Fun Time Versus Downtime.

Years ago, I was speaking with a gentleman who worked for a landscaping company. He asked me one of the most valuable questions I’ve ever been asked by a salesperson. He said, “How you feel about your lawn?” At the time, I explained that I divided time into two categories: Fishing time and downtime. Taking care of the lawn fell into the latter category.

The reason that question was so important is because it determined how I would look at his service. If he was trying to sell me the world’s greatest lawnmower with the most silent engine and the greatest fuel efficiency, equipped with surround sound headphones, and state-of-the-art air conditioning, he still wouldn’t be able to sell me one because that’s not how I like to spend my time.

On the other hand, if he said “How would you like to be able to go fishing anytime you want and never have to worry about your yardwork or your wife complaining about how bad it looks or getting dirty looks from your neighbor because you haven’t kept it up? What if we do the work while you’re out enjoying your fishing trips so that your lawn will always look like the nicest one on the block?” I would instantly say, “Sign me up,” because this person has appealed to what matters most to me. Instead of trying to determine how I spend my downtime, he was working on increasing my fun time.

Are you doing this for your customers? Are you providing them with the convenience and peace of mind that allows them to enjoy more of what they love to do while you remove some of the work that falls into their downtime category? I’ve known Tim Quade of Heaven on Earth Lawn Care for about 25 years. I’ve rarely ever met anyone who is more dedicated toward serving his customers. He’s created a symbiotic relationship with them; he tends to the beautifying of their property, thus allowing them to spend more time enjoying their property.

This is what you want to do for your customers. Show them that, by working with you, you will remove more of their downtime and replace it with more of their fun time.

“The way we spend our time defines who we are.” – Jonathan Estrin

Let me hear from you.

This excerpt is taken from the seminar entitled Time Mastery. I encourage you to click here to register for my live in person Time Mastery seminar on Thursday, September 7, 2023 from 9 AM to 12 noon Eastern Standard Time at the Comfort Suites in Manheim, PA. This event will also be available through live streaming.