This spring marks a banner year for hail season. It has hailed so far in Kansas City, Nashville, Madison, WI, San Antonio, Austin, Ohio, Wichita, KS and some I don’t know about. These are “major” storms where the insurance companies would have called in their catastrophe teams. Claims of 1000 or more cars. At least 2 and likely 3 months of work for techs. Indianapolis has cars scheduled for end of year.
Last year’s big cat(astrophe) here in Tulsa had techs calling me. This year I’m calling them and getting nothing but voice mail. So the nine tech company is back down to me and the wife. I love scaleability. Being flexible and rolling with what’s real.
For you, easily dismissible if you believe it never hails in your area. Your savvy used car guys will go to auction and buy these damaged units and give you money to fix them. Think not of yourself as a hail guy or door ding guy. You’re a dent professional. With many opportunities.
I’m not a big fan of travel myself. Prefer to stay home. If I go, it’s in 2 week spurts and the hail broker accommodates me. My family generally goes and enjoys the area while I work. This has taken us to exotic locales such as Minneapolis, Washington DC and San Antonio. The ability to go on a working vacation and come back with a wad of cash.
Will you be ready to capitalize on a storm in your town?
“Tim, Just wanted to drop you a thank you note. I reached my goal of making $1500.00 + in one week! Not only did I do it in a week I did it in two days. Yesterday I made $665.00 and today I made $940.00. I give all the credit to the Lord of course, but Tim you have played a big part in it. I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I never dreamed I could make this kind of money. Thanks again for being my mentor and friend.” Mike R.
This is one of the great joys of this business. Seeing the limits get lifted and the income go up.
I remember my boss telling me there’d come a time when I’d see a thousand in one day.
It was hard to imagine, so I pictured doubling my best day ever. Soon enough I could see the possibility of more.
Frankly, not all make this. I have been criticized by those who don’t for saying you can. Shame on me. Phooey on them. Let them stay where they are. I’m looking for the Mike Riley’s and the folks like you who want to fly with the winners.
What should be your goal if your staying in town and working dealers? Three to five hundred per day.
Who Do You Work For?
This means being selective about who you work for. Yes I know there are others vying for the same dealer as you are. But I also know you have skills they don’t. And you give better service.
Here is million dollar tip. You cannot do business with every customer who calls you on the phone. Nor should you. Selectivity is important to your survival and sanity.
So, how will you choose whom you will honor with your services? You let them select themselves.
Let me illustrate with a story.
Last week, I was called in for Jury Duty in US District Court. I wasn’t selected to sit on this jury, but I was in the courtroom during the selection process. We were in there for two hours but it seemed like minutes. While the others fidgeted in their seats, breathed heavy sighs and rolled their eyes, I was wide eyed and hanging on every word. There was a marketing lesson going on right in front of me.
When we walked in the opposing parties were already seated at a table with their attorneys. This was an insurance suit about a fire on the plaintiff’s building. He didn’t think he got enough money out of them so he was suing for the rest.
In a case like this the defendant, a big insurance company, knew it was at a disadvantage. So did their attorney, a fifty something, smartly dressed woman. I was enthralled with all the things she did trying to tip the table back in their favor before the trial began.
First, she smiled at each prospective juror as we entered the room. When the judge thanked us she was smiling again.
Out of the 25 of us, 13 were chosen for the panel at random. Of these the judge dismissed one and added another. Then the attorneys get to ask questions of the jurors and each side must reject 3 each. This way you wind up with 7 for trial.
The judge went first with his questions, then the plaintiff’s attorney was up. He fumbled through some questions and sat down. Then the savvy defense attorney was up. No doubt she had chosen her rejects already. But since she had the floor, might as well use it to sell right?
She used questions that required a yes answer.
“Mrs. A, you said you raised three kids, right? When the kids got into a dispute, was it important for you to listen to both sides of the issue?”
She knew that the jury could well make up its mind before getting to her side of the story. She was asking for fairness up front.
At one point she went so far as to use a hypothetical question that was clearly about this specific case. I kept waiting for the judge to stop her but he never did.
I could go on about all the things she did to win in advance, but you get the point.
Are you pre-selling your prospects?
Marketing is often described as a funnel. With a wide top, lots of people consider your services, see your ad in phone book or elsewhere and give you a call. At this point, they either buy from you or they don’t. They are shaking themselves down the funnel and hopefully just the good ones fall out and become a client.
