Door Knocking/Sales and One liners.

[Aldegar]

I just don't want anybody fool assing around my front door that is not supposed to be there...my clients don't either and they are pretty vocal about it. My next door neighbor called me one afternoon about a year ago and told me some jackass was messing around at my front door. I told him I was thirty seconds from being home and hauled ass on to my driveway to find the guy had moved on to the neighbor on the other side of me. I walked over to the fence just in time to hear that neighbor tell the guy to get his trash off his door and get his ass off his property before he put the dog on him. It was some roofing company.

Lol, yeah fiddling with another mans door knob is highly awkward. Around here everyone has lots of trees and will need tree work at some point or another, my door hanger includes a $75 off coupon so at least there is an incentive to call me and it's a good reminder about tree work that they have been putting off. Sometimes you need to be proactive to get work.

 

[mckeetree]

Lol, yeah fiddling with another mans door knob is highly awkward. Around here everyone has lots of trees and will need tree work at some point or another, my door hanger includes a $75 off coupon so at least there is an incentive to call me and it's a good reminder about tree work that they have been putting off. Sometimes you need to be proactive to get work.

It's probably a geographic thing. You go fooling around people's front doors down here and you might get your ass shot...by the homeowner or the cops.

 

[Highclimber OR]

Yes it works if you know what you are doing, many guys kick it but I have had great success doorbelling. If I can't sign up at least 1000 dollars in 3 hours or less something is wrong. Smile be friendly just let them know you are working nearby and offer a discount. It's easiest if you spot legit tree problems you can resolve and let them know especially if it can be a hazard. Nice cards help I've just bid a long time I know how to read people well skills like that come in handy. If people generally like you that helps little things, be confident. Good luck

 

[mckeetree]

It's probably a geographic thing. You go fooling around people's front doors down here and you might get your ass shot...by the homeowner or the cops.

I should have added also it depends on how professional an outfit is. ISA and TCIA both strongly discourage door to door solicitation calling it extremely unprofessional. I know one guy in Tyler, Texas that thinks he is really involved in the ISA. He is not a certified arborist because, according to one of his employees, he has failed the certified arborist exam and the certified applicator exams about four times each. But then, the hypocritical S.O.B. knocks doors in Tyler. About three years ago he about got his legs chewed off by a big old mean ass dog.

 

[mckeetree]

I got to thinking about it today and remembered there was somebody on here that got their ass handed to them over the door knocking deal but I can't remember who it was...it was about 2010 or so. They were taking up for door knockers and this particular person was also a big time pro cert. arborist and ISA guy. Someone copied and pasted some things from ISA and TCIA that frowned big time on door to door solicitation and best I can remember that member just flat left the forum forever.

 

[jefflovstrom]

I got to thinking about it today and remembered there was somebody on here that got their ass handed to them over the door knocking deal but I can't remember who it was...it was about 2010 or so. They were taking up for door knockers and this particular person was also a big time pro cert. arborist and ISA guy. Someone copied and pasted some things from ISA and TCIA that frowned big time on door to door solicitation and best I can remember that member just flat left the forum forever.

That sounds familiar,,,was it here or was it on TW,,Pekka site?
Jeff

 

[mckeetree]

That sounds familiar,,,was it here or was it on TW,,Pekka site?
Jeff

It was here I'm pretty sure. What it all boils down to on that side of it is you can't condone or be a door to door solicitor and then pretend to be going along with ISA, TCIA or ASCA.

 

[Sunrise Guy]

Did door hangers, years ago. Found my hit rate was about 2-3%. In the end, it wasn't worth it. I now have a yard sign with a coupon tube attached. That gets me far more jobs, when I'm working a site, and people can choose to stop and take a coupon. Door hanging gets folks riled up, to an extent, so it's just not worth it. I never knocked on doors. Folks around here might call the police.

 

[mckeetree]

I never knocked on doors. Folks around here might call the police.

Folks around here WILL call the police.

 

[Single_Shooter]

I don't specifically door knock but if I am doing a job and see a tree in dire need of attention at a neighboring property I will use one of my 4x6 postcard/flyers and write an estimate on it and leave it on their door. Stick it and walk away...period. I have gotten a LOT of work from that because they have seen me at the neighbor's and they see what I did and how their property looked after I was done plus they have a readily available source for a referral by talking to the neighbor if they are so inclined.
I door knocked for the first couple months I started in this biz (August 2013) and found (as has been stated) that the success rate was so low that I could likely do better writing my name and number in restroom stalls.

Plus...many people figure if you're door knocking you are broke and desperate and they try to price gouge you for huge discounts. My best success D2D has been on stumps after big storms...a month after the big storms.

 

[Single_Shooter]

HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL LOOKING YARD SIGNS MAKE AN IMPACT!!!! Spend the money. I pay $10 each with the little wire H stand for 2 sided coroplast signs. Right now I have 8 signs in one neighborhood that I have been working in the past 2 weeks. The number of signs and the visual evidence of the work done are a testament to the people who drive by and they will call. But not if the sign looks like something your 12 year old made for you.

