How did you get work when you first started out?

[mad matty]

Been running my own thing since 2005.....previously climbed for other people........lots of good advice so far......local papers, church mags (e.t.c.)

 

The other avenue is local firms, I dont treat them as the enemy and know quite a few locally both arb and forestry and have many times been asked to lend a hand on bigger jobs and vice-versa, Work is work no matter whos job it is, as long as your earning, Also when some firms are to busy the will often recommended me,

 

so get to know your local firms and be friends not enemies

Cheers Matty.

[MattyF]

That's true I don't get people that want to make enemy's in tree work.. Got a few jobs booked in the diary helping other firms out ,I enjoy it so does my groundy and makes a nice change working with different teams.

We all have to quote against each other,you either get the job or you don't its no big deal unless it's done very underhand.

Two chippers and more hands are better than one!

[gensetsteve]

It can take 3 years before word of mouth keeps you really busy. Go for the free or cheap advertising all the things mentioned above. I used to supply logs as it give me a physical work fix in the fresh air, I dont think you will make much money from logs these days but it makes you feel busy, you meet customers who will want other work done and your sign written truck will be seen flying about the place.

[mad matty]

It can take 3 years before word of mouth keeps you really busy. Go for the free or cheap advertising all the things mentioned above. I used to supply logs as it give me a physical work fix in the fresh air, I dont think you will make much money from logs these days but it makes you feel busy, you meet customers who will want other work done and your sign written truck will be seen flying about the place.

 

Great advice!

[Burgess]

As a bit of a test I put an ad on gumtree!!

 

2 fencing jobs and 5 log deliveries later for no effort what so ever!

 

Good luck

 

Most of my work comes from Gumtree, I do leaflet but I only started leafleting in October so got a bit of work out of it, I just hope that people saved the leaflet to call me in the Spring!

[dan494]

Most of my work comes from Gumtree, I do leaflet but I only started leafleting in October so got a bit of work out of it, I just hope that people saved the leaflet to call me in the Spring!

 

Do you pay to go on the first page or just the free ad?

[Burgess]

A free ad, I update it once a day (they say you can't do this but they've never done anything about it, I presume it's if you have two adverts on top of each other or try to flood the page they stop it). I was planning on trying out being a featured advert for a fortnight come Spring just to see if it improves the results. But I doubt it's 7x as they claim as there aren't that many people advertising in my category.

 

But you need to take into account how it divides up areas, at least for my local area if someone searched and I was only using my postcode only people from Bristol and Keynsham would see my advert, whereas I also work a lot in Bath and the surrounding Somerset areas, but if I didn't manually select my location as Bath (as a separate advert) people would only find my advert if they set a radius search (which I presume people don't as the only work I have in Bath is regular that I picked up from leafleting).

 

I've also found that people on Gumtree don't seem to be getting multiple quotes and going for the cheapest, as I know I'm not the cheapest who advertises and every job I've gone to look at I've got. Well I did lose one but the woman thought that £10 for about a whole day was a fair price because it was only grass cutting and her 14 year old Grandson did it for £10.

[dan494]

Just put one on there to see if it works as the more ways people can find you the better I think. Not overly hopeful but can't hurt! If get anything from it I'll stump up for premium

[Big T]

Thanks for the advice guys! I looked at a fencing job today that came via facebook so hopefully it comes off, will keep the wolves from the door for another week! Thanks for everyone thats liked my facebook page, once I work out how then I will like yours in return!

[Big T]

Been running my own thing since 2005.....previously climbed for other people........lots of good advice so far......local papers, church mags (e.t.c.)

 

The other avenue is local firms, I dont treat them as the enemy and know quite a few locally both arb and forestry and have many times been asked to lend a hand on bigger jobs and vice-versa, Work is work no matter whos job it is, as long as your earning, Also when some firms are to busy the will often recommended me,

 

so get to know your local firms and be friends not enemies

Cheers Matty.

 

Good advice! I do sub-contract to a local chap and really enjoy working with him, its not very often but it helps!