Loading summary
Transcript6 lines
- [00:00]
A
Hey, I want you to do something for me. When you get out to your truck today, go and stand about 50ft away from it. Yeah, go ahead. Just scoot your butt away from it for a little bit. Okay. Look at it like you have never seen it before. You got three seconds. Three seconds to figure out what the company does, three seconds to figure out who to call, and three seconds to decide whether they look professional. And if you can't answer those questions in three seconds, you don't have a work truck. You have a very expensive piece of equipment that is driving around for free and generating zero leads. And today we're going to fix that.
- [00:33]
B
Today's episode is brought to you by Yardbook, the all in one CRM for your lawn care business. And as an exclusive partner of this podcast, you can get started today and begin simplifying your business and maximizing your profits. Sign up now@yardbook.com the link is in. The show notes. Time now for Profits with Paycheck, an essential podcast for you in the green industry who are looking to unlock the full potential of your business. Hosted by John Pajac, your certified financial coach, the show features in depth discussions with successful entrepreneurs, thought leaders and industry experts. Providing practical advice and proven strategies on financial planning, operations, marketing and sales. Profits with Paycheck has valuable insights and action steps that you can implement today for creating long term success. Now, here's John Pajak.
- [01:37]
A
Welcome to Profits with Pajak, the podcast where we dive into business strategies and financial insights for the green industry. I just want to say I hope that you're having a great day and I just want to talk about something that every single one of us has, but very few of us are using correctly and it's our trucks. Now I know some of you are already thinking, hey, Payjack, I already have a logo on my truck. Well, good, that's a start. But let me ask you something. Have you ever seen a truck driving down the road with a giant logo, a fancy design and a bunch of graphics all over it, but you had absolutely no clue what the company actually does? And I see it all the time. You know, a beautiful wrap, a great looking logo, a company name and then nothing. No explanation, no clear service, no reason for a homeowner to remember them. And there's actually a local company that comes to mind every single time I talk about this. They're a car. It's a car audio shop. They do custom installs and stereos, electronics and all kind of vehicle upgrades. And I have to give them credit, their truck is gorgeous. It has these bold purple and green wraps that, you know, it grabs your attention immediately. And it's got a really clean, professional look. And, you know, the only thing that's on there really is like, the owner has his last name displayed in this reflective gold lettering. But it's, you know, the problem is that the lettering is down at the rocker panels and it's kind of small. It's only, I don't know, three or four inches tall. And there's no phone number and there's no website and nothing, no descriptors, you know, nothing on the truck whatsoever that tells me what this is. And again, the, the, the owner's name is just the owner's last name. It doesn't tell me anything about what they're. What they actually do. Now, I've probably seen that truck driving around for about, like, two years, and I saw that company's brick and mortar storefront at least a dozen times, and I had no idea that both of those things were connected. Now think about that. They spent thousands of dollars on a beautiful rolling billboard. And someone who lives in the same community, that's me, this guy sees the truck and drives past the store and still couldn't connect the dots. That's not a design problem. That's a communication problem. Because marketing is not about just making your truck look cool. Your marketing is about making sure people understand who you are, what you do, and how they could hire you. Now, again, you know, using that three second rule, a homeowner isn't standing in the driveway studying your truck. I mean, well, maybe they might be. If you have a van and it says free candy on the side, maybe they're, maybe they're really scoping you out. But in all seriousness, you know, what happens most of the time is that they're seeing you pass by while they're walking their dog. They're looking out the window while you service the neighbor's lawn. They want to see who's making the noise, right? Maybe they stop next to you at a red light. During this time, you only have a very short amount of time to communicate. You got a few seconds to communicate this. So your truck should answer those three questions immediately. Who are you? What do you do? And how do I contact you? And a lot of times, your company name is not enough. You know, ABC Outdoor Solutions. You know, that, that sounds great, but what does it mean? Does it mean landscaping? Is it lawn mowing? Is it lawn fertilization? Is it tree work? Is it snow removal? Is it pressure clean? You know, Outdoor solutions can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. So you got to make it obvious. You got to say, you know, for example, lawn fertilization and weed control or landscape design and installation, weekly lawn mowing. You know, don't make people guess. Just be simple. You don't have to have the whole menu on there either, but just the things you want to project out there. And