Have tools, will travel (for the right price).
Business questions
- Thread starter bigb
- Start date
I can give you some names, but all the General Contractors I know are in Salt Lake. I don't know how willing they would be to do a little job like that in Ogden.Trying Angie's List at the moment. I need to have a bonus room split into a bedroom and TV area and asked for about a dozen quotes and got... wait for it... one. Tried posting the work to KSL and got... wait for it... one more. Anyway, I didn't know how to find a reputable person/company to do it otherwise. So, if anyone is handy and wants to quote it, would love to have it. If you, bigb, would like to do the electrical part, let me know.Anyway, guess that tells you where I went to find someone to do the work.
I'm near the Ogden area.
leftyjace
Well-Known Member
Looking forward to this. I don't even know what a trifurcatamajigger is.
Time for some good advice, cause you have been getting heaping loads of ****.
Wait till it's night time and break into people's houses and **** up their electrical work. Then go around the neighborhood posting flyers for your business.
Wait till it's night time and break into people's houses and **** up their electrical work. Then go around the neighborhood posting flyers for your business.
I've given this serious thought.
If you have a customer base already, you can offer to pay them $10 or some reasonable amount if they refer people to you.
It's more of a long term approach, but if you do good work it helps immensely and grows steadily.
What's $10 or $25 if it gets you new customers even if it cuts into profits a bit.
I've seen it work in other industries, and think it will also work in your line of business. I'm talking the customer facing portion of your business, not the commercial or residential new home construction portion. That will most likely need a different approach.
Just a thought.
It's more of a long term approach, but if you do good work it helps immensely and grows steadily.
What's $10 or $25 if it gets you new customers even if it cuts into profits a bit.
I've seen it work in other industries, and think it will also work in your line of business. I'm talking the customer facing portion of your business, not the commercial or residential new home construction portion. That will most likely need a different approach.
Just a thought.
Joe Bagadonuts
Well-Known Member
I needed a plumber for a broken pipe recently. I didn't know one so i went online and HomeAdvisor.com was one of the top results. I'd heard of it before so I decided to fill out the form for a bid. It was about 6 pm on a Sunday night, and the moment I hit submit my phone started ringing. Three different companies called me. Two of them said they would do free bids. I set appointments. The job was simple. I figured it was worth about $100 but that I'd have to pay $200. The first guy shows up on Monday morning and bids $675. He tells me that it would cost more but he's selling me a "membership" which gives me a 20% discount on all services plus a free yearly plumbing inspection. I said, "no thanks". I decided I'd rather do the job myself so I called the other company and canceled. It cost me about $40 to fix because I had to buy a saw that could fit into a tight spot, and it took me a lot longer than it would have taken a professional plumber. I wonder if people usually pay $675 for a job like that.
addictionary
Well-Known Member
Buy a catchy domain name and a smooth running interface website. A name like mrfixit.com.
And remember kids, if you ever use Jazzfanz App, use it safe.
And remember kids, if you ever use Jazzfanz App, use it safe.
b_line
Well-Known Member
For electrical work, my opinion is that you ought to pick a line of work you are best at and gi for it
For example, my good friends family electrical business basically only takes on remodel work because they found they are best at it. I know electricians who only want new work.
Next get in good with your GC buddies and get all their jobs.
I choose electricians based on who the contractors in the area trust.
I'll be doing some remodel jobs and would love to work with you this fall.
If you want to do maintenance and repair work, reviews and word of mouth are huge. Get your customers to leave good reviews and testimonials.
If you like the big contract stuff, hire a couple apprentices and get some contracts at places like mines and factories.
For example, my good friends family electrical business basically only takes on remodel work because they found they are best at it. I know electricians who only want new work.
Next get in good with your GC buddies and get all their jobs.
I choose electricians based on who the contractors in the area trust.
I'll be doing some remodel jobs and would love to work with you this fall.
If you want to do maintenance and repair work, reviews and word of mouth are huge. Get your customers to leave good reviews and testimonials.
If you like the big contract stuff, hire a couple apprentices and get some contracts at places like mines and factories.
Yes to advertising on your truck. Not that it will get people to hire you directly, but it will help people become familiar with your business name, which will help indirectly.
Fridge magnets are most useful for businesses you use once and want to remember a year or two in the future. Like plumber, sprinkler guy, etc. Not sure if electrician falls in that category because it's so infrequent that a homeowner would need your services. So I vote no on that one.
In no particular order...
I directly ask friends in the area (e.g. at church).
I post to Facebook to ask friends in the area.
I look at Google maps to find businesses in the area, and pay VERY CLOSE attention to the customer reviews.
I look at KSL classifieds, again and pay close attention to any/all reviews.
I search the internet more generally.
I've done all of those the past several years.
You're such a dirty little lying scumbag. You had my hopes up.
#deflatedagain
Is it tomorrow here yet?
Internet - Google maps should be Big(b) for you. Having people google an electrician and have you come up right away is crucial. Also, like Colton said, the reviews are a must.. again, crucial.
I wouldn't worry about AdWords or AdSense (pay-per-click). I wouldn't get sucked into the promises of SEO. Just have a simple website that speaks to credibility, local guys, and value.
Referrals - This is typically more about providing great service. Next day courtesy follow up call to ask whether everything is okay. Referrals are earned more than 'worked.'
GC netwrok - This can be, by far, your largest segment. Taking a couple days per month to go visit the local GC's and get the new construction business. Maybe specialize in custom homes... so you don't get sucked into the working for peanuts thing prodcution builders will demand. (I can provide some advice, offline, as to how to get the GC's business - the approach. NOT anything nefarious.. just too many subtleties and nuance that it needs explained by voice vs. text.)
Remind me where you're located. I know tons of high-end builders in the SLC area and may be able to make a couple calls for you.. if desired.
along these lines, the realtor network is another possible source of easy, small jobs - - changing out light fixtures is a simple, fairly affordable update that folks include if they're freshening up their home to put it on the market
(though I guess for something that simple, most painting contractors handle that task)
We've done a couple houses to be generator ready.
And I'm in the Salt Lake area.
I have a couple realtors that shoot work my way. It's usually stuff that comes up on the home inspection. Usually very small, but easy to fix.