Growing Reputation with Word-of-Mouth for Security Solutions | Nakita Rowell from ComTech

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All right, everyone. Welcome to today’s episode. Let’s talk about today’s guest. We have Nakita from ComTech. Good to have you here today, Nakita, how’s it going?

Nakita Rowell: Good. Good. Thank you for having me. I’m happy to be here.

Rick: Of course. So I usually have this bit of an intro for our guest’s company, but I want to hear from you. In your own words, what’s the heart of what you do at ComTech, and how would you describe it to someone new?

Nakita: ComTech is an integrated security company. I know that sounds like a mouthful, but basically, we provide all things physical security—from access control, like key cards for secure buildings, to video surveillance, mass notifications, and intercoms. We put together these solutions as a security integrator, which means we’re product-agnostic.

We partner with a variety of companies to provide high-end, high-quality solutions. The most important thing for us is creating custom solutions that fit the unique needs of our customers. We focus on understanding their problems and delivering what works for them, rather than pushing one product over another.

Rick: Okay. That’s good. So, I have to ask—do you work with the government as well when it comes to security?

Nakita: Actually, yes. That’s a huge sector of our customer base. We’re a Georgia-based company, and we’re on the Georgia state contract. That means we provide preferred pricing for government entities based on the state contract. Only a few companies qualify for that, and we’re in all four categories for security.

This makes us a prime partner for government work. We do a lot of local government projects here in Georgia.

Rick: That makes sense. As soon as you mentioned security, I figured the government might be involved. Besides government, what other types of businesses or industries do you feel you serve best? What’s the core problem you solve for them, and what can they expect when they work with you?

Nakita: The core issue is that people want to feel secure. In today’s world, safety is becoming a bigger concern due to incidents happening globally. People want peace of mind, whether it’s at work or protecting their assets.

Outside of the government, we work with a variety of businesses. For example, car dealerships want cameras to protect their inventory, and gyms need key codes and surveillance for 24-hour access. We can cover a wide range of industries, tailoring solutions to their budgets and specific needs.

Rick: I like how you say, “We protect them.” It really resonates. Let’s say I own a jewelry shop—how would I find out about you?

Nakita: The number one way, and it pains me to say this as a marketer, is word of mouth. ComTech has been around for 30 years, and we have many customers who speak highly of us.

We do have a website, but it’s a work in progress. While we haven’t focused heavily on digital marketing, we’ve had customers find us through Google searches, which was a happy accident!

Rick: Word of mouth is great, but scaling it can be challenging. So, when people do find you online, like the customer who Googled you, what happens next?

Nakita: In one case, the customer was looking for video surveillance. She Googled it, found us, visited our website, and saw that we offered what she needed. Then, she reached out to us.

Rick: That’s how most businesses get discovered these days. Does your website have any standout strengths, or are there areas for improvement?

Nakita: From a marketing perspective, there’s more room for improvement than strengths. The website is dated—it provides basic information about our services but needs a facelift. On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give it a 5 or 6.

Rick: With your extensive marketing experience, what makes a website highly converting? Any tips or tools you recommend?

Nakita: Content is the heart of a website. You have less than 10 seconds to grab attention, so engaging content that addresses a pain point is key. Storytelling is also crucial—it builds relatability and keeps people interested.

Good visuals, balanced text, and a clear customer journey are all important. You need to know what action you want visitors to take and guide them there.

Rick: Those are solid points. What about tools? Any game-changers you’ve come across?

Nakita: I’m a big fan of project management tools like Asana or Trello. They help break down complex projects like website redesigns into manageable tasks, keeping everything organized and on track.

Rick: That’s a great tip. It’s about planning and execution, not just tools. Speaking of execution, let’s talk about you as a leader. What are the key tasks you focus on daily?

Nakita: I wear many hats. My main focus is growing our Georgia market. I interface with customers, work on automating marketing processes, coordinate trade shows and Lunch and Learns, and manage partner relationships.

A big part of my role is also strategizing—shifting from just executing tasks to scaling our results. I’m also working on improving our website and responding to government bids.

Rick: Wearing many hats—sounds familiar to a lot of marketers out there. Let’s move to the rapid-fire questions. You ready?

Nakita: Yep, let’s do it.

Rick: What’s the last book you read?

Nakita: Referral of a Lifetime by Tim Templeton. It’s about building systems to automate referrals.

Rick: If there were no limits with technology, what’s one thing you’d love to solve?

Nakita: Automation. If I could automate 50% of my tasks, it would free up time for strategy, which is critical in marketing.

Rick: Looking back, what advice would you give your younger self when starting in marketing?

Nakita: Immerse yourself in learning. One of the best pieces of advice I received was, “You’re either green and growing or ripe and rotting.” Never stop learning and growing—it’s the key to staying relevant.

Rick: That’s powerful. Nikita, thank you for being on the show. What’s the one thing listeners should remember about your company?

Nakita: Our number one goal is to make you feel secure. If you’re looking for physical security solutions, we’ll find the right fit for you.

Rick: Beautiful. Thanks again, Nakita. Take care.

Nakita: Thank you, Rick.

Rick: Bye, everyone.