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View Full Version : a few spring days and my phone is ringing again



huggytree
03-06-2009, 12:23 PM
ive been slow for a month now. last week i had 1 call

this week was also slow until yesterday when it was 60 degree's out. now my phone is ringing again suddenly...im back to selling 50% of my jobs again too w/o any change in pricing.....even selling to phonebook cold calls!!

anyone else find this?

probably a combination of tax refunds and the nice weather making them feel like remodeling.....funny how a nice day can make people want to spend money

Blessed
03-06-2009, 01:26 PM
and everything I have out pending is on hold until next week now because the two or three days of nice weather we're having is making everyone decide to take a couple of days off - so they are out of the office :)

But, that's ok - I expected it and I'm glad I get to enjoy this nice weekend too instead of working through it!

orion_joel
03-07-2009, 06:36 AM
Unfortunetly i cannot weight in on this one, as i would first have to give people a reason to call me. However that being said, this month i have made two small sales giving me the best actual profit margin i have seen in a long time. However at this point they are not to replicatable.

greenoak
03-07-2009, 09:33 PM
we had a great day today and yesterday....it feels like every thing is just fine....lol
ann

orion_joel
03-08-2009, 05:00 AM
The way i look at it, i dont read news papers, and i dont watch to much TV either. So what it comes down to is that i see nothing wrong at all.

Now i do agree that Australia has been less affected as a general thing. However the way our government is carrying on you would think the worst has happened. Anyway think positive, try to ignore the bad news and just keep pushing your business to anyone and everyone that is a potential customer.

Marcomguy
03-08-2009, 12:21 PM
We can thank the return of daylight savings time for the ringing phones, too. People come home from work in the evening, it's still bright outside, and they see all kinds of things that need fixing.

huggytree
03-08-2009, 04:02 PM
the weather gets cold here again next week (10 degree's at night)....we will see if it continues into this week....i agree that daylight savings time may also help people feel like spring is here....

has anyone had any customers spending their tax refund money yet? i havent gotten mine back yet.

Steve B
03-09-2009, 04:46 AM
We had our local Home and Garden Show this weekend (I was a vendor) and attendance was outstanding. It was really the first time we had some warm weather in a long time and people wanted to get out and do something. I got lots of leads from it. Hopefully, they will turn into customers. It didn't seem like there was a recession this weekend.

huggytree
03-09-2009, 10:16 AM
Steve, ive been considering trying one of those Home Improvement shows...i dont know how well it would work for a plumber...id probably just pick 2 subjects and display them...maybe tub replacements and water heaters...

I got a free article in the local quarterly newspaper thanks to the chamber of commerce...i wrote it myself and its a 1/3 page article...ive gotten 1 call on fri and 2 calls today just from that...it was their spring remodeling issue full of other subs....i will probably pay next year to be in the same issue. i talked up my service and quality and never mentioned price. last caller said he likes the way it was written. so far $210 from friday, but $10,000 in bids for the other 2 jobs....and its only 9:15 am monday morn.

Patrysha
03-09-2009, 03:57 PM
A local plumber got together with their supplier for a tradeshow booth last year and it went very well for them.

They had a few display items, I forget exactly what other than the on-demand water heating system...which I am still drooling over.

I think tradeshows can be great...as long as you follow up with the leads...otherwise it's just an expensive and time consuming waste of effort.

Steve B
03-10-2009, 04:07 AM
The trade show would probably work well for you, if you are willing to work in a pretty wide area. If you will only work in a small area, it will be a waste of time because people come from pretty far away for these shows. I talked to a lot of people this weekend that were 50 miles and more away. In my case, I'm happy to travel 2 hours for a job.

Other than that, I think it could work well for you. Our show is one of the larger shows around. It attracts 35,000 people in 3 days. I had 3 people in our booth and there were lots of times where all three of us were busy talking to people. It's pretty hard not to pick up some business if you have a chance to talk to that many people. If you ever do it, let me know. I can give you some tips.

Blessed
03-10-2009, 08:20 AM
So it rained all day yesterday and two of my big jobs that were hanging out there pending while the weather was nice are now hot and need to have final files uploaded to the printers ASAP so that we can get started on the next projects...

Glad I enjoyed my weekend off!

orion_joel
03-11-2009, 03:01 AM
Now if only i could get some big projects happening. Starts to wonder round pondering the prospects that i have control over.

huggytree
03-12-2009, 03:57 PM
weather got cold yesterday....not 1 call since...2 days w/o calls....something about a nice spring day which makes people want to spend money....and do nothing when its cold

is there something in our heads which makes us spend money only when its nice outside?

KristineS
03-12-2009, 04:09 PM
I think Spring prompts a lot of people toward doing home improvement projects. I know it does with me.