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Million Dollar Electrician - Sale to Scale For Home Service Pros
Rewiring Our Mission: (Electricpreneur Secrets)
Helping Electricians Achieve the $1M Service Van so they can experience ultimate control over their futures.
Join Clay Neumeyer & Joseph Lucanie for a new electrifying episode & High-amperage action item each week to spark up your service van sales to $50K, $70K, $100K, $150K months, and beyond!
Million Dollar Electrician - Sale to Scale For Home Service Pros
Replay - How to Do Referral Partners Right
What if mastering your sales technique could lead to a record-breaking $54.5K sale? This is just one of the incredible stories we share as we celebrate our 100th episode milestone. Joe and I pull back the curtain on our journey, reflecting on how we've helped electricians simplify pricing, deliver premium service, and ultimately, transform their businesses. Learn about the pivotal moments and achievements from our community, and get an insider look at our proven sales processes and the steps necessary to consistently provide top-notch service.
Facing a difficult customer situation can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be. We delve into professional strategies for managing challenging scenarios, from entering poorly maintained homes to encountering potential hazards. Discover how to tactfully handle these situations by citing personal allergies and providing referrals, all while prioritizing your health and family. We also share practical tips, such as keeping a spare uniform handy and avoiding competitors that don't align with your values.
Building strong professional relationships and effective partnerships can propel your business to new heights. This episode emphasizes the importance of transparency with clients, the value of strategic referrals, and the benefits of reciprocal partnerships. Joe and I discuss maintaining a trusted list of partner companies to ensure clients always receive quality service, even when you're at capacity. We wrap up by celebrating our collective journey and teasing what’s next, guaranteeing more strategies and insights to help electricians excel. Join us as we continue to empower and inspire.
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hello and welcome to entrepreneur secrets, the electrician's podcast. Me and joe lucani are here with you five days a week to help you, master sales, simplify pricing and deliver premium level electrical service. Joe, for those trying to figure out what that means. Still, what do we help do?
Speaker 2:Realistically, if we were going to break that statement down to the most granular level we could. We're going to teach you how to master sales. That means we are going to give you and instruct you on a process that has been proven to work in almost every area of the country actually in multiple countries at this point every area of the country, actually in multiple countries at this point.
Speaker 1:Multiples, multiples. Let me insert this here joe, hit the hundred dollar ticket threshold multiple times with this process, like hundred dollar tickets every week of the year, would you say. That's fair, hundred dollar tickets.
Speaker 2:I was gonna say I was wondering what you're gonna set up.
Speaker 1:No, I'm sorry, I got confused. It's our hundredth episode and that's not the size of the tickets. That's the number of episodes and I threw that in there. I'm sorry.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you made my jaw hit the floor. I was like what kind of disgusting garbage are we teaching people?
Speaker 1:It's 100.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's good.
Speaker 1:Every choice is a great choice.
Speaker 2:Just take the 100 pricing, got it. Yeah, so we're teaching you how to master your sales by giving you a process that you can actually use that's applicable. That doesn't sound like a cheesy sales pitch. That's one of the main things that I love about it. It's tried and true by actual electricians. I mean, I developed it while I was working. I took from every trainer I could possibly think of and made something better from it. Yeah, the second thing is we're going to teach you so master sales, simplify pricing. Way, way, way too often do we hear I don't know how to charge more than 150 an hour. And I was there. I was there with you guys. I remember when I was told to go from 165 to over 385, I thought that people were going to be launching catapults and siege weapons at my shop. I didn't think it was going to fly. But we're going to teach you the ways you can do it and only be profitable. But be fair with your clients. Teach you what to charge and how to charge.
Speaker 1:Spoken very well. Don't stop now. Hit us with number three.
Speaker 2:Lastly is to deliver premium level service. Now, the word deliver is intentionally placed here, because it's one thing to know how to do something. It's another thing to actually get off your seat and do it. We're gonna teach you the things that actually create and are consistently done by premium service providers, but we're also gonna give you a direct path on how to get there. And then, once you've gotten those three things, if you can sell and know how to close jobs that you want to get, you know how to deliver a premium level service and you know how to charge effectively for what you're doing. That's the total package to me. You know I'm a premium service provider.
Speaker 1:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:And we give the whole thing.
