Disqus - Latest Comments for MyOnlineToolbox

Re: Should You Adjust Pricing During Uncertain Times?

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 18:36:31 -0000

I think we all need to get "much more creative" than referencing the 2008 crisis. I am a 4x serial entrepreneur who had to also deal with the 9/11 crisis (back in 01 for those who do not know). Many of course saw it as an attack on the country, but they could not appreciate the immediate (sunrise-to-sunset) impact that it had on certain businesses. So many people are jumping too fast on their promotions and Virus strategies, and worse, attempting to implement them as they go along. As of this given second, we should be looking at this like the water at the beach is just starting to recede. Some are walking a hundred yards into the ocean because they are amazed they can do so. Some are on the beach just strolling along. And some are starting to walk back not knowing when the water will come back. And some are running for high ground. There is a rather large wave of uncertainty coming, and it is going to hit hard just like 9/11 but on a global scale. Eventually the dust will settle and there will be a massive opportunity for those who think it out. Many of our normal competitors will no longer be here. So my suggestion to many who have never experienced this is to pause for a moment since way too many ideas are flying around based on emotion and uncertainty. You can not implement correctly when completely uncertain. Sure, a few will get lucky with throwing random darts at ideas. But a new world of entrepreneurial thinking is at hand here. So simply pausing with strategic thinking for a few weeks may go further than how fast you can create a web page to offer a new service or special offer. Stay healthy and good luck with your future endeavors.
Brian
MyOnlineToolbox

Re: Expert Hiring Contractors

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 08:45:15 -0000

Michael,
Your comments are great, and unfortunately I see this all too much where someone is professing to be an expert when it is the furthest thing from the truth. This person starts by saying they are a real estate investor, so if I was a betting man, his goal is to buy distressed and foreclosed homes at the cheapest price possible. Then he looks to do as little as possible to clean it up, then flip the home as fast as possible for the best profit possible. He is not waking up in the morning with the attitude that the home will be his and lived in, so the natural concern is money-speed first, then quality-longevity second. I really couldn't care less about his opinions anyway since he is driven by short term thinking, while I (and you too) are focused on a contractor's long term stability, growth and profitability. Look for people based on being cheap and fast and distrusting and that is what you will find in return. Position for honesty, quality, being professional and reasonable with profit in mind, then that is what you will find too. The over generalization by this person is simply based on what he is actually looking for, and he finds it well. Hopefully contractors just look for the many others they can work with.

Re: Politely Confidently Qualifying Leads

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 11 Sep 2019 09:25:00 -0000

Congratulations to Milton Construction. I would like to amplify Todd's statement "First and foremost, we have to market our business in such a way that the majority of the leads we get are fairly close to the ones we want to get.". Todd started working with MyOnlineToolbox in early 2018. The objective was to Grow His Business with More Quality Leads. Sounds easy, right? Todd invested first time to be educated and then a plan for a complete transformation. We then took a step back and re-organized his approach to the website, Social Sharing (Facebook), Video Marketing (YouTube), Customer Validation (Google Reviews), and some other items not mentioned here to protect his marketing advantages. 2019 rolled in and everything changed from who he works with to how he manages the business itself. 2018 was the realization that change needed to be made, 2019 was the implementation of those changes with the fruits of the efforts starting to be recognized. Now as 2020 arrives, Milton is so far ahead in marketing & efficiency, and very close to its top competitors. The company is in a position to try new things including more stringent qualifications to get rid of tire kickers, or people they just prefer not to work with. Whether the economy grows or contracts, either way Milton Construction is positioned to attract the best opportunities for the remainder of its business life! It has been a pleasure working with them and it is great to see them reach a point where they can share their success with others. Best wishes as you move on!

Re: Cell Phone Jobsite

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 08:18:36 -0000

Another item to add, is SELF IMPOSED SILENCING OF PHONES. I "never" go 15 minutes without some form of interruption notification from a Text, Email, Voice Message, Facebook Comment Alert, LinkedIn Private Message, Missed Call, etc., etc., etc. When I go into "my time to do something", I simply shut off the volume. I finish what I was supposed to do and then I look at the other devices and have a quick catch-up session. My point is, do not let people distract everyone else, and for god's sake, get rid of all the annoying sound tones that sound like the announcing of the Old Army arriving or Darth Vader attacking, etc. Either shut it off or lower the volume. I already know there will be someone saying "But I am waiting on an important call ..." It's all important and the world did survive without the up-to-the-minute communicating. Do not let the interruptions control you getting stuff done, or you will lose (over an extended period of time), its a fact. Control your expectations with those devices and you will do great. And best news, whatever you miss will still be on the device whenever you decide to look at it. Trust me, people will have figured out how to move on when you do not immediately reply.

