Prepared by Epic Nine · March 2026Rocky Top
Sheds
The Map Up
The Mountain
Thank you, John, for choosing Epic Nine as your marketing partner. What started as a retirement side project has turned into something real — and you've done it the hard way, building a customer base from scratch, earning trust one sale at a time, and now planting your flag in one of the fastest-growing markets in East Tennessee.
Think of it as your map up the mountain — the path isn't always the straightest, but with the right strategy and consistent execution, the summit is absolutely reachable. We're excited to help you take it to the next level.
The Summit
We're Climbing To
Based on our conversation, here are the two measurable revenue targets we are building this plan around. You've already proven this is achievable — the proof of concept exists.
SWOT
Analysis
Rocky Top Sheds sits in an enviable position that most new businesses would kill for: a better product at a lower price, a rent-to-own option that closes deals nobody else can, and two lots on high-traffic corridors.
Strengths
- ▸Lowest price in the market — significantly cheaper than competitors
- ▸Tennessee Dutch Barns built by local Mennonite craftsmen
- ▸Eagle Carports: 28-year reputation, 4-week delivery, superior galvanization
- ▸Rent-to-own with near-100% approval rate (Heartland Capital)
- ▸Delivery and installation included in pricing
- ▸Approachable, trustworthy owner with strong customer rapport
- ▸Oliver Springs draws high-income Y-12/ORNL plant workers
- ▸Maryville on busy and growing Hwy 321 corridor
- ▸Father-in-law Roger Jennings — well-connected in Blount County
Weaknesses
- ▸No website — zero digital home base
- ▸No control over Google Business Profile (trapped with Digital Blitz)
- ▸Very few Google reviews; low visibility in local search
- ▸Thin margins (10% sheds, 15% carports) — limits marketing spend
- ▸No CRM, lead tracking, or follow-up system
- ▸No consistent branding or logo
- ▸Supply replenishment delays from Tennessee Dutch Barns
- ▸Limited technology comfort — Facebook Marketplace managed personally
- ▸Maryville location not yet officially open or marketed
Opportunities
- ▸Blount County is one of the fastest-growing markets in East Tennessee
- ▸No shed competitors active in Blount County Chamber of Commerce
- ▸RV cover market in Blount County = high-margin, high-income customers
- ▸Proof of concept: competitor on 411 does 6-figure months
- ▸Old invoices from previous lot owner = warm lead list
- ▸Shipping containers as future product line
- ▸Couples buying first home = immediate storage need
- ▸Plant workers (Y-12/ORNL) have strong discretionary income
- ▸Google Search Ads can capture buyers actively searching right now
- ▸Electrician partnership upsell: electrical installs at 50% margin
Threats
- ▸Online carport dealers undercutting on price (despite lower quality)
- ▸Established competitor on Hwy 411 doing 6 figures monthly
- ▸Thin margins leave little room for error or over-investment
- ▸Seasonal revenue dips (Dec–March) can strain cash flow
- ▸Eagle Carports installation issues risk negative reviews
- ▸Name confusion — 'Rocky Top' is also a town in TN
- ▸Tennessee Dutch Barns supply issues risk lot inventory gaps
- ▸Macro uncertainty (economic anxiety) can delay discretionary purchases
The Core
Truth
The problem isn't your product — it's that not enough people know you exist yet. And the ones who do find you have no digital trail to follow you down.
Your marketing needs to meet each of those emotional triggers before the price conversation even starts — because once someone feels understood, price becomes much less of an obstacle.
Most purchasing decisions are made by the brain's fast, automatic System 1 — not careful comparison shopping. Be the name people already have in their head before they ever search Google. Recognition + reviews = default choice.
Four Phases
To The Summit
Phase 01: Brand Foundation
Before a dollar is spent on advertising
Rocky Top Sheds is a genuinely great name — memorable, carries unmistakable Tennessee pride, and has natural equity built in. The branding should lean into that: rugged, trustworthy, rooted. Earthy tones, a clean wordmark with a bold icon, and typography that feels built to last.
You need a website, full stop. In 2026, not having a website is the digital equivalent of having no sign on your lot. It needs to show inventory with prices, explain rent-to-own clearly, make it easy to contact you, and capture visitor data.
This is the single most important local marketing asset you have, and right now it's locked up with a vendor you're not happy with. Reclaiming ownership is priority number one.
Mountain Barn Builders has 13 reviews at 4.7 stars. If you reach 50+ five-star reviews in six months, you will visually dominate local Google map results. Research shows consumers trust businesses with 40+ reviews nearly twice as much as those with fewer than 10.
We recommend the tagline: "Built Tennessee Tough." It's honest, regional, and instantly communicates quality and durability. It inoculates against cheap online competitors and gives every ad, sign, and social post a consistent voice. This tagline should appear on the website, signage, business cards, and all ad creative from day one.
Phase 02: Upper Funnel
Awareness — Plant the seed before they search
Target homeowners aged 28–65 in Blount, Anderson, Loudon, and Morgan Counties. Two creative tracks: 'Your Garage. Liberated.' (targeting husbands/homeowners) and 'Built by Hand. Priced Honest.' (featuring Mennonite craftsmen, inoculating against cheap online dealers).