Speaker 1:It's all given away. Given it away, as I keep saying. Take everything you can from here. Just promise that you also take action, oh my goodness, and use it for good. All right, so we're going to celebrate this. Thank you for that breakdown, by the way, that's really refreshing. I'm glad that you took the time to explain that to us. Here's a couple of big ones that happened in 100 episodes really. We've been on this podcast now for about six months. We've hit 100 episodes. Today's number 100. We're super excited. Joe was just saying before the show we no longer know how to celebrate once you take any drugs or alcohol off the table. It's just kind of like, hey, we clap, we clap yeah we hug our children.
Speaker 1:Those are celebration moments, right. Here's a couple of things to celebrate outside of just 100 episodes.
Speaker 2:Joe, last week we had two um program records set yeah, that was pretty impressive, but let's tell us about it big stuff, big stuff.
Speaker 1:So one was uh, one of our clients are canadian sensation jacob and Electric. They had a 54.5K platinum sale. Did I say that?
Speaker 2:right. Yeah, it was really, really impressive, and what I loved about it was how he actually came to that by following the process the right way. I remember it was like literally biggest sale of our career. We made it happen. If we didn't offer options, it never would have happened. So think about it. Imagine what the bottom option would have been and what you would have typically offered, and then to somehow get so far above that and have the client say, no, that's the one I want. I want that one. Don't hold nothing back from me, that's the one I'm going with today.
Speaker 1:Yeah, a big rewire. Of course there's some things tied into that to make it all possible, like the options, like having good financing and, of course, having a premium process to deliver premium service and allow a client to want that level of service. I mean that's incredible. So hats off and applause to Jacob and Knight Electric. As I said, the the canadian sensation.
Speaker 1:Guess what, if you guys haven't seen it we actually did a little um, a little interview with with jacob just before last week when he accomplished this. In fact, it was just earlier last month, I want to say but we actually created a value piece inspired by some of his top three sales secrets that he's put forth to accomplish those big goals. You guys can get that if you're on the inside engaging with us on the Facebook Letrepreneur site, right? So just by chatting with us there, put top three in the chat and we'll send that over to you. Very cool. There was a second big win last week. Okay, this one goes out to our other homie, alan Watts, right? Electric biggest week in the program on service alone.
Speaker 2:You want to tell us the number, because it was an impressive one.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he had $115,000 week. More impressive than that A couple of install crews followed him doing the installs where he sold, as I understand, about 98% of that work himself. So that was a huge, huge effort to help a lot of people in just a week's time, and applause goes to Alan and Watts Wright as well.
Speaker 2:Huge win, if I can touch on that for one moment, because you said something there that I think needs to get more attention brought to it. He helped people. Now some people want to look at that as I sold jobs and I was able to take money. It's no. Alan's the kind of guy that operates on the same principles that we do. We're not taking money from people and leaving them worse than we found them. I know for a fact that there was no other company in his area that could have delivered the same level of quality, reliability and customer service, and naturally he has a certain right to charge what he needs to charge for that. And the fact was is every one of these clients that he helped were better off because they met him. He's the kind of guy that's not only unforgettable, but he did things for the right reasons, and that makes him even more rare, and I'm so grateful to have him on our team.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, absolutely. With that said, we've got a little case study coming exclusive to our Facebook group. There's going to be a few items you're going to want to get your hands on and see this interview with Alan, where he's going to also divulge in some of the secrets that helped push him to that mark and hopefully, continue to push him well beyond that. Congratulations, fellas, and thank you for that. That, to me, is how we're celebrating 100. When they win, we win. Joe, I love this and if you're listening, guess what? You're not immune to it either, because just being in the same room or just being exposed to these wins right, how they were accomplished, the strategies they used and the efforts they put forth means that you too can have these. You too can win, and that's why we're doing this podcast. We're doing this podcast. So, a hundred episodes later, we're here having conversations trying to build electrical businesses at least contribute to building as many as we possibly can. So, joe, thank you. I'm celebrating you today.
Speaker 2:No, I'm honored to be here, Clay. I could not have asked for a better mission and a better partner.
