How do you do it?

[cos]

How does everyone here make the approach when trying to bid on properties? From start to finish. By phone, in person, mail etc.

[CraigTurf]

Good question! I have a hard time soliciting commercial accounts. Not sure whether to just drop in or what. Last year, I had my wife call a long list of commercials and get the name of the head honcho in charge of building maintenance. We mailed them all letters asking to be on their bid list. We got a few responses, but we mailed in August-near the end of the season. We have a data base of names and addresses. We're going to remail in the winter for next spring. Hope to hear a bunch of responses to this thread.
Bill Craig!

[Lawn Wizard]

Well in general I always try to meet the potential client before I leave a bid. Once I meet em I will give a call back in a few days and see if they have any questions and the like. Usually though when I first meet a potential customer i try to close the deal then.

[AltaLawnCare]

I mail out a "request for invitation to bid" package. ;)

A brochure, business cards, and a rolodex card. If I'm feeling really brave I'll call. I don't cold call (visit uninvited), I figure most of the managers or owners are very busy and dont think about the grounds unless they trip over a beer can on the way to their car.
:p

[Williams Services]

Cos, deja vu! Didn't we do something like this not too long ago? :confused: ;)

Try this, select some properties, type up a letter of introduction, mail them to the props and let them know in the letter that you'll be in touch later, call them the next week, and they will be very receptive. I can send you some more details on e-mail if you like, I'd just as soon not post too much for the world to see. :D

[kutnkru]

Originally posted by CSRA Lawns
... I can send you some more details on e-mail if you like, I'd just as soon not post too much for the world to see.Ummm ,,,, isnt that the sole purpose of posting and responding to threads is for the educational experience gained from fellow LMOs in this biz???

Would seem to me that if you are that shy with how you run your biz that you arent doing something correctly. I have posted almost my entire pricing structure in the past and have yet to find a lurker/poster take a client away -LOL!!!

[Williams Services]

Kris, I am a little shy right now, simply because it's starting to work and I don't want to jinx it! I guarantee I'm doing business by the book, the good Book! So I'm not doing anything shady. Btw, did you ask me for specifics? All I meant was that I would tell him how I went about selecting the props and send him a copy of the letter that I used.

Sheesh, you're as quick to point the finger as I am shy to reveal my methods! :D

[Mowman]

Been in business for 4 years now. I started out by mailing things out to the owners of the business. Didn't get very good response. As I got BRAVER, kind of SHY here I started giong to them and asking if they were taking bids. One on One is how I've found to get more JOBS. They want to see the person FACE to FACE when it comes to hiring someone. My GOAL for next season is to add more commercial. Going to TARGET LARGE residential ESTATES also. I want customers that don't WHINE over a $35 cut. Good Luck,

Mowman

[Guido]

I know a lot of people don't like "cold calling" and thats okay. Send your letter and a brochure, etc, etc. Wait a few days after you believe they have recieved it. Follow that up with a phone call and ask them if they have recieved your info and ask them if they would like you to come out and walk the property with them and share some ideas.

If they don't want to set up a date for a walkaround, ask them if they would like you to call back in a few weeks at a better time for them. If they say they are not intrested, thank them for their time and let them know how to contact you in case they change their mind. Keep in contact and value their time. Keep track of your progress with a lead by using some sort of spreadsheet with a system you've come up with on how you will contact them a first, second, third time, etc. This way you don't look stupid by not getting back to the people you told you would, and bothering someone that told you they were not intrested in your service.

Hope this helps!

[CraigTurf]

Guido,
Great idea! Do I have to do that work personally, or can I have my wife/secretary/bookkeeper/office manager do some of the leg work as far as setting up the appointment. Then I can walk the property with the manager.
Thanks, Bill Craig!

[kutnkru]

Originally posted by Guido
... Keep in contact and value their time. ... on how you will contact them a first, second, third time, etc. This as Guido has stated also lays the ground work for seasonal brochures/coupons etc. The key is to stay ahead of the current services you are rendering to clients.

Now that we are into the plowing season (:rolleyes:kind of -LOL!!!) you should be sending out Spring Ideas. If you are calling upon them in the spring you should be sending them Summer Shearing information and so on.

Although you might not get them for the cutting season, if they arent happy towards the end of next year with their current contractor you could very easily have set the tone for Fall Renovations w/o ever performing one service and get the mowing account for the following year.

[Runner]

I used to do cold calls all the time. GREAT way to market and generate business. I would "hunt" for prospective properties in my desired location range, many times just introduce myself, (witha card), inquire within of who would be in charge, or who the owner was, (secretaries and employees would often be the ones offering this info) and go from there. I would study the props, measure if necessary, and scribble down a itemized maintence program with all the prices. I could hit several places in a day. I would then come home, type up these proposals, with a cover letter, and send 'em out. This is better than a brochure, pamphlet, or anything, because they are getting the whole package - a genuine proposal. I have mine all on template, now, and all I have to do is bring it up on MS Works, and fill in the blanks. It's quick, and easy. My cover letter is the same way. Already made out, I just put in the persons name, and address. It all has my business header and logo on it, (both the cover letter AND the proposal sheets) and I clip a card to the right top corner. I will then folow that up later, with a call. People usually like the proposals, and are very responsive with them. Granted, they are usually a bit higher priced than what they are usue to, but they are always taken into consideration. :)

[cpmayhewinc]

I constantly here successful guys say they get their business by word of mouth. So I make it my point to tell everybody I deal with that I'm looking for more commercial/residential work. The owner of one of the nurseries that I deal with turned me on to a medical complex. We were moving trees for one of my clients and in conversation he asked if I was looking for more work. BINGO.

[Runner]

Word of mouth, actually, is THE best sales you can have - quanitywise AND qualitywise for accounts. That's all it is for me anymore. ALTHOUGH, now that I'm doing this fertilizer program, and calls are coming in, I MAY just end up doing some more initiated marketing myself.;)

[kutnkru]

Runner does it the way I would if I were going to take advantage of slower times or spend the weekend measuring properties -LOL!!!

I used to do it the exact same way as he described. All I needed from them was the contact person(s) and a mailing address. I knew how I was planning to conduct my basic services - this was not negotiable or a variable back then.

I allotted times for trash removal of the grounds, round up of curblines/expansion joints, etc. etc. etc., and it was all figured into the pricing structure. I had a way I wanted the props to look so that it didnt present us with a shiner.

If they liked what I had to offer they would call to discuss it further (as suggested in the cover letter) or I would call them back within two weeks. This would then be the time that I did the walk through and made suggestions/recommendations as to what their turf conditions needed. I could at this time also discuss with them pruning and color ideas too.