How do you start out? - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

Frank Reynolds · 10-17-2009, 12:04 AM

I understand that there are many small contractors on this forum so I am sure this is the place to ask this.

Imagine the following:

You just got your contractors license, insurance, bonding, you're ready to go.
You have a truck with decent stock, decent tools (no smart benders or anything like that, but the normal hand and power tools).
You have savings to help you promote your business as well as pay your bills for a limited amount of time. However, the clock is ticking and you need to get working, what do you do?

You've done a couple of small resi jobs, but they haven't lead anywhere yet. You're sitting at home, what do you do, how do you promote your company?

randomkiller · 10-17-2009, 12:10 AM

Most of the guys I know that are flying solo now started by subbing and cheap ads.

480sparky · 10-17-2009, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Reynolds

............... You're sitting at home, what do you do, how do you promote your company?

If food isn't walking in my door and falling over dead on the kitchen table, then I go out and kill some.

randomkiller · 10-17-2009, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 480sparky

If food isn't walking in my door and falling over dead on the kitchen table, then I go out and kill some.

I have it on good authority that guacamoleans taste just like pork.

captkirk · 10-17-2009, 12:34 AM

Pass out as many cards as you can. Intoduce yourself to "EVERYONE". Try going to Bid Clerk. com to strum up some work. If you see a GC in his truck hand him a card. In my experiance advertising in small local papers is pretty much throwing your money away. If and when you do small resi jobs ask the HO to tell their friends about you. What ever you do, dont just sit at home and watch judge judy......keep hitting the streets.

captkirk · 10-17-2009, 12:35 AM

It really took me about two years before the work started comming in steady.....

steelersman · 10-17-2009, 01:19 AM

I know what I DON'T do. I don't hole up in my house with the "from my cold dead hands" mentality, stockpiling weapons, drinking every last drop of Kool-Aid that the NRA feeds me, believing that "the evil dark-skinned man who doesn't look like me" is going to take my guns. That's what I don't do.

mikeh32 · 10-17-2009, 03:52 AM

word of mouth, and networking.

i get a great deal of work just by introducing my self. then i do good work, and they refer me, and the process continues. i never planned on doing this on my own, and yet im getting emails/calls every day.

paul d. · 10-17-2009, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelersman

I know what I DON'T do. I don't hole up in my house with the "from my cold dead hands" mentality, stockpiling weapons, drinking every last drop of Kool-Aid that the NRA feeds me, believing that "the evil dark-skinned man who doesn't look like me" is going to take my guns. That's what I don't do.

then what DO ,you do ????

Bob Badger · 10-17-2009, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelersman

I know what I DON'T do. I don't hole up in my house with the "from my cold dead hands" mentality, stockpiling weapons, drinking every last drop of Kool-Aid that the NRA feeds me, believing that "the evil dark-skinned man who doesn't look like me" is going to take my guns. That's what I don't do.

Is this post in the right thread?

Although I do agree with it.

randomkiller · 10-17-2009, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul d.

then what DO ,you do ????

Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that yellow stripe straight?

Bob Badger · 10-17-2009, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randomkiller

Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that yellow stripe straight?

That was a good one.

steelersman · 10-17-2009, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Badger

That was a good one.

Yeah, I'll admit it was a good one.

robnj772 · 10-17-2009, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelersman

I know what I DON'T do. I don't hole up in my house with the "from my cold dead hands" mentality, stockpiling weapons, drinking every last drop of Kool-Aid that the NRA feeds me, believing that "the evil dark-skinned man who doesn't look like me" is going to take my guns. That's what I don't do.

so what does that have to do with the thread?

The kool-aid was passed out by that jackass you voted for anyway

Him,you and your stickin socialist agenda should go find some liberal website

steelersman · 10-17-2009, 10:07 AM

I didn't vote for Obama. I know you like to think you know me but sorry, you don't. Why don't you go find a neo-con website. There's tons of them out there. I'll stay right here and continue to give you the truth that you can't stand.

I'll bet you drank tons of the Bush/Cheney didn't you. Yeah you did you miserable little twit.

Black4Truck · 10-17-2009, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robnj772

so what does that have to do with the thread?

The kool-aid was passed out by that jackass you voted for anyway

Him,you and your stickin socialist agenda should go find some liberal website

The "buying a handgun" thread got closed and he still needs to rant

steelersman · 10-17-2009, 10:13 AM

I didn't know it got closed.

LCES · 10-17-2009, 10:31 AM

Create a free listing on "The Blue Book" a great contractor site that will send you free leads on which to bid. May want to get a website, visit "Joana's Jewels Multi-Services", she does them for only $100 and can create from scratch with little input from you (she did mine - www.lcelectricalsvcs.com). She does more than what her site shows, just talk to her. with my monthly maintenance, she lists me on different search engines and different electrical sites.

caveman · 10-17-2009, 11:31 AM

Do a Google search for an electrician in your area.
Does your company show up?

Do a Yahoo search for an electrician in your area.
Does your company show up?

Do a search using other search engines such as MSN, etc.
Does your company show up?

If not I would work on optimizing your ranking with the search engines.
I get a lot of calls from people looking on the internet.

The company in the link below can help you with this if you would like or you can do it yourself.
http://www.footbridgemedia.com/marke...am/default.asp

Magnettica · 10-17-2009, 12:11 PM

I'll echo everything captkirk said with heavy emphasis on passing out as many cards as possible to whoever will take them. Hell, give at least 2 to everyone you give one to. I went through my first 500 cards in less than 2 months!

Word of mouth is the best form of advertising if you're a small shop like most of us are. One thing I do on every job is stress to the customer the importance of letting their friends and family know of my services so I always do a good job, clean up after, myself, show up on time, call if I'm going to be late, and communicate with them constantly. And most importantly: KEEP IT REAL. Let them know you want to be their electrician for a long time and that repeat business is the key. Think "it's about people".

I've also started hanging door hangars in the neighborhood I'm working in, saying hello to the neighbors, and letting them know what I'm doing at their neighbors house. The bottom line is there is such a demand for good electricians - even in the recession - that it's up to you to get people to know you're out there and the services you provide.

Be committed and do whatever it takes to build a good reputation and everything else will work itself out.

Good luck to you.