Speaker 1:Awesome, brother, awesome. Okay, should we let this Tuesday get away with today's topic? Let's go for it, let's get it. So yesterday we talked about when to ultimately say no to the bigger jobs, right, correct? And what was the exact title? Now I'm slipping on that one, but anyway. Today we led into referral partnerships, and when it's advisable, and how to even set up a referral arrangement with another electrician. This has to be sounding like nails on a chalkboard to many electricians right now.
Speaker 2:I get that and I want to, before you guys switch the channel, please hear us out. There's a reason for this. So I want to say right off the bat that there is going to be two types of relationships that you're going to be fostering, and we're going to tell you the pros and cons and how to do it. The first relationship is where do I send clients that I would never want to get? How can I get them to people that I don't want to succeed? And then there's a second group of these are good clients. I want them to be taken care of and I want to make sure that I'm passing it to someone that will appreciate the referral.
Speaker 1:By the way, on the first note you made there, the first option. I'm hearing Beastie Boys sabotage in the distance. Any Beastie Boys fans with us? I mean love it I can't give you.
Speaker 2:I can get behind this. So the thing about the first one is, when you're, it is a sabotage to an extent, because what can you do? Like, let's say you go to a call, let's just, let's just jump into it, if that's okay. Yeah, you show them to a call and the first thing you do is you smell that strong ammonia smell of cat piss. The whole house smells like cats. I remember there was one call I went to where my floor protectors literally stuck to the floor because there was so much urine everywhere that literally was like and I like literally almost one of my boot covers or floor protectors pulled off my shoe and was stuck to the floor.
Speaker 1:Yuck.
Speaker 2:There's no way I'm taking this job, there's no chance we are going to work with this customer, but at the same time, what do you do? You're not in a great situation. You can't just walk in and say bye. You've got to have an honest reason you can move forward with. Walk us through it, all right. So I'm just going to say there's a disclaimer because, personally, honor and forthrightness is very, very important to me. But I've only found one way to get out of this particular hoarder situation without offending people and allowing them to say okay, that makes sense. So the first step was the. You know within the first 10 seconds what you're in for. You can usually smell it right you don't even have to see it.
Speaker 2:Sometimes you can even taste it. You walk in. You're like like what is in this room? Like what is this? You know like it's terrible. So the fact is is usually what would happen is you walk into the room and the first thing it says hey, I'm so sorry, can I? I just got a call, quick timeout. It's just one quick question. Do you by any chance have any dogs or cats? Well, yes, I do. Why do you ask?
Speaker 2:I am so sorry and this is really unprofessional me for not bringing this up, but I actually have an allergy and the thing is is that if I breathe in too long, my throat starts to close or I really start to sneeze a lot. I need to step out and I apologize that I can't help you with this situation. This is what I can do to help you, because I understand that you weren't expecting this. I wasn't expecting it either. I still want to help. I'm going to waive today's diagnostic that I was going to come out and have to charge, and what I'll do is to make sure that you're not getting underserved. I'll stay in the driveway. I'll actually look up other companies that can come help you and I'm happy to give you their names, numbers and contact people so that you know exactly who can help. And I'll even stay here while you make the call.
Speaker 2:The benefit of this here was it gave you a safe way out to where you weren't offending the person, because the reason why I say offending is because, hoarders, I'm not speaking down to you. I understand there are people who have mental conditions that require that kind of lifestyle, but the thing is, most of the times they know it, they know deep down their home is not good. And if you say that, it usually comes off as more insulting than it actually is. Because, yeah, I can't work in a home that smells like cat piss. I get that, but they don't see it that way and it's more of a personal insult. So by you saying, hey, I want to help, you sound like a wonderful person, but I truly cannot help for this reason and it's not related to you, it's strictly because of the animals. But I'll stay and I'll wave the trip and I'll even refer you to the right place. Great, who wouldn't want that? Who wouldn't say, no, you're just trying to get out of here, because what would the typical contractor do?
Speaker 1:right, and we all know how powerful that because word is. You gave it to them they've got just cause. I'm sorry we didn't see this coming. I love that, joe, it really well done yeah thank you did this ever backfire on you?
Speaker 2:not once, literally not once. And it's unfortunate because there were a lot of homes that I went to that really were not well done and not well maintained and not upkept and I feel very bad for those families. But at the same time, health, family then business. I will not risk my health for someone else's situation. I'm not going to risk bringing bedbugs back home to my family or fleas to my family or even worse. You know how sometimes we say that we always want to have our spare van, like, sorry, spare uniform in the van.
