Podcast Summary
Facing the challenge of hiring employees: To grow a business, overcome hiring fears, implement good CRM systems, and embrace automation for long-term success.
Building a successful business, especially one aiming for a high revenue and employing staff, can be a challenging process. John, an electrician from Scotland, shared his nerves about hiring employees for his new business. James Sinclair, the podcast host, emphasized the importance of overcoming this fear and letting go of control. He also mentioned the significance of a good CRM system for managing customers and automation. John, who has been trading for 1-3 years with an estimated monthly revenue of £5,000, is looking forward to discussing these topics further on the podcast. Overall, the key takeaway is that growing a business involves facing and addressing challenges, such as hiring staff and implementing effective systems, to achieve long-term success.
John's Business Growth Aspiration and Transition to Marketing: Entrepreneurs can expand their trades businesses through marketing with resources and strategies from Entrepreneurs University for a monthly fee.
John from Scotland runs a business focused on software integrations for booking tradespeople, with aspirations to expand to all trades and offer easy online booking and same-day turnaround. He aims to grow his business nationwide, potentially resembling a well-known firm like Pimlico Plumbers. However, John expressed a desire to transition away from day-to-day operations and into marketing. For entrepreneurs looking to grow their businesses through marketing, James Sinclair, the speaker, offers a solution through his Entrepreneurs University, which provides coaching, resources, and proven strategies for a monthly fee of 49.99 plus VAT. John was hesitant to discuss his political views, but the conversation shifted to understanding his business sector. Overall, the discussion emphasized growth, expansion, and the importance of effective marketing for businesses in the trades industry.
My Home Hero: Online Platform for Electrical Services: My Home Hero is an online platform offering user-friendly booking and pricing for electrical services, focusing on smaller jobs, employing all electricians in-house, and aiming for a 90% completion rate.
My Home Hero aims to provide a user-friendly platform for customers to book and price various electrical services online, with a focus on smaller jobs for quick turnaround. The company plans to employ all electricians in-house and is currently building a website for customers to easily access services and prices, aiming for a 90% completion rate. However, improvements are needed, such as reducing clicks to access services and addressing SSL security flags on the website. From a marketing perspective, it's recommended to clearly display services on the homepage and make the booking process as straightforward as possible. My Home Hero's website is myhomehero.today.
Designing a user-friendly website for business success: A clear call-to-action, minimal clicks, specific questions, and solutions directly contribute to an effective website that converts visitors into leads. Hire skilled electricians, offer competitive wages, and create a positive work culture to build a successful business.
Creating an user-friendly website with a clear call-to-action and minimal clicks is crucial for attracting and retaining customers. A well-designed website, like Trusted Trader, that asks specific questions and offers solutions directly is more effective in converting visitors into leads. Testimonials and visual content can also help build trust and credibility. To build a successful business, consider hiring skilled electricians, offering competitive wages, and creating a positive work culture. The cost of employing an electrician is around £18 an hour, with additional benefits and expenses bringing the total cost to around £60,000 a year. To reach a half million pound business, aim to have five electricians, a marketing and admin team, and invest in expansion.
Expanding Your Electrician Business: Beyond a Website: To grow an electrician business, focus on both online and offline marketing efforts, hire a full-time marketer, and build strong customer relationships through personal connections and networking.
Starting an electrician business and relying solely on a website for customers may not be enough in the initial stages. While the website is important, it may not generate enough leads right away. Therefore, it's crucial to employ someone full-time for marketing efforts and use various methods like cold calling, networking, and local advertising to secure customers. It's essential to build a strong customer base through personal connections and relationships before focusing too much on the website. Content marketing and social media advertising can be effective in the long run, but they require consistent effort and time to yield results. Additionally, having a large content plan or being the face of the company might not come naturally to everyone, and it's essential to find the marketing strategy that suits your strengths and comfort zone. Overall, a successful electrician business requires a combination of online and offline marketing efforts, as well as a strong team and personal connections.
Networking and marketing in electrician industry: Network extensively, offer free skills, reach out to schools and businesses, have a website, call potential clients, and build relationships for a successful electrician business.
