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Little Buddy

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Posts posted by Little Buddy

  5. Posted · Report reply

    Your going to find through your own experience that marketing and sales come down to "six of one a half dozen of the other". There are things that work and don't work based on your style and your market. As you can see we all have opinions as to what works and those are differing fairly dramatically. My average deck price this year is coming in around $1700 which is dramatically different from 6 years ago when I chased $450 decks. In the beginning you do what you need to do to stay busy. I know very successful guys that probably average $450 per deck. They obviously need a much higher volume and would be spinning their wheels meeting with every customer. I am to the point now if a customer calls and they cannot meet with me, I start leaning toward sending them to someone else. If you cannot meet with me to begin establishing what I want to be a lifelong relationship, you may not be the customer I am seeking. Again time in business and YOUR business model is going to determine ultimately what path you take.

    As far as employees.. I send the majority of mine through a leasing agency. My lead guy or myself interviews them and determines employment viability. They then go sign up at the leasing agency. Leasing agency covers the WC and all payroll taxes and they finance my payroll for 5 days which helps with cash flow.

    Totally agree. I am not sure which business model i am going to start with as i still have a good 8 months to decide that. At this point for my company, i cant afford to be as selective of potential customers as you. My idea of scheduling estimates on Wednesday and Friday evenings will work good for my business model for now, because i doubt my phone will constantly be ringing( at most maybe 1-2 calls a day to start). This will allow me to meet with the homeowners, educate and set their expectations, and try and sell them on quality as well as a maintenance program and other services. Then email them the estimate and terms and conditions later that evening. Follow up with a call a few days later to see it they have reached a decision or have any questions.

    The last month of summer, my average job (only did 2) averaged out to $1,800. This summer i bet i could do $20,000 or better, with some marketing. I'm still working on getting a logo designed as well as finding someone to build me a website for free or a small fee, one of the benefits of college i guess.

    I have probably a good 30+ pages of notes i have to sift through on bidding/estimating/followup calls i have to go through and memorize the lingo. I have much more on marketing before/after/and during the job that i have to implement and price out as well.

    This place is awesome, and i probably learned what would take someone ,20 years ago, 3 years in business in probably 3 months because of you guys on these boards. Now all i have to do is smooth out the seams and roll out the kinks and PowerWash Solutions will be a well oiled machine come summer.

    Thanks, Joe

  6. Posted · Report reply

    I was just wondering what do you guys do for stain choice? I was thinking of only stocking 4 colors of stain and either bringing a sample board with to place on their deck or have the picture of the sample plank on my website and brochure. Just some rough ideas for now. I will mention to them the "most popular color" just in case they have a hard time deciding.

    also for direct mailing, i was looking at www.printdirectforless.com and was wondering if anyone can attest to their customer service and quality of products.

    Thanks, Joe

  7. Posted · Report reply

    Yea, i was going to sell myself, my service and quality, and educate the customer just to set their expectations that my price will not be the lowest or the highest. Then in the email, they will get the price and wont be shocked. I think I will schedule estimates for Wednesday and Friday evenings for the reason you all stated. First, it will save gas by allowing me to schedule them in a route. Secondly, it allows the customers have someone else come out before me, so they can get an idea, and hopefully I'm the last one they talk to. Lastly, I because it is in the evenings, i hope i can meet with the majority of the homeowners (both of them). Requiring their email will also allow me to save money on flyer's and reminder mailings because i can just send them via email. So when its time to do a maintenance call, just email them a postcard/flyer reminder. After you get a few thousand emails from customers and just estimates, this can now be a very effective marketing tool that is FREE! I am sure my business model will include a little of everyones ideas.

    If i need helpers, they are going to go through a temp service because the legal mumbo jumpo is too expensive, and i cannot afford to pay them cash out of my pocket (still have to pay taxes on money i don't have and no taxable deduction).

  9. Posted · Report reply

    B is the answer I use now. I used to spend lots of time at people houses trying to get them to sign, but I've found that couple's like to discuss spending that kind of money, and pressuring them is not a good sales technique. All I usually tell them if they are home is that I'm here to do some measurements and testing, and that I'll e-mail them an estimate. This gives you contact with them twice vs. the initial consult. Of course I give them the usual spiel about stain, restoration process, etc. They also get a nice brochure with that info along with other services we provide. Many times a homeowner will ask about house washing or roof cleaning after reading the brochure. Now I'm selling added services. I schedule all estimates for one day of the week (usually Friday because it's payday). There's lots more to this, but you get the idea. It really is a process that you have to develop, and it changes as your business does.

    See i am torn between what you do and what Celeste does. I would love to do all the estimates on a Friday or whenever (possible a rainy day too) but i also want to meet with the homeowner, so i doubt scheduling all the bids on Friday would work. Plus scheduling on Friday raises another red flag for me. I was always under the impression that there was a 24 or 48 hour rule. Once the homeowner calls, you better give them a bid ( or at least meet with them) within 48 hours. So this is what i was thinking. I will try and schedule bids Wednesday evenings and Friday evens, until i get busy, then it will go to every evening. After meeting with them and answering questions, leaving a brochure of other services is a GREAT idea mike, send them an email the day after as well as giving the heads up that i will call a few days later if i don't hear back.

