[rocco92]

I am still a business owner. Not a very successful one but an owner none the less. I got a job at the airport as a baggage handler part time at night.

I have 3 leads for some painting, very big homes in nice neighborhoods. So after 3 years painting I still am not sure what my competition is charging. I would like to know what they are charging without pretending to be a customer and have them come out. How do I find out what my comp is charging?

rocco

 

[PressurePros]

The best piece of advise I can give you is.. who cares? Please don't take that the wrong way. I will explain why I wrote that. What do you hope to benefit by knowing what your competition charges? If you are higher, can you afford to lower your prices? With the due respect, if you had to take a part time job to supplement income, the answer is no. If you are already priced lower than your competition, raising prices may hurt your closing ratio further. The missing link is leads. You are not generating enough of them. Once the phone is ringing you will be in the pleasant position of being able to name a price that keeps you profitable. The ONLY way to make that phone ring is to advertise.. steadily and consistently.

 

[rocco92]

Hey thanks for replying. You are so right about the leads- I don't have enough. I am going paycheck to paycheck. As far as my competitors prices are concerned I just thought I would have a little better leverage if I had even just a small idea of what they charge. I will never know if I am too high or too low in my bids if I have no idea what my competitors charge. Again, to me it would be just as a reference point. I do not bid jobs according to what others do. I bid the job according to the jobs specific costs. Maybe it just comes down to curiosity. Not knowing what others would charge just makes me feel vulnerable

I have lowered my prices due to the fact that I was not working at all. I am not an aggressive type salesman and I admit I am outright scared of going door to door.

I am spending $5,000.00 on advertising in the next few months. I am getting a websight, van painted, brochures and mailings. That may not be much to many painters but it is all the money I have left in my business account.

I will heed your advice and not seek out what others are charging. Thanks again for answering.

rocco

 

[[email protected]]

I hear ya rocco92. Most of these guys will not give you a # because it isn't about their # or anyone elses # that is going to benefit you. You need to figure out what hourly rate you want and what rate your helper/s needs and how long it will take to do the job. Then what is the cost of your paint and supplies? On top of that you might add an overhead cost (gas, office time (estimate) ect...) Lets not forget your profit margin, How much does the business need to bank? These are just a few things that will help you put your cost together. Hope that helps

J

 

[Rich]

Rocco
Don't you know any of the painters in your area? I find it strange if you say no...big deal if they're your competition! I knew what my competition was charging because I either worked for them at some point, or was friends with a few of them and would get into conversations about rates and such all the time.

Well anyway, what the guys are saying above rings very true to my ears. I no longer am in the full time painting biz, and since I was only in for 2 years, I noticed that it was only a couple of months after I packed it up that the phone stopped ringing completely. It really does come down to advertising. Go at it and make sure your passion for the business is still there, because if not, it won't matter how much you advertise...

 

[PressurePros]

Rocco, choose your expenses wisely when it comes to advertising. For example, a truck wrap is great but vinyl lettering done nicely is a more effective return on your investment. I am also not a fan of shotgun advertising or going into coupon mailers. I wrote a very long post on direct marketing that is a bit of a tedious read because it seems involved and expensive. But its not expensive at all when again, you look at return on investment. I think $5000 is a very a good number to accomplish all that you seek.

Tim, we need a link. Do your thing!

 

[timhag]

Rocco, choose your expenses wisely when it comes to advertising. For example, a truck wrap is great but vinyl lettering done nicely is a more effective return on your investment. I am also not a fan of shotgun advertising or going into coupon mailers. I wrote a very long post on direct marketing that is a bit of a tedious read because it seems involved and expensive. But its not expensive at all when again, you look at return on investment. I think $5000 is a very a good number to accomplish all that you seek.

Tim, we need a link. Do your thing!

As requested Sir,
http://www.painttalk.com/showthread.php?t=1541&highlight=advertising

http://www.painttalk.com/showthread.php?t=975&highlight=advertising

http://www.painttalk.com/showthread.php?t=1226&highlight=advertising

 

[[email protected]]

I pay $155mo on Angie's List, $60mo on Yellowpages.com, $0 on Craigslist.com, No ads on any vehicle and have purchased a dozen yard signs from SW. Them yard signs are great! (I use these signs while on a job.. I don't nail them down on every corner block....) That is all I do for Advertising. With all that, this year I'll have more work because of word of mouth from last year and any year before.

