Lifestyle Tradie Magazine Edition #58

ISSUE #58 – JULY – AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2020

RUN, TRADIES, RUN

BIG

RESULTS FROM

BE YOUR BEST SELF WITH A REGULAR RUNNING ROUTINE PAGE 10

BUDGET-FRIENDLY MARKETING PAGE 18

SUBCONTRACTOR VERSUS EMPLOYEE: WHAT’S BEST FOR TRADIES IN BUSINESS? PAGE 12

TONY ISGROVE

TONY ISGROVE’S PAINT AND DECORATE — VIP DIAMOND MEMBER SUBSCRIBE TO LIFESTYLE TRADIE ON

PRICE DROPPING: WHY UNDERCUTTING THE MARKET IS A BAD STRATEGY

FROM THE DESK OF

Hey Tradies!

It’s been a crazy start to 2020, hasn’t it?

From home isolation and physical distancing and to the scramble for hand sanitiser and a humble roll of toilet paper!

While the uncertainty has been tough to handle for many of us, it’s been comforting to see our Lifestyle Tradie trade business community rally together to help each other get through it.

We’ve loved trying out new and different ways to connect with our members — through our Get Sh*t Done program, and Facebook Lives to masterclasses, and Fright night drinks via Zoom.

You’ve totally been making

NEW WAYS TO CONNECT Here’s two new ways to connect with Lifestyle Tradie:

the most of this rare opportunity to doubledown on your trade businesses.

Here’s cheers to that!

In this edition of Lifestyle Tradie Magazine, we’re focused on the reboot and recovery stage of the health crisis, which includes our feature story, ‘Post COVID-19: What’s the new normal for the trade industry?’ and ‘Big results from budget-friendly marketing’. You’ll love our story, ‘Run, Tradies, Run’ for some motivation on smashing your health and fitness goals through running.

proud of creating a positive work culture. Thanks to one of the systems he’s implemented, Tony reckons he’s saving a whopping 12 hours a week — and wearing fewer hats.

Plus, our story, ‘Subcontractor versus employee: What’s best for tradies in business?’ covers a hot topic I get asked about all the time.

That’s it from me! What a read!

Enjoy.

Over to our member profile, Cheers, featuring Tony Isgrove from Tony Isgrove’s Paint and Decorate.

Growing his team to 51, Tony is

Andy Smith

Join our Facebook group, Kick-Ass Tradies www.facebook.com/groups/kickasstradies

Subscribe to our YouTube channel www.youtube.com/LifestyleTradie

Why not jump in and get started!

JULY – AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2020 58TH EDITION

CONTENTS 08

Post COVID-19: What’s the ‘new normal’ for the trade industry?

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Lifestyle Tradie Member Profile Tony Isgrove’s Paint and Decorate

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Upcoming ReIngnite & ReUnite 28-29 August QT Gold Coast

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Run, Tradies, Run

12 — Subcontractor versus

employee — What’s best for tradies in business

14 — Big lessons from the small

screen — Tradie takeaways from TV

16 — Virtual Member

Mastermind — May 2020

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Andy’s Rant — Price dropping: What’s at play?

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Big results from budget-friendly marketing 3

LIFEST YLE TRADIE MEMBER PROFILE – TONY ISGROVE’S PAINT AND DECORATE

LIFESTYLE TRADIE

MEMBER PROFILE TONY ISGROVE

TONY ISGROVE’S PAINT AND DECORATE VIP DIAMOND MEMBER 1. Tell us a about your business, life and family.

I started my painting career at age 12. I would work with my dad every school holidays. After leaving school, I worked full time for my dad and my uncle, Brian. At the age of 19, I decided it was time to go it alone and placed an ad in the North Shore Times.

After success as a sole trader, I employed my brother, Brad, and have never looked back. My business has grown to a team of 51.

Rhianna and I married in 2001. We have two amazing kids (well, teenagers). Sam, 18, is currently studying communications and digital marketing. Zoë, 16, is in Year 11 and planning a career in psychology. We live on the north side of Sydney with our two dogs and kitten.

I enjoy making the most of the harbourside walks.

We’re a quick ferry ride away from the city where we can indulge in Rhianna’s passion for the theatre and dining out with our friends.

