Edition # 22

THE #1 TRADESMAN LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Unlock The Sales Game

Unlocking Our Potential

Your Website

Undercutting The Market

Crack The Whip

Issue #22 August Proudly Australian

+

Procrastination

Is it your problem? & what to do about it

Exercise

What is more important?

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.

This%Month Is%it%+me%to%crack%the%WIP?!–!we! share!what!keeps!us!focused…!

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Welcome' I!kid!you!not!when!I!say! we’ve!already!seen!the!back! end!of!July!<where!did!that! go!!>,!and!entering!the!last! official!month!of!Winter.!So,!if! you’ve!literally!blinked!and! seemed!to!have!lost!the! month,!then!maybe!it’s!Bme! to!crack!the!whip?!See!what!I! mean!on!page!2. !

!

To!conBnue!in!our!unity! of!‘celebraBon!of!success’,!I! present!to!you!this!month’s!

Pla$num(members,(Ma/(and( John(from(Sydney(Power( House.!This!young!Sydney! based!electrical!business!has! literally!gone!from!strength!to! strength,!from!2!to!17!men,! since!its!beginning!in!2008.!

Now,!with!some!business! structure!they’re!firing!on!all! cylinders!!A!true!testament! that!opposites!aOract.!Read! their!story!on!page!4. !

You’ll!possibly!get!the! chance!to!rub!shoulders!at! the!Boot!Camp!in!Sydney.!

Have!you!booked?

This!month!we!reveal!two! more!of!our!excepBonal! guest!speakers;!

Firstly,!Ari(Galper,!the!

‘World’s(#1( authority(On(Trust( Based(Selling’,!is! going!to!share!his!

secrets!on!how!to!‘stop! selling’!and!start!building! authenBc!relaBonships!based! on!trust,!authenBcity!and! integrity.!Check!out!this! legend!on!page!14.

And!secondly,!Judeth(Wilson,!

‘Australia’s(leading(people( skills(expert’.!If!you’ve!ever! had!issues!dealing!with! difficult!people!then!this! power!woman!is!your!answer.!

Want!to!know!more?!Check! her!out!on!page!13. !

Did!I!tell!you!you’re!in! for!a!treat!with!this!2day!jam\ packed,!content!rich!Boot!

Camp?!Yep…!I’m!sure!you!can! see!why!now…!AND!best!of!all!

–!as!a!member,!It’s(FREE! !

So.!what’s!in!store!in! this!month’s!issue?!Turn!the! page!and!let’s!get!stuck!into! it…

dr n A

ew

Ma7%&%John%from%Sydney%Power% House!share!their!‘unlocked! minds’…!Page%4 Your%website.%A%stagnant%online% brochure%or%leading%genera+ng% magnet?!we!explain!the! difference…!Page%6 My!personal%trainer%dishes%his% own%industry!!We!reveal!his!shock! wave!statement…PLUS!his%top%10% nutri+on%secrets…!Page%8 FREE!Entrepreneurial!advice!from! billionaires…!Page%9 One!of!the!most!stupid%pricing% strategies!any!business!owner!can! make.!Are!you!one!of!them?…Page% 10 Revealing%the%6%most%common% reasons%why%we%procras+nate…

Page%12 Meet!’Australia’s!Leading!People!

Skills!Expert’!Judeth%Wilson…!Page% 13 Meet!the!’World’s!Number!#1! authority!On!Trust!Based!Selling’!–!

Ari%Galper…!Page%14 October%2011%Boot%Camp%in% Sydney!–!will!YOU!be!there?…!

Page%15 Share!your!photos!and!videos! immediately!with!a!portable! projector…!Page%16 Cool!iPhone%apps!for!tradies…

Page%17

TradeTalk 1

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

A

Is It time to crack the ‘WIP’?

%%%%%%%%%%%%%A%dedicated%focus%of%business%%%%%% % %%%planning%for%the%next% 12months%has%resulted%in%an% unexpected%outcome…

Ager!conducBng!a!few!half!day!business!planning! days,!we!have!been!inspired!and!energized!about! the!single!minded!focus!we!have!agreed!for!the!next!

12months!–!or!even!the!next!30days!.!Yes,! surprisingly,!the!‘to\do!list’!has!shrunk,!which!in!turn! has!provided!us!with!far!greater!focus!to!deliver!on! what!was!agreed.!That!being!to!provide!an! excepBonal!service!to!our!ideal!customer!profitably.

group!as!to!the!result!it!will!bring!to!the!business,! our!customers,!our!family,!and!hence!the!priority!of! it!being!included!in!our!WIP. Our!aOenBon!is,!therefore,!always!on!the!current! projects,!the!items!on!our!WIP.!The!ones!that!will! provide!the!greatest!results!for!the!outcomes!we! desire.!The!biggest!eye\opener!we’ve!had!with!this! is!the!simple!fact!that!it!has!become!equally! important!in!idenBfying!things!‘not\to\do’.

As!one!of!our!members!said!to!me!recently,!‘It’s!not! only!the!90!Day!Success!Plan!that!I!find!completely!

“My%success,%part%of%it%certainly,%is%that%I%have%focused%in% on%a%few%things.” ~%Bill%Gates To!keep!us!on!track!I!meet!with!my!key!managers!–! office!manager!and!team!supervisor!–!every!