Canvas the area: After you finish a job, walk the area with a brochure that directs folks to the home you just painted and they can see for them selves your quality work. This works better for exteriors. Try to gain that neighborhood. Pass them out in all directions about 10 homes away from the one you did. Some folks like evening walks and will go walk by that home if it isn't too far away. There are many scenarios we can look at here, they're all good.

I don't do alot of extensive advertising beacause I am not trying to grow. If I do grow it will be at a comfortable pace. That's how I want it.

Keep it up Rocco!

J

 

[Brian]

Canvas the area: After you finish a job, walk the area with a brochure that directs folks to the home you just painted and they can see for them selves your quality work. This works better for exteriors. Try to gain that neighborhood. Pass them out in all directions about 10 homes away from the one you did. Some folks like evening walks and will go walk by that home if it isn't too far away. There are many scenarios we can look at here, they're all good.

Jason,

Canvassing is a great source for leads. I would only suggest you do it at the start of the job, rather than at the end. This gives the home owners a better chance to come by and talk to you. When you do it at the end, you are off to the next job and the neighbors will miss a chance to meet you. It could also make it easier to give an estimate, as you are already there.

Brian Phillips

 

[[email protected]]

Good point

J

 

[Dixie Soak]

Rocco,
Just an idea for you (and anybody else of course),We have had some great success with "Joint Venture" marketing.

The key in our interpretation of this is using other compatable business's to give the discount, giveaway etc. Doing this with multiple outlets gives you a booklet of offers with a percieved value that you can effectively market as being a bonus.

Think furniture, carpets, curtains, art , whitegoods, restaraunts etc. Approach small business rather than Chains or National types.

There is no cost to you other than marketing the bonus - something you have to do anyway.

Its not that hard to put $1K worth of value together. Suppliers are easily sold on it with the correct approach - nothing looks better in a freshly painted room / house than a new _________.

Imagine giving away $1K worth of "benifits"on every job you do. WORD SPREADS FAST

Yes you have to do the basics well but marketing is all about leverage and return on investment, use other peoples money if you can .:thumbsup:

Good Luck!!

 

[rocco92]

this sight is cool

man ya ask for help and lotsa guys respond, that is very cool! thanx.:thumbup:

 

[Zano]

I have 3 leads for some painting, very big homes in nice neighborhoods. So after 3 years painting I still am not sure what my competition is charging. I would like to know what they are charging without pretending to be a customer and have them come out. How do I find out what my comp is charging?

rocco

Rocco, Just getting back to your original question. If you are not sure what other painters in your area are charging and that is an important issue for you. Ask your customer. If you submitted an unsuccessful quote for a job, ask whether you were in the ball park. Whats the worse that can happen? They say no? Well you should be ok with that because they have said said that to you once already! Again if price is important go to the source - you may actually find that the winning tender had nothing to do with price but a myriad of other factors (presentation, professionalism, likability etc). But you will never know if you don't follow up.

Cheers.

 

[rocco92]

Rocco, Just getting back to your original question. If you are not sure what other painters in your area are charging and that is an important issue for you. Ask your customer. If you submitted an unsuccessful quote for a job, ask whether you were in the ball park. Whats the worse that can happen? They say no? Well you should be ok with that because they have said said that to you once already! Again if price is important go to the source - you may actually find that the winning tender had nothing to do with price but a myriad of other factors (presentation, professionalism, likability etc). But you will never know if you don't follow up.

Cheers.

thank you. I never thought of asking the homeowner. what a concept.

 

[MattCoops]

I pay $155mo on Angie's List, $60mo on Yellowpages.com, $0 on Craigslist.com, No ads on any vehicle and have purchased a dozen yard signs from SW.

Jason, I thought angie's list was for homeowners?

Rocco, do you have a website? They're low overhead and can bring a lot of business.

Door hangers / flyers / canvassing works too. You won't have a huge roi, but on days you aren't working it's good filler for marketing.
Make it a point to put out 200 door hangers / flyers in areas you do estimates and start jobs. It's called close proximity marketing.