Million Dollar Electrician - Sale to Scale For Home Service Pros

Ep 29 - Examining the Platinum Sale Principals

• Clay Neumeyer

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This episode reveals the journey of one of our community stars, Erwin, who successfully completed a project worth $17,000, significantly exceeding his client’s budget by $7,000. Discover the strategies he employed to achieve this milestone, focusing on the core principles of creating value rather than merely competing on price. We delve into the transformative mindset that helped Erwin understand his customers on a deeper level, addressing hidden needs and delivering exceptional service that speaks to emotional and practical client concerns. 

Join us as we break down the essential elements that led to Erwin's success, including effective communication techniques, the importance of premium service offerings, and customer-centric problem-solving strategies. You’ll emerge from this episode equipped with actionable insights to elevate your own home service business, allowing you to stand out and thrive in a competitive market. 

Don't miss this opportunity to learn from real-world experiences and connect with fellow electricians seeking to scale their business. As always, we encourage you to subscribe, share, and leave a review to help us grow this vibrant community. What transformation will you make in your approach today?

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Speaker 1:

Hello, hello, hello and welcome to the Million Dollar Electrician podcast where we help home service pros like you supercharge your business and spark up those sales.

Speaker 2:

I'm Joseph Lucani and, together with my co-host, Clay Neumeier, we're here to share the secrets that have helped electricians sell over a million dollars from a single service van.

Speaker 1:

Now it's time for sales, it's time for scale, it's time to become a million dollar electrician. Hello, hello, hello. Welcome back guys. We've got another great show today, and today's a special show, actually, because we always do a weekly win, but today's episode is going to revolve around a win. Don't worry, it's not all about that person, it's about helping you, and so we actually want to pick apart this win and share all the inspirational pieces and activities that you could be doing today to take advantage and see the same momentum that Erwin is sharing in this win. Joe, are you excited for this one, or what?

Speaker 2:

Honestly, Erwin's win feels so impactful and there's so much to get from it, I feel like when we're reading it you're going to have to kind of reel me back and hold me back from just jumping all over it. So I'll like hold the clicker and you let me know it's my turn.

Speaker 1:

All right, man, all right. So big takeaways here. You guys are going to learn about service, you're going to learn about options. You're going to learn about what it means to stand out Kind of like we talked about last episode with that great, great feeling that service can provide. We want to give you these highs, we want you to feel this, we want you to be able to listen to this and then go and emulate that high as you meet your next customer, so that you can experience that and share your big high, your big win, your big take with us. Sound fair, so down, all right.

Speaker 1:

So Erwin had this to say. He said I wanted to share something from my last platinum sale, a 17K project with a female customer, and what really stands out about this one is that it was a 7k above their budget, which was a huge deal for me, but also a reminder of how far I've come. Now. I agree with erwin. Erwin's come a long way, joe, but there's something special happening here. A 17 000 platinum. Remind us again, what is it about a platinum for someone who's never listened to us before, what's a platinum? Why is it special?

Speaker 2:

and and then let's add context to this so we believe in offering a six option framework with two premium options, two mid-range options and two economy options. Often, the economy is just what the customer has asked for, right or worse. At the platinum, to give this context, you've not only solved the customer's concerns, but you've learned and understood them at not only an emotional level, but at a personal level, and you're able to solve problems that they didn't know they needed solved, without pushing or scaring them. You've been able to communicate how this not only saves them money, saves them time, enhances their quality of life, increases their comfort, increases their security, and all they have to do is just sign on the dotted line and we will do everything except for write the check on their behalf.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I love that. That's a great description, man, and so when he says. What really stands out about this is that it was 7K above budget. What would cause someone I know it wasn't a pushy sales routine, that's for sure what would cause someone to go 7K above their own budget? Why do you think that happened here?

