Gotta know what you’re fishing for before you bait the hook

Part 4:
Choose your bait.
Identify how to reach or connect with those clients

Only after you have defined your services and the client that uses these services, can you try to understand how to connect with them. Choose the media that will appeal to them. For example, if you love competing on commercial bid work, don’t send 1,000 direct mailers to residences. Yes, everyone lives in a home, but you could send 100 contractors a direct mailer 10 times for a similar cost. There may be reason to go out on a limb, but be careful. I once tried targeting a wide market that was not hitting our client base. It worked in getting the phone to ring. We got more leads from this form of marketing than anything else. The problem was that none of them turned into jobs. The only thing worse than not having work, is working hard for people that will never be clients.


Once you grasp this concept with marketing you will be able to apply it to every aspect of your business. The more you align your marketing, sales, and production with a focus on your vision the more dynamic the results will be. You are now on your way from marketing to branding.

Congratulations, you caught the big one!

Gotta know what you’re fishing for before you bait the hook

Part 3:
Determine your fishing hole.

Identify who is looking for these projects or services

Identify existing clients that are the best fit for your business. If it’s residential work, examine their lifestyle. What is their profession, what kind of neighborhood do they live in, where and how do they shop? This will direct your approach to them. It is one thing to take a lead that falls in your lap, but it is another thing when you are paying to get a new client. Before you start spending any money for marketing or advertising, be sure that it will be going to the right place.

Look for Part 4 to follow…

Gotta know what you’re fishing for before you bait the hook!

Part 2:
Three tips on how to stay in focus:

Define your catch.
Identify what are your preferred projects or services
You may have heard the advice to define your largest jobs or even the most profitable jobs. I believe that is very important, but look first at what kind of work will fit with your vision. It’s a lot more satisfying to make the work you enjoy profitable then to profit from the work you settle for.

Look for Part 3 to follow…

Gotta know what you’re fishing for before you bait the hook!

Part 1:
You might be wondering; what does fishing have to do with the Green Industry? Just hang in there, it’s coming…. I’ve noticed in the past 20 years as a business owner, that as much as business has changed, it is basically the same. However, in today’s business there is less room for mistakes. We all have to be a little wiser, more creative, and mostly, more focused on what we need to do.

Before you bait the hook, you must first decide what you want to fry up for dinner. Too often we spend money throwing out the nets simply hoping to catch something worth keeping. The problem with this strategy is either spending more money than needed or catching the wrong clients. It is common to think any job will put food on the table, but not any job will take you where you want to go. I’m sure I’m not the only one that has taken a job I should have walked away from. In these economic times, it is easy to fall to this temptation and deviate from your vision. But it is critical to define your best market and stick to it.

Most companies, weather by design or just plain reality, are set up to service a certain type of client or job. Some are geared for commercial work, while some are better positioned to service a residential market. Most small to mid-size companies have conflict when trying to service a diverse clientele. When you try to service the wrong client, you generally don’t meet the client’s expectations. You will either fall short on price, service, or quality. In some cases all three. This results in a poor reputation and eventually will affect the bottom line. Any time you have two distinct client groups you are trying to service, it is best to break your company into divisions. This will allow everyone to stay clearly focused on their client’s needs.

Look for my 3 simple tips to follow…

Get the most out of your conference!

Most people go to a conference finding themselves looking for the Golden Nugget that will change their business or life forever? They get back home fired up. They can’t wait to share the great news with everyone. They find out that no one is on board and the employees feel, “Here he/she goes again.”

I can help your participants get the most out your conference. As a business owner for over 20 years, I will show how businesses are made up of 4 main elements. This will help them focus on improving what matters most and not get burned out achieving nothing. This opening talk will be as beneficial for the one man show as it is for an entire team. With everyone running lean businesses can only give resources to what will make a difference!