Finding Work......

crussman

Just moved to a new town and the classifieds are zero help. Any suggestions on places to go to look for work. Do cold calls to contractors ever work?

kevjob

networking, adwords, flyers, postcards

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Kevin
Basement Finishing Highlands Ranch Colorado
Littleton Colorado, Basement Remodeling
Kitchen Remodeling Denver

Jason Whipple

This should cause controversy, but we use some on line lead services. They have brought in almost 80% of our revenue last year.

Some swear by them..........
Some swear at them

We are slowly weening ourselves away as we try to fool around with other ideas. For now it's a must do for us.

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Jason E Whipple, General Manager
Historic House Restoration, Cincinnati, Ohio
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nlgutters

jason just say u are from vermont. was wondering what online services you use.

Jason Whipple

I'm using three at the moment. They all seem to work out as a group but probably not as well if I used only one.

The first one I got hooked up with was Service Magic. Over the last year I've seen a decline in the quality of leads so I keep them turned off for the most part. One great benefit (and the reason I haven't just quit them ) is the web site that I get through them. Customers through that service have made some great reviews for me and I send everyone to it, including prospects from other lead services.

The next one that works a little better for me is Reliable Remodeler. The leads there seem to be better quality leads and if they turn out to be junk, I have no problem getting a replacement lead for it. Results there will vary because it's up to each account manager as to how they handle things. I seem to have gotten a good one and things are working just fine for me there.

The last is Bid Clerk. I took a chance on this one about 4 month ago and landed an 80k renovation project that is keeping me in the black all winter this year. They have a lot of commercial projects for the most part (at least in my area), but it also give me information on projects that are in the conceptual stages with contact information to the Architects in charge. My plan is to start contacting these guy's and introduce myself, if not for that project, then at least it's a good way to start networking. It's got to be better to have something to inquire about than to just cold call them IMO.

Like I said, I wouldn't just use one of them at a time. They all work differently and do different things that have added up to a successful first year in business for me. Keep in mind that I live in Vermont too. I have little competition from other companies using these on line services. Seems most haven't caught on yet. All I know is that when I go to my supplier to order windows and or siding I see a lot of other contractors there talking about how the bottom has fallen out of the remodeling industry.
I say nothing. I've diversified myself to the inevitable changes of how people shop and were doing well for it.

Soon I hope to get better with ad words. We are experimenting and almost ready to launch our new web site. I hope to figure out what works and slowly let the lead services go. For now they're working for me.

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Jason E Whipple, General Manager
Historic House Restoration, Cincinnati, Ohio
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nlgutters

thanks i have used service magic butt will try the others

Jason Whipple

gutters,

Most of the gutter installers around here contact there previous customers to take down the gutters in the winter so the ice won't destroy them. Then they replace them in the early spring. This way they get cleaned out every year too. Have you or do you try this approach?

Edit:
PM me if you want my account managers email @ R/R he's treated me very well! or email me at whipple5000@msn.com

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Jason E Whipple, General Manager
Historic House Restoration, Cincinnati, Ohio
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fredIII

whats the deal with these online leads ? what kind of money do they recieve and are they quality leads ?

nlgutters

sorry jason never say your repost.. no we never take them down. we do about 400 jobs a year and aybe one every 2 years will get damaged by ice. as for cleaing most custommers have us install solid covers so they dont have to be cleaned