Speaker 1:I wish we had a spare van in the driveway.
Speaker 2:The spare van in the driveway to dip out on. But if you had your spare uniform with you, you could go to that call and strip out of all your clothes and have a spare uniform. But why should you even have to? Are you in an area that just the smell alone makes you feel like I can't even be in the next call without changing? You don't want to be in those situations, so that's how we handle it. With that being said, can I go into how you can refer those people and who you'd be referring?
Speaker 1:Yeah, please, let's hear it. Sabotage.
Speaker 2:I love it. I love it, but that's really what's happening. The thing that you can do is you know that there are certain providers that you just do not have a good relationship with. I'm not saying that you have ones, that you're actively creating a problem, but there are always going to be some competitors that you're like. You know what I don't like what they're about. I don't like what they're doing. I'm not on board with this, Right.
Speaker 2:The kind of people that you'd refer the hoarders to are them. Now, what you do is you'd have a list of these people. I recommend having three, if you can help it. What you need is their name of the company, you need their phone number and you need to know who that you can refer to at the office. The way you would do that is simply just call them. Simply just call and just understand who's the person who answers the phone.
Speaker 2:Hey, if I wanted to refer a client your way, who would I refer? Or who would I need to talk to in order to do that? If someone called and say, hey, I've got work and I don't know who to refer to, what would the average contractor say? But again, I'm all about that, right. So the thing is in those circumstances, you'll know the name, you'll know their number and you'll know who to refer you name, you'll know their number and you'll know who to refer. You can send those to those people simply because you know what if they're not serving the community at the highest level, sometimes that's who you're going to be sending to Make sense.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it makes sense. Would this, as an example, be someone who continues to come and undercut your pricing?
Speaker 2:Like as an example. So we like to use tank top terry, but it could also be, it could also be chucking a truck, it could be standing in a van, like it could be any of those individuals, but the fact is, someone comes in and they're consistently like following your jobs and undercoding you or undercutting. Those are the people you can refer. Hey, you would like work? I'd love to give you all the work you could possibly want. In fact, I'll even have your number saved on speed dial so that when I can't handle a job, I'll know it'd be you I refer.
Speaker 1:Not unprofessional.
Speaker 2:I am giving you work. They do need electrical services. I'm not going to go there.
Speaker 1:It's a nice touch, Joe.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so that's that. It's easy to throw bad work away, but it's more important to know how to handle good relationships and the good work. Can we touch on that now? That's what we're here for. Let's do it All right. So maintaining relationships is extremely important because there are going to be some jobs, like some of our clients have pointed out, where you just physically can't do it. If we had a situation where you had three 600 amp services it turns out to be actually smaller than that, but we assumed that originally it was three 600 amp services it turns out to be actually smaller than that, but we assumed that originally it was three 600 amp services that were utterly submerged, covered in mud and water and needed like same day service.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and this is from yesterday's podcast, the continuation of that story.
Speaker 2:Yep, correct. And the thing is, is that what do you do in those circumstances? Obviously, you'd want the work. It sounds like a great opportunity, the client was great, the work was great, but you can't do. It Doesn't mean that you have to throw away this relationship. You want to keep this client in your pipeline, but you also want them to know that, hey, I may not be able to serve you now, but I know someone can. So this is how we'd approach that. The first thing we do is we'd say listen, clay, I'm so honored that you'd bring me here to serve at this opportunity. I really think that we'd be a great fit. I genuinely do want to help.
Speaker 2:My only concern is that this is actually beyond the scope of what we can currently take on at this point, just because of the extreme demand on our services throughout the entire area, due to the storm, due to the season, due to the weather it could be anything, but due to X, our services have been extremely high in demand. That being said, I don't want to throw away this relationship. I do think we'd be a great fit to help you. So what we've done for these kinds of circumstances is we actually have a list of partner companies that we've worked with that would be happy to refer to you and that I know that they would still treat you to the level that we would want to treat you at. Would it be okay if I referred three names to you?
