The Call Pool - A Straight-Forward Marketing Philosophy

The Inspiration

When I was 14 years old (many years ago), I spent a summer with my grandmother in San Diego, California. She worked the graveyard shift as a telephone operator, and sometimes she would take me to work with her late at night.

I can still remember sitting there watching her work. She looked so important sitting at that giant switchboard with her headset on. Lights would constantly flash across the board as calls came in, and she would answer each one calmly and professionally.

She worked for a team of doctors, and it was her job to ask callers a few questions and determine which doctor the call should be forwarded to. They referred to this process as the “Call Pool”.

Interestingly enough, in my career as a marketer many years later I came across that term again while working with a call-tracking platform called CallRail. Ironically, they also use the term “Call Pool,” although their function is very different.

In simple terms, CallRail’s Call Pool helps businesses track where phone calls are coming from online.

It can determine whether a lead came from:

• an organic search
• Google Ads
• Facebook
• a website visit
• or another marketing source

It works by temporarily displaying different phone numbers to different website visitors so the system can track which marketing effort generated the call.

Making Things Simple

Over the years, I have watched countless marketers use complicated industry jargon most small business owners would never use themselves. I honestly believe at times their intent is more to impress other marketers than to actually educate business owners, or maybe just to seem smart (or hireable).

When I created The Clueless Business Owner, I made a decision very early on: I never wanted to speak over people’s heads.

It is my goal ENTIRELY to educate business owners - not to confuse you or talk over your head!

I wanted to explain marketing in simple, practical language that real business owners could actually understand without feeling confused, overwhelmed, or like they needed a marketing degree just to keep up.

As I began developing my philosophy around online visibility and “top-of-scroll” (as opposed to page 1) placement, I wanted a term that was simple, memorable, and easy for small business owners to visualize.

Then one night, I remembered my grandmother sitting there with that headset on routing calls to a select group of doctors.

And suddenly it clicked.

The businesses appearing at the top of search are very similar.

Searchers are online looking for solutions to their problems, and the businesses visible at the top of scroll become the select group competing for those incoming calls and opportunities.

Not every business gets the calls. Just the businesses that are visible to the searcher, and this I refer to as the Call Pool.

The Call Pool: Why Some Businesses Get the Calls While Others Hear Crickets

To Find a Solution You First Need to Know the Actual Problem

When a service-based business owner isn't getting enough jobs to sustain them they start trying to diagnose the problem. I have talked to enough business owners to know they typically blame one of the four reasons below.

1. not enough leads
2. too much competition
3. low demand
4. cash flow issues
5. labor shortage

Any one of these things could definitely play a role in the struggle to get enough leads. However, you cannot blame ANY of them until you have said to YES to one very important question.

Is your business visible in the Call Pool? Because if the answer is no, then THAT is your problem.

I want you to perform a simple experiment.

Open Google Chrome and search for your business the same way a potential customer would search for it online. (And yes, it is important to use Google because it still dominates the search market and handles the overwhelming majority of online searches.)

Before you begin, open an incognito browser window. This helps reduce personalization and previous browsing history from influencing the results, giving you a more realistic picture of what an average consumer may see.

Now type in a search phrase a customer would realistically use, such as:

• “Dermatologist near me”
• “Plumber Atlanta”
• “Handyman Birmingham”
• “Window replacement Nashville”

Do not search your exact business name. Search the way a customer searches when they need a service. Now look carefully at the results that appear at the top of scroll. (Notice I pecifically said top of scroll because today most consumers are searching from mobile devices, not desktop computers.)

Which businesses appear first? Which businesses dominate the search results?

Which businesses occupy multiple positions through Google Ads, Maps listings, and organic website rankings?

More importantly…is your business there?

Because whether most business owners realize it or not, the businesses appearing at the top of scroll are usually the businesses capturing the largest share of calls, clicks, and leads within the Call Pool.