One of the important steps of growing the business has been moving into a warehouse in Artarmon, Sydney, where we still operate from today. It was a great leap of faith — quite scary at the time (we only had a week’s work ahead of us at one stage). But backing my self, and relatively small team at the time, has had a great influence on my success and how my clients view the professionalism of my business.

2. What do you love most about what you do?

I love impressing our clients by giving them an amazing experience. We call this ‘Painting Happiness’. It’s such a good feeling to create a home the clients feel good in for many years.

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LIFEST YLE TRADIE MEMBER PROFILE – TONY ISGROVE’S PAINT AND DECORATE

3. Tell us a little about your life before joining Lifestyle Tradie? (What wasn’t working, what was holding you back or was in your way?)

Tip 2. Weekly team scoreboards for accountability Weekly scorecards from each team leader, this includes completed toolbox meetings, job hours are tracked, issues are reported and monitored, and all team members are kept accountable.

I had a reasonably successful business, but I was working extra long hours, only holidaying around public Tip 3. Prioritise the customer experience for referrals holidays, and dealing with all the day-to-day issues.

There were few or patchy systems. I knew there had to As 99 per cent of our work comes from referrals, ensuring our clients always get the experience they be an easier way! deserve and expect. This continues after their projects 4. What specific results have you achieved are completed with regular follow-up phone calls to check everything is to their satisfaction. since joining Lifestyle Tradie?

A major result of joining Lifestyle Tradie is I’ve learnt to delegate more. My team is now more responsible and accountable for themselves. I believe this has created a much better working culture and wellbeing for my team. We have also implemented systems to most of the things we do (one of which is now saving me at least 12 hours every week!).

Occasionally, we find out that it’s not, which gives us the opportunity to quickly rectify any issues. We also leave clients a completion pack, which includes a nice candle, branded tin of jellybeans, magnet, pen, warranty, and a personalised fan deck of their colour scheme.

7. Tell us something quirky about yourself that your buddies don’t know?

I love live music. On two occasions, we’ve had a live band in our house. Hell yeah!

8. If we were sitting here one year from now celebrating what a great year it’s been, what have you achieved (together)? (business/life).

5. Where do you see your business in five years?

If I’d reflected on this before COVID-19, my answer may have been different but it’s now pretty simple — the wonderful achievement of keeping all my team going, so they and their families can have peace of mind during these extraordinary times.

I can see us continuing to grow our team and becoming more profitable as our systems, accountability and quality systems become more embedded in our team’s culture. I see myself losing a few more hats and assuming the role of chief operation officer.

6. What are the top three things you have learnt about business that you would recommend to other tradies and why?

Tip 1. Weekly meetings for goal setting Weekly meetings with our management team. We have numerous tasks, which keeps us all accountable.

We have a scorecard for quotes accepted, team numbers, team leader accountability, receivables, Google reviews, follow-ups completed etc. This keeps us on track with our goals.

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28-29 August 2020 • QT Gold Coast

QT Gold Coast For now, stick to your 120-day plan and kick some goals!

You, beauty! We’re back at QT Gold Coast in August 2020 for what is shaping up to be another cracker Lifestyle Tradie member event. You can expect a packed education and social program, designed to reignite and reunite!

You’ll get started with our headline speaker, Dr Epsen, who’ll be first up on day one. Founder of the Bonfire Health Group, with hot yoga and wellbeing studies throughout Australasia, the former Ninja Warrior contestant will present on the powerful principles of business and wealth mastery.

You’ll be pumped about our line-up of speakers, which we’ll reveal in the lead up to the event. In the meantime, save the dates and we’ll be in touch with more information about accommodation and the all-important social stuff.

If you’ve got any questions, just shout out:

info@lifestyletradie.com.au

PRICE DROPPING: WHAT’S AT PL AY?

PRICE DROPPING: WHAT’S AT PLAY? Price dropping. Undercutting. Call it what you will.

The bottom line is, the Billy Bumcracks of the world are low balling to the point of being unsustainable, even stupid. Why? Well, the legacy of COVID0-19 is going last for the foreseeable future — and these ridiculous prices are going to be the ‘new normal’ for them and their customers.

It means they’ll inevitably end up in a pickle because they’ll be no profit margin whatsoever.