Speaker 2:Yons, are People are going to be like, yeah, all right, sure, yeah, you're able to help me. It's also important that you're staying here For this type of client. You want to make the call yourself? Yeah, you would want to call that office and we're going to talk about how you find those relationships, but the first would be you'd want to call on their behalf. Say I'm going to reach out, I'm going to use my own connections, I'll go directly to the person who I know could help you. We'll get you the inside track and we'll get you connected.
Speaker 1:Can. I ask you a question. Go for it At this stage of the game. Would you ever ask, or have you ever asked hey, if we were to refer one of our preferred contractors to help you with this endeavor, would that disqualify us from future engagements with you?
Speaker 2:No, but I'm kicking myself that I didn't, because that's a great question to ask, just kind of opens the door to the future a bit right.
Speaker 1:So it's okay that you follow up now. It's okay that you check in on how that job went which I imagine we're going to get to anyway.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, that's the ultimate goal, but I like that particular phrase. I think that would have been a very good way of enhancing it, and we use it in other parts of our program, but in this particular area you beat me to it, clay, I love it.
Speaker 1:All right, perfect, sorry to interrupt.
Speaker 2:No, it's great. No interruption needed. This is a two-way conversation. So we're in the situation now where we're going to be in, let's say, in the driveway or the kitchen table, wherever you are with the client and we're going to let them know that we're going to call on their behalf. What you would do is, before you've done any of this stuff, you've already established a relationship with three partner companies that you feel would match your level of service or match the values that you currently have. It doesn't necessarily mean to do that. They're the same size, but if they believe in similar things, then they'll serve your clients in a good way. What you would do is you would also be reaching out to your preferred contact at that person. So imagine the difference of calling the office and saying hey, amanda, hey, it's Joe, how are you doing? Yeah, no, it's service electrical. We were just talking the other day, great, and now you're continuing on. You have a relationship. It sounds like you're working together. What would that communicate to this client at this point?
Speaker 1:Much more confidence in that, for sure. Oh, these guys are actually a strategic alliance or a joint venture. They've done this before.
Speaker 2:Yeah, by being able to talk to the person by first name. Now you're in a situation now where they're able to say, like oh, clearly they have a connection, there's a relationship here, it's not just one person.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because I would have to say, like the fear would be that fear of disconnect. Here I'm safe with you, we've got trust, I feel good about this, but now you're going to hand me off to someone new. I got to start all over.
Speaker 2:That's a mix. So from there, what you can end up doing is, when you talk to the person at the office, let them know hi, I have a great customer that I've been working with. He's a really nice guy and he needs X, y, z and I came out here to evaluate the system, but it's currently more than I can currently take on, just because, due to the recent storm, I've got such a demand on my service. But because he's such a great guy, I didn't want to just give him to anyone, and I knew that you truly mirrored the level of service that we try to do and I felt that you'd be the next best to help Love it. So now imagine that. Imagine if someone called your office, gave you a lead, talked to you up in front of the customer. Would you not want to reciprocate that at any point?
Speaker 1:Absolutely. I love reciprocation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly. So now we're in that moment where you've given them a great customer. Now, before we talk about the relationship itself, I want to say there's one last step we're going to do in this whole equation that's going to help wrap it up with a nice little bow, All right. So what we would ask is hey, I would never want to step on anyone's toes, but I know that I'm also handing you off to another company and I wanted to make sure that you're still getting served at the highest level. Is it okay, after the job is done, if I just check in just to make sure that everything was the way you wanted to be? And if there isn't, then I can talk to you about how we can help you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely that would be appreciated.
Speaker 2:Perfect, happy to do that. So we'd schedule a time to follow when do you think the job is going to be done, or when do you think this project is going to be done, or even I'll coordinate with them when the project might be done. But it gives you the chance to come back in to offer your club membership, to offer a whole home safety inspection, to offer their warranty concern, whatever it is. But you are now keeping that relationship in your corner.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's important if you want to still again improve on and really make certain of that lifetime value. What I like about the one piece you said there about you can even coordinate it with them. That would be my preference, simply for the fact that they would know you're going to come back around and you can ensure with them that, hey, this isn't about me checking on codes or installations being up to snap, this is just me following up with the client to make sure they're happy because, hey, I passed them off to you. It makes sense that I closed that, so it's also a bit of a non-compete there. They know for a fact you're coming back around to discuss with them. You're coming back around to discuss with them. There's no point in trying to poach lack of a better word or try to harbor that client as their own, going forward Not without knowing full well that you're going to have your fair two cents to come back and speak with them afterwards.
