The Best Nugget Of Knowledge

pdh2100

No doubt, most of us here have attained some marginal amount of success in the business. We got here with some hard lessons that have been boiled down to nuggets of this and that, that become our mantras for success. I always like all of your different perspectives. Fire away!

thanks, paul

specwood

Always get a written agreement for big jobs, small ones, changes to the original scope, etc...

DaveH

There is no such thing as a GIMME extra...

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A buck a foot is not an estimate! It's a crap shoot!

maj

Do not tell anyone how much you charge per hour.

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The views expressed in this post are merely opinions of named poster and in no way shall be deemed meaningful by members of the herd. By no means does anything posted by named poster mean a damn thing for anyone else partaking in this thread.

Double-A

Happy clients make for a happy business. Bitchy clients make business a bitch. Have you hugged your clients today?

copusbuilder

O.k. Lets skip the hugs

I do agree with the rest 100% if they are a-holes before you start they will always be a-holes.
When I bid for someone I don't know I may decide in a few minutes that I am not bidding it, just going through the motions.

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AkA Richard Cranium

Grumpy

Not every customer should be my customer.

Learn how to say no. It's not hard.

Tscarborough

20 percent of your customers will generate 80% of your problems, while 20% of your customers will generate 80 percent of your income. They are NOT the same 20%.

Double-A

Hugs can come in more than one form or fashion. I used to take my 5 best clients names for the month and put them in a bowl and have our head bookkeeper draw a name once a month. I'd call the folks up, ask what a good night for a free steak dinner at the most posh restaurant in town might be, and tell them I'll pick them up at 8:00.

I also did this for folks that were unhappy with our work. Its a good way to make unhappy folks happy.

You have to give the folks that tell their friends about you something to say.

"ZOMG Ann!!! The secsiest fat contractor took me and my husband to dinner last night and he paid. We ordered the biggest steak and the fattest lobster and had two bottles of wine!"

Life is short and unfair. Enjoy it and screw the rules. Enjoy your clients as well as their money.

copusbuilder

Heck, I like my customers but having dinner out with them .....I have been known to give out gift certificates but they go unattended.

Now a few of them have wives that I might take out to dinner...Then I could be known as the #2 sexiest fat contractor

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www.etexasrentals.com
www.thelakevoice.com
AkA Richard Cranium

copusbuilder

Very much the truth

Many years ago when my business was more stressful I had a guy suggest that "if you have a problem get rid of it!" A lot of times it is really easy. Especially as mentioned above

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www.copusconstruction.com
www.etexasrentals.com
www.thelakevoice.com
AkA Richard Cranium

Tom Rohland

Develop leadership skills through a never ending process of selfstudy, education, training and experience.

Tom Rohland, Jr.
Ranger Painting & Pressure Cleaning, Inc.
Lake Mary, Florida

Floorwizard

Learn when to shut up and write up (the sale)

communication is key and find out customer expectations BEFORE they sign.

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

snrdave

from my uncle who's been doing rough framing 20 yesrs longer than me: use every hour of daylight cause you never know when the next rain day is

Jonesey

It's easier to keep a customer than find a new one.

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Steve Jones
steve@jonespaintingonline.com
Jones Painting Feel the difference service makes

realpurty2

Don't do business with friends or family. It keeps emotions out of common sense. (Guilty more than once myself)

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Woman in a Man's World.

Tscarborough

Piss poor planning on your end does not constitute an emergency on my part.

Woz the Painter

In a nutshell, buy low and sell high....

Mr. D

Learn to say No.

copusbuilder

I'll second this!!

__________________
www.copusconstruction.com
www.etexasrentals.com
www.thelakevoice.com
AkA Richard Cranium