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The Contractor Fight with Tom Reber

Tom Reber

Stop stressing out about your contracting business and take back control. The Contractor Fight is bringing respect and dignity back to the trades one contractor at a time. Discover how to market, sell, and consistently produce your projects at a profit with industry expert and powerful motivator Tom Reber.

Stop stealing from your family.
Earn what you're worth.
Build a business that serves you.

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#1153
Yesterday · 8 min
Why The Best Salespeople Disqualify More Than They Sell
https://thecontractorfight.com/leak Why The Best Salespeople Disqualify More Than They Sell The best salespeople don’t try to close everyone. They identify the wrong prospects early so they can spend their time on the right ones. In this episode, Tom explains why chasing every lead isn’t commitment, hustle or good salesmanship. It’s a qualification problem. Wrong budget. Wrong timeline. Multiple decision-makers who aren’t involved. Homeowners collecting estimates with no intention of buying. No closing technique can fix a bad fit. When you push every lead toward a meeting and proposal, you waste hours on opportunities that were dead from the beginning. That wasted effort eventually damages your confidence, creates desperation and pressures you to offer discounts you never needed to give. The solution is to command the gate. Ask the real questions before you get in the truck and require every lead to earn the meeting. In this episode: • Why great salespeople disqualify more prospects • How chasing every lead damages your confidence and pricing • Why closing techniques can’t overcome a bad fit • How five bad leads per month can waste more than 90 hours a year • The purpose of the Shin-Fu prequalification process • How to uncover the prospect’s true motive • Why vague answers are valuable information • How to discuss money before scheduling the appointment • Why every decision-maker needs to be identified • What Command the Gate is designed to protect Your challenge: Before scheduling meetings with your next 10 leads, dig into three things on the phone: • Their motive • Their budget • Every person involved in the decision If their answers are vague, evasive or reveal that the project isn’t a fit, believe the information. Disqualifying a prospect isn’t losing a sale. It’s protecting the time you need for the sales you can actually win. Find the biggest leak in your sales process with the free Sales Leak Scorecard: https://thecontractorfight.com/leak You don’t win by closing everyone. You win by knowing who is worth trying to close.
#1152
September 7 · 9 min
Stop Trying to Build Rapport
www.thecontractorfight.com/leak Stop Trying to Build Rapport Your prospects don’t need another contractor pretending to care about their dog, boat or favorite football team. They need to trust that you can solve their problem. In this episode, Tom challenges one of the oldest beliefs in sales: people buy from people they like. Likability matters, but it doesn’t close the job by itself. Contractors lose sales every day after having friendly conversations with homeowners who genuinely liked them. The missing ingredient is competence. Manufactured small talk can actually work against you. It wastes time, signals that you’re running a sales technique and delays the conversation the homeowner actually wants to have. Instead of trying to become their buddy, take command of the meeting. Explain the process, ask better questions, understand what they want and show them exactly how you’ll deliver it. Competence is the rapport. In this episode: • Why being liked isn’t enough to close the job • The difference between being friendly and manufacturing rapport • How forced small talk can damage trust • What homeowners are really thinking while you talk about their boat • Why your sales process should begin before you arrive • How explaining the meeting builds immediate credibility • Why diagnosing the problem positions you as the expert • The two things that actually build trust during the meeting • Tom’s three-meeting challenge for eliminating fake rapport Your challenge: For your next three sales meetings, eliminate the manufactured small talk. Explain your process within the first 60 seconds. Get directly into what the homeowner wants, why it matters and what has changed since the qualification call. You don’t need to be liked. You need to be trusted. Find out where your sales process is leaking with the free Sales Leak Scorecard: https://thecontractorfight.com/leak Stop guessing. Find the leak. Fix the leak. Command your sales.
