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Getting the work in
Hi all, I was just wondering if you guys could give me some pointers.
I’ve had my cutter for about a year now, maybe a little longer. And I’ve had a few jobs, the amount that I can still count with my fingers. But I’ve been wanting to set up full time. But I’ve tried to do it gradually, while still working full time I thought if I could get some regular jobs I could decrease my full time hours and increase the sign business.
I started with handing out business cards with a description of the type of signs I do on the back to all retail, offices and warehouses down every street in a 5 mile radius of where I live. I got one job out of that.
Since that, I got a free listing with yell.com. I had about 5 calls out of that, which I managed to get one job again. That job made me around 500 quid, so for a free listing was pretty good.
I paid to be put in the BT phone book, 2 listings plus Internet listing. I didn’t go cheap either. My listing is probably the second largest in the sign makers listings and not just a plain square box. Out of that, I’ve had probably about 6 calls and all of them were dealing with other quotes. I called back all 6, they said they decided to go with another company. I asked them if my quotes were too high, but they said I came in around the same figure as the rest, if not slightly cheaper. But they decided to go with someone else.
I’ve recently signed up to go in the next yellow pages, September I think. I’m hoping I’ll get enough calls to give me a leg up. I’m in desperate need.
I can’t really understand why I’m not getting the work. From what I’ve been told, my prices are reasonable, I have a polite manner on the phone and in person. I’m on time if not early when meeting to quote the customer. I’ve even had t-shirts printed with my logo so I look clean and presentable. What am I doing wrong.
Any pointers on how to get the calls in would be much appreciated. :lol1:
Cheers Mark
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6 Replies
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I don’t think the adverts alone will bring in enough work. You really need to get out there and call in to places. Offer cheap deals for the first order etc.
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Keep your eyes open. I spent a few days driving around the industrial estates and around town looking for empty shops or units. Call in on people who have just moved in or have a rotten sign, or no sign. Call in in person if you can – it definitely helps. You never know what a small job can lead to so don’t dismiss them as not worthwhile – I did a set of magnetics for a lad who went on to give my name to a lot of people and earned me easily 30K this year. Referals are everything to me. The YP is OK but most of my stuff comes from satisfied customers telling their friends.
Also, ALWAYS have business cards with you. I give them to anyone in business that I meet; restaurants etc even when I’m not supposed to be working.
Edit: If you’re working full time elsewhere, do you think you are missing sales calls during the day? I understand why you want to build it up before taking the plunge, but nothing focuses the mind on succeeding like necessity. I was lucky in a way in that I was made redundant and had nothing to lose, but it gave me a lot of time to put into my new business.
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I find a reasonable amount of work, like Andy says, comes word of mouth. Quite a few of my customers have boxes of my business cards which they often hand out.
I also have business cards out on the counters in a few local places (local garage/tyre shops etc) the sort of places where there is a wide spectrum of customers passing through.
That said, I too still are not turning over enough reguarlly to quit my paid job but at least it’s a night job so I’m around daytimes to talk/meet/see customers.
I’d be interested to know if anyone has business cards in one of those ‘local services’ card units in supermarkets. Was considering it but they want 10-20 plus vat per WEEK to put you in one. Just wondered if anyone doing it thought it was worth while.
Lee
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I think Andy has hit the nail on the head.
If most clients think it is a second income, or you are not a full time sign maker, then they will interpret that as you being uncommitted to the job.
They will nearly always go for a full time person against a part time one, unless you offer them a ‘deal they can’t refuse’ (ie no invoice, no tax content, cash only.. nudge nudge wink wink)
I gave up on yellow pages and paper advertising years ago.
My work is all word of mouth. When a new client rings me for a quote, I’ll rarely do it over the phone. I will nearly always call in personally. That way you get an idea if they are ‘shopping’ or are serious. if they decline your offer to call in, then they are shopping, if they welcome you to call in asap, chances are they are serious.
If I think they are serious, I’ll try and close the deal when I’m there to save a trip back.
It is never easy trying to maintain two hats. Your body language will be what gives you away.
Not being your full time job, you will not have the confidence in your approach that only doing the job everyday gives you.
You will always come across, especially to a seasoned businessman, that you are still ‘green’ and that will be what is turning people away from your offers of work.
I knew a car salesman once, a little welsh fellow that worked for Ford here in Oz. He had a brilliant ability to read a clients body language, they way they answered a question, the way they presented themselves, all sorts of little things. He was the #1 sales guy in Australia for many years, and he taught me heaps about promoting myself.
A bit of a waffle, sorry, but you can be the best sign maker in your town, but don’t discount the way people percieve you as a part time sign maker. The will be expecting a better price and incentives, because they will be reasoning that you are doing the sign side for extra cash, and may not be as committed as a full time sign maker.
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The thing about the sign business, I’ve found, is that companies who need signs tend to stick with the same sign company to do their work unless they’ve been let down by them, or been over charged (if they find out about that) or have been unhappy about something. If they are getting a service they’re happy with, they don’t go looking for someone else to do their work. I think that’s why it’s soo hard to get going initially.
The majority of my work is repeat customers, not new ones. So as already been said, the only way is to knock on doors and offer a service they’ll find difficult to refuse. Otherwise it will takes years until you’re ‘full time’. -
I have a phone line set up so it diverts any calls to my mobile, plus the mobile is on the advertisements as well. I haven’t let on that its my second income either. A customer calls, I take their details and the type of work they want doing. I then tell them that I’ll need to put a quote together and I call them the same day if its early enough, if not first thing the next day. I have early finishes at the end of the week so I ask them if Friday or Saturday is good for them. I’ll have to try watching out for empty shops and units and drop a card off.
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