Pounding the streets for work

[Sticky]

I have a new girl that is starting with me next week. It's a friend of mine and I think she will do a great job(I'll post pics when she starts). I'm going to start out by having her go to Plumbers and Carpet Retail stores.

Any other ideas of good places to start soliciting work?
I'm going to have custom bags printed with my name on it with a bag full of goodies and a folder with all the information on our referral rewards program.

Any other good ideas of things that would be good for plumbers?
I will always send her with food w/our stickers on it. I was thinking about getting the wet checks by dri eaz. Has anybody tried them?


I was thinking of paying her by the hour and commission on any jobs that she generates. What percentage should I give her on restoration and what should I give her on carpet/tile jobs? What should I pay hourly? I was thinking $10?

I told her that we will try it out for a couple weeks and see how it goes.

 

[Brian R]

Wow, a lot of ideas.

Why not send her to commercial buildings that have carpets and drop off goody bags. Go to the source first and referrals after.

Of course if it's just for restoration then the plumber idea is awesome.
I would pay commision on the jobs AFTER cost of materials etc.
Give her part of the profit. I would say 10% of the profit if you are paying her hourly as well.

Insurance agents would be a great place to drop off some goody bags as well.

 

[DevilDog]

I am actually doing this right now....a goody bag is not of much use. Just give them solid marketing materials. So many of these companies get inundated with shit from companies trying to be cute...it just doesn't work out much better than delivering a decent business card, a good brochure, and asking them to call you if they think you can be of help to them.

I would pay an hourly rate and then give 10% of the job.

Also, try to get a really good looking woman who can speak well to deliver the material.

Simply tell her to do this: Show up at the business, ask to see the person in charge of maintenance, tell her to give the marketing material to the person in charge or the next best person and politely ask them to give you a call if they are in need of the services you offer.

Make sure she smiles a lot and is very friendly. Also, make sure she does not really explain the process to them but lets them know to contact you if they have further questions or need a quote.

If the person you are sending in there is expected to sell the jobs then you now have a sales person and that would probably mean more than giving 10%.

I was with a real estate agent today and talked to him about how many cleaners came into his office and what they did. He just laughed and said that they get so many guys dropping off "crap" that it is now becoming annoying to them. It used to be sorta unique but now since every Tom, Dick, and Harry is doing it, it does not have the affect cleaners are looking for.

That does not mean it won't lead to jobs...but someone that just takes some solid marketing material into the office, doesn't take much of their time, and let's them know you can solve their problems is better than trying this goody bag crap.

 

[-JB-]

It's so cute when they want to take over the world.
[center:hp7ouuq6]

[/center:hp7ouuq6]

 

[XTREME1]

Sticky,
Follow the ideas of people who have been successful. Try to listen more to them than total failures. You can learn from the mistakes people have made and if not properly funded some may build businesses more than once failing the first time but keep in mind where the information is coming from.

For real estate agents what I have done is take a price sheet with the realtors name at top and their company logo on the bottom that says
Yvonne Donahue Pricing for Cape Realty Group
1 room..................*&%&^
2 Rooms.................*(&^&*%
etc with all the different prices on the bottom 2.54 inches is their company logo and it is laminated and 3 hole punched. on the back are local service companies and phone numbers. Each realty company around here has some for the agents I know by name and ones I didn't have requested it. Do the same for property managers.

I didn't do them for plumbers but I am sure it works.
Some construction guys have my construction clean up one in their estimating book.

Nothing wrong with brochures and swag instead of just brochures

 

[Jim Martin]

I was with a real estate agent today and talked to him about how many cleaners came into his office and what they did. He just laughed and said that they get so many guys dropping off "crap" that it is now becoming annoying to them. It used to be sorta unique but now since every Tom, Dick, and Harry is doing it, it does not have the affect cleaners are looking for.

Not always true......

Most real estate companies have large break rooms with 4 or 5 coffee pots going at all times....

we made up coffee cups ( something they can use ) with some candy in them and took them over to a bunch of different offices around town....we generated a ton of work from them and a few years later we are in a few programs with a couple of the top companies in town and still get good jobs from them...

we did this about 3 years ago and now and then I have to swing in and get keys to homes and I still see our cups being used....great branding tool.........

 

[XTREME1]

nice swag Jim

 

[Brian R]

Awesome Jim.

I have been so busy lately that I haven't had time to hit the pavement.

We set a record in April and I'm all giddy over it.

I am going to write the cup idea down and use it.
You don't mind me stealing it directly from you do you? :wink:

you can use what ever I put up any time you want.............

 

[Jim Martin]

when you are ready let me know and I will dig up all the info ....

 

[Sticky]

Also, try to get a really good looking woman who can speak well to deliver the material.

She is really cute. I will post pics when she starts....I think that guys will give her more time and wont turn her away before they here her out....

Thanks for the advice guys many great ideas...

I truely think going out and getting work is the quickest and easiest way to get business....

When I used to work at the supply store, their was always guys coming in and saying, "I dont have any work" or "I'm slow" yet they wouldn't try to go out and get work...When I'm not working on a job, I'm working on getting jobs....seems so simple but some guys just wait for the work to come to them and I just dont get it...

 

[-JB-]

When I'm not working on a job, I'm working on getting jobs....seems so simple but some guys just wait for the work to come to them and I just dont get it...

amen