There’s not a lot of positive news coming out right now. I’ll be honest with you, I’ve found myself getting sucked into all of this negative thinking. Recently, I spent a few hours with my mentor. He’s a landscape contractor and someone for whom I have tremendous respect. Not just because he runs a terrific company, but also because he’s a great guy. He’s a loyal family man who is a leader in every way. All I needed was a little time with him, and my thoughts quickly turned to the positive and I saw opportunity, not problems. Let me explain.
My mentor has been in business for more than 30 years. He’s seen a lot more than I have. Yes, technically this is my 24th year, but when you start a business at 14 you really can’t start counting years till 22. I told my mentor I was worried about the economy. His close friend, who has also become a mentor to me as well, chimed in, “Oh no, don’t start that stuff on me. You’re going to tell me that the economy is in the tank and so on. I’ve heard Frank say that for over 30 years and every year it’s proved wrong.” Frank, responded, “Yeah, he’s right. I have from time to time worried about it, but it always works out.”
I asked Frank why it’s always worked out and what I needed to do to make sure 2008 was a good year. I’m going to share with you what he said because I think it will really help you. He gave me three specific suggestions.
Hustle. Go after all the work you possibly can. Make sure it’s the right type of work, but go after it hard. Call your prospects back immediately, get them a quote immediately and close the work. Now is the time to sell like your life depends on it.
Frank is right, but why must it take bad times for us to understand this? Maybe we can form some good habits. I have always hustled and it is the main reason my company has been successful, but we can always get better.
Sell every job you can. Do so even if you don’t believe you can get them all done. If you get the work, you’ll figure it out; you’re an entrepreneur, right?
I can’t argue with what Frank said; it doesn’t seem terribly logical, but you have to get the work, and I have always risen to the challenge in the past. Maybe one of my local landscape buddies would like to work for us on some of these projects? Who knows, maybe they’ll like working with us so much that they will join our team permanently?
Think positively. I was almost embarrassed to listen to this. As a motivational speaker, I should know this better than anyone. It is very important to think positively, but be realistic at the same time. Last year I had the best year of my life at Grunder Landscaping. I know exactly why and we’re going to do those things again this year. I am trying to grow sales by 5 percent. It’s not a terribly lofty goal, but it’s a positive one nonetheless and a realistic one, even in a down economy.
Frank is a great mentor. I hope his words of advice resonate with you and I hope you’ll hustle, take every good job you can get, and think positively the rest of the year.
I know I will. LL
Marty Grunder is a speaker, consultant and author, as well as owner of Grunder Landscaping Co., Miamisburg, Ohio. Reach him at 866/478-6337, landscapesales@gie.net or via www.martygrunder.com.
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