If your business is not visible there, you are likely losing opportunities every single day to competitors who are.



Is Your Website Built for Profit?

Not showing up in search results creates a major gap in your business profitability.

Think of it this way:

Imagine you own a beautiful red sports car sitting in your driveway.

There is just one problem. It has no engine.

It may look impressive on the outside, but without an engine, it cannot actually take you anywhere. This is exactly what happens when a service-based business has a website that cannot be found online.

If people are actively searching for the services you offer and your business is missing from the Call Pool, then your website is essentially a car without an engine.

It exists, but it is not generating movement, visibility, calls, or revenue. So how do you fix it?

A. Use Google Ads to Increase Visibility

Google Ads can immediately place your business into searches where you do not yet rank organically.

This helps your business gain top-of-scroll visibility and allows you to compete inside the Call Pool while your long-term organic strategy continues developing.

B. Optimize Your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile is one of the most valuable pieces of digital real estate your business can own. You want your business appearing in the top local map results whenever possible.

This requires:

• Proper optimization
• Consistent updates
• Accurate information
• Strong engagement
• And most importantly, lots of quality reviews

Reviews help build trust, authority, and visibility.

C. Create Helpful Content That Answers Questions

One of the best ways to improve visibility today is by creating useful content that answers the questions consumers are already asking online.

This helps your business:

• Rank for additional searches
• Build authority
• Increase trust
• And potentially appear in AI-generated search snippets and featured results

Businesses that educate consumers often gain visibility advantages over competitors that provide little or no useful content.

D. Optimize Your Website for Organic Search

Your website should be optimized to rank within the top organic search placements for important keywords in your market.

This includes:

• Strong SEO (search engine optimization) structure
• Fast performance
• Quality content
• Optimized service pages
• Effective page titles and meta descriptions

And here is something many business owners overlook, your search result snippet itself is marketing.

The page title and description shown in Google search results can influence whether someone clicks on your business or a competitor’s.

Unfortunately, many businesses completely ignore this opportunity.

The businesses that understand how to improve visibility across multiple areas of search are usually the businesses that dominate the Call Pool over time.

Mapping the Customer Journey

When someone visits your business in person or calls you on the phone, you have an opportunity to personally shape how they experience your company.

You influence that experience through communication, personality, professionalism, trust, and the way you make them feel during the interaction.

But what happens when you are not there? What happens when a potential customer is experiencing your business completely on their own?

That is exactly what happens when someone visits your website.

• Your website becomes the first impression.
• Your messaging becomes the salesperson.
• Your design becomes the atmosphere.
• Your content becomes the conversation.

In many cases, consumers form opinions about your business within seconds of landing on your website. This is why mapping the customer journey is so important.

You have to think beyond simply “having a website” and start thinking about the actual experience a consumer is having while interacting with your business online.

• What do they see first?
• Is your website clear and easy to understand?
• Does it immediately communicate what you do and who you help?
• Does it create trust?
• Does it answer questions?
• Does it guide the consumer toward taking action?
• Or does it create confusion and friction?

Remember, when someone enters the Call Pool and clicks on your website, they are evaluating your business whether you realize it or not.

And in many cases, they are comparing you directly against competitors at the exact same time.

This means your website is not just a digital brochure. It is part of your sales process.

Every page, headline, image, review, call-to-action, and piece of content contributes to how a consumer experiences your business online.

That experience matters because perception influences trust.

And trust influences whether or not someone contacts you.



Now I want you to do something that can actually be surprisingly difficult for many business owners. I want you to temporarily take off your business owner hat and look at your business entirely through the eyes of a potential new customer.

At first, that may sound easy. But is it really? One of the biggest things that can quietly hold business owners back is ego. And to be fair, we are all guilty of it from time to time.

After working with business owners for more than a decade, I have noticed a very common pattern:

Many business owners naturally view their business from their own perspective instead of the customer’s.

