Got any How 2 pointers on getting more work? I MUST be missing something!

[AranPressureWashing]

I'm trying to get some ideas on what to do to get some annual accounts. If any of you ol' timers out there can give some tips - I sure would appreciate it! If there is something that you do not want the world to know - please e-mail me!
Thanks!

...got get this Landa pumping full swing!

My E-mail Address is : aran@bellsouth.net

<FONT COLOR="#000080" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">[This message has been edited by AranPressureWashing on May 04, 2000 ]</font>

 

[Mike@Everclear]

Ever consider joining the Chamber of Commerce? You can make lots of commercial contacts there, and also, those people have homes, and know people who have homes.....so, it works for residential or commercial.

My chamber only cost $100 to join, and so far, it is money well spent.

------------------
Mike Hughes
Everclear
Souderton, PA

 

[J Prewitt]

Annual contracts are hard to find, everyone wants them.
There is an old saying "take care of the little contracts and the big ones will follow".
I think the big secret is you repartition, not how good a salesman you are. You will find out that the business owners and managers talk between each other, if you are doing a good job for your current customers then they will recommend you to their friends. We don’t have annual contracts, we have "Work Agreements" If we do a good job today, then we get to come back tomorrow. So we try to do the best job every time. Impresses the hell out of the customers, no annual contract and they can replace us anytime they want. We have been replaced, because our competitors cut our price by 75%, but got back 50% of thoes after they saw the competitors quality.
In the past 2 weeks I’ve gotten 2 new ongoing work agreements from major retailers, both were using our competitors, just walked in and gave them my business card. "Plus" Last week walked into a bank, they wanted their drive thru’s cleaned, bldg. washed and parking lot done. Never gave them a sales pitch.
HOPE this doesn’t sound like I am bragging, if it does I apologize. Just trying to answer your question.
J Prewitt

 

[hotwaterwisard]

Try to get on the City, County, State and Federal, Bid list. Sometimes the smaller your company is the better your chances are getting those kind of bids.Especially if you are a minority or a Female owned business.

 

[AranPressureWashing]

Originally posted by J Prewitt:
Annual contracts are hard to find, everyone wants them.
There is an old saying "take care of the little contracts and the big ones will follow".
I think the big secret is you repartition, not how good a salesman you are. You will find out that the business owners and managers talk between each other, if you are doing a good job for your current customers then they will recommend you to their friends. We don’t have annual contracts, we have "Work Agreements" If we do a good job today, then we get to come back tomorrow. So we try to do the best job every time. Impresses the hell out of the customers, no annual contract and they can replace us anytime they want. We have been replaced, because our competitors cut our price by 75%, but got back 50% of thoes after they saw the competitors quality.
In the past 2 weeks I’ve gotten 2 new ongoing work agreements from major retailers, both were using our competitors, just walked in and gave them my business card. "Plus" Last week walked into a bank, they wanted their drive thru’s cleaned, bldg. washed and parking lot done. Never gave them a sales pitch.
HOPE this doesn’t sound like I am bragging, if it does I apologize. Just trying to answer your question.
J Prewitt

I like your work agreement idea! Excellent! I was looking at it that way - just never put the words to it before this to understand what I was looking at!
Thank you! That really helped!

by the way - that wasn't bragging!

 

[AranPressureWashing]

Originally posted by hotwaterwisard:
Try to get on the City, County, State and Federal, Bid list. Sometimes the smaller your company is the better your chances are getting those kind of bids.Especially if you are a minority or a Female owned business.

GEEEEEZZZZ! I'm so busy building the whole thing that I'm missing a few blocks in the foundation! We are registered & HUB certified with the state! My wife is 51% owner of our corp.
Thanks!

 

[Richard]

If your wife is 51% owner get her to apply for an SBA 8(a) loan, its for small disadvanted, and minority (women owned) business' it's alot of paper work but well worth it in the long run.

Richard

 

[Craig/PowerWashUnlimited]

51% wife owned company? Man i must be doing something wrong. Work my butt off for the boss, sleeping with her too. Ha, just wanted to say that my wife is the sole owner of our company, i am just a hired hand. We did the ownership in her name for those exact reasons, minority owned business.

Craig