hey guys, how biz out there, my phone just isnt ringing, i'm trying everything and anything but no responses. Only been in the biz for about 6 months, every customer I've had raves about the results so thats cool, I know I put a great service out there, just need that phone to ring more, love the biz, but I really hate no work weeks. any ideas from you guys that have work all the time would help. is it just the time of year, do i have to prepare for this every year. thanks bill y

What area r u in?

How r u getting your name out there: newspaper, phone book, handing out cards?

Tell us more.

I'm also curious as to what marketing methods you've been using. I haven't had much luck with postcards this winter and probably won't try them again in the winter.

Weren't you in the tri-cities area of Washington? If so I think it may be largely weather related. I'm north of Seattle a bit and we had a few sunny days a couple of weeks ago and all the sudden the phone was ringing for 2 days...

Are you in the yp yet? Do you have a website?

slow here also... but weather just turned for the better (70's durring the day most every day this comming week)

hopefuly with spring being here and the changes to my flier... i'll actualy have some work this month... pizza delivery just ain't payin the bills haha

mark

Donalson, man I would not think you would have a weather issue out there in the sun shine state, I used to live in Panama City even the winters were nice compared to NY and all of this snow, but I guess winter is winter where ever your at.

My phone is not ringing either, I hope that changes in the spring, right now I have been averaging about 1 to 2 jobs a week, and my prices are low so it is not like it brings in much money, but hopefully it is at least laying a good foundation.

While it is slow I have even tried to offer to clean different churches for free just to help out the church but they wont even respond to me, that kind of hurt, But it is there loss when they need there carpets cleaned they can pay that huge bill if they want to.

when where you in PC?... i was there till about 6 months back, rutherford graduate, married a local ect.

you hit the nail on the head, winter is winter wherever you are... spring is still the universal cleaning time of the year... and winter means you hang out inside till it warms up, in fl if you have to ware pants and a jacket... it's winter outside... we'd started slowing pretty bad at servpro starting in november...

i know from pizza delivery history that biz's are just VERY slow in jan and feb... and picks up in march or so... or whenver the 1st warm snap hits (which was last week... but now we're back in the cool... but it'll be warm again the end of this week)

honestly i think it's less about temps here then it is economics... jan is right after Christmas... money is tight... then Feb comes... and unless you have a Gov. job that pays on the 1st and 15th... you are working with a short month... 28 days... thats 2 weekdays less then an average month... which is a pretty decent chunk if things are tight.

just my thoughts :)
mark

Donalson, I lived in PC from 2000 to 2001 in the Navy then from 2001 to 2005 going to school I also married a local and we moved away when I recieved a schoolarship to a university in West Virginia, now we are in NY, and thinking about moving to either Tampa or some where in CA.

Maybe if you could get in with a lot of the snow birds in FLa then you could secure work for future winters, alot of people own homes in Fla that they only use during the winter. Well at least we have another job and if our buisnesses start to pick up we know what to expect and to budget for the winter.

lived in PC from '96 to 06... was a military brat and dad was stationed at tyndall... then married a local... know all about the snow birds lol... pensacola area is A LOT different though... lot more upscale areas... but A LOT more poor areas (supposidly it's the poorest county in the state per capita)

small world eh?

thanks for all the info guys, guess i'm just cryin' in my beer. I've been doing in person cold calls to businesses, door hangers, direct mail. can't afford the fancy stuff (newspaper ads, yellow pages) so i just hit the pavement. Since its my first year i'm just hoping its winter (in that case I'll be, hopefully, working my butt off till next winter then off on vacation, hope the wife likes the idea, shes a summertime girl. bill y

thats what i'm hoping for also :)... LOTS of biz in the summer... and hope to get enough rental/reality/commercial work to at least get by durring the winter months.

mark