then, you know, get your foot in the door. That's the first thing you need to do. And then you can tell them about all the other wonderful little nuanced things that you do. Another aspect that we need to look at is bigger is better, and simple wins. This is where a lot of people make mistakes. You know, they spend thousands of dollars on a truck wrap or wrapping their trailer up, and the most important information is six inches tall. And some, like nowadays there's this whole trend where people are kind of trying to hide their logo a little bit and they're making it kind of small and, you know, make it a little fender badge or something like that. I mean, don't get me wrong, it looks cool, but you can't see it from very far away. And the thing is, if you're spending all that money, why wouldn't you want to represent your company, right? So your phone, if you're putting your phone number on, you know, it should be readable. Whether there's some argument of which is better, having a phone number, having a website. You know, some, like my trucks have both the front fenders have the phone number. The rear bed has the. The website on it. But both of them should be readable regardless. Okay, if you decide that you're like, hey, I only want to deal with people on the web, or if I want people just to call me, whatever it is, okay, just make it very readable. You know, if you're going to put like one service on there, it should be readable. Not some micro menu where it lists every absolute thing that you do. And it's, you need fine print to read everything. Okay, maybe put one or two, possibly three of your most popular services, okay, but that's it, you know, but they should be readable. You're, you know, if somebody has to pull up binoculars to read your truck, you designed it to be in a parking lot, sitting somewhere, not the street driving by, okay? You know, look at a company like FedEx. You know, those trucks are intentionally designed so you could recognize them from a city mile away. Now, do they have the phone number plastered on the side? No. Do they have a list of services? No. Why? Because FedEx has spent generations and billions of dollars teaching America exactly what that logo means. Their brand has become part of our everyday language. It's the FedEx you know. It's part of the lexicon. We say FedEx it and we don't need an explanation because the explanation has been built into our culture. But here's the reality check. You don't have a billion dollar marketing budget. You don't have 50 years of brand recognition. And until your company name becomes as recognizable as FedEx, your truck still has to explain itself. So think big, think simple, and think bold. Back when I was getting my lawn care business off the ground, I was juggling routes, invoices and customer notes with paper and prayers. It was chaos. Until I found Yardbook. Yardbook gave me the structure. It helped me track chemicals, route efficiently, invoice faster, and most importantly, it helped me grow a profitable business. If you're tired of duct taping your systems Together, go to yardbook.com and sign up for free. And if you're ready to go premium, use promo code Pajak to get your first 30 days on me. Hey guys, John Pajak here. If you're a lawn care operator, landscaper, hardscaper dealer, or anyone working in the green industry, I want to highly encourage you to take a serious look at Equip Expo this October in Louisville, Kentucky. Because Equip Expo is the largest trade show and educational event in our industry. For three days, you're going to have the opportunity to see the latest equipment, test drive machines, attend educational sessions taught by industry leaders, and network with thousands of contractors from across the country. I've been attending for years, and every time I go, I come home with new ideas that make me money, save me time, or help me run a better business. So let's talk numbers. Registration is currently $30, but if you use promo code Paycheck, you're going to save 50% and get your ticket for just $15. And if you wait any longer, prices are going to keep going up. So the question isn't whether Equip Expo is worth the money. The question is whether you can afford to miss the opportunities waiting for you there. So head over to equip expo.com use promo code paycheck and I'll see you in Louisville this October. Link is in the show notes.
- [10:05]
B
Are you mowing lawns, running crews and stuff? Still wondering where all the money went? You're not alone. Naylor Taliaferro of LCR Media has been there and that's exactly why he created Profit Accelerator Live. Join Naylor and expert speakers John Pajak and Eric Triplett for two powerful days of hands on workshops designed specifically for lawn care and landscaping business owners in Richmond, Virginia, June 26th and 27th. This isn't a conference where you'll sit in the back and take notes. You'll leave with an actual business plan in hand, knowing exactly what to charge, how to manage your time, and how to attract better customers. Tickets are just $299, but right now you can bring a partner or fellow business owner free with our two for one special. Tickets are just $299, but right now you can bring a partner or fellow business owner free with our 2 for 1 special. Only 75 spots are available and they will fill up fast. Use the link in the show description or go to profitacceleratorlive.com to secure your spot today. Put more money in the bank and more time in your schedule with Profit Accelerator Live.
