Thought I would share this.

[Dave McVey]

Two days ago I had an early morning estimate for a decorative overlay on a driveway scheduled.  The weather was cold and it was snowing really hard.  I didn't want to get out in traffic and drive across town, and I also didn't think I would be able to give a good estimate with snow on the driveway.  I was thinking of cancelling. 

 

Then it hit me.  I couldn't ask for a better day to estimate a driveway.  I knew if I took my snow shovel and shoveled his driveway I would have the job.   I also impressed him by showing up ontime on one of the worst weather days of the year.   It worked.  I walked away with the largest project of my career.  And, to make it even better, he's paying cash. 

 

I credit my good fortune to Dr. Wayne Dyer.  I have been reading a couple of his books and it enabled me to think about things differently.  Change your mind and good things happen.  

[John]

I hope you added 30.00 to the contract for the snow removal ;-)

[Paul Lundy]

The book is now a deduction!

[Gore Design Co.]

Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life is one of my all time favorite books. I downloaded it to my iPod a year or so back and listen to it every day on my way to work.

A verse that is especially fitting to what we do:

"Thirty spokes share the wheel’s hub;
It is the center hole that makes it useful.
Shape clay into a vessel;
It is the space within that makes it useful.
Cut doors and windows for a room;
It is the holes which make it useful.
Therefore benefit comes from what is there;
Usefulness from what is not there."

- Lao Tzu

[John]

That reminds me of the Yellow Submerine.......I've got a hole in me pocket!

;-)

I think I may try the download.

[Ray Zimmermann]

think good thoughts. every thought is a prayer. thank the sunrise for possibilities. thank the sunset for completion. respect everything. waste nothing. 100% industrial by-products/post consumer waste. IMO

[Gore Design Co.]

That is a great way of thinking Ray. Thank you.

Ray Zimmermann said:

think good thoughts. every thought is a prayer. thank the sunrise for possibilities. thank the sunset for completion. respect everything. waste nothing. 100% industrial by-products/post consumer waste. IMO

[Dave McVey]

Good words Ray. The books I've read are Your Sacred Self and his new book Excuses Begone. I couldn't put them down. Paul is right, these books should be deductible. Most management books say to Hire the most qualified people. I'm thinking of hiring the least qualified people most appreciative of the job, with no expectations of performance. Teach them everything I know. Someone, very poor or homeless that needs a chance. Feed and you will be fed, He who gives gathers.

"Whether you believe you can do something or not, Your Right". - Henry Ford

[Jeff Kuryluk- Concrete Encounter]

I would stay away from the "cash" word in print/internet.... just a suggestion.

[Dave McVey]

Cash doesn't mean I'll not pay my taxes just not credit card fees. :)

Jeff Kuryluk- Concrete Encounter said:

I would stay away from the "cash" word in print/internet.... just a suggestion.

[dustinbraudway]

Nice work Dave!

Going above and beyond often gets customers everytime!

[Paul Spurlock]

Good job Dave!

I received a request on my website for an estimate for a decorative overlay on an exposed aggregate driveway.
I also impressed him by showing up on time after driving 60+ miles threw a windy, rainy storm.

We walked the job and discussed the problems with the existing driveway, cracks, lack of saw cuts, old looking exposed aggregate, The driveway sloped the wrong way at the front entryway to this 2 million $ lakefront & golf-front home. The brick steps had about 25% slope.

We discussed all of his problems and the methods required to correct them. We also discussed the decorative concrete contractor who measured his driveway 2 weeks before, and he still was waiting for the quote.

While looking over the driveway, I commented on the brand new Mercedes sports car in the open 3 car garage. After some chit-chat about the sports car, the client pointed out cracks in the garage floor, ask what could be done with the cracks. I explained the method used for crack repair would show and would need an overlay.

The client requested a quote for the garage overlay and a separate quote for the driveway overlay and asked how long it would take to give a quote.

My response! Well I wasn't about to take 2 weeks to give this client a quote. I told him he would have his quote before I left his home.

An hour later I rang the doorbell with 2 quotes in hand. Well I closed the $5,000 garage project with a 50% deposit and scheduled the $15,000 stamped concrete overlay to be installed 1 month later while they took a 3 week vacation.

While installing this driveway and garage project we gave 5 additional quotes in this neighborhood.

[Dave McVey]

I love hearing these stories. Thanks for sharing that!

Paul Spurlock said:

Good job Dave!

I received a request on my website for an estimate for a decorative overlay on an exposed aggregate driveway.
I also impressed him by showing up on time after driving 60+ miles threw a windy, rainy storm.

We walked the job and discussed the problems with the existing driveway, cracks, lack of saw cuts, old looking exposed aggregate, The driveway sloped the wrong way at the front entryway to this 2 million $ lakefront & golf-front home. The brick steps had about 25% slope.

We discussed all of his problems and the methods required to correct them. We also discussed the decorative concrete contractor who measured his driveway 2 weeks before, and he still was waiting for the quote.

While looking over the driveway, I commented on the brand new Mercedes sports car in the open 3 car garage. After some chit-chat about the sports car, the client pointed out cracks in the garage floor, ask what could be done with the cracks. I explained the method used for crack repair would show and would need an overlay.

The client requested a quote for the garage overlay and a separate quote for the driveway overlay and asked how long it would take to give a quote.

My response! Well I wasn't about to take 2 weeks to give this client a quote. I told him he would have his quote before I left his home.

An hour later I rang the doorbell with 2 quotes in hand. Well I closed the $5,000 garage project with a 50% deposit and scheduled the $15,000 stamped concrete overlay to be installed 1 month later while they took a 3 week vacation.

While installing this driveway and garage project we gave 5 additional quotes in this neighborhood.

N