Monday,!ager!the!team!meeBng.!This!is!the!chance! to!discuss!the!work!in!progress!(WIP)!–!what! projects!have!been!completed,!what’s!been!held!up! and!why,!who’s!working!on!what!–!and!hence! providing!a!record!of!the!event.

It!is!a!simple!document!of!columns!to!include;! \Project!name!(what)! \Aim!of!result!(why) \Next!steps!(what)! \deadline!date!(when) \Name!of!responsible!person!(who) We!also!have!a!whiteboard!in!the!office!of! everything!else!we!want!to!get!done!–!what!we!call! ‘our!blue!sky!ideas’.!Goals!and!acBons!that!haven’t! been!honored,!as!yet,!with!a!place!on!the!‘to\do’! list.!This!list!undergoes!it’s!own!scruBny!by!the!

2 TradeTalk

moBvaBng,!it’s!also!the!STOP!DOING!list.’!

What!are!you!going!to!STOP!doing!for!the!next!90! days?!Perhaps!it’s!Bme!to!crack!the!whip.

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!locaBon.!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.

Tradesman Inner Circle Member Profile “Becoming%members%with%TIC%has%opened%our%eyes%and%unlocked%our%mind”

Matt Olive & John McCue Sydney Power House (Licensed Electrical Contractors)

Platinum Members **************** % %

TIC

****Tell%us%a%bit%about%your%business,% %%%%family%etc........

* * ****SPH:*AMer*both*previously*owning*our* * * ****own*business*we*thought*we*could* offer*more*to*the*Electrical*industry*as*a*team.

We*both*were*in*search*of*a*good*balance*of*work*and* life.

Sydney*Power*House*was*formed*in*December*2008,*2* guys*operaTng*out*of*a*kitchen/office*and*a*residenTal* garage.*We*share*a*yin/yang*partnership*in*the*business* both*excelling*at*opposite*things.

We*experienced*rapid*growth*between*the*12Y24*month* stage,*from*2*to*17*men*and*found*it*difficult*to*take*the* next*step*of*moving*into*an*office/warehouse.

We*found*ourselves*deep*within*the*business*rather*than* driving*it*from*outside.

We%got%on%board%with%TIC%aaer%I%(Ma7)% a7ended%a%seminar%in%Dr%Drip’s%office% and%were%convinced%that%TIC%was%what% Sydney%Power%House%needed%in%order%to% grow%and%develop%a%long%las+ng% structure.

4 TradeTalk

M at

t

Jo h n

Since*then,*we*have*employed*an*Office*Manager*and* Supervisor*to*help*us*streamline*our*business.

The*business*is*nearing*its*third*year*of*operaTon*with* neither*us*being*on*the*tools.*We*realised*the*need*to* delegate*work*to*the*right*person*and*to*always*ask* quesTons,*set*goals*and*monitor*your*progress.

I*am*now*concentraTng*on*business*development*and* general*management*while*John*is*concentraTng*on* sales*and*esTmaTng. John*has*2*children,*Lachlan*and*Megan*and*a*girlfriend* Megan*(Megsy*blue*eyes).*He*is*also*a*player/ Ambassador*for*the*Maroubra*Sinners*AFL*team.

I*have*spent*10*years*traveling*the*world,*and*have* worked*in*the*UK*and*Canada.*I*have*a*girlfriend,*Helen* who*keeps*me*in*line.*My*father*is*also*an*electrician* who*has*helped*both*John*and*me*over*the*years.

TIC:%What%is%the%biggest%challenge%you’ve%faced%in%the% last%12%months.....

SPH: The*biggest*challenge*has*been*stepping*back*and* empowering*staff/employees*and*assigning* responsibiliTes*to*key*people*along*with*hiring*the*right*

person*and*trusTng*them*with*the*job*or*tasks*we*have* set.

TIC:%How%have%you%tackled%the%challenge?

As%electricians%we%were%not%trained%to% become%business%owners,%account% managers, HR%managers,%marke+ng%guru’s%etc.

Becoming%members%with%TIC%has% opened%our%eyes%and%unlocked%our% mind.

We*have*created*employee*manuals,*and*hold*regular* training*sessions*with*our*team.*We*are*conTnually* adding*to*and*building*new*systems.*We*now*hold*a* weekly*meeTng*for*all*staff*which*helps*with* communicaTon. TIC:%Where%do%you%see%your%business%in%5%years?

SPH: We*would*like*Sydney*Power*House*to*be*known*as* leading*ResidenTal*and*Commercial*Electrical* contractors.*We*hope*to*have*20*full*Tme*employees* who*see*SPH*as*their*career*and*to*have*the*business* running*itself.*Our*aim*is*also*to*win*a*small*business* award.

TIC:%What%are%the%top%3%things%you%have%learned%about% business%that%you%would%recommend%to%others%and% WHY? 1.%Invest*in*training/business*coaching.

As*electricians*we*were*not*trained*to*become*business* owners,*account*managers,*HR*managers*,*markeTng* guru’s*etc.*Becoming*members*with*TIC*has*opened*our* eyes*and*unlocked*our*mind.

2.%Spend*Tme*on*planning.

Know*who*you*are,*what*you*want*and*how*you*are* going*to*get*it.*Develop*systems*that*will*help*streamline* business*procedures.

3.*Your*team*is*the*most*important*thing*you*will*ever* have.

If*you*want*to*grow*your*company,*If*you*want*to* expand*into*new*markets,*if*you*want*to*step*back*from* the*business,*you*need*a*powerful*team*standing.*Spend* Tme*on*hiring*the*right*person,*training*them*in*your* systems*and*empower*them*to*succeed.

