Edition # 19

Page 1

THE #1 TRADESMAN LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Issue #19 May 2011 Proudly Australian

www.tradesmaninnercircle.com.au


TIC Member Support Line

Help When You Need It To#our#Members, You#are#never#far#from#help. Unlimited#Phone#Support!

Call!us!whenever!you!need!us!on!1800!704!822 Your%direct%access%to%pick%our%brains,%ask%ques3ons%or%simply%to% bounce%some%ideas%o%us,%whatever%the%reason.%

Unlimited Email & Fax Support Email us today on info@tradesmaninnercircle.com.au If email is preferably your thing, then at the dead of night when the questions pop into your head, email us with your thoughts and questions. It is our commitment to help you develop your business into whatever you want it to be.


Happy%Easter!

reason"than"a"birthday"for"said" purchase!"–"am"I"right"Shaun? " " So"welcome"May."Month" number"11"of"12"when"considering" end"of"financial"year"(is"it"that"Sme" already!!~~!~)"This"month"we" should"all"be"meeSng"with"our" accountant"to"discuss"preparing"for" the"end"of"financial"year"so"that"we" know"100%"what"to"do"to"put"your" ‘ducks"in"a"row’"to"end"on"a"high! Are"you"on"target"to"achieve"your" financial"goals?"Are"you"calling"in" your"accounts"receivables"to" capture"the"money"in"the"right" month/year?"Get"cracking."I"know" we"are! " " Oh,"and"the"month"can’t"slip" by"without"me"menSoning"the" biggest"event"of"BriSsh/ Commonwealth"history"–"the" wedding"of"Wills"&"Catherine." Where"you"glued"to"the"t.v."like" Ange"was? "

I"am"sure"hoping"your"brain" has"recovered"from"one"of"the" longest"public"holiday"weekends"in" history!"(or"so"it"seemed)."Not"that" I’m"complaining"seeing"I"too" enjoyed"a"long"overdue"extended" family"holiday"in"the"Gold"Coast" with"Ange’s"family."I"am"pleased"to" report"that"we"escaped"the"typical" ‘Easter"weather’"we"have"annually" in"Sydney"of"rain,"rain"and"more" rain,"and"enjoyed"plenty"of" sunshine."It"was"good"for"prawning"" (check"out"the"pics"within!)." Although"the"trip"was"fun,"there"is" no"place"like"home! Mind"you,"something"has"to"be"said" about"early"departures"for"long" drives"(especially"with"kids)"I"I"am" thankful"we"leJ"at"1am"to"drive"the" 10hours"home"to"miss"the"traffic." My"inIlaws"got"stuck"near" Bulahdelah"and"managed"17kms"in" 2hours!"No"thanks… " So."what’s"in"store"in"this"month’s" " On"another"note,"we" issue?""Let’s"check"it"out" enjoyed"celebraSng"Ange’s"birthday" together… last"month"with"degustaSon"with"‘a" twist’"at"‘Kables"Restaurant’"at"the" Four"Seasons"Hotel."You" select"your"own"5dishes" instead"of"being"locked" ew r into"a"menu"of"which"you" d n A can’t"eat"–"it"was" delicious"but"my"mind" thinks"about"the"kitchen" chaos"that"would"create." Check"out"the"amazing" view"–"pic"within."It"was" also"Shaun’s"birthday"this " past"month"and"I"must" admit"his"new"purchase" has"been"enjoyed"by"all"–" see"his"‘Man"Cave’"arScle" to"find"out"what"I’m" talking"about."With"li^le" Jack"now"in"the"house"I" am"sure"there"is"more"

This#Month

Lay"it"on"the"plate.................2 Free"Hot"Links.......................5 Lost"in"the"web"I"Basecamp..6 Spill"the"beans.......................8 Dose"of"living.......................10 Moving"office"space............12 Empower"your"team...........13 Tips"from"the"best"in" business..............................14 Shaun’s"Man"Cave...............16

TradeTalk 1


Lay it on the plate.........

The Power of The Mind A

feeling"of" " excitement"wells" from"the"bo^om"of"my" stomach"when"I"look"at" the"cover"of"this"month’s" magazine."

