Rachel Rigby on Patience, Flexibility, and Building Long-Term Growth

At 99 Calls, great marketing starts with understanding people.

That’s one reason Rachel Rigby has become such a valuable part of our team. With a background in customer service, management, and the mortgage industry, Rachel brings a people-first approach to digital marketing that helps contractors feel understood, supported, and informed every step of the way.

We recently sat down with Rachel to talk about Google Ads, working with contractors, and what businesses need to know before launching a successful marketing campaign.

Q: Tell us a little about your background.

RACHEL: Before joining 99 Calls, I worked in the mortgage and appraisal industry. One of the biggest reasons I transitioned out of that field was the uncertainty that comes with the housing market.

Looking back, my background in customer service and management has been incredibly valuable. The soft skills I developed there are probably the skills I rely on most today. Active listening, communication, and understanding people’s goals all play a huge role in helping customers succeed.

Q: What attracted you to working with contractors and home service businesses?

RACHEL: I think it comes down to personality.

I’m a pretty relaxed and straightforward person, and many of the contractors we work with are the same way. I enjoy being able to communicate in a way that feels natural and relatable.

It’s easy to connect when you’re speaking the same language and focused on solving the same problems.

Q: What does a typical day look like for you?

RACHEL: I’m very detail-oriented, so a lot of my day is spent diving into accounts and looking for opportunities to improve performance.

I’ll review campaign data, analyze keywords, make notes on potential adjustments, and monitor how accounts are performing. Between that, I’m answering customer questions, discussing strategy, and helping clients understand what’s happening with their campaigns.

Q: What are the most important factors for generating quality leads?

RACHEL: Flexibility.

I honestly think flexibility is one of the biggest factors in whether a campaign succeeds or struggles.

That includes being open to expanding service areas, considering additional services, and allowing campaigns enough room to gather data. Sometimes business owners come in with a very narrow target audience, and while we’ll absolutely respect that, it can make lead generation more difficult.

The businesses that stay flexible often see better results.

Q: What’s one of the biggest mistakes businesses make when running Google Ads themselves?

RACHEL: Disorganization.

I’ve reviewed many accounts where campaigns, ad groups, and keywords aren’t properly structured. Sometimes businesses are running the same keywords across multiple campaigns without any clear strategy.

Google Ads works best when it’s organized, intentional, and continuously monitored.

Q: What do you do when a campaign isn’t performing as expected?

RACHEL: I start with a deep dive.

I’ll review impression share, keyword performance, negative keywords, coverage areas, schedules, and bidding strategies.

A lot of times it comes down to helping Google focus on the right searches or making sure we’re not accidentally blocking opportunities with overly restrictive settings.

The details matter.

Q: What role do keywords play in campaign success?

RACHEL: A huge one.

I don’t think people always realize just how important keywords are. If lead quality is low, I’m looking at search terms and negative keywords. If volume is low, I’m looking at whether we’re blocking too much traffic.

Keywords are one of the most powerful tools we have for guiding Google’s algorithm and improving performance.

Q: How do you set expectations with new customers?

RACHEL: Transparency is important.

I always explain what we can realistically expect based on budget, service area, and competition. If someone wants to target a very small territory or a very specific service, I’ll tell them upfront if I think it could limit results. At the same time, I’ll support their decision and continue reviewing performance with them as the campaign develops. Most customers appreciate honesty and data-backed recommendations.

Q: What trends are you seeing in Google Ads right now?

RACHEL: AI is definitely the biggest one.

Google continues to introduce new AI-driven features and automation, and those changes are influencing how campaigns perform.

I’m also seeing some interesting shifts in keyword performance. In certain cases, broader long-tail keywords are outperforming phrase and exact match keywords. It’s a reminder that digital marketing is always evolving.

Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give a contractor starting Google Ads?

RACHEL: Be patient and stay flexible.

Many business owners want immediate results, which is understandable. But marketing works best when you’re building something sustainable.

The businesses that invest in their online presence, improve their reputation, and consistently work on growth are the ones that benefit the most over time.

Patience pays off.

Q: What makes 99 Calls different from other marketing agencies?

RACHEL: Our collaboration.

Everyone here works together. We constantly review accounts, share ideas, troubleshoot challenges, and learn from one another. Having multiple experienced people looking at campaigns creates better outcomes for customers. Teamwork is one of our biggest strengths.

Q: What do you enjoy most about working at 99 Calls?

RACHEL: The team, without question.

I’ve never worked with a group of people that is so supportive, collaborative, and genuinely committed to helping customers succeed. Everyone wants to do the right thing for the customer, and that makes a huge difference.

Final Thoughts

Rachel’s approach to marketing is simple: listen first, communicate clearly, and focus on long-term success.

Whether she’s helping a contractor understand campaign performance, optimizing keywords, or collaborating with the team to solve a challenge, her goal remains the same: helping customers build stronger businesses.

At 99 Calls, that’s exactly the kind of partnership we strive to provide every day.