I have no idea if anyone reads this stuff or if it's helping. My opinion is that I'm presenting a very easy method for “technicians” to add “businessperson” to their portfolio. Make no mistake, if you do not add some business sense to your existing technical strengths, you'll work for the rest of your life and end up with ... nothing.
It takes courage to change, and, if you don't have that courage, my advice is to quit and go work for someone who offers a retirement package. There's no shame in that. Don't be an ass and sell yourself or your trade expertise for pennies because inside you're too frightened and timid to charge what's necessary in order to take care of yourself and your family now and in the future.
Onward.
If you've started the Flat Rate procedures that I explained previously, you might have a ton of questions by now. I hope the questions aren't stopping your growth. I hope your Flat Rate manual is growing, that you're presenting a price before you start (hopefully using the Trade Service books that I recommended), that you're wearing professional work clothes, and you're impressing your clients by using service tools like the inexpensive Shu-Bee boot covers and floor pads.
Shu-Bee, Trade Service, CONTRACTOR magazine ... why do I recommend companies like these? Well, they're icons you can trust, whose service is impeccable, and who provide you with leverage. Leverage is what gives individuals and smaller companies ways to have the same clout that the bigger guys do.
So here's another recommendation — probably the best one you'll ever receive and the one that'll give you the most leverage. It's the one that turned my life around. It's called the Service Roundtable: http://www.serviceroundtable.com/. For $50 a month you can join the Plumber's or HVAC forums on this site, ask any question you'd like, and get dozens of answers. These forums are the best in the industry, and I've tested 'em all. Want to move mountains for $50? Want to appear like a big, well-established company for $50? Want to get information for every flat-rate question that comes to mind for $50?
And there's more: Marketing for pennies; website and social media info; vendors who give rebates; and free advice from industry experts like myself (grin), Frank Blau, Charlie Greer, Joe Cunningham, Michael Bohinc, John and Vicki LaPlant, Ron Smith, and many more.
You can even find out about taking a mini-business vacation to Las Vegas next spring and mingle with us to ask first-hand how NOT to end up with nothing at the end of a long career. Go to this site and sign up now! For the sake of your families do it! I guarantee it will change your life.
If you've got courage your life will get better. If you're hesitant (which was me) your life can get much better! If you're a shivering little bunny rabbit, just return to your hole. There's a place for bigger companies in the SRT and you guys should check 'em out also, but I speak for us smaller types who want — no, need — to leverage every buck we earn, and there are so many benefits for $50 a month I can't even begin to list them.
There are other organizations you can look into for leverage but you better have a bunch of credit or a lot of money handy because they cost. Some of the better ones are Nexstar, the PHCC/QSC, and many of the popular franchises; but, for the money, even your local PHCC can't offer what the Service Round Table does. Remember, you want to spend as little as possible to get the most available LEVERAGE!
I'll end with this description of the SRT by one of its best contributors, Dave Rothacker: “The Service Round Table gives me the ability to orchestrate a symphony of marketing products, managerial insight, and community knowhow to produce a harmony of effective business systems.”
Next time I’m going to talk about “Go Fishing,” or how to make a profit so you can go fishing. Good luck on your journeys.
Retired Master Plumber Ed O’Connell is a pro-active consultant to the subcontracting industry in Fairfax, Calif. he can be reached at 415/453-2291 or at [email protected].