Any Ideas to boost business?????

[james the spark]

I set my company up in may and all been going well but in the last few weeks i just cant get any work iv spent a mint on advertising through the paper and leaflet drops what do you all find the best way to get consistent work in particular how did you get in with the likes of kitchen fitters, builders.

 

[DurhamSparky]

9/10 by chance or word of mouth...!!

do a leaflet drop around a wealthy area!!

 

[needasparks]

As Durham says, word of mouth brings in the best work as the proving yourself has been done by others.
Make every customer feel like king and you will be suprized by how many recommend you.

 

[yellowvanman]

January is usually quietier anyway!

 

[D80]

Word of mouth is getting me established now. Not been home to Northern Ireland 2 years yet but its kept me busy enough although I have had some bits of luck along the way.

This time of year its hard getting money out of most people. Could offer something like a free consumer unit check, free energy saving survey etc

 

[james the spark]

cheers for the advice unfortunately iv tried offering the health checks got 1 job to price from it cost me £300 for the privilege.

 

[Octopus]

I set my company up in may and all been going well but in the last few weeks i just cant get any work iv spent a mint on advertising through the paper and leaflet drops what do you all find the best way to get consistent work in particular how did you get in with the likes of kitchen fitters, builders.

Sounds like you've done quite well for your first year. Jan/Feb are usually quiet so don't panic and get out and drop some leaflets.

Doing nothing is not an option, nor is droppping your prices!

 

[RWJ]

As Murdoch says DO NOT DROP your prices!!

That's what's happening around here with the DI's... all claiming to beat any quote.
Customers are playing them off against each other then they are doing work for silly prices.... ie just about cost!

Fortunately there is still customers out there that price is a second consideration after wanting a safe job, well done.



PS. We recently ran a couple of those companies through our credit check system, most of these are Sole Traders and not Ltd so we don't have that information. But for two that are Ltd's.


1 made a LOSS of £8k last year
the other has a credit rating of 12/100 and "DO NOT LEND" in big red letters next to their listing.

 

[highspark]

I set up in may too. After a slow start things picked up for me in July. I was contacted by a builder who was in the crap. Someone had let him down. I bailed him out and ever since he's used me. Problem is working for builders is usually a ball ache. They don't pay you straight away, they quote your work too cheap (or so they say) and its always a case of cat and mouse to get your money. I spent around 250 on advertisement. It got me one job but I relised from then on it wasn't the way to go. The best way to get work is to promote yourself through your past jobs and sit tight and wait. It will come. I've just finished a rewire, but knew I had nothing to come out to afterwards. That was friday. I've this morning potentially got 2 fuseboard changes. This is off a past customer passing my number on. I'm a small company, thats plodding along. Just like everybody else. Work will come!

 

[RWJ]

*The spam post my reply referred to has rightfully been deleted*

 

[Spazz]

What I am about to do - which might be an idea for you:

Get a few hundred/Thousand Leaflets Printed out (depending how big of an area you want to cover - do this yourself or Vista Print or the one advertised on this site.
Go to the Job Center and tell them that you are looking for x number of people to help with a leaflet drop job - state they have to be reliable and trustworthy - they will most probably know a few who are serious about getting back into work.

Give them a few hundred each and get them to hit different areas of your town with the majority of Private owned houses on them.

Offer a good looking discount - will beat any price (asking for proof first of course)
Or Pat Testing which includes free plug/fuse replacement (get these cheap by buying in bulk).

That should give you a good response.

Don't bother hitting the council houses as they wont have any work.


Also try hitting small shops for Pat Testing and even letting Agents as the guidelines state that every new tenant that a property has or every 5 years the property needs to be inspected - a good one to get into as this will give you regular work.

 

[highspark]

What I am about to do - which might be an idea for you:Get a few hundred/Thousand Leaflets Printed out (depending how big of an area you want to cover - do this yourself or Vista Print or the one advertised on this site.Go to the Job Center and tell them that you are looking for x number of people to help with a leaflet drop job - state they have to be reliable and trustworthy - they will most probably know a few who are serious about getting back into work.Give them a few hundred each and get them to hit different areas of your town with the majority of Private owned houses on them.Offer a good looking discount - will beat any price (asking for proof first of course)Or Pat Testing which includes free plug/fuse replacement (get these cheap by buying in bulk).That should give you a good response.Don't bother hitting the council houses as they wont have any work.Also try hitting small shops for Pat Testing and even letting Agents as the guidelines state that every new tenant that a property has or every 5 years the property needs to be inspected - a good one to get into as this will give you regular work.

I'd stay away from this. If you are doing leaflets deliver them yourself in person. That way you know they have been delivered.

 

[RWJ]

"will beat any price" Stay away from this...... Trust me (See my previous post)

You could try hitting shop for PAT... but again most have PAT tester and are getting fed up with people asking.. A local pub we do has had 10 PAT enquiries in the last month!!

Again letting agents are inundated with sparks offering services and will quite often "play you"..... but you never know it could be worth a go??

 

[Plonker 3]

If you can afford to employ people to do the leaflet dropping for you, wouldn't that be better saved for when you need the money?

Also has been said how do you know they will get delivered?

 

[Spazz]

If you can afford to employ people to do the leaflet dropping for you, wouldn't that be better saved for when you need the money?

Also has been said how do you know they will get delivered?

In my town its easy - employ 6 people min wage - and all you have to do is get someone to go around (my misses) to make sure she sees them putting them through the door.

Also if you go to the job center there will be some that the advisers will know are trust worthy and will delver them.

Yes there is loads that wont - but there are some (the advisers will know of) who will do it.


In my area -its better to do it this way as there are over 1,000 houses that I want to hit and that will take me over 2 weeks to get this done, where as I want to be hitting the industrial sites and businesses myself during this time.


With the beat any price you state that its only applicable with a copy of the quote so you can follow it up, if its to low - then you can always say no - dont believe its a valid quote or you have a very good deal there - I will match that or you should go with that one as I cant compete.

Just have T&Cs apply at the bottom and the T&Cs on your site or available on request - just something to back you up - something like we have the option to turn down any work without an adiqute reason.

Theres always ways to get around things.