What is the most effective way to get jobs?

[mdspowerwashing 14]

Hi,

I currently have a full time job and do pressure washing part time. I would really like to do pressure washing full time. I've been using service magic to get most my jobs, and it kinda works. I probably land about 20-30% of the lead I recieve. I know I need to advetise more, too get more jobs. I have a yellow page ad in 2 seperate areas, 1 book is already out(serves maybe 80,000 people) and the other book comes out May 10th or so, and serves maybe 400,000 people or so. I have not recieved one call from the first yellow page book which came out in January. What do you guys suggest I do to generate some jobs? I have enough money to advertise, as I have been doing at least 2-4 jobs a week, but currently, I only have 1 deck job in progress, and 1 house wash left to do. I'm thinking of either advertising in the local newspaper, or sending out a brochure/mailer, or maybe both. I know some things work for some people in some areas, and don't work for other people. I'd just love to be pressure washing every day! Please give me some advise! Thanks in adance.

[A and J POWERWASHING 64]

Hey Ron could you send me at info please mcbrda@comcast.net thank you:lgkick:

[Thad 135]

Ron is being helpful, but you might want to reread his post.

He has info on *** if you want to search for it. The link is in his sig.

[chechnya 14]

What about commercial jobs? Any advice from that?

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Chechnya,

Please fill in your User Profile, in the User CP. You may not be in business yet, but you do have to at least have a personal name, address, city, state and so forth. This is mandatory.

Beth

[The Cleaning Man 14]

This is a GREAT forum and I am excited to make my first posting. I am new to the Pressure Washing business and like Phillip I am located near Fayetteville, Ga. I am actually in Jonesboro. So far, so good. I'm starting out part time at 51 years old and still working full time in the airline industry. Thus far my most effective tool for getting jobs has been flyers and word of mouth.

I absolutely love this business and can't wait to do it full time.

"The Cleaning Man"

Willie Barber

Jonesboro, Ga.

[sflasealcoatinginc 14]

#1 rule....get to know general contractors in your area....they can be your best friends... construction like anything is a small world...everyone knows everyone..... GC's can be your eyes and ears for upcoming projects...or companies doing them,.... Just to let you know...ive been in business for over 4 years now....over 150,000 per year and not one dime have i ever spent on advertising...its all word of mouth through the contractors and builders i have come in contact with through the years

[bigchaz 157]

Good thread but no one has mentioned it yet:

Website. Costs me maybe 15/month for hosting and maybe 30/month for great quality adwords click throughs. 80 percent of my work came from people finding on the web. Once they've been through my site they know everything about our company and are generally willing to get started. Then another 15 percent is neighbors seeing yard signs in the homes we got from our website

[PressurePros 249]

What ever happened to Matt? I haven't heard from him in a couple of years. A job he did down here is ready for maintenance. Matt, if you still come by and lurk, give me a ring.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Bump...

[RPetry 564]

What is the most effective way to get jobs?

Easy answer. REFERRALS.

[James 625]

Free Pot Brownie's !! 3 with a House Wash and a Bakers dozen with a Deck Restore over a Grand. This works great with X Deadhead"s and Baby Boomers looking for a BUZ. Put annual Maint's on Auto Pilot !!

Repeat dozen at 60 dollars a month !!!!!

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

....you ate those brownies too didn't you Jim....

Beth :lol:

[weaselcossey 14]

Anyone ever put signs in a customer's yard after washing? I am considering this, and wanted to know if anyone's had any luck. Maybe offer a 5% discount for using their yard for a week or two. I am only considering this for the high trafiic subdivisions, and generally 'nice' neighborhoods. I can get the signs for about $7 each if I buy 24. Anyone have advice?

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Yes. In the right neighborhood, it can be very effective. We place a sign when we are washing, and when we are sealing. We don't leave them past the point of being done. No time to go back to get them.

Beth

[k2waterwerx 14]

I agree Beth. Not to mention 2 expensive with gas prices.

[Alta 14]

Great Thread, I bookmarked this one.

[Ron Musgraves 240]

Yes. In the right neighborhood, it can be very effective. We place a sign when we are washing, and when we are sealing. We don't leave them past the point of being done. No time to go back to get them.

Beth

Could have a dispsable sign, leave it until the home owner throws it out. of course leave it with permission..

Just a though, guys here make those plastic ones all the time and leave them everywhere.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Could have a dispsable sign, leave it until the home owner throws it out. of course leave it with permission..

Just a though, guys here make those plastic ones all the time and leave them everywhere.

