2008 Networking

[Big 'Ammer]

Re:- networking.

 

Who are you fella?

 

No sign written van, so didn't know you were there!

 

I might have some work this back end if your interested. pm me.

 

Nige, E.R.A.

 

All the best for the wedding buddy.

[Frank]

Cheers my man. I live right on the east coast. Are you based in Driff?? Always interested in more work. May well also have some to throw your way. 350 hours clearance work in Thorne (nr Donny)

[TREELINE]

i'm a newbie on the forum and the idea of pooling resources is a good one. We all have a lot to learn from each other and experience a wide variety of different situations across the country. How about a busmans holiday to the other end of the country or abroad? Well maybe thats ionly for the obsessed:scared1:

[Big 'Ammer]

Cheers my man. I live right on the east coast. Are you based in Driff?? Always interested in more work. May well also have some to throw your way. 350 hours clearance work in Thorne (nr Donny)

 

Just outside Driffield these days.

[Frank]

Networking is the way to push your business forward. and mostly, its free. Network in the right places with the right people and you wont ever need to advertise, cos the network will do it for you.

[RPA]

Not certain about the advertise bit. But what networking will mean is that look at promoting yourself at a higher level knowing/and providing that you can get X to help with certain aspects of jobs etc, etc.

 

I think its been said before that not many are be able to do everything, but by networking this becomes more of a reality along with being able to take on larger conracts etc.

 

In a lot of ways it is no more than a practical version of arbtalk.

[Frank]

Networking is NOT only about working alongside other Arborists to help each other out. Networking is getting contacts all over the country in all different sectors and industries. Network yourself and you business properley and you could have work coming from Golf Clubs, Country Estates, Building Contractors, Local Landscapers and Gardeners, all without spending a penny on actual advertising.

 

Example. Every once in a while after a long hard day on a friday. dont go down your local where every one knows you. Pick a pub in a particlarly posh and expensive area, usually find one where all the big TPO'd trees are (haha). Walk in sweaty, covered in saw dust so you really look out of place, order your drink and look around. Everyone else in that pub will probablybe in a suit have just come from an office in a Mercedes (not a Unimog), or BMW or AUDI etc. they will also probably be going home to a 5 bedroom house with big driveway, large gardens and at least a conifer hedge if not a couple of large Sycamores etc etc. These people are now your prospective customers. So you although you look out of place you do want to look proffesional. Matching embroided polo shirts, same chainsaw trousers etc with 3 of you can look very good. Have a couple of drinks (dont have to be alcohol), and make sure you get noticed without being to brash. Next time you go to the bar, you will be surprised how many times you get " Are you a tree surgeon mate", Or " have you got a business card to hand, Ive got a few trees".

Simple "tactics" go a long way to promoting yourself and your business, Ive done this in a few different pubs in the last few years and its scary how easy it is to network in these sorts of places.

[Frank]

100% Honestly the first job i got from doing this sort of thing was a £300 hedge reduction. the second job was a £1400 Beech removal. And even if a couple of rounds cos me £20 quid that still only works out as about 1.1% of the money in the jobs. You spend £2000 on a flashy advert you really have to make some money to cover that. Me, I would've been in the local anyway.

[Andy Collins]

Good advice EYT, over the years I've picked up more work in pubs than just about anywhere. A lot of businessmen meet up for lunches etc in the pubs, even have "breakfast clubs" where people from all walks of life, trades meet up and sort contractors for each other.

[Frank]

Yeah they do a BMI (business management initiative) scheme thing here but it costs like £500 or something to do something you could do for free??