House washes slow?!!?

[FullBlast 14]

Is it just me or is there some others that the residental is a lil slow. Man I just haven't been getting the calls like I usually do. I just haven't been getting much of them lately

Are others slow too????

[R L S 14]

I'm alright down here res work everyday nothing to crazy. Commercial is rocking and rolling for me and I love it!!!

[newlook 265]

Just picked up 3 today and all of them want them done now :).

We have been really busy all year.

Hope things pick up for you Full Blast!!

[Adrian 155]

I am just now catching my breath from the initial rush of the season. Started for me end of Feb. Have been going strong since. This week is slowing up a bit. I will utilize the bench time to market and follow up on previous leads.

It seems to be a trend in these parts. But the horizon is looking busy as well. Hope it holds up until Nov. It has been kind of a rush for my customers to get their decks done before company arrives for the 4th of july cook outs and what not.

It seems that the North is getting most of the foul weather ( except for the poor folks in Houston with all the recent flooding) Not to mention the Boston areas.

Hang in there, and I will be sending good vibes your way.

In no time you will be laughing at this thread because you are so SWAMPED!!!!!!

I guess it could be worse. we could be in Phoenix where it is 110 just about everyday. Mr. Stone must be sweltering. I mean it gets warm and muggy here in Atlanta, but not 110.

[mas3372 14]

I had a busy past 4 weeks and this week only 4 jobs and just 1 set for next week. I have several bids out there waiting but the lowballers in the area with junk equipment are staying busy. I sent out the first 1000 post cards and got 50 calls and several jobs. Just sent out 500 more to the same demographic group in another neighboring town and have not had one call. Ironic. The weather has also been horrible. The few nice days we have I end up PW and no time to golf. This depressess me.

[detailbarn 14]

I'm seeing a slow period right to0 and I'm in the phily region , personaly I think it all his rain. I just put out about 200 fliers this week. One call and completed job so far ,will see what happend next week.

[Barry M 73]

A little slow here too. Last year when I was part time I had no work July and most of Aug. I know how you feel Full Blast, I was asking the same thing last year. Many told me it slows a bit in the summer when people are vacationing and it's so damn hot people don't want to go outside. Hang in there and keep chomping at the bit. Once the kiddies go back to school things will pick up again. Someday I hope to be like some others and have such a wave of work from the spring time that it carries me right through the summer.

[A and J POWERWASHING 64]

geting jobs but lowballer problem too. they are not insured and are gone the next

[A and J POWERWASHING 64]

day sorry

[Rfitz 14]

I am sorry you are not busy, but so far we are swamped, through who knows when..??? anyway, all I can tell you is ADVERTISE, spend spend and then spend some more, especially Yellow Pages, newspaper etc..at least 10% of gross sales on Yellow pages it will pay off big 1-2-3 years down the road... you must spend in order to make, it is natures law..

Hope this helps....

[Barry M 73]

all I can tell you is ADVERTISE, spend spend and then spend some more, especially Yellow Pages, newspaper etc..at least 10% of gross sales on Yellow pages

Rfitz, do you really spend 10% just on yellow pages? I'm not calling you a liar, it just seems high. I spend 10% on all my advertising combined (postcards, flyers, yellows, papers, everthing.)

[Mike Williamson 198]

I am sorry you are not busy, but so far we are swamped, through who knows when..???

Of course you are... :rolleyes:

[aquabob 14]

it has slowed here for me too, washed 3 houses in last two weeks. got lots of price shopper calls, people are looking for the cheapest person they can find. if one guy is 5.00 cheaper they will go with them. ive been through this before it will pass but it sure is aggravating. i dont expect it to pick up much here untill last half of july.

[DustinC 64]

I was feeling the same way,then one morning within 30 minutes of eachother I got three calls that ended with four scheduled house washes,as long as you never stop marketing who knows what tomorrow will bring.

[Dan Stapleton 14]

Of course you are... :rolleyes:

Thats pretty funny.

