Tree Dude, Part 2

I had no idea that Part 1 would trigger such response. In fact, there wasn’t going to be a Part 2 until my inbox filled with responses, questions, comments from curious readers.

Let me start with this, and if any reporters take this out of context, may sandspurs invade your undergarments. I do not hold any hostility nor consider the arborist trade much different than much of the service world.  (And the respondents in that trade were positively, the exception to any characterization, as evidenced by reading SMI!)

My experiences are the “other side of the trucks” to help all trades see through another’s eyes. The difference here: I’m on your side too.

I had a pretty humorous (and startlingly similar) story from reader Tom Fore of Roanoke, VA who shared an exact quote from his Tree Dude after excessive tardiness. See ‘Theater of the Absurd’ in this issue. You can insert “carpet cleaner”, “sheetrocker”, “roofer” and virtually any trade you want… that phrase is being openly acted out for frustrated homeowners across America. Honesty points go to Johnny who actually said it.

Interestingly, one of the most thoughtful responses came one from Patrick George of Heartwood Tree Service in NC. After reading his email, I wish he’d make a 450 mile house call. Patrick is definitely NOT ‘Tree Dude’ but a certified arborist, yet admitted…

“Tree dude fits about 85% of the guys in my industry.” That is important for any tradesperson to know because a reasonably-held standard rockets you past nearly 90% of the crowd. Good observation, yet Patrick had a question that was echoed by several others:

“Why did you pick this guy?”

People felt I surely was “connected” enough to get good referrals, or that I could choose someone with an IQ higher than that of wilted lettuce. Yet here’s the truth of why I picked him, plus a sales number you have NEVER seen before…

So, Why did I pick Tree Dude?

I didn’t. He was passively referred by a very conscientious neighbor who had “heard” he did good work. From our experience, Tree Dude won’t get that call either. This means he has effectively lost two jobs before getting one, resulting in the ultra-rare “negative closing ratio”.

3 Points to Note: 

1) Referrals generate calls. People ask. Neighbors talk. Relationships and recommendations run tandemly.

2) “Anti”-referrals are the unspoken evil twin thereto. Case illustrated herein.

3) Online reviews can multiply item 2 by the current online population of the planet, in just under 2 seconds. Probably worth considering your online reputation  - good and bad – engineering a positive outcome as previously advised in these pages, on coaching calls, and on the receiving end of what could politely be considered “very concerned yelling” at seminars. Whatever. I get riled up.

My advice, at the risk of repeating repetitiously, is to engineer referrals. Quit “hoping” or “thinking” or “waiting” but make them happen through intention and process. This WILL be the topic of an upcoming Coaching Call. If you like free leads that close at roughly 3 times the average, you’d be wise to be on that call.

Wake Up Call for More Sales

Please recall that skillset and technical proficiency had exactly NOTHING to do with the success of our hapless hero. And they often have nothing to do with yours.

An over-achieving focus on technical proficiency does NOT have a corresponding success rate. Why? Because it doesn’t matter unless you can’t effectively convince a prospect why that matters. So if you merely burp your sorry way through an indifferent presentation, you will get the identical response from your prospects, sans burping we hope.

Though LOGIC would dictate that the highest paid in any profession were those most skilled at it, reality doesn’t support it because we’re EMOTIONAL creatures. Unless you’re targeting the robot family down the street, your sales will suffer miserably.

The great thing is that people skills, sales training, and customer service are all very learnable. Find a program, a coach, or a company to model in those traits. Add those to your skillset and watch.

A 10% bump in any will send you into the top 5% of your trade. A 10% bump in all three and you’ll dominate, higher prices and all. Don’t tell me you don’t believe me… until you try it.

Deepen your roots in the causes that serve the customer beyond the trade and your success will rise above the treetops.

Adams Hudson

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