Frustrated!!!

[dirtdobber]

I don't know about everyone else but this has really been a disappointing year so far as far as business goes. I have ads in the yellow pages, newspapers, gone door to door with flyers....just don't know what else to do to drum up business. I figure the economy and high fuel prices may be taking their toll but even working the upscale neighborhoods, my appointment book is looking kind of sad! Is everyone having the same sort of problems or am I NOT doing something right...?

[MMI Enterprises]

Well I don't see whether you have a website or not... that may help down the road a tad. What about craigelsit or servial magic type lead programs? Is there commercial work close by that you can try for to help keep schedule full?

[jetstream1]

Same thing this way.But I pick the phone up and cold called.I hit the net and email Pm.Ran ads.My phone rang twice and one call was a guy calling to ask if I can wash his home and his moms for a good deal I tell him a price and he says I called the list in the paper and he will do them for 130.He says he will call me back Yeah right..he will go with the guy who will work half a day for
65 a house. I have some great things in the works it all just has to come together...Hang in..There is work out there you just have to think about it and where it might be and who has the money to spend...If the darn news keeps there mouth shut maybe it can bring a good vibe to us all .I think they like to bring all of down..

[Apple Roof Cleaning]

Business for many is bad.
The news media is KILLING our Country!
We are doing well, mainly because we have been at this for so long.
Sorry to say this, but this is a BAD time to start a business.
Advertising is expensive, and a good return doubtful in this economy.
Door to door, just INTRODUCE yourself, leave card, but TALK to people.
Leaving flyers w/o talking to someone is for losers.
10 people a day to talk to is your goal.
Do NOT try and sell, this is "not your goal".
just INTRODUCE yourself, tell them what you can do, offer a free demo, leave card/flyer, and leave.
This is a time tested method for success.
You will be suprised how many sales "just happen" when you aren't trying.

[plainpainter]

Lots of advertizing - I am either getting 'killer' type jobs or nothing at all - but not much either way. This economy is truly only bad for the lower blue working class - no real effect with folks living in $750,000+ homes. But there is this wacky mentality that I have been witnessing lately. These people, if they see their retirements dip below the 500k mark - they start having visions of living in a van down by a river. Where as if I had retirement, let alone one worth half a mil - I'd be jumping for joy. As soon as the DOW starts zooming upwards and starts hitting 13,000 and 14,000 - then people will start being calm. The only customers really pulling the trigger right now in general are price shoppers looking for super deals.

[Don Phelps]

I agree Daniel!
Not just advertising, but very specific advertising geared toward each season throughout the year. Many companies try to just broad stroke it with their ads for the entire year or back off at certain times but it doesn't really work that way. There are customers to be had year-round. Some times are naturally going to be busier/slower than others, but specifically targeted ads DO pay dividends.

[CCPC]

I've been spending a lot of time lately working on my INTERNET/website presence. I think that would be a good place to start , if you don't already have a good web presence.
In one week of off-and-on concentrated effort investigating and learning search engine optimization and making changes, I took my website from obscurity on like, page 15, all the way up to within the top five in my area. Time well spent. In the last 2 days since it jumped up, I've received a handful of calls that came from google search.

[MMI Enterprises]

Feel for you roof guys. Seems maybe proper time to relay that since the horse and buggy is no more that yer not gonna be able to sell as many buggy whips. Ok maybe tey don;t have self cleaning roofs yet but perhaps ya get my point...Maybe some you should think about expanding services so as to not rely so much on roofs.