TIC:%How%has%your%business%changed%since%joining%TIC?

TIC%has%unlocked%our%minds%and%made%us% aware%of%the%need%for%planning%and% structure.%We%have%streamlined%some%of% our%electrician’s%day%to%day%procedures.% We%have%a%marke+ng%plan%in%place%and% now%know%where%our%work%is%coming% from.

TIC:%Tell%us%something%about%yourself%that%your%buddies% don’t%know?

SPH: John:*I*count*wheel*nuts*on*vehicles*at*traffic*lights* and*always*look*for*money*on*traffic*islands*when*in* slow*traffic.

Mae:*I*hole*punch*every*piece*of*paper*that*is*printed* regardless*of*whether*it*is*going*into*a*folder*or*not.*I* enjoy*dessert*before*lunch.

TIC:%Who%would%you%most%like%to%have%lunch%with%and% why?

SPH: John:*My*Girlfriend*because*the*silence*has* never*been*awkward.

Mae:*Mark*Zuckerberg*(Facebook)*and*Larry*Page* (Goggle),*I*reckon*they*could*teach*me*a*thing*or*two* about*the*world.

TIC:%Favorite%tool%and%why?

SPH: John:*My*electrician*tool*pouch+belt,*aMer*all* these*years*it*sTll*fits.*Mae:*My*phone,*help*is*only*a* phone*call*away.

TradeTalk 5

Is your website a stagnant online brochure or a lead generating magnet?

A*

lot(of(small(business(owners(

get(a(website(built(because(they( realise(it’s(what(they(should(do(in( this(day(and(age.( With!all!the!talk!of!“Facebook!this”!and!“twiOer! that”,!they!don’t!want!to!get!leg!behind!or!have! their!compeBtors!one!up!on!them.

So!the!usual!path!is!to!contract!their!graphic! designer!to!build!them!a!website,!or!to!find!some! local!web!design!company!they!feel!can!create!a! great!looking!website!for!them....but!there!lies!the! first!mistake.

Graphic!designers!can!create!wonderful!“preOy”! looking!websites,!but!unfortunately!most!of!them! don’t!have!a!clue!in!how!to!get!your!site!ranked!well! in!Google!(commonly!referred!to!as!“Search!Engine!

OpBmisaBon”!or!“SEO”)!for!anything!other!than! your!business!name.!For!the!minority!that!really!do! understand!SEO,!few!of!them!build!your!website! with!the!mindset!and!experience!of!an!online! marketer.

You'can'have'the'“pre2est”'looking' website'in'the'world,'with'the'latest' flash'anima=on'and'graphic'design,' but'if'no?one'visits'your'website,' you’ve'wasted'your'money.''

The!technical!term!for!gepng!visitors!is! “traffic”!and!for!me,!traffic!is!the!lifeblood! of!your!website.!Without!traffic!you!simply! have!an!expensive!electronic!business!card! or!brochure.

There!are!literally!millions!of!people! everyday!going!to!websites!like!Google!and! searching!for!informaBon!on!a!parBcular! topic!or!problem!they!have.!!As!business! owners,!we!want!to!tap!into!this!massive! stream!of!potenBal!customers!by!having!our! website!show!up!when!they!search!for! something,!of!which!we!can!provide!a! (product!or!service)!soluBon. If!you’d!like!to!get!a!feel!for!how!big!your! online!market!is,!open!up!Google!and!type! in!“Google!Keyword!tool!Australia”.!!This!is!a ! free!tool!that!tells!you!how!many!people!

6 TradeTalk

are!searching!on!a!parBcular!subject! each!month.!!Click!on!the!first!result!(of! your!search)!and!you’ll!be!on!the!tool! used!for!Google’s!Adwords!(pay\per\ click)!adverBsing!plarorm.!

Next,!do!some!brainstorming!on!a!few! products!or!services!your!business! offers,!and!type!these!into!the!first!box! that!says!“Find!Keywords!\!Word!or!

Phrase”.!!A!“keyword”!is!simply!a!word,! or!string!of!words!(key!phrase)!that! someone!types!into!a!search!engine! such!as!Google,!to!find!more! informaBon.!!For!example,!if!someone! types!in!“How!to!toilet!train!a!puppy”! then!this!would!be!described!as!a! “keyword”!or!“key!phrase”.!We!can!use! this!free!tool!to!idenBfy!as!many! keywords!and!phrases!that!relate!to!our! business!or!market.

If!you!already!have!a!website,!you!can! also!type!your!site’s!address!or!“URL”!into!the! second!box,!enter!the!security!code!and!then!click! the!“search”!buOon.!Google!will!now!come!back! with!a!report!showing!you!how!many!people!each! month!(both!worldwide!and!locally!in!Australia)!are! searching!for!each!keyword.

This!should!be!your!first!step!in!designing!out!the! layout!or!“sitemap”!of!content!to!have!on!your! website.!Naturally,!the!more!keywords!and!key! phrases!your!website!shows!up!for!in!Google,!the! more!people!are!going!to!find!your!site!(traffic).!

More!traffic!=!more!potenBal!customers!coming! through!your!sales!funnel.

The!second!most!important!element!of!a!website!is! “conversion”!which!is!the!specific!outcome!you!want! from!your!parBcular!site.!!A!successful!conversion! could!be!defined!as!a!prospect!telephoning!your! business,!sending!you!an!email,!requesBng!more! informaBon,!downloading!a!free!report!or! purchasing!a!product.!If!traffic!is!the!lifeblood!of! your!website,!then!conversion!is!the!ringing!of!your! cash!register.!

So!to!sum!up,!you'can'have'the'best'

looking'website'in'the'world,'but'if' no?one'is'visi=ng'your'site'you’ve' wasted'your'money.*Likewise,!you!could! have!a!million!people!a!day!visiBng!your!site,!but!if! none!of!them!contact!you,!or!purchase!something,! you’re!ROI!is!zero.!Whilst!design!is!important,!I! believe!it!is!traffic!and!conversion!that!will!move! your!site!from!being!an!“online!business!card”!to!a! turbo!charged,!lead!generator.!

In!the!next!issue!I!teach!you!the!top!3!methods!of! (simply!and!cheaply)!gepng!more!traffic!to!your! website.

About!The!Author: Jeremy!Morgan!runs!his!own!Internet!markeBng! consultancy,!as!well!as!owning!several!ecommerce! websites.!If!you’d!like!a!complimentary!audit!of!your! website!and!your!potenBal!online!market,!visit!his! site!at!hOp://www.delonix\consulBng.com!or!email:! info@delonix.com.au

TradeTalk 7

Who Else Wants To Know The Single Critical Element that is more important than exercise?

A

session%with%my% personal%trainer% this%week%got%me% thinking.%What%could%I% be%doing%differently%to% ensure%I’m%stronger%and% live%healthier?% Or(the(truth(be(known,(so(that(I(can(blitz( the(soccer(field(every(weekend(and(feel( great(and(alive(at(the(end(of(the(game( instead(of(the(way(I(currently(feel.(I(don’t( know(if(you(think(the(same(way,(but(of( late,(I’ve(been(feeling(pre/y(old!(Why(is( that?

Well,!this!year!sees!me!playing!for!the!over!

35’s!soccer!(yes!yes,!I!decided!it!was!Bme! to!leave!the!young’ins!to!their!shenanigans! and!join!the!dudes!more!my!age)!and!I’m! doing!it!tough.!Why?!Because!now!I’m!the! youngest!on!the!field!and!THEY!expect!ME! to!run!more!–!what!the!#$!@?!I!personally! preferred!it!when!I!was!with!the!21!year! olds!and!they!did!most!of!the!running.!

Respect!your!elders!right!

So,!in!a!session!with!my!trainer!I!raised!the! quesBon!of!what!could!I!be!doing!beOer?!

His!reply!literally!word!for!word!was!this;!

“there’s%only%one%single% element%that%is%more% important%to%exercise%and% that’s%nutri+on.”

8 TradeTalk

The!what!and!the!when!you!eat!is!more! important!than!how!much!exercise!or!the! kind!of!exercise!you!do.!In!fact,!it’s!more! important!than!exercise!itself”.

NEWS!FLASH!!My!first!reacBon!was;’!I! know!that’,!but!the!fact!is!I’m!not!DOING!it.! <surprise,!surprise>!And!the!annoying!part! about!this!is!that!we’ve!talked!about!this! plenty!of!Bmes!before.!I!guess!I!wasn’t! listening!

My!trainer!went!on!to!share!this;!EaBng! the!right!food!can!help!you!shed!extra! unwanted!kg’s,!improve!strength,!health! and!fitness!at!the!same!Bme.!Not!to! menBon!keep!you!feeling!young!!

Something!that!is!high!on!my!list!of! prioriBes!to!keep!up!with!the!kids.

So!for!all!our!benefit!I!asked!him!to!share! his!top!10!secrets: ( 1.(Warm(fresh(lemon(water(first( thing(in(the(morning(to(flush(out(the( toxins,(aids(the(diges$ve(system(and( paves(the(way(for(losing(weight(faster. ( 2.(Eat(6(small(meals(a(day.(eg.(7am,( 10am,(1pm,(4pm,(7pm ( ( 3.(No(alcohol.(This(one(is(the(killer.( And(if(you(can’t(cut(it(out(at(all,(or(even( commit(to(a(few(dry(months,(then(at(least( no(alcohol(mid\week. ( 4.(Breakfast(is(the(most(important( meal(of(the(day.(Think(about(the(food(you(

put(in(your(mouth(first(thing(in(the( morning.(It(should(be(porridge(or(a(good( healthy(home\made(muesli.(No(packet( cereal(or(toast.( (

5.(3(serves(of(fruit(every(day.

( 6.(Protein(the(size(of(your(palm,(no( larger(eg.(chicken,(steak(etc. (

7.((Veggies(every(day.

( 8.(Remove(or(at(least(limit(the( amount(of(white(rice(and(pasta.(Replace(it( with(brown.

( 9.(Reduce(the(consump$on(of( carbohydrates(at(night($me(eg.(rice,( pasta,(bread. ( 10.(and(to(ensure(you(clear(your( head,(stretch(your(legs(and(tone(up,( include(a(brisk(30minute(walk(morning( and(night.