I’m"18"years"old"again,"I’ve" checked"my"harness"for"the"20th" Sme"and"I’m"psyching"myself" into"my"2nd"ever"rock"climbing" a^empt,"this"one"arranged"at"the" Warriewood"Blow"hole." " My"two"mates,"Daz"&" JusSn,"were"avid"climbers"and" thought"it"funny"to"take"me"to" the"most"challenging"of"local" spots"(I’m"not"one"to"say"no!)." Watching"the"‘beginner’,"under" their"expert"coaching"of"course," was"always"the"entertainment"of" the"day,"and"for"me,"the"buzz"you" got"was"like"four"red"bulls"on"an" empty"stomach! " There"is"something"to"be" said"of"the"‘power"of"the"mind’" 2 TradeTalk

“With confidence, you can reach truly amazing heights: Without confidence, even the simplest accomplishments are beyond your grasp” because"more"oJen"than"not"it" was"simply"thanks"to"my"‘self" talk’"and"my"youthful"Superman" confidence,"that"made"me"follow" my"buddies"and"tackle"the"cliff" faces"presented"to"me."Now,"if" you’ve"never"done"rock"climbing" it’s"not"for"the"faint"hearted,"and" it’s"certainly"more"taxing"on"your" body"than"one"would"let"on"–" more"specifically"I"remember" experiencing"the"feeling"that"my" finger"Sps"and"forearms"were" about"to"explode"–"apparently"I" was"suppose"to"drive"with"my" legs"more"instead"of"pull"with"my" arms!"But"hey,"I"was"there"

entertainment"right!"In"their" defence,"they"did"a"great"job"of" coaching"me"to"perfect"any" climb."As"they"say"‘follow"the" footsteps"of"those"that"have" walked"before"you’. " Much"like"business,"this" sport"of"absolute"single"minded" focus"to"reach"the"ulSmate"goal" –"the"top"of"the"cliff,"reflects"the" mindset"we"need"to"develop"and" maintain"to"succeed"because"as" the"quote"reads"‘With" confidence"you"can"reach"truly" amazing"heights…’.


Whatever"you"believe"you"can"achieve. " On"the"flipside,"I"have"been"privy"to"many"a" man"and"woman"that"have"said"“I"can’t"do"that!”"to" even"the"most"simplest"of"tasks"based"only"on"the" lack"of"confidence"in"themselves"to"make"something" happen,"to"be"willing"to"take"a"calculated"risk"or" simply"to"break"their"own"rouSne."Tasks"that"would" dramaScally"increase"turnover,"increase"profits," reduce"stress"levels"and"gain"some"free" Sme"in"a"day"to"actually"eat"your"lunch"in" peace"(or"maybe"that’s"eat"your"lunch"at" all!). Sound"like"someone"you"know?"I’m"sure" there’d"be"some"that"would"say,"“"I"think" I’ll"sSck"to"rock"climbing!” " AJer"my"very"brief"affair"with"the" sport"I"certainly"developed"a"respect"for" anyone"game"to"challenge"a"cliff"with" only"a"length"of"rope,"some"karabiners,"a" harness"and"a"strategy"and"burning"desire"to"reach"

the"top."It"goes"without"saying"that"the"‘rock" climber’"in"business"is"granted"the"same"respect." Are"you"a"rock"climber?

Above: The Warriewood Blow Hole

free#video#of# the#month

""Your#Words#and#Thoughts#have# Physical#Power#–# Will#Smith

This"video"reveals"a"level"of" intelligence"and"powerful"thinking" from"a"source"we"would"never" imagined." Actor"Will"Smith"talks"how"to"achieve" your"dreams."

The"link""I""h^p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfWGoLj1JCM or"just"type"into"you"tube"search"I" Your"words"and"thoughts"have"physical"power"I"Will"Smith

TradeTalk 3


TRADE SECRETS IN YOUR POCKET

d fo r a o l n w o D ! FREE now

INTRODUCING%THE%TRADESMAN%INNER% CIRCLE%IPHONE%&%ANDROID%APP Now$you$can$access$our$free$content$all$in$the$one$ convenient$loca3on.$Allow$us$to$help$you$make$the$right$ moves$to$ensure$your$business$and$life$success If"you’re"on"your"iPhone"you"will"find"it"in"the"app"store"by"searching" Tradesman"Inner"Circle."For"Android,"search"for"us"on"your"handset"in"the" Android"Market.