Speaker 2:

Well, the fact that he took a platinum, you can get a correlation from it right. So a lot of times someone will have a projected budget. The homeowner will think this is the thing I need to do. This is the extent of the work that I believe I need. I've gotten a couple of estimates and there's somewhere around this, ryan. So maybe plus or minus a thousand dollars. This is where we probably are going to be riding now. Maybe plus or minus $1,000. This is where we probably are going to be riding now.

Speaker 2:

But the fact that it was a platinum means that what he was able to do was he was able to once again understand this customer and present a way of solving problems for them that they didn't know that they needed to solve. That could be going through and saying we're going to handle this part of the project so you don't have to do it yourself. We're going to do the permits and the inspections, we're going to do the maintenances, we're going to do the coordinations, we're going to paint, we're going to spackle, we'll do the gas, whatever it is. You've now taken a level of accountability above and beyond what they've asked for and because of that, they often are like, wow, you're right, it doesn't make sense to not have this included. We'll just go with you.

Speaker 1:

Very important. Really good notes. Really good notes there. So he goes on to say before I adopted the premium service mindset, I was always competing on price, trying to win over customers who just wanted discounts. I'm sure many of you know exactly what that feels like I got something for that.

Speaker 2:

Okay, hit it. I remember when I was, I think, 17 years old. I was just side-jobbing on my own. I knew a little electric.

Speaker 2:

I was in trade school and I worked for a client who was paying me $35 an hour. I was his guy. I did outlets, lights, switches, fans, whatever it was. I did a lot of stuff and it was $35 an hour and he always complained about price. But something like seven, eight, nine years later he calls us back and I go back to his home quoting him over $350 an hour, his home quoting him over $350 an hour and he pays and he complains about the price. And I came to my conclusion that it wasn't that I was too much, because at $35 an hour he thought I was too much, but I realized it was because that's all I was presenting myself as worth Once I was able to go above and beyond and say we are able to serve at this level.

Speaker 2:

We can take care of the painting, we can coordinate everything. You don't have to do any part of this job, you don't have to monitor us, you don't have to account for it, we'll just do everything. He took it but still would always complain. So at the end of the day, there are people who are going to complain about your price. But if you can serve them at a level that no one else will serve you at, it's an open ocean and you can still take those jobs, and that's exactly what Erwin agrees with, as he says.

Speaker 1:

After some deep reflection, I realized that the real issue isn't the price, it's the value we provide, and when you focus on service and the experience of that service, the customer can see that. And that's when the real magic happens. Electricians, innately like everyone else, have trouble learning to create value. And you know what, even as I say that, joe, it's something we've talked about many times I want to retract. I want to restep my words here. Actually, okay, they don't have trouble creating value.

Speaker 2:

It's just that they never were taught how to Even further than that, even if you have value, but you don't know how to articulate it in a way that the customer sees as beneficial to them. You could have all the things. You could have the CSR, you can have the trucks, you can have the installers, but when someone asks you it's $400 to change an outlet and you respond with something about the outlet. You've lost the ability of articulating your specific difference and why they should be paying you.

Speaker 1:

I agree 100%. Electricians aren't alone in this. This is a widespread problem and it's something that we've even toyed with in our house of learning to teach our kids how to create a value ecosystem, and there's lots of little tricks you can do with that as a parent. Here it's not just chores that we reward. We also reward things like book reports for our kids. If you read a great nonfiction book that will help you in your life and you do a report on that book, that is a venture to improve thyself and that's something that we reward here. And along with that, all the little entrepreneurial things like I took my girls to a park a couple years ago.

Speaker 1:

Insert self-story here. I took the girls to the park and I said girls, look around, this is a festival, it's a nice summer day. What do we see for opportunity here? I said would you guys like ice cream? Would you like a hot dog maybe? And they said well, it's hot day, I would love ice cream. I said, perfect, I'm not going to buy it for you, but look at the opportunities around you. Let's look at how we can earn money today and I'm not joking, this actually happened. The girls did wonderful with this. In fact they did too good. We had to shut them down early. I helped them with the idea. I said how many people around here do you see right now by count? Just look around you, how many people are taking selfies? And they started counting around 15, 17. We got to like 20 just around us, this little festival by the beach.