Speaker 2:In addition, there's another thing we can do that mirrors that very, very well. All right, in that let's say this is a job that you currently aren't familiar with. So good example you just do residential grade generators. The biggest system you ever put in was a 22 KW Generac and now the customer has a 50 KW liquid cooled series. It's running off diesel and it's in the middle of their yard because the last contractor dropped off.
Speaker 2:Okay, clearly you do generators, but that's like saying, like you know, I'm a train conductor and that makes me able to now power down to the city if I needed to. It doesn't work. So the equivalent now is to say what's stopping you from handing this lead off, but making the condition in which you're going to actually be on site and now you get to learn and even say I'm willing to even help you out with this project. Just let me ask as many questions as I need. Now you're getting free education from your partner company, while also showing attention to the customer that you want to be present.
Speaker 2:Even if you couldn't do this, I feel like that's a great opportunity for so many people, because we don't need to always be racing to the bottom. I mean, that's one of the major things that we were trying to prevent in this endeavor. But if we think about collaboration rather than fighting each other all the way down, we can actually learn way more way faster. Help more people, and all of us could be more profitable. They can learn about your business, you can learn about their installations. We all can win, but we have to position yourself properly.
Speaker 1:Yep. As a mentor of mine said, there is no competition, there's only creation. It's better racing to the bottom, but we help each other climb to the top.
Speaker 2:I love that. I think it's absolutely wonderful. So there are some ways that we can pick out our strategy partners. Do you mind if we jump into that? Let's do it, man, okay.
Speaker 2:So in my experience, it's good to have one person per opposite trade of what you do. So, as an example, you'd want to have one plumbing company, one HVAC company and ideally one electrical company that does projects beyond what you do. So let's take that same generator example. If you are a residential electrician, you wouldn't want to bring on a residential electrician, but you could bring on an industrial electrician or a generator specialist or a strictly commercial electrician, because technically they would have the bandwidth to do projects like this and they wouldn't be encroaching on your customers. Because what are the odds that this company who may have that particular specialty, is going to come in when the customer calls for a ring doorbell? It's not likely going to happen. They're not going to make that call. They'll be like service, upgrade, generator. You want to do either one of those? Nope, okay, then we're going to go back to the project we're on.
Speaker 2:So it allows you to take on other areas that the customer could need. And this is where the real benefit comes in, because right now we've only been talking about a one-way direction us giving work to them. So how do we get the channel to flow this way, if you have one plumber, one HVAC tech or one HVAC company and one industrial company, what you'll find is each one will start returning the favor with work to you. For the HVAC company, they may say you know what, we're actually struggling because we need someone to come in and wire these condensers. Or you know what? We had a situation where we did the installation and for some reason, it's only showing 120 at the condenser. Okay, great, now they have a reliable service company that they can refer out to. For the plumber, he may be talking about putting in heat tape under the trailer or wiring the hot water heater, or putting in the water filtration system and having it all wired and set up. Those are great options.
Speaker 1:Keeping in mind that a big piece of marketing is just opening new doors, developing new relationships. Right, having more conversations. As we said in our four-part how to fix your schedule series. More conversations equals more offers, equals more customers. So the more exposure you have to homeowners, I mean, what are the chances the plumber is there but they don't have an electrician on standby. They don't know who they would call. They would go to Google. Still, you can intercept that future action by just developing a relationship and connecting your name to the warranty. Just connect yourself to that system and follow up.
Speaker 2:Connect yourself to that system and follow up. And you know, the funny thing is that I'm sure there are some people in the background who are listening to this. We're like I'm not going to refer an electrician out, like you're out of your mind if I'm going to do that. But devil's advocate here, what if that company was giving you work too? Now, the reason I said an industrial or commercial electrician is because most people don't know the difference. If you go to a homeowner, they think electrician. Whether you're working on a 480 system or a 120 system, no difference to them. You're an electrician, you're an electrician. So they're likely going to call that company for service work at some point in the future. When that happens and they're not in that wheelhouse, who would they remember to give that work to? That's the thing. We become that person. We feed you, you feed us and we both serve the customer at the highest level. That has to be the benchmark.
