by Jurek Leon
Jim Penman. You may not know the name but, if you live in Australia or New Zealand, you will most likely recognise ‘the face that launched a thousand trailers’.
In 20 years Jim Penman has gone from cutting lawns and trimming edges in the Melbourne suburbs to creating the largest lawnmowing round in the world through his Jim’s Mowing franchise group. And it isn’t just Jim’s Mowing. There are now around 25 different ‘Jims’ businesses in the Jim’s Group, from fencing, tree lopping, paving, cleaning and dog washing to computer repairs and furniture removals.
To launch an international business out of such a humble occupation you might think that Jim Penman must be a born salesman. Not so.
I’ve been listening to a 30 minute interview with Jim Penman on the monthly Success Builders audio magazine. And this former PhD student who cut lawns and removed garden refuse to finance his way through university is the opposite of the super charged salesman. He admits to having been hopeless at selling until one day, in 30 minutes, learning the secret to selling that was to quite literally help him launch a thousand trailers.
At the time Jim was looking for advice on advertising and was recommended to a man, Peter Runcie, who was a partner in an advertising agency. I will let Jim himself explain what happened as told in his book “What Will They Franchise Next?”
“He invited me in and spent half an hour answering my questions, advising me on media, how to word ads, anything he thought might help me out. And at the end of the interview, advised me that at that stage I really could do it all myself, which I did.”
“I remember walking back to my car feeling very impressed by Peter and his agency and thinking about why. He had done nothing to sell his business to me. He had not told me about his clients nor shown me any materials. In fact, he had advised me not to use him. Yet I had been completely and totally sold. And I knew that if I ever did need an agency, would use his without hesitation, without asking the price, and without considering his competitors – which I did a couple of years later when we decided to run TV commercials.
“He had done nothing to sell me on his business, yet he had given me the most successful sales pitch of my life. Because his sole concern had been my welfare and the success of my business. So I felt I could trust him. Just as I reached the car and leaned over to open the door, I figured out how to sell lawnmowing rounds. This idea, this flash of inspiration, this blinding light on the road to Damascus, was the key to what followed.
“The next time someone called me about a lawnmowing round I tried out my new approach. Normally, when someone rang me up about a run, I would describe the business and suggest why they should buy from me. This time, I began by asking a question. I said, ‘Do you know what it means when we talk about the ‘cut’ of a lawnmowing round?’ A ‘cut’ is the value of a job done once. For example, 50 customers with an average job price of $20 would have a ‘cut’ of $1,000. From this you can figure out expected income and a fair price for the business. Newspaper ads for mowing rounds were all phrased in terms of cut, but I knew from experience that most potential buyers did not know what it meant. I told him and gave him more information that I thought might be useful.
“When he and those who followed, came for an interview, I told them not only how to buy a mowing business but also how to run one properly. I gave advice on advertising, collecting payment, and such technical hints as how to cut wet grass and fill the catcher. With time, I developed and gave them a 12 page manual on buying and running a mowing business called ‘How to buy or build a lawnmowing business’. All my hard-earned knowledge was passed on without strings. At the end I would show them the round on offer, briefly stating some of the advantages of dealing with me. My aim was that by giving advice and focussing solely on their interests I would show that I was worthy of their trust.
“From that time on I had no further trouble selling rounds. I even started to enjoy it. While traditional selling was beyond me, ‘selling by not selling’ was easy and fun.”
Jim Penman stresses in his book that an important point about this sales technique is that the information must be given without strings attached. Some time after his introduction to this enlightened approach to selling he was considering buying a house that had no trees in the garden, which (for Jim) made it out of the question. The agent told him there was a business that could transplant full grown trees at a very reasonable price. Jim asked for the contact details. The real estate agent replied, “After the sale.” That was the last Jim had to do with him. There was no trust and people don’t buy from people they aren’t trusted by and don’t trust in return.
You can download a free copy of Jim’s information packed e-book “What Will They Franchise Next” at the Resources section of Terrific Trading’s website www.terrifictrading.com. You will also find details of the Success Builders audio-magazine and can even listen to an excerpt of an interview with Beechworth baker, Tom O’Toole.
Jurek Leon is a speaker, trainer and consultant. To subscribe to Jurek's FREE monthly email newsletter go to the Free Articles section of his website www.terrifictrading.com and type in your name and email address. It’s simple and easy. Alternatively, email Jurek at info@terrifictrading.com.
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