While I agree tough times call for some price tweaking if it’s proving tricky to get customers through the door, simply undercutting the market is not a good strategy. It will send you backwards, for sure. As trade business owners, we need to know our numbers, our breakeven, and be making profit to get through what’s ahead of us. Who knows how long a downturn may last?

I bet you think people won’t pay right now. I’d disagree. Our members are telling us they’re getting good quotes across the line on some bigger ticket items. I’d argue there is money out there, if you stick to your guns.

In a Facebook post from one of our members: “Be encouraged by competitors dropping prices. They won’t be around for long”. This nails it.

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POST COVID-19: WHAT’S THE ‘NEW NORMAL’ FOR THE TRADE INDUSTRY?

POST COVID-19: What’s the ‘new normal’ for the trade industry?

Many work environments are different to what they were before shutdown. From physical distancing, temperature checking, one-way lanes in corridors, staggered work hours to lift restrictions and protective screening. Hot-desking is dead and hand sanitiser is everyone’s best friend. Going a step further, Twitter employees, for example, have been told they can work from home permanently.

Interestingly, in speaking with our Lifestyle Tradie members, the consensus is, COVID-19 hasn’t had a huge impact on the daily processes and procedures in the trade industry. As tradie bosses, we have a responsibility to follow and apply the advice and recommendations of government and health authorities — and prioritise the safety and health of our tradie teams and clients.

But what, if any, changes will last longer term?

Practical shifts One of our members raised a good question about handling iPads in the exchange of payment and quote approval on-the-job, from a hygiene and safety perspective. It’s a fair point, given this recommendation from the Department of Health: “clean and disinfect objects you often use such as mobile phones, keys, wallets and work passes”. Andy Smith, cofounder of Lifestyle Tradie says commonsense is key.

“When your tradies are on the road taking payment and preparing quotes, it’s

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hard without using a mobile device, like an iPad. In our trade business, our boys clean the device with an antiseptic wipe, before handing it to a customer, followed by a friendly reminder to wash their hands after signing with an iPencil or their finger,” he says.

If there’s one practical thing that has bitten the dust in the health crisis — it’s the humble handshake on arrival and departure.

(Described recently as a “bioweapon”.) What will replace the handshake’s culturally-universal message of cooperation, connection and the building of trust?” Welcome to the new world of smiling awkwardly, offering an elbow bump, or head bow, in line with the Japanese tradition.

Which greeting do you think tradies will go for?

L I F E S T Y L E T R A D I E .C O M . A U

POST COVID-19: WHAT’S THE ‘NEW NORMAL’ FOR THE TRADE INDUSTRY?

Perception is important Mostly, Andy says it’s been business as usual when going into people’s homes. If anything, he points out that customers could be more inclined to appreciate tradies who arrive looking smart and clean, not rough and ready. For tradies in business, there should be an emphasis on those first impressions because perception is important when your team’s hygiene is being judged by customers.

“With most customers on high alert for good hygiene and cleanliness, tradies need to be showing up looking clean and tidy. While this has always been a priority, it’s a big deal when we’re all trying to stay safe and well — and it’ll ultimately impact on the way your customers perceive your trade business,” Andy says.

For trade business owners, the issue is two-pronged. On one hand, there’s no way a sniffly tradie could be sent to a job any more — it wouldn’t be tolerated by the customer. On the other hand, it’s the trade business owner who takes a hit when a tradie rightly takes a sick day for feeling unwell. Either way, there’s a shift in culture around turning up to work sick. The question is: what does it mean to be unwell?

“It’s up to us as trade business owners to tell our tradies it’s not okay to come to work if they’re sick. What makes trade business owners nervous is tradies who may push the envelope on this. Unlike other professions, tradies can’t work at home if they’re unwell. This situation could potentially be hard to navigate,” Andy says.

The next chapter While workplaces the world over grapple with a “new normal”, for the most part, the trade industry will continue to tick along, in more or less than same way in Australia. In New Zealand, the outlook is a little different given the stronger shutdowns. For now, our biggest challenge is the economic uncertainty ahead.

Surviving and thriving the next chapter will rely on trade business owners doing the basics — delivering an exceptional customer experience, keeping a close eye on cash flow, marketing to our target audience, and getting the right systems in place. We’ll just be doing all of this within arm’s reach of some hand sanitiser!