Re: It’s Awards Season… Are you Prepared to Win?

MyOnlineToolbox — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 19:49:11 -0000

We guide our clients to have dedicated landing pages first set up to show off specific projects to the best of their ability, and then we link to those pages during the application process. A great example is is this client who won both a Most Innovative Remodel project AND a Best Age-In-Place Remodel project. Our client was doing this of course to help add additional credibility to his company. But he also went for years against a bigger local competitor for awards and never was able to win. So we went out of our way to package the projects to win an award, and then beat them twice. Pretty cool awards in addition to the flamboyant projects. Check it out at buildittolast.com/awards-cr...

Re: Stop Doing Free Estimates

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 08:46:14 -0000

This is well worded, and I want to offer a supporting idea for those who will fight against this. Some people will spend all their time explaining why it can not be done. So I explain to my marketing clients to "just try the idea" simply by coming up with a reasonable price to break even on the time they spend soliciting a prospect. An established remodeling contractor came up with a random number of (I think) $750 to cover his time to create a detailed estimate. The prospect thought that it was too high, so he offered a discount and charged $350. Immediately the client felt they were saving $400 while the remodeling contractor also felt more excited and not wasting his time on a Free Estimate. He was surprised to have a check in hand to propose, and also gave a small discount off the price to secure the job too. Yes, it will not always work out the same way, but over time using the variable to establish value from the moment you are working for someone will allow you to get rid of the tire kickers, establish more credibility and not have you loose as much money in the prospecting phase.

Re: Your Contribution to Society

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 08:07:39 -0000

I have followed you for years, and have seen you in action in your classes, and any clients of mine that have worked with you all enjoy the relationship with Markup & Profit. So for starters, you are thanked by me and my clients! Enjoy your holiday.

Re: Does This Apply to My Business?

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 04 Apr 2018 09:08:36 -0000

Perfect for you to first emphasize "business" as opposed to the "trades". Too many people unfortunately like to begin by telling me they are a handyman, they are a carpenter, they are a roofer or they are a remodeling contractor. Everyone needs to be hard-wired to realize they are a business who happens to be a carpenter, roofer or remodeling pro. They need to think of themselves as professional as an accountant or lawyer. And in fact, they need to consider they are willing to go through the expense and time of making house calls, while the other professions enjoy people coming to them and even sitting in the "waiting room". Take all these costs into consideration when valuing your worth for what you do. Good "business" post.
Brian
MyOnlineToolbox.com

Re: Sales: Ask Questions and Get Answers

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 07 Feb 2018 08:13:10 -0000

Hi Michael,
You hit the nail on the head again. I would like to remind contractors that while this particular post focuses on budget, the other article you reference also includes the expected time frame. The expectations of "when" are as equally as important as the "budget". Your monetary focus is smart and one that anyone should take to heart and not feel intimidated about since it allows someone to focus on profits for a future job; an all too important topic that people sometimes forget about. Thanks for the reminder and link to your previous article.
Brian

Re: 9 Things to Look for When Choosing a Web Company

MyOnlineToolbox — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 07:39:05 -0000

Dave,
This is a good article, but I would like to add something important for the contractor to consider before even thinking about a website company. Many contractors do not appreciate the importance of their participation in the marketing process. Hiring a website company is a two-way street. Are they going to provide good pictures? Are they going to be proactive in their goals of getting customer reviews at Google, for content on the website and perhaps on Facebook too? Will they provide some fresh content on a consistent basis so the website does not just need SEO tactics to keep a dormant website relevant? I bring this up since I have managed so many marketing relationships where the contractor felt hiring the website company took care of all those items, and then over time the relationship became passive and even hurts the marketing objectives. So hiring a website company should really be a two-way interview, at least for the quality marketing relationships. Your summary is great, but the contractor needs to be aware the interview includes them too so the website company can be more successful.
Brian Javeline

Re: Profit Planning Construction

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 08:10:19 -0000

Thumbs up Michael beginning with the word "Planning". Way to many just go about their day hoping for things to go their way. And while hope and prayers are nice, it is so much more strategic to plan your destiny. And perhaps things will not go perfect, but they will definitely lead you in the right direction. And with a plan, you have something to measure. And when you can measure something, you can amplify what is working and fix what is not working. Have a great Thanksgiving too.

