treevet
Addicted to ArboristSite
:hmm3grin2orange:
Door knocking -Soliciting
- Thread starter chipperscompany
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:hmm3grin2orange:
treevet
Addicted to ArboristSite
Tried to send ya some rep but no luck. I'll get ya later.
ArborSmithNw
ArboristSite Operative
Well treepet, I guess I had you all wrong.
You do have all the answers. You can keep 2 guys busy, impressive.
40 years of manual labor, now that is a plan I should have gone with.
My bad, I thought I was having a debate with another tree service owner, not a hobbyist. Apples to oranges champ.
I'll take up no more of your time sir.
ArborSmithNw
ArboristSite Operative
treevet
Addicted to ArboristSite
And you're the apples (rotten) chump.
Grace Tree
Impossible Access
ArborSmithNw
ArboristSite Operative
My bad Cooter.
Ekka
Addicted to ArboristSite
Isn't it a sad day when a person gets put down for exercising their preferences which are totally legal and have no affect upon a party that denigrates them.
If Mr Smith wants to climb trees or work 3 days a week what right do you have to crap all over them? So you are different, good for you, but it doesn't mean bad for others.
It's clear the heirachy of success to you includes the control and denigration of others.
Buckettruckbabe
ArboristSite Member
Thank Ekka for your post. I'm new to the forums and was rather horrified at the turn this whole thread took. I was under the impression this was a "community" of arborists and vendors to the industry.
I'd hope for mutual respect, not ripping each other to shreds over how someone decides to market their company or work their trade.
Door Knocking is legit if done properly. Some areas of the country have become jaded because of the "transient treeworkers" that show up every year and go door to door. Typically unlicensed, unskilled and just looking for work, they lend a bad name to the legit tree services.
Rather than knock, I say do a door hanger with your contact info (website, phone, owner, services info, years in business, etc.) Know where you canvassed and do follow up calls. Also be sure to check with your city government on soliciting laws. Some require permits depending on where you are.
In otherwords, be smart about your personal marketing. Just banging on a door won't get the results you probably want, and yes, probably tick some people off.
If you aren't a large firm or just starting out, there are a lot of freebies available to you. Don't discount having a website and email account, no matter how small you are. These are available for FREE all day long, including local directories. The only expense I would recommend is purchasing a domain name. (preferably your business name or catch phrase)
Domains are roughly $25 for two years, and can be transferred to the free sites so you don't have a goofy URL.
While the internet and search engine ranking are huge in getting found, continue to utilize traditional marketing methods: phone calls, direct mail, email, etc.
Be sure to list yourself on Merchantcircle (online) where you can create a site as well as link with local partners also listed in your area.
www.merchantcircle.com
I'd hope for mutual respect, not ripping each other to shreds over how someone decides to market their company or work their trade.
Door Knocking is legit if done properly. Some areas of the country have become jaded because of the "transient treeworkers" that show up every year and go door to door. Typically unlicensed, unskilled and just looking for work, they lend a bad name to the legit tree services.
Rather than knock, I say do a door hanger with your contact info (website, phone, owner, services info, years in business, etc.) Know where you canvassed and do follow up calls. Also be sure to check with your city government on soliciting laws. Some require permits depending on where you are.
In otherwords, be smart about your personal marketing. Just banging on a door won't get the results you probably want, and yes, probably tick some people off.
If you aren't a large firm or just starting out, there are a lot of freebies available to you. Don't discount having a website and email account, no matter how small you are. These are available for FREE all day long, including local directories. The only expense I would recommend is purchasing a domain name. (preferably your business name or catch phrase)
Domains are roughly $25 for two years, and can be transferred to the free sites so you don't have a goofy URL.
While the internet and search engine ranking are huge in getting found, continue to utilize traditional marketing methods: phone calls, direct mail, email, etc.
Be sure to list yourself on Merchantcircle (online) where you can create a site as well as link with local partners also listed in your area.
www.merchantcircle.com
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mckeetree
Addicted to ArboristSite
They can get way worse than this so some might be to horrifying for you to read. Sometimes they deal with some real big boy stuff.
Ekka
Addicted to ArboristSite
mckeetree
Addicted to ArboristSite
More like big ego stuff where fools attempt to bully facts with BS and ignorance.
More like guys that are really in the know having to hose down the hogwash from time to time with a dose of reality.
