Roadrunner Works: Shifting a Service Business Toward Backflow Testing
Early this year, Brent Franques came to us looking for a new website for his irrigation business, Roadrunner Works.
During discovery, it became clear he wasn’t just looking for a better site. He was trying to shift the direction of the business.
He had been doing irrigation work for years, but more recently had become certified in backflow testing. He wanted that service to take up more of his time and become a larger part of the business.
Nothing in his current setup supported that shift.
The brand, the website, and the messaging all positioned him as a general irrigation provider. Backflow was there, but it wasn’t leading. That creates confusion for both search engines and customers.
This needed to be repositioned before anything else.
Defining the Right Market
Brent primarily serves the I-35 corridor: San Marcos, Kyle, and New Braunfels.
That geography matters.
These are fast-growing areas with a high volume of newer homes, many with irrigation systems, which means a steady flow of required backflow testing. It also means a mix of homeowners who are busy, not deeply technical, and looking for someone reliable who can handle things without friction.
We defined three core customer groups to guide the work:
homeowners in newer suburban developments
families who value convenience and responsiveness
older homeowners who want clarity and a straightforward process
Across all of them, the pattern is the same: they’re not looking for expertise in the abstract. They want someone who can take care of a requirement quickly and correctly.
That definition shaped both the messaging and the SEO strategy.
Understanding the Buying Moment
Backflow testing operates differently than irrigation work.
Homeowners don’t browse for it. They get a notice from their city and need to take care of it. They search quickly, look for someone local, and make a decision.
The business has to match that moment. Brent’s existing site didn’t.
It treated irrigation and backflow as equal services. It didn’t clearly explain what backflow testing is or why it’s required. It didn’t guide someone toward taking action. On top of that, the site was built on WordPress, which Brent didn’t find intuitive to manage.
There was demand, but the business wasn’t structured to capture it effectively.
The goals were straightforward: clarify the service, make it easier to understand, build trust, and create a clear path to booking
Repositioning the Business
We centered the business around backflow testing.
That meant making it the primary service across the site and adjusting the messaging to reflect how people actually think about it: required, time-sensitive, and something they want handled correctly.
Irrigation stayed in the mix, but it no longer led the conversation.
That shift changes what shows up in search, what people remember, and what the business gets called for.
SEO Built Around Location & Intent
The SEO strategy followed directly from how people search in this category.
We built:
a primary backflow testing page designed to convert
city-specific pages for San Marcos, Kyle, and New Braunfels
supporting content that explains the service clearly
Each page is aligned to a specific search pattern:
“backflow testing San Marcos”
“backflow testing Kyle TX”
“backflow testing New Braunfels”
We also updated the homepage SEO title to match that intent:
Backflow Testing in San Marcos, Kyle & New Braunfels
This structure allows Brent to show up in the exact moments when homeowners are actively looking for the service.
Messaging That Fits the Customer
The defined customer groups helped keep the messaging focused.
These are not people looking for technical depth. They want clarity, speed, and reliability.
So the messaging answers:
what this is
why it’s required
what Brent will do
how to move forward
The core idea shows up consistently:
Required by your city. Handled by us.
It works because it reflects exactly how the customer is thinking in that moment.
Sales Tools That Support Real Work
Brent isn’t running campaigns from a desk. He’s in the field.
We created a large-format leave-behind postcard he can use after a visit or when introducing the service. It explains the basics, reinforces credibility, and directs people to the site to book.
It connects the in-person interaction to the digital system.
Visual Identity
The visual system needed to be clear and usable across web, print, and field use. And it needed to reflect Brent’s Texan identity and his genuine love for water, creeks and the hillcountry.
The final direction uses a restrained palette, readable typography, and straightforward language like:
“Backflow testing made easy”
“Protecting our water starts here”
Everything is designed to be recognizable and easy to apply.
Photography That Builds Trust
We conducted a custom photo shoot with Brent on-site at a series of real jobs.
Most businesses in this category rely on stock images, which makes everything feel interchangeable.
We captured Brent performing tests, the equipment, and real working environments.
Now the website shows exactly who is doing the work, which builds trust immediately.
What’s Live
The final system includes:
a Squarespace website Brent can manage
clear positioning around backflow testing
SEO structure aligned to local search
messaging that answers questions quickly
print materials that support in-person work
original photography
The site is live at roadrunner.works.
Outcome
The business now reflects both the service Brent wants to grow and the customers he wants to reach.
When someone in San Marcos, Kyle, or New Braunfels searches for backflow testing, they find a clear explanation, a local provider, and a simple next step.
That alignment is what allows the business to grow in a focused way instead of staying spread across too many directions.
If you’re trying to grow into a different type of work but your brand and website still reflect where you’ve been, that gap will slow you down. We help service businesses close that gap so the right customers can find you and choose you.
Written by
Savannah Sterrett
Brand Strategist & Founder, Brand Perfect · Central Texas
Savannah helps established service businesses and nonprofits in Waco, Temple, Belton, Georgetown and across Central Texas build brands that do more of the selling for them — so growth stops depending entirely on who they know.
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