- [11:18]
A
Now, I want to get into one of the more important details of this little lesson here, okay? A clean, organized, well maintained truck. It tells the homeowner that you care about details. Now, a dirty truck with rest, with a bunch of rust and dents and old stickers just slapped on it, it tells a different story. Now, listen, I want to be very, very careful here because I'm not saying you need to go out and buy a brand new $100,000 truck, okay? I know plenty of successful contractors running equipment that's 10, 15, even 20 years old. I'm one of them. I still have a 1996 F150 that started its life out as a, you know, just a commuter for me and just, you know, go grab some stuff. But it became the first vehicle for my lawn care company and it's been tagged up. It's getting a little rough. But I just want to say there's nothing, there's absolutely nothing wrong with old. The huge difference between. I want to emphasize there's a huge difference between old and neglected. Okay? Now, there's a local lawn company, lawn care company in my area that actually does. They do very good work. You know, they've built a large business and they got a lot of customers. But every time I see one of their trucks or vans, they look absolutely beat. And I joke that it feels like every time I see them, they're either riding on the back of a flatbed or they're sitting on the side of the road waiting for a tow. Okay? All right. I know I'm exaggerating here, but you get the point. The vehicles are rough, you know, the bodies are rusted. And, you know, I've seen some frame damage on some of these things. You know, it's not hard to spot. You know, a truck that's had a bed replaced and they put a flatbed on it. And then you could see the. The under the frame, underneath it. It's like, oh, man, that's. That doesn't look right. You know, but, you know, honestly, it's. It's. I want to be careful because I'm not trying to bash these people. But the thing is, I sometimes I just don't know how some of the floorboards are still intact because every time the driver shuts the door, it seems like a little pile of rust falls on the pavement. Okay, but. And you got to look and think about how the homeowner sees that. You know, they don't know whether you have a $2,000 repair bill coming. They don't know the maintenance history. They don't know that your engine was rebuilt last year. They just simply see the outward appearance. And then they make a judgment, fair or unfair. Your truck tells a story about your standards and old and maintained equipment. Says, hey, we take care of our equipment. Old and neglected. Says, we let things slide. And a lot of times your truck is speaking before you even get it. You ever get a chance to. It can mean the difference. If somebody sees you in traffic, they might. Maybe you're. Maybe you're. You got an old truck and it's well maintained. And they're like, oh, that's a cool looking truck. Oh, by the way, that's a lawn care company. Okay, cool. Maybe I'll give them a call. But there could be the adverse thing of. You got a neglected vehicle. It might not even be as old, you know, like my. My 96. That thing still runs like a. It spins like a top. It's quiet, doesn't puke out smoke or anything like that. It runs very nicely. But I'm going to be pulling it out of service soon to get the bed redone because we've got rusty wheel wells. And I really would love to just get the whole frame sandblasted and cleaned up so that, you know, it has many more years of service, whether it's in my business or hey just becomes my grocery getter again. But, you know, it's. There's a different perception if you're sitting next to a vehicle and it's belching out white smoke because the head gaskets are Blown and it's running really rough. And you look over, you're like, oh, man, that ABC Outdoor Consultants or whoever the hell this is, these guys are a joke. I would never hire them, you know, but anyway, this is just an example of, you know, showing professionalism. And again, professionalism is marketing. So again, not bashing old trucks, not bashing, you know, anything, actually. It's just perception is part of our game, and we have to have certain levels of perception. We have to kind of have to fancy things up a little bit here, people. We have to just make sure our equipment's clean. That makes a huge difference. I've seen again, you know, not just with our trucks, but our equipment itself. If it's really looking beat up, maybe it's time we pull it to the side and just give it a wash or, you know, fix the thing that we got duct taped together, you know, Otherwise, you know, people are going to look at us and go, man, these guys are just cowboys. Okay, anyway, let's move on here. Here's something that I've learned over many years of being in business is that the best place to advertise is where you already work. You know, think about it. You know, your crew is parked in front of a house for 20 or 30 minutes, maybe an hour, maybe multiple days. If you're, you know, doing some landscaping or hardscaping project, right? Your neighbors are watching. You know, they're wondering who you are. They're noticing the quality of the work. You know, they, you know, so the thing is, while they're watching, while you've got eyes on what you're doing, make it easy for the neighbors. Your truck should have your information, your uniforms should represent your company. And you know, small things like maybe like yard signs, you know, like, you