Also.....ADVERTISE!!!! PAY THE MONEY AND YOU WILL BE REWARDED!!! I do chipping and grinding work for 11 other small tree companies who have been in this biz for well over a decade each and don't have half the business I do. Last year I spent about $10K in print ads/mailers and it got me nearly $180K in gross sales. This year I am expanding my coverage area and my ads now cost me over $18K for the year. By averaging it out I should easily gross in excess of $250K this season. And I am just a one man operation with less than 2 years in this business in this town.

Just a note to the OP....I started in August 2013 with my pickup, a small trailer a Vermeer 252 grinder and a Husky 445 16 inch saw. I now have a Freightliner FL50 chipper truck, a Vermeer BC1000 12 inch chipper and went from the 252 stump grinder to a 352....and more saws and climbing and rigging gear than I can remember...and I was able to pay cash for all of it as I went. Growing is not difficult...getting business is not difficult...doing the work good enough to get called back and have the customers refer you to their family and friends is the difficult part. And I have found that the clean-up of the yard is a HUGE difference in sales. I see other guys who just rake a little and leave the yard littered with twigs and sawdust. When we leave it is raked, blown and cleaned to look as good or better than it did when we pulled up the first time. People love that and smile when they pay you!!!

And an FYI....I have not had a single ad yet this year but I have now done over $15K of work in the past 3 weeks...and ALL of it on referrals and repeat customers from last season...my very FIRST full season of work. My climber and most of my groundies have been doing this for many years and they said this is the busiest they have ever been in January and all of them have asked me when I am going to go to a payroll system so I can hire them all full-time. That is the next big step for me.

And to think that my first job in this business was in March 2013 doing part-time work for a small local operation....anything is possible...just dream it...then go do it!!

But do it better than the next guy.

 

[mike515]

My climber and most of my groundies have been doing this for many years and they said this is the busiest they have ever been in January and all of them have asked me when I am going to go to a payroll system so I can hire them all full-time. That is the next big step for me.

I would advise you to make sure you take all of the real costs of having employees into consideration. Maybe you already know all about it but you're going to have more costs than just payroll if you are doing thing legitimately. You should talk with your accountant and insurance agent. You're going to have payroll/tax associated costs, a hefty work comp policy and increased premiums on your liability policy because the insurance carrier considers employees as added exposure.

 

[Single_Shooter]

Yup...already got the insurance guy on board and looking into it. My liability policy covers up to 4 workers already for anything they do as contract workers. The biggest item will be the work comp insurance. But that is a percentage of payroll and my agent says he looked at it and it's surprisingly low for me considering what we do. I have a buddy who owns a steel frame company that erects clear-span building frames like Wal-Marts and such and he says his high risk aerial workers cost him $150 for every $100 of payroll. That would really kill me as far as job costs!!

Got a decent accountant to deal with who is very informative and helpful as well. Now to get the steady work coming in that will allow me to do all of this.

I am already doing this as a legit company and all...I just don't have any permanent employees at this point. I am growing quickly so I am going to have to go this route soon no matter what I do. There is no avoiding it if I wish to grow my business and make something for my wife and kids to have when I'm no longer here.

 

[mike515]

I don't think your friend is being truthful about his work comp costs....or maybe there is a misunderstanding. I'm reading that as him paying 150% of payroll for work comp. 15% sounds a lot more likely.

 

[Single_Shooter]

That is what I thought when they told me I would run at about 6%...but he said it's extremely high for a small part of his workers because of cranes, overhead wires and accident rates in the industry...I kinda thought that was outrageous myself. But...I'm not an insurance guy and don't have much experience with actuarial tables in industries.

 

[treecutterjr]

Lawn guys run at 5%-6% in ky. Tree Service's run in the high 20s - low 30s percentages. I would double check that. Sounds fishy. Every one would have workers comp if it was 6%. That means on $20,000 worth of payroll you would owe like $1200 bucks for your yearly policy. Unlikely for a tree work policy.

 

[mckeetree]

Lawn guys run at 5%-6% in ky. Tree Service's run in the high 20s - low 30s percentages. I would double check that. Sounds fishy. Every one would have workers comp if it was 6%. That means on $20,000 worth of payroll you would owe like $1200 bucks for your yearly policy. Unlikely for a tree work policy.

Unlikely or just flat out unbelievable.

 

[Jed1124]

The company I work for is at 34% I know guys that have been quoted 41%.

 

[Single_Shooter]

WOW......that's not a small amount...that will slow down my equipment purchases...lol

As it was explained to me....workers Comp is not required here if you have 5 or less employees on the crew...I am usually smaller than that most days. On the days I run a big crew it is my crew and a crew I hire for the day - basically I hire an entire tree crew from another company with their equipment and all.

 

[mckeetree]

WOW......that's not a small amount...that will slow down my equipment purchases...lol

As it was explained to me....workers Comp is not required here if you have 5 or less employees on the crew...I am usually smaller than that most days. On the days I run a big crew it is my crew and a crew I hire for the day - basically I hire an entire tree crew from another company with their equipment and all.

The further you go the worse you get.