126. Be Brilliant at the Basics with Steve Keough

How do I get my business back to basics? What are the fundamentals I should be focused on? Can I automate my marketing plan? We have an insightful conversation with coach and business strategist Steve Keough. We dive into marketing, lead generation, and building a foundation on the basics.

Connect with Steve Keough:
Website: https://electriciansgetleads.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachstevekeough/
Book: Why Small Businesses Struggle And How To Avoid It

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www.itsjustbusinesspodcast.com

You can find Dana @adashofboss, @dana.dowdell and @hrfanatic
Dana Dowdell – Boss Consulting – HR Consulting
Google -  https://tinyurl.com/y4wxnavx

You can find Russ @reliable.remediation
Russ Harlow – Reliable Remediation – Disaster Restoration
Google: https://g.page/r/CXogeisZHEjMEB

Transcript

Dana Dowdell  00:04

Hi Russ,

Russ Harlow  00:05

Dana, how are you today?

Dana Dowdell  00:07

I'm lovely, how are you?

Russ Harlow  00:08

You are always lovely. It's good to see you.

Dana Dowdell  00:10

Good to see you.

Russ Harlow  00:11

I've missed you.

Dana Dowdell  00:12

I've missed you. I know we took we took a little bit of time off. So we hope that you enjoyed our guest featured episode on our feed. We'll do that every once in a while. But we're back and we have another fantastic guest for the podcast this morning. We are joined by Steve Keough aka Coach Steve aka strategic Steve. And he's the owner of SLQK marketing strategies. Steve, welcome to It's Just Business.

Steve Keough  00:46

Oh, thank you so much, Dana. And Russ, I appreciate it. I look forward to this from the invitation. So I hope we have a good time here.

Dana Dowdell  00:54

How big is your business card with all of those like AKA's?

Steve Keough  00:58

Well, I'm trying to stay off the witness protection program. So just keep changing my name. But you know, it's funny in business, you're especially the virtual world, you are your business. So we keep brand rebranding to stay relevant. And, you know, I've been called different things by clients and some stick and some I'd rather not repeat.

Dana Dowdell  01:20

Well, tell us a little bit about your business and how you've been doing this for such a long time. How did you get started? And what has that journey been like for you?

Steve Keough  01:28

Yeah, you know, it's an interesting story. I always think because way back in the day, I've been coaching 33 years, I've been in business for 35, and basically started at age 29. Because as a 29 year old kid, I said, I want to be a business owner before I'm 30. That was the only research I did, right. But way back when I started as a coach, I had a business, I had actually had four, but the last business, I wanted to sell each of those business because I understand that's how you get wealthy. The first one I didn't do very well. I made like 12 grand or something second 130 6/3 172. I'm like, I don't know how to do this, right. So I finally hired somebody who was a business coach that I had never even heard of before. And he helped me sell that fourth business. They were all the same kind of technical business, you know, like putting PC networks together and stuff like that. That one we sold for half a million dollars back in 2003. So, yes, good thing. He knew how to do it. And then I thought, hey, that was fun. I think I want to do that. And that's sort of what got me started back in the day. And it's been all over the place with various different problems and struggles over the years.

Russ Harlow  02:39

So I'm curious, what was it that made you think I want to go into business for myself before 30? Like, that's a great goal. But what was it there? Was there something there in the background? Did you grow up in an entrepreneur family? What was happening there?

Steve Keough  02:53

No, I did not. My dad was very conservative. He was a meat packer. He wanted to me to be a meat packer. He was upset when I didn't want to be a Meatpacker. Actually, instead, I went into the US army and became a military policeman at age 17, right out of high school, because I didn't want any more school, I was done with no interest in college. But in the army, I actually grew up. And you know, I was lonely because you're away all the time. And I did a lot of research and I kept stumbling on articles and such that said, the only way to get rich is to be a business owner. That was it. That was the only reason. And you know my target of 30. I don't know where that came from, quite honestly. But you know, it was good because it really motivated me. And I've been more and more entrepreneurial over the years. I'm 64 years old now. And that was at age 29. So long time ago, but still having fun.

Dana Dowdell  03:48

Were you in the army essentially up until you started your business?