#1151
September 3 · 35 min
How I Stopped Working 80-Hour Weeks and Made MORE Money
Have you built a business worth having: https://bit.ly/BuildABusinessWorthHaving_itf1 Most contractors believe the only way to build a successful business is to work 80 hours a week and sacrifice everything at home. Roberto Diaz thought the exact same thing. He was working non-stop, hiding empty bank accounts from his family, and putting thousands of dollars on credit cards just to survive. Then he hit a breaking point: "Strong Home, Strong Business." In this episode of Into The Fight, Tim and Derek sit down with general contractor Roberto Diaz (owner of Building by Giving in Denver, CO) to talk about how he stopped overworking, started tracking his numbers with job costing, and built a business that lets him be home by 5 PM with his wife and kids. They break down: • Why overworking and sacrificing family time won't save your contracting business • How to transition from doing everything yourself to implementing real business systems • The exact breaking point that forces contractors to stop hiding from their numbers • Why tracking job costing reveals the painful truth about your margins • How to build standards around subs, culture, and hospitality in construction • The power of reaching out to realtors, designers, and local partners to stay busy • Why asking hard questions and practicing active listening saves marriages and businesses Chapters 00:00 Welcome to Into The Fight: Roberto Diaz 00:58 Donating 3% to 5% of Every Project 03:36 The Breaking Point: Strong Home, Strong Business 04:55 Empty Bank Accounts & Taking the Risk 07:27 Deciding to Be a Present Father 12:33 Facing the Truth with Job Costing 15:15 Working with Family and Uncomfortable Conversations 18:34 Scaling with a Subcontractor Model & High Standards 26:28 Becoming a Better Husband & Communicator 32:45 The Question Every Contractor Needs to Ask Running a contracting business should never force you to sacrifice your home life. When you implement job costing and track your actual numbers, you build a company that runs smoothly. That clarity gives you the freedom to be fully present as a husband and father. Tom Reber is the founder of The Contractor Fight. He is the host of Contractor Fight TV, an entrepreneur, a speaker, a podcaster, and a former HGTV host. For over 20 years, Tom has helped hundreds of thousands of contractors build businesses worth having. He does this by helping them become the kind of people capable of building them. On this channel you will find straight-talk training for your business. We cover sales, pricing, profit, leadership, and mindset. Our goal is to build a Strong You, a Strong Home, and a Strong Business. The first fight is always with yourself. Join The Fight. 👊
#1150
August 31 · 15 min
How Contractors Leak $183,000 in Profit Every Year
How Contractors Leak $183,000 in Profit Every Year Most contractors think they need more leads. They don’t. They need to stop wasting the opportunities already coming into the business. In this episode, Tom breaks down how an $800,000 contractor could be leaking more than $183,000 in gross profit every year without seeing a single expense on the P&L. The money disappears through four common sales leaks: • The Gate: Failing to qualify leads before wasting time on an estimate • The Meeting: Showing up, measuring and quoting without running a proven sales process • The Money: Discounting because the price conversation gets uncomfortable • The Follow-Up: Sending a proposal and hoping the customer eventually responds Using a $12,000 average job, a 30% close rate and a 40% gross profit margin, Tom shows how small improvements could produce: • 84 hours of owner or estimator time recovered through better qualification • $52,800 in additional gross profit from improving the close rate by five points • $20,400 kept by eliminating unnecessary discounts • Approximately $110,000 in additional gross profit from a structured follow-up process You don’t need more water poured into a leaking bucket. Fix the bucket first. In this episode: • The five steps of the Shin-Fu qualification process • Why 80% of the sale happens during the motive conversation • The seven-part structure of a strong sales meeting • How discounting comes directly off your bottom line • The five-touch follow-up sequence every contractor should use • Why profit is the scoreboard • How to find the biggest leak in your sales process Find your biggest sales leak with the free Sales Leak Scorecard: https://thecontractorfight.com/leak Stop guessing. Find the leak. Fix the leak. Command your sales.