ArborSmithNw
ArboristSite Operative
Yes, and very rarely would it have anything to do with online conservative tough guys who feel like they get to attack any opinion different from their own.
treevet
Addicted to ArboristSite
Blowhards like bucketbabe and you while spewing all kinds of self important rhetoric fail to acknowledge that this thread is about "door knocking/soliciting" and not how impressive you are or your plan to become a legend in your own mind.
Many of us are out there every day doing the work in areas where this sleeze is ruining the trees of our areas and the rep of the top level arb, and no matter how much you sugar coat it, it is more the norm than an aberration.
Some of the posters try to condescend to the working arborist. I think it would be a surprise to the self proclaimed big shots just how much "stuff" we have compared to the armchair arborists like them. I'd be happy to match up with Arborsmith who seems to somehow feel he is better than me, a 41 year very successful arborist. You would be amazed just how much a top level 2 man crew can make in the right area with the right cliente.
Garborsmith wants to continue to portray us reality speakers as "online toughguys". I can't speak for others but I am a real "tough guy" and this is part of what has got me where I am today.
ozarktreeman
ArboristSite Operative
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ekka View Post
More like big ego stuff where fools attempt to bully facts with BS and ignorance.
I don't know why they just don't rub bars till there chains click!!
:love1::love1:
Originally Posted by Ekka View Post
More like big ego stuff where fools attempt to bully facts with BS and ignorance.
I don't know why they just don't rub bars till there chains click!!
:love1::love1:
Ekka
Addicted to ArboristSite
Now what can 2 smart guys achieve? More than a crew of idiots I assure you.
Working intelligently using the best tools of the trade is a luxury for most people. How many times I see a boss undercut a crane job by having a crew of dumb sherpas carry the 8 ton log out in small bits, that's real clever eh. Even more clever if you get 10 Mexicans doing it for $10 a day. Bosses have a habit of telling people to jobs that they'd never do or capable of doing themselves.
I often work with a guy who I trained. Customers are continually gobsmacked by what we do in a day. Coz we're smart, methodical and lay down a game plan better than a generals assault plans. We even tape measure the cuts on logs to determine suitable length for lifting and disposal.
Not much is left to chance.
As time passes we also grow and evolve, follow what suits us best. I have personally persued the consulting avenue further figuring that distancing myself from door knocking hacks with education means lowering competing idiots. To compete they'd have to get educated and for most that aint gonna happen. However the internet allows those uneducated idiots to gob off like no tomorrow, on some sites we control that. :hmm3grin2orange:
Working intelligently using the best tools of the trade is a luxury for most people. How many times I see a boss undercut a crane job by having a crew of dumb sherpas carry the 8 ton log out in small bits, that's real clever eh. Even more clever if you get 10 Mexicans doing it for $10 a day. Bosses have a habit of telling people to jobs that they'd never do or capable of doing themselves.
I often work with a guy who I trained. Customers are continually gobsmacked by what we do in a day. Coz we're smart, methodical and lay down a game plan better than a generals assault plans. We even tape measure the cuts on logs to determine suitable length for lifting and disposal.
Not much is left to chance.
As time passes we also grow and evolve, follow what suits us best. I have personally persued the consulting avenue further figuring that distancing myself from door knocking hacks with education means lowering competing idiots. To compete they'd have to get educated and for most that aint gonna happen. However the internet allows those uneducated idiots to gob off like no tomorrow, on some sites we control that. :hmm3grin2orange:
treevet
Addicted to ArboristSite
Great post Eric.
Last year we had a hurricane demolish trees in our town. No streets were open, electric was lost for over a week and in the aftermath the town was saturated with hack doorknockers despite local ordinance which was not enforced.
How does a tree service get work?
1. Professional advertising honestly portraying their service's knowledge, experience and capabilities, and credentials.
2. High quality websites doing the same.
3. Repeat work from established satisfied clients.
4. Referrals from established clients.
5. Sheer length of time in business in an area noticed by potential clients.
6. Suppliers recognizing the professionalism and recommending them.
How does a door ringing, banging, dog barking causing hack get work?......
1. DOOR KNOCKING
2. -O-
What happens when your town is buried with hack door terrorists?
Extreme conditions make it more obvious. We have our hurricane hacks and Ekka has the hack "islanders" who he profiled in a local news documentary (that took a lot of guts as these guys are potentially dangerous) who canvas every street and threaten other services with their families coming after them. Both places take advantage of senior citizens.
What happens when you have the misfortune to have this inundation (as opposed to a small dose of them)?
1. The man hour rate for tree work plummets after being previously established by fair and legal competition over a period of time and including things like high quality equipment costs, insurance, advertising, credentials/licensing, etc.
