Always Be Sharing Your Expertise Far and Wide
Knowing how to do something and willing to do it on your own are not the same thing
This past weekend was rough. In the US, it was Father’s Day on Sunday yet my wife and I were on day 2 of our weekend project to restore our backyard patio.
We knew it needed to be done. Yet had put it off for nearly a year. I would have loved to hire a professional team to bang this out for us but the cost was several thousand dollars. Yep. Big. More than 1000 square feet, with several levels, surrounding a pool.
Late last night, we finally “finished” the project.1 Now I have the pleasure of putting all the outdoor furniture back and returning the rented pressure washer (mine died on me again) so we can enjoy a few more years with our backyard oasis before this work will need to be performed yet again.
But next time, I’m hiring a professional.
Why didn’t I do it this time around? Because the patio is massive and pros would have charged thousands (multiple) to do what my wife and I did on our own.
We watched Youtube videos, talked to folks at a professional landscaping supply store, and recalled past conversations with the landscaping company that originally built our backyard oasis. We felt we knew what was needed.
Yet now knowing just how labor-intensive this project is, we now more effectively value the skill and organization that come with a professional team. Plus we made mistakes early on that caused a ton of rework and were attacked by bees, horse flies, the scorching sun, and full-body aches.
In all likelihood, a professional team would have completed this job in hours. Plus, it would have been done better and I would have recouped my time (3 days worth) so I could spend time with my family, enjoy my backyard, and write/think.
I was reminded of my own advice this weekend while drifting off to sleep last night in a frustrated stupor, trying to figure out what I’d share with you this week.
There is a clear difference in knowing what is involved and having the willingness to do it yourself.
Said another way, your prospective clients always have a choice - go it alone or hire you to do it for them.
When you share knowledge to help the DIYers (“do it yourself”), you aren’t losing business, you are helping people understand what is entailed. Oftentimes, that knowledge makes you even more valuable. When they are finally ready to “buy”, you will be top of mind — the obvious choice.
So, don’t be afraid to share what you know - far and wide. You’ll get to showcase your expertise while also helping people discover your business.
Yep; I procrastinated on this issue. I had no idea my entire weekend and Monday evening would be consumed with this patio restore project. So, I woke up at 5am this morning to share my thoughts with you. I haven’t missed a week since I began writing this newsletter back in November of 2020. And I wasn’t going to let this weekend project derail me now.