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Summer is real close. Unless you live right by me, try contacting every air cond. company in your city:D Subbing to ac guys is pretty good work alot of the time, cause your bending pipe, and they mostly know what breakeven cost means, which is what house builders don't usually have a clue about. Also try finding out if there is drywall/ steel stud wholesalers in your town. Park down there come Monday morning and hand out cards. Commercial contractors mo betta.
 
go to businesses and hand them your cards. When I first started out and wasn't busy I would go all kinds of places handing out cards. I got some pretty good recouring work from a church and a credit union across the street from each other from 1 day handing out cards. 1 day I dropped 2 cards off at a wings and beer place while I had lunch. That Sunday his defrost timer went up on him and the wings were getting warm. I jumped out the timer till Monday, later ran cat. 5 wire for a new checkout system, did the electric for a new outside walk-in, a sub panel, new cookie oven, lighting repair, and some work at his house.
 
charlie b said:
More importantly, however, if I had just bought a house, and if some electrical contractor calls me and says they know I just bought a house and would I be interested in some electrical upgrades, I would be angry at the intrusion. I would also put that EC on a permanent “black list.” If I ever did need electrical services, they would not be getting a call from me.
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You are right Charlie many people are put off by phone sales.

An intrusive call during dinner is considered a hard sale tactic. What about a soft sale tatic such as a card or flier in the mail ? One of those " congradulations on the purchase of your new home , welcome to the neighborhood , please allow us to introduce ourselves, we would like to get acquainted with your wallet", type things.

A list, which he can probably get for free, could help target new customers. With any type of add you have to determine if the returns are worth the investment. :)
 
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growler said:
What about a soft sale tatic such as a card or flier in the mail ? One of those " congradulations on the purchase of your new home , welcome to the neighborhood , please allow us to introduce ourselves, we would like to get acquainted with your wallet", type things.
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That I would not find offensive or intrusive. But I would probably throw it into the recycle bin unread. There are others, however, who might just keep it on the fridge, so they have a number in case one is needed.
 
Advertising is much like buying bait or lures to go fishing. Having the right bait or lure when all other conditions are right can catch you some fish on a good day. Having a good fishing spot is also very important. If you are fishing in a bad spot then the best bait will not help. Normally the only way to find a good fishing spot is to go fishing, fishermen don't give out their good spots or soon they wouldn't be good spots ( over fished ). All fishermen are more than happy to give advice and try to impress you with thier technique. Everyone wants to sell you the magic lure that is guaranteed to catch fish. It's important to remember that many lures are designed to cath fishermen and not so much the fish ( you obviously weren't using it right )

Most fishermen usually end up by telling tale tales about the big one that got away. Some end up like Ahab pursuing the big one to the ends of the earth ( not a happy ending ). Some, much like in the movie " Jaws ", end up getting eaten by the very fish they are after ( plenty of sharks in the water ).

Commercial fishermen use a time tested technique called a net. Sure the occasional shark will chew through the net and a few dolphins get trapped but all in all it's the only way to be sure of catching fish. A net and about a million dollars worth of fish finding equipment. Most people can't afford all this equipment and fish off the bank with a cane pole and some night crawlers. It's just a matter of luck when you fish like this, better have a good fishing spot.

Hope you all see the humor in this analogy.

Gone Fishing
Back Later


 
Jeff Weissman Electric said:
One word
ANGIESLIST.com
I think the only way to get on there is to have a customer write a report on you. Or you can pay to bew listed but thats up to you.
I get some very good customers from Angieslist
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Trying to get on the site. There are no EC on it in my area, and none of my customers are part of the site. :mad:

I didn't see the part where you can pay to get on... dunno if I want to.
 
growler said:
Advertising is much like buying bait or lures to go fishing. Having the right bait or lure when all other conditions are right can catch you some fish on a good day. Having a good fishing spot is also very important. If you are fishing in a bad spot then the best bait will not help. Normally the only way to find a good fishing spot is to go fishing, fishermen don't give out their good spots or soon they wouldn't be good spots ( over fished ). All fishermen are more than happy to give advice and try to impress you with thier technique. Everyone wants to sell you the magic lure that is guaranteed to catch fish. It's important to remember that many lures are designed to cath fishermen and not so much the fish ( you obviously weren't using it right )

Most fishermen usually end up by telling tale tales about the big one that got away. Some end up like Ahab pursuing the big one to the ends of the earth ( not a happy ending ). Some, much like in the movie " Jaws ", end up getting eaten by the very fish they are after ( plenty of sharks in the water ).

Commercial fishermen use a time tested technique called a net. Sure the occasional shark will chew through the net and a few dolphins get trapped but all in all it's the only way to be sure of catching fish. A net and about a million dollars worth of fish finding equipment. Most people can't afford all this equipment and fish off the bank with a cane pole and some night crawlers. It's just a matter of luck when you fish like this, better have a good fishing spot.

Hope you all see the humor in this analogy.

Gone Fishing
Back Later
Click to expand...

That's what I don't get though. We are in differing territories. There will not be overfishing in that regard
 
Advertising

Seem's to me that if you would spend as much time doing work and talking to people and handing out bussiness cards as you do meeting with bussiness that promise to get you bussiness you would be on the right track. Just in everyday life if you carry yourself right people ask for your bussiness card. If you are a likeable person and let people know what you do for a living in an everyday conversion they most of the time ask for a bussiness card. As an example when I have my truck worked on, go out to eat, shop or anything in my everyday life I am outgoing and talk about what I do and most people ask for my bussiness card and sometime down the road they will call. Last week I was in the electrical inspection department and a gentleman was in there to meet with a planner and heard my conversion with someone else and ask for my bussiness card then call me two days later with a big job. Hope this is not too long and put you to sleep, just wanted to share my thoughts. Semper Fi. Buddy
 
I agree with Brady Electric on this one. You are selling yourself and you work will speak for itself. Word of mouth does not mean it has to come from others, it can come from you as well. I too ask "who does your electric?" almost every where I go. Most have some body and some don't and I give them all a card anyway in case thier present electrician lets them down somehow. But the thing to keep in mind is that you want to do this while you are in a good mood and be positive. Letter your truck,design a logo for your truck, once paid for it will advertise for you as long as you own it. I think I paid @ $120.00 for mine but I designed everything and gave it to the company to do the vinyl. I'll try to attach a picture....Good luck.
 
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Blue Book

Blue Book

Anyone out there use BlueBook?

I just signed up with my local representative.

This is THE SINGLE MOST FANTASTIC GROUP OUT THERE!!!

The entire service is free. It links contractors together, and man is it awesome! I have gotten more invitations to bid this last 4 days than I have the entire time owning my own business... combined! (I got 50 in 1 day. And we're talking jobs like Home Depot, Office Depot, ground ups, TIs, state parks, hospitals, apartment complexes, hotels)
I'll need $50M in bond money just to get the bids out!!!!

Now, I have to bid them!!! Every single one of them!!!! muaahhhhaaaa!!!! :D

Anyway, just curious if anyone else is using BlueBook. I recommend it to everyone.

Have an awesome day!
 
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