The Plumber from WI has switched to this forum

[huggytree]

Hello, Im Huggytree (i dont know why i use this name-its my wifes user name, but we both use it and its easy to remember i guess)

Im a Plumber in the Milwaukee,WI area. Ive been writing on the .com forum for 2 years now and finally got sick of the low level of action...so ive switched to .net.

I was part time(while working for someone else) for 8 months, got fired, went full time and 15 months later I am making 3x what i did when i worked for someone else. the company has existed for 2 years. Ive finally started to feel successful 2 months ago....

I just got done with a great December while everyother plumber is doing poorly. I have 20 small remodelers and new home builders. 1/2 of my income is new and 1/2 remodel. Ive made so many contacts that i constantly get leads from everyone..ive even got a unknown plumber out there giving my name out for projects he cant handle.

I am a 1 man shop and may stay that way. I price myself in the middle of the market, but give high level service. My latest motto is "Reliable, Honest & On Time".....I stress to my customers that i dont skimp on materials and installation practices.

When I went into business I thought i could just be the lowest priced plumber and I would get work. Then I would slowly raise my prices and id be a success....what really happened is i lowered, & lowered, & lowered and never got any jobs. Then I finally lowered it to my actual cost...still didnt get it...then i found out through a supply house rep that someome complained about me being $2500 under him....if $2,500 wasnt low enough to get someone to use me nothing would.....so i raised my price to what i wanted....guess what?...i started to get jobs...

I started to write & ask questions on the the .com website....I must have wrote 50 threads....i think every idea i had was wrong...the forum got me thinking right...There are alot of correct decisions I made which have made my company successful....the small business forum may be #1...without it i know i would have failed.

$308,000 in gross sales in 2008..all from 1 person...thanks!

[orion_joel]

Hey Huggy, Welcome aboard. Great to see you found your way over here.

I think that one of the more powerful places to be in business is when you are asking for how much money you think that you are worth. When you are asking for what you think you are worth you know you are getting a fair deal for yourself and it is easier to get the business i think. This is often because if you are offering your services well below what you believe you are worth then you are pretty much thinking one thing and saying another which often means for your not a good place to be in.

I look forward to your discussions here, and hope you have an even better 2009...

[vangogh]

Welcome to our new home Huggy. I saw you join and was hoping you'd start an intro thread so everyone could officially welcome you. It's funny, but every time I see your username I think of huggy bear from Starsky & Hutch. Yes I grew up watching 70s tv.

Glad the old forum helped you so much. I think the best of that community has been moving here ever since we opened the doors so hopefully the help will continue.

Good to see you here and thanks for joining the community.

[SteveC]

Welcome to the new and much improved small business forum...

It's also pleasing to hear of your success... you have worked hard and learnt a lot in the last few years... and I bet you find some of those notions you started off with, strange now... I know I do.

[Evan]

Hey huggytree, welcome aboard! Great to see you made the "move", and to hear about your success.

You should never sell yourself for what you think others would want to pay, but always for what you're worth. As you've seen, people respect that much more and will do business with you.

[KristineS]

Welcome to the forum Huggytree. Glad to see you here.

Sounds like you've learned some great lessons that you can now share with others. Congratulations on your success.

[Business Attorney]

Huggy,

Welcome to the forum. I always looked forward to your posts on the other forum.

While I did think sometimes you were looking at things from the wrong angle, I don't think it's fair to say "I must have wrote 50 threads....i think every idea i had was wrong..." In any event, it is more fun to give constructive suggestions than to echo "That's a great idea", so ideas that I feel are off-base are what makes for a lively forum.

Have a happy New Year and a great January to follow your great December.

[Marcomguy]

Hi Huggy, good to see you here. Congratulations on your business success!

[cbscreative]

Hello and welcome, Huggy. Like vangogh, I noticed you joining us here and I'm glad you started your official intro thread. We're especially glad to hear of your success and how the SBF helped you get your thinking right. Since this is where most of the great members moved to, it's nice to see another one find and join us here.

You'll find a few that have different user names here (like David above), but most will be familiar from the old SBF. I should mention that KristineS will be more familiar to you as gunslingergirl, but we are all used to her new user name here now.

[Dan Furman]

so i raised my price to what i wanted....guess what?...i started to get jobs...

