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Toolbox for the Trades Culture

TradesFormation: Growth Advice From a Plumber-Turned-Coach

⏱️ 37:21 🎤 Jackie Aubel, Adrian Fadini
AUDIO EPISODE
TradesFormation: Growth Advice From a Plumber-Turned-Coach
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Chapters

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  • 0:00
    Embrace Evolution
    The episode opens with the advice to stay consistent but constantly evolve, rather than repeating the same year of experience.
  • 0:54
    Introducing Adrian Fadini
    Host Jackie Aubel introduces Adrian Fadini, founder of Tradesformation and the first Australian ServiceTitan certified provider, highlighting his passion for business development and sales training.
  • 4:51
    From Plumber to Coach
    Adrian recounts his personal journey from a plumber to a business coach, sharing the challenging experience of having to sell his family home due to business struggles, which fueled his passion to help other trades avoid similar pitfalls.
  • 32:22
    Data-Driven Decisions
    Adrian emphasizes the importance of data-driven decisions, starting with accurate labor rate calculations and tracking sales metrics like average ticket size and revenue per day.
  • 45:06
    7-Step Sales System
    Adrian outlines his seven-step sales system, which begins with making great first impressions, gathering information, providing options, presenting options, understanding objections, closing the sale, and securing five-star reviews.
  • 56:39
    The Power of Questions
    Adrian stresses the importance of asking quality questions in sales, such as 'Why do you feel that way?' and 'Does that make sense?', to maintain control and genuinely understand the customer.
  • 1:05:46
    LEARN to Neutralize Objections
    He introduces his 'LEARN' acronym (Listen, Energize, Ask, Repeat, Neutralize) for understanding and addressing customer objections without creating conflict.
  • 1:15:00
    Hourly Rate's Flaw
    Adrian explains that the biggest misconception in the trades is that selling is unnecessary, especially for businesses operating on an hourly rate, which he believes is a flawed business model.

Speakers

J
Jackie Aubel
Host
A
Adrian Fadini
founder of Tradesformation

Key Takeaways

✦

Continuously evolve your business practices; don't mistake 20 years of experience for repeating one year 20 times. Seek external advice to avoid mistakes and set yourself up for success.

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Prioritize data-driven decisions: always know your labor rate and track key sales metrics like average ticket and revenue per day. Emotions are important, but don't let them run your business.

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Master the 7-step sales system: focus on exceptional first impressions, thorough information gathering, presenting three options, understanding objections (rather than overcoming them), closing, and actively seeking 5-star reviews.

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Connect heart-to-heart, not head-to-wallet: build rapport and show genuine care for customers. This empathetic approach fosters trust and improves the overall sales process.

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Utilize quality questions strategically: employ questions like 'Why do you feel that way?' and 'Does that make sense?' to control conversations, gain understanding, and avoid confrontation.

✦

Implement the 'LEARN' acronym for objections: Listen carefully, Energize, Ask clarifying questions, Repeat the customer's concern, then Neutralize with a well-reasoned rebuttal and a tag question.

✦

Transition from hourly rates to flat-rate pricing: The hourly rate model is inherently flawed and prevents all parties (customer, technician, business) from winning. Embrace flat-rate pricing to improve profitability and customer satisfaction.

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