Steve Keough  03:53

Yeah, I did the minimum which was a three year stint back in 1976. And I wanted to my goals at that time I wanted to be a state trooper I was I grew up in Massachusetts. And so I went the military policeman route in the army, which was great until I got home and applied to be a state trooper. And at that time, there was a six foot tall requirement. I am 511 and a half. Yes, let's be an entrepreneur, not a cop. That's funny. These little things shape our careers.

Russ Harlow  04:28

Yeah, absolutely. And so when you started looking for business, what were the things that did you go? I think I might be good at that. Or did you take it from a job from you know, how did it grow into your first? You know what, this is what I'm going to do?

Steve Keough  04:43

Well, you know, I I've always been very good with computers. So that gave me a bit of confidence. And very often when I would talk to people way back then computers were not reliable like they are today. So everybody had some challenge or pride. problem. So when I would make cold calls my way in the door was how's your computer system? And then once we started about the problems relative to that, all the other things that they were struggling with in business unfolded, you know, like marketing or sales, or operations or finance, those four cores are what kind of make up a business. I mean, maybe you can add HR and leadership, those two are very important as well. And I didn't just say that for you, Dana. But, so you know, I just befriended them. One of my mentors way back when said always deal with prospects like their customers. And so I just did that I just offered to help. And that's how I got in the door and it just always kind of mushroomed and grew from there.

Dana Dowdell  05:43

I we've had a couple of veterans on this podcast, Russ is a veteran as well. And, and the conversation, always, we always, I feel like we asked, you know, what did you learn in your service experience that you were able to transfer into business? So do you have a perspective on that?

Steve Keough  06:01

Oh, yeah, I went into the Army at age 17, the last child in my family completely babied by my mom, I was a baby. So I grew up in the army. You know, I became the man I am today from the child. I entered that, and I don't know how they tolerated me, but they did. So it's, it's a bit of an overarching answer, but it made all the difference in the world.

Russ Harlow  06:26

Yeah, it's funny, I went in after college, and those kids that were 17 Going in, I felt bad for because I had about four years to grow up a little bit in school, you know, but those guys, they were getting done the army way. Yeah. So

Steve Keough  06:40

I was scared to death 90% of every day, my first day of arrival, going into bootcamp off the bus, they sit us down in a room. And the drill sergeant says, anybody, any of you that have contraband, we want you to put it on the table. I'm like a baby for Massachusetts, right. I see guns, handcuffs, brass knocks nice. I'm like, What can I do? Right? So yeah, it was scary. For the first, I'd say six months. Very scary.

Russ Harlow  07:09

Yeah. And then zero day is probably the worst, you know, that. Those were, those are terrible times. But the interesting thing is, and I love this, because it does kind of it breaks you down, builds you up kind of their way. So but there's also a camaraderie, you know, that when you meet people who are in the service, and you deal with people, there's also there's usually like, this little instant, okay, I know a little bit about you already.

Steve Keough  07:32

Yeah, that guy's Okay.

Russ Harlow  07:34

Most of the time? And if not, I'm gonna figure it out pretty quick.

Steve Keough  07:39

So, I'm glad. I'm glad you pivoted, because I was about to get emotional when you asked me that question.

Russ Harlow  07:45

Well, I think I think it's interesting, because, you know, in business, it teaches you the discipline you need. So can you tell me a little bit about kind of how that's from a discipline side? How's that? How helped you in business?

Steve Keough  07:59

Yeah, I guess there's two parts to that, you know, my personal discipline, where I can pretty much sit down and do whatever I set my mind to. And I've always been able to do that, since the army before I probably never had to do nothing, and my mom did everything for me. But when I flip it to the client side, and the business side, I'm very much a process and procedure person, you know, I mean, strategy, strategic, Steve, in of itself, would say that, but, you know, I have workflows and processes and procedures for almost everything. Because anybody can follow a solid set of instructions. But you know, many of them don't have that. And so if they're winging it, it's not good. And one of the things I used to do way back when I started was, I had a 412 page, business owners workbook, and I would give that to my clients free because they charged a monthly fee. And what we would do for a year is each month, we would cover one chapter, just you know, when they will, obviously in order where it supported themselves. And the first one was creating your vision, right, and so on, we go from there. So that's the basis of it, right? So I just kept them in that conversation about stay focused, stay focused, because for many business owners, especially the entrepreneurial type, who wing it, which they have to they're entrepreneurs, you know, you got to pull them back to you got to do something structured here, you got to do it like this, particularly marketing. Marketing will get you all over the place very fast. So that's how I did that.