    A brochure and a fridge magnet will be left with the home owner, and then the estimate will be emailed with a nice cover letter, sample contract, maintenance program.

    After the job is completed, I will then try and sell the maintenance program as well as other services if needed.

    thanks for all the info guys, special thanks to Celeste, rick, and mike

  17. Posted · Report reply

    Joe - Believe it or not, lots of maintenance is your goal. Faster service is supposed to equate to higher profits.....your restorations will turn into maintenance. Your restorations will be the new customers you will harvest annually and convert :)

    Celeste

    PS - Welcome aboard! Thank GOODNESS I didn't have to use the dreaded "search" line with you - I think you're going to be a fine asset to this forum!

    Are you a big ready seal guy? I think the homeowner would love to hear mike's line, "Keep up the maintenance, and you won't be paying for a restoration." I agree with you on lots of maintenance is my goal, i was more of thinking out loud about possible kinks down the road. Mike's little line there even makes me feel good, so i know the homeowner would feel the same. It just sounds like a DEAL.

    -Joe

  18. Posted · Report reply

    Yea mike was telling me he does the same (email the bid) if they are not there. This sounds great, and im sure it is and works wonders, but it doesn't seem personal, you know. I was planning on doing the same but have a few questions about it.

    I know most of you guys probably try and schedule to the bid in the evening, when the home owners are there, but most of the time that is hard to do. Most probably dont really care so they just stop during the day get the measurments and then email them the bid attached with some info about maintenance program, stain, blah blah blah, and maybe even leave info about maintenance program, FAQ, process, and fridge magnet at their house just in case.

    Now to my question, if they are there when you are doing the bid do you (a) give them a written estimate there on the spot and get them booked or (b) tell them you can send them the bid later that day via email and then just continue to elaborate the quality, stain, maintenance program, answer questions, and educate the homeowner and set their expectations?

    Thanks, Joe

  19. Posted · Report reply

    If I don't schedule the job at the time of the estimate, I ask if it's OK to call in 3 or 4 days.

    Something like this.

    I know life gets in the road sometimes. If I haven't heard from you in 3 or 4 days, is it alright to give you a follow up call.

    They have always said, sure.

    Yes, i understand this but what i was going for/asking is more for what do you say during the followup call 3-4 days later. Obviously, they either (1) forget because they are extremely busy, (2) have questions unanswered, or (3) don't have the funds (the amount of funds is probably less of an issue because they are looking to hire someone to do it, but more of a lack of being sold and quality of the service the price includes). So i was really hoping to see how you guys go about to fulfill these and get the job scheduled.

    thanks, Joe

    P.S signing the job on the spot doesn't really apply to this thread, but it does require a follow-up call to as a reminder that you are coming and to have the deck cleared.

  20. Posted · Report reply

    Mike,

    So lets say you have a customer that you have been doing annual maintenance on. You have been doing the maintenance for 3 years (just cleaning and applying new ready seal). The next year i would personally strip and do the whole thing. Here is my question.

    Since the maintenance program price is a fraction of the full restoration price, would you charge the full maintence price of the fourth year to do the whole ball of wax? Because i can see myself saying to the customer, "with the maintenance program, you wont have to pay for a full restoration as long as you stick with the annual maintenace program."

    How will you ever get to charge for a full restoration, unless they skip a year, if they continue to sign on for the maintenance program?

    Thanks, Joe

  22. Posted · Report reply

    Mike quick question,

    We were talking about the maintenance of ready seal and you said you always return to the job expecting to strip and reseal. How do you know if you need to strip the existing sealer? What do you do if it is grayed because i would just clean and brighten if it was grayed, but it still had some pigment to it i would just apply another coat of ready seal.

    Thanks, Joe

  23. Posted · Report reply

    I always get confused you guys are talking residential. often home owner want more passive sales people. Relaxed and not often in a hurry, Im a commercial guy an dont have the knowledge to even address home owner sales. I would likely get thrown off property.

    I would need a gun to sell residential, put up to the temple an say sign here. LOL

    hahahaha...I wouldn't think it would be that big of a difference between commercial and residential, but i know what you are saying. Commercial probably takes for ever because it is more than one person making the decision and hard to find those people where residential you are speaking with the people who make the decisions right away.

  25. Posted · Report reply

    CALL TO ACTION FOLLOW-UP CALL

    Hi Mr. / Mrs. So and so, this is Joe from PowerWash Solutions. I enjoyed meeting with you and presenting you with a proposal for your job. I’d love to go over any questions that you may have as soon as possible and get you on board. We are scheduling next week’s jobs and slots are filling up fast, so we would really like if you were on board as well. Talk to you soon, Thanks.

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