There’s a whole lot more that can happen between time they find you and time they call. My phone book ad pre sells them like the attorney did to the jury. Enclosed is a copy of the ad. Notice the non invasive 800 number they can call. This message needs tweaking, but it gets me business.
What else do you see? This ad rejects price shoppers right off the bat. Let the prospects self select. I never have to talk to the low price shopper. And I have a chance to tell them why price is not their only concern.
Call the info line (Number not up at this time). Let me know what you think. It’s time I fixed it. What would you do to make it better? Give me a suggestion and I’ll send you the final draft of the reworked script to use in your market.
What will you say to the press?
In 1998 a friend in Denver had a large hailstorm. He was interviewed for 5 minutes. He said a lot of smart things. As the reporter and cameraman walked out the door, they turned around and gave him the “Oh by the way” trap. Still on camera my friend uttered the only sound bite they used out of the whole interview.
“It’s like White Gold!”
This in response to the question, “Oh by the way, do you guys like it when it hails like this?”
One day you may face the media. So I’ve sent a copy of the media handling suggestions given to the US Curling team in the last Olympics.
“I cannot teach you anything. I can only unlock what is already inside you”
Bruce Lee
I heard Bruce Lee say this in a story about one of his films. I don’t advocate violence or martial arts, but I respect Mr. Lee as he was a teacher and businessman. Without him, their’d be no Chuck Norris and maybe no million plus Total Gym’s sold on infomercials.
Mr. Lee did come up with a better way to teach. So much so that he attracted students already at the top of their game.
But when he sensed that they were looking to him for some “secret” he closed his 3 schools.
When you learned to ride a bike, did you have to learn balance all over again, or was this ability there all along? Weren’t you standing on two feet without falling before you got on that bike? You see, I think it is when one feels for himself this sense of balance that he never knew was there before. It was there all along waiting for you to discover it. May not be true of all things, but case in point, you never forget how to ride a bike. You know you did it before, therefore you know you can do it again.
Same with dent repair. If you can guide your index finger to the tip of your nose, you can put your tool where it needs to be. You just need to know what to see. Once that door is opened, you never lose it. You can put down your tools for twenty years and come back and still push. That has tremendous value.
Having this skill leads to many others. Where will you go next?
Tim Olson
US Olympic Committee Media Handling
For Curling Team:
•As an Olympic athlete, besides being a competitor, you also have roles as celebrities, team spokespersons (as in Team USA, not just your curling team), sponsor representatives, and sport representatives, and representatives of the United States of America. You are now public figures.
•Remember the power of good body language, good manners, and personal appearance.
•Remember your "Bill of Rights," which includes your right to know the subject of an interview, have some control over the interview situation, and the right not to answer a question if it's outside your area of knowledge or jurisdiction.
•Think before you speak. Think about how you want your interview to appear in the next morning's paper, or on that night's newscast. Prepare a couple of key points in your mind before each interview.
•Remember how to avoid "media traps." Don't feel forced to answer a question the way a reporter might be trying to get you to answer, even if and especially if the reporter keeps asking the same question in different variations. Don't repeat negative comments or questions. Strongly consider avoiding specific predictions about performance.
•There is no such thing as "off the record."
•Remain poised and confident. You have all gotten some practice over the last several months, and probably have developed patterns that work for you. Know that you will encounter all types of media, from those knowledgeable about curling to those who don't have a clue. Don't embarrass the media who might ask what you think is a dumb question (and maybe truly is). They're probably "fishing," so seize the opportunity to give them something interesting that you want to talk about.
•Be wary of making political statements, or commenting on national or international affairs. Ask yourself, "Am I qualified to answer that?"
•Go easy on the curling lingo, but don't avoid the opportunity to help the media and your audience (the public) learn more about the sport you all love. If you use lingo, remember to add some explanation or analogies that help people relate. I've found that winter golf works well. Use what works for you.
•Try to be succinct (unlike this manuscript you're wading through), especially when interviewing with TV and radio broadcasters. Think 10 to 15-second sound bites. When you've made your point, stop talking.
•If you remember just one thing, realize that People Want to Know What It's Like to Be You. You're an Olympian, a celebrity, someone looked up to by all of America. You have the opportunity to inspire and connect with people from all over the world. Let them share in your joy, your pain, your triumphs, and your defeats, and most of all your experience.
•Also, remember to breathe! Oxygen will help calm your mind and body.