[John Orr 206]

We have been as busy, or busier, than any of the last 6 years. 2 to 3 three houses every day since the first week of March, including Saturday and sometimes Sunday. Normally, it will slow-down from mid-July to mid-August and then pick back up till the end of December - beginning of January.

[Mike Williamson 198]

We have been as busy, or busier, than any of the last 6 years. 2 to 3 three houses every day since the first week of March, including Saturday and sometimes Sunday. Normally, it will slow-down from mid-July to mid-August and then pick back up till the end of December - beginning of January.

Yep, us too. Things here slow down in July, and that's what's happening now. This being our 3rd year, we're starting to get more repeat business.

Yellow pages aren't doing crap this year, I may very well drop them next year. I can do a LOT of direct mail for $850/month, on top of what I already do. I had hoped it would be a good source of commercial leads, but it hasn't. May be the ads, may be the area.

[Mike Williamson 198]

I am sorry you are not busy, but so far we are swamped, through who knows when..??? anyway, all I can tell you is ADVERTISE, spend spend and then spend some more, especially Yellow Pages, newspaper etc..at least 10% of gross sales on Yellow pages it will pay off big 1-2-3 years down the road... you must spend in order to make, it is natures law..

Hope this helps....

How does a yellow page ad from this year pay off next year, 2-3 years down the road???

[Thad 135]

Because people like my Grandma always keep the old phone books and when you ask her for one she gives you a three year old phone book.

;)

[Don M. 14]

I have a few jobs going on here. Just sent out 400 postcards to a neighborhood that I was in, sent letters to all my customers, and I am keeping up with my newspaper ads.

I am swinging for the fences and entering the St. Louis yellowbook to see what happens for next year.

[A and J POWERWASHING 64]

We Have A Lot Of People Shopping The Phone Book

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Because people like my Grandma always keep the old phone books and when you ask her for one she gives you a three year old phone book.

Come to think of it, my mom used to do that, and I just recently discovered that I had extra phone books here and got rid of them.

Also...

Advertising continues to work for you through repeat business and referrals. Some folks do not realize that. If you get a call from a potential client, then go bit the job, get the job, do the work, and the client tells 5 friends, the 5 friends know about you due tot that first person who got you through you ad, as well as your efforts. Advertising continues to pay provided your services are up to snuff.

Off the soapbox....

Beth

[Mike Williamson 198]

Come to think of it, my mom used to do that, and I just recently discovered that I had extra phone books here and got rid of them.

Also...

Advertising continues to work for you through repeat business and referrals. Some folks do not realize that. If you get a call from a potential client, then go bit the job, get the job, do the work, and the client tells 5 friends, the 5 friends know about you due tot that first person who got you through you ad, as well as your efforts. Advertising continues to pay provided your services are up to snuff.

Off the soapbox....

Beth

Absolutely, but that works with customers who come from any means of advertising.

[FullBlast 14]

I am sorry you are not busy, but so far we are swamped, through who knows when..??? anyway, all I can tell you is ADVERTISE, spend spend and then spend some more, especially Yellow Pages, newspaper etc..at least 10% of gross sales on Yellow pages it will pay off big 1-2-3 years down the road... you must spend in order to make, it is natures law..

Hope this helps....

Hey don't worry about the yellow page adds. I am in 8 yellow page books. I have spent more this year on that than ever before but last year I was in 5 diferent books, and not just in line add either, these are a display add though not huge they are decent size with color.

I talked to 2 other p/w in my area and they say the same thing, slow. The one is thinking of quiting. I'm just thankful that I do more than just residentual work or I would be out of biz no choice, because I haven't done enough residentual this year to support 5 guys.

Don't worry about me, we'll make it, just makes it a lil rough when you just bought a new truck and stocked up on supplys at open house and am the process of buying a home right now and got the first little one coming in less than a month. Just scares me to death!!!!!!!

[Don M. 14]

It kind of scares me too. I have my first one coming in 2 months and I just went fulltime doing this last week. When I get caught up I am going to hit some business for commercial work.

All I know is God will take care of everything.