The Contractor Fight with Tom Reber

Dan talks about the importance of being true to yourself when operating your business and reminds you to take an objective look at yourself and your business and to be honest about what needs to be improved and what changes you can make.   In this episode, we talk about…  Setting yourself up for success with the way your business is structured Encouragement to objectively assess yourself and your...

In response to questions from Carl and Christopher, Tom and Dan discuss the reasonable closing rate from a salesperson and strategies for employee conflict resolution. In this episode, we talk about…   Question 1: What is an acceptable closing rate from your salesperson? The closing rate depends on things like:  Lead source, Great marketing that speaks to your ideal clients,  Your website, etc. Yo...

Tom is joined by the father-son duo, Steve Spinelli and Billy Spinelli of UniPro Painting, which has been serving in Northeast Ohio for over 26 years. Steve and Billy have been involved with the BATTLEGROUND group and other The Fight programs for a couple of years. The three discuss being successful in the commercial industry, Spinelli’s fascinating pre-qualifying process and using LinkedIn to gro...

Want to work less and make twice what you do now? Do you want to raise the prices for your services but are afraid to do so? Then tune in as Tom, Steve and Derek dispel the myths surrounding raising your prices and share what business coaches and consultants don't tell you about raising your prices.   In this episode, we talk about…  The reasons to raise your prices and why many people are afraid...

Have you ever made an assumption that turned out to be incorrect? Assumptions are beliefs that are taken for granted, but they can seriously impede your sales efforts. Tom asks you to approach this week with the commitment of not making any assumptions.   In this episode, we talk about…  Selling with a blank slate in your mind Not making assumptions when conversing with someone Asking dumb questio...

Do sales remind you of dating in any way? Sales is just like dating — they both begin with a chase, followed by meetings, leading to a final decision. Tim and Greg share a few lessons salespeople can learn from dating.   In this episode, we talk about…  Similarities between dating and sales Taking note of the flaws before making a decision — whether it is in sales or a relationship Creating an emo...

Tom and Dan address the concern of a contractor about the 50% gross profit rule, who argues that 50% gross profit is ripping people off when it comes to home renovations. He claims while 50% gross profit may make sense on a smaller project — like a French door installation — it seems outrageous when doing renovations on a large scale.   In this episode, we talk about…   Understanding how money wor...

Tom talks to Jordan Smith of MT Copeland. Jordan is the head of education at MT Copeland. Their conversation centers on the need in the contractor world for trained labor and the advantages of online learning in the construction industry, which benefits both employees and the company.   In this episode, we talk about…  Need for trained labor in the contractor world  Information about MT Copeland a...

The joy of doing your first job is unsurpassed — your motivation, energy, passion, and determination to succeed are in full bloom. But as time progresses, these emotions begin to wane. So, to maintain the same level of passion and enthusiasm, the guys encourage you to remember the emotions and mindset when you’re doing your first job and challenge yourself to continue doing so.   In this episode,...

Realization is one of the most powerful tools for growth and improvement because it enables us to see things we may have overlooked! In this episode, Tom discusses the idea of realization and how it can be applied to your life and business.   In this episode, we talk about…  Realizing the lesson learned from your past experiences Putting a little pressure on yourself and the team to achieve more —...

No matter how close your friends and family are, there are certain things that should never be talked about with anyone! Tim and Greg share some things you should never discuss with others.   In this episode, we talk about…  The things you shouldn't talk about with others Discussing money and business at the table Impact of money on Tim's life and business Resources:  Stop chasing cheap prospects...

The success or failure of your business is largely determined by the leadership of your team. So what is the best way to emerge as an effective and inspiring leader? Focus on developing Dan's three essential leadership skills if you want to be a great leader.   In this episode, we talk about…  Three things needed to be a great leader: Take action with confidence so people will follow you Address t...

Tom and Dan talk about the importance of having a polarized approach while selling and address questions about dealing with old-school salespeople who are stuck in their ways, concerns about overselling and not being able to do the work, and accepting the fact that not every client could be yours.   In this episode, we talk about…   Speaking the language your prospects and audience understand Havi...

Stop wasting your time and money on bad sales appointments! There is a faster and easier way to get started. Listen to Tom as he talks with Jeff Wraley from Groundwork about his product, a software tool that helps contractors get video walkthroughs of their projects before sales appointments, enabling them to save time.   In this episode, we talk about…  About Groundwork and how it is helpful for...

Tom and Steve discuss the quote, "My dream is that at the end of my life when I meet the man, I could have become the best version of myself. We are not total strangers, but identical twins." and talk about the fear of dying without reaching your potential.   In this episode, we talk about…  Taking action to make your dreams a reality instead of just talking about them Managing your relationships...

Sales are one of the main things that a business cannot exist without. You need to be an excellent salesperson if you want your business to survive and thrive. But what makes a good salesperson? Tom provides five qualities that characterize a great salesperson.   In this episode, we talk about…  Five qualities that make up a great salesperson: Learn how to work effectively and efficiently Focus on...

“Life is available only in the present moment. This is the only moment that exists, and this means that you have to focus all your actions and your awareness on the present moment.” Tim and Greg discuss the importance of living in the present.   In this episode, we talk about…  Making sure that you’re present where you need to be In the busyness of work, don’t forget to spend time with your family...

Dan discusses a conversation he had with a guy at The Trade Show about selling theories and shares how you can effectively apply ideas or theories to your business.   In this episode, we talk about…  Steps for incorporating a theory into your business in a meaningful way The fundamental issue with some tradespeople — separating manual labor and mental labor Finding value in the mental work rather...

In this episode, Tom and Dan answer questions from listeners asking about advice on renting a storage facility and how to deal with constantly changing material prices when you're working on long-term projects that will take months to complete.   In this episode, we talk about…   Question1: I worked as a sub-contractor for a restoration company's owner for a year, and I'm interested in renting a s...

Limiting beliefs suck! They prevent you from getting or doing what you want. Josh Gadbois from Renovista Construction discussed with Tom how limiting beliefs impacted his mentality and life. They also spoke about balancing work and family life, being a great leader, and some sales techniques.   In this episode, we talk about…  Getting rid of your limiting beliefs and becoming the best ve...

The words you utter are just merely sounds from your tongue, the actions you perform are what give those words meaning! Tom and Steve remind us that what you do is more valuable than what you say.    In this episode, we talk about…  There's no point in talking if there's no action  An example of action in play   Taking care of your own problems comes before helping others  Being the change, you're...

You must constantly improve your sales skills to maintain high performance as a professional because sales is a perishable skill that degrades over time! Tom encourages you to work on your sales skills since selling is a skill that can be both developed and waned.   In this episode, we talk about…  Sales is a perishable skill, and practice is the key to developing it. In sales, you can't be satisf...

Have you ever heard successful people talk about their magic pill to success? No. Because there is no magic pill to success. Tim and Greg are here to remind us that there's no magic pill to success; the secret is doing boring repetitive stuff.   In this episode, we talk about…  There's no such thing as an easy button in life — you need to put yourself out of your comfort zone and work hard Practic...

Education truly is power, and continuing education has the ability to improve your business — it is the best investment you can make for yourself and your company’s future growth. Dan discusses the value of continuing education for improving yourself and your business.   In this episode, we talk about…  Reasons why continuing education can pay off big time for you and your business There is more t...

Tom speaks with Chans Weber, the owner of Agile & Co — a marketing agency that specializes in paid traffic. They had a discussion about paid ads on Google and Facebook, why they sometimes work and sometimes they don't, using Google My Business to drive traffic to your website, some marketing tactics, etc.    In this episode, we talk about…   About Chans and his company  Some of the biggest misconc...