F R E E H OT L I N K S Yes,$it$might$just$be$the$shopper$in$me,$but$these$daily$e>mail$offers$are$just$great!$ Once$signed$up$(for$FREE),$you’re$sent$the$latest$daily$discount,$by$city,$for$a$huge$ variety$of$things$–$from$movie$3ckets,$JetBoat$rides,$cruising$on$the$Harbour,$beauty$ treatments$and$my$latest$purchase,$one$month$of$unlimited$group$fitness$training$for$ $39$(valued$at$$400$–$that’s$90%$off). I$started$this$week$and$I$must$say,$the$thighs$are$killing!$Already$finding$it$hard$to$sit$ down$on$a$chair!$As$they$say$“that’s$a$good$thing!”. In$all$seriousness,$these$offers$are$a$great$way$(and$cost$effec3ve$way)$to$reward$ yourself,$your$partner$or$even$a$well$deserved$team$member!$ It’s$called$high$perceived$value$at$low$cost…do$yourself$a$favour$and$check$them$out! By:Angela$Smith Scoopon.com.au

Spreets.com.au

Ouffer.com

Treeets.com.au

TradeTalk 5


Finally …No More Losing Your Paper ‘to do list’s’ PLUS Still Guarantee You’re On Track For Deadlines Regardless Where You Are In The World. So#what,#you#ask,#is#this#remarkable#tool#that# provides#such#flexibility#yet#with#amazing# control?#The#answer#>#BaseCamp® Okay"so"we"are"clearly"a"fan"of"this"soJware"(and"not" getng"a"kick"back"for"this"plug)"but"the"quesSon"to" ask"is"what"do"you"use"it"for"and"why"do"you"love"it? Well,"let"me"share"with"you"my"thoughts"–"

6 TradeTalk

A ‘cloud software’ version of our 90Day Success Plan – yes, take your action plan with you anywhere from the beach, to the snow, anywhere, anytime. As long as you have internet connection, you have basecamp.


Upload and save files to share and Collaboration on documents in one easy location with tracked changes. Basecamp has really upped the ante on project management, and at only $49 a month, we think it’s a steel! Check them out at www.basecamphq.com

All milestones and individual tasks entered against each project AND allocated to an owner – no forgetting activities ever again from a trigger to contact a supplier quarterly to deadlines each month for the magazine.

The Human Brain Is Too Efficient Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are witren, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.

TradeTalk 7


SPILL THE BEANS.....

‘MIND-BLOWING S E C R E T S F RO M A M A R K E T I N G M AV E N ’

We Reveal: How To Put A Stop To Price Focused Shoppers Once And For All

H

! ow!many!(mes! ! in!a!day!do!you! find!yourself!cringing! because,!yet!again,! another!customer!has! asked!you!up!front!“So,! what’s!the!price?”,%and$ with$duress$you$reply$“it’s$ $297.00,$BUT,$blah$blah$ blah”,$as$you$roll$into$ defending$why$the$price$is$ what$it$is!$Problem$is,$the$ customer$has$already$ switched$off$having$heard$ your$reply.$They’ve$made$ their$decision$in$that$split$ second$and$hung$up$the$

phone$or$leG$your$store,$ and$you’re$leG$saying$to$ yourself$“Just$another$price$ shopper!”. Now,"what"if"I"told"you"it" doesn’t"have"to"be"this"way." What,"in"fact,"if"I"told"you"that"I" have"a"truth"to"reveal"that"will" change"the"way"you"look"at" price"shoppers"forever?…"do" you"want"to"know"what"it"is?" Okay…"listen"up… %

It’s"our"fault."‘Oh"my"gosh!’"I" hear"you"exclaim."‘No,"it"can’t" be"true!’"you"sigh,"but"the"truth" of"the"ma^er"is"this"–"we"have" trained"the"customer"to"ask"for" the"price"up"front."Now"hear" me"out"about"this…

