Getting accounts???

[wbawgus]

For three weeks now I have been knocking on doors and have gotten 11 accounts. I am now getting to where I cannot afford to be driving all over to get accounts. What next and what kind of cost is it going to take to get other accounts?

[HoodsPlus]

11 accounts in 3 weeks is nothing to sneeze at, it's pretty darn good.

My wife and I started about 2 weeks before you, and have picked up about the same amount. What we have noticed the past week however is some of those that we spoke to a few weeks ago are now calling. The calls I love to get are the ones from someone I have never heard of........ but they got my name from someone who was impressed with my presentation.

Stick to it and remember........ Every Day..... Every Dollar!

[wbawgus]

thanks for the encouragement! and good luck to you also. Are you doing mail outs or doing door to door?

[BUNN]

Keep pounding the pavement, and soon enough you will have more work than you can handle.

[wbawgus]

Thanks Bunn

[BUNN]

You're welcome. Good luck!

[HoodsPlus]

Originally Posted by wbawgus

thanks for the encouragement! and good luck to you also. Are you doing mail outs or doing door to door?

Right now we are going door to door. We pound the pavement all day then spend a few hours each night organizing the information gathered that day. So far, with 2 people in 2 weeks actual production for August we have netted (after materials and cost, Fuel etc) a little over $7800. Thats before our tax set asides.

What we do with the info we gather all day:

For those accounts were the people are really nice, they are interested in our services but can't make up their minds yet (and not due for service). We immediately send out a Thank You card. Carry them in the vehicle and fill them out while sitting in their parking lot. We drop them in a mail receptacle that day, they have it the next day!

For the ones that don't want to talk to us because they aren't due, were just done, or like the above (interested) we compile a list by month as to who is due and will work that list every month.

For those who are only interested in getting a sticker on their hood at cheap prices......... We have a "DO NOT SERVICE" list they go on........

The expensive part of your business right now is growing it, actually spending the gas and time to go find the accounts. Keep track of all information, including customers who are happy with their current service supplier. Who knows, someday that supplier will sell, close or just hire some bad technicians. You'll know when that happens.

Sales is expensive, but fun! Use it like the best tool you have....... You'll always need it, as long as you are in business.

[Mathew Johnson]

I use this simple line with good results. I stop by a business and say "I noticed your (building.... sidewalks... Dumpster pad... ect.), I would be interested in providing a proposal when you put it out for bid (or are ready to have it done)." About 20 percent of them tell me to write it up now and give it to them. I have gotten away from the "putting it out for bid" line to avoid suggesting that there are others out there to get prices from.

Even if they haven't planned on getting it cleaned, it puts the suggestion in their mind. I leave a wood brochure, property cleaning brochure, business card and cover letter with whomever I talk to and ask them to forward it to the decision maker if they are not in.

Give it a try.... you got nothin to loose

[wbawgus]

nyp and hod plus, can you email me what you use for brochures and thank you cards so I can get an Idea on what to format and say. I am also a graphics designer but not sure what to say and put on a thank you note and brochure. All I have right now is business cards.

If not I understand. This forum is awesome for ideas and keeping some of us who want to do hoods the right way in business. Here is my email wbawgus@gmail.com

[Mathew Johnson]

Originally Posted by wbawgus

nyp and hod plus, can you email me what you use for brochures and thank you cards so I can get an Idea on what to format and say. I am also a graphics designer but not sure what to say and put on a thank you note and brochure. All I have right now is business cards.

If not I understand. This forum is awesome for ideas and keeping some of us who want to do hoods the right way in business. Here is my email wbawgus@gmail.com

I will likely be in Cocoa in a 3-4 weeks, Let me know if you want to meet and chat. Also, please post your signature, people will be more likely to share info if you post you info.

MJ

[HoodsPlus]

I just noticed that you were from Rockledge Florida. I use to work for a fire equipment company in Rockledge a few years back, and did fire work across the state, but mostly the Brevard county area, including Kennedy Space Center, Patrick and Cape Canaveral AFS. Also did most of the NSCS work on the Naval ships at the port........ Those were some fun times.

[HoodsPlus]

I just noticed that you were from Rockledge Florida. I use to work for a fire equipment company in Rockledge a few years back, and did fire work across the state, but mostly the Brevard county area, including Kennedy Space Center, Patrick and Cape Canaveral AFS. Also did most of the NSCS work on the Naval ships at the port........ Those were some fun times. I wish I was down there, I'd take ya around to meet the groups I know.

Join the Florida Fire equipment Dealer association, and the Restaurant Association which has a group right there in Brevard county. I use to go to all the monthly meetings and picked up a lot of good accounts that way.

Does Tom at Space Coast do Hood Cleaning? Pye Barker?

[David O'Connell Jr.]

"Hoods" & "wbawgus" please fill out your signature. Its help for others.

You also want to view the GP foamer link in BUNNS sig line. Its real helpful for a build it yourself foamer.

[HOODPRO]

I stopped door to door stuff a long time ago. It didn't prove to be very productive. Pamphlets didn't much work either. What do you do with a pamphlet when you get one? Right in the trash. Sometimes you don't even open it.
I mail out post cards. I pick an area and concentrate on it trying to get jobs in one location limiting travel for estimates and when we get the job. That means restaurants, schools, nursing homes, hospitals, corporations, country clubs, catering, frat houses, sorority houses, bars grocery stores, camps and colleges. Anybody that cooks. Large operations I sometimes call to find out who exactly the card should go to. I also send the cards to any restaurant supply houses, hood installers and fire suppression companieys. The post card has a picture of a hood on it. Somehing that they relate to at first glance. On the card has mention of the regulatory bodies that might site them. Like, fire inspectors, JCAHO, health inspectors, insurance inspectors. Just a little reminder of the forces that would makes them get the hood cleaned. I keep a mailing list so I can send cards to the places I really want, again and again.
Works for me.

[Maggie]

I failed miserably going door to door. My wife threatened divorce if she had to cold call again.

We sent out post cards. For every 100 post cars we mailed, I got 3 bids. I closed 90% of the bids. When I cold called, I went to 20 restaurants and got one account (chineese) and decided I would never cold call again.

In two years of post cards we got to 300 customers.