I work for a remodeling contractor in a large city in the southeast. The time has come for me to leave and strike out on my own. The one question I have is how do I get the initial jobs that will be references down the road? What’s a good way to “get your name out there” and get people to give you a chance to give them a price?
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Lets put this in some sort of perspective . You are asking people who already did it a "while" back there . I used to do it , but I relied on other people. Most business people are surrounded by such friends . A great manager is surrounded by great people. That teaching has been pounded in my head. Ive got jobs from people I have helped , or made friends with over the years. Let me give you a list of what I think is primary contacts.
1. Out side sales manager of a major lumber yard that has most of the business .
2. Inside motivated salesmen over construction materials that talk to home owners every day plus contractors.
3. Realestate broker , not salesperson. Brokers make things happen . Make something happen for them.
4 Contractors of all varities.
5 If you live in your home town you visit civic functions. campaign.
6 I dont like the sound of this , but a lot of guys do a lot of work out of their church members. They are providers of information.
7 This is what some realators do;
Pick out the town in parts . Name the people you know in each part. Meet the people of new additions . Make those friends reps . You can call and ask is anything they know is going on . [As Jennifer says; What ever works ]
The main thing ,a contractor is a politician . Very same role , just done a little differently. This is one reason most contracting busineses fail . They know their trade , but havent been taught sales and business management. You have to have balls to ask anyone and every one . That is a common trait of a good realestate sales person. So , you get to learn another business while doing the one you were trained to do.
Reference book; I will see you at the top! by Zig Ziglar. Any of his books are a must read for the man in his own business . You should read one motivating book a month . How To Make Friends And Influence People , by Dale Carnegie.
The second is a course that is widely used to train motivated managers , but you can buy the books by him.
Both of these authors works are a must for a business manager. Other books are great , but these authors are world class. Bar none !
What I reccomended are examples from my experience. You however have your own situation and its really wide open for you to find your methods . We might be reading your book on it one day as you have found a separate trail to follow. From our cabin to yours ,
Happy Holidays
Tim Mooney
Thanka alot for the good suggestions, hopefully ideas like this will lead to succes for me and others like me in the future.
Click on the business folder heading to the left and read some of the threads there.
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius