New floorsanding business in Canberra

[namtrak]

Gidday, not sure if this is the right place to post this or not - or wether I should be posting it on Somersoft at all (mods can deal with it if it is inappropriate).

We moved to Queanbeyan about 8 months ago, and sought advice here about purchasing (with thanks to Geoffw as much as anyone else). In the end we bought a PPOR in Queanbeyan at what was possibly the highest point in the market . And we are also maintaining our IP in Albury (we are looking for another down there while the market is flat).

Anyway to cut a long story short, I have been a home dad/renovator for the last 6 years - and for the 6 months I have been looking for work. However, sadly tuckshop duties dont rate highly on the project manager desirable skills list - so I decided to venture out on my own.

Hence I now run a floor sanding and installation business. Firstly I would appreciate some feedback on my website - it is made with the open source software - Gallery. And secondly I would appreciate suggestions on how to market myself in the Canberra/Queanbeyan area? I am about to hotfoot it around to building sites and real estate agents with a business card - any other suggestions?

Cheers
and TIA

 

[Raddles]

Hi there
I note that the website allhomes also has an area where people can advertise their wares. I note that I will often look there for a contractor if I need something done in Canberra.
Will keep you in mind when we need to get our floors sanded etc for our property in Canberra.
thanks

 

[namtrak]

No worries - mates rates for those that quote Somersoft

Thanks for the heads up with the AllHomes website, I will get onto it. or not - AllHomes stipulates that trades can't advertise on their classifieds site. Not to worry

Cheers
and thanks

 

[Aaron Sice]

you should hook up with craigb!

 

[willair]

Gidday, not sure if this is the right place to post this or not - or wether I should be posting it on Somersoft at all (mods can deal with it if it is inappropriate).

We moved to Queanbeyan about 8 months ago, and sought advice here about purchasing (with thanks to Geoffw as much as anyone else). In the end we bought a PPOR in Queanbeyan at what was possibly the highest point in the market . And we are also maintaining our IP in Albury (we are looking for another down there while the market is flat).

Anyway to cut a long story short, I have been a home dad/renovator for the last 6 years - and for the 6 months I have been looking for work. However, sadly tuckshop duties dont rate highly on the project manager desirable skills list - so I decided to venture out on my own.

Hence I now run a floor sanding and installation business. Firstly I would appreciate some feedback on my website - it is made with the open source software - Gallery. And secondly I would appreciate suggestions on how to market myself in the Canberra/Queanbeyan area? I am about to hotfoot it around to building sites and real estate agents with a business card - any other suggestions?

Cheers
and TIA

A simple sign on the back of the ute always worked for me,and over time
all my work came by word of mouth,i also read a book in the early 1990's
by Michael E Gerber-The E Myth,why most small businesses don't work
and what to do about it,that book is priceless imho,it just gave me the mindset in business that prior to reading that book i never had..good luck willair..
http://www.e-myth.com/

 

[namtrak]

A simple sign on the back of the ute always worked for me.............over time
all my work came by word of mouth

Hadn't thought of that - getting a sign sorted for the back of the ute now.

And, yes I guess WoM will be my biggest marketing tool once I get up and running

 

[Aaron Sice]

95% of my business is WoM

 

[namtrak]

Yupper, with landscaping - I think I got two jobs through the yellow pages and the rest came through WoM. I always seemed to have a full book for nearly 5 years!!

 

[Gee Cee]

I am totally with signs. I use bobcat drivers all the time as well as plumbers etc.
I cannot believe how many will park at a building site all week with no referance to what they do. A simple Bobcat for hire with a phone number would bring in so much work. I can recall phoning a tiler from a new sign on the ute in front of me. He could not believe it. had just had the sign installed. Paid for his sign with in hours.

Then I have a turfer. Pulls up . Clean signwritten ute. Puts up a soap board with business cards attached.
Then when job done puts a sign in front yard. Bills Turfing. Ph ----
Drops a neat letter into new homes in area about to be handed over. He can supply turf,
supply and lay,
landscape,
arrange concretors etc

Yes he is always busy.

Others spend a fortune on advertising but never see what potential there is at the coal face


Gee Cee

 

[craigb]

I am so happy that this post didn't pass me by?? some doo! all homes have an area that allows you to advertise cost $100 or so, i started p/maintainence 10 years ago and advertised through thecanberra chronical back then cost $110 a month and then i had to stop it as i was so bussy, i have a duel occy that requires floating floors soon and i would love to meet and greet you when you are in weston area and i will help get the word around and point you into the right direction lived here for 38 years just pm me and we will get you going, cheers ,
ps thanks for the thought Blue card!

 

[namtrak]

Thanks Craigb.

I will get onto the AllHomes thing asap. I do suspect that, given the high number of public servants and the high number of builders/developers who are ex-public servants, there is higher than normal reliance on the web as a source of business.

Apart from stomping the hustings, I am just getting a mate to carve a number into the tailgate on my ute (its timber), and I have a quote from OneSports for t-shirts/hats etc (I reckon this is a cool way to impress the punters - give something to each client - it costs around $20, is free advertising and its deductible!)

I have also done some work on SEO for my website (as dinky as it is) with google analytics etc

But at the end of the day - it is primarily WoM that will get me where I want to be and a professional approach to my job!

 

[Mike F]

Hey,
You could start by adding your web address to you signature here and contribute more to this forum (in the reno section). Plenty of ACT reno types around here (might even get picked up by Google searches then as well...)

 

[namtrak]

Thanks MF. The posters here have been extraordinarily helpful.

I will try and frequent the reno forum a bit more to repay the favour, but there is another forum I tend to frequent a bit which focuses more so on renos and stuff.

 

[callum.newton]

Perhaps adding some positive quotes from previous clients would enhance the appeal of the site and reinforce the quality of the product?

I.e. "What an amazing job! You won't believe how shiny these floors can become. I can now shave myself using the family room floor as my mirror while my wife is hogging the bathroom..."

C

 

[namtrak]

A simple sign on the back of the ute always worked for me.........

Thanks for that one - just putting a finish on it

 

[namtrak]

Thanks Willair, just a followup.

Here's the finished product, and lo and behold got my first job from the tailgate today, guy pulled me over and asked if I did floorsanding.

50sqm of parquetry coming my way!!