Dana Dowdell  09:33

I'm curious. So you started your first business? You it was computers, you said so? Yes. And you did cold calling? What was the feeling when you got your first customer? Do you remember it?

Steve Keough  09:45

I still do. And, you know, from time to time, if I want more clients, since and I'm not really getting them. I always think back to that feeling that I had, which was like, the most exciting thing you could imagine. I don't even know how to explain it was like I got one. Yeah. I just went crazy, right? I mean, I could kind of just went crazy because I could still feel it right. But yeah, it's, you get to a point at some level that you know you have arrived. But that comes from a lot of hard work and heartache. But when you get there, it's amazing. And I remember those calls and all through my career have always said if you feel bad sell something, because you always feel great when you sell something. Right. And that that is precipitated by those calls, right? And I've had my share of hangups and F bombs, and you don't know what you're talking about. And okay, well, you know, but when you find the nugget, it's worth it right on 100 dials, you probably gonna get one really good, solid lead.

Russ Harlow  10:51

How have you seen that kind of lead generation machine change, you know, over the years, because then it was cold calls, there are a lot fewer tech people back then. Now there's tons of them, we have a billion ways to generate leads. And so it becomes really confusing for business owners. And you work a lot with contractors who probably don't focus enough on marketing. So how has it changed over time?

Steve Keough  11:18

Well, not only contractors, I work with electricians who think they're gone. Particularly. So it's a little bit harder to crack that nut. But what I'll have them focus on is what I call the five ones, they have to have one niche, one thing, you know, don't try to be a generalist to everybody, they have to have one free approach. How are you approaching people? You know, for me, it's always cold calls, I think you can tell them kind of outgoing. Three is. The third one is what is it that you're selling? The fourth one is how are you doing it. And the fifth is stay focused on that for one year, if it doesn't work, switch niches, and then get back to the other four ones. It's really Russ and Dana, a game of discipline, right? Because the world is our oyster. But that's the problem. We can be all over the road in a single day and get nothing done and boom, 10 hours are gone. 12 hours are gone if you're an entrepreneur, right? So you need to know exactly what you're focused on the five ones.

Dana Dowdell  12:22

What were some of your other businesses, so you did computers, and then you sold that?

Steve Keough  12:27

Yeah, the first four companies I did were all computer companies with the intention of selling them to get rich. But the first three I didn't. And back in 1993, half a million bucks was pretty good money. Although I spent all that it's kind of easy to do. And then from there, once I sold that company, I went right into coaching, and I've been in coaching ever since. But the focus I have is very much a strategic focus. Because one thing I learned is, you know, somebody gets some guiding light in which career they should be in, you know, like, they're good at that thing. So they go into business for that thing. But when they go into business for that thing, instead of being singular, focused on remediation, or electricity, or carpentry or whatever, once you become the entrepreneur, and you're now subject to marketing, sales, ops, finance, hiring leadership, it just went in six, eight directions, right? So I've been lucky to be able to pull myself and the clients I've worked with back to focused. So that helped him on in 2005, I was on William Shatner's TV show one episode called keeping America strong. I actually have the video for that if anybody wants it, you know, when we get into contact information, they can watch the show. It was actually hosted by Doug Llewellyn, the guy that actually used to do the People's Court. So that was an experience. I'll share something funny real quick. And then we'll get back on topic, you probably can't see this well on Zoom, but I don't have any eyebrows I never really have. So I go to this TV show, you know, all prepared mentally, I'm studying my notes. And the biggest problem they had is they painted eyebrows on, because I didn't have any. But it was a good TV show. So you know, I've been lucky that way with the people who are kind of miss focused in all over the place. I've been blessed to be able to bring them back focused. And then once they trust me, it's fantastic. It's, you know, that might take a month of coaching, probably for sessions, but then that because they trust they will listen, and they will follow the program and they will apply the discipline they need. And about a year later, maybe 18 months on the long side. They're doing it all by themselves and I love to fire myself because it means I've done my job. Right? So that's kind of how

Dana Dowdell  14:51

I am a big believer, especially being a service provider and how important the trust factor is with clients. Super, what are some things that you do to help build that trust and rapport with the people you serve?

