Nothing to do but sell

[spiker2005]

I have been on this site for about six months reading and learning. This site has been very helpful thanks to all the members for all the posts. My problem is I have been in business for about 5 years, I offer sealcoating and pressurewashing. For the last 5 years its been great, I thought this year was going to be my year. But this year has been the worst. I need advice in marketing. By reading this site, I have done direct marketing, advertise in the yellow book ( cost me $1400.00 and no calls at all), flyers, word of mouth. I am totally lost. I was advertizing in the verizon book but they messed my ad, up last year so I didnt go back to them this year, plus they were $5400.00 a year. I did direct marketing to restuarnts, contractors, churches, property management, etc. I did at the beginning of the year alot of estimates and nothing in return. Some of the apartments said I had good prices, but still never got a call back. In my heart I dont want to sell the business, I love doing it. I cant stand driving down the road seeing a company doing a sloppy job for commmercial properties, residential or whoever and I know my company will do it better. It is very disheartful, knowing I have spent so much of my time and effort in this business trying to establish a good company, just to see it fail. Seems like the only calls that I get is when I send out direct mailings.
But then I dont know who else to send them to. Any kind of advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[H2Ocean]

Get out and give a couple of jobs away.....or at least a church or something...a playground? ( I know I know tons of folks will disagree with me on that) People need to see you in action, hang out at a donut shop, cops have lots of contacts who need cleaning...polish up your brass cajones and GO TO some accounts you want...literature is easy to put in the round file. A six foot 220 pound Power Wash dude is harder to brush off. Sounds corny but listen to some of those positive thinking/sales guru lectures on disc...they do plant seeds. Good luck hang in there you know better than I do you gotta roll with the punches. That, or you can sell you equipment and go back to punching a clock or stuck in an office building like me all day agreeing with fat lazy old engineers in the corporate conferance room watching the clock tick tock ever so slowly.

Smile you have what most people only dream of...your own business now reach down SQUEEEEEEEZZZZEEE and get out there and sell!!!!!!

Good luck!

 

[grasshawg]

If you've been established in your locale for five years, and you have a reputable company, then everything should be fine. Alll businesses have peaks and valleys. Give it a little more time before abandoning ship.
Randy

 

[cupid11213]

I know how you feel spiker. I actually did loose my business a few years back, but for other reasons cause it was doing great. I believe you should look for other ways to advertise your company. most people wont agree with what H2OCEAN said but he's on the right track. If you go out to a few churches and community places and do a couple of freebies people will definitely notice. Shoot just use water and soap if you have to, to keep cost down. Or have them pay for supplies just do the work for free. People at churches usually know a lot of people and will definitely recommend you to someone.

Also post other types of flyers and give out some coupons or something to get you noticed. People will call since you have been around a bit and are not someone who is just gonna walk away doing a bad job.

I'll tell you what! If you get the space where you can put up a website, i'll do it for you at no cost! i'd just hate to see someone loose something they have worked so hard to establish. So don't give up and if your up to it take my offer, it wont cost you much to get or find somewhere to put the page up.

All you need is some good pictures to show your work off and tell them the great service you provide. when people see it they will definitely call you for a quote.

I live in El Salvador Central America so unfortunately i cannot meet with you to get the page going but, send me an e-mail and we'll talk or instant message so that you can give me an idea of what you want. I'll be happy to help you in anyway i can spiker so send me an e-mail.


I take it from your post you don't have a web page since you didn't mention it, but if you do e-mail me still and i'll try to help in other ways. May God Bless you and make your business prosper.

Luis Lopez
cupid11213@msn.com
pc_fix_elsalvador@msn.com

 

[INKDINK]

Direct mail sucks, get out there and see the prospects in person. When you give them a quote, force a Yes or No decision instead of wasting your time waiting and going back to hear the same thing from them. . Make sure you are dealing with the decision maker and not the dishwasher!

Get yourself some sales training/self help books, some of them are very inspirational.

 

[squirtgun]

Direct mail sucks, get out there and see the prospects in person. When you give them a quote, force a Yes or No decision instead of wasting your time waiting and going back to hear the same thing from them. . Make sure you are dealing with the decision maker and not the dishwasher!
Get yourself some sales training/self help books, some of them are very inspirational.

I find this part of the statement most amusing.It's my personal experience that it's "the dishwasher" that usually calls us for bids,scheduling and pay us.

 

[colin]

We are in our first year here in winnipeg and it was a little bit intimadating trying to sell a fresh company, but as soon as we got our first job we handed out letters of introduction to all the surrounding businesses saying when we would be in the nieghborhood working and if they wanted to have any work done ,, now was the best time,, we got four other jobs to do in the same day, turned a $350 day into a $900 day. Now we are getting so busy in just one area, all from banging on doors and talking to the people who make the the decisions.

A closed mouth never gets fed,,,,,,,,


Colin
Ocean Wash
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada

 

[INKDINK]

Well Suirtboy, if you want to shoot craps in the alley with the dishwasher and bus boy's, thats all fine for you, but I am going to the casino with the big Guy.

 

[PressurePros]

we got four other jobs to do in the same day, turned a $350 day into a $900 day. Now we are getting so busy in just one area, all from banging on doors and talking to the people who make the the decisions.

A closed mouth never gets fed,,,,,,,,


Colin
Ocean Wash
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Canada

First congrats on your growth. The hard work in this respect does pay off. Wait til the days when five jobs pays you $2500.

 

[colin]

thanks ken ,, those days are coming ,, i am bidding on a job now that has 2800 sq. ft of black mold, gonna put on a respirator and heat old squirty and cha ching,

 

[russ s]

story of my life.....cha-chang