Speaker 2:

And I said do you think those photos could be better?

Speaker 1:

if someone else took them and it clicked and they said, okay, okay, we're going to do a selfie service. There's value in this. See, I know the limitations of a selfie are your arms and your arms length, and you guys are so beautiful as a couple. I just think that that's not doing it justice. Wouldn't it be great if we could take into account the lighting and take a picture that really did this moment justice for you guys? And these girls went around and they used that spiel. They said we're doing a selfie service and it's by donation. But here's the thing there's no such thing as small change in your pocket anymore. It's cards or bills. It seems in 2024 when this happened, and so within actually about 12 minutes flat, they had already earned about $65 and I had to stop them. And it's like okay, lesson learned, let's get our ice cream because we're going to.

Speaker 1:

We're going to that's just value creation. It's seeing a problem and becoming a middle person that can help with that problem, and I love that this came up with this review. Is it cool if we go to the next part, joe?

Speaker 2:

By all means, man, I'm down. This is a rich one.

Speaker 1:

He says this shift has been a game changer. It's not just about the dollars, it's about delivering something meaningful. The fact that I was able to go 7K above budget is a sign of how my approach has changed and how much the value we offer can truly transform a job. I want to pause here and call attention to something you said. You mentioned dirty words to electricians and if you've been following us for some time, you've heard this before, but if you're new here. Joe said spackle, you said paint. On this channel we've talked about reseeding lawns, ensuring that where we trenched is nice, and even in the spring, once any heaving is done and settlement happens with the soil. Why would you offer these things, joe? What? What the heck man? You're an electrician. Can't we just stick to the wires?

Speaker 2:

and that'd be great. But let let's explain why. So I stopped looking at things as a contractor and started looking at them as a customer and said okay, if I wanted this job and I had to hire me to do it, what parts do I, the customer, have to do? And anytime anyone ever dug a trench, you know what's going to happen, especially in New York If anyone's from New York, please throw one up here, like I love you guys. But the fact is we have rocky soil, everything's rock. You're not getting two inches down without hitting something. So you know, this homeowner is going to have dirt, it's going to be missed, there's going to be things that collapse on each other, and what's? The homeowner didn't have to dig. Okay, it's one thing they didn't have to do.

Speaker 2:

Next thing is we ran our lines, great, but who's going to put it back in? Okay, so we refill it. But remember, we just took rocks out. So there's all these rocks on the lawn. Who's doing that? Waiting for the hit it into the window? No, we're removing the rocks. Well, we took rocks out. Now you're going to have an uneven pitch, so we should lay topsoil on top of it. Well, if we lay topsoil on top of it? What about the grass Then? What about the hay on top, because the birds don't eat it? What about a water sprinkling system on a timer so they don't even have to water the grass?

Speaker 2:

When you think of things you'd have to do as a customer, it becomes very easy to find things that they don't want to do. I don't want to go across and re-dig things, fill it again, but if I can pay you to do it and it's a seamless process and you'll guarantee the outcome, now it's something that I'm willing to take that extra risk and say you know what? I didn't want to do that anyway. I hate spackling and painting. You know what I hate doing this part. You do it and it messes up. It's on you, then, and I can come after you because it's not on me anymore massive, massive, game-changing principles.