" More"oJen"than"not," customers"simply"only"know"they" have"a"problem"that"needs"to"be" fixed,"and"because"they"don’t"really" understand"where"to"start"the" conversaSon"they"simply"launch"into" “so"what"will"it"cost?”." " " Let’s"look"at"an"example"that" you"can"apply"across"any"and"every" business"whether"it’s"service"or" product"based."I’m"in"the"market"for"a" new"camera"because"my"current"one" has"decided"to"bite"the"dust."I"can’t" capture"memories"of"my"kids"or" videos"of"their"funny"songs,"Isaac’s" first"words"or"Hannah"climbing"door" frames"(yep"–"her"new"past"Sme!)." Now"if"I"walked"into"a"shop"and"told" the"salesperson"that"I"wanted"to"buy"a " camera,"and"without"talking"brand," model"or"features"and"purely"asked" for"price,"should"the"salesperson"point" to"a"camera"(1"of"40"on"display)"and" respond"with,"“this"one"is"$1,299”." What"do"you"think"my"first"reacSon" would"be?"I’m"sure"it"would" something"along"the"lines"of"“That" sounds"expensive!”,"but"the"thing"is," expensive"compared"to"what?"If"it" could"take"professional"quality" images,"video"capabiliSes"with" lighSng,"play"the"radio,"cover"as"a" mobile"phone,"offer"GPS"and"featured" a"chip"within"as"my"credit"card"would" you"sSll"think"it"was"expensive? " Now"in"some"people’s"eyes"a" camera"is"a"camera,"but"like"my" example"above"it"can"have"many"

8 TradeTalk


different"features"and"offer" many"different"benefits." Let’s"take"a"look"at"this"in"a" li^le"more"detail… " Using"this"example," what"if"the"sales"person" responded"to"my"“how" much"is"this"camera?”" quesSon"with,"“so"that"I" can"help"you"be^er,"can"I" ask"you"some"quesSons" about"exactly"what"you’re" looking"for?”."My"reply" would"be,"“of"course”."They" could"then"understand"my" needs"by"asking"quesSons" like";“Are"you"looking"to" replace"an"exisSng"camera" –"what"brand"was"it"and" were"you"happy"with"it”"“Is " a"water"resistant"camera"a" feature"you"want”"“Are"you" looking"for"something"that" provides"both"a"camera" and"video"opSon?"“So"

what"colour"are"you" looking"for?”"“Are"you" looking"for"an"allIround," point"and"shoot?"Or"is" stepping"into"a" professional"arena"with" addiSonal"lens"opSons" your"preference?”

" So"how"can"this"be"applied"to"your" business?"Every"business"owner"needs"to"work" out"what"problem"his"customer"is"trying"to"solve" and"ask"the"right"quesSons"to"understand"their" situaSon"be^er.""So,"when"next"asked"by"your" customer"“What’s"the"price?”,"how"do"you"plan" on"responding?

" From"these" quesSons,"I"understand"the" sales"person"is"genuinely" interested"in"my"needs"and" the"sales"person"is"able"to" offer"opSons"A,"B"or"C"as" the"most"suitable"camera" based"on"my"responses.

Animal dreams Just for laughs.......

" The"price,"is" therefore,"negated."It"is" just"a"ma^er"of"now"asking" me"which"camera"I"want"to" buy"out"of"A,B"or"C"–"a" complete"win/win"to"close" the"sale."

“so!that!I!can!help!you!be<er,!can!I! ask!you!some!quesAons!about! exactly!what!you’re!looking!for?”.

Each month TradeTalk is uploaded to iTunes. You will also find the entire Q&A back catalogue there for you to listen to wherever and whenever you want

TradeTalk 9


A Good Ole

Dose Of Living

$ ught a c $ on $Sax d n ie er$fr $Easter! h $ d h$an wns$for a n n Ha f$pra o $ s 4kilo

Isaac$and$Andy$en joying$a$swim$in$ sunny$Gold$Coast$ over$Easter

ry$ ther. r u f is$ ry$mo h $ g r e3n m$a$fu e k$m ro Jac ther$f bro

Success$with$taking$o$the$husk!$ coconut$milk,$here$we$come!

10 TradeTalk

$ $from$a g n i k n i r e$ Saxon$d oa3ng$in$th $ & $ h a $ Hann y$found e h t $ t u cocon exo3c! $ w o h $ . water


CHANGING ADDRESS?