#1149
August 24 · 10 min
The Going Rate Is Killing Your Business
Take the Sales Leak Scorecard Here Episode Description "What's the going rate for a project like this?" Wrong question. In this episode, Tom breaks down why pricing off the going rate is the fastest way to price yourself into the gutter and what to ask instead. It's not about what everyone else charges. It's about your production rate, your real costs, and your number. If you're still shaving your price to "stay competitive," this one's for you. What You'll Learn Why "going rate" pricing means you're averaging other contractors' blind spots into your own bid The one question to ask instead of "what's the going rate" The three numbers you need to know cold before you price any job The blind-spot costs that never show up in a "going rate" conversation Why revenue hides stupidity — and how a broken pricing model gets worse the more you scale it Episode Breakdown Open — The question that started this episode, and why it's the wrong one to ask The Going Rate Problem — Why market-average pricing means pricing off other people's guesswork The Better Question — Production rate vs. going rate, and why one is math and the other is a rumor The Cost of Guessing — How "going rate" pricing quietly scales a broken business How to Build Your Number — The three things to track: actual time, real costs, target margin The Blind Spots — Access issues, waste, permits, travel — the stuff the going rate never accounts for The Standard — What strong contractors do differently The Fight This Week — Pull your last five jobs and build your real number Key Quote "The going rate is the kiss of death for a contractor. It keeps you tied to the average. And average is not where you want to live." This Week's Fight Pull your last five jobs like the one you're about to bid. Look at actual hours, actual costs, actual outcome. Build your production rate... not the going rate. oduction rate — not your going rate. Links & Resources Sales Leak Scorecard The Contractor Fight Website: https://thecontractorfight.com
#1148
August 17 · 6 min
Why a 10% Discount is Negotiating Against Yourself
Get Your Sales Leak Score: https://thecontractorfight.com/leak You just found out that "small" discount is costing you way more than 10%. In this episode, Tom breaks down the actual math behind discounting a job, and why giving away 10% off your price can wipe out 20% (or more) of your profit. If you've ever caved on price because a customer pushed back, this one's for you. What you'll learn: Why your costs don't move when your price does The real math behind a "harmless" 10% discount How much additional work you have to sell just to break even on a discount Why the math gets uglier the thinner your margins already are The difference between a strategic discount and a fear-based one Timestamps 00:00 – The problem: contractors negotiating against themselves the moment a customer pushes back 00:40 – The example: a $10K job at 50% gross margin 01:00 – What actually happens when you cave and knock off 10% 01:40 – Your costs don't drop just because your price did 02:00 – The real hit: a 10% price discount = a 20% gross profit hit 02:20 – Mid-show break: the Sales Leak Scorecard — find out where your sales process is actually breaking down 03:20 – Back to the numbers: what it costs to earn that profit back 03:40 – How much additional revenue you have to go sell just to replace what you gave away 04:20 – The math gets worse at lower margins (30% example) 05:20 – When discounting is okay — legit strategic reasons vs. reacting out of fear 06:00 – The close: know your numbers, hold your price, protect your profit Get Your Sales Leak Score: https://thecontractorfight.com/leak Follow Tom on IG The Contractor Fight Website
#1147
August 10 · 13 min
Profit Is What Gives You Options (Revenue Is Just Noise)
Book a call with the team: https://thecontractorfight.com/battleground Grab Tom's book FREE: https://thecontractorfight.com/book/ Your business is making more money than ever, but you still hate the damn thing. You’ve got the trucks, the branded wraps, the team, and a schedule that's packed tight. From the outside, it looks like you’re flying high. But you can’t take a single day off without something going sideways. You’re answering every question, putting out every fire, and your margins have anorexia. That business wasn't supposed to be a high-paying prison...it was supposed to give you freedom. In this video, Tom Reber breaks down why top-line revenue is a bullshit metric, why scaling a broken business just helps you lose money faster, and how to stop being the ultimate bottleneck in your own company. You’ll learn: • Why revenue is loud, but profit is what gives you options • Why growth doesn't fix a weak business...it just exposes it • Why you are the biggest bottleneck holding your team back • The 5-part order: Strong You, Strong Home, Strong Business • What a real Business Operating System (Fight OS) actually looks like • How to rate your business from 1 to 10 across the 6 key operational pillars Revenue matters, but if your business owns your ass and runs entirely on your personal energy, you don't own a business...you own a personality cult with trucks and logos. It’s time to stop scaling a turd and start building a business worth having. Chapters 0:00 - The High-Paying Prison 1:40 - Revenue Isn't The Goal 3:04 - Growth Doesn't Fix A Weak Business 4:26 - You Are Your Biggest Problem 6:04 - Real Businesses Need Real Systems 8:01 - A Business Worth Having Doesn't Mean Easy 9:29 - I Challenge You... 11:20 - Installing The Fight Operating System Tom Reber is the founder of The Contractor Fight, host of Contractor Fight TV, entrepreneur, speaker, podcaster, and former HGTV host. For over 20 years, Tom has helped hundreds of thousands of contractors build businesses worth having by becoming the kind of people capable of building them. On this channel you'll find straight-talk training on sales, pricing, profit, leadership, marketing, mindset, and what it really takes to build a Strong You, Strong Home, and Strong Business. The first fight is always with yourself. Join The Fight. 👊
#1146
August 3 · 8 min
Is Your Business Worth Having?