Speaker 1:

I always tell people there's two amazing things that happen here with learning options. One is we teach you how to increase your top option to include all the conveniences like never before, to break through the limitations that most electricians have when it comes to creating options where the only thing you can think of is improving the quality of the light that you're offering, which just isn't where it ends. That's so, so important. I want to also um oh sorry. And the second thing was being able to always come up with the six options. I want to also insert a couple more wins of the week, if we can by all means man throw in. We've got dan. Dan jennings just had a wonderful, almost 16K first platinum and that was one of the first times he ever offered six options. I believe it came from a networking group where it was an inspection call. So to go from just a bare inspection call to a full platinum, that's an amazing, amazing gift that you have there, dan. Congratulations on that first platinum. Brother. We also have Ryan. Ryan Kelly did his first 100k month and ryan's another guy. We got to get on the podcast, uh, along with his partner, when we started talking to them. Uh geez, almost a year ago humble beginnings. Like many people who start with us I think, 2030, maybe a little over 30k months just hit his first 100k month in the fall I think we maybe mentioned him on here hitting his first 70 80k month. Ryan has been absolutely amazing with the sales process and what he's doing and has clearly uh earned the status of million dollar electrician, with 100k plus months now coming out of the roost. I'm into that man.

Speaker 1:

All right, last parts of erwin's uh little bit he left for us here he said and this is the the heartfelt part, guys and please you know, understand that what we do is not easy. It's simple. We just have to work hard at it. So there's hard times too, and I never want to hide or pull the curtains over and say there aren't. I want to be honest with you guys and help you guys through all of it. That's what we're really about here. And Erwin says I'll be honest.

Speaker 1:

There are times when I don't show up here as much as I'd like, mentally exhausted, frustrated or juggling so many things that I forget where I left off. But even on those days, I'm so thankful to be part of this community. It's been an incredible experience. I'm grateful for each and every one of you. God bless all of you in this journey. We're all in this together and I'm grateful for this lesson support and the inspiration shared in this group.

Speaker 1:

I mean, what's really cool about this, joe, is that where I come from and last week I talked a bit about the projects I've been seen in two extremes Either too aggressive as a leader, and early on I was very quick to get angry and speak loudly all the bad stuff, um or too soft. I'm not someone that lives in the middle and I know that you aren't either. We've come on here bleeding hearts, hard on our sleeves, for two years now, and it just I'm going to say from the bottom of my heart it means so much to receive feedback like this, where it's like holding up a mirror and seeing the culture that we've been able to build here within this podcast following and within Service Loop Electrical as a training provider for electricians. That honestly brings me to tear with joy.

Speaker 2:

Go ahead to tear with joy. Go ahead as you were saying that. A mental image came up that I feel would help communicate this. As you guys know, I love martial arts, love combat sports, and there was something I learned when I was younger, first getting into it.

Speaker 2:

It's a hand motion, but it describes everything we're trying to say, as you can't be too hard and you can't be too soft. Everything we're trying to say is you can't be too hard and you can't be too soft, and it's a concept of two things the fist representing power and the open hand representing calmness and peace, and only together does it form the sign of gratitude to which you bow to. So you need to have a strong hand, you need to know that you can do the hard things that are required, that require strength. But strength unchecked, without compassion, does not lead you anywhere productive. So obviously, with an open hand alone, people will bend you over. When you're too strong, people will quit. But when you have strength and you have the articulation to show kindness, that's when you can build something that truly can grow and transcend what you know, an incredible contribution and that could be a mic drop end moment.

Speaker 1:

I'm going to give it a little spin from jim rohn just because I'm so reminded of what he would say the love and nurture and care of a mother and the discipline and fortitude of the father in one person, and we hope that person is you, and we hope that this serves you at the highest level as we try to encourage you to do the same for your customers. I wish you guys all the best for the rest of your week and we look forward to coming back here again next week to serve you again.

Speaker 2:

Take care of my friends. May you be blessed.

Speaker 1:

And that's a wrap for today's episode of the Million Dollar Electrician Podcast.

Speaker 2:

We hope you're buzzing with new ideas that charged up to take your business to the next level.

Speaker 1:

So don't forget to subscribe, leave a review and share the show with fellow electricians Together, we'll keep the current flowing.

People on this episode

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Clay Neumeyer

Host
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Joseph Lucanie

Co-host