Hell Month Hustle: Surviving the Summer Madness Down Under

Talking Pools Podcast

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Introduction:

• Peter welcomes back Lee and Shane, ribbing them for leaving him to go solo last week.
• Shane shares the Australian Phrase of the Day: "Running around like a blue ass fly," symbolizing the frantic pace of the busy season.
• The trio discusses the approach of "Hell Month," the peak of summer madness for pool service professionals.

Key Topics Discussed:

1. Preparing for the Holiday Rush

• Advice for Regional Listeners:
  • Order Christmas stock early as suppliers and freighters often shut down over the holidays.
  • Lee emphasizes the importance of having all “ducks in a row” for the Christmas-to-New-Year period.
• Holiday Challenges:
  • Lee shares a story of rescuing a 450,000-liter commercial pool during the holidays by sourcing a replacement pump—a “Christmas miracle.”
  • Peter reflects on the difficulties of being on call for emergency repairs during the shutdown.

2. Southern Hemisphere Struggles

• Being in peak summer during the holidays creates unique challenges for Australian pool professionals, with back-to-back holidays like Australia Day and Chinese New Year.
• Peter expresses envy for the slower-paced Northern Hemisphere winters during Christmas.

3. Black Friday Sales: Yay or Nay?

• Team Consensus:
  • Discounting isn’t ideal and trains customers to expect lower prices.
  • Value-add promotions (e.g., offering 10% more instead of 10% off) are more profitable and better received by customers.
• Examples of Value-Adding:
  • Offering a $300 voucher on a $3,000 cleaner instead of a $300 discount saves the business half the cost.
  • Lee advocates for creating offers that benefit both the customer and the business.

4. Maximizing Supplier Deals

• Strategies for Early Buys:
  • Peter and Lee share tips for leveraging supplier discounts on chemicals, equipment, and more.
  • Buying seasonal stock in bulk can yield significant savings, but it’s crucial to have storage space and check insurance policies for stock limits.
• Creative Promotions:
  • Lee describes marketing kits like:
    • Summer Rescue Kits (algaecide, granular chlorine, clarifier, etc.)
    • Winterizer Kits (algaecide, calcium sequestrant, filter cleaner)
    • Spring Startup Kits (tile cleaners, phosphate removers, etc.)
  • These kits not only boost sales but also prevent customers from turning to competitors during closures.

5. Marketing Insights

• Lee’s Marketing Calendar:
  • A 12-month roadmap for promotions, tailored for both retail and service clients.
  • Offers to share the template with listeners—email requests to talkingpoolsmail.com.
• Networking for Referrals:
  • Peter credits his success to referral-based marketing and emphasizes its effectiveness in urban areas.
  • Lee highlights the differences between small-town and city-based marketing approaches.

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