He!assures!me!it’s!never!too!late!to!start! reprogramming!your!body.!We!can!all! reverse!the!biological!damage!of!all!those! years!that!poor!eaBng!have!done.!And!you! can!restore!good!health!and!increase!your! odds!of!living!a!long!and!healthy!life!–!just! by!eaBng!the!right!food,!the!right! quanBBes!at!the!right!Bme.!I’ve!set!myself! a!new!challenge,!how!about!you

free%video%of%the%month

EN TR EP RE N EU RI AL A DV IC E FROM BIL LI ONA I RE S C lic k

to pl

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InspiraBon!and!advice!in!business!is!ogen! valued!more!when!it!comes!from!the! mouth!of!a!billionaire!–!someone!who!has! ‘been!there!and!done!it!’.

This!2minute!video!highlights!some!of!the! wealthiest!and!most!successful! entrepreneurs!who!built!their!business! empires!from!scratch!sharing!nuggets!of! wisdom Check!it!out!and!let!me!know!what!you! think.

TradeTalk 9

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 ’

Is Undercutting The Market A Good Pricing Strategy?

I*

remember%a%+me,%in%fact%it%s+ll%

exists,%where%a%few%dumb%tradies% undercut%the%market%simply%to%get%a%job.% In%my%opinion,%selling%on%price%alone%is% one%of%the%most%stupid%pricing%strategies% any%business%owner%can%make,%here’s% why…

Just*because*the*person*up*the*road*lowered*their*prices* does*not*mean*you*should*follow*suit.*Would*you*follow* them*off*a*cliff*too?*A*price*war*will*only*result*in*no*one* making*money.*And*if*you*posiTon*yourself*as*the*lowest* cost*opTon,*you*run*the*risk*of*losing*your*customers* when*another,*even*lower*price*alternate*comes*along.* Not*to*menTon,*the*customer*this*type*of*tacTcs*aeracts* is*normally*very*difficult*to*keep*saTsfied,*a*person*who* complains*about*anything*and*everything*and*wants*it*all* for*nothing.

Now*think*about*it…*is*this*your*ideal*customer?*NO.

10 TradeTalk

So*why*then*would*you*undercut*the*market*to*aeract* them?

Why*would*you*offer*a*crazy*low*price*just*trying*to*keep* them*happy,*when*in*fact,*nothing*will,*and*there*is* simply*no*profit*in*the*job?

Not*to*menTon*instantly*deYvaluing*your*professional* opinion,*your*work*and*the*industry*as*a*whole.* I*would*say*you*could*kiss*goodbye*any*addiTonal*money* from*this*customer*through*upYselling*or*crossYselling.* You*will*be*lucky*to*break*even*with*this*sort*of*work*and* the*addiTonal*stress*of*having*to*deal*with*this*sort*of* customer*is*too*much*to*bear!

You*can*have*them…

In*short,*this*form*of*pricing*strategy*will*only*lead*to*the* business*shulng*up*shop.

When*it*comes*to*pricing*products*and*services,*it*is* clear*from*where*I*stand,*that*for*many*small*business* owners*it’s*more*a*maeer*of*guesswork*than*logic.* Instead*of*underculng*to*win*business*they*need*to* work*out*the*price*they*need*to*charge*–*a*price*that* covers*the*cost*of*doing*business*plus*makes*all*the*hard* work*worthwhile*by*returning*a*reasonable*profit.

Covering%Costs The*first*step*in*developing*a*pricing*strategy*is*to*work* out*your*overheads*to*include*rent,*wages,*soMware,* insurance*and*the*cost*of*servicing*capital*assets*(loan* interest*and*depreciaTon*charges),*vehicle*leases*and* your*own*market*based*salary.*With*your*accountants* assistance*you*can*work*out*your*breakeven*rate.

Then*consider*what*you*can*offer.*If*you*feel*that*what* you*can*do*is*worth*more*than*what*your*compeTtors* offer,*price*your*services*accordingly.*This*is*called*a* premium*pricing*strategy.*For*it*to*work,*you*need*to*be* able*to*demonstrate*your*value*to*your*customers*in*a* convincing*way*and*to*get*the*message*out*among*them.* We*suggest*reviewing*the*12*different*pricing*strategies* within*the*‘MarkeTng*Your*Business’*Module3,*page*59.

Market%Research Once*you*have*idenTfied*your*breakeven,*you*can*think* about*how*you*want*to*price*your*product*or*service.*To* get*a*feel*for*the*market*it’s*a*great*idea*to*complete*a* compeTtor*analysis*(found*in*Gelng*Started:Module1* page*96),*though*its*advisable*not*to*base*your*prices*on* this*research*alone*simply*because*they*could*be* offering*a*different*mix*of*products*and*services*and* carry*a*different*rate*of*overheads*than*you.* Equally,*it’s*important*not*to*price*yourself*out*of*the* market.*

Instead%of%just%checking%what%price% your%compe+tors%are%selling%at,% evaluate%the%services%they%offer%their% customers%and%whether%they%market% on%the%basis%of%any%unique%core% differen+ators.*

Price%increases Take*your*Tme*when*determining*your*pricing*strategy,* because,*once*in*place,*it’s*difficult*to*change*without* upselng*customers.*If*you’re*planning*on*raising*prices,* it’s*a*good*idea*to*do*it*incrementally*rather*than*wait* for*years*and*then*slug*clients*with*a*massive*price*hike.

The*best*way*to*start*considering*pricing*is*to*first*step* back*and*evaluate*your*current*situaTon*with*some* professional*advice*on*how*you*can*differenTate*your* product,*improve*your*markeTng*and*deliver*great* customer*service.*Then*you’ll*be*able*to*consider*a* premium*pricing*strategy*that*cashes*in*on*the*things* that*make*you*different,*rather*than*fighTng*it*out*on* cost*alone.