We often become focused on what we want to sell instead of what the customer is actually looking for, worried about, confused about, or trying to solve.

That disconnect can create major problems in marketing.

Ego can interfere with growth because it makes it harder to objectively evaluate how consumers actually experience your business. This is why it is so important to stay focused on the customer’s perspective instead of your own assumptions.

So here is what I want you to do.

With your business owner hat removed and your customer hat on, pull out your mobile phone and visit your website.

The reason I specifically want you to use your phone is because that is how the majority of consumers will experience your business.

Today, most people are not sitting at a desktop computer researching businesses for hours.

They are searching quickly from their phones while:

• at work
• in traffic
• on the couch
• standing in a store
• dealing with a problem in real time

And remember, when they find your business through the Call Pool, your website becomes part of their decision-making process almost immediately.

Now ask yourself:

1. What is the customer experiencing during those first few seconds?
2. Is your website easy to understand?
3. Does it immediately explain what you do?
4. Is it visually clean and trustworthy?
5. Does it load quickly?
6. Can someone easily contact you?
7. Does your website guide the customer naturally toward the next step?
8. Does it create confusion, friction, or uncertainty?

Now let’s begin mapping your customer’s journey.

Now that you are viewing your website on your mobile phone, I want you to carefully evaluate the experience from the customer’s perspective.

Remember, this is how the majority of consumers will experience your business. In today’s top-of-scroll world, mobile experience matters more than ever because consumers are making fast decisions within seconds.

As you move through your website, ask yourself the following questions:

Can You Read Everything Clearly?

• How does the text look on your phone?
• Is the font too small?
• Is the layout cramped?
• Does the content feel difficult to read?

Remember, many consumers — especially older ones — may struggle with tiny fonts and cluttered layouts. As a general rule, mobile websites should use font sizes that are easy to read without zooming or straining. (18px font is often ideal for readability, especially for older audiences.)

If consumers have to work too hard to read your content, many will simply leave and move on to another business.

Is It Easy to Contact Your Business Quickly?

One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is hiding contact information.

Consumers should immediately know:

• Who you are
• What you do
• How to contact you

Typically, the first things consumers should see are:

• A click-to-call phone button
• A clear explanation of what the business does
• An easy contact option or form

Consumers have incredibly short attention spans online. Most are not going to spend several minutes searching your website trying to figure out how to contact you. Your website should make the next step obvious.

I also strongly recommend having another click-to-call button or contact opportunity near the footer as users continue scrolling through the page.

Review Every Single Page

Navigate through every page on your website carefully.

Look for:

• Grammar mistakes
• Broken links
• Outdated information
• Missing services
• Weak calls-to-action
• Confusing layouts
• Missing trust signals
• Poor formatting

Small details matter because consumers often associate website quality with business quality.

Does Your Website Represent Your Business Well?

Ask yourself this important question: If a customer never spoke to you personally, would your website represent your business effectively in your absence?

• Does your website answer the same questions customers typically ask you on the phone or in person?
• Does it create trust?
• Does it communicate professionalism?
• Does it clearly explain your services and value?

Your website should function as part of your sales process, not just a digital brochure.

Speed and Technology Matter

Website speed is extremely important. Slow-loading websites create frustration and often push consumers directly to competitors.

Outdated technology can also create major problems.

If your website still relies on things like:

• Excessive popups
• Flash
• Action Script
• Heavy scripts
• Overloaded animations
• Excessive Javascript

…you may be hurting both the customer experience and your visibility in search.

Remember, you are creating an experience for a very small screen and an impatient audience. Consumers expect websites to load quickly and function smoothly.

Google even provides a free tool called Google PageSpeed Insights that allows you to test your website’s speed and performance:

Google PageSpeed Insights

This tool can help identify technical issues and provide recommendations for improving website performance.

And remember:

Even if your business populates in the Call Pool, a poor website experience can quickly push potential customers right back out of it.

Lesson Overview