The First KPI Every Home Service Owner Should Track (Not Revenue) |

Derek Cornish (0:00)

We raised our prices 30% in one month.

Most people would have been like, you're crazy. And we were a little crazy. And we ended up having the biggest month the next month that we ever had. It did nothing. When I say 30%, it was legit 30%. We went 10 and then 20 And it wasn't the issue, though. It was all the internal stuff of no SOPs.

Tommy Mello (0:20)

Yeah, well, you can't price yourself out of bad KPIs. All right, guys, welcome back to The Home Service Expert. Today, I got Derek Cornish here. He built the sales organization, the Top Home Improvements from the ground up. He started knocking doors, became a closer, and then built the entire sales operation that now runs across three locations with a dedicated sales manager and a high-level call center. Today, he's going to break down how he went from zero KPIs to a full sales management system, the specific techniques that turn a not-interested into a closed deal of what a sales organization needs to look like at every stage of growth. Derek, how the hell are you?

Derek Cornish (0:59)

Doing good, Tommy.

Tommy Mello (1:00)

Thanks for having me. Glad you made it out. So, you've built the entire sales organization at Top Home Improvements from the ground up. Before we get into the systems, take us back to the beginning.

How did you get into home service, and what were those early days like?

Derek Cornish (1:13)

So, actually, I was working at a company, screen printing sport apparel. And they were kind of going down, lost my job, and went home, was bummed out, and just got online and saw this ad for company vehicle and 100k plus. And so I jumped on, ended up getting the job, actually brought me in for an interview for canvassing and call center. I was like, well, I really want to be in sales. So they brought me in for another interview, got that job, and from there, took off.

At first, started off slow, and then our sales manager, he's like, you need to grow a pair, and started asking for the order and assuming the sale. So once I started doing that, I ended up being the top salesman there, and then my partner and I went golfing one day, and we kept trying to do different businesses, business ideas, and we're like, why don't we just do what we know?

He's like, I know how to knock a door and do events and you know how to sell. So that's what we did. We went from zero to we're on track to do over $20 million this year.

Tommy Mello (2:18)

So he was a good setter and you'd walk in and close.

So it's a set close model on the canvas side. Then you take the best canvassers and you throw them in events and that's kind of like they're like, hey, this is almost like a promotion to get to the event team.

Derek Cornish (2:35)

Correct. Especially in Michigan when it's cold outside, they really have the event schedule.

Tommy Mello (2:40)

Yeah, I was telling you, I grew up there and it's near and dear. I'm happy I'm from the Midwest, the best people in the world. I was raised with a lot of culture, a lot of seasons, but I'll never go back. I go back there all the time. I got a lot of family there, but I just I enjoy the sunshine, even though it's hot out here in the summer.

That's why I did the Idaho House.

Derek Cornish (3:01)

I've been here since Thursday. What do you think? I love it. I told Kate back at home, I was like, we might have to move out to Arizona.

Tommy Mello (3:08)

You know what?

Derek Cornish (3:09)

It's hot, but it's nice.

Tommy Mello (3:10)

I can bring you, I can show you the whole, I can show you everything from like ASU, Tempe, to Scottsdale, Old Town, all the way. There's so much, you go to Downtown Phoenix, it's like, it's just a different, like everywhere you go, you get whatever you want. There's so many great events. It's just right now just became home of the most millionaires in the United States. Yeah, Scottsdale. And I live right there in Paradise Valley. And I'm telling you, like, I just love this place. It's all on a grid.

Traffic's not bad, depending on what freeway you're on, but everything's easy to get to. And it's just, it's a great place. I just, this will always be home.

Derek Cornish (3:45)

Yeah.

Tommy Mello (3:46)

You started Knockin Doors yourself. What's the difference between being great at sales and being great at building a sales team?