These*are*my*thoughts*as*a*successful*business*owner* and*mentor*to*many*varied*tradesmen*Australia*wide.* How*about*yours*as*a*business*owner?

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TradeTalk 11

Ev e r yon e p ro c r a sti na te s n o w an d then, bu t i f it ’s a re a l p rob l e m for you , th ere m i gh t b e d e e p e r re ason s b eh i nd i t

I’ve struck(a(cord(with(this(topic(of( *

procras$na$on(it(seems…(with(a(number(of( members(saying(this(is(a(daily(ba/le.( Everyone*procrasTnates*now*and*then,*but*if*it’s*a*real* problem*for*you,*there*might*be*deeper*reasons*behind* it*~ The*first*thing*we*need*to*address*is*in*fact*the*quesTon* ‘Why*do*we*procrasTnate*in*the*first*place?’.*If*we*could* get*to*the*boeom*of*this*we*could*stop*it*once*and*for*all* right!

Easier*said*than*done,*but*we*can*work*on*it.*Let*me* explain*by*sharing*with*you*the*6*most*common.* (May*I*suggest*while*reading*this*that*you*reflect*on* yourself*and*consider*if*any*of*these*are*the*deeper* reason*why*you*might*procrasTnate) 1.%Limi+ng%beliefs You*may*experience*one*part*of*you*saying*‘Go*for*it’,* while*another*liele*voice*lurks*around*saying*‘Don’t*be* ridiculous,*you’re*not*good*enough*to*do*that!’

We*all*have*our*own*beliefs*made*up*from*religion,* society,*our*parents,*peers*and*partners.*In*many*ways,* our*beliefs*help*determine*who*we*are*and*how*we*live* our*life.*Yet*these*beliefs*can*also*limit*our*lives*and* become*barriers*that*we*need*to*overcome,* hence*the*term*‘limiTng*beliefs’.

The*same*thoughts*are*played*over*and* over*in*our*mind.*The*posiTve*strengthen* you*but*those*that*are*negaTve,*weaken* you.*Unfortunately,*many*of*us*grew*up,* having*created*a*lot*of*negaTve* thoughts.*We*were*told*repeatedly* that*we*were*“stupid”,*“lousy”*or* “slow”.*Gradually,*we*believed* them*to*be*true.

Break*free*from*limiTng* beliefs*by*examining* your*mind.*As*you*

12 TradeTalk

become*increasingly*aware*of*the*thoughts*you*are* having,*you*are*already*one*step*to*knowing*what*to* change*them*to.*If*you*can*change*the*thoughts,*you*can* change*your*beliefs.

2.%Lack%of%clear%goals%and%direc+on ProcrasTnaTon*may*be*an*indicaTon*that*you*don’t* really*know*where*you’re*going*in*the*grander*scheme*of* things,*and*how*today’s*tasks*will*help*you*get*there.* There*may*be*no*clear*links*between*the*two.

Your*immediate*aeenTon*needs*to*be*focused*on* understanding*what*you*want,*your*direcTon,*and*hence* this*will*give*you*a*clear*understanding*of*your*future* and*hence*confirm*what*acTons*you*need*to*take*to*get* there.

3.%Lack%of%focus Focus*tends*to*slide*when*your*plans*for*how*you’re* going*to*reach*your*goals*and*dreams*aren’t*clear* enough.

To*overcome*this,*break*your*goal*down*from*the*big* picture*to*the*smaller*steps*you*need*to*Tck*off*to*get*to* your*end*result.

4.%Lack%of%passion Do*you*really*enjoy*what*you’re*doing?*Or*are*you* spending*Tme*doing*things*that*just*don’t*float*your* boat?

To*overcome*this*delegate*those*tasks*you*hate*to*someone* else*so*that*you*can*focus*on*what*really*drives*your*passion.* Or*shiM*your*acTviTes*around*so*you*spend*more*Tme*doing* what*it*is*you*really*love.

5.%Overwhelmed ProcrasTnaTng*becomes*common*when*your*‘to*do*list’*is*just* so*long*that*you*don’t*know*where*to*start.

To*overcome*this,*break*up*the*‘to*do*list’*into*prioriTes*AYC*(A* being*the*most*important),*select*1*item*you*will*do*today*and* put*the*list*out*of*sight.*Out*of*sight,*out*of*mind.

6.%Lack%of%oomph%or%energy% Are*you*just*a*bit*too*weary*or*flat*to*get*on*with*it?*SomeTmes* we*have*mornings*or*days*where*the*energy*simply*doesn’t* flow.*If*it’s*a*oneYoff,*make*sure*you*head*to*bed*early*tonight,* or*even*consider*a*‘stay*home*day’*if*it’s*possible,*to*catch*up*

Look*who’s*coming*to* Boot*Camp!

www.upfrontcommunicaBons.com.au

Judeth%Wilson Australia’s*leading*peopleYskills*expert* and*trainer*of*trainers* When!small!business!is!hard!enough!\!juggling!jobs,! gepng!paid,!compleBng!the!paperwork,!basically!gepng! through!the!day!to!day!operaBon!\!throw!in!the!stress!of! dealing!with!difficult!people!(staff,!customers!or!suppliers),! and!now!you!really!are!pushed!to!the!edge.!The!obvious! thing!here!is,!dealing%with%people%can%make%or%break%your% business.!So,!how!can!you!make!this!part!a!breeze? !

