About SalesResults Digital Marketing

Meet Derrick Markotter – The Guy Behind the Results

You probably wouldn’t expect someone who spent years designing lighting for theatre productions to end up helping plumbers and electricians get more customers online. But that’s exactly how my journey unfolded, and honestly, it makes perfect sense when you think about it.

From Stage Lights to Website Insights

My career started way back at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town, working as a Lighting and Sound Assistant. From there, I moved to the State Theatre in Pretoria as a Lighting Technician, where I got the chance to design lighting for actual productions. The thrill of seeing a show come to life with the right lighting was incredible.

I then worked for Production Projects, a Pretoria-based event lighting and sound company, before taking on the role of Theatre Manager at the Thaba ‘Nchu Sun Hotel. Running the cinema and show bar taught me a lot about managing different aspects of entertainment.

The late 80s and early 90s took me to the Wild Coast Sun Hotel as Lighting Manager for the new Starlight Theatre. I worked on shows like Showstopper, Spellbound, and Movin’ – working with top lighting designers from South Africa and abroad.

In the early 1990s, I moved to Johannesburg and joined Showgroup as head of their lighting department. For years, I designed lighting for massive corporate events for clients like Liberty Life, Investec, and Standard Bank. Big budgets, high expectations, and the pressure to get everything perfect.

The Digital Shift

By 2008, something interesting was happening. I’d been building websites for fun in my spare time, and I was fascinated by how similar web design was to lighting design. Both require that perfect balance between art and technology. You need to understand the technical side – why things work the way they do – but you also need the creative vision to make it all come together.

The use of colour, movement, and timing that I learned in theatre translates beautifully to web design. Just like a well-lit stage guides the audience’s attention exactly where you want it, a well-designed website guides visitors toward taking action.

So I made the leap and started IdealMedia Marketing, diving headfirst into digital marketing. I spent thousands of hours building websites and figuring out how to make Google pay attention to them.

Why Home Service Businesses?

After running IdealMedia for years, I realized something was bugging me about the name – it was too generic. More importantly, I wanted to focus on getting real results for business owners, not just building pretty websites that nobody sees.

That’s when SalesResults Digital Marketing was born in 2024.

I decided to specialize in home service businesses for a simple reason: these business owners are incredibly skilled at what they do, but marketing often isn’t their strong suit. I’ve met plumbers who can fix any pipe problem you throw at them, but their website has a blurry photo from 2015 and no way for customers to actually contact them.

One of the biggest mistakes I see is home service businesses not using photos of themselves and their teams. People want to know who’s coming to their house to fix their boiler or install their electrical outlets. Show your face, show your team, build that trust.

My Connection to Randburg and Beyond

I’ve been part of the Johannesburg north area for decades. I lived in Windsor, Randburg from the early 1990s until around 2014, then spent a few years in Primrose, Germiston. Last year, I moved to Newlands, which technically makes me a Randburg local again.

Most of my clients are spread across Randburg, Sandton, and Roodepoort. I know these areas well – not just the suburbs, but the business communities and what local customers expect.

The Art and Science of Getting Results

What I love about digital marketing is that same interplay between creativity and technology that drew me to lighting design. You can have the most beautiful website in the world, but if it doesn’t show up in Google searches, nobody will see it. On the flip side, you can rank #1 for every search term, but if your website doesn’t convert visitors into customers, you’re just wasting money.

It’s about understanding both sides – the technical SEO that makes Google happy and the human psychology that makes visitors pick up the phone and call you.

Life Outside of SEO

When I’m not working on websites or optimizing Google Business Profiles, you’ll probably find me watching movies, playing video games, going for walks around Newlands, or reading a good book. I’m one of those people who actually enjoys learning how things work, whether it’s a new Google algorithm update or the plot structure of a great film.

Working with SalesResults

I run SalesResults on my own, which means when you work with me, you’re getting direct access to someone who’s been doing this for over 15 years. No account managers, no junior staff learning on your dime – just me, focusing on getting your home service business more customers.

I don’t believe in complicated jargon or mysterious processes. I’ll explain exactly what I’m doing for your business and why. If something isn’t working, we’ll try something else. If it is working, we’ll do more of it.

Ready to Get Real Results?

If you’re a home service business owner in Randburg, Sandton, or Roodepoort who’s tired of competitors getting all the good customers online, let’s talk. I understand your challenges because I’ve been helping businesses like yours for years.

No pushy sales calls, no complicated contracts – just a conversation about how we can get your phone ringing with qualified customers who actually want your services.

Contact me today and let’s start getting you the results your business deserves.