Free Efficiency Check

[grill]

Tony,

Im continually giving thought on how to advertise and am now curious about your idea for a free efficency check. IMHO if you offer someone something for free they will snap it up and it gets you into the house and i can work my magic from there.

What exactly would you include in this free check??

Was also thinking about doing some leaflets in a month or two basically saying "Did your boiler survive winter, now is the best tiem to get it serviced, call us today for your free efficency check"

Again any advice from the master would be most welcome.

G

 

[Diyisfun]

If I had a leaflet offering anything free, I wouldnt take it unless I had reason to believe I had a problem.

I wonder how many people go to Kwikfit etc for free safety check.?
People may go to pass time & also as it is not intrusive like someone coming to your home.

There are a few gullable people out there, but I feel there are a lot of people that look at this type of FREE thing as a con, because there are so many out there.

I am not saying that what you may offer is a con.

 

[Bahco]

Forget the free check as people are not stupid!

You need to get your foot in the door so why not print leaflets giving a boiler service for £49 or even less if you can.

If you take the hit this time it may pay off

 

[Diyisfun]

Forget the free check as people are not stupid!

You need to get your foot in the door so why not print leaflets giving a boiler service for £49 or even less if you can.

If you take the hit this time it may pay off

Bahco..Good idea
Everyone who is a home owner, needs to have access to a plumber & an electrician in the case of emergencys & this could be a way of getting to know a tradesman.

Not related but to above.
When my neighbour found she had no water, she called man from yellow pages, luckily I saw here & she told me. OH DEAR I thought I bet my builder hasnt turned the supply back on. I had toi give her a bottle of wine.

 

[grill]

Yeah i take on board what you are saying.

I only work in the evenings and just want to build up a portfolio of 200 houses. I have an ad in the yellow pages but just wonder should i be doing more??

I live in an area of belfast which probably has about 400 houses in total so if i could tie some of them done then teh work would literally be on my doorstep.

G

 

[Diyisfun]

Grill,
Rather than just putting leaflets in letter boxes, how about knocking on the door & introducing yourself. Give a leaflet (better still a card) & tell people you are local & that they might not need me now but keep the card just in case & if you are corgi offer boiler cleaning in the summer. I bet you get more responce from that than just posting leaflets.

 

[bengasman]

There are people who take anything that is free and call every company with a freephone number for a quote. Personally, I think they are a pain in the neck if not lower.

I give some things that come through the door a quick glance and throw them away as soon as I see the word free.
Leaflets can work.
Offer an introduction discount and make it clear why you give a discount, i.e. new in area or other genuine reason.
Also make it clear that it is temporary due to genuine reason. (soon your name will be astablished, hence no more discount.

When I get asked for a quote, I always ask them what they are looking for. I then add that if they are looking for the cheapest, I will probably not be for them as I only do quality. Believe it or not, quite often you can hear the penny drop.

Do not fall into the trap of working cheap; you will end up with a client base full of cheap landlords who want their cheap, decrepit cowboy installations fixed yesterday for half the price with a 3 year warranty on the whole house.

Make notes of your customers’ needs and take their landline and mobile numbers as well as email address.
Tell them you will follow up your visit and remind them next summer that it is a good time for a service. And then ASK THEM: is that okay?

Tell them that you have said goodbye to your boss not too long ago and that you would like more nice clients like themselves, have they heard of anyone complaining they could not find a good plumber?
Ask them: “would you mind if I gave them a call to see if I can help them with something?
Chances are they will pick up the phone and call their friend for you. not surprising when you realise that they are probably happier with your service than you are with their custom.

 

[grill]

Cheers for the advice guys.

I take it summer is the best time to offer servicing work as it picks up the slack when not doing call outs!!!

G

 

[Garfeild]

Tony,

Im continually giving thought on how to advertise and am now curious about your idea for a free efficency check. IMHO if you offer someone something for free they will snap it up and it gets you into the house and i can work my magic from there. G

Sounds like a British Gas idea.

 

[Bahco]

Good advice from Bengas.

Successful people GET THEMSELVES NOTICED.

I would make that a priority.

It works when you are looking to meet a lady too. A small amount of effort works wonders.

 

[Agile]

I wonder how many people go to Kwikfit etc for free safety check.?

Quite a few acually!

Your free efficiency check would give an A5 card pre printed with tick boxes and an efficiency calculator based on you visual inspection. IT WOULD HAVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS ON THER TOP FOR THEM TO KEEP!!! THATS YOUR WHOLE POINT.

It would have a budgetary quote for any improvements needed like a room stat or loft insulation.

I do hope you have the Energy Efficiency Certificate???

Tony

 

[bengasman]

It works when you are looking to meet a lady too. A small amount of effort works wonders.

Aha! Are you saying I should extend the conversation beyond: “can you pass me the tissue?

 

[grill]

Yeah part of the reason i got into servicing boilers was the promise of meeting loads of house wives!!!! Hasnt happened mind you.

Tony, i only service boilers and wouldnt really be in a position to quote for any other work as i wouldnt have a notion what im talking about!!

Think i will try the knocking on the door approach although i do have concerns. I expect to hear the old addage that "if you were any good as a plumber, you wouldnt be out looking for work"!!!

G

 

[simond]

I think if you 'only service boilers' and have little idea about other things, and you only have a 400 house catchment area, my advice would be either to get some training or move.

Would you take your car to be serviced by a garage that could not repair it when you really needed them?

This isn't going to work. Worth adding that many customers who have faults on their boilers book a service and expect their leaky 12 year old sludge ridden Wickes combi with a duff fan and diverter valve to work like new afterwards.

 

[grill]

To clarify Simond,

I both service boilers and do break downs also. I want to have 200 houses to look after i.e. any work that needs doen on the boilers i do it and possibly tie them into a service contract also.

I do work all over the city at present but it would be nice to have the work on my doorstep.

I have a guy who does my installatiosn for me and he gives me a finders fee. As i only work in the evenings then i think 200 houses a year would be a nice little brucie bonus to my day job!!

Grill