Some great advice Tory gave in an answer to an earlier question of mine sparked this question. For all you marketing gurus out there…
How do you reconcile a book like Seth Godin’s Linchpin with Gerber’s E-myth Revisited?
Gerber talks at length about creating a manual and systematizing everything in your company. I read that book first, a year or so ago, and it was super challenging for me.
Then, a couple of months ago, I read Linchpin. It blew everything up.
Godin talks about having people actually care about their job, do “emotional labor” and how as a boss you shouldn’t just run a “factory”, etc.
What I do know is this: Companies thrive when the “system” is the star, to paraphrase Malcolm Gladwell. However, to deliver a remarkable experience to your customers requires you to build into the system an allowance for “art” as Seth likes to say.
Art + System.
Where is the line? I guess it depends on the specifics of the scenario at that point.
I’ll take the cog in the wheel, reliable, e-myth approach for a small time window cleaning company. Window cleaning is an ART but the Linchpin book is a self improvement book. Be what you can be… might as well help your employees by buying them business cards to hand you to your customers.
My motto is “Just push the damn lawn mower and do a good job.”
You can meld the two. People working within an organized “system” have the tools available to be able to take great pride in their work and get “emotionally involved.”
I learned many years ago to buy the right tools for every job so the tools will do the work. I have also learned that providing a system to work within, allows the person to concentrate on doing the best job they can versus trying to re-invent the wheel
I dont hang on every word of books. I read the e myth and it was good. But life is differant for everyone and these books can only guide you. Dont look at them like a “system” where as everything they tell you is the only way it should be. Hunter is so right on with his comment. I do believe a system needs to be in place regardless of how large or small you want your company. It’s a major foundation for the operations to be a success. Even if you are looking to stay small, if you have a solid system in place you can change your mind over time and grow your business.
When it comes to tools, (hardware set aside) the #1 tool you can’t give to anyone is their personality and how they approach each and every customer/job. You can teach it to a certain degree, but it has to be something that comes naturally. It’s like Disney and the people they hire to wear the costums. If you have ever seen shows with those people behind the scenes. It almost seems like the world could blow up and they would still have a smile and bright outlook on life. You can give the employee all the tools in the world, but if the heart and personality are not there. Then they won’t work out. It’s easier for me to support an employee who I know wants to come to work and be on the job, then it is for me to deal with the person looking for a paycheck. I chringe when those types leave to hit up a gig. I worry so much about it that I have to force myself to not micro manage cause I know that will just blow up the issue.
Great thoughts, y’all. The “art” Godin talks about could really boil down to taking pride in the service you perform, great interactions with customers, etc. But that will happen best (and most consistently) if there’s a “system” like Gerber talks about, for it to happen WITHIN.
Would anybody crawl out on a limb with me and say Seth Godin is over rated? If not, what would be his best book? Compare him to Gladwell who I can still remember several unique examples and stories that were very thought provoking.
Godin writes a book a week, Gladwell a book every 2-3 years (or longer). I think that’s the difference. Gladwell puts a lot more thought into his works.
I kind of think Godin is a pulp non-fiction writer. I put him right up there with the Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff guy, and the Chicken Soup guy, One Minute Manger guy…
Purple Cow and Free Prize Inside are both very, very good, in my opinion.
Gladwell is also a prolific writer too, and his ‘fresh’ work is published in The New Yorker magazine regularly. Gladwell takes the humble, empirical road, and Seth is the visionary, tell-you-what-he-is-seeing kind of guy.
They are very different for sure, but both are very valuable, in my estimation.
Incidentally, to clarify, Mike, is your measurement of their merit whether or not the writing is “thought-provoking”?
Yeah. Which one was a good read, which one was unique and entertained me the most. Because frankly neither do anything for my business (1 man show 80% of the time and liking it).
You don’t have to be a marketing guru to put together a decent flyer.You don’t have to be Steve Jobs to have a business. And you don’t have to be Oprah to get along with customers.
I am just trying to start up and in a small town in north Arkansas, parden me for asking but what is the best window cleaning system you would recommend, remember I am just starting and want to get off on the right foot.
Hi Roger, welcome to WCR! if you’re asking about cleaning kits, there are a few good startup kits in the store here. I’d recommend The Ultimate Starter Kit
I agree with Kevin’s assessment of Gladwell and Godin’s different strengths. Purple Cow particularly has stuck with me. For pure practicality I prefer someone like John Jantsch, even if I don’t apply 75% of his suggestions. The 25% definitely make him worth it.
Godin definitely lives up in the clouds though… which is great for inspiration at times.
And Roger, I didn’t buy a starter kit (having worked for another company as a subcontractor before starting for myself) but if I had, the Ultimate Starter Kit would be the one I would’ve bought.
Chris, the only thing it might be lacking is the Pulex hip bucket? Just a thought.
You know I would buy that Ultimate start up kit that Alex and Chris suggested. I might take a look at that bucket though, my unger pail comes with a sieve to sit my brush on so it doesn’t get wet. I can’t tell how long that pail is or if it has a sieve. They sell everything except a good brush. I only use those strip washers for Pole Work because they can’t scrub a very well. For a new guy I would say get a window cleaning job for a few months to learn how to squeegee, use a ladder etc. If not, then I’d probably start off with store fronts, lots of opportunity to use the pole and strip washer. If you go for houses I’d stick to the casement types they’re easy to clean. You’ll also need ladders for houses but they’re cheap. Step ladder, 16’ and a 24’ extention will do most two story houses.
Put prices on your flyers. Do Not scrape windows front top to bottom as part of a normal window cleaning system no matter who tells you different. Only scrape when necessary. If you use a brush instead of a sleeve washer you’ll do away with the need to scrape 95% of the time.
Once you get to a window do this, after a few hundred or thousand times you’ll get a feel for it… or not I suppose.
This is my method, not that I invented it.
Pro window cleaning method.
Scrub the window with a wet brush, as hard as it needs to be brushed (3 secs - 15 secs depending on size). Most windows are easy, some windows like if they are over kitchen sink or next to the barbecue will need to be scrubbed harder and longer. If you see something obvious like tape, scrape it now when the window is wet.
Squeegee the Window.
Sponge the bottom ledge and Detail the edges.
Done.
*if you need to touch up a spot, use a 1 inch scraper, make sure the spot is wet. I use a leather chamois to detail.
Mike, could you explain why you don’t like razors or strip washers? You seem to be intent on having new window cleaners go back to old tools that have been replaced for the most part. I understand that you might be resistant to change but since most window cleaners are having great success w/ strip washers and razors to deliver great results it just doesn’t make sense.