Check out The Fight: www.thecontractorfight.com Is Your Contracting Business Actually Worth Having? Most contractors are chasing more revenue, more trucks, more employees, and more jobs. Wrong scoreboard. You can build a $3M company and still be broke, stressed, overweight, disconnected from your family, and chained to the business you created. In this video, Tom Reber breaks down the real test: Is your business actually worth having? A business worth having should: Make real profit Give you more choices Function without you being the hero Make your life better—not consume it Revenue matters. Growth matters. But if the business owns your ass, you’re not winning. Strong You. Strong Home. Strong Business. The first fight is always with yourself. Chapters 0:00 Is Your Business Worth Having? 0:29 When “Successful” Contractors Are Miserable 1:16 Bigger Doesn’t Fix Broken 2:27 Test #1: Does It Make Real Money? 3:41 Test #2: Does It Give You Choices? 4:39 Test #3: Can It Run Without You? 5:35 The Biggest Test: Who Are You Becoming? 6:20 Strong You. Strong Home. Strong Business. 6:36 Ask Better Questions About Your Business 7:27 The Five-Year Gut Check 7:42 Start Fixing the Next Thing 8:05 Build a Business Worth Having Tom Reber is the founder of The Contractor Fight, host of Contractor Fight TV, entrepreneur, speaker, podcaster, and former HGTV host. For over 20 years, Tom has helped hundreds of thousands of contractors build businesses worth having by becoming the kind of people capable of building them. On this channel you'll find straight-talk training on sales, pricing, profit, leadership, marketing, mindset, and what it really takes to build a Strong You, Strong Home, and Strong Business. The first fight is always with yourself. Join The Fight. 👊
#1145
July 27 · 16 min
3 Things That Make Customers Accept Premium Pricing
Business training for Contractors: https://thecontractorfight.com/battleground Contractors hear it every day: “Your price is too high.” But most of the time, price isn’t actually the problem. The problem is that you haven’t given the customer enough evidence to believe you’re worth more. In this episode of Contractor Fight TV, Tom breaks down the 3 things that justify a higher price without defending it, apologizing for it, or trashing the cheaper contractor. You’ll learn how to use: • Communication to build trust before the sale • Content to establish authority before you ever meet • Customer experience to prove you’re worth the premium You don’t get to SAY you’re worth more. You have to prove it. And if you’re constantly hearing that your prices are too high, it might be time to stop blaming cheap customers and start looking at the experience your company is creating. CHAPTERS 00:00 — “Your Price Is Too High” 00:23 — Stop Defending Your Price 01:04 — What “Justifying Your Price” Actually Means 01:29 — #1: Your Communication Justifies Your Price 02:24 — Your Website Is Part of the Sale 03:02 — Bad Follow-Up Kills Trust 04:18 — Confidence vs. Arrogance 04:43 — Speed Is King 05:32 — Price Isn’t the Only Thing Customers Care About 06:12 — #2: Your Content Justifies Your Price 06:30 — Become the Best Educator in Your Market 07:19 — Stop Making Excuses and Create Content 08:17 — “It Takes What It Takes” 08:39 — What Contractors Should Create Content About 09:38 — #3: The Customer Experience Justifies Your Price 10:22 — Your Team Is Part of the Experience 11:18 — Make Your Company Easy to Work With 11:34 — How Pre-Planning Builds Trust 12:39 — Stop Leaving Customers Loose Ends 13:14 — Warranty Problems Are Opportunities 13:45 — Trust Is What Makes the Higher Price Make Sense 14:25 — “People Are Just Cheap” Is an Excuse 14:54 — The Real Reason You’re Getting Price Pushback 15:30 — Why Tom Gets So Fired Up About This 16:08 — Take the Next Step Ready to build a stronger, more profitable contracting business? 👉 https://thecontractorfight.com/battleground
#1144
July 23 · 27 min
Family Business Going Wrong? Here's What You're Missing
