[springfever]

This spring was slow for us as many of you commented on in this forum. My closing rate was around 20% and I was really worried about this season. Early spring I went on several estimates that I did not recieve the work. I flat out asked them why and both responses were, "we found someone cheaper. We could tell your overhead is a lot higher." What the hell does that mean? My truck isn't falling apart and I dressed up for the appointment? My response was "I do not know the difference in our overhead, but I DO have the proper licensing, liability insurance and worker's comp insurance to insure you are protected."

About three weeks ago, I had some client meetings after spending some time with the crew. I normally wear dress slacks and a logoed shirt to meetings. That day, I wore nice carpenter's jeans with the shirt because I was going to get a little dirty. Those jeans changed the whole mood of the meeting. I landed two jobs in a row that day. After relecxting on it, that was the only change I had made in my standard meeting protocol. I decided to continue and see if it was fluke. My closing rate has been 85% for the last three weeks and I have sold 125% of what we did last year total.

Just goes to show, small changes can make a dynamic inpact.

[TrickyDick]

Good for you. Others on this forum have disagreed but I think dirty pants give you 'street cred'.

[Dragonfly]

So does that make you look homeless or unsuccessful. Money in your pocket may tell a different story. However there will come the day when a successful client gives the biggest job you could have ever had to a succesful looking contractor because of his attire.

[springfever]

Don't get me wrong. The new duds still are nice, clean and professional looking. I think this may need to be altered per client and job size. If I'm going for $100,000 job, the slacks go back on. But I found it an interesting study in human phycology, that the way you are dressed presents different ideas to the customer.

[start2finish]

I love to go do an estimate after doing irrigation repairs or concrete work, filthy dirty and tired, but clean shaven and clean cut. My customers know the owner is the estimater and is going to personally oversee the job. any ideas or changes are simple, no phone tag I am in the yard. If we were larger then that would not be possible, but I take great pride in what I do for a living. My wife and I were talking last night about what we would do if we were to win the lottery, I told her after a long vacation I would buy every fancy tool possible and still do landscape installs. If I liked the customer I'd probably surprise them at the end of the job with,....don't worry about payment, we don't need the money and love what we do. How about a snapshot of that face. wow thats way off topic.


we are on to something here, I have heard it told about several local guys "I don't want to pay for that fancy truck" or "He charges too much, look at that high dollar equipment" there is a mixed message here, some of the high end customers (which I like to work for) appreciate the flashly look and want that nice stuff in front of their home for the neighbors to see. while the conserative ones may share the quotations I have presented.

We have tried to stay updated while not wasting precious overhead on flashy items. 1988 dump(reliable), 1999 F350, 2000 F250, but 2005 S250, 2005 L4630 Kubota,2006 Kx161-3 excavator. Some of the valuable equipment we depend on day in and day out we feel necessary and most of the time nobody sees it until we arrive and work it. If my 1999 F350 with 180,000 miles on it lays down well we can work around it, if the dump lays down we can sub out trucking while it is repaired. Just my $0.02

[springfever]

We run an 85 chevy c70 with a 14' dump, have a 03 dodge ram 3/4 pulling a pj trailer. Have an 01 john deere skid and the other tools and equipment are mostly used when we buy them. All look professional, but are affordable and most importantly, paid off. Some guys in my area are running 06 hook trucks with 6 beds and new Cat skids. I don't see the need to have that much overhead, and the same job can get done with the equipment I have. I try to put the money where clients will aprreciate it being nice, but not feel they are paying for it like start2finish said.

[GLAN]

I have heard this every spring......

I am kinda tight with over seeing the work......I can't be in 2 places at once....certainly don't try to.

Anyway.....during spring cleanups I am with the crew......When I run off to give an estimate. I have heard this several times every year....."Your the first to come give me an estimate that already has a tan".........that gets me the job.

I stopped dressing up for estimates many years ago.....about the time I was gaining weight and couldn't fit into my realy nice duds....

Now even though I am out in the field, dark tanned already.......I know my current size is turning people off..........at least my work speaks for it's self and my reputation usualy precedes me.

[Greensmith]

It goes back to that not showing we are desperate for the work maybe? Who's theory was that haha!

I do notice that I get a comment like "You must be really busy thanks for coming" when I show up *ahem* Dusty

[Stonehenge]

I won't make any bones about - I'm one of the people that isn't necessarily on board with the 'street cred' thing. That being said, I do engage in customer profiling, and will dress accordingly. For example, tonight I had an appointment with a couple that I knew did not have a lot of money, based on their occupations, their address, and the number of tattoos (on each of them). It's not scientific, but in general when I dress up for that kind of client, they worry we're going to charge them "too much" (I know this because a few have said so). But dress in some dirty work clothes, and I'm one of them.

I change how I talk. I change how I act.

In general, I'm not wild about any of that, because I'm doing it all for a project that most likely will not amount to much. But at least I don't have to rush to take a shower before I get over to visit them.

But those are the exceptions - most often I'm in an oxford and khakis.

[Raj Venugopal]

I was watching an American TV show about a guy from SC (?) who flips homes as a profession. I think it's called "Flip this House."

They did a house in Myrtle Beach; the landscaper in that job had a very unique style of dress. I loved it, but can see how some could be

Anyone see that episode and know what I'm talking about?

Comments?