Is a Salesperson Different from the Person Who Makes The Quotes?
I had an interesting discussion with my mentor lately. Some background: I promoted a team member from carpenter to operations manager. I gave a base salary plus a percentage of gross profit above a certain mark. We didn't hit that mark so he basically just got his base salary for the quarter and was really disappointed, came in and just asked for a really high base instead. I was talking to my mentor about how our sales flow is structured and he mentioned I need to be thinking of the sales person as a lead generator, then the person who would be managing the execution as the person who needs to put the estimates together. That kind of blew my mind a little bit but the more he talked about it, the more it made sense. Keep in mind our projects are all custom essentially so there's different details for everyone, even if it's kind of the same thing. If I go and make the job walk, make the estimate then sell to the team, but then try to incentivize it based on a budget, it's not necessarily fair because the production staff had no part in making that budget. BUT if I'm able to create the "at bats", the foreman walks it with the client then assigns the amount of time and material it will take. Then there's less opportunity to miss details or something get lost in communication. I can give him a plaud unit to make sure to summarize everything. This would also solve the problem of clients treating me like the project manager even though I'm not supposed to be the project manager. I was the one that shook their hand and took their deposit so why wouldn't they send me the grout selections right? Anyway, if you read through all that - I'm curious what your opinion on this is.Should small businesses stop answering every phone call immediately?
This one is tricky because speed-to-lead matters. If a new prospect calls and you don’t answer, there’s a good chance they call the next company. But answering every call the second it comes in can train customers to expect instant access to you forever. That gets hard once you’re in the field, managing employees, driving, handling payroll, doing estimates, or trying to focus on higher-level work. I’ve had to think about this a lot because missed calls can cost money, but constant interruptions also cost money. There’s a difference between being responsive and being constantly available. A business can still have a strong response system without the owner personally answering every call in real time. That might mean: a call answering service a trained admin or CSR voicemail with a fast callback window text-back automation online booking or quote forms clear office hours different rules for new leads vs current customers The goal is to protect lead response without letting the phone run the entire day. For us, I still care a lot about speed. But I also don’t want every phone call to interrupt routes, training, customer issues, or focused work that moves the business forward. Do you answer every call immediately, or have you built a system around when and how calls get handled?
How do I explain the value of my services without defending my prices?
What's one service that customers consistently underestimate the value of? For me, it's often the planning, preparation, and experience behind the work—not just the labor itself. How do you educate customers on the value you bring without feeling like you're defending your prices? I'd love to hear how others approach these conversations.Are You Selling Your Service… or Selling the Experience?
Customers have more choices than ever. Sometimes the difference isn’t just the service you provide, but how you make people feel from the first interaction to the final follow-up. What are some ways your business creates an experience that keeps customers coming back?Any tips for making YouTube videos that actually bring in customers?
If you're creating videos for your business (or thinking about it), what's one thing you've learned that makes a difference? In this Masters of Home Service episode, Jacob Palmer (Palmer Electrical) talks about how simple YouTube videos became one of his biggest lead generators. He shares practical advice on filming real jobs, building trust before the first phone call, and using video content to win more local customers without relying on paid ads. Never miss an episode of Masters of Home Service. Subscribe on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Marketplace Integration
Hi I'm Tom, I'm new here and am having difficulties with Facebook Market Place. I don't have an advertising budget yet. I'm too small and sales are not consistent or regular enough. My clients rave about products, build, quality and price. I've been posting and relying on word of mouth for sales. I can't figure out how to promote my products or make a business page. Am I barking up the wrong tree. I'm local in the East Valley. Should I be starting in a different direction?Have you ever fired a marketing channel?
What's something you used to spend money on that you finally said, "Never again.” Google Ads? Flyers? Something else? What made you pull the plug on it? In this Masters of Home Service episode, Gabe Chrismon of Oply unpacks why throwing more money at marketing isn't always the answer to landing new customers. Learn about customer acquisition cost (CAC) and how to get more value from every marketing dollar. Never miss an episode of Masters of Home Service. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