Don’t miss out on a single issue! If you’re changing contact details then ensure to let us know -- simply give us a call or send an email. This way we’ll keep you plugged into a world of knowledge, tips, news and views. TradeTalk 11


H OW TO AV OID C OS TLY MISTAKES AN D E X P E R IE N C E A PROFITABLE DECISION WHEN MOVING OFFICE SPACE It’s#4#years#since#we# moved#into#our#office#in# Artarmon#and#with#a# number#of#members# recently#talking#about# moving#from#home# office#to#rented#space,# it’s#Ime#to#share#our# learnings.#"

Located"in"Artarmon,"office" upstairs,"warehouse"down,"natural" light,"specific"minimum"sq.metres," easy"vehicle"access"for"loading/ unloading,"no"joint"driveway"with" other"businesses…"and"the"list"goes" on."In"short,"we"knew"exactly"what" we"wanted.

Why#do#you#want#new#office# space#away#from#your#home?#

What#exactly#are#you#looking#for?# (no(ce!the!word!exactly) Ahhhh"yes."We"always"want" something"bigger,"grander,"the" perfect"locaSon"with"natural"light," that"costs"the"earth!"We"found"it." 12 TradeTalk

This"was"my"responsibility"seeing"I" understood,"be^er"than"Ange," what"the"criSeria"was."It"was"my" visual"that"we"were"trying"to" match."And"hence"it"was"my" posiSon"to"do"the" negoSaSng"too."Yes," there"are"plenty"of" lessons"here"maybe"for" another"Sme!" And#the#most# important,#How#are#you# going#to#fund#it?

Let’s"Sck"off"some"criScal" quesSons"to"ask"yourself.

Good"place"to"start."First"and" foremost,"for"us"it"meant"being" more"central"to"our"work."It"was" certainly"not"a"producSve"use"of" Sme"sitng"in"a"car"in"peak"hour" traffic"driving"from"Mona"Vale"to" Bondi"(for"those"nonISydney" members"–"over"an"hour)."Not"to" menSon"the"team"had"grown"to" twelve"and"they"were"sharing"a" room"in"our"new"home,"sca^ered" over"the"floor"on"Monday"morning" to"siJ"through"their"paperwork"to" hand"in"to"the"office."Mmmm,"not" so"professional."That"said,"certainly" made"for"a"great"start"in"business" and"created"an"awesome"culture" with"meeSngs"conducted"on"our" back"deck"with"the"BBQ"pumping" out"bacon"and"egg"rolls"of"a" morning.

Who#is#going#to#do#the#research# and#negoIaIon?

Where#are#you#looking? This"was"an"interesSng"one."The" contacts"at"the"local"commercial" real"estate"agents"were"actually" very"helpful"once"they"understand" specifically"what"we"were"looking" for"and"called"immediately" something"came"up"with"our" criteria."Not"wasted"Sme"viewing"a" site"that"did"not"fit"the"criteria. When#do#you#want#it? We"wanted"it"NOW!"We"were" wasSng"money"travelling,"not"just" to"the"job,"but"the"team"coming"to" the"office"(our"home)."Might"I"add," we"did"need"to"be"paSent"and"not" rush"into"the"first"thing"we"found."It" was"a"huge"investment"and"one"not" to"be"taken"lightly.

This"was"the"killer"and"a" huge"learning"curve"for" us."We"completely" underesSmated"the" expense"of"moving"to"a" warehouse,"new"carpet," racking"system," computers,"new" electrical"cabling,"phone" system,"kitchen"items" (fridge,"ke^le,"crockery," cutlery,"tea/coffee).."and"monthly" payments"and"this"list"really"does" go"on."Now"not"to"scare"you"away" from"the"decision"of"moving"to"new" office"spaces,"because"all"this"aside," it"really"was"the"best"thing"for"our" growing"business,"but"we"want"to" make"sure"you"are"100%" completely"ready,"in"every"possible" way,"and"that"you"don’t"do"what"we" did." So"here’s"the"thing…"we"encourage" you"to"pick"up"the"phone"and"talk" to"us"first"before"you"sign"any" documentaSon"or"commit"to"any" purchase/lease"because"we"are" well"equipped"to"ensure"you"avoid" a"costly"mistake"and"experience"a" profitable"decision!"