Well,!what!if!I!told!you!managing!difficult!and!demanding! people!is!a!'walk!in!the!park'!if!you!know!how?!That! instead!of!feeling!your!body!go!tense!in!a!tricky!situaBon,! you!knew!exactly!what!to!say!following!a!very!simple! formula,!regardless!of!their!behaviour.

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on*what’s*most*likely*much*needed*sleep.*Treat*yourself*to*a* few*superYhealthy*fruit*smoothies*to*boost*your*system*too.

If*procrasTnaTng*is*not*a*oneYoff,*you*may*need*to*look*at*your* diet*or*lifestyle*to*get*that*much*needed*energy*back.* If*there’s*nothing*more*behind*your*procrasTnaTon*for*a* specific*task*than*a*clearYcut*case*of*the*‘can’tYbeYbothered’,* then*someTmes*there’s*no*point*baeling*it.*Go*and*do* something*else*to*get*yourself*refreshed*and*revitalised*for* tomorrow.* But*if*you*have*a*sneaky*suspicion*that*there’s*more*to*it,*have* a*think*about*what*you*can*do*to*address*the*real*issues.

!

Well!that's!just!a!morsel!of!what!Judeth!Wilson,!managing! director!and!lead!trainer,!Upfront!CommunicaBons!Pty!Ltd! and!founder!of!“The!Trainers!UlBmate!Business!in!a!Box!”! and!“Trainers!UlBmate!Toolkit”,!will!be!sharing!with!you!at! our!October!BootCamp!2011.!A!!notktokbekmissed!session! with!a!highly!acclaimed!author!(3Bmes!over)!and!sought! ager!keynote!speaker!and!corporate!trainer!for!the!likes!of!

Cambridge!University,!Sanofi!AvenBs,!Minter!Ellison,!Grant!

Thornton,!DHL,!HewleO\Packard,!BT,!3M,!USAID,!Johnson! and!Johnson,!De!La!Roux!Currencies!and!Women!on!

Boards!to!name!but!a!few. !

In!addiBon!to!this,!Judeth!will!share!with!you; ! !Understanding!the!benefits!of!personality!profiling !Knowing!your!own!communicaBon!style !How!to!relate!well!to!others!with!differing!styles !Understanding!why!difficult!people!can!be!difficult !Moments!of!truth!–!turning!around!a!tricky!situaBon !The!power!of!behaviour !Understanding!emoBonal!intelligence !CommunicaBng!in!the!most!posiBve!way !The!H.E.L.P!formula!for!dealing!with!difficult!people

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TradeTalk 13

Ari Galper The World’s #1 Authority On Trust Based Selling

www.UnlockTheGame.com.au

If

This!new!sales!mindset!–!Unlock(The(Game!–!is!what!

Ari!will!be!sharing!with!you…we!promise!this!will!be! one!of!the!most!life\changing!sessions!you’ve!ever! aOended!

you(flick(through(the(pages(of( business(magazines!and!sales!

training!material,!you!will!find!a! constant!flow!of!messages!like,!‘Focus!on!closing!the! sale’;!‘Overcome!objecBons’;!‘Be!relentless’;!‘Accept! rejecBon!as!a!normal!part!of!selling’;!‘Use!persuasion! to!get!useful!informaBon!about!your!prospects’;!and!

‘Chase!the!sale’.

What!Ari!will!be!sharing!with!you!at!our!October!Boot!

Camp:

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In!short,!get!the!sale!at!the!expense!of!the!human! relaBonship.

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For!the!customer,!this!approach!is!transparent!and!all! too!familiar.!Crossing!social!boundaries!and!adding! pressure!to!the!sales!process!makes!it!a!gut\wrenching! and!painful!process.!

✓ ✓

There%is%a%much%be-er%way%to%succeed%in% selling%–%move%away%from%the%hidden%agenda% of%focusing%on%making%the%sale.

✓

When!you!do!this,!a!new!world!opens!up!for!you.!In! other!words,!when!you!stop!“selling”!and!start! building!authenBc!relaBonships!based!on!trust,! authenBcity!and!integrity,!the!possibiliBes!are!endless.

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Ari looks forward to meeting you at our October Boot Camp.

14 TradeTalk

See You There!

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How!to!stop!slipping!into!“pitch”!mode!and! start!creaBng!a!natural!two\way!dialogue!with! your!prospects How!to!idenBfy!your!hidden!sales!triggers!that! make!your!prospects!go!into!“fight!or!flight”! mode Why!focusing!on!your!prospect’s!truth!is!more! important!than!focusing!on!making!the!“sale” How!to!“follow\up”!ager!sending!informaBon,! without!“chasing!your!prospect” How!to!easily!move!the!sales!process!forward! without!having!to!put!pressure!on!your! prospect How!to!free!yourself!of!the!negaBves! “salesperson”!stereotype!in!your!mind,!so!you! can!sell!authenBcally!and!with!integrity

Tradesman Inner Circle Boot Camp Friday 21 & Saturday 22 October 2011 Vibe Hotel, North Sydney

?

le d a e v e r To b e mo n t h ne x t Mystery% Guest%Speaker

Michelle%Gorton

Reve our aling gues special t spe aker s

Ari%Galper The*Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s*#1*Authority* On*Trust*Based*Selling

Judeth%Wilson Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s*leading*peopleYskills* expert*and*trainer*of*trainers

Kerri%Po7harst Modern*Day*Entrepreneurial*Athlete* &*Olympic*Gold*Medallist,*2000*

World*renowned*intellectual* property*specialist

?