What does it mean to be unwell?

While most tradies have traditionally taken pride in their ability to power on through a minor illness, this “soldiering on” mindset is now a thing of the past.

Governments are now urging everyone to get tested for COVID-19 if we’ve got a cough, sore/scratchy throat, shortness of breath or fever. Prior to this, a sniffle or cold wouldn’t even warrant a sick day, in most cases. But things have changed.

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There’s a shift in culture around turning up to work sick. The question is: what does it mean to be unwell?

— Andy Smith, co-founder, Lifestyle Tradie 9

RUN, TRADIES, RUN

RUN, TRADIES, RUN

This’ll apply to our Lifestyle Tradie members (and Andy!) who’ve committed to running a marathon (42.2km). In the words of Shaun Creighton, 53, a two-time Olympian who returned to running after a 10-year hiatus with the aim of smashing the over50s records: “Consistency really is an important element if you are looking to improve,” he said, after breaking the over-50s men’s marathon record.

If consistency is key, here are the main benefits.

Happy hour As tradies in business, we’re pulled in different directions — wearing lots hats in the daily scramble to get sh*t done. Running provides a chance to get out of our own head, switch off your brain, and quiet your mind.

Despite our tough exteriors, many tradies are seriously struggling with mental health.

Statistics show construction workers — and those in similar trades — are 70 per cent more likely to commit suicide than their behind-thedesk counterparts. It’s alarming, isn’t it?

This year, many of us tradies have turned to running as a physical outlet and coping mechanism, thanks to social distancing, lockdown restrictions and gym closures. With running events still sidelined for now, it’s getting harder to stay focused and motivated, right?

Whether you’re a new or experienced runner, there’s lots of reasons to keep up your running habit post-pandemic. In this article, we’ll outline why sticking with a regular and structured running routine will help you be your best self as a trade business owner. Bring it on!

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Studies show aerobic exercise, like running, can be as effective as antidepressants in treating mild to moderate depression. It triggers the release of endorphins, known as ‘runner’s high’. Best of all, it doesn’t even take an hour to get these benefits — 30-minutes will do the trick.

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RUN, TRADIES, RUN

Fight off the beer belly

Anywhere, anytime

Are you carrying a few extra kilos?

Although tradie work can be relatively physical, you can’t rely on it to keep you fit and your weight in check.

The early mornings, long days and limited food options can contribute to wobbly guts, which will eventually wreak havoc on the way you move.

One of running’s biggest pluses is the ability to do it almost anywhere, anytime. Have you seen those Facebook videos of people running marathons in their apartments during lockdown? For busy tradies, the flexibility means you’re not restricted to a place and a time.

The number of calories you burn while running will vary based on your body size, your pace, and running duration. However, as a rule of thumb, one 30-minute run will burn between 200500 calories. As for that beer belly, spot reducing won’t occur with running (or any other exercise).

Strengthen your knees Most tradies have a case of creaky knees. All that prolonged kneeling in awkward positions causes unnecessary pressure on the soft tissue structures around your kneecap — and bingo, crappy knees!

Word of warning: don’t skimp on your running shoes. Get expert advice on this and be willing to spend a little bit of money — without good running shoes, you’re risking injury.

Goodness knows, tradies don’t need any extra niggles than we’re already carrying.

Catch up on content Got a favourite podcast?

Motivated by music? What about listening to an audiobook? Get those buds in your ears — and get running! It’ll take your mind off any trouble with your tradies and you can escape those day-to-day demands (even if it’s just for a short time).

Finally, if these factors aren’t motivation enough to get out for a run, search online for ‘virtual running events’. This way, you can still get a commemorative medal and merch while safely social distancing!

While running has long been considered a culprit of causing dodgy knees, research says the exact opposite is true. It shows running (even marathoning!) decreases the risk of knee osteoarthritis. That may be because running increases the flow of nutrients to the cartilage in your knee while also strengthening the ligaments around the joint.

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SUBCONTRACTOR VERSUS EMPLOYEE: WHAT’S BEST FOR TRADIES IN BUSINESS

SUBCONTRACTOR VERSUS EMPLOYEE

What’s best for tradies in business WRITTEN BY ANDY SMITH Subcontractor versus employee? This is an old chestnut of a dilemma for tradies in business when hiring new team members. What works for you in your trade business may not be a great fit for the next person. It can be a bit of a catch-22.

