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.

[Barry M 73]

Well since you don't have much of a customer base yet, word of mouth will be limited. I would send out postcards to targeted areas, but you'll need to send out about 1000 to get a response. It's normally a 1 percent return, so 1000 would land you around 10 jobs normally. One job will pay for your postcards. Good luck.

[PressurePros 249]

Post card mailers sent out to areas you would like to target are most effective. Have it professionally designed, full color, glossy stock. Some guys talk about using self designed black and white cheaper ones effectively. I think that is very chancy. It may lead people to believe you are a starving, small time operation and they will shop you on price. Since you can only work part time, you want to fill your available slots with higher dollar jobs.

What has worked for me is dominating very small areas and then increasing the net, so to speak.

This would be my marketing strategy:

1) I would send out 1000 mailers to a very specific higher income demographic. Do your research on the area.

• Are there decks and houses that are conducive to your service? I like a neighborhood where homeowners are 35-60, professional, but not incredibly rich. Houses have siding and decks are large and maintained.

• Is the area filled with landscapers and contractors? (this is good)

2) After your mailers go out, and in between waiting for calls, drive your logo'd truck through the area frequently on weekends. People will begin to see you and start recognizing your name. "Hey, if my neighbors are using him, he must be okay"

3) Find out the predominant religion in your service area. Go to the churches and synagogues and advertise in their bulletins. In fact I would do this first, so that by the time your mailer comes out, some people will have seen your name and logo. The church people are very loyal and good to work with. They make a very nice customer base.

At this point I would wait. Throwing too many things out at once won't be effective and it will deplete your budget too quickly. Carefully track from where your calls are coming. Once you get an idea of return rate, you can reassess your numbers. Do you need to broaden your area? Do you need to target the same area with a second campaign? (which I prefer)

Most importantly in getting quality work is the art of the deal. Try to get to every estimate. Meet with the homeowner. Show up on time. Show up dressed properly with a clip board and measuring tape. Evaluate the property. Point everything out to the customer that needs addressing. Upsell. Learn to overcome objections. Let the people know that you are the go-to guy for decks or housewashing.

Once you start establishing a customer base, design a newsletter. Send it to your customers every month. Their repeat business, plus the glowing references you get by keping your name in front of them will have you quitting that full time job in no time.

[RCBill 14]

Good post and very good advice Ken.

[Ron Musgraves 240]

all the above, one just doesnt work well enough.

[Barry M 73]

Post card mailers sent out to areas you would like to target are most effective. Have it professionally designed, full color, glossy stock. Some guys talk about using self designed black and white cheaper ones effectively. I think that is very chancy. It may lead people to believe you are a starving, small time operation and they will shop you on price. Since you can only work part time, you want to fill your available slots with higher dollar jobs.

What has worked for me is dominating very small areas and then increasing the net, so to speak.

This would be my marketing strategy:

1) I would send out 1000 mailers to a very specific higher income demographic. Do your research on the area.

• Are there decks and houses that are conducive to your service? I like a neighborhood where homeowners are 35-60, professional, but not incredibly rich. Houses have siding and decks are large and maintained.

• Is the area filled with landscapers and contractors? (this is good)

2) After your mailers go out, and in between waiting for calls, drive your logo'd truck through the area frequently on weekends. People will begin to see you and start recognizing your name. "Hey, if my neighbors are using him, he must be okay"

3) Find out the predominant religion in your service area. Go to the churches and synagogues and advertise in their bulletins. In fact I would do this first, so that by the time your mailer comes out, some people will have seen your name and logo. The church people are very loyal and good to work with. They make a very nice customer base.

At this point I would wait. Throwing too many things out at once won't be effective and it will deplete your budget too quickly. Carefully track from where your calls are coming. Once you get an idea of return rate, you can reassess your numbers. Do you need to broaden your area? Do you need to target the same area with a second campaign? (which I prefer)

Most importantly in getting quality work is the art of the deal. Try to get to every estimate. Meet with the homeowner. Show up on time. Show up dressed properly with a clip board and measuring tape. Evaluate the property. Point everything out to the customer that needs addressing. Upsell. Learn to overcome objections. Let the people know that you are the go-to guy for decks or housewashing.

Once you start establishing a customer base, design a newsletter. Send it to your customers every month. Their repeat business, plus the glowing references you get by keping your name in front of them will have you quitting that full time job in no time.

Your such a Guerrilla Ken, good stuff.

[CCPC 26]

What has worked for me is dominating very small areas and then increasing the net, so to speak.

This is great advice (not like the rest wasn't either, but this is worked very well for me.