Maybe that works out there, but out here you can get on the bad side of a residential home owners association really fast by doing that. Also if you place them on county property there are very heavy fines. This is why we only have them up while working. Best to check your local area....for county restrictions, and of course ask the homeowner about covenants in their neighborhood.

Beth

[Celeste 341]

Yard signs can be effective if you work out something with their yard guys....they're notorious for pitching them. Our experience has been that in the higher end neighborhoods, no one wants the cheesy plastic throw aways in the yard past the time the trucks are there.

[gutterdog 14]

Nice work, Lance. Marketing is ultimately a numbers game but you have to start slowly and effectively to see what works. I have experienced the same results you described. As you are experiencing now Lance, your market will start to grow exponentially. Establishing the right base is critical. This is the reason I cringe when I see someone suggest starting off with lower paying jobs/customers. Once you open your doors as Walmart it is very hard to change to Neimann Marcus.

Thats what Ive been doing wrong. Great thread! Very much so! Almost lowballed myself out of existence. Found me some beter areas. Reading reading reading. I'll get it right!

[gutterdog 14]

I have a B.S in physics and Mathematics - I'll have to bring that up more often in conversation - hee hee. gotta love the clients with all the add-ons that become offended when you tell them it's extra money. I have an Aunt who is worth over a Billion dollars - and she hired a professional to run operations at her brewery. Then he left several months later, and we asked her why - she then went onto say "Well it's not because of the money - we were paying him $25/hr!" LOL, Rich people are the stingeous bastards on the planet.

-Dan

Hey Dan! I still hold a 4.0 at p.g.c.c. , lol!!! Never finished my associate. I was 38 when I went back to school. 42 now. About rich people! In NC I worked 3 jobs. one was for a millionaire. He paid me 6 dolllars an hour to do handyman stuff, laborer stuff, around his house. Honestly I was happy with the extra money. This was just 10 years a go or so.

[gutterdog 14]

Yes. In the right neighborhood, it can be very effective. We place a sign when we are washing, and when we are sealing. We don't leave them past the point of being done. No time to go back to get them.

Beth

I did that too. Rocked in a complex where everyone was hit when assciation had to get wood cleaned! I got maybe half the jobs in over 300 townhouses! I left the signs there. I had close to heck I dunno 100 signs out same time? All in the same neighborhood. Needing the same work!

Otherwise I havent had any luck with signs. Wasted alot of money.

BUT!!! I got this new idea while my truck is onsite!!!

Edited September 23, 2009 by gutterdog

[PressureWashE 14]

I know this thread is some what seasoned but here are my post cards. I love them.

Thanks to Adrian for 1 of the before and after shots,

And Larry for the front shot, I sent these out april may june and july and it has been awesome.

[Curb Appeal 14]

I know this thread is some what seasoned but here are my post cards. I love them.

Thanks to Adrian for 1 of the before and after shots,

And Larry for the front shot, I sent these out april may june and july and it has been awesome.

If you don't mind, how many did you send out at each mailing and did you send to the same people or a new list each time.

I'm still trying to find that advertising medium that at least breaks even...

Thanks,

[PressureWashE 14]

If you don't mind, how many did you send out at each mailing and did you send to the same people or a new list each time.

I'm still trying to find that advertising medium that at least breaks even...

Thanks,

I sent 1500 Each tome,

In april, I sent 1500 to XYZ

then 2 weeks later I sent it again to XYZ

then 3 weeks after the last mail date, I sent it one more time to XYZ (this round got the most calls)

Then I targeted another area and repeated.

also in the areas that i targeted I managed to get in the community new letter, and I did the tennis courts at the country club for free.

The more they see you the more they feel comfortable, that you are a legit business.

The cards are actually blue i don't know why they look green on my screen.

First round of cards you send I highly doubt you will get 10 jobs like stated before in this thread, 3 - 4 is more reasonable for the first round, But as you do the second, third, and fourth if necessary more and more calls will come each time, Also since they will know you so well after the campaign expect to get more calls a few months later from the same target.

I paid 160 per 5000K, I think I read in this thread that someone was paying 120 for 1000.

Ken is a master of advertising, I followed a lot of his posts to gain what I have now.

Also I used MellisaDATA.com for my demographic information and list. I saturated Currier routes in my target area, That way every single neighbor and house on every street in my zone was blanketed. you also will shave on postage this way. plus mellissa data is so much cheaper than infousa and other mailing services.

Good Luck call me if you have any other questions.

John