In this article, I’ll unpack the subcontractor versus employee situation and give you my verdict on what I reckon is the best solution.

I’ll also cover what’s referred to as ‘sham contracting’ and what it means for you.

Subcontractor versus employee: what’s the difference?

Subcontractors: pros and cons There are one million independent contractors in Australia. That’s a lot of subbies! For tradies in business, the biggest pros to hiring a subbie is you only pay them when the work’s on. If a subbie gets an injury on-the-job, it falls back on them, not you.

In terms of cons, because a subbie is running their own business, if sh*t hits the fan with one of their own clients, you could be left in the lurch. Their own work will come first most of the time. This is not a sustainable scenario.

When you’re hiring new tradies, it’s important to understand the difference between subcontractor and employee. In simple terms, here’s how the Australian Tax Office makes the distinction between the two:

• An employee works in your business and is part of your business.

• A contractor is running their own business Without diving too deep into the complexities of your specific obligations for each, I will point out the problem of sham contracting. Basically, it’s an arrangement when employers attempt to disguise an employee relationship as a contracting one. It’s never okay to ‘sham’ an employee out of entitlements. Serious penalties apply.

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SUBCONTRACTOR VERSUS EMPLOYEE: WHAT’S BEST FOR TRADIES IN BUSINESS

Obviously, this is relevant to tradies in business. In most cases, these workers are paid under an award and receive specific pay and conditions.

In my view, employees are the way to go. They’re 100 per cent committed to your business. There are no blurred lines in the arrangement. An employee performs work, under the direction and control of you, on an ongoing basis.

The other consideration is working out how willing the subbie is to follow your business systems.

For example, our plumbing business, Dr. DRiP, is systemised and structured. Things can get unstuck if a subbie won’t listen to your rules.

In an ideal world, tradie bosses would hire subcontractors full-time. We’d get all the benefits without the hassle of tax and entitlements. Given we don’t live in an ideal world, hiring employees is a realistic option for tradies in business.

Employees: pros and cons There are some workers who are always treated as employees:

• Apprentices • Trainees

Of course, it may not be the way to go for everyone. Either way, the subcontractor versus employee dilemma will continue to spark debate for tradies in business.

• Labourers • Trades assistants

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BIG LESSONS FROM THE SMALL SCREEN

BIG LESSONS FROM THE SMALL SCREEN Tradie takeaways from TV

There’s nothing like sinking into the couch after a hard day on the tools to watch your favourite TV show or reruns of a much-loved series. Even though we love our smartphones, watching TV remains our most popular pastime.

So, why is there an article on watching TV in a magazine for tradies in business? Good question.

Well, intentionally or unintentionally, we learn some big lessons from what we watch on the small screen.

Firstly, why do we love watching TV? Research suggests we watch television for the following six reasons: 1. Unwind It gives us an excuse the deter life’s chores while switching off from the pressure and stress of running a trade business.

2. Comfort After a long day solving client’s problems, TV provides shared family time and togetherness in an otherwise hectic schedule.

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3. Connect ‘Plugging in’ gives us a sense of connection to society, to time or to place. It contributes to our sense of self and social connection.

4. Experience From the storylines and characters to the dialogues, TV shows occupy our hearts and minds – and it’s a shared experience with others.

5. Escape Watching TV is a great form of escapism. It transports us on a journey to another time and place, which is welcome for most of us!

6. Indulge Sitting down to watch TV is often a guilty pleasure. Sometimes, watching alone, is the perfect time out from the day-to-day grind.

RIGHT, HOW DOES ALL THIS HELP WITH YOUR TRADE BUSINESS?

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BIG LESSONS FROM THE SMALL SCREEN

Famous TV shows & takeaways for tradies:

Friends

We’re talking about the original version of the show, presented by Jeremy Clarkson, not the current series of Top Gear (it’s just not the same!). If you’re addicted to streaming it, there’s are lots of little learning gems for tradies.

Survivor

If you’re a fan of Survivor, the reality-competition TV show, you’ll understand why this gripping program has many takeaways for tradies. With the tagline, Outwit, Outplay, Outlast, here’s why the show gets our vote.

