Selling the Next Step

Marketing is incredibly important in the pool industry, and for service companies adding pool construction or other high-ticket offerings, the challenge isn’t just doing the work — it’s making sure customers understand the new service.

Adam Aguirre, owner of California Poolman, and Scott Cohen, president of The Green Scene and a longtime television personality on HGTV and other home-improvement networks, have both navigated that transition. Each built a reputation in other areas of the industry before expanding into pool construction, and both say the key to marketing a new service begins with trust and clear messaging.

Start with existing customers

For many companies, the first and best marketing channel is the client list they already have.

Aguirre had established his company in service and repair when he added construction services. 

“It was almost like being ‘New Kids on the Block,’ ” he jokes. 

He says longtime builders often dominate online marketing channels.

“Facebook, Google and Yelp algorithms already have the preferred accounts with tons of reviews and marketing budget taking up advertising space,” he says.

Because Aguirre started in service, he had an essentially endless list of leads for remodels. 

“Every client will eventually need a resurface, coping, tile, etc.,” Aguirre says. “They need to look no further than the company that they already know and trust from weekly service.”

When he passed his contractor’s license exam, Aguirre immediately reached out to existing customers.

“I sent a mass mailing letter to every client explaining that we are now a one-stop for new pool construction, pool remodels, major and minor repairs and of course, as always, service,” he says.

Cohen says strong work and satisfied clients are also the foundation of marketing.

After all, “Your next job always comes from your last job” is a saying at The Green Scene.

For companies just starting, Cohen suggests focusing on doing quality work for existing clients and letting them become advocates through reviews and word-of-mouth.

Make your capabilities visible 

In the 1990s, Cohen relied on brochures featuring 3D renderings to demonstrate what his company could build. Today, the marketing tools may be different, but the goal remains the same: help customers visualize what’s possible.

In 2026, Cohen says some of the company’s best leads come from visibility in the neighborhoods where they work. Jobsite signage, trailers, social media marketing and postcards help neighbors discover the project as it’s being built.

Neighbors see the project taking shape and think, “If they can, I can.”

“We market ourselves as ‘the wow factor contractor’ because we want the opportunity to create the wow factor in all the things we build,” Cohen says.

For Aguirre, visibility meant emphasizing the company’s expanded services everywhere customers might encounter the brand.

“Thanks to adding construction to our skill set, the adjustment was clear: We are now a one-stop shop,” he says. “ ‘Build. Remodel. Repair. Service.’ It’s on the website, the trucks, the shirts, the social media.”

Although word-of-mouth marketing has been the key to growing the company, Aguirre say wrapping trucks to build brand awareness and posting how-to repair videos have also helped.

Adjust your marketing for a bigger project

Many service companies underestimate how different marketing construction is from marketing weekly service, Aguirre says, since pool builds involve much larger budgets and longer timelines.

Projects can take up to a year to complete, and Cohen says it’s important to understand where clients are in the decision process.

“Before someone’s ready to commit, we don’t talk about the build process,” he says, noting that the right client for the company often isn’t interested in the small details early on.

Talking about the construction too soon, he says, was actually the biggest mistake they made when first marketing pools.

Instead, early conversations should focus on the client’s vision.

“The quicker I could make a friend with clients, the quicker I could get the real information that was driving the desire for the project and then design to be able to accommodate their specific needs,” Cohen says. “That’s where it gets fun — to come up with something that the client didn’t think about and is unique to them.”

Aguirre says another important part of marketing construction projects is qualifying potential clients before investing too much time in sales meetings.

“In new pool construction, not everyone is a client,” Aguirre says. “I’d have saved so much time if I had just taken the five minutes before the meeting to call, feel them out and drop ‘ballpark pricing.’ If the ballpark pricing doesn’t scare them away, then take the meeting. If it does, you saved time and money.”

Build slowly and protect your reputation

Both owners say expanding into construction requires patience.

Cohen recommends gaining experience gradually by starting with repairs and remodels before moving into full builds.

Starting small helps companies gain knowledge and a portfolio while protecting their reputation.

Because projects take months, Cohen says his team checks in with customers along the way, especially if feedback might be less than perfect, to address issues before they turn into negative online reviews.

Cohen says marketing a new service isn’t just about promotion — it’s also about making sure the company can deliver the work sustainably as demand grows.

Most importantly, he says, companies shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help as they grow.

“If you don’t know something, hire somebody or consult with somebody to help explain it,” Cohen says. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s wise to start at a smaller scale and work your way up rather than to jump into the deep end.”