We reveal the secret to selling that will empower your team resulting in increased profits month on month…you won’t want your competitor reading this nugget of gold…

provide"a"steady"cash"flow" and"profit"month"on"month." Now,"this"is"informaSon"I" know"our"compeStors" aren’t"getng"and"are" certainly"not"implemenSng" into"their"business,"and" hence"I"know"100%"it" posiSons"us"well"ahead"of" the"pack! " So"what"did"we" learn"that"was"so"mindI blowing?"Get"this…"it’s"not" about"trying"to"get"the" tradies"to"sell"more,"it’s" about"getng"them"to" communicate"be^er!

Why#is#it#that#when# we#hear#the#word# ‘sales’#we#literally#run# for#the#hills?"

" A"bead"of"sweat"pours" down"your"back"and"an"ill"feeling" se^les"in"your"tummy"just"at"the" thought"of"it."Learning"how"to"sell…" “arghhhhh,"do"I"have"too?”."It’s"like" pulling"teeth…but"the"thing"is,"we" all"say"that"selling"is"the"key"to"a" profitable"business"–"from"the"

person"answering"the"phone"to"the" tradesman"compleSng"the"work"–" the"enSre"team"is"affected,"so"that" said,"if"the"team"can’t"‘sell’,"we’re" doomed! " That's"why"Andy"&"I" recently"took"our"leading"hand" Stewart,"Office"Manager"Carolyn" (Dr.DRiP)"and"Business"Manager" Shaun"(TIC),"to"immerse"ourselves," yet"again,"in"a"sales"training" environment"to"hear"more"about" the"‘secrets"of"selling’."It"is" becoming"screamingly"obvious"that" sales"is"the"number"one"item"on" our"agenda"for"the"business"to"

“Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong”

“Oh#my…”# “wow!...”##“isn’t# that#interesIng!...”,#I# hear#you#say. " This"is"NOT"rocket"science," but"an"obvious"reality"check"on" what"is"a"necessary"requirement" for"ANY"business"to"survive"and" thrive."It’s"all"in"the"languaging!" (Check$out$our$Sales$&$Customer$ Service$Module$4)."Truth"be"known," a"few"words"can"make"a"complete" difference"on"how"your"customer" perceives"you…from"foe"to"friend."I" know"which"I"would"prefer"to"be!

Peter T. McIntyre quotes TradeTalk 13


Is There Any Room For Improvement? Tips from the best in the business

I

wonder#what#the######## # President#or#CEO#of# the#top#Fortune#500# companies#(annual#ranking# of#American’s#top# businesses#based#on# revenue)#would#say#about# the#necessity#for# improvement?" Would"they"be"cocky"and" bellow"that"‘their"business"is" perfect’,"that"‘no"changes"are" required’"OR"would"they" modestly"agree"that"‘no" business"is"ever"where"the" leader"wants"it"to"be’,"claim" that"‘there"is"always"room"for" improvement’"or"‘something" to"be"different’.

" In"reviewing"the"top" business"in"the"Fortune"500"for" 2010,"WalIMart,"one"would"have"to" agree"that"it"is"a"healthy" perspecSve"for"any"business"to" 14 TradeTalk

think"this"way,"for"all"businesses" need"to"grow"just"to"stay"relevant. " Going"by"the"read"up"of"the" Fortune"500"on"CNNMoney.com," WalIMart"did"exactly"that"to"have" made"1st"place."They#aAracted#

bargainBhungry#customers#from# compeCtors#with#remodeled# stores#and#inexpensive#privateB label#goods,#offering#everything# from#frozen#pizza#to#paCo# furniture#in#one#stop."A"single" trip"meant"less"spending"on"petrol." The"result:"Profits"surging"a" whopping"7%"to"$14.3"billion"in" one"year.

" Did"they"make"changes"and" improvements"to"have"reached" this"posiSon?"An" absolute" YES. "

Did"they"take"a"risk"to"achieve"this" outcome?"Definitely. Did"they"provide"what"the" customer"wanted"and"hence"this"is" the"reason"for"the"success?"BINGO. " Like"the"WalIMart"story" above,"is"there"anything"that"you" can"do"to"improve"your"business? " Although"the"immediate" thought"is"to"add"or"extend"a"range" that"appeals"to"your"customer"to" your"current"offering"(like"a"pool" cleaning"company"extending"their" basic"services"to"sell"pool"sales,