1. What’s in it for you them?

On Survivor, if you want someone to align with you, or do something for you, it’s up to you to point out what’s in it for them. As a trade business owner, it’s up to you to let clients know what’s in it for them in all your communications and marketing. What value does your business provide them?

2. Sleep and food are important Hungry and sleep-deprived contestants make for compelling TV. When tradies are hungry and sleep-deprived, safety and good decision making are thrown in jeopardy. Self-care is critical for your own wellbeing. Make it a priority.

3. Build strong alliances Building a strong alliance—like building a great team for your business—takes a lot of work, strategy, and leadership. Do you lead by example, and make sure you have our employees’ backs? Trust and transparency go a long way.

Top Gear

The iconic sitcom, Friends, starring Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox, taught us many lessons in life.

If you know the show (hang your head in shame if you don’t) then you’ll totally appreciate why this one’s on the list for tradies.

1. Don’t give up on your dreams While the most obvious lesson from Friends is you can rely on your friends through thick and thin, the show is a great reminder to never give up on your dreams. Each character underwent huge career and personal transformations.

2. Honesty is the best policy When you’re in a tight-knit group, you can’t withhold important information from some of the group and share it with others. When you’re a trade business owner, always keep everyone in the loop to avoid any awkwardness.

3. Coffee, coffee, coffee You’ll remember Central Perk was the hangout place for the Friends crew because; caffeine! With our early starts at tradies, we can all relate to the role coffee plays in fuelling our best work as business owners.

1. You’re never too old to learn The trio petrol heads weren’t afraid to take up the challenges presented to them by producers, which made for a rollercoaster of emotions for viewers. They looked at the world with an open mind and wiliness to learn.

2. Failure happens Flipped cars, cracked ribs, broken bones – it’s all in a day’s filming on Top Gear. The struggle is real for trade business owners, too. It’s how you deal with failure and setbacks that’ll ultimately define you.

3. Don’t take yourself too seriously Having a laugh at work doesn’t mean you don’t have a strong work ethic. Just like Clarkson, who is known for not taking himself too seriously, having a sense of humour, enjoying the ride and being flexible will put you in good stead.

You’re not just a tradie, you’re an entrepreneur. You’ve got to rise above the day-to-day shenanigans to see the bigger picture, even on the small screen. What can you learn from your favourite TV show?

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VIRTUAL MEMBER MASTERMIND — MAY 2020

VIRTUAL MEMBER MASTERMIND — MAY 2020 WITH SAM MURPHY

The switch to a virtual Mastermind format, due to lockdown restrictions, presented a big opportunity for our team to give our members a seamless online learning experience via Zoom. In this Q&A with Lifestyle Tradie’s event guru, Sam Murphy, read how it all went down behind the scenes (and if there were any hiccups).

Question 1. Was the first virtual Mastermind a hit with members?

Given we’ve always placed a strong emphasis on inperson live events, we did have some concern about how members would respond to the virtual format.

However, the feedback from our members has been awesome! They loved the convenience of jumping online and got huge value from connecting with fellow members in the smaller ‘breakout rooms’, where they helped each other solve specific business ‘challenges’. Members tell us it’s always comforting to know they aren’t the only ones and starting the day chatting with like-minded tradies is great motivation!

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They loved the convenience of jumping online and got huge value from connecting with fellow members in the smaller ‘breakout rooms’ L I F E S T Y L E T R A D I E .C O M . A U

VIRTUAL MEMBER MASTERMIND — MAY 2020

Question 2. As the facilitator on the day, tell us how you were feeling in the lead up?

To be honest, I was a little nervous with the tech side of things. We’d done some practice runs with the team to iron out any glitches. However, Zoom is super easy to use and had all the features we needed for a successful Mastermind event! Phew.

Question 3. What were the main hurdles to overcome?

Well, the main hurdle was grouping members into breakout rooms. We pre-grouped our members by level — Diamond, Platinum and Gold — in an effort to have a range of knowledge and trade backgrounds in each room. The tricky thing was standing by to see who attended on the morning of the event. While most people did attend, I did have to make a couple of quick switches. All was well in the world again.

Question 4. Were there any big highlights?

With Mastermind being a virtual event, our attendees had the chance to make connections with other members they had not yet had the chance to speak to or engage with. I had emails from members asking for details of the other attendees in their group, to keep the conversation going. This was a big highlight to me.