Sales training for Contractors: https://thecontractorfight.com/command Grab Tom's book FREE: https://thecontractorfight.com/book/ Running a business with your spouse, kids, parents, or other family members can be incredible.It can also get messy fast.When nobody knows exactly what they're responsible for, business problems become family problems. Roles overlap. People start micromanaging each other. Work follows you home. And suddenly you're talking about customers and employees while lying in bed at night. In this episode, Tim and Derek get into what they've learned from building businesses with family—and the mistakes they wish they'd avoided.They break down why clear roles matter, how to keep business out of your personal life, why every family member needs ownership and autonomy, and how a shared vision can get everyone rowing in the same direction. Chapters 00:00 The Reality of Family Businesses 00:34 Why We Started Our Own Businesses 03:29 What Employees Don't See About Ownership 05:24 The Hidden Cost of Running a Business 07:35 What Your Employees Actually Need 09:32 Why Business Owners Need an Outlet 10:44 How Family Gets Pulled Into the Business 11:40 Family and Business Relationships Are Different 12:02 The Biggest Family Business Mistake 12:23 Define Everyone's Role 13:52 Communication Changes Everything 15:28 Keep the Business Out of the Bedroom 16:33 You Need a Life Outside the Business 17:59 Respect Each Other's Time 18:44 Get Clear on Responsibilities 18:50 Build a Shared Family Business Vision 19:40 Look in the Mirror First 20:01 Treat Family Members With Respect 21:16 Stop Assuming You Have All the Answers 23:12 Let Other People Solve the Problem 24:54 The Simple Advice for Family Businesses Working with family doesn't have to destroy your relationships.Get clear about who's responsible for what. Give people ownership. Communicate like professionals. Build a shared vision. And create boundaries so the business doesn't consume the family you built it for in the first place.Subscribe to The Contractor Fight for straight-talk conversations about sales, leadership, profit, people, and building a contracting business worth owning. Tom Reber is the founder of The Contractor Fight, host of Contractor Fight TV, entrepreneur, speaker, podcaster, and former HGTV host. For over 20 years, Tom has helped hundreds of thousands of contractors build businesses worth having by becoming the kind of people capable of building them. On this channel you'll find straight-talk training on sales, pricing, profit, leadership, marketing, mindset, and what it really takes to build a Strong You, Strong Home, and Strong Business. The first fight is always with yourself. Join The Fight. 👊
#1143
July 20 · 8 min
Stop Negotiating Against Yourself
Sales training for Contractors: https://thecontractorfight.com/command Grab Tom's book FREE: https://thecontractorfight.com/book/ Before the customer ever asks for a discount, most contractors have already given them one. You lower the labor hours. You shave the material costs. You cut your markup. You manipulate the number until you finally land on a price you feel comfortable saying out loud. Meanwhile, the customer hasn't rejected your price. They haven't questioned it. Hell, they haven't even heard it yet. You're negotiating against yourself. In this video, Tom Reber exposes four of the biggest lies contractors believe about pricing and why undercharging usually has less to do with math and more to do with fear. You'll learn why chasing the "going rate" is dangerous, why more volume won't fix bad margins, why cheap pricing doesn't actually serve your customers, and how to finally build the confidence to say your price and stand behind it. Because your pricing problem probably isn't a math problem anymore. It's whether you're willing to trust the number. Chapters 00:00 You're Discounting Before They Even Ask 00:32 This Isn't an Estimating Problem—It's Fear 01:12 Lie #1: "I Need to Be Competitive" 02:05 Lie #2: "I Have to Charge the Going Rate" 03:26 Lie #3: "I'll Make It Up in Volume" 04:19 Lie #4: "Charging More Isn't Fair" 05:18 Your Family Is Subsidizing Your Low Prices 05:58 You're Protecting Yourself From Rejection 06:06 The Math Is Easy. The Courage Isn't. 06:59 How to Build Price Confidence 07:23 Look at the Money You Gave Away 07:33 Set a New Pricing Floor 07:49 The First Fight Is Always With Yourself Stop trying to outwork bad math. Know your numbers. Charge what your business needs. Say the price clearly. Then shut up and let the customer make their decision. The first fight is always with yourself. Subscribe to The Contractor Fight for straight-talk training on contractor sales, pricing, leadership, profit, and building a business worth owning. Tom Reber is the founder of The Contractor Fight, host of Contractor Fight TV, entrepreneur, speaker, podcaster, and former HGTV host. For over 20 years, Tom has helped hundreds of thousands of contractors build businesses worth having by becoming the kind of people capable of building them. On this channel you'll find straight-talk training on sales, pricing, profit, leadership, marketing, mindset, and what it really takes to build a Strong You, Strong Home, and Strong Business. The first fight is always with yourself. Join The Fight. 👊