Welcome, Huggy, and I'm soooo glad you finally got over the price thing. :)

[greenoak]

i like your slogan ....
..and what a great turnaround....
.i wish i could sell that much with no employees...
..welcome...

[huggytree]

price is still important, but it comes in 3rd behind service/quality

i never use the most expensive products, but i use the ones which give the most 'value'

i never market myself as anything other than 'the guy who will do it right'

my latest sales technique is to be the guy who imforms the customer...i let them know what i will do and what the other guys will do to save a $...i always say 'i am the guy who will do it correctly' ......id say this technique has doubled my sales w/homeowners.

i come off as the smart guy who can rattle off stat's on the products and is looking out for the homeowner...and i am looking out for them...

most people really dont want the best price, they want the best value...the problem is they dont know what it is...im the guy who gives them the info they need to make the decision.

you will probably see alot of new threads from me in the next 2 months. it looks like things are slowing down for a bit....probably slow and steady until spring when the next boom happens(hopefully)

[Spider]

Welcome aboard, HT. Glad you gained from the conversations at SBF.com. SBF.net seems like what SBF should have been all along - clear, efficient, knowledgeable and helpful people, with a ton of deadwood removed! I love it here - and I hope you enjoy it, too.

[Paul Elliott]

Hey, HT, welcome to the .NET!


price is still important, but it comes in 3rd behind service/quality

NOW, you're starting to think like your customer! Great!

Customers are often suspicious of the lowest price in town. Are you desperate? Are you no good? Are you going skimp on my materials or on something else I will be unable to inspect?


i never use the most expensive products, but i use the ones which give the most 'value'

i never market myself as anything other than 'the guy who will do it right'

Isn't that what we each want? Learning to think like your customer is key!


my latest sales technique is to be the guy who imforms the customer...i let them know what i will do and what the other guys will do to save a $...i always say 'i am the guy who will do it correctly' ......id say this technique has doubled my sales w/homeowners.

Any surprise? Not when you understand the power of learning to think like your customer.


i come off as the smart guy who can rattle off stat's on the products and is looking out for the homeowner...and i am looking out for them...

"Knowledgeable AND on my side. Not simply looking out for himself." That's a very powerful position for any business.


most people really dont want the best price, they want the best value...the problem is they dont know what it is...im the guy who gives them the info they need to make the decision.

And they'll LOVE you for it. This is the start of converting your customers into raving fans! Keep it up!!


you will probably see alot of new threads from me in the next 2 months. it looks like things are slowing down for a bit....probably slow and steady until spring when the next boom happens(hopefully)

NOW is the time to work ON your business not simply IN it as you must with a full workload.

Start "running your traps."

1. Meet with your competitors in your market area. Set up a Plumbers' Mastermind Group that meets for breakfast once a week to discuss problems and opportunities, new equipment, new methods, what customers to avoid, etc. This will result in more referrals and willingness to pitch in and help one another--simply a better, more co-operative plumbing atmosphere in your market area.

2. Send "Thank You" cards with an enclosed letter to all the homeowners with whom you've done business since you began your own business reminding them of the services you offer.

How about offering them some type of free plumbing "tune-up" or "system check" covering simple things like leaky faucets, slow drains, or leaky commodes--usual things that are vexing, yet not necessarily bothersome enough to call a plumber. Of course, you should charge them for any parts you need to install.

3. While you are on this free call, ask the homeowner if he or she has other minor maintenance problems--painting, electrical, tile/flooring, carpentry, roofing, lawncare/landscaping, etc.--pointing out that you will gladly refer them to vendors that share your customer-oriented care attitude.

Then, you make the referrals to vendors you have selected for their integrity and get a 10% referral fee. That way you may well be able to make as much money from referral fees on your free jobs as you do as a plumber. A client of mine implemented this plan in a new area where he had moved and loved the results.

Think about it.

I'm delighted to see the transition in your business attitude! It's SO encouraging to see people actually put those principles into practice and stick with them long enough to see the payoff.

If you haven't already got my free e-course below on 7 Ways To Stimulate Word-Of-Mouth Advertising" below, I urge you to do so. It will give you ideas to grow your business of the type you want very inexpensively.

Keep up your excellent work!

Paul