Hey, Life with Justin Stephens community! Justin here, and after sharing my reflections on details in yesterday's journal entry, today's Point of View post brings a family perspective that's close to home. I'm excited to introduce my dad, Jim Stephens, a veteran in the trades industry who's mastered sales over decades. Jim's experience with the Sandler Sales method has been a game-changer for closing deals, and he's sharing how it helps trades pros like handymen, plumbers, and contractors find customer pain, uncover true budgets, and navigate decision processes. As I build my own handyman hustle, his insights are gold for business growth. Let's hear from him.

Jim Stephens's Point of View:

How Sandler Sales Transforms Trades Businesses

Hi everyone, I'm Jim Stephens, Justin's dad, and after 30+ years in the trades—from construction to home services—I've seen sales evolve from pushy pitches to smart strategies. The Sandler Sales system stands out because it's about understanding the customer, not just selling. In trades, where jobs range from quick fixes to major renos, Sandler helps close more business by focusing on three key areas: finding pain, uncovering true budget, and understanding the decision-making process. Here's my take, with real examples from the field.

First, finding pain: Sandler teaches to dig beyond surface requests. A customer says "fix my leaky roof," but the real pain might be water damage ruining their home office or stress from constant repairs. By asking open-ended questions like "What prompted this call now?" or "How has this issue affected your daily life?", you uncover emotional drivers. In my experience, a client once revealed their "simple" plumbing fix was tied to health concerns for their elderly parent—addressing that pain turned a $500 job into a $5,000 full-system upgrade. It builds trust and positions you as a problem-solver, not just a vendor.

Second, uncovering true budget: Trades folks often hear "How much?" too early, leading to lowball bids or lost deals. Sandler flips it: Qualify budget by exploring investment willingness before quoting. Ask "What's your comfort range for solving this?" or "Have you set aside funds for similar projects?" This reveals if they're serious—once, a homeowner budgeted $2,000 for yard work, but after discussing pain (overgrown lawn causing allergies), they expanded to $4,000 for full landscaping. It prevents wasting time on tire-kickers and ensures profitable jobs, tying into personal finance: Know your worth and price accordingly.

Third, understanding the decision-making process: Who really decides—the homeowner, spouse, or committee? Sandler emphasizes mapping this early with questions like "Who else is involved in this decision?" or "What steps do you typically take before approving?" In trades, delays kill deals, so clarifying timelines and influencers streamlines closes. Example: For a kitchen remodel, learning the wife's input was key led to including her in the demo, sealing the contract faster. This reduces surprises and boosts close rates by 30-40% in my experience.

Sandler isn't manipulative—it's respectful, focusing on mutual fit. For trades pros, it turns one-off jobs into repeat clients and referrals, building sustainable businesses. If you're in sales or starting a hustle like Justin's handyman services, invest in training—it pays dividends.

Thanks for reading, and thanks to Justin for the platform. Looking forward to your thoughts!

Back to Justin: Dad's Sandler insights are timeless—finding pain, budget, and decisions has helped me in past sales roles and will shape my handyman hustle. It's a reminder that success in business comes from understanding people, not just pushing products.

At Life with Justin Stephens, we blend family Point of View like this with Journal Entries, Life Strategy tips, Resources, and Great Causes to inspire your path in finance, business, sales, marketing, and beyond.

Call to Action: Subscribe at justindcstephens.com for daily motivation.

Share if Sandler has boosted your closes, and comment: What's one sales tip that's worked for you?

P.S. Tomorrow, a Resources post on Sandler-inspired sales tools. Stay tuned!

To your success,
Justin Stephens