To b ne x e re v t m e a le on d th Mystery!

Guest!Speaker

FREE to Tradesman Inner Circle members and their guests

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.

A

Portable Projectors

**********s*technology*evolves*it*********** give*us*more*ways*to*record*our* lives*digitally.* How!ogen!have!you!thought,!there!has!to!be! easier!more!convenient!way!to!share!your! newly!captured!videos!and!photos.!I!have!found!

2!very!cool!soluBons!that!can!make!this! happen.

The!first,!a!video!camera!with!its!own!in!built! projector,!brilliant.!

Introducing!the!Sony(HDRPJ10.

With!this!unit!you!can!share!your!memories! virtually!anywhere!using!the!camcorder's!built\ in,!high\contrast!projector.!ProjecBng!to!walls! or!ceilings,!have!the!freedom!to!share!your! videos!even!while!you're!on!the!go.!Without! connecBng!to!a!TV,!enjoy!a!viewing!display!of! up!to!60!inches!(diagonal)!and!share!your!joy! wherever!and!whenever!you!please.!How!cool! is!that.

It!also!has!a!built!in!16!GB!flash!memory.!I!use!a!

Sony!HD!cam!for!all!of!our!videoing!and!they! are!a!good!quality!camera.!At!around!$900!it! sounds!like!good!value!to!me.

Now!check!this!out,!I!love!this! liOle!beauty,!how!ogen!have!you! been!trying!to!share!something! on!your!iPhone!and!you!have!a! couple!of!people!crowded! around,!squinBng!at!your!liOle! screen.!Introducing!the!Mili(

iPone(Projector.

The!Mili!Pro!v2.0!is!a! breakthrough!in!iPhone,!iPad! and!iPod!accessory!technology.!

It's!an!iPhone,!iPad,!iPod! 16 TradeTalk

Now(one(for(the(MAC(nerds.!Lion!is!here.!

The!long!awaiBng!overhaul!of!Apples!MAC! operaBng!system!was!released!20!July!2011.!

I!have!already!installed!it!on!my!machine!and! its!awesome.

There!is!a!couple!of!revoluBonary!elements! to!this!release.!#1;!you!can!only!buy!it! through!the!app!store!on!your!MAC.!#2!its! only!30!bucks.!

compaBble,!rechargeable,!pico!video! projector.!The!power!of!a!rechargeable! baOery!soluBon!has!been!coupled!with!the! convenience!of!a!portable!video!projector!and! speaker!system.!Watch!all!of!your!movies,! video!clips,!podcasts!and!more!with!ease!!

Now!you!can!carry!your!own!personal!movie! theater!with!you,!anywhere!you!travel!in!the! palm!of!your!hand.

((((

It!has!over!250!new!features!and!really!takes! the!MAC!funcBonality!to!the!next!level.!

There!are!new!looks!and!features!for!the! generic!programs!such!as!mail,!iCal!and! address!book.!

The!thing!that!I!love!the!most!is!the!new!

Mission!Control,!the!customisaBon!you!can!do! with!your!workspaces!makes!the!MAC!even! more!easier!to!work!with!mulBple!programs! at!once!and!really!takes!advantage!of!the!

MACâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s!power.

If!you!have!a!MAC,!get!it,!if!you!don't!have!a!

MAC,!get!one,!you!wont!look!back......

((((((

Cool%iPhone%Apps%for%Tradies iHandy!Carpenter Cost!\!$2.49

With!this!app!you!get!5!handy!tools!in!one.!It!has!a! plumb!bob,!surface!level,!bubble!level,!ruler!and!a! protractor.!Not!only!does!it!look!good,!it!actually! works!really!well. !

TradeTalk 17

NEXT MONTHS ISSUE NEXT(MONTH:( Why(‘Changing(The(Channel’(Will(Guarantee(An( Increase(of(Leads(To(Your(Business.!We!invesBgate! the!importance!of!connecBng!with!your!target! audience.

How(to(Operate(A(Successful(Family(Business.!We! reveal!our!top!6!Bps!to!ensure!your!family!remains! a!family!

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. ith l a Sm e g n A ew & Andr

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

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*is*published*by*and*©*copyright*by*Andrew*&*Angela*Smith,*Tradesman*Inner*Circle*Pty*Ltd*2011.*All*Rights*Reserved.*This*newsleeer*and*any*accompanying* material*are*for*general*informaTon*purposes*only.*It*is*the*responsibility*of*the*reader*to*comply*with*any*local,*state*or*federal*laws.*STck*with*me*here*while*I*conTnue* with*this*legal*blahYblah.*The*Publisher*has*taken*all*reasonable*measures*to*ensure*that*the*material*contained*within*this*newsleeer*is*correct.*The*Publisher*provides*no* representaTon*and*gives*no*warranty*as*to*the*accuracy*of*the*informaTon*and*does*not*accept*any*responsibility*for*errors*or*inaccuracies*in*the*informaTon*contained* herein*and*shall*not*be*liable*for*any*loss*or*damage*arising*as*a*result*of*any*person*acTng*in*reliance*on*informaTon*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.tradesmaninnercircle.com.au!