Steve Keough  15:09

Really good question. Early on, you know, I have, I think I have a decent sense of humor, although some would say not. So I joke a lot in the first month, I really get them to just calm down into the person who you are. It's amazing how powerful jokes can be, you know, we were talking earlier about cold calls, I always tell a joke on a cold call, I'd say in my cold calls, probably last, if I get to people, six, eight minutes, I'm telling a joke in the first minute. And their guard really drops, you know, because when you get a cold call out of the blue, it's like, who the frick is this, and the wall goes up immediately, right? So that's gonna come down faster, you'll get nowhere. So I like to tell a joke. And then beyond that, is just being yourself. And if you have a sense of humor, and if you don't, I would suggest you develop it. You know, just keep being yourself and be funny, you know, it's like, I'm on this interview, I want to entertain a little bit too. I don't want somebody to go like, Oh, man, he's boring. You know, click the axe, right? Let's entertain them, I guess is the right word. Maybe. That's,

Russ Harlow  16:19

that is a good point, I think it's to make that connection, some use humor. I think other times, empathy. And compassion is another good way to make a good connection with people, you know, I understand what you're going through, this is my store, and I've been there too. So, you know, it's, and we can do that with clients. So now we get because you're talking about doing it with your clients. But as business owners, we can do that with prospects, I thought of that, when you said, treat your prospects as customers. So treat them with that same respect, not like you're trying to sell them because it kind of always slimy, just treat them like they're already in the fold.

Steve Keough  16:55

I'm really glad you brought that up Ross, because, you know, a lot of my coaching, I have to actually watch my ego, you know what I mean? It's, it is very informative, and it's informative with gentle force. You know, once they do trust, it's like, I've got to get people to do the things they don't want to do, even though they need to do them. So sometimes I have to apply gentle force. And in all these years that I've done that, I haven't been overly compassionate, you know, unless there's a death in the family or something really magnified. But you're exactly right. And that works. Probably better actually, than the joke, right? Because you're getting into their hearts and their head, whereas the joke is maybe just up in their head. So that was a very good point. I see. I learned something every day too.

Dana Dowdell  17:39

As part of being a business owner is always learning, always learning. Being a service provider and being a coach, one question that always comes up in my mind is like, how do you scale? The coaching? The service component? Have you been able? I mean, I'm assuming after 35 years, you've, you've figured it out? So how have you been able to scale the business?

Steve Keough  18:03

Well, I have a secret weapon. I've been using virtual assistants from the Philippines forever. Typically, and this is something that any company can do. But you just have to know how to find the right VA virtual assistant. Because if you don't, it's a world of headaches. But you know, I've had amazing young women from the Philippines, where their hourly rate is $3 an hour. And you know, we're not taking advantage of them. That gives them a stable life in the Philippines. You know, for 24 bucks, someone's making all you cold calls for you. So I have leveraged them for my own businesses, as well. You know, I grew the company to a sizable company. And so I've sort of started and stopped coaching about three, four different times. And I've sold the company three times in the process, because it is true, the way you get rich is selling businesses. But then I just say, Okay, now I did that take maybe six months off, you know, go travel a little bit, I get back home, my wife looked at we looked at each other, what do you want to do now? Let's do another one. Okay? Because it has worked. And mostly, you know, the selfish motivation is money because you need money in this world, if you want to live comfortably. You need a lot of it. But there's still that tugging. Even when I sell a business and I travel a little bit, I'm still thinking about how I can help other people it really never leaves me it's kind of at the core. So I start again, because I'm not dead, and people need help.

Russ Harlow  19:38

So Steve, let me ask you this. Are you doing mostly business coaching? Or are you doing kind of business coaching with a focus on you know, digital marketing and helping people grow through, you know, getting more business?

