7. WHEN IT COMESTO FIGURING OUT WHERE
WE'RE HEADED IN LIFE,WE NEVER STOPTO
ASK A SIMPLE QUESTION, "WHERE AM I?"
• We just keep marching forward, day after day, job site to job
site, sale after sale, moving faster and faster but not really going
anywhere. Eventually, at the end of our lives, we start to do
some questioning.
• In 10 years, what will you regret not doing today?
Friday, October 11, 13
9. AREYOUTOO BUSY
TO BE AWESOME?
• You've got a lot going on.
• Sometimes when we focus on our dreams and try to take steps down the path of
awesome, our wives cry in the kitchen.
• Stay up 30 minutes after your spouse goes to bed or get up at 5 am before anyone else.
• If your dream isn't worth 30 minutes, you've either got the wrong dream or you're just
pretending you have one.
• If the minimum you're willing to pay is less than 30 minutes, you'd better go back to
average. Nobody gets up early on the road to average.
• Either way, you are safe on the average road. See you at old.
Friday, October 11, 13
10. LET ME ASKYOU A QUESTION
• If you died today, what would you regret not being able to do?
• Are those the things you're spending time doing right now?
• Live a life true to yourself...not the life others expect of you.
Friday, October 11, 13
11. WHAT DO WE NEEDTO DOTO
TRAVELTHE PATH OF AWESOME?
Friday, October 11, 13
23. WHAT DO YOU DO IN THE WINTER?
• Ever hear this question???
• I hate the assumption of this
question!
Friday, October 11, 13
24. WHAT DO WE DO AT BLUE THUMB?
• New Catalog Layout/Design
• Review every page of
websites
• Review results and plan new
marketing campaigns
• Facility maintenance
• Reorganize the warehouse
Friday, October 11, 13
25. FALL & WINTERTO DO LIST
• Ideas come up in the season
but there's no time to do.
• Write them down and refer
to them when the season
winds down.
• Assign an employee to each
task.
Friday, October 11, 13
26. WHAT'S ON OUR LIST FOR
THIS FALL & WINTER?
• Videos of ceramic vases
running for website
• Design a pump testing
station
• Meet with shipping company
• Set up video area
• Review instruction manuals
Friday, October 11, 13
27. CONTRACTORS "TO DO"
• General equipment repair &
maintenance.
• Clean it and paint it. A coat of
paint goes a long way.
• Organize your storage areas.
• Organize your customer files.
• Walk thru every step of your
business and find the areas needing
cleaning/organizing/updating.
Friday, October 11, 13
28. CONTRACTORS "TO DO"
• Financials: Pull out all your
receipts and written checks
and sort them by job.
• Job name at top; expenses
listed below.
• Determine Gross Profit %
for every job...more on this
later...
Friday, October 11, 13
29. CONTRACTORS "TO DO"
• Marketing & Advertising:
• What did you do for
marketing/advertising this year?
• What worked?
• What didn't? Why?
Friday, October 11, 13
30. CONTRACTORS "TO DO"
• Marketing & Advertising:
• Meet with your suppliers
and find out what’s hot and
new for next year.
• What products/services can
you add that will yield the
highest profit?
Friday, October 11, 13
31. CONTRACTORS "TO DO"
• Marketing & Advertising:
• Compose a letter thanking your clients
from this year for their business.
• In the letter include the new products/
services you’ll be offering for the
upcoming year and specifically ask them
to go to your FB page to like it.
• In the letter customize it to their specific
project and create a list of the things
they’ll want to be doing to keep it
looking nice. Offer your services should
they want someone to do it for them.
Friday, October 11, 13
32. CONTRACTORS "TO DO"
• Marketing & Advertising:
• Determine what home
shows you’ll display at and
begin your booth layout and
design.
• Again, ask for help from your
suppliers.
Friday, October 11, 13
33. CONTRACTORS "TO DO"
• Marketing & Advertising:
• Website: This is a great time for
you to go page by page through
your website and make updates.
• Social Media: Add pics and
update the info.
Friday, October 11, 13
34. CONTRACTORS "TO DO"
• Marketing & Advertising:
• Visit each job site from this year
and last and snap pics and video.
• These can be used on your
website and in your social media
campaigns.
• If your clients are home ask them
if they would be willing to write a
testimonial. Write it for them.
Friday, October 11, 13
35. RETAILERS "TO DO"
• Discuss with suppliers what
products are coming out
that are HOT.
• Better to ask other retailers
or a distributor because
manufacturers think all their
products are best sellers!
