How is he doing it?

[bathroomboy]

I fit full bathrooms and tiling including plumbing , plastering, tiling everything, I have had a really quiet period over the winter, things starting to pick up now, but theres a chap who doesn't live far from me does exactly the same and he his booked up for months but you never see an ads from him, his van is not sign written, no website, I have all the above.
I queried a bathroom supplier which I use and I know he uses too if they had any idea where he got his leads from, they said reccomends. Now I get a lot of my work that way but still have to advertise now and then, how is he doing it? the guy is practically invisible, I googled him and hardly anything comes up.:mad2:

 

[Stewart]

Do you live next door to me......?

 

[Stewart]

Nearly all my work is from recommendation. I don't advertise in any way and haven't done for years. It's only recently I started to build a website and put my details on a few free sites.

In saying that...... I have spent the last twenty years building myself am iron clad reputation, which is worth it's weight in gold.

 

[bathroomboy]

The thing is I have been doing this for about 6years now, and I not just saying this but my work is top quality and I allways leave the customer happy and they do refer me to others, this guy has perhaps been at it a couple of years longer than me, but he used to have his van signwritten but then took it all off, and since had new van a good few years with nothing on it, which I thought he must be subbing, but he has just quoted the same job as me.
I,m beginning to think maybe he has an arrangement with the bathroom shop.

 

[Stewart]

He may well have an arrangement with the shop, as it's the first port of call with the customer. I'm recommended by a few businesses, but I made sure they could rely on me to do the job and constantly made them aware of my availability. When you've finished a job for a customer, ask them to pop into the shop that they bought their goods from and say what a great job you did of their bathroom. Works wonders with your reputation.

 

[Dan]

Networking with a shop can pay off bigtime. You just need one good shop to send you regular nice work and you're laughing. Then any recommendations you get off those customers that contact you and not the shop, always take them into the shop and leave them with the guy who passes you work. Buy 'em a butty every now and again, and some beers at christmas if you don't go out with them already, and with the right shop you'll have a nice business yourself providing you keep up A1 work.

So he could have mate.

 

[bathroomboy]

Thanks, that's got to be it, this chap I have just been to quote mentioned to me that he would want his ensuite doing whn he called me to a burst at his neighbours house during the cold spell, I mentioned that I don't usually do emergency call but specialise in bathrooms and gave him a card, it jogged his mind when he saw my card again in the shop and there fore called me, makes you think.

 

[Scott]

I sound very much lile this guy too, its not all about image and getting yourself out there. I am on the recommended fitters list for 2 stores of a national company, i have been looking after my kids for near on 2 years now but im still on there and i still get the calls. Maybe the guy is really good and the work he does for his customers and the shop gets him further work? That tends to be the way it works.

How much repeat work or recommendation do you get from you existing client database? You need to take a look at that to see how much repeat business you get and ask yourself if there is anything you can do to alter that ratio

 

[frostfree]

Does he take credit card payments or can he organise finance? Many people don't have sufficient funds to pay for a new bathroom outright.
People buy from people, he's maybe very likeable and very good with his customers (not saying your not likeable).
As said already a good relationship with a bathroom showroom.
Networking is not to be underestimated, somebody good at networking often doesn't need to advertise.
Maybe he's on a lucky streak?
Probably a combination of the above reasons. To survive in these times you have to be a good tradesman AND a good businessman.