There’s been a few posts recently about drumming up more business.

Thought I’d tell ya what I did tonight. I went to look at a job…….actually….several small jobs at the same house. 2 year old plan home….one of the nicer plans/builders around. They bought big and plain in a really nice plan…and now want to dress the place up a bit. Nice younger couple…..2 cool little kids.

I’m going to price out running crown all around the first floor. One room already has crown..so I’ll match that. Then price out reframing a drywall wrapped opening and hanging a set of interior french doors. And……a tile backsplash in the kitchen.

Possible move the kitchen island to make an L shaped counter with bar seating…and a ceramic kitchen floor…and maybe some bookcases around the fireplace.

The big maybe..more like down the road…..is a basic basement conversion. Nothing fancy…just some walls to hide the utilities and drywall…so the kids can have a nicer playroom. There’s rough in’s for a bath..so I’ll giove a quick price on that too…..but that’s even farther down the list.

My point in listing all this…….is how they found me. I was doing a bunch of trim work…..this past Feb…and hit that neighborhood with flyers. Upscale neighborhood…..I hit all the houses/streets that could see the big addition I was trimming..from their backyards or front porches. My flyer listed the work I did…..and had 2 nice color pics.

I spent a coupla evenings perfecting that flyer to match the job I was one…focusing more toward trim..as that was what I could show an interrested neighbor..and spent a grand total of $50 at Kinko’s and the office supply for 50 flyers printed, 50 plastic sleeves for them to fit in..and a pack of rubber bands(gumbands, to us in Pgh!).

At the time, I had a few calls that led no where…….I’ll be suprised if I don’t end up with at least 2 weeks of work from these people.

Their In-Laws were one of the houses that got the flyer…..and 9 months later….give or take…they got my name and number….actually a photocopy…which is good….because that means someone is still holding onto the original!

So………prospecting never hurts. And a pic or two goes a long way. This type of canvasing was drilled into my head while doing sales. And that prospecting was done a coupla miles away from where I was tonight!

Here’s another sales tip……guess who’s gonna get a slight discount off the top…..because I know they’ll spread my name around the nice new plan? And I’ll tell them right off the bat…that the prices for them will be just a bit better…as long as they talk me up if they’re completely satisfied.

Nice……friendly…young couple…….2 young kids…..I’m thinking neighborhood get togethers…….daycare….playgroups……plus coworkers…..

Ya gotta read people and guess who’s the type to sell ya and who just sits at home and stays to themselves……..I’d bet if I do get some work from them……I get at least one solid reference……..probably 2.

Jeff