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RPetry

Networking works!

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About 6 weeks ago, received a request to estimate a job too far out of my area. Promised the customer I'd attempt to find a qualified wood contractor in their area. Thursday, received the following email:

Hi Rick:

Welcome to Spring!

Just wanted to drop you a line, and tell you the good news.............Xxx xxxx is starting our deck on Saturday!! Woohoo.

He's also doing our swing, shed ramp and washing the house as well! I'm so excited. Our deck will finally be restored to it's "original" beauty.

I'll keep you posted and send pics after it's done. Xxx's a great guy and I can't thank you enough for recommending him.

Hope you have a great season!

Regards,

This job is over 2K. Be kind to your fellow contractors, networking works!

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I network with a lot of different contractors in my area ranging from Painters, Pool Cleaning companies, Tree Trimming Companies etc...2 weeks ago I did 3 jobs that were from other Pressure Washing Contractors who got calls that were out of their area. One of them may be turning into a whole Professional Park Building and Concrete Cleaning job. I gave an estimate yesterday for another Commercial Concrete Cleaning job that one of the Painting Companies I network with got a call on and I'm currently working with another Roof Cleaning and Pressure Washing Contractor on 4 big Apartment Buildings and also on another which involves 242 Tile Roofs and Pressure Washing all the Houses in a Town Home / Villa Community. If that one goes through we will be busy for at least 2 months this summer on just that one alone. They are pretty big Town Homes / Villas.

Networking is definitely one of the best resources out there for keeping busy and having a positive cash flow.

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This is a topic I will speak on in NO. Networking is a valuable asset for our business. We belong to two Chambers and a group called BNI. About 25% of our present work is related to these groups. Having a good name to pass on to our customers is really valuable. We utilize many different companys for work we don't do. We try to attend at least 2 events per week. More when we are slower. Having another business help to grow our own is easy. Making sure they are the very best is essential. Networking comes in various forms. Having a cup of Joe or sitting down to serious business are ways we sometimes don't use. Passing on a name may bring our businesses up a notch or two. You never know what could happen till you try. Thank you.

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The best forms of networking is with other service people, either directly related or indirect. Truly the leads an refferals come more from direct for my company more often that indirect.

To play the refferal game you have to actually give them too.

I have 23 guys that meet once a month and we all look and reffer to each other. Here's a couple of the tradesmen. Carpet & tile, builder, Window cleaner, pest control, dentist, countertops, Glass guy, janitorial, ect.

We started meeting around sept of last year, aside from some jobs I got alot of great ideas for marketing from some older and more mature business people than even myself.

Rick, that great that this is working. I recently put a bid from a gentalmen that came to a roundtable meeting for over 250,000 feet. They want the job done in three days, fourtunatly I'm one of a few that could actually get it done.

Keep up the netwrking guys its a great thing, its one of the main reasons i started meeting nationwide so guys understand this more and more. Truly benifits all.......

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Back in April I was at a home (through networking) to look at a deck.

I already knew before I got there that this guy knows a few property mngr's in Toronto. We discussed that if he got me two appointments with names & times,actual meetings, that I would restore his deck free of charge, and the rest was up to me. Risky ???

He got me those meetings. This Saturday we are cleaning a 218 spot, 4 level, parking garage right downtown.

Today, we did a powerpoint presentation for the second meeting that he'd gotten me. They have 47,000,000 (47 million) sq.ft. of commercial realistate in the GTA alone.

Do I think networking is good. Ya, I think so.

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Back in April I was at a home (through networking) to look at a deck.

I already knew before I got there that this guy knows a few property mngr's in Toronto. We discussed that if he got me two appointments with names & times,actual meetings, that I would restore his deck free of charge, and the rest was up to me. Risky ???

He got me those meetings. This Saturday we are cleaning a 218 spot, 4 level, parking garage right downtown.

Today, we did a powerpoint presentation for the second meeting that he'd gotten me. They have 47,000,000 (47 million) sq.ft. of commercial realistate in the GTA alone.

Do I think networking is good. Ya, I think so.

Thats a great Story, Networking is great!!!!!!!!!

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Rick,

Just to add. Networking is often misunderstood. If you don't network with professionals in every aspect of business you are loosing valuable time and possibilities. Our dentist & florist are good prospects. Dealing with other PWers or even service people is falling way short of the possibilities. I believe my time in NO RT is very short, but I hope to pass on info which will increase everyones bottom line. Thank you.

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Networking really DOES work, we just got a very nice referral from networking. We also pass work to many in our area and also post leads here. If you have a lead in someone's niche and work area, pass it on! It always come back to you.

Beth

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