Re: Paying Subcontractors

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 27 Sep 2017 08:39:56 -0000

Nice story. Big emphasis should be placed on the "talking to them about it could be both the kindest thing to do for them, and the smartest thing to do for you." One thing I would like to ensure is that talking means talking. It does not mean sending a text or an email. Many times people act differently with difficult situations when they text, email or talk. If the topic is a sensitive one, then pick up the phone and "talk" since certain conversations are emotional and need to hear a voice. Talking with emotion can help many situations, especially when it comes to money.

Re: Sunsetting Kajabi Classic

MyOnlineToolbox — Thu, 13 Jul 2017 16:03:42 -0000

Absolutely Joe and my intentions are all good. I am unsure if you will see my account under the product name of MyOnlineToolbox or the legal name of ServusXchange, LLC. Reach out to me anytime knowing I am a proponent of the use of your product, and also have a lot of experience with migrating systems over the years so I can add whatever commentary that may be useful. Email, Phone or use my site to contact me, whichever is convenient is good for me.

Re: Sunsetting Kajabi Classic

MyOnlineToolbox — Thu, 13 Jul 2017 15:29:09 -0000

I am assuming someone at Kajabi realizes a 2.5 Month warning before shutting down access to something that works is unreasonable. Yes, I get it, we all want everyone to be on the latest and greatest. But I had numerous issues in the beginning and love how stable everything is. I do want to change but forcing my team to transition in busy season with next to no notice for the deadline is not being responsible. I can't even recall company's giving less than a year before product termination. Sometimes they fade support first as a warning process. But less than three months is simply not fair (trying to use the most polite words possible). I am assuming there will be a support person posting some type of generic response, but the reality is a 2.5 Month warning is simply not professional in any sense of the imagination. And finally, we really enjoy using the Kajabi product and have offered to be a success story over the years but never hear back. I have always been curious how to make contact with the right people in marketing about this. In fact, eventually I will migrate and will be more than happy to offer a successful conversion story if I could position for that in advance. Thanking you in advance for a reasonable consideration to extend such a short warning.

Re: We Don't Advertise

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 09:03:08 -0000

Thanks for the story. And I would also like to expand how people may view advertising. Magazine advertising and newspaper placements are an obvious option. And so is possibly a quick spot on a radio show. Another form of Advertising is Google Adwords where you can Pay Per Click or Pay Per Impression when someone selects a specific set of words. Of course I want all my clients to have a well tuned website generating organic (Free) leads. A contractor may be surprised how they can spend a little money on keyword advertising to supplement their organic (Free) listings. I'll share a secret. Make believe your website is appearing somewhere on Page 1 or Page 2 when someone types in "Kitchen Remodeling Contractor MyTown". You can pay a very small amount to be in position 3 or 4 (not position 1 or 2 which is the most expensive). Your goal for the advertising section IS NOT TO GENERATE A CLICK, but simply for someone to see your name (for Name Recognition Branding). Many people may skip the advertisements to see what is in the organic (free) section. Hopefully they see your company name for a 2nd time (since they quickly scanned it on top) and now will click on your listing below simply because they saw the company twice. That is a strategic form of advertising simply for Brand Awareness. Advertising is a component of Marketing; and you should have it supplement your online activities to drive traffic to your own website where possible.
Brian
www.MyOnlineToolbox.com

Re: Positive First Impression

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 21 Jun 2017 08:12:45 -0000

Hi Michael,
Good article. Many times I hear people tell me "I did not pick up the phone since I didn't recognize the phone number." So I follow up with a question that says "So how will you know the difference if it is a potential prospect?".