If you specificaly target even just a few small communities that you feel is a prime market for your services, and hit em' real hard, the rest will fall into place.

I started with 3 target communities (all gated comm., eliminates some of the lowballer, flyer competition), each of these three comm. averaging maybe 600-800 homes. I mailed out to these areas about 4 or 5 times a year for two years now, and I now am the primary guy in all three comm. I have streets where 90% of the homes are my customers, and everytime I go in there, I seem to pick up a few more. A lot of these people say they called me because they've seen my truck in there so often, that I was the first one they thought of (not to mention all the referals).

Anyway, now that I've got this established, I'm getting a lot of referal calls from others outside of these comm., and the great thing is, usually these callers fit the same demographic as the customer who refered them. It's a great method for developing a solid customer base, while limiting the amount of undesirable work, and price shopping prospects.

[PressurePros 249]

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.

[CB works 14]

Post card mailers sent out to areas you would like to target are most effective. Have it professionally designed, full color, glossy stock. Some guys talk about using self designed black and white cheaper ones effectively. I think that is very chancy. It may lead people to believe you are a starving, small time operation and they will shop you on price. Since you can only work part time, you want to fill your available slots with higher dollar jobs.

What has worked for me is dominating very small areas and then increasing the net, so to speak.

This would be my marketing strategy:

1) I would send out 1000 mailers to a very specific higher income demographic. Do your research on the area.

• Are there decks and houses that are conducive to your service? I like a neighborhood where homeowners are 35-60, professional, but not incredibly rich. Houses have siding and decks are large and maintained.

• Is the area filled with landscapers and contractors? (this is good)

2) After your mailers go out, and in between waiting for calls, drive your logo'd truck through the area frequently on weekends. People will begin to see you and start recognizing your name. "Hey, if my neighbors are using him, he must be okay"

3) Find out the predominant religion in your service area. Go to the churches and synagogues and advertise in their bulletins. In fact I would do this first, so that by the time your mailer comes out, some people will have seen your name and logo. The church people are very loyal and good to work with. They make a very nice customer base.

At this point I would wait. Throwing too many things out at once won't be effective and it will deplete your budget too quickly. Carefully track from where your calls are coming. Once you get an idea of return rate, you can reassess your numbers. Do you need to broaden your area? Do you need to target the same area with a second campaign? (which I prefer)

Most importantly in getting quality work is the art of the deal. Try to get to every estimate. Meet with the homeowner. Show up on time. Show up dressed properly with a clip board and measuring tape. Evaluate the property. Point everything out to the customer that needs addressing. Upsell. Learn to overcome objections. Let the people know that you are the go-to guy for decks or housewashing.

Once you start establishing a customer base, design a newsletter. Send it to your customers every month. Their repeat business, plus the glowing references you get by keping your name in front of them will have you quitting that full time job in no time.

Ken, I was curious why you might shy away from potential customers who are "incredibly rich"? I'm not questioning you're judgment, I am just wondering why I might want to do the same thing or not.

Thanks,

Christian

[CCPC 26]

I know you asked Ken, but I'm going to through my reasons out there. The really wealthy sometimes tend to be the cheapest out of all the classes, and they tend to be some of the most difficult to please. It's happened to me to many times to overlook anymore. They usually also tend to be the most belittling to you and your trade, and act as if it doesn't merit a decent wage. This is why I prefer upper middle class client el, because most of them know what its like to work for a living, but yet they still have expendable income to afford my services. They usually tend to be more respectful of me and what I do. At least this is how I see it.

[PressurePros 249]

Thanks Lance, you saved me some typing.

Most of my customers have a net worth of about a million and earned it. Like Lance said, more respect and understanding of what it takes to do things.

[Curb Appeal 14]

Speaking of mailing out postcards, or any othe direct mail that you would mail out, how does one go about getting the addresses in a particular neighborhood? Around here, sometimes, the house numbers jump around a bit.

Do you all use an sddress service or just roll through the neighborhood and write down addresses?

Thanks,

[CB works 14]

Thanks, that makes a lot of sense.

Let's say the incredibly rich are retired professionals. People who have worked their whole lives and have now pulled their rip cord to that golden parachute. The houses I have a chance to market to are second homes. These homes are not lived in in the winter months. I would think these people are used to shelling out big $$$ for yearly maintenance just to keep the homes nice for the summer. Does any one have any experience with this type of customer? Or would these people still be considered to be "incredibly rich" snobs?