2. Beautiful healthy trees are removed out of greed and ignorance and lack of education.
3. Other trees and property are significantly banged up and injured in the process pissing of clients and residents as well.
4. The public is ripped off by lies and misinformation and cheating. Things like giving partial service....collecting in full while promising to come back and finish and never showing. Leave most of a stump and cover it with chips and collect as though it was ground properly well below ground. Leaving a stump, brush, logs, etc. and promising to come back ....collecting...no show to finish.
Trees spiked, branch collars destroyed, root collars bombed, cuts torn, big dangerous hangers left, etc. etc.
5. Good work (jobs) and clients are "used up" and may never have tree work done again after this experience and a black eye is cast over an entire area of arborists in general. Often this is documented by the newspapers and news.
Last year we had a hurricane demolish trees in our town. No streets were open, electric was lost for over a week and in the aftermath the town was saturated with hack doorknockers despite local ordinance which was not enforced.
How does a tree service get work?
1. Professional advertising honestly portraying their service's knowledge, experience and capabilities, and credentials.
2. High quality websites doing the same.
3. Repeat work from established satisfied clients.
4. Referrals from established clients.
5. Sheer length of time in business in an area noticed by potential clients.
6. Suppliers recognizing the professionalism and recommending them.
How does a door ringing, banging, dog barking causing hack get work?......
1. DOOR KNOCKING
2. -O-
What happens when your town is buried with hack door terrorists?
Extreme conditions make it more obvious. We have our hurricane hacks and Ekka has the hack "islanders" who he profiled in a local news documentary (that took a lot of guts as these guys are potentially dangerous) who canvas every street and threaten other services with their families coming after them. Both places take advantage of senior citizens.
What happens when you have the misfortune to have this inundation (as opposed to a small dose of them)?
1. The man hour rate for tree work plummets after being previously established by fair and legal competition over a period of time and including things like high quality equipment costs, insurance, advertising, credentials/licensing, etc.
2. Beautiful healthy trees are removed out of greed and ignorance and lack of education.
3. Other trees and property are significantly banged up and injured in the process pissing of clients and residents as well.
4. The public is ripped off by lies and misinformation and cheating. Things like giving partial service....collecting in full while promising to come back and finish and never showing. Leave most of a stump and cover it with chips and collect as though it was ground properly well below ground. Leaving a stump, brush, logs, etc. and promising to come back ....collecting...no show to finish.
Trees spiked, branch collars destroyed, root collars bombed, cuts torn, big dangerous hangers left, etc. etc.
5. Good work (jobs) and clients are "used up" and may never have tree work done again after this experience and a black eye is cast over an entire area of arborists in general. Often this is documented by the newspapers and news.
Buckettruckbabe
ArboristSite Member
Whatever. I kept on topic. Someone asked about door knocking and I answered from a marketing point of view and my experience. Rather than post snark and run, I offered up suggestions. (OMG)
This turned into an argument about door knockers, versus door knocking. I am well aware of what the transient tree dudes do to the
industry. However, that wasn't the question. So rather than educate the person who asked whether or not it was a good idea (obviously not)
it turned into a soapbox for the rest of you.
(blowhard...LOL*)
Yeah, I come here for validation. BWAAHAHAHA
:hmm3grin2orange:
This turned into an argument about door knockers, versus door knocking. I am well aware of what the transient tree dudes do to the
industry. However, that wasn't the question. So rather than educate the person who asked whether or not it was a good idea (obviously not)
it turned into a soapbox for the rest of you.
(blowhard...LOL*)
Yeah, I come here for validation. BWAAHAHAHA
:hmm3grin2orange:
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danthestumpman
New Member
Hey man this is how I got started 18 years ago, and I still knock on doors today If I see a potentially good job. I have a stump grinding business. Knocking on doors or leaving a brochure with a price on it has landed me so much work. Most of the time the homeowner is happy to see me. The only problem with knocking on doors today is that youre not going to get as many people wanting to have the work done. When the customer awnsers the door I just say. Hi I was wondering If you would be interested In having that stump grinded. Be as nice as you can with the person and be willing to talk with them for a few minutes. Thats it, It works great
ArborSmithNw
ArboristSite Operative
And in all honesty everyone who has read through this, that is all I was trying to get across myself before the mauling that led to the self defense.
My apologies for stooping to levels usually unbecoming of me.
Door knocking, when done HONESTLY, is the most gratifying marketing you can get. You rely solely on your personality, experience & integrity.