Speaker 2:We are in this relationship to serve our clients more effectively, more expeditiously and to the highest degree that we can. That is why we are a partner. It is not a money endeavor, it is strictly a service endeavor. On the other side you have those other customers that you're like. You know what? I don't like this guy and you know what? If I'm going to give any work, I'm going to make sure you can have the work. Go ahead. I don't want to take it though. So no matter what job comes in whether it's an absolutely disgusting situation or if it's one where you're like this is an amazing opportunity I just physically can't take it on at this point. You'll have a way of putting it out so that it comes back.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. I love that. I want to address a feeling at this time, an emotion that we all have, that competitiveness that tends to live on the back of your neck. You know what I'm talking about. Let's say you go to a BNI group, you're in a networking meeting and there's another electrician in the room and your instinct might be don't even want to be here. There's already an electrician here. He's been here longer than me. He's already networked this group. There's no space for me or my services here. They like him more than me. These are all like invasive thoughts that some people like myself, who overthink things, can get a little competitive about. If you're that kind of person, I really, really want to drive this home. Just do the opposite. Just live outside the box, kill them with kindness. Go and talk to them, figure it out, see what they're about, because they are no threat to you. Very rare are the situations where the two of you are getting called by the same lead and going head to head in competition for this work.
Speaker 2:It's unlikely it really is.
Speaker 1:So even in that group, spark relationships, don't fear it, there is stuff to gain here, even if it ends up as Joe has been talking about on this session. A relationship where you work together symbiotically in some cases is stuff to gain here even if it ends up as Joe has been talking about on this session, a relationship where you work together symbiotically in some cases.
Speaker 1:Either way, there's plenty to go around. Electron flows everywhere, even where you don't want it to be right. Anyone jumped on a trampoline with their kid recently. Next thing you know, you reach to get off and you're getting shocked. Nice plug there, right?
Speaker 2:static electricity. I love that the point being.
Speaker 1:That's a metaphor for how much it's out there. There is no shortage of service work to do. People need us and they need contractors they can trust and they need contractors who are willing to uphold their integrity above their ego and actually hook them up with the help they need in cases where you can't be the provider. Resources are part of integrity and ethics. If you don't have the resources, the knowledge, experience, the know-how, the support, the time, the materials, the tools, if you don't have one of those things, can you do the work? So you're going to need some help. The best way I've found to get help is surrounding yourself with people that can help you. If you keep putting yourself on an electrical island, guess what?
Speaker 1:You stay lonely, it gets pretty lonely out there. Next thing you know it's bad reviews because maybe we promised something that we couldn't deliver on. Bad reviews because in the end we learned that we didn't know how to do it. After all, it didn't just come together magically right, you got to have a plan or you fit into someone else's plan and that plan could be shit show. So I, for those reasons, I think this was a really valid helping episode, joe, and I want to thank you for your insights on that, especially the cat piss one.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm grateful to help, and it's one of those things where my mission for being here is I want electricians to not have to do the things that I had to do. My mission for being here is I want electricians to not have to do the things that I have to do, and if they can avoid the cat piss house more often than not, I think that's a win that everyone can appreciate.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I get the feeling you don't like cats much.
Speaker 2:I love cats. Actually Funny thing is is that, like I had all my life, I've had cats. But the thing that I don't like is the homes where they don't take care of them, where the litter box is piling up and there's litter everywhere and just it's like you know what, if you're going to take an animal on, take it and treat it like your family, don't treat it like it's just an extension of the outdoors.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely, joe. I'm going to jump back and say did you know there are people out there that make money just from networking yeah, it was connecting dot to dot.
Speaker 2:It's a big place.
Speaker 1:That's it. All we're talking about in this episode is a way to include some of that networking into your business model, your marketing model, your lead generation tactics, and build some relationships. So, joe, can you give us an action item to start this off?
Speaker 2:Yeah, a hundred percent. All right, the bare minimum action, like rock bottom, is coming with two companies One who is an electrician that you would want to give the bad work to. That's literally easier, because most people are like, yeah, I don't like that dude, that's the one who's going to get it. He's always undercutting my work, he's always doing crap, terrible work. That's the one we're getting rid of. Good, have one person. The other person is another electrical company.