[PressurePros 249]

Deleted for TMI

[PLD 14]

I know you asked Ken, but I'm going to through my reasons out there. The really wealthy sometimes tend to be the cheapest out of all the classes, and they tend to be some of the most difficult to please. It's happened to me to many times to overlook anymore. They usually also tend to be the most belittling to you and your trade, and act as if it doesn't merit a decent wage. This is why I prefer upper middle class client el, because most of them know what its like to work for a living, but yet they still have expendable income to afford my services. They usually tend to be more respectful of me and what I do. At least this is how I see it.

I agree also and I find their snobbery a bit offensive. I know it's wrong, but if they are real a-holes I sometimes cannot resist the urge to knock them down a notch or two. And that's when I weave into the conversation that I have a degree in applied physics from Ga Tech and formerly made over 200k/year as a director/founding partner for a multinational communication company.

The looks I get are PRICELESS. And the response is nearly always the same; "Why did you quit?" To which I reply in a very polite and self-sacrificial tone; "My children and my family are far more important to me than money or power. And the fast track corporate life just demanded that I spend too much time way from them. So I quit. Now I am never more than 10 miles from home, schedule my work around my kids activities, and get to work in the fresh air and sunshine all day. Sure, it's been an adjustment getting by on about 1/2 what I used to make, but that is a sacrifice that I am willing to accept."

And in the course of seemingly polite conversation, I have said/implied;

1. Despite my dirty/bleach stained clothes, I have an advanced degree in a subject that you probably failed.

2. I made as much or more than you at a very young age. That I do not now is by choice.

3. I care more about my kids than you do.

4. I still make enough money to be in the top 10% and I am 20 years younger than you.

5. I do what I love and love what I do.

Before the flaming starts, I know it is wrong, hateful, boastful, ugly, and totally unchristianlike. And I'm really not the arrogant jerk this post makes me sound like. Or maybe I am, and I just don't want to admit it to myself. But either way, it feels GREAT whem someone is looking down their nose at you like garbage and with just a few words you can alter their paradigm so dramatically that you can feel their discomfort and humiliation hanging in the air like fog.

[newlook 265]

Phil ~ I certainly can respect your position. What we have experienced is not so much the price we quote to a well to do customer, it's the extra things the customer expects you to do.

Recently I posted a handful of pics of a landcaping ~ concrete job that we finished. It had all the bells and whistles...2 putting greens, tennis court and etc. Well the wife of the customer was planning a big b-day part for him. 2 days before the party she calls me up and asked if she can use some of my guys. I asked her for what and she indicated that she needed them to help her set up "things" for the party. When explained that I don't lend my employees out she went ballistic on me. She tried to insinuate that since we were awarded the big contract that she felt I could afford to let her use some of my people. Just thought I would share that....:)

[Barry M 73]

That's a shame, so what, now you owe this lady your life because you made so much money, give me a break.

[plainpainter 217]

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

[John T 744]

Dealing with the rich on a continuous bases I find that the ones who are the self made rich are the most generous ones to do work for. Its the old money ones that are the look down at you type and also they are cheap. The running joke with the old blue bloods is that there is a reason why there families for generations have had a ton of money..cause there cheap. They can have there money.......

Think about it. If anyone here starts making the extremely big bucks I'd be willing to bet that they would pay generously to those who help them out. Some here probably already do..I know I do when I can afford it.

[Jeff 232]

I can feel a rich person out usually really quick and I love to walk away from them as they're still talking. What i mean if I feel uncomfortable with their attitude I jack the price up quite a bit and when they say I got it done for this much$$ before or thats to much , I'll do a quick thank you for calling and walk away before they know whats going on. Ive probably only done it a dozen times but the look on their faces or when they say hold it, wait. I dont know its a good feeling when they realize I dont need them and quite often they need me more. I'm always polite but you get to know the type

Just recently I had a lady call from one of the highest end neighborhoods and she was telling me she needed an estimate for roof, house, drive, gutters everything. Then she gave me her name & address and I was pretty sure she had called me well over a year ago and at that time she said my price was to much. Well I get there this time and it was the same lady but the house & everything was 10X dirtier. She doesnt remember me ( figures) well we are walking around the house and shes saying the roof isnt really that bad, (its a total mess one of the worst) and she says the house just has a little green, now this is a 1 1/2 million home its disgusting, they worst in this neighborhood, well she's selling it. The whole time this PITA is saying how it isnt that bad (what am I an Idiot) BIG LONG CIRCLE driveway its black, I go to get my wheel, she says maybe I could just get the real dirty parts ITS GREEN & BLACK everywhere, so I ask her what parts is she talking about. I was almost laughing other than the fact she was wasting my time. I come up with a price of $2400 she lets out a noise and I loved it. She said thats way to much that she got qoutes a couple years ago and it was half that. I said mam I was one of thosee who gave you a quote, no clue. She says something like I know I never got a quote that high, I told her Mam the property is 10 times worse then the last time I was there. She starts saying no it isnt , I dont hand her estimate nothing I said good buy & thank you. she actually stops me and says is that my best price I said no I could charge more and I smiled, she didnt like that and I walked away. I was just through that neighborhood last week house is still a mess a month & 1/2 later, Screw her. I love walking away from fools