A $350/year Chamber membership is one of the highest-ROI moves available. Chamber events happen twice a month — 50–100 attendees. Roger and Regina Jennings are already well-connected. People don't buy from businesses, they buy from people they know.
Both lots need to work as 24/7 billboards. Name, what you sell, phone number — in under three seconds at 45 mph. A QR code on the lot allows after-hours visitors to see pricing and start the rent-to-own process from their phone.
Phase 03: Mid Funnel
Interest & Retargeting — Bring back the almost-buyers
Once your website is live, we install a tracking pixel. Every person who visits can be followed with ads across the entire web. At $10–12 CPM, a $500/month budget generates over 40,000 impressions to your warmest audience. The 'mere exposure effect' builds trust automatically.
When someone lands on your site and accepts cookies, we can — in many cases — identify their name and email address automatically. Those leads get a follow-up email the next day. Cost: approximately $1 per identified lead. With modest web traffic, this identifies 50–150 qualified leads per month.
A simple CRM changes everything. When a prospect shows serious interest, get their name and phone number. Three days later: 'Hey [Name], it's John from Rocky Top Sheds. Just checking in — did you have any questions about the shed you were looking at? Happy to hold it for you.'
Phase 04: Lower Funnel
Conversion — Close the deal and maximize value
People searching 'sheds for sale near me' or 'carports Maryville TN' are already in buy mode. Google Search Ads put Rocky Top Sheds at the top of those results. ~150 clicks/month targeting shed, carport, and RV cover buyers in Blount & Anderson County.
List prices clearly — people scroll past listings with no price. List every unit individually with specific dimensions, color, and features. More listings = more surface area on Marketplace.
The rent-to-own program through Heartland Capital is one of your most powerful competitive advantages, but it's currently buried. 'No credit check. No hassle. Take it home today.' should be in every ad, every listing, and on the front page of your website.
Hidden
Revenue Multipliers
The RV Cover Market
RV owners are disproportionately high-income. The average RV costs $35,000–$150,000. People who own them are predisposed to protect their investment — and most are parking in their driveway with zero cover.
Electrician Partnership Upsell
People buy a shed to store things — but the first thing half of them want once it's sitting in their backyard is a light switch and an outlet. Right now, that money walks away with someone else. It doesn't have to.
When someone has just committed $4,000–$8,000 to a shed, an $800 add-on feels proportionally small. The pain of paying is already happening. This is why car dealerships sell floor mats at the point of sale.
The Route
Up The Mountain
Build the Foundation
- ✓Reclaim Google Business Profile from Digital Blitz
- ✓Begin soliciting Google reviews from past customers
- ✓Logo & brand identity designed
- ✓Website design begins
- ✓Business cards and updated lot signage ordered
- ✓Join Blount County Chamber of Commerce
Go Live
- ✓Website launches with inventory, rent-to-own info, contact form, and visitor ID
- ✓Google Search Ads go live for both locations
- ✓Facebook awareness campaign launches for Maryville opening
- ✓Display/retargeting ads activated once website is live
- ✓Attend first Chamber event
- ✓Finalize electrician partnership and introduce upsell at point of sale
Build Momentum
- ✓Review count growing — target 25+ on Google for each location
- ✓RV cover targeted Facebook campaign launches
- ✓Visitor identification follow-up emails automating
- ✓Lead follow-up text system in place for lot walk-ins
- ✓Evaluate first month of Google Ad performance and optimize
Scale What Works
- ✓Identify top-performing ad campaigns and reallocate budget
- ✓Consider streaming radio or targeted streaming TV ads if budget allows
- ✓Social media posting cadence established (2–3 posts/week with real inventory photos)
- ✓Email newsletter to identified leads with seasonal promotions and new inventory
Riding the Revenue Curve
Maximize ad spend. Invest more heavily in top-of-funnel awareness — conversions come easier.
Shift to retargeting only. Keep warm leads engaged. Run a 'tax refund season' campaign in late January.
Ramp ads back up before the season hits. Increase ad spend ahead of peak buying season.
Full ad spend, active community events, RV cover campaign running hot.
Smart, Not Big.
Every Dollar Works Hard.
Given your current margins (10–15% blended), we've been intentional about building a plan that punches above its weight. Every tactic below is chosen for its direct impact on revenue, not vanity metrics. Logo, brand identity, and website design are handled separately and are not included here.
One-Time Investments
Monthly Ongoing Investment
A Note on Budget vs. Margin — The Electrician Changes Everything
Let's Get
To Work.
John, you've built something real in less than a year — from zero to a business that has the pieces in place to do $1.8M annually. That doesn't happen by accident. It happens because you know how to connect with people, you carry a product that genuinely delivers value, and you've had the courage to bet on yourself twice.
Logo, website, Google presence — the foundation everything else rests on
Reclaim your Google Business Profile and start collecting reviews immediately
Be where buyers are looking — Google Search, Facebook, and the Blount County Chamber
Follow up like no competitor does — a simple text changes the economics of this business
The electrician upsell opens the door to $400 more in your pocket on every shed sale
Make it so easy to say yes that saying no takes more effort
The path to $100,000 in Maryville and $50,000 in Oliver Springs isn't a mystery — it's a series of steps. We're ready to climb this mountain with you.
Begin the Climb →