Most prospects will be met with Voice Mail since a busy contractor may simply not be able to answer, or may not want to answer regardless of phone etiquette suggestions. It is imperative to clear out your voice mailbox on a continuous basis to not meet the dreaded Voice Mail Full message. Also, ensure to have an inviting voice message with an upbeat attitude along the lines of "You have reached ABC Company. We are in the field servicing other clients. Please leave a detailed message how we can help you and we will get to you at our earliest opportunity. Thank you."

Remember to check your voice messages since some change them for events and vacations and they never bother to change them back. The worst I have heard is "We are on vacation and am not checking messages, please call back again." You can imagine how quiet their business was before I called to tell them since all other prospects were not in a rush to help out.

Brian

Re: Objections Book

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 08:27:37 -0000

Michael, you are spot on. Personally I would have started by using your closing sentences that it takes discipline, and then repeating it at the end since the topic of discipline can not be overemphasized. Long before I met you I took a highly rated Sales Class and they gave me a Cheat Sheet that forced me to get comfortable asking the Pain Questions such as "Please tell me a little more specific" and "How much do you think this will cost you?". I had to write down how people responded and how I responded. It took awhile for me to get the knack of digging deeper into my prospects real issues and expectations, and then I learned how to better adapt at my replies. Over time I can now easily get rid of the tire kickers and focus more on my quality opportunities. But it all started by being able to objectively reviewing myself and has been well worth the effort. Hopefully we can get a few to get passed objecting about an objections book. Had to add that last humor.
Brian

Re: Value Your Time

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 24 May 2017 08:41:23 -0000

Michael,
Your comments are great. Rather than me make any additional detailed suggestions, I think it best for a contractor to realize that sales is a process. I would bet that most contractors are better at what they do in construction as opposed to what they do in the process of qualifying a lead and closing a sale. Contractors should realize they can be their own worst enemy when it comes to the process of selling. A great example is the one where you mention about requesting for someone to simply turn off their phone for a short moment in time, which specifically sets the tone of the pending relationship, but it has nothing to do with the details of the proposal. Many contractors are a creature of habit, as opposed to an implementation of tried-and-true sales practices. I won't recommend any specific book or video, but rather just suggest a contractor learn the basics of selling. I care about this greatly since my business starts with helping contractors get more quality leads, which is great especially when the contractor knows what to do with those leads in the qualifying and sales cycle. Thanks for bringing this up.
Brian
#1 Online Marketing & Website SEO Education Series

Re: A Minimum Price

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 10 May 2017 08:25:49 -0000

Excellent article. People should realize that perception by a prospect may be the catalyst for someone saying "What is the best you can do to lower your price?" So make believe someone says "I want a car, what is the best price since I can get one for under 20K?". Why would you want to bring your price to 19K if you are selling a Lexus when the person was comparing the car to a Kia. Yes, both are cars. Yes, both go from point A to point B. But there is absolutely no reason for the salesperson to even begin to explain himself. So a contractor should look at their website, and see if it presents a clear image of the services, locations and biography background of the person or company. And of course having customer reviews would help validate the site. So after someone says "What is the best you can do?", you can then respond with a more "quality oriented reply that you are not looking to compete on price and gave them the price to get the job done right." Ask yourself how much you negotiate with your accountant, doctor or lawyer. Then ask yourself why you do not mind negotiating to lose money for your own business. It is all about perception and the realities of running a profitable business as the story explains. Thumbs up!

Re: Working by Referral

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 08:21:40 -0000

Great reminder to all. Referrals are great, but this is a component of a Marketing Plan. But continuing on this, it is important that contractors embrace referrals beyond the perception of word of mouth and realize technology is taking a big part of the referral process. I literally just did a post in Markup & Profits LinkedIn Forum group that demonstrates how a contractor posted on Facebook, and it was Liked by about 100 people. Those "Likes" are then passed from the person to their friends so technically the contractor is spreading Referrals without having people directly talk to one another. And further, the posts have a direct link to a specific webpage the contractor wishes to promote, so not only are they helping spread the word on a specific topic, they are also ensuring the message is as clear as they wish is to spread. Michael is right to say to not only rely on referrals, but it is also important to add that contractors can better support the referral process using online tools, many of them Free, to have the referral process be even more effective.

Re: Don't Need Leads

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 02 Nov 2016 09:39:32 -0000

Thanks for the shout out Michael. You are spot on when it comes to thinking about planning for the future. I just would like to expand on one sentence to ensure people don't inadvertently get confused. Instead of saying "Keep your advertising front and center. Make it happen 365 days a year", I would prefer to say "Keep your marketing front and center. Make it happen 365 days a year".