“There#is#no#top.#There#are# always#further#heights#to#reach”# ~Jascha!Heifetz~ involves"evaluaSon"and"change." Like"a"math"equaSon,"once"the" steps"are"manipulated"a"different" result"will"happen,"and"oJen" quickly."We"do"this"constantly"in" our"business,"and"to"use"just"one" example,"we"add"to"our"

‘Tradesman#Procedure#Module’#

"pool"toys"and"the"like),"there"is" something"way"more"significant"to" consider"before"this."Want"to"know" what"it"is? " Consider"the"business"as"it" stands"today"and"focus"on"fixing" any"weaknesses."The"more"details" you"pay"a^enSon"to"and"fix,"the" greater"the"improvement."And"I’m" not"talking"just"any"improvement"–" it"must"be"something"that"relates" to"your"customer. " Let’s"take"a"look"at"an" example."Improving"a"process,"a" step"by"step"of"doing"something,"

all"the"Sme."It"is"constantly"in" evoluSon"of"improvement."This" book"lives"in"every"vehicle"within" our"fleet"and"provides"each" tradesman"with"the"‘procedure’"to" follow"in"any"situaSon"they"may" encounter"with"regard"to"their"job." For"example:"the"steps"to"follow"if" they"have"an"accident"(injury," vehicle"etc),"our"’30"steps"to" customer"care’"–"the"steps"to" follow"when"they"do"a"job"–"what" to"say"to"a"customer,"when"to"call" through"a"credit"card"and"the"like."

" Why"do"we"have"this"book?" because"it"reduces"the"number"of" phone"calls"our"office"and"our" leading"hand"plumber"receive"from" the"team"throughout"the"day."The"

improvements"impact"our" customer"to"experience"a"be^er" service"that"overall"keep"them" coming"back"plus"keep"our"team" smiling."The"overall"result"is"simple:" It"saves"us"both"Sme"and"money." And,"if"the"answers"aren’t"in"the" book"they"are"added! " Improvement"can"be" extended"to"include,"but"not" limited"to,"products,"people," behaviour,"culture"and"of"course," procedure/systems,"but"these"are" all"discussions"for"another"Sme. In"short,"drasSc"improvements"can" occur"in"your"business"by"simply" tackling"one"weakness"at"a"Sme" and"making"them"a"strength."Doing" this"constantly,"li^le"by"li^le"your" business"will"see"vast" improvements,"some"immediately" and"some"over"Sme."Like"WalI Mart,"the"#1"Fortune"500"company," constant"improvements"to"business" lead"to"posiSve"results. Resource:"money.cnn.com

Quote of the Month: “somehow I can’t believe that there are any heights that can’t be scaled by man who knows the secrets of making dreams come true. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four C’s. They are curiosity, confidence, courage and consta” ~Walt Disney TradeTalk 15


S ’ N U A H S MAN CAVE This is where we talk about all cool things that should or could be in the man cave. Gadgets, new tech, cool tools, new inventions or big boys toys, if it’s cool and fun well talk about it.

The Skinny On Smart TV’s Chances"are,""in"the"last" few"years"you"have"spent" your"hard"earned"on"a" new"flat"screen"TV"and" now"you"may"have"heard" talk"about"the"upcoming" launch"of"Smart"TV’s. What"is"all"about"and"do"I"need" one,"thats"what"we"are"about"to"get" into"in"this"months"Man"Cave. So"what"the"hell"is"a"“Smart"TV”?" As"defined"on"Wikipedia:"A"Smart" TV"is"either"a"TV"with"integrated" internet"capabiliSes"or"a"setItop" box"for"television"with"a"10"foot" user"interface"that"offers"more" advanced"compuSng"ability"and" connecSvity"than"a"contemporary" basic"television"set." 16 TradeTalk

What"is"a"10"foot"user"interface"I" here"you"ask?"this"is"what"makes" the"technology"possible.

In#compuCng#a#10Bfoot#user# interface#is#the#soNware#that# enables#computer#type#display# on#a#large#television#with# interacCon#using#a#regular# televisionBstyle#remote#control.