#1142
July 13 · 20 min
The First Fight is Always with Yourself
The First Fight is Always with Yourself Ready to grow your life & business? http://bit.ly/4fbjCgo Most contractors think the fight is with the economy. Cheap competitors. Bad employees. Price shoppers. They're wrong. The first fight is always with yourself. In this video, Tom Reber shares the philosophy behind The Contractor Fight and the journey every contractor must take to become the leader, business owner, spouse, parent, and person they were created to be. This isn't about tactics. It's about identity. You'll learn why every transformation begins with the mirror, why your future is won in everyday moments, and how pursuing truth leads to the confidence and freedom you've been chasing. If you've been feeling stuck in your business or your life, this may be the most important video you've watched all year. Chapters 00:00 The First Fight Is With Yourself 00:22 What The Contractor Fight Really Means 01:01 The Mirror Never Lies 02:14 The Story That Changed My Life 04:38 Knowledge Isn't Enough—You Must Choose 07:10 The Three Choices We All Make 08:01 Your Life Is Won in the Moments 10:38 How Fighters Are Forged 11:29 Running Into the Punch 14:17 Lethal Confidence Is Earned 15:19 What It Really Means to Be a Fighter 17:54 When the Fight Stops Being About You 18:47 The Legacy Worth Fighting For If you're ready to stop settling and become the contractor, leader, spouse, parent, and person you were meant to become, subscribe to The Contractor Fight. New videos every week on business, sales, leadership, mindset, and building a profitable contracting business that gives you freedom. Tom Reber is an entrepreneur, business coach, podcaster, leader of The Contractor Fight, creator of Contractor Fight TV and HGTV host. Tom's content has helped hundreds of thousands of home improvement contractors improve their lives and businesses. The Contractor Fight is the ultimate sales training resource for contractors! Pick a fight with mediocrity. Live Unafraid.
#1141
July 9 · 26 min
Your Business Owns YOU (Here's How to Take It Back)
Your business was supposed to give you freedom. So why does it feel like you're working more than ever? Too many contractors build themselves into the center of everything. Every estimate. Every phone call. Every problem. Every decision. In this episode, Tim and Derek break down why that happens and what it actually takes to build a business that runs without depending on you. We cover: • Why most contractors accidentally build themselves another job • The biggest mistake owners make when building a team • Why every business needs clear roles and accountability • How to stop being the bottleneck • The $100,000 minimum every business owner should expect to earn • Why systems create freedom, not restrictions • How to build a company that gives you choices instead of stress If you're tired of your business controlling your life, this conversation is for you. 👊 Learn more about Battleground and build a business that works without owning you. #contractorfight #contractorbusiness #smallbusiness #construction #contractor #leadership #businessgrowth #entrepreneur #freedom #businessowner Chapters 00:00 Your business should create freedom 01:10 Why contractors become the bottleneck 02:40 Building a business that doesn't depend on you 04:30 Finding the right people for the right seats 06:00 Discover what your employees really want 07:40 The $100,000 contractor rule 10:00 Build the business you actually want 11:30 Why money creates choices 13:00 Stop controlling every part of your company 16:00 Most contractors never build a real plan 18:00 Build the foundation before you scale 20:00 Why most owners stay stuck 22:20 Your future depends on today's decisions 24:10 The guy in the mirror is the problem Tom Reber is an entrepreneur, business coach, podcaster, leader of The Contractor Fight, creator of Contractor Fight TV and HGTV host. Tom's content has helped hundreds of thousands of home improvement contractors improve their lives and businesses. The Contractor Fight is the ultimate sales training resource for contractors! Pick a fight with mediocrity. Live Unafraid.
