How To Get In With The Builders.

GridRunnerFloor

Hello all, what are your suggestions for geting in with the builders. work has slowed down to a dead hault here in southern wisconsin though the local stores. I need to find more work.

__________________
My Father Taught Me How To Survive But My Mother Taught Me How To Live!

Brushslingers

Beat the bushes, keep on thier butts. If it's any consulation, work has slowed to a hault all over the country.

__________________
Benn

MattCoops

not true,
I've been busy enough to sub out

you have to advertise more when work is heavy so you dont have to spend on marketing when work is slow

__________________
Matt with Cupan Custom Tile & Paint of Lowell, Massachusetts
Design and installation of ceramic tile and natural stone for floor, wall, and countertops
(978) 601-8774 | cupantile@gmail.com | view tile pictures and more

Donedat

You got to go meet them face to face. That means being at your target job-sites before 7am. Builders seldom read advertisements. But, if you meet them and hand them something, then they may remember you...50-50 chance anyway.

__________________
I admit...I don't know everything...but don't tell my kids I told you.

Floorwizard

Super hard.

First, understand that you and 50 other guys contact him/her constantly. So you really gotta come on strong and to the point.

Second, usually builders are already set up and happy. if they dump one dude because you are a lowballer, then they will dump you too when another one comes along.

third, are they good payers? are they considering you because they owe to other contractors?

tackle as many as you can and MAYBE 1 will come thru. but 1 can be pretty solid work at times.

__________________
------------------------
"in 20 years you will regret more what you did not do than what you did"

Donedat

I pretty much avoid spec home builders for the most part. I only install for those who go by my rules. So, the ones I work for are really my friends and wouldn't hire someone else unless I just really blunder.

__________________
I admit...I don't know everything...but don't tell my kids I told you.

MattCoops

It is gonna be competition to get in with builders.
They are gonna already have installers.
So you have to set yourself apart and above.

Then, you'll find that they don't want to pay you what you normally charge a square ft.

You'll do better with serving homeowners.
Work should be pouring in now before Thanksgiving rolls around.
Get some door hangers or flyers made, and go nuts with them.
I ordered 3000 for $180. And got 4 calls after delivering about 500.
So it's less than 1% return. But if you get one job from 3000, it pays for itself.
When you do an estimate or start a job, distribute at least 100 or more in that area.

Also, always carry your business cards.
Get face-to-face with people and whip em out.
You don't know how many estimates I've done for people I bumped into in home depot or on my way in to a sub shop.

__________________
Matt with Cupan Custom Tile & Paint of Lowell, Massachusetts
Design and installation of ceramic tile and natural stone for floor, wall, and countertops
(978) 601-8774 | cupantile@gmail.com | view tile pictures and more

Mike Finley

Network.

B to B is all about networking. You can do it high level by joining the local builders association or low level by joining the local contractor watering hole association. Either way it's about rubbing elbows with the decision makers and keep letting them know you exist. It's also tough to only wait till you run out of work before you try to do this, since it takes awhile. Probably why Harvey Mackay calls his book about networking - digging your well before you're thirsty.

Joshua C

Hi, I am new on this site and already i have learned some really good tips. I opened my own company a few monthes ago and i am really strugling for some work in the tile and hardwood business, could some one give me a hand.

MattCoops

where you located josh?

__________________
Matt with Cupan Custom Tile & Paint of Lowell, Massachusetts
Design and installation of ceramic tile and natural stone for floor, wall, and countertops
(978) 601-8774 | cupantile@gmail.com | view tile pictures and more

R&D Tile

Forget about builders, nothing but trouble, they want everything yesterday and want it cheap, screw that.

jobiz9876

Do you have any leads in Boston for interior or exterior residencial or commercial painting? Also, anything in surrounding a 100mile radious of 10462 or 12601?

MattCoops

I'm not in Boston anymore, I'm in Charlotte

I don't know what the hell zip is 10462 or 12601

But in Boston, paint jobs aren't hard to come by.
Drop your business cards off at every real estate office you can find.
If you do commercial, create some sort of flyer and fax it to all the apartments you can find.

Go down streets like Mass ave, Marlborough, Newbury, etc, the brownstones and lofts with people with money. Get some flyers/door hangers made up. The gay neighborhoods are great for referral work, cus they'll tell everyone about you if you do good work.

All around MGH is good. Those steep hills over there. There is always work there. Get some flyers taped to light posts. Pin some cards in that Starbucks.

I'm in Charlotte now.
Miss Boston. We work for half as much as what we used to get up north. But its cheaper to live, no snow, and you can potentially work year round. Plus, biscuits and gravy and grits ain't so bad.

__________________
Matt with Cupan Custom Tile & Paint of Lowell, Massachusetts
Design and installation of ceramic tile and natural stone for floor, wall, and countertops
(978) 601-8774 | cupantile@gmail.com | view tile pictures and more

TexasTimbers

Stick with the homeowners forget the builder they are the headache unless they have soiught you out. And remember floors are peculilar to construction. For the most part it's the woman who buys the floor not the man. Target your advertising to women. See if you can give a free "Flooring Opportunities" presentation to a women's club during one of their meetings. Clubs are always looking for someone to come and share info to them. Don't feel like it is a cheesy tactic because they know you are trying to simply find more customers but if you give a professional presentaion focusing mostly on what i are the latest products, styles, options, etc then they will appreciate it when they go to remodel/build YOU will at least get to bid.
Don't be pushy and don't talk about price during the presentation.
Give "do's and dont's" and basic info and bring samples.
Offer to insatll/repaqir some flooring for a local girl scout troup etc if they need it. Get creative. Business is there to be had no matter what the economy or the talking heads might say. And by the way, they are all saying the economy is booming at records levels so we must be getting rich eh?!

Grainywood

Chamber of Commerce Mixers. Go to networking events. Have a website that people can go to. You don't have to do lots of internet advertising but have a presence there. It beats carrying around a ton of photos everywhere.

I haven't found flyers or postcards to be effective but my first postcard was crap so have one professionally made.

There's also this thing called BNI. It's a business networking group. Each chapter is made up of various trades but no two trades are the same. Only one GC, one flooring guy, one landscape contractor, one mechanic...you get the picture. My wife belongs to it. Basically all its members provide referrals to each others businesses. It's a good way to get your name out there. But you have to go to a meeting every week.

Mostly, just rack your brain for different ways you can get your name out there. List yourself on free internet listings. It's hard anyway you look at it. But if you're any good, you'll start getting noticed.

__________________
"I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination."

Joshua C

Hey, Mat Coops
I am in Lawrenceburg Kentucky. Thanks for th repley.

Ronman39

Send out an "introduction letter" to all the area builders. Give them your background and some references. We did it and it has brought us some business. Also, contact your local real estate folks they have good contacts with the builders.