Steve Keough  19:51

Yeah, I thought you were going to ask do I do business coaching or life coaching? So I'll just make a point about that real quick. You know, when you're, I prefer Her business coaching and the selfish reason is you can charge more than you can charge for life coaching. But I will tell you that almost every single entrepreneur I've worked with, guess what their business is here. And their life shows up too. So I'm dealing with all that shit in their life as well. But if that helps clear the path for the business, that's very important. And inexperienced coaches or coaches that only pick one or the other, they can't do that. Now in the business coaching, because I had to torture myself to learn marketing, I swore to myself, if I ever figured it out, I was going to make money off use it. But actually, that's gone full circle with marketing strategy, and then digital marketing and strategy and creation of content and stuff like that. Because I know it took me 10 years, and I was working on an every day, I could imagine somebody getting really frustrated way less than 10 years. And maybe it takes them 15 Or 20. Or they just quit, you know, what I see a lot Russ and Dana is starts and stops, people get frustrated. They I gotta I gotta learn how to market my business, they start again, they get so far, they throw their frickin hands up, then they stop. And that's multiple times. So what's nice about that is by the time I get them, they've started to stop 3456 times, they've just given up completely. It's like, what's it gonna cost? I just want this to go away. Right? But I'll go wherever the engagement takes us, the two of us, you know, if they have an issue with hiring, for instance, and they need help, and they want to talk about it a little bit. I'll go there. Now. Am I the hiring expert? No, Dana is. So I may refer the person you do have a big challenge that you should talk to Dana, you know, like that.

Dana Dowdell  21:50

So I'm really curious, I have like so much that spinning around in my head, because it's like the idea of working in your business versus on your business. And you mentioned being an entrepreneur, and then there's all these other things that you have to do. But then you also were mentioning, when you first started your business, you were like, That's how I'm gonna get rich. You know, to be an entrepreneur, you have to get rich. And I think some people think it's the short game, like you can find something, and it's gonna make you rich really quick. But is it really the long game is being an entrepreneur and the success of being a business owner really the long game? Or do you think it can be done in the short term?

Steve Keough  22:27

It's not the long game. Look, when you have money, it doesn't even matter anymore. But when I was a kid, a boy, my family was not you know, they were on the lower end of middle class, I got sent to school grammar school with my sister's clothing on my sister is five years older than me. And the kids noticed because the zippers are on the other sides. And, you know, it looks like a girly shirt. I got teased, like crazy. So the motivation to become rich was, I don't ever want to be wearing girl clothes. Not that there's anything wrong with women ever again. That's what drove me when I was a little kid, I think eight or nine years old, I was completely embarrassed. But I learned some things, you know, I obsess on reading, I read a lot. I read probably 5060 books a year. And that's only on one hour a day. So this is how I improved myself. I didn't go to college, I went right into the military. But you know, so I learned and went to a lot of seminars about how to become a millionaire and actually worked for one of those companies on the on my part time free time on the side. And so you know, it takes a lot of planning and energy and forethought to become a millionaire. But when you make your first million, you can make your second million, just like that. You can't go to 5 million that fast. But from one meal to two mil it's a very fast journey. Because you know, you can do it. And you're confident that right. But to your point. Good question there, Dana. Once I realized whatever that was that I had some money, I didn't think about it ever again. Other than, you know, I have two daughters. So I set them up to win, you know, all the people around me close in my close knit family, nuclear family, they're all good. after that. I don't give a crap about money.

Russ Harlow  24:20

I feel like I have to step up my game have a goal of one book a month.

Steve Keough  24:26

You know, I don't I just do the hour. Brian Tracy taught me that when I was in his seminar in Boston, like, oh 40 years ago, and it works just one hour a day. That's it.

Dana Dowdell  24:37

I can't wait for our lightning round then because the library of books that you have to choose from to answer that question is immense.

Russ Harlow  24:47

So you're, you're talking to Steve about you know, spending 10 years you know, banging your head against marketing and, you know, it changes so much faster now, like you were talking about, you know, spend a year on this strategy and see where it gets Do you like in a year? Digital Marketing could change twice, three times? Five times? Like, what's our focus? So I think that's the biggest challenge today is people see so many options. They're like, there's this lead generation site, there's, you know, this other thing, there's digital marketing, there's SEO, there's all and people just feel like, it's too many things I don't want to choose, I can't decide. What do you tell them?

