Just One Thing

I’ve been talking about invoicing and how important it is to your business. First, I focused on being curious and then about documenting control. Your invoice is so much more important than we give it credit. So today, what I want to talk about is how to document properly. I’ll talk about two key areas in this episode and more in the next one or two episodes. Be sure to keep listening and see if y...

This is the second episode where I’m talking about invoicing, the second most neglected area in an auto repair shop. In the previous episode I talked about curiosity. Today I will talk to you about Control. Most of us do not communicate properly with our clients or with our potential clients. It's not that we mean to hide stuff, but we do. Either through a lack of communication, omission, or just...

Today I’m going to talk to you about the second most overlooked area in a typical auto repair shop. The first area is your finances, not knowing where you're headed. That is a really dangerous place to be. The second most ignored area is invoicing, your documentation. Neglecting this part of your business is costing you money and exposing you to potential legal action. Over the next four broadcast...

Over the last three weeks, we've talked about effective communication. We talked about a framework that allows you to engage and attract the people that are in your life. The first step is to understand and appreciate. The second step is to identify. Last week we talked about the third step (I massaged this a bit), brainstorming. This week is the fourth and last step - bringing it all together. Sp...

We've been talking about having effective conversations with our team, with our family, whoever it might be. Now it's time to ask a very simple question. What do you think we can do about it? You know, what are our options? When you do this together, it's collaborative. This saves you from going out to them and dictating what needs to be done. Instead, what you're going to do is come together eith...

We started this conversation last week about being able to communicate more effectively. And there's a few things I want to talk about today. The reason why your communication is not as effective as it could be is because you're coming to the situation from your perspective, which makes sense. It's normal. But for you to be effective, you must be able to see the other side as well. That's what we...

What I want to talk about today is the frustration of communication. Do get frustrated when you're communicating? You know where it seems like you're talking to a wall or it seems like things don't change. And it's just so frustrating where people aren't listening, or they are not doing what you want? Do you think that you could talk to a wall and get a better result? What I will do is break down...

We've talked about daily and weekly numbers. Now let's talk about monthly numbers and then annual numbers. You have to know where you are going - but also when you've stalled. So let's dig in - keep listening!

Let's talk about weekly numbers. These are numbers that we're going to step back a little bit. And instead of being on the ground in the forest, we're going to climb the trees and we're going to see it a little bit further. The first weekly number to keep an eye on is your gross profit number. Now I'm using that term weekly based on payroll frequency. If your payroll is weekly, then you can look a...

In a previous blog, I talked about not having a destination and how important it is to have the clarity that destination brings. That clarity creates focus. That clarity creates blinders. That clarity is kindness. And then once we have that and we start digging our trench. Now, something you might not know about me. I've had many careers in my life, but one of them literally was digging ditches. I...

I want to save you from the difference between direction and destination. Think about walking in a specific direction. It’s just that, a direction. A direction is very broad. I could go pretty much anywhere That's okay, but it doesn't help. What you want is a destination. Let me explain why. When you have direction, pretty much as long as you're facing the right way it works and it can be confusin...

We're so focused on making a sale and on getting those numbers. I need to talk to you about one word and that word is TRUST. You're never going to get someone to do something until they trust you. You're never going to be able to get what you want until they feel like you're giving them what they want. If you make recommendations and can't tie that recommendation to something that they exactly wan...

Are you focused on that person in front of you and their needs, or are you focused on what you need? Are you focused on what you’re lacking? Are you focused on your payroll? Are you focused on your bills? If you're focused on those things,  there’s a psychological term called perception of self-interest. If I'm your client or customer perceive a high le...

When you're focused on selling you're pushing your agenda. Instead, focus on the buying process, on what triggers the buyer, on what helps them make the decisions. How can you influence that? All of a sudden you're on the same side as your customer and you're helping them. You become an assistant buyer. Number one, what lessons can you learn from being a customer? Number two, no one likes to be so...

Today I’ll talk about sales. Remember, whatever you chase runs away. I’ll say that again. Whatever you chase runs away. How many of you have ever had a puppy get by you and run outside? Each time you go after that puppy, it runs away. And you know, the other day we got two new kittens and we had to get them to the vet. I actually had to have Brenda help me because one of the kittens was being a li...