#1140
July 6 · 8 min
Say This When They Say "We Need to Think About It"
The Command: https://thecontractorfight.com/command "I need to think about it." If you're hearing that over and over on your sales calls, here's the truth: it's probably not the objection you think it is. In this video, Tom Reber explains why "I need to think about it" is usually an out...not an objection and how contractors accidentally create it themselves. You'll learn the exact question to ask when a homeowner says they need more time, plus how to fix the sales process that's causing this objection in the first place. If you're tired of chasing prospects, lowering your price, and following up on deals that go nowhere, this episode will change the way you sell. Chapters 00:00 Why You're Hearing "I Need to Think About It" 00:25 It's Not an Objection—It's an Out 01:21 How Contractors Create This Problem 02:02 Stop Earning This Objection 02:32 What's Really Going Through the Homeowner's Mind 03:22 The Exact Response to Use 04:37 Fix the Sales Process, Not the Comeback 05:34 Stop Selling Like a Quote Machine 06:06 The Sales Process That Prevents It 07:00 The Script to Use Every Time If you want to close more jobs at full price, build more trust with homeowners, and stop hearing the same objections over and over, subscribe to The Contractor Fight for weekly videos on sales, pricing, leadership, and building a profitable contracting business. Follow Tom on Instagram
#1139
July 2 · 11 min
The Contractor Leadership Mistake Nobody's Talking About
Become More: https://www..thecontractorfight.com/battleground Most contractors think their biggest leadership problem is finding good people. They're wrong. The real problem is how they respond when good people make mistakes. In this episode, we unpack one of the most overlooked leadership lessons in business: knowing when to hold people accountable...and when to give them another shot. You'll hear the true story of a $100 mistake that could have cost an employee his future—and how choosing to coach instead of condemn led to a $6,500 win just days later. If you're building a team, this conversation might change the way you lead forever. Chapters 00:00 The contractor leadership problem 00:53 The real battle is between your ears 02:00 Why second chances matter 03:14 What if you had unlimited second chances? 04:12 Remember the people who believed in you 05:07 The $100 mistake that changed everything 07:40 Coaching instead of criticizing 08:36 Why grace creates better employees 09:26 The power of your own second chance 10:09 When enough is enough 10:40 The UIT that landed a huge job 11:12 The leadership lesson every contractor needs The Contractor Fight exists to expose the truth, call you up, and help you become the person your business, your family, and your future deserve. We refuse to settle. We pursue the truth. We own our crap. We earn confidence. We build a Strong You. Strong Home. Strong Business. If that speaks to you… Welcome to The Fight. Subscribe for weekly no-BS advice on leadership, sales, profit, and growing a contracting business. Become who you are meant to be: https://thecontractorfight.com
#1138
June 29 · 4 min
What to Say When They Say "We're Getting More Bids."
Check out THE COMMAND: https://go.thecontractorfight.com/command "We're getting a few more bids." Every contractor has heard it. Most immediately assume the homeowner is shopping for the cheapest price. That's usually not what's happening. In this episode, Tom Reber explains why getting more bids is often a sign that the homeowner is still looking for clarity not a lower price. He shares the exact question he asks to uncover what's really driving the decision and how to turn a stalled sales conversation into a productive one. In this episode you'll learn: Why "we're getting more bids" usually isn't the real objection The biggest mistake contractors make after hearing it The early questions that reveal where a prospect really is in the buying process The exact response Tom uses when homeowners mention other estimates How to uncover whether they're looking for price, certainty, or understanding Why building value around the homeowner's motive matters more than defending your price How to stop being "just another bid" If you want higher close rates, bigger profits, and fewer price shoppers, this episode gives you a practical conversation you can use on your very next sales call. Stay Connected: https://www.thecontractorfight.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fightwithtom
#1137
June 25 · 14 min
Do This When You’re Frustrated With Your Team
Do This When You’re Frustrated With Your Team When business gets hard, morale gets weird, and your team starts slipping, it’s real easy to let your frustration lead the room. That’s a mistake. In this episode, Tim and Derek talk about what contractors need to do when they’re frustrated with their team, when the business is in a low, and when they feel like snapping instead of leading. They get into the reality that leadership still starts at the top, why your people may be carrying more than you realize, and how to handle team issues without becoming the problem yourself. This is a conversation about self-regulation, accountability, and doing the thing you don’t want to do when you don’t want to do it. Because when your company hits a rough patch, your team still needs leadership — not your bad mood. Tim and Derek also talk about what to do when business slows down, why fun and reset matter more than most owners think, and how to lead people in a way they’ll remember for the right reasons. In this episode: What to do when you’re frustrated with your team Why team problems usually lead back to the owner How to lead when morale is low and business is hard Why your employees may need more from you than you realize How to address behavior without blowing up your culture What to do when business is slow and your team needs a reset Why your people will remember how you made them feel If you’re a contractor trying to build a stronger team, become a better leader, and stop letting frustration run your business, this one’s for you. Ready to scale your contracting business? Check out The Fight: https://thecontractorfight.com
