Today, Ivan is best known for helping owners improve restoration marketing, intake performance, and long-term business growth.
In this instructor spotlight, Ivan shares how he got started, what’s broken in restoration marketing today, and what business owners need to prepare for as the industry rapidly evolves.
Q: How did you first get involved in helping cleaning and restoration businesses grow?
My path into education started after I built and fully systemized my own restoration company. Once that foundation was in place, I took a one-year sabbatical and launched a restoration marketing and public relations firm.
Before that, I’d written marketing and sales programs for insurance agents, adjusters, and plumbers. Eventually, Bill Yeadon invited me to speak during Jon-Don’s five-day Strategies for Success™ programs, which opened the door to teaching full-day restoration marketing and sales classes across the country.
What I realized quickly was this: restoration contractors don’t need more tactics. They need systems, confidence, and a clear understanding of what actually drives profitable work.
Q: What’s harder about marketing a cleaning or restoration business today than it was 5–10 years ago?
While the core service of mitigating and drying a flooded property or cleaning an office remains the same, the path the customer takes to find you has become significantly more complex and expensive.
Search is fractured. Ten years ago, it was about keywords and backlinks. Five years ago, it was Google My Business. Today, Google provides AI-generated answers at the top of the screen, meaning homeowners may never click through to your website at all.
We’re seeing:
- Zero-click searches where customers get phone numbers and directions without visiting websites
- Visual and video search are becoming expected, especially among younger homeowners (think TikToks or Reels of before and after work)
- Rising acquisition costs that leave zero room for operational mistakes
If you’re not visible in your local community—and not producing real, authentic content—you’re invisible to a growing segment of the market.
Q: What’s one piece of marketing advice restoration contractors still follow that no longer works?
Treating lead buying as a substitute for building a business.
Too many restoration business owners believe a large agency retainer is a “magic pill.” In 2026, that mindset is dangerous. PPC and Local Service Ads are expensive, competitive, and unforgiving.
Restorers should not outsource what they don’t understand. If you do decide to hire an agency for help, owners need to learn three numbers:
- CAC (Cost to Acquire a Customer): How much did that job actually cost to get?
- Conversion Rate: Of the 100 people who saw the ad, how many called?
- LTV (Lifetime Value): How many commercial clients came back?
If you don't know these numbers, an agency will just feed you "vanity metrics" (impressions and clicks) while your bank account drains.
But even if you hire a talented marketing agency that can make the phone ring, remember that they can’t make your team answer the phone correctly. If you’re paying $350 per water damage lead and miss the call, you didn’t just lose a job—you burned cash.
Marketing doesn’t fail. Intake fails.
High-margin restoration work still comes from relationships: plumbers, property managers, insurance producers. Those “belly-to-belly” referrals convert better, cost less, and create loyalty that “cold” digital leads never will.
In 2026, the most successful restorers will be those who use digital marketing as a supplement to their local reputation, not as a replacement for it.
Q: When restoration business owners feel overwhelmed by marketing options, what should they focus on first?
Operations—every time.
Before spending a single dollar on ads or agencies, owners must prove they can catch the ball.
That means:
• Every call answered by a human (or a highly sophisticated bot)
• Every web lead receiving an instant response
• A commitment to the five-minute rule: after 5-minutes of silence, a lead is dead and your marketing dollars wasted.
From there, owners should focus on rebuilding referral root systems: plumber programs, lunch-and-learns, agent education, and local relationship building. These aren’t “old school” tactics—they’re fiscally responsible ones
Q: What do you hope students walk away with after your class—beyond tactics or tools?
My hope is that my students and clients walk away with confidence, focus, and understanding.
Confidence to set goals, focus to build a strong operational foundation, and understanding that your frontline employees are your biggest asset.
Complexity is the enemy of execution. If a marketing strategy requires learning a new language or hiring multiple assistants just to manage it, it’s probably a distraction.
Exceptional restoration marketing has always come down to three things:
- Exceptional lead generation
- Exceptional lead conversion
- Exceptional client fulfillment
I want students to leave understanding how their front-line employees, intake systems, and customer experience directly impact business growth.
Q: Where do you see restoration marketing headed in the next 3–5 years?
We’re moving from SEO to AEO—Answer Engine Optimization.
Homeowners won’t search lists of companies anymore. When the dishwasher floods the kitchen, they’ll ask AI or voice assistants who can be there fastest, who’s trusted locally, and who has proof. The winner won’t be the company with the prettiest website—it’ll be the one with real world credibility. Structuring your website to provide a database of answers will be critical.
At the same time, thanks to a flood of AI-generated “fake” photos and videos, trust in marketing is becoming scarce. Consumers are more skeptical of polished marketing. Raw proof, like videos, live stream documentation, and real people on real jobs (not stock photos!), is becoming mandatory.
Every technician will need to be a micro-marketer ready to capture 15-seconds of on-the-job footage that can be shared across digital platforms to build credibility.
We’re also entering an era of marketing “Prevention” instead of the “Cure.”
Smart water sensors and fire detectors for Connected Insurance will become the norm. Carriers and property owners will partner with restorers who offer Monitoring and Mitigation Packages, so whoever installs the sensor owns the lead when disaster strikes.
Q: When you’re not working or teaching, how do you like to spend your time?
My wife Debra and I live in the rolling hills of Jefferson City, Missouri. We enjoy traveling, especially to Civil War battlefields and historic sites, and spending time with our children and our grandson.
Teaching, writing, and consulting still fill much of my time—but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Ready to Level Up?
Learn Restoration Marketing and Business Strategy with AG Pro Training
AG Pro Training connects cleaning and restoration professionals with industry-proven instructors who teach more than certifications, they teach decision-making, leadership, and sustainable growth.
With hundreds of upcoming classes available nationwide, AG Pro Training makes it easy to find education that fits your role, schedule, and business goals. Students also gain access to exclusive group and early-bird discounts not available elsewhere.
Train with Ivan Turner
Ivan Turner’s business and marketing courses are designed for owners and leaders who want clarity, not complexity. His classes focus on building high-margin referral systems, improving intake performance, and understanding the numbers that actually drive profitability.
If you’re ready to stop renting your brand and start owning your growth, explore Ivan Turner’s upcoming business and marketing courses on AG Pro Training.