This is the internal mantra from which all other business model thinking comes from. While it is not the phrase the client wants to hear, it is actually the base from which all great service business’ operate from, weather you know it or not.

Get IN

You get the invite to discuss what your business offers, this is where you make “the pitch” for want of a more polished term, (may be, Proposal for Technical Services for Mr and Mrs Smith etc.). We are in a service business, not a product and volume business, so resist the urge and advice of your business mentor to do whatever it takes to get the sale. In fact the best decisions I have made in Business, is which client to say no too. If you get the feeling they are asking too many questions about how you can change what you do to meet the offerings of other companies then you know it is going to go bad already. Walk away, yes, walk away. If the client values what you can do for them then you are headed for the right kind of relationship. If you can’t fulfill the expectations put in front of you, be that price or performance, don’t be shy in putting forward a name of someone else who might meet those expectations.

Get OUT

The fuller explanation of this term, is to know what you do well, build the expectation for this outcome, and deliver. This means that you have the right education (CEDIA and lots of it), the official manufacturers accreditation for the products that you offer, even if you can buy the products and get the software without accreditation (Clipsal Cbus comes to mind). The business of building technologies is tough enough as is, so make sure you are well armed to deliver……………….

Get PAID

Set the terms up front, I like 10% deposit, progress claim for wiring, money upfront for materials and labour on completion. Managing cash flow and delivering the expectations can be a nightmare when projects run over 12 months, prices change on materials, staff change, and new products come along. The personal rewards can be great, to see your expertise deliver a great result to a happy client, the cash rewards are often not as inspiring………..

Watch for future blog posts where we talk about each issue in a little more depth and dispel some myths about having to be up to date with the latest innovation and focus more on the experience for both you and the client

Take pride in your work, and build your reputation, Cheers, Ian