So"how"smart"are"they?" For"example,"a"number"of"Smart"TV" pla}orms"come"prepackaged,"or" can"be"opSonally"extended,"with" social"networking"capabiliSes,"with" which"users"can"both"glean"updates" from,"and"post"their"own"updates" to,"exisSng"social"networking"


services"(i.e."Facebook,"Twi^er"and"" Skype"among"other"services)," including"posts"related"to"the" content"currently"being"played." This"means"that"you"could"watch"a" game"of"footy"and"interacSng"at"the" same"Sme"with"other"users" watching"the"same"game. It"would"also"be"possible"to"access" free"TV"content"such"as"Hulu"and" other"free"TV"services."This"should" make"you"think"twice"before"

resigning"with"Foxtel"for"another"12" months,"the"savings"you"would" make"by"not"reIsigning"alone"would" jusSfy"the"purchase"of"one"of"these" units. The"following"is"a"list"of"television" sets"with"integrated"internet."There" are"more"than"10"smart"TV" pla}orms"currently"available"for" consumers"offering"access"to" applicaSons"like"YouTube," CinemaNow,"Pandora"radio,"Flickr," Vudu,"Yahoo"TV"Widgets"and"more.

Let me introduce my new little friend

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Philips"NetTV[62] LG"Netcast[63] Panasonic"Vieracast[64] Samsung"Internet@TV[65] Sharp"AQUOS"Net[66] Sony"Bravia"Internet"Video" and"Sony"Internet"TV[67] Toshiba"Internet"TV[68]

■ ■ The"bo^om"line,"do"you"need"one" now,"no,"but"you"have"to"admit," they"sound"pre^y"cool."

If you haven't tried them, do your self a favour, they are great additional to any Man Cave. the It is the bomb.

It was my birthday in April and my wonderful wife purchased me a Nespresso machine. What a lucky boy am i. I was not convinced at first, I like to think of myself as a bit of a coffee snob, complaining when I get an overpriced burnt expresso or cap from a restaurant or the local coffee shop. However, from the first cup I was converted. This clever little machine processes the coffee capsules at just the right pressure and temperature to give you a great result every time. They also threw in a milk warmer and frother that is great for caps or flat whites. You get your choice from 16 different coffee capsules from different regions all over the world. The capsules are then broken down into different uses such as, short or long black, cappuccino, flat white etc. I now love the experience of walking into the kitchen and 30 seconds later I have a beautiful restaurant quality brew and at an average cost of 60c a cup, its hard to beat.

TradeTalk 17


NEXT MONTHS ISSUE How$You$Can$Achieve$10x$More$In$Less$Time."We" show"you"proof"it"works. How$to$get$customers$ea<ng$out$of$the$palm$of$your$ hand."No,"it’s"not"a"joke! Alright"crew,"that’s"enough"from"me"for"one"month…"off"to" hang"with"the"family! To"our"PLATINUM"members,"remember"to"book"your"next" monthly"call."Speak"soon.

Smith a l e g An ew & r d n A

Q&A$OF$THE$MONTH % Don't$forget$to$send$in$your$business$questions$to$ info@tradesmaninenrcircle.com.au$or$fax$1300$553$161$and$ you$can$have$them$answered$on$the$next$recording

TradeTalk"is"published"by"and"©"copyright"by"Andrew"&"Angela"Smith,"Tradesman"Inner"Circle"Pty"Ltd"2009."All"Rights"Reserved."This"newsle^er"and"any"accompanying" material"are"for"general"informaSon"purposes"only."It"is"the"responsibility"of"the"reader"to"comply"with"any"local,"state"or"federal"laws."SSck"with"me"here"while"I"conSnue" with"this"legal"blahIblah."The"Publisher"has"taken"all"reasonable"measures"to"ensure"that"the"material"contained"within"this"newsle^er"is"correct."The"Publisher"provides"no" representaSon"and"gives"no"warranty"as"to"the"accuracy"of"the"informaSon"and"does"not"accept"any"responsibility"for"errors"or"inaccuracies"in"the"informaSon"contained" herein"and"shall"not"be"liable"for"any"loss"or"damage"arising"as"a"result"of"any"person"acSng"in"reliance"on"informaSon"contained"herein."All"done!

For more information, contact: Tradesman Inner Circle Pty Limited!! Ph: +61 1800 704 822! ! !

! !

Email: info@tradesmaninnercircle.com.au Web: www.tradesmaninnercle.com.au!


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.