know, it's easy for fertilization, weed control companies, because most places require us to leave a flag behind saying that, hey, stay off the grass until this treatment dries. And then a lot of places allow us to put our logo and everything on there for marketing purposes. Or, you know, there are others that go above and beyond and say, hey, this is a tiny little sign. It's not one of those big roadside. You know, I forgot what they call them. You know, the marketing signs. You know, a lot of times we don't want to put that stuff in their yard, but hey, each his own. But, you know, I've seen little small signs, they just say, hey, this lawn is cared for by, you know, turf tamer lawn care. You know, that could turn one job into three or four more opportunities. But again, focusing on the truck branding, you're. While it's sitting there, you know, if it looks good, you know, I'll tell you here's. You know, I've noticed with our demographics, most of the time when we have new clients signing up, it's usually women that call us. Women are the ones that are going to be calling for our services, even if they have a husband, because, you know, they're the ones that kind of have the final say in a lot of times. Okay, yeah, somebody's going to call me out on that and say, oh, I'm wrong. I'm being whatever. I don't care. I just know from my data that it seems like the wife is always the one that kind of is the one calling and asking about our services. Oh, hey, how'd you hear about us? Oh, it's nice to meet you, Glenda. That's wonderful. How'd you hear about us? Oh, you saw us across the street taking care of Bob and Becky's lawn. Oh, okay, great. Yeah. Well, that's great. Oh, you like our truck? Cool. Very cool. And yeah, all our guys are uniformed and they look, they look good, huh? Okay, great. Yeah, thanks. Yeah, yeah, we're a family owned company. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. You do all that stuff. Right? But the thing is, you know, that's what I noticed. It's like a lot of people say if they saw some on their block, oh, the lawn looks so nice. And you guys seem really well put together. Thank you. That's exactly what we want you to think. We want you to know that we have our stuff together and that because of that, we can take care of you and it's our pleasure. So anyway, just it, it has a greater impact. Your truck, your trailer, your branding that you put out there has more impact than you think it does. And again, I'm thinking big, simple, bold. Those things, they, they work. Okay, so here's your homework. Go outside, take your phone and walk 50ft away from your truck. Take a picture, then shrink that down on your screen. Okay? Like, if you do, do yourself a favor, this is actually really good way to do it. Take a landscape picture, okay. And then when you're done taking that picture, then flip it to portrait. The, you know, the up and down version, you know, Instagram version. Okay. Can you read it? Can you tell what you do? Can you find the phone number? Can you remember the company name at all? Better yet, show that picture to your spouse or your child or a friend and ask, what does this company do. Maybe that's cheating a little because they know who you are and they're like, well, dad, you do lawns, right? Yeah. Well, if they hesitate, doesn't matter who it is, they hesitate. You've got work to do. So to kind of wrap things up, land the plane here. One of the biggest mistakes I see in business is that we're always looking for the next big thing. You know, a lot of us are looking for the next marketing platform or the next social media trend or maybe the next advertising strategy. Meanwhile, we have a rolling billboard that's probably sitting in your driveway every single night. You know you already paid for the truck, you've paid for the trailer. You already drive through the neighborhoods where your ideal customers live. Why not make every mile count? You know, the goal isn't to have the coolest looking truck at. You know, it'd be good, it'd be the coolest looking truck at Equip Expo. But the goal is to have a truck that makes the phone ring or it blows up your, your, your website so that you know, you get a lot of estimate requests. So this week I just take that three second test because one small change to your truck's design may turn something you already own into, into your best salesperson. So I want to thank you for listening today. Remember, profits are not an accident. They're planned. And until next time, God bless. Keep pushing through and we'll catch you on the next one. Thank you once again for listening. If you've enjoyed the show, please leave a review and share it with fellow business owners. Your support means the world to me and helps keep the show going strong. I want to give a special shout out to our friends at Yardbook. Their continued support has been instrumental in bringing this podcast to you week after week. If you haven't checked them out yet, visit yardbook.com and see how they can give you the tools to streamline and manage your lawn care business. Also, don't forget to explore the resources and upcoming events that I've collected just for you in the show Notes. These are curated to help you stay ahead in your business with the latest tips, tools and networking opportunities. Whether it's a new tool, an insightful article, or an event you don't want to miss, I've got you covered. Until next time, keep pushing through and God bless.
- [23:01]
B
Sam.