lumberjack
Young man on the go
I don't want it done to me, so I won't do it to them. Different strokes and all. 
How'd it go today?
- Thread starter MasterBlaster
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MasterBlaster
Administrator Emeritus
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #21,052
Yea, it's called selling.
N
Newfie
Guest
One follow up call is no big deal. Might make some of you guys a lot busier.
squisher
THE CALM ONE!!!!
Yup, it's good business. More often then not the customer will appreciate it ime, whether they're hiring you or not.
N
Newfie
Guest
Just curious, how many of you are trying to close at the time of the bid? A lot of people need a nudge to make a decision.
"I can do the job for this, I can put you on the schedule for next Thursday."
"I can do the job for this, I can put you on the schedule for next Thursday."
SkwerI
Treehouser
I agree with Mike and Skwishie. One follow up call a few days to a week later to get an answer, yes or no, is perfectly acceptable. I despise unsolicited callers as well, but if I call somebody for a quote then it's perfectly acceptable for them to check back if I haven't followed through.
On a different note, I made a quick easy $100 in about 20 minutes today without even firing up a saw. I moved four concrete picnic tables at a restaurant. They only had to move about 40' so I didn't even have to reset the truck.
On a different note, I made a quick easy $100 in about 20 minutes today without even firing up a saw. I moved four concrete picnic tables at a restaurant. They only had to move about 40' so I didn't even have to reset the truck.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
I'll call them once if there was a scheduling concern and offer them to get ahead of the crunch. Pretty much from past experience, if I have not heard from them (98 % of the time) they have gone elsewhere. The other 2% have lost/misplaced my estimate, card etc and want the call. Is the two percent worth it.. ? Occasionally. I can pretty much remember which jobs I would want and what ones I don't. Often times that will eliminate some of that 2% 
FJR
Treehouser
Ever since I started faxing/emailing/mailing my proposals I have been much more successful, and haven't really felt the need to follow up. I'm sure when I have to put food on the table for other besides myself my opinion may change, but for now I am happy with the way everything is going.
brendonv
Tree Hugger
I'll be the first to admit I'm no salesman. Some of ya'll been around me, how much do I talk.
lumberjack
Young man on the go
I probably get 80% of the jobs I bid. Of that 80%, I close 85-90% at the time of the bid. I looked back through the last 50 jobs I've done and saw 2 jobs I didn't close at the time of the bid. I've done 116 jobs this year, and have 9 on the books. All 9 closed at the time of the bid or were bidless.
Next year I plan on keeping track of bid/closure and a few other things.
If I were hard up for money, I might call around.
Next year I plan on keeping track of bid/closure and a few other things.
If I were hard up for money, I might call around.
sotc
Dormant hero!!
I actually go the low pressure route, if people hem and haw, I often tell them to think it over and call back.
brendonv
Tree Hugger
Bid a job this morning on the way to the track, got that. Rode a good hour at the track, bike will sure need some work this winter, clutch sure makes more noise than it should. Not bad for about 100 hrs on it. Got home a pigged out, then just splurged at Sierra Trading Post. Settled with some Asolo Fugitives as they didn't have the Sasslongs in my size. Thats OK, I've had them in the past. A Smartwool hat topped off the order, and 20% off code from retailmenot.com.
Woo hoo, saved about $40 off there price, almost $150 retail!
Wow I can't type.
Woo hoo, saved about $40 off there price, almost $150 retail!
Wow I can't type.
Old Monkey
Treehouser
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2005
- Messages
- 8,764
I mean to share this yesterday but I forgot. As I was climbing my tree the other day I felt a little wobbly as if I was sugar bonking. I told my daughter that I need to come down for a snack. She said do you want me to send you up a snack? I said sure and she ran inside got me a banana and put it on a throwball line I had been using. I pulled it up and she had it set perfectly. I congratulated her own doing it so well and she said "I just did one daisy chain and put the banana in." My new 19 year old ground guy would have taken longer to figure out how to put a banana on a line. Most adults would have had to think about the task. I was very impressed.
N
Newfie
Guest
Turner & Daughter LLC in the future?
SkwerI
Treehouser
That's awesome, Darin. 
SkwerI
Treehouser
I'm sure he screens a lot of his calls over the phone, deciding that he doesn't want to bid them based on his initial impression of the customer or if he isn't interested in the type of job described.
lumberjack
Young man on the go
That is awesome, Darin!
I've only screened one call that I remember, I'm sure I have done more, but I try to bid everything that gets called in. The one I screened was a guy I took some trees down for last year. Had a job for his neighbour, needed to use his property to get to the tree. He agreed when I bid the job, but when I went to do it he said no. That was a couple months ago.
I could be to cheap, or below market value rather, but I'm exceedingly pleased with my current rates. I met this year's gross income goal this month, and will be 16% over after I complete the work currently on the books. This summer was rather lean though.
I'll bid just about anything someone is serious about.
I've only screened one call that I remember, I'm sure I have done more, but I try to bid everything that gets called in. The one I screened was a guy I took some trees down for last year. Had a job for his neighbour, needed to use his property to get to the tree. He agreed when I bid the job, but when I went to do it he said no. That was a couple months ago.
I could be to cheap, or below market value rather, but I'm exceedingly pleased with my current rates. I met this year's gross income goal this month, and will be 16% over after I complete the work currently on the books. This summer was rather lean though.
I'll bid just about anything someone is serious about.
SouthSoundTree
Treehouser
Went with my wife and a friend to Mount Rainier's NW side, where the main road was washed out by some serious flooding a few years back. Much improved since our last trip during that destructive winter.
We rode our bikes up the road/ trail for 4 miles, uphill, then hiked 4 miles to the Carbon Glacier. First time seeing a glacier up close. We hiked back down, then enjoyed a 20 minute downhill cruise with little pedaling.
Collected some mushrooms along the way. Great views. Big trees. Took some pictures. A great escape away from the house.
We rode our bikes up the road/ trail for 4 miles, uphill, then hiked 4 miles to the Carbon Glacier. First time seeing a glacier up close. We hiked back down, then enjoyed a 20 minute downhill cruise with little pedaling.
Collected some mushrooms along the way. Great views. Big trees. Took some pictures. A great escape away from the house.
SouthSoundTree
Treehouser
I agree with you on this Willie.
Though, I may start to go the route to give them the information that I have. Here's the price $xx. We schedule jobs mostly on a first come, first served basis, so we'd be looking at being able to take care of it next Thursday if you decide now that you want us to do it, and you can have as much time as necessary to think about it.
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
It's awesome as a parent to have them figure that out Darin.. Very cool
CurSedVoyce
California Hillbilly
There ya go!
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