How to SELL as an Electrician - Or are you just taking orders?
Most of us in the trades hate “sales.” The reality is, we are in a reactive market, we just take "orders". We wait for something to break and then we wait on a customer to choose us, out of multiple leads. What i found out, is we are no different from a Mcdonalds cashier. We are not selling, we are taking orders. So how can we change our position? Truth is, it’s not really sales focussed, what we need to do is filter out leads. Here’s the problem: We don’t get calls because people “want” us. We get calls when something is broken. That makes us reactive, not proactive. By the time they call, they’re already stressed, shopping around, or treating it like ordering a Big Mac. Even if we push maintenance packages, most customers see it as a luxury or “insurance,” not a need. So where does that leave us? Frustrated, stuck, and thinking we’re bad at sales. But that’s why I built out these Contractor’s Blueprint to sales, and we been testing it on instagram LIVE and youtube. Whats needed as Contractors: A way to filter out problem customers before they waste your time. A process that shows respect, builds trust, and educates. Actual sales scripts that help you respond when they hit you with “I need to talk to my spouse” or “that’s out of budget.” It’s about filtering who’s a real customer and who’s not. I want to hear from you, what’s your biggest challenge when it comes to sales as a blue-collar service provider?Podcast discussion: Stop Using Org Charts. Use This to Grow Faster.
Do you have any thoughts, stories, or feedback after listening to the episode? Comment below what stood out to you most! 👀 🌟 Do you have a system for keeping your team accountable? How is it working for you, and what impact has it had on your service business? 🌟 How do you empower your team to make decisions without running every little thing by you? What’s worked (or not worked)? Episode Overview Most business owners think they need an org chart. But what many really need is accountability. In this episode of Masters of Home Service, Forrest Derr—Fractional COO and owner of Derr Consulting—joins host Adam Sylvester alongside his client, business owner Jerry Jackson, to show how to structure your team so everyone knows exactly what they’re responsible for. You’ll learn how to cut daily chaos, reduce unnecessary calls, and hit your business goals faster. Show Notes: [01:31] The #1 leadership mistake service business owners make [02:09] Accountability vs. organizational charts: what’s the difference? [02:46] How an accountability chart cut 80% of Jerry’s calls [03:28] Real-world examples of accountability in action [07:34] How to empower your team to make decisions [08:28] The $500 vs. $50K decision-making rule [09:37] The “barrel of monkeys” ownership trick explained [12:57] What to do when someone’s in the wrong role [13:48] Using the “GWC” method to evaluate employees [16:34] Why your team needs a clear “North Star” to stay aligned [18:24] Building positions based on outcomes, not people 🚀 Want to put these tips into action? Download our free, customizable accountability chart template. Never miss an episode of Masters of Home Service. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Do You Train Your Team to Think or Just Work?
Every Monday, we hold a short training session with our team. We train on communication. leadership. & mindset. The reason being most tradespeople aren’t struggling because they can’t do the work. They’re struggling because they were never taught how to: Speak with clarity Handle conflict Lead a crew Represent the business professionally These tend to be the issues I see bottling up, either from our exit interviews or customer feed back or when things are misunderstood. Thats why I'm curious: Do you train soft skills with your crew?I don’t really share this much —
I just passed the 100 contractors mark that I’ve been able to help through @buildnational. Now, a few of you have seen how I built a $1 million revenue electrical business in my first 4 years. And it had nothing to do with working harder. It’s actually the opposite. It came from securing long-term relationships/contracts, repeat/bulk work with service agreements attached. And the key to it all was understanding MY NUMBERS so I could stay competitive and still close the year at 42% NET profit. We’ve been featured in Forbes and, together, broken down stigmas around construction that keep contractors stuck. All of this—while traveling the U.S. sharing our story. At the end of the day, I just want to make sure you have everything you need to take full advantage of contracting. If you want to have a conversation or just connect, I’m here to serve.Contractors can build anything, but what about yourself?
Most contractors are masters of technical skill. We know the code. We know the tools. Even I know how to troubleshoot a issue in minutes. But here’s what I’ve learned: The business doesn’t grow unless you do. The plan only works if the person leading it has clarity. This graphic changed the way I approach leadership, not just as a contractor, but as a builder of people and systems.Set Goals & Be Honest About Where You Are
If you are going to take one thing away from this post, it will be this: You can’t set the right goal until you’re honest about where you actually stand. Remember please, if goals don’t come with clarity, accountability, and a real plan — they’re not goals. ... Their just wishes. We built this visual to help contractors including myself to focus before chasing anything new. Because growth doesn’t happen by accident. It happens by choice. What do you think? Agree to Disagree?Do Electrical Contractors own a business or job?
A lot of guys say they “work for themselves.” But when I ask who controls their schedule — it’s the customer. When I ask what happens if they take a day off — the work stops. And if they stop answering the phone — the leads disappear. That’s not a business. That’s a job with more pressure. I built this visual because I lived it. The truth is: most contractors don’t own their time, they just own the stress. So I came to the conclusion: If you stop working and your income stops too… You don’t own a business ... you just own your own job. How do you guys feel about that ?Are you willing to take the RISK?
We all decided to quit our jobs right ... Putting it all on the line to make it work, late nights, missed opportunities, lost jobs ... All for a chance at this entrepreneurship freedom. We all work of the reward, or whatever success looks like for us. You don’t get the reward if you never take the risk.And I’m not talking about blind risk, bidding jobs you’re not ready for, hiring too fast, throwing money at trends… I’m talking about calculated risk. The kind you prep for. The kind you back with systems. The kind that stretches you — but doesn’t break you. I’ve seen too many good contractors stay stuck because they’re waiting for the “perfect time.” The truth is perfect never comes. You either manage risk or you get managed by it. So here’s the question: What’s the risk you’ve been avoiding that’s actually your next opportunity?Most of Your Problems Are Communication Problems
I learned this the hard way - I always assumed people knew or understood what I needed, instead of communicating because I did not want to have the hard conversation. I wanted to be liked more than understood. But here’s what I’ve learned the hard way: Most mistakes, delays, and drama on a jobsite don’t come from bad workers — they come from unclear instructions. It’s not that people don’t want to do good work. It’s that we assume they understood what we meant. And when assumptions lead the conversation, everything breaks down. So I built this visual to help myself, my team, and now other contractors get clear. What’s one breakdown you’ve had that could’ve been solved with clearer communication?The Crazy Path We Choose: Why Are We Really Doing This?
Let’s be honest, it takes a certain kind of crazy to walk away from a steady paycheck, health benefits, a pension, and 401(k)… …just to trade it for stress, uncertainty, no consistent work, and no safety net. And here we are. Every one of us who left a “sane” path to start our own thing made a decision that doesn’t make logical sense to most people. We chose the crazy path. Most people won’t understand that we didn’t choose this because it’s easy. Either way, When the stress hits, do you question it? When you look around at people with benefits and security, do you wonder if you made the wrong call?