Speaker 2:The electrical company is first, and they should be a company that is either bigger than yours or in a separate niche than yours the generator specialist, the industrial, the commercial, someone like that. The reason why that's the bare minimum action is I want to at least say that you're going here or you're going here. If I can do that, at least I'm covering my own butt and I'm able to say that I was here. I wanted to help. I'm not able to help at this current moment, but this is what we can do to assist you without us physically being on the tools. That's the bare minimum. I do have an idea for an all-star, if you're okay with it.
Speaker 1:You do Okay. Yeah, I've got one too. Let's see if you're thinking the same thing Go.
Speaker 2:The all-star action is to take that networking a little bit further, because it's one thing to simply say I have a company that I'm going to refer.
Speaker 2:The all-star action is you're going to physically call those companies Not the one you're referring to bad work to that guy nah, but the one that you're actually going to want to have a relationship with, contact their office and say, hey, I have an excess of work that I don't really know what to do with. I've heard good things about your company and I want to see who in your office can I talk to about sending work your way. Create a relationship. I guarantee if that call came into any of our shops, we're taking that call. That call has happened right. So within one to two hours the most, someone's going to call you back.
Speaker 2:If they can't drop what they're doing and talk to you now, have the meeting and say we're trying to serve this area to the highest level we can, and we're noticing that we have more customers than we know what to do with at this point. And the concern is is that there are some projects that are beyond our level of expertise and when that happens I'd like to know that I can refer you. All I ask in return is that when you see situations that are outside of your scope, that you can do the same with us. Would that be a fair arrangement?
Speaker 1:100%. I love it, I do. I'm going to add a little bit to it and that's by slowly. There's one more step for the ultra ambitious. The ambitious all-star action of the day would be to start that better practice group in your community.
Speaker 1:Just local, you can contact a couple of outside trades and even include another electrician and just work together with something like a monthly meeting where you guys meet for a beer if you're beer drinkers, or you meet to throw axes and have a chat, you meet for dinner or a lunch. It's one meeting a month where you guys just focus on improvement and a community that supports the highest level and that's always a great thread to do is based on premium service because, again, service to others is the highest form of distinction. I keep saying this over and over and over, and those who provide premium service know that to be true. It's the rarest niche out there. Honestly, it is. So if you find others who are in complementary trades, people that you need work from and for, then who better to have a better practice group with, there is no threat and all reward in that and then, as Joe said, by actually going out and referring them, those reciprocations will start to happen.
Speaker 2:And that's why I figured it was so important to personally reach out, because a lot of times you'll say like let's double dab here. Let's say I have a lead and I refer them and say, here, call this person. The odds that they're going to say, hey, joe from Service Loop Electrical reached out and said that you were the right fit. More than likely they're not going to, you're just going to call. But if you were to call the office and ask to speak to, the person that you know you talked to originally said hey, I have an opportunity for you. I'm with a customer right now. I'm in their driveway. I really feel like you'd be the best fit Before I hand you off the phone. Is that something you can actually do? And I'll literally hand you my phone right now and you can schedule it online. That is now a memorable experience where they'll start to remember. Even if it was only three or four leads yeah, this guy's given leads because he's calling and giving us some work.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, I love that, joe, and we are out of time on episode 100. I cannot believe it. Speaking of numbers in the hundreds, did you know that Dan Antonelli's interview got 110 downloads already, as of this morning, that is amazing, and you know what.
Speaker 2:It doesn't surprise me, though. I mean there was so much value in that Hell, I'd listen to it again.
Speaker 1:Yeah, all right, brother. Well, thank you for joining me. Thanks for helping us all out with this. Again, this has been another episode of Entrepreneur Secrets, the electrician's podcast, where we're helping electricians master their sales, simplify their pricing and deliver premium level service. I'm clay with me, as always, my esteemed co-host, joe. We're going to see you again tomorrow, wednesday, for episode 101. Should it be about dalmatians?
Speaker 2:you know what I was gonna say. I could use a dalmatian for a coach or no problem okay, we were gonna do black white.
Speaker 1:Maybe it's black and yellow, I'm not sure. Okay, jokes aside, see you guys tomorrow, take care.