My reasoning is the advertising is part of marketing. Contractors may think they need to keep an advertisement running every day when that may not always be needed. But the marketing aspect encompasses so many topics, many Free and many Paid for.

For example, posting on Facebook for referral leads takes just a few minutes and is for Free. But possibly using Pay Per Click advertising to support new webpages that are not yet organically appearing on the top pages is not for Free.

One topic is Free and one topic is Paid, . One topic is social sharing while one topic is advertising. And both topics are subsets of marketing, and all should be intermingled 365 days a year. This is absolutely one of those best topics to embrace as the new year is upon us. So much future success is based on the seeds planted today with limited watering on a constant basis.

Thanks again for reminding everyone.

Re: How to Kill Your Reputation… FAST

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 25 May 2016 08:50:06 -0000

Good point, and another happens EVERY SINGLE DAY WHEN A CONTRACTOR ANSWERS THE PHONE. I call anywhere from 5 to 20 contractors a day when they leave messages saying "I'm interested in a new website" or "I want my website to generate better leads". Unfortunately a great percentage answer the phone in an unprofessional or aggressive manner. Literally, just before I read this post, I tried to reach someone who sent an email late last night. He answered "Yea, who's this?" ... He could have said "Hi, this is John of ABC Remodeling, how I can help you?" .... I explained this to him, and he said "He didn't recognize my number" and I said "How will you recognize a future customer's number if they never called you before?" That is what made him think and he did say "Thanks". I'll bet his image will improve just a smidgen in the right direction. Yes, I can help people get good leads, but why bother if you care going to ruin the reputation as soon as you answer the phone. Good food for thought.
Brian Javeline
www.MyOnlineToolbox.com

Re: Hiring A Contractor Advice

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 04 May 2016 12:23:18 -0000

Michael,

You are spot on when saying "Wrong Advice: Use Online Services to Find a Contractor"

There are other ugly truths that many do not want to say, especially the magazines that get advertising money from the lead gen companies.

For example, some lead generation sites scrape information off the web in order to create misleading landing pages that steer traffic to a webpage that will introduce another contractor simply because they pay to be listed.

Some online services have these antiquated and absurd Terms & Conditions that prohibit good contractors from wanting to submit their content (pictures, testimonials, etc.) to establish credibility. The content is dispersed in so many ways that may not be beneficial to the contractor, so the contractor has no choice except not to participate. And of course the Online Service will promote it in a negative way by saying things such as "We do not have any information on the contractor you are searching". That is always followed with a list of Preferred Contractors (which usually translates to Paid Advertisers).

Contractors should focus on their own website marketing and let their own image be the center for future lead generation.

Re: Designing a Magnet

MyOnlineToolbox — Wed, 24 Feb 2016 08:35:29 -0000

Nice article. Also, a good thing to include is the phrase "Responsive Design", meaning the website appears differently when looking at it from a Desktop, Tablet and Smartphone. Sometimes people may also say "Mobile Friendly", but it is better to ensure your website theme is Responsive and therefore will also be Mobile Friendly. And there are two issues here. First, it makes it more appealing for the person to navigate your site to indeed contact you as the story focuses upon. And also, based on the other story it redirects you too, you also are given preferences by the search engines when they can tell your landing pages target consumers correctly based on the devices they are looking at. So it is a Search Engine topic and a Cosmetic topic too. Good writing as always!

Re: Don’t Go Out Naked!

MyOnlineToolbox — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 11:11:49 -0000

Hi Bernie,
Good point, but I would like to expand on Your Naked Comment using the very information you posted. Many contractors make the same mistake over and over again. The picture you posted, IS NAKED TO THE SEARCH ENGINES to be found. It is called SEO for Search Engine Optimization. There are three ways to make a picture be found better, and in your example you are missing your shirt, pants and shoes when it comes to being dressed up for Search. So to at least put your pants on (hope all enjoy the humor), change the associated text (aka Alt Text) from a 0, and make it be Your Clients Name, his primary business type, his City and State. I can also teach you about the shirts and shoes, but then I have to charge you. Laughing. Good article and have a great week.