Law of Attraction

[Dan]

I want to introduce you to something that I think most of you will not have heard of.

Law of Attraction.

Now, if you look into this toooooo much, you could end up in a cult. So don't.

But the basics of this is this (and this is a really basic way of explaining this):-

What you do and have, you'll get more of.

So. Walk into a pub and swear a lot, and you can expect lots of swearing back. Walk into a pub a replace those swear words with something a bit more intelligent and you're more likely to get similar words in reply.

It's a little to do with raport. And it's a little to do with just general human connections (sort of still rapport).

Let me put it like this;

You have a nice car (or whatever) and you drive around, you're likely to notice and see more cars of your style, that you are without.

If you have a nice house, you're more likely to see more nice houses than those that are not.

I'm sure by now most of you will be nodding your head a bit and thinking hmmmm that makes a bit of sense.

So. How do you put this in a way that a tiler will get more business from it?

- Like this.

If you're going out and 'quoting' for a job (estimating if you take our resident account GrumpyGrouter's advice!!!!! - which I recommend you do) and you pull up in a little rusty van, with your dirty clothes, with your pencil unsharpened. Expect the customer to haggle, be a bit sceptical, and generally don't stick them down as a 'winner'.

If you go to 'quote' a job in your best (work) gear, in your nice clean van (perhaps still a bit rusty, but at least clean, and with your firms name on it!) you're more likely (and this isn't my own findings, this is almost fact, almost!) to get a response from the customer that you're looking for.

In a way I've had it explained to me you'd be hearing this a bit like this:

If you're a premiership footballer and you go out for a drink in the national footballers club, so all footballers are there. And you're a real top class footy player, you're more likely to avoid the riff-raff than the guy who's not known to anybody. And the guy's who are not known in the main, are more likely to attract those who don't know the premiership guys, or the elite.

So the 'law of attraction' basically says, what you have, you'll get more of. If you're a bit of a guy who likes to do business professionally, you'll attract more professional business people. If you're a guy (or gal, sorry gals) who doesn't mind attracting the lesser quality business, then you're more likely to attract the lesser quality business in.

So a council-employed tiler, will attract lots of business from those who don't want swimming pools tiling. And a guy that does bespoke kitchens and bathrooms to a quality no other can match, is probably more likely to attract more of the same business in.

If by now you're thinking this is bollox, close the page. If you're thinking this is ringing a bit true. Give it a go.

What to do:-

• Ensure you're explaining on those jobs lower than your standard that you're willing to do the work, but normally you'd not bother. You do better stuff.
• Explain that (as Darren from NETT has often said) you're willing to walk away from those that just want the cheapest. Let some other shmuck do it and him get the problems in the future if you start to think 'it is sounding a bit too much for not enough'.
• Be sure you have all your professionalism about you, no home-made business cards, no self-built rubbish website (i respect the fact that some of you guys knock up a good one, but if you can't then don't bother - wait until you can get it done right to fit your image).
• Make sure you're tackling the stores enough. You want to be known in your local store as THE tiler of the world. Okay, you can't all be, but you can bloody try! Most stores have lots of offers from tilers in these "tough times" - but if you know you're better than the average, go in and have a chat about it. Tell them why you are, point out why you are, get your customers to call the shop after each job and tell the shop you're the best! They'll really really start relying on you if you get a few, I almost dare to promise.
• Make sure you're using the best Mapei gear (and not just an expensive brand, there are many!).
• And be sure you're really explaining at every chance why you're good at what you do, and why you're still doing it! Many are quitting early, many older firms are struggling as a result of relying on old trade history - or something else. And it's a case of those who dare, really do often win.

So a little bit of encouragement, and a little bit of a mission there.

But checkout youtube for a more general explanation of 'the law of attraction' and be sure you're at least considering it might be possible that those with something, attract more of it. And those without it, are less likely to get 'it'.

 

[stevee]

i agree dave ,first impressions type thingy,self respect ,steve

 

[doug boardley]

better than Newtons explanation Dan

 

[Deleted member 9966]

And can I just add to Dan's good advice - don't forget about your body language!

Eye contact, active listening, make it look like you're interested even if you're not and can't wait to get out of there, keep arms at your sides rather than folded in front of you... basically keep your body language open and you'll put your customer at ease

Unless of course they have a big, vicious looking dog and then you might want to wear fully body armour....:ninja:

 

[DHTiling]

i agree dave ,first impressions type thingy,self respect ,steve

I wish stevee..it was Dan's thread....:smilewinkgrin:

 

[stevee]

doh!!!!!!:lol:

 

[brian c]

good upbeat post Dan and its true.

 

[White Room]

Also have a good knowledge of your materials

 

[faithhealer]

Nice post dan

 

[user123]

You been watching 'the Secret' and listening to Bob Proctor then, Dan? Know EXACTLY where you are coming from..and yes, I'm still practising..but it is astounding stuff... well done explaining it in context

 

[nickj]

Thats a great post Dan.

You need customers to see the value in what you offering so that price doesn't become an issue, try to steer people away from price to start with until you have really gone over everything and let the customer know what else your going to do for them, trust me once you've done this then the fact that you may be charging slightly more will be outweighed by what the customer will see as added value

 

[user123]

The law of attraction, if I can add to it, also states that you will get the results from your labours what you EXPECT to get!
If you expect bolgey customers you will get them, if you expect to mess up you are more likely to, however, if you expect to do a good job (putting the necessary effort in of course!) you are more likey to succeed and if you expect good working relations, they are more likely to be that way. Many of us are conditioned to expect the worst, and keep getting it, but those with a sunny outlook tend to get sunnier results.That sunny outlook can be worked on.
Isnt that what make stilerforums so sucessful? Because people EXPECT to be treated decently and with humour and a sense of family, that is carried on and so it goes. THat would not have been possible without the EXPECTATION, the vision, of Dan and Dave and the other moderators, it's all about laying the right foundation in your head first.

 

[Dan]

The law of attraction, if I can add to it, also states that you will get the results from your labours what you EXPECT to get!
If you expect bolgey customers you will get them, if you expect to mess up you are more likely to, however, if you expect to do a good job (putting the necessary effort in of course!) you are more likey to succeed and if you expect good working relations, they are more likely to be that way. Many of us are conditioned to expect the worst, and keep getting it, but those with a sunny outlook tend to get sunnier results.That sunny outlook can be worked on.
Isnt that what make stilerforums so sucessful? Because people EXPECT to be treated decently and with humour and a sense of family, that is carried on and so it goes. THat would not have been possible without the EXPECTATION, the vision, of Dan and Dave and the other moderators, it's all about laying the right foundation in your head first.

That's spot on.

 

[user123]

That's spot on.

Singing from the same hymn sheet then...

 

[LM Ceramics]

thanks good post dan certainly theres alot i can learn from that. There are still customers that want the cheapest job and you can usually tell that from their body language all we can do is try and be as professional as we can. Recently i have noticed when quoting a few jobs this year the"potential" customers have been getting 5 or 6 quotes more than the usual