JL

[James 625]

I have season tickets to the theater and my wife managed to get great seats second row center. The people behind me are annoying they talk during the show. This time I'm ready to say something to them. The lights go on at intermission and it's the people I just got a job from . All there friends are loaded and belong to the Country Club. I will wait until I do the job to say something. LOL

( I love when people think their seats sould be in front of yours)

I deal with the very weathly and John is correct with Blue and new money.? Some people I've never met and deal with the caretaker or house manager which can be a problem. I lost a couple of great jobs because of caretakers (new to the house). But the owners know what you do because I was refered by one to his neighbors who hitched a ride in his helicopter. A 20 min ride from NY city to CONN.

In twenty years I really have been lucky dealing with people. Most times I'm refered and I interview them to see if there worthy of my service. I need to be happy!!

[Barry M 73]

I can feel a rich person out usually really quick and I love to walk away from them as they're still talking. What i mean if I feel uncomfortable with their attitude I jack the price up quite a bit and when they say I got it done for this much$$ before or thats to much , I'll do a quick thank you for calling and walk away before they know whats going on. Ive probably only done it a dozen times but the look on their faces or when they say hold it, wait. I dont know its a good feeling when they realize I dont need them and quite often they need me more. I'm always polite but you get to know the type

Just recently I had a lady call from one of the highest end neighborhoods and she was telling me she needed an estimate for roof, house, drive, gutters everything. Then she gave me her name & address and I was pretty sure she had called me well over a year ago and at that time she said my price was to much. Well I get there this time and it was the same lady but the house & everything was 10X dirtier. She doesnt remember me ( figures) well we are walking around the house and shes saying the roof isnt really that bad, (its a total mess one of the worst) and she says the house just has a little green, now this is a 1 1/2 million home its disgusting, they worst in this neighborhood, well she's selling it. The whole time this PITA is saying how it isnt that bad (what am I an Idiot) BIG LONG CIRCLE driveway its black, I go to get my wheel, she says maybe I could just get the real dirty parts ITS GREEN & BLACK everywhere, so I ask her what parts is she talking about. I was almost laughing other than the fact she was wasting my time. I come up with a price of $2400 she lets out a noise and I loved it. She said thats way to much that she got qoutes a couple years ago and it was half that. I said mam I was one of thosee who gave you a quote, no clue. She says something like I know I never got a quote that high, I told her Mam the property is 10 times worse then the last time I was there. She starts saying no it isnt , I dont hand her estimate nothing I said good buy & thank you. she actually stops me and says is that my best price I said no I could charge more and I smiled, she didnt like that and I walked away. I was just through that neighborhood last week house is still a mess a month & 1/2 later, Screw her. I love walking away from fools

JL

Don't you just love sticking it to the man, when you are the man?

[PLD 14]

I have a B.S in physics and Mathematics

Yea! Another geek to play with!

[PRESSURE PACKED 14]

Speaking of mailing out postcards, or any othe direct mail that you would mail out, how does one go about getting the addresses in a particular neighborhood? Around here, sometimes, the house numbers jump around a bit.

Do you all use an sddress service or just roll through the neighborhood and write down addresses?

Thanks,

Use This, I Live In Florida And I Use Property Appraiser, This Is A Property Assessor, It Looks The Same, Find A Sub Division You Know Of And Target It..good Luck

http://www.rutherfordcounty.org/assessor/propertydata/

[Curb Appeal 14]

Thanks for the link. I am using something like it now. But I have found out that it's too slow to get the addresses individually. I recently ordered up 1000 postcards to be printed from an online print shop. Part of the services that they offer is a mailing list.

I can order a list of addresses based on pretty much any criteria that I chose (home value, household income, rent or own, age of house, pets or no pets, etc...). The addresses that I pick out cost $30 per thousand.

I ran a search in my city (Murfreesboro, TN) for incomes over $75,000, home values over $150,000, own the home and the home is over 6 years old. They came up with 1700 addresses in my city. The next order, I'll target Nashville.

Joel

[Mountain View 14]

Who did you go with?