#1136
June 22 · 1 hr 4 min
Stop Letting Marketing Companies Rob You Blind
Join us in Colorado: https://go.thecontractorfight.com/forge Contractors don’t just get screwed by bad marketing agencies. They get screwed because they hand over money, stop asking questions, ignore their numbers, and hope some “expert” is going to save their business. In this episode, Tom Reber sits down with Josh Osborne for a raw conversation about contractor marketing, business ownership, resilience, and why so many contractors keep getting bled dry by people who don’t understand the trades. Josh is Tom’s partner at No Excuses Media, and together they break down what contractors need to stop doing if they want their marketing to actually work. They talk about the mistakes contractors make when hiring marketing help, why your message matters more than your tactics, and why no lead source in the world can fix weak leadership and a victim mindset. Tom and Josh also dig into Josh’s backstory...getting given up for adoption at 12, building a multi-million-dollar business, suffering a heart attack at 28, losing everything, and rebuilding his life and business from the ground up. This one is about marketing, but it’s also about ownership. About getting punched in the face and getting back up. About stopping the excuses, leading from the front, and building a business that doesn’t keep draining your wallet and your life. In this episode, Tom and Josh cover: Why most contractors get burned by marketing agencies The biggest mistakes contractors make when hiring marketing help How to know if a marketing company actually understands your business Why your message is more important than the latest marketing tactic How victim thinking wrecks your growth Why owning your numbers is still non-negotiable Josh’s story of losing everything and rebuilding What contractors need to do to market smarter and stop getting bled dry If you’re tired of wasting money on marketing, tired of guessing, and tired of getting sold a bunch of crap by people who’ve never run a contracting business, this episode will hit home. Share it with another contractor who needs to hear it and make sure you subscribe to The Contractor Fight for more no-BS conversations on sales, profit, leadership, and building a business that actually works. About The Contractor Fight The Contractor Fight helps home improvement contractors make more money, sell better, lead stronger, and build businesses that actually support the life they want. Through coaching, training, content, and community, Tom Reber and The Fight have helped thousands of contractors stop undercharging, stop winging it, and start building profitable companies with intention. If this episode hit home, share it with another contractor and subscribe for more straight-talk business advice from The Contractor Fight.
#1135
June 18 · 25 min
One Phrase...$35,000
Check out BATTLEGROUND: https://thecontractorfight.com/battleground Tim and Derek get into the real numbers behind running a profitable contracting business, why most owners have no idea what their overhead actually costs them, and how that blind spot kills their confidence at the table. They share the $5,000 retainer move that locked in a $35,000 job, why scheduling for profit beats scheduling by calendar, and the uncomfortable client conversation that turned a $7,000 mistake into a $23,000 opportunity. If you don't know your numbers, you're not running a business. You're guessing. Ready to grow to a couple million in revenue with higher profits? Book a call here.
#1134
June 15 · 7 min
Exactly What to Say When You Hear: "You're Too Expensive."
Checkout The Command: https://thecontractorfight.com/command Contractor sales training for handling price objections. If you've ever heard "you're too expensive," this video shows exactly what to say, how to uncover the real objection, and how to close more contractor jobs without discounting your price. Every contractor hears it. You spend time building rapport, inspecting the project, and putting together a professional proposal—only to hear: "You're too expensive." Most contractors immediately start defending themselves, explaining their materials, experience, reviews, and warranties. That's usually the fastest way to lose profit and lose control of the conversation. In this episode, Tom Reber breaks down exactly what to say when a prospect tells you you're too expensive, how to uncover what's really behind the objection, and how to handle price concerns without discounting your work. You'll learn: • The simple question that changes the entire conversation • Why price is rarely the real objection • How to diagnose instead of defend • The difference between a price problem, budget problem, comparison problem, and decision-maker problem • Why discounting too early kills deals • How to uncover the real reason prospects hesitate If you're tired of hearing "you're too expensive" and losing jobs you should be winning, this podcast is for you. 🔥 Want to master sales conversations, objections, pricing, and closing more profitable work? Join The Command: https://thecontractorfight.com/command

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