Specialise Or Jack Of All Trades?

[doobin]

I always ensure the customer knows that I am jack of many and master of many- not all. I'm at pains to point out that we don't touch building work, for instance. They know that what I do I do well.

 

Also justify it to them. For instance, I service push bikes. At rates on quote work of £60/hour for just myself and £200 worth of hand tools, it knocks the spots off tree or landscape work, plus can be done in the evenings and the dry. I do always get funny looks when I turn up to collect the bikes with a truck full of gardening or tree kit.

 

So my sales patter is: "Well, bikes are my passion, I'd love to be able to do them full time. But they're just so seasonal."

 

As a matter of fact I'd be bored silly doing them full time, but the clients lap it up. Last bike I collected I did this, and my lads are doing him a patio next week.

[Le Sanglier]

I've always regretted not learning to throw up a fence properly, nice summer work and compliments felling and grinding. 99% trees for me.