Building a successful business in a competitive industry requires a combination of networking, marketing, and persistence. The speaker emphasized the importance of showing your skills for free initially to potential clients, especially in the electrician industry where margins are tight. He also suggested reaching out to secondary schools, primary schools, and businesses with over 20 employees for potential work. While having a website is crucial, it's not the only way to get customers. Making calls and building relationships are essential. The speaker mentioned having a Google PPC and Facebook ads campaign, a content plan, and contacts in insurance companies as part of his plan. However, he acknowledged the importance of waiting for necessary accreditations and licenses before trading. Despite the current economic situation not allowing him to make an income as an electrician, he emphasized the need to start building the business now. The process involves putting in the work, networking, and marketing to attract customers.
Waiting for Growth vs Taking Action: Don't wait for perfection or external factors, take action to drive business growth. Focus on sales before improving brand and website.
Persistence and urgency are key when it comes to business growth. The speaker shares a personal experience of waiting on an important accreditation and expresses frustration over the delay. They suggest that the reason for the delay might be a backlog due to the organization being closed for an extended period. The speaker emphasizes the importance of taking action and not waiting for things to happen. They use the example of parents raising funds for their child's life-changing surgery to highlight the power of determination and urgency. The speaker also advises against focusing too much on operations before sales and encourages going out and getting business first, then improving the brand and website. The speaker's story about building a successful business, Teddy Tastic, without a website, emphasizes the importance of taking action and not relying too heavily on technology. In summary, the key takeaway is to stay focused on taking action and driving growth for your business, rather than getting bogged down in perfectionism or waiting for external factors to align.
Persisting and Creating Solutions: Never give up, be creative, and utilize resources and networks to find solutions for business challenges.
Persistence and creativity are key when facing business challenges. The speaker shared his experiences of going to extreme lengths to get the answers and solutions he needed for his business, including sleeping outside an office and contacting MPs. He emphasized the importance of not giving up and finding innovative ways to get noticed. Another important point he made was the value of networking and seeking help from resources like Entrepreneurs University and MPs. He suggested reaching out to them for guidance and using their connections to help resolve business issues. Lastly, the speaker highlighted the importance of having a clear and compelling business pitch ready to share with potential customers and investors once given the opportunity. In summary, the takeaway is to never give up on your business, be creative and persistent in finding solutions, and utilize available resources and networks to help overcome challenges.
Don't rely on savings forever: Invest in revenue-generating tasks and opportunities, prioritize empathy and human interaction, and avoid relying solely on savings or inherited wealth to build a stronger financial future.
While having savings or a financial cushion can provide a sense of security, it's important not to rely on it indefinitely. Instead, putting energy into revenue-generating tasks and investing in opportunities, even if they're not initially enjoyable, can help build a stronger foundation for the future. Empathy and human interaction can also be effective tools in achieving goals, especially when facing obstacles or setbacks. The speaker emphasized the importance of taking action and not relying solely on savings or inherited wealth, as the temptation to dip into those resources can hinder progress. Instead, investing in real estate or other opportunities can help create sustainable growth and prevent the temptation to rely on savings.
Transform a profitable job into a profitable business: Electricians are in a recession-proof industry, focus on building an asset, and overcome challenges to grow your business
Even if you're not currently engaged in income-generating tasks, focusing on building an asset, such as an electrical business, can lead to great success. The speaker emphasized that electricians are in a recession-proof industry due to the constant need for their services. He also encouraged the interviewee to overcome any pain points and turn his profitable job into a profitable business. The speaker's role is to challenge individuals to reach their full potential and grow their businesses. If you're facing challenges in your business, consider applying to be on the podcast to discuss your specific situation and work through potential solutions. Remember, it's not a pitch fest, but an opportunity to learn and grow.
Find James Sinclair's YouTube Channel: Support James Sinclair's podcast by subscribing, rating, and reviewing to help spread the message and reach more people.
To find the YouTube channel of James Sinclair, you can visit YouTube through Google and search for his name in the search bar. Once you find his channel, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review the content to help spread the message and reach more people. James Sinclair's podcast aims to help businesses grow, and your support can contribute to reaching and helping more individuals. By subscribing, rating, and reviewing, you're not only gaining access to valuable content but also contributing to the growth of the podcast and the community it serves.