Rgi's using introducers

[dilalio]

A few years back, when I went soletrader, my dad was on Trustatrader as a handyman. That got him lots of new customers for small jobs, which is exactly what he wanted.
Those contacts then started coming to him for advice and recommendations for other, trade work and larger jobs. That's when he began introducing me and other traders he knew. Eventually, the handyman profile he had on Trustatrader became such a good source of new work for us all, that we all chipped in with his subs. It worked perfectly and lead to a large customer base which we all still have today.

 

[durhamplumber]

Just wondering if any of you guys use introducing companies?, I'm currently under local heroes but they don't have much work and I don't really want to throw them cash hand over fist. Who is good to use right now?

So you are currently giving money to "local heroes"owned by Centrica,who also own British gas,Dyno-rod etc.Stop that,do some good old fashioned networking,everyone looks for the short cut in everything,sometimes you need to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in.

 

[gasbusters]

Tried those companies when i first started and personally found them a waste of time. I was having to pay to get customers numbers and then competing with 2 or 3 other guys to get the job.

I found facebook to be useful. Set up a page and got quiet a few jobs from there, and a few long term regular customers. Gumtree is not bad either.

The first year or 2 will be difficult to build up business but keep getting ur name out there. Good quality leaflets through doors is another potentially good route. I remember in 2010 during heavy snow walking miles and miles posting my leaflets.

I even stood outside churches and temples on Sundays, Mosques on Fridays giving out leaflets and chatting to people and surprising how much business that generated. You'l find when u do this people get to see you in person and that can build confidence in potential customers.

To build ur buisiness you'll need to try all approaches.

 

[durhamplumber]

Any decent tradesman won't need introducing to anyone, he/she will be busy as fook and will take weeks to get booked in. Especially this time of year.

Not when starting out in business.

 

[durhamplumber]

Not when starting out in business.

And taking weeks to get booked in to repair a boiler is not great either.

 

[ollski]

So you are currently giving money to "local heroes"owned by Centrica,who also own British gas,Dyno-rod etc.Stop that,do some good old fashioned networking,everyone looks for the short cut in everything,sometimes you need to roll up your sleeves and get stuck in.

Yes a bit, I have quite a lot of my own work but use this as a top up. I worked 20 years for bg but had enough at their last cull and thought I'd do it myself. Work is like money, it tends to come to those who already have too much so I see it as these sites do all my advertising and I get to pick the jobs I want. I just want to find which of the sites are worth the money.

 

[durhamplumber]

Yes a bit, I have quite a lot of my own work but use this as a top up. I worked 20 years for bg but had enough at their last cull and thought I'd do it myself. Work is like money, it tends to come to those who already have too much so I see it as these sites do all my advertising and I get to pick the jobs I want. I just want to find which of the sites are worth the money.

20years of BG and you did not poach enough customers to set you up self employed?... bizarre

 

[ollski]

I never bothered with my own gas safe, after a week with them the last thing I wanted was weekenders!

 

[mcmoby69]

My employer at local health authority wouldnt let me do my gas course, so i resigned, just as my daughter was born. Kept in touch with the maintenance lads I worked with
Contacted my gaffer who I served my time with, he had some domestic refurbs going on and some shopfits booked in. Did bits for him whilst doing my gas at Oldham college.

Tried rated people for a week, ****e. Did a couple of jobs for an estate agent, he invited me to advertise in his portfolio brochure with 5 branches, cost me £600, one job booked out of that, and that was cancelled the day before I was due to start. ****e.....

I took any and every job, joinery, tiling, bathrooms, kitchens, drainage, electrical offered to me. Did a leaflet drop after a drought of 3 weeks, 100 leaflets on an estate at the back of my house. Got over £150k of work off that drop over the years, referrals etc.

By far the best way to get work is to talk to everyone no matter how boring they are. Young lad behind my house does gardens and dog walking, he knows everyone on that estate, he came to a job that answered my leaflet drop. Special needs kid and hard work, he's probably got me £20k of work.

I use him for labouring and as a gopher and pay him minimum wage as and when I need him. I went to see his mum and dad beforehand to get things above board.

So, no, I haven't forgotten how hard it is to start off.

Ask your local merchant to put your name out, give them some business cards, post office windows are cheap, newsagents windows .....offer OAP discounts. Most of all keep your customer happy. No matter how **** the job or how much you hate unblocking sinks etc. A lot of the older people don't have anyone to talk to, you might be the only person they see that day, have that cup of tea with them and put up with the list of ailments and medication they are on! It will reap rewards.

It is hard work, but my new babyr was my driving force to succeed. In a nutshell everything I paid for to get more work failed. It was all referrals and still is to this day.

Good luck

 

[durhamplumber]

I never bothered with my own gas safe, after a week with them the last thing I wanted was weekenders!

Own number or not,after 20years of regulars you form a relationship,end up with contact details etc,whether or not you ever envisaged self employment you end with a little black book of customers.First BG bloke who has said he does not do guvvy jobs..

 

[durhamplumber]

So you knew at BG the cull was coming,and still did not start a list of customers you could have as your own..What were the other guys saying to each other at the time?No wonder you are struggling if after 20years you had not 1 customer to set off with.

 

[nwgs]

Just wondering if any of you guys use introducing companies?, I'm currently under local heroes but they don't have much work and I don't really want to throw them cash hand over fist. Who is good to use right now?

Sign up to Corgi. I used to get loads of work of them.

They pay the going rate.

I’m busy enough now so they faded away. If I was quite I’d definitely do more for them.