Steve Keough  25:28

Yeah, you make a really good point, I would say, you know, given my time in business, it's changing. It's changing at a rapid speed where it's completely different a year later. But the interesting thing is, the core competencies of understanding marketing are the same. In my mind, there are five elements to marketing. The first one is traditional marketing. So that's like your company name, you'd be surprised how many people are operating a business that they bought, and they hate the company name? Well, that's going to affect how they you know how successful they are the tagline, the colors, the fonts, they're not matched the websites different than the trucks, the trucks are different than the business cards. So all that traditional stuff is element number one, for me, in my system, element two is websites and SEO. People don't know how to use SEO, they're not ranking. Element. Number three is social media and email. Most people do those because they are told they have to do it. They don't really know why they're doing it. In my mind, the only purpose for social media and email is to nurture leads. But if you don't have any leads, then you don't need social media. And you don't need email. Right? You can buy lists, they're all crap. So find your online source. Right? I have a few secret little tools there. And then element number four is the entire Wait, I skipped three. Yeah. Sorry, I confused myself here. I didn't three is social media and email. Four is the whole digital sign all the digital content, whether you need podcasts, or video lessons, or PR web or you know all of that. And then the last, and probably the most important nowadays, especially for contractors, or anybody who's really busy is funnel building and automation. I mean, our company has a series of processes. Now, of course, they have to pay for this where they drop a name into a database, and keeps nurturing them all the way through until they make contact with the company. Because the automation is built. And the funnels are all doing all the work. So these electricians love me. They put your name in, they walk away. Four months later, they get a call for a quote, because the machine has done all the work, not in an AI fashion. We what we bring to the table is having been through the pain of all of that rush, you said they're like, how do they keep up with all these things. We built all these systems now automated where you drop in a name, and it just keeps talking to them until they eventually call you or they get upset that you've talked to them too much. And they unsubscribe. But if the content is relevant, then they stay. They may never buy, but at least your machine is working. You know, like I always say, Dana, if somebody's paying me a couple of 1000 $3,000 a month, which is the higher echelons and we're bringing them $30,000 a month. Why would they ever leave? Roi is there? Yeah, in our world record for people right now is in a single month for one flight that has been with me for about three years. At the time. We generated 503 new leads in $122,666 in revenue in a month. Why would that person ever leave?

Dana Dowdell  28:44

So this was a contractor. Yeah, it's

Steve Keough  28:47

an electrical company in Kansas. And you wouldn't even think it could be done in Kansas, but it can be done anywhere. Most of my clients are in the US. I'm I have two offices, one in Vancouver because I live 45 minutes east of Vancouver. And then I have another one in bayonet point Florida, which is on the Gulf Coast, but we mostly do business in the US because to get rich. If you're sitting in Canada like I am right now, every dollar that's coming into my bank account is worth $1.30 30% Extra for no extra work.

Dana Dowdell  29:21

Is the office in Florida strategic a strategic location Yeah, for some sunshine.

Steve Keough  29:29

Yeah, it's for my text purpose. That's on the it's on the Gulf side halfway between Tampa and Sarasota. Nice and the point is a tiny little town and that's exactly why Joseph Yeah. To get away

Dana Dowdell  29:44

and love it. Um, you mentioned artificial intelligence and AI and that's I keep hearing about it. I keep hearing about chat GBT and fire you're a copywriter because you can just have a you know, machine do tell me your thoughts on that.

Steve Keough  29:59

Okay, I will. So I've been on check GPT almost since it came out when it first came out, I thought it was the biggest piece of crap I had ever seen. That was about maybe eight, nine weeks ago or something, something in that range. But the beauty of AI is it learns as it's being used. So now it's decent. Fire your copywriter. No freakin way Don't do that. Because the AI challenges it's not where it's not human. It doesn't tell human stories with feelings. It tells logical stories and you're like, Oh, that makes sense. But you know, to sell, you have to evoke emotion. That's the first thing you need to sell somebody on something, then you tell the logic, then they buy. So chat GPT is all logic. And the funny thing about chat GBT, I hope they don't watch this. You know, when Apple was dominating back in the early 90s, and Microsoft came out with or whoever IBM came out with PCs, and Microsoft came out with Windows, Windows sucked. But Microsoft knew how to market. And that's even today, why Windows is still popular, because the Apple OS is easier and better. So Jack, chat GPT is all over the press. And everybody thinks that's the best AI program out. It's not. And it's not the first people have been using a lot more before that. And there are better AI programs than check GPT. But they're getting all the news time, CNN and so on five times a day. I keep seeing on in the background when I work.

Dana Dowdell  31:37

I have used like Poppy AI before. Yeah. Which is helpful, because sometimes I struggle with the content. But to your point, what it doesn't do is instill the brand into what you're producing.

Steve Keough  31:53

Yeah, I think Dana, the best use of chat GPT, quite honestly, is for folks like me and or copywriters, who get a brain fart every once in a while, you can go into chat GPT and just ask him for something and it'll give you something in five seconds, you read that you're like, how did I miss that. And then you get back to your copywriting with your own good brain. In fact, I think and I use something I developed called bam, behavioral adaptive marketing. So Bam is made up of two things, one psychology. So that's how you think and how people think we want to write to how they think. And then the second part of is neuro psychology, I've studied the brain for about 20 years, I'm always reading a brain book. So neuro psychology is how people act. So put that into marketing, if you know your prospect or the leads, and you know how they think and how they think and how they act. Do you think it's easier to sell them something? Hell yeah. So come on over to me, I'll show you how to use bam.

Russ Harlow  32:58

And that makes sense. Because that ties into things we've talked in the past with other guests about, you know, knowing your ideal client. And once you've determined who that is, you know what they're looking for. So you can really start to target, you know, what's going to hit home with them, and then turn that machine on, like you were saying, and just crank them out, right? Yeah,

Steve Keough  33:17

I mean, I always tell people be brilliant at the basics. Like, for instance, my electricians have three markets. You know, I talked about one niche, right, they have three they can choose from residential, commercial or industrial. They all pick residential. It's the worst moneymaker going. It's the lowest fees. Why don't they pick industrial because they're afraid of the big jobs. But guess what? The average ticket for a Residential Repair $450 bucks, the average job for a commercial site $4,000, the average industrial job $7,500. If you're doing residential, you gotta do 100 times more frickin jobs than one industrial job. So that's what I mean by focus.

Russ Harlow  34:01

The fear is real. And I think business owners and entrepreneurs understand that we had a commercial job that we ran into during a big freeze in February, and I was scared to death to take it on because I was afraid we couldn't do it. But we took it we found a way. So swallow the fear and drive forward. People just do it.

Steve Keough  34:22

Yeah, figure out a way. Ask for help. So we use Russ guy. He's okay. I like him a lot. Well, I'm not like a bromance, but you know,

Russ Harlow  34:38

whatever. It's all good. You know, it's funny because we run in similar circles. Steven, I think that's the thing. And, you know, my heart's with the contractors because, you know, I'm working with these guys all the time where you know, a contractor. I understand the folks that you're dealing with, and it's hard, and but it translates because there's plenty of bids. The soldiers out there who are feeling the same things. You know, it's not just in contracting, you know, so people need help.

Steve Keough  35:07

I mean, most of my recent years have been electricians, but I have worked in 60 Different industries over my career. They're all the same. You know, and everyone's core, when you're in business for yourself, mostly dealing with owners. They're all good people. They're all a little afraid, and human. They're all trying to just provide for their family and their family of workers and their families. You know, the mission is fantastic. And it's hard. It's hard. That's why everybody's not an entrepreneur, I'd say, maybe 10% of the population is a business owner that is entrepreneurial. Maybe it's 5050 business owners and employees, I don't know. But when you get to that entrepreneurial level, you're taking it to the next level, you're not just sitting there doing daily, whatever, make money. Yeah, mindset.

Russ Harlow  35:58

It is a different mindset than owning a job and owning a business. Because that's the one of the things that I came to a realization that I got stuck owning a job, and I need to grow out of it. And so that's one of the things that I'm trying to do in my life and my business.

Steve Keough  36:15

All right, that's a lifelong battle. That doesn't end right. It's just maybe you're in a different level. So the point, I guess, Dana, and Russ is for them to just start, don't be afraid of it fall on your freaking face. You know, I've learned more from failing than succeeding. Wi Fi far 10 times over. Well, we all

Russ Harlow  36:34

do. I mean, that's kind of the point of it. That which does not kill us makes us stronger.

Steve Keough  36:39

I mean, Jack Welch wrote a book called fast failure. That's a phenomenal book for anybody. fear of failing.

Russ Harlow  36:47

Okay, so one of the things we do, Steve, is we do a lightning round, and I'm going to ask you a few questions here. While we're both gonna ask you some questions here. So what's one thing you wish you knew before you started a business?

Steve Keough  36:59

Marketing, Marketing, Marketing, Marketing, Marketing?

Dana Dowdell  37:04

Okay, and to that point, what's your favorite way to market your business now?

Steve Keough  37:08

It's still the same as it ever was cold calls, you get to people, you talk to them, they're human beings. All the other stuff is necessary. You know, we have like, 15 different things we do every single freaking day. But it still comes down to face to face, voice to voice person to person.

