Finding work! - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

SAPC_FL · 09-15-2008, 09:30 AM

Hello everyone, first time on this fourm. I have been in business for over 2 years now and I am basicly drugeing my way through the bad times I am sure we are all experianceing. My question to all the well seasoned painters who have seen these times before, what is the best way to find jobs when the phone isn't ringing?

I have done alot of advertiseing, none of it seems to work, and I even tried Service Magic but that turned out to be a waste. I have even gone to lengths to contact previos customers, and just signed up with the State of Florida to try and get the phone ringing. I know it is asking alot to give up trade secrets, but any help on this matter would be helping me from going under.

NAV · 09-15-2008, 11:00 AM

when i owned a residential painting company i joined a networking group called BNI. I got 40% to 50% of my business through the group, all good leads.

BNI is a networking group in all 50 states with 3,500 chapters worldwide. It costs something like $350 per year and the meetings are weekly but the benefits are great.

The group allows one person from any company to be represented. So you will find people like plumbers, painters, builders, bankers, attorneys, doctors, any small business you can think of. with the group you have an extensive network of professionals that you refer and they refer you.

you can google BNI (business networking international) to find a group in your area. I highly recommend it - i made a lot of money with my group.

SAPC_FL · 09-15-2008, 11:12 AM

Thanks NAV, I will look into this.

StreamlineGT · 07-03-2009, 08:53 PM

I'll revive this old thread. I am also a member of BNI, and it is very helpful in my line of work. When I started my business 3 years ago, I got half of my business from there. Now, it still hold true for the most part, just now I am getting referrals from my referrals.

ModernStyle · 07-08-2009, 09:19 PM

I was invited into a BNI group meeting but didnt go, how much do they charge to join ?

nEighter · 07-08-2009, 10:27 PM

I have never heard of BNI, are they throughout the US I take it?

ModernStyle · 07-08-2009, 10:41 PM

yes there are several in my city alone

djf1595 · 07-09-2009, 05:53 PM

Modern, you asked about the pricing for BNI.. It's $180/year with other options available for shorter terms. The downside is that a chapter can only have one person of a given profession, like 1 painter, but I found quite a few chapters in my area alone (around Atlanta)

ModernStyle · 07-09-2009, 06:07 PM

we have a bunch here also, not as many as Atlanta I am sure, but more then a few. I have seen that only out of about the 5 I looked at only one had a painter. I will have to look into this more and maybe approach the group that I think will have the better contacts in it

jtpro · 07-13-2009, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djf1595

Modern, you asked about the pricing for BNI.. It's $180/year with other options available for shorter terms. The downside is that a chapter can only have one person of a given profession, like 1 painter, but I found quite a few chapters in my area alone (around Atlanta)

Do they have a place to post resume's etc. for guys looking to join a company? or dose that defeat it's purpose? I was in So Fla for 2 1/2 years (following work

) got "laid off" (it DOESN'T matter what U call it, it SUX!)came back home to Jax to find out "the plague' preceded me!

Tried what seems to be EVERYTHING from Craigslist to _________.Seems like this "thing" has no rhyme or reason some are swimming some are sinking.

Are there any sites that ya'll have found to work to some degree?

Thanks

base · 07-16-2009, 05:50 PM

Postcards are magic and kind of cheap. Gotprint.com is great for PCs

nEighter · 07-16-2009, 05:53 PM

/\ you are right. 5k for $140.00 delivered

but you have to design em first.

Paint Guardian · 09-03-2009, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAPC_FL

Hello everyone, first time on this fourm. I have been in business for over 2 years now and I am basicly drugeing my way through the bad times I am sure we are all experianceing. My question to all the well seasoned painters who have seen these times before, what is the best way to find jobs when the phone isn't ringing?

I have done alot of advertiseing, none of it seems to work, and I even tried Service Magic but that turned out to be a waste. I have even gone to lengths to contact previos customers, and just signed up with the State of Florida to try and get the phone ringing. I know it is asking alot to give up trade secrets, but any help on this matter would be helping me from going under.

expand your service to others things,offer free window cleaning with every job!

NCPaint1 · 09-03-2009, 09:19 AM

Try to "team up" with other painters. If you get a job, include them (or their employees)for an hourly wage ( better than trying to split...that almost never works....or for very long ) Then you work for them for an hourly wage. I have several of my guys that do this, and for the most part is going well for all parties. I was actually thinking of holding networking meetings once a month at my shop for guys to meet each other, exchange info, and possibly work together on jobs.

ModernStyle · 09-03-2009, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NCPaint1

Try to "team up" with other painters. If you get a job, include them (or their employees)for an hourly wage ( better than trying to split...that almost never works....or for very long ) Then you work for them for an hourly wage. I have several of my guys that do this, and for the most part is going well for all parties. I was actually thinking of holding networking meetings once a month at my shop for guys to meet each other, exchange info, and possibly work together on jobs.

I tried that once, it didnt work.
The other guys definition of quality was alot lower then mine, rolling rooms with Whiz rollers so you dont have to buy 2 gallons of paint is not my idea of quality. Then they want to use your equipment and materials, but never seem to have any when you need it.
Then the guy was selling jobs to his customers that requested only me on their jobs, so he was getting more work from me, and I was getting paid a wage to do it ........... nah ......... that aint the way I roll.
Pound the pavement f you need work, make sure people have your card and know what you are all about. If you start subbing work back and forth with another painter it wont end well.
Ask yourself did you go into business to work for someone or did you go into business to do things your own way and to make a name for yourself.

NCPaint1 · 09-05-2009, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ModernStyle

I tried that once, it didnt work.
The other guys definition of quality was alot lower then mine, rolling rooms with Whiz rollers so you dont have to buy 2 gallons of paint is not my idea of quality. Then they want to use your equipment and materials, but never seem to have any when you need it.
Then the guy was selling jobs to his customers that requested only me on their jobs, so he was getting more work from me, and I was getting paid a wage to do it ........... nah ......... that aint the way I roll.
Pound the pavement f you need work, make sure people have your card and know what you are all about. If you start subbing work back and forth with another painter it wont end well.
Ask yourself did you go into business to work for someone or did you go into business to do things your own way and to make a name for yourself.

Yep, I've seen that happen, but i've seen it work the other way too. It definitely fails more times than it succeeds, but right now I have a couple "teams" that seem to be working pretty well. It seems to work the best with an "old" guy and a "young" guy. You know, the older guy that doesn't/can't spray, or doesn't climb ladders anymore, but also doesn't want to turn down work because of it. Or the young guy who isn't established enough to have steady work through these rough times...but when he does, the old guy comes and does the doors, trim, windows, you know...the low stuff. It can work out well....but it has to be the right match.

NCPaint1 · 09-05-2009, 08:04 AM

Oh, another thought. Why not call or send cards to some of your previous customers? Try to get some "maintenance" work. Especially for exteriors, see if they want you to come and do a light powerwash, either on the house, brick, driveway etc. Or see if they need any touch ups done. Who knows, maybe they had a doorknob go through a wall or something. It may not be a big job, but it could get you in the door, and maybe lead to some more work.