Friday, October 11, 13
36. RETAILERS "TO DO"
• Review the product lines
you bought and see if they
are yielding the GM% you
need to remain profitable.
• What products do you have
still sitting around?
• List these on eBay or
Amazon to unload.
Friday, October 11, 13
37. RETAILERS "TO DO"
• Do a review on your top sellers or items you
think people are price shopping you on and
check your prices against the competition.
• Are people leaving your store to make the
same purchase online?
• We can’t stop the internet; its here. But you
don’t have to support the products that are
being sold online at steep discounted prices.
• Find products that have a strong MAP policy
in place. And don’t just take the mfg’s word
for it: do your homework.
• Having a MAP policy and enforcing a MAP
policy are two very different things!
Friday, October 11, 13
38. RETAILERS "TO DO"
• Create a checklist of things for
someone to check for.
• Ask a few family members or friends
to come in and review your store.
• Meet with you staff to address the
items needing attention.
• When you are in your store every
day you tend to walk right past the
things that need attention and never
notice them.
Friday, October 11, 13
39. STORE REVIEW CHECKLIST
• How does the entrance
look? Inviting? Clean? Clearly
marked?
• When you step inside does
it feel inviting?
• How clean are the floors?
Have you vacuumed or
mopped lately?
Friday, October 11, 13
40. STORE REVIEW CHECKLIST
• Are the windows clean and
free of cobwebs?
• How clean are the shelves?
Are the products
straightened?
• Are there signs that clearly
promote the services you
offer?
Friday, October 11, 13
41. STORE REVIEW CHECKLIST
• How is the lighting? Bulbs
need to be changed?
• Twice a year go through and
change out your light bulbs
in the store…customers will
come in and think you’ve
remodeled!
Friday, October 11, 13
44. WHAT IS
GROSS PROFIT MARGIN %?
• Gross Profit is the amount of
money remaining after you
paid for materials.
(Sales - COGS)
• Gross Profit % is the
percentage of your sales that
is remaining after you paid for
materials.
(Sales - COGS divided by Sales)
Friday, October 11, 13
45. SALES MINUS COGS =
GROSS PROFIT
• Gross Profit is calculated by
subtracting the COGS from
your Net Sales.
• $100 net sales minus $60 in cost
(COGS) = $40.
• $40 is your gross profit.
• Great for determining how
much money you have to pay
the remaining expenses.
Friday, October 11, 13
46. GROSS PROFIT % (MARGIN)
• Always better to know the
GPM%.
• Your goal is to INCREASE
your GPM% year after year.
• The HIGHER your GPM%
the more real $$$ you'll
have to cover expenses and
realize a PROFIT.
Friday, October 11, 13
51. WHAT IF...
• Our example: $250,000 x 39% =
$97,500 ($2500 loss)
• What if 40%: $250,000 x 40% =
$100,000 (break even)
• What if 42%: $250,000 x 42% =
$105,000 ($5000 net profit)
• What if 45%: $250,000 x 45% =
$112,500 ($12,500 net profit)
• Could you use an extra $15,000 right
now?
Friday, October 11, 13
52. 2 WAYSTO RAISE GPM%
• Charge more for the products &
services you are currently offering.
• Find new products & services that
provide a better GPM% than your
current average.
• Did you know that the average
Water Feature installation yields a
GPM% of 50% or GREATER?
• Why wouldn't you suggest a water
feature on every single project you
touch?
Friday, October 11, 13
53. WHAT OTHER IDEAS?
• Contractor example: weed pulling, gutter
cleaning, or poop scooping? Paver
maintenance program; pond maintenance?
• Retailer example: beer making supplies or
fairy gardens?
• Custom-Made products & High-Quality
products demand higher prices & margins.
• The bitterness of poor quality remains
long after the sweetness of low price is
forgotten.
Friday, October 11, 13
56. REVIEW CURRENT OFFERINGS
• Are the products you currently
sell supported by MAP?
• Can your customers find what
you sell online for less than you
can afford to sell it for?
• Effects both retailers &
contractors.
Friday, October 11, 13
57. EVER HEARDTHIS?
• "We're going to buy the products
online but still want you to install
them."
• Translation:You are over-charging
me for the product but we still
want them professionally installed
and warrantied...(forever).
• "We're going to think about it".
• Translation:We're going to go
home and check the prices online.
Friday, October 11, 13
62. • Think about where you are now
and what your path to awesome
looks like.
• Create your fall/winter to do list.
• Find your highest GPM% products.
• Market the crap out of them.
• Start. Wherever you are, Start!
Friday, October 11, 13