I had emails from members asking for details of the other attendees in their group, to keep the conversation going. This was a big highlight to me.

Question 5. Will you be making any changes moving forward?

There’ll be a couple of little behind-the-scenes changes that will be put into action. However, knowledge is power. I’m ready and raring to go for the next one!

Question 6. Will this format replace in-person Masterminds?

Yes! While the interest in virtual events has certainly spiked since the coronavirus pandemic, the feedback we received from members confirmed that this is the direction we need to take these Mastermind sessions in!

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BIG RESULTS FROM BUDGET-FRIENDLY MARKETING

BIG RESULTS FROM BUDGET-FRIENDLY MARKETING

How can we get more bang from our marketing buck — and continue to convert customers — in the uncertain post-pandemic climate? Recent research found 60 per cent of consumers are turning towards brands they can trust right now, with a focus on offering solutions and hope.

For example, here’s how Nike responded, with new marketing copy, in the midst of the global health crisis: “If you ever dreamed of playing for millions around the world, now is your chance: play inside, play for the world,” to reinforce the broader social message to stay at home.

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BIG RESULTS FROM BUDGET-FRIENDLY MARKETING

On the flip side, KFC’s “finger licking good” motto was deemed inappropriate, for obvious reasons — and is a turn-off for customers. It demonstrates the demand for businesses to search for new brand stories to tell that better reflects our new cultural environment.

For trade business owners, the message of trust and relevance is significant and important. Customers are trusting us to come into their homes. The question is, how can you reach and influence existing and potential customers, when money is tight for you and them?

2. Offer deals We can nudge new customers and strengthen our relationships with existing customers by offering them deals or discounts. Consider offering discounts to certain groups of people – such as the elderly or frontline workers. When a business gives discounts to people who are in difficult situations, that business 1. Keep it up with email marketing shows it’s making an effort to Email marketing is at the top of the help people and will improve your list for a reason. It provides a reliable business reputation within the form of communication between community. your trade business and your opt-in 3. Ramp up social media customers. You can literally reach your customers consistently, where If your socials have been lacking some love, you’ll want to ramp up they visit every day — their inbox. your presence with the following The more value you provide to your ideas: target market, the more they’ll • Pay to play. Consider putting look forward to hearing from you. some money behind When that happens, it’s easier targeted social media to get them to engage with your advertisements or boost call-to-action. You may want to a specific post. What is share with your customers how you your target audience’s have you stepped up to help in your emotional context? local community, show empathy by What do they want sending a hopeful message, along to hear? with clearly communicating how you can help them.

J U LY – A U G U S T – S E P T E M B E R 2020 – I S S U E #5 8

• Revitalise Facebook. Have

you been neglecting your Facebook? Target relevant community values, and keep your FB page accurate, welcoming, and updated.

• Engage with your audience.

Get involved in the conversations on your social channels. Your customers want to hear from YOU. It’s a chance to demonstrate your expertise and personality.

Even picking up the phone and talking to your contacts can help drive new business leads — it’s another way to nurture relationships and build trust. Most of us don’t have the funds to throw at big-ticket marketing campaigns — and you know what, we don’t have to achieve big results!

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NEXT ISSUE

Compare job management software Are you getting the most out of your job management software? Job management software is always a hot topic of conversations between trade business owners. In this comprehensive article, we’ll compare all the features and benefits of job management software platforms.

NEW WAYS TO CONNECT

What’s your main motivator? Is making money the driving force?

In this article, we’ll explore the reasons tradies are motivated to start a business. Is it money or something else that’s driving tradies? And when the going gets tough, what keeps tradies in the game? You’ll be surprised by the answer.

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Lifestyle Tradie Magazine is published by and © copyright by Andrew & Angela Smith, Lifestyle Tradie Group Pty Ltd 2020. All Rights Reserved. This newsletter and any accompanying material are for general information purposes only. It is the responsibility of the reader to comply with any local, state or federal laws. The Publisher has taken all reasonable measures to ensure that the material contained within this newsletter is correct. The Publisher provides no representation and gives no warranty as to the accuracy of the information and does not accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in the information contained herein and shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising as a result of any person acting in reliance on information contained herein.