One of my favorite scenes from the 1995 film Braveheart takes place on the battlefield before the hand-to-hand combat takes place. In a rousing speech, Scotsman William Wallace challenges his troops to stay and fight. His words whip them into a frenzy.
One
of my favorite scenes from the 1995 filmBravehearttakes place on the battlefield before the
hand-to-hand combat takes place. In a rousing speech, Scotsman William Wallace
challenges his troops to stay and fight. His words whip them into a frenzy.
But
as the British forces advance, Wallace cautions his fighters with the words
“hold…hold…hold”
with increasing intensity. Every time I watch this scene, I am on the edge of
my seat with tension. I want to shout, “You’re waiting too long.”
But
then, finally, Wallace releases his undermanned forces. They go on to win the
battle decisively and turn the tide.
Lately,
the construction and maintenance markets have produced a similar tension, with
owners, presidents, and managers all saying, “hold…hold…hold” even though their
staffs are ready to engage.
They
are waiting for the right moment to make investments, buy products, increase
marketing and release their troops to do battle.
In the last two weeks, I’ve
visited three large trade shows in three distinctive markets. I’m pleased to
report a consistent mood of optimism. From manufacturers to distributors to
contractors to engineers, almost all say they think 2010 will be measurably
better than 2009.
Of course, they could be
lying.
If so, I sure don’t want to
play poker with any of them because they have me believing we are getting close
to a modest turnaround.
Unfortunately, mixed with
their optimism is the caution of a savvy hunter, patiently (OK, some are anxious)
waiting for the prey to come into focus. With a keen eye studying the
landscape, they are looking for the right moment to pull the trigger.
Most of you reading this
blog probably feel the same way. You are poised to pull the trigger on your
business, but you are looking for that one missing element…
Customers (yes that’s
plural).
Maybe, just possibly,
there’s a way to bring the customers to you. It would sure help to have a coach
who understands the construction/service field, someone who had been through
past downturns and knows how to make the phone ring.
Fortunately for you, there
are pros who can help you grow your business now, despite the recession.
Business development experts
Al Levi and Ellen Rohr, two seasoned pros who ran successful contracting
operations, have turned to lives of inspiration. They spend much of their days
coaching and inspiring construction and service business owners on how to excel
in any market condition.
You may have seen their
columns and blogs in several BNP Media trade magazines and Web sites. They’ve
cultivated a legion of dedicated fans throughout the trades, including
plumbing, HVAC, roofing, cleaning, carpentry, electrical, and remodeling.
Here are just three of the
customer-generating techniques Al and Ellyn are teaching.
Laser-focused,
testimonial-based direct marketing.With as few as 100 postcards, you could generate
tens of thousands of dollars in sales. They know who to send to and what to say,
and they are sharing.
Friendly
e-marketing.Be the
first in your market to really "get it." Your customers are well
served to stay in touch with you electronically. Al and Ellen share how to get
an e-marketing strategy up, running and working.
Simple,
win-win-win acquisition marketing.
Big
companies got big using this technique, which can be deceptively easy and
affordable.
Starting March 16, Al and
Ellen are sharing how these and other “market drivers” that will get your phone
ringing. Using telephone seminars and one-on-one coaching, they will walk you
through how to gauge when to strategically implement these techniques for your
business
If your business is “locked
and loaded”, and you are tired of holding, get in touch with Al by visiting www.GetMoreCallsNow.com. Or, contact
Al at al@appleseedbusiness or
visit his Web site, www.appleseedbusiness.com.
A Business Lesson from Braveheart, Al and Ellen
By Tim Fausch
February 5, 2010
Tim Fausch is publishing director of BNP Media’s Architecture, Engineering & Construction and Mechanical Systems Groups, a collection of more than 20 trade magazines, Web sites and e-newsletters. Just don't ask him to use any actual tools.