Russ Harlow  37:27

Yeah, and I think we lose sight of that sometimes. Now with all of the crutches we have in marketing. You know, with email and text messaging, and all these different things. We think it's okay, but no, making that connection is important. Is there one business platform that's changed your life?

Steve Keough  37:45

No, I've read back to the reading. But I have read all kinds of wack books to you know, like, when you're just reading you just read anything because you kind of want to broaden, I would say no. I mean, I go back to if I had to make the can tagline. quoters, just be brilliant at the basics, the better you are at the core concepts, the more successful you're going to be, the trickier you get, the more you're going to mess your head up.

Dana Dowdell  38:14

Alright, you read a lot of books, obviously. So what's your favorite business book?

Steve Keough  38:18

Answer in two ways, any friggin thing you can get your hands on from Brian Tracy. He is absolutely I say that because he's a fellow Canadian. I'm American, but I have dual. So anything from Brian Tracy, my favorite book of all times is by T Harv. Eker. It's called Secrets of the Millionaire Mind. And some of the older writers that have been forgotten. The name eludes me at the moment. Thinking Grow Rich is the name of the book, but the author name eludes me. So only in 

Russ Harlow  38:54

Napoleon Hill. 

Steve Keough  38:55

Yeah, fine. How? Yeah, he's my favorite author, because I love the nostalgia of going back and reading. But again, Brian Tracy is probably got 40 5060 books. They're all fantastic. He also has these little small books that are like a 15 minute read, because he knows that people's attention span, right.

Russ Harlow  39:17

And is there a point that you felt like you made it?

Steve Keough  39:22

Yeah, when I sold my first coaching company for more than seven figures. Mom was proud.

Russ Harlow  39:30

Yeah, that's a good feeling. Steve, what? What are some things that you've got an

Steve Keough  39:34

Australian guy, so I sold that I sold that business through an Australian guy even though I couldn't understand them.

Russ Harlow  39:43

But you have if you're from Massachusetts, the Boston accent and the Australian accent are pretty similar.

Steve Keough  39:49

Yeah, but funny story there too. I got a million of them when I moved to LA in 2005. Right. Well, I knew I was gonna move to LA in 2005 so I killed my accent with all the stage based speaking I do unless I have a couple of beers, then it comes right back. So I get to LA. And they're like, where are you from? I'm like Boston, this. They're like, did you? Were you born somewhere else? I'm like, No, you don't have an accent. I said, I killed it off. They say why we love that accent. I'm like, Give me a break. Right? Anyway. I always used to say if I had the Australian accent, I'd be a billionaire. But anyway.

Russ Harlow  40:26

You said when we were talking offline beforehand, you had a book coming up, right? Is there?

Steve Keough  40:32

I do. Yeah, I have an e book coming out, like in a week for it's mostly for electricians. But it would work for any contractor, or any business if you just replaced the word electrician with plumber, or the electrician with dentist, you know, what it's called, is the seven figure electricians playbook. So what it does is it kind of guides them through why they want to be a millionaire. For me, it's mostly three things right? Freedom, courage, and independence. When you have money, you're more courageous. And with money, you can be free and independent to the difference between those they're like kissing cousins is freedom as you're just free. But independence is you get to do it your way. So you know, anybody that wants to eBook, they can get that when we get through whatever we do for contact info.

Russ Harlow  41:19

Awesome. And where's the best place for people to find you, Steve.

Steve Keough  41:23

The best website that I'm focused on at the moment is www electricians get leads.com and it's on that website is on version one coming out version two in about a month. And that's going to be a full automated website, like no human will ever touch that ever again, once it's built. And that's the power of funnels. So we can talk about that another time.

Russ Harlow  41:50

Very cool. Well, we'll have all the places that people can find you in our show notes where they can connect with you, they can find a link to that new eBook coming out. And I know you have some more. So I'm sure there'll be places to find that as well. I want to thank you for sharing your time with us and your experience and expertise with our listeners, to our listeners. Thanks for showing up here. Now listening where we are. I know you've gathered something that is of value today. So I want you to share that with somebody else. Tell somebody else hey, you, you need to listen to what strategic Steve had to say. And you know, Russ and Dan aren't too bad either. And we you can catch us on all the places and It's Just Business podcast. Like us, follow us leave us a review. Remember, it's not personal. It's just business.