Idea to boost work / enquiries

[Pedroski]

I'm much happier than I was last year and I won't be spending £4,000 on diesel earning other people a profit!

 

Errrr, even as a freelancer, why would you be spending £4000 on diesel to earn someone else a profit? Surely you include diesel in your business expenses and in your price?

[Mark Bolam]

I have never known any company pay freelancers fuel money on top of their day rate.

[Pedroski]

I have never known any company pay freelancers fuel money on top of their day rate.

 

I know that, but surely the freelancer should allow for fuel within their day rate and also on their tax return, assuming it's not cash in hand and unaccounted for work.

[Mark Bolam]

Ah, get you now, agreed.

[John Roberts]

First work out your target market/customer base, then develop a strategy to contact them (at home, at work, during leasure periods). Make sure all contact is professional but above all don't forget your USP. The follow up. Why didn't you get the job, is it too late for a counter offer, is there more work in the offing, remember me when it goes t-up. But above all don't stop trying and listen to your customers.

Edited May 31, 2012 by John Roberts
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[shabz1978]

Decent quality leaflets can be a very good source of work. Go through the yellow pages and send one to every company that might need an arborist. It doesn't take long, your skipping all of the plumbers and sparkys. Anything environmental listed, schools, old folks homes, anywhere with important targets for trees to fall on!

 

I don't know what you do, but splitting logs is only gonna get more popular, get an Alaskan mill and make stuff in your down time. Maximising profits from what you have and paying off any finance so that you don't need to work as much can only be good things to do.

 

You could diversify other ways too. Tree surveys or specialist weed control are good earners.

[shabz1978]

Make sure you put any leaflets into envelopes though.

 

Then they have to be opened and not just discarded as a pizza menu!!

[Tom10]

Thanks for all the replies chaps - some good ideas and feedback.

 

Shabz - I think your right, alot of us are going to have to 'diversify on a theme' so maybe surveying / consultancy is an option or something more hands on like making products from wood or processing firewood.

 

I think ways to boost income on quiet days are something the vast majority of us on this forum will have to at least think about as I cant see your standard domestic householder or small business looking to throw decent amounts of money at tree's when everything else is so tight, not for the foreseeable future either.

 

I shall draught a letter on my next quiet day and get flicking through the yellow pages sending letters to companies who may require work, and see what this brings. Then contact the council and inquire about their contractor list which I have never before got round to.

 

Hopefully as summer progresses things will get busy again rather than just ticking over

[John Roberts]

Get all your customer names and addresses on a contact database, then print them on labels then it looks like personal mail not junk. You can then offer extras like tree or large shrub planting. With some pretty pictures of a 'tree of the month' fruit tree pruning can be a good sideline (most people like me don't have a clue what to do) I pay someone to do mine same with hedge cutting. My guy does an OAP hedge service and makes a good deal in tips.

[John Roberts]

Actually another thing he did was get himself CRB checked an advertised that to all theOAPs in our area they all only use him now he charges them less but he has good work volumes.

Edited May 31, 2012 by John Roberts
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