How do you get your name out to companies as a contract climber?

fastbub

fastbub

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for those of you that contract climb for other companies, how did you get your name to them? Cold call? Email? Word of mouth?

I feel like it could be a valuable service for some companies to have available to them. I just don't know if it is a weird conflict because I also do full service tree work part time. I don't see my self as real competition for them but I don't know how to approach it best.
 
Word of mouth is great even better if it is someone else's mouth. Levi's brother has gotten lots of his work that way he worked for one company and they spread the word to many other. I personally have gotten plugged in the circuit by cold calls. I have given the owners or managers a call and sat down and had a conversation with them explaining what I do.
 
Magnum783 said:
Word of mouth is great even better if it is someone else's mouth. Levi's brother has gotten lots of his work that way he worked for one company and they spread the word to many other. I personally have gotten plugged in the circuit by cold calls. I have given the owners or managers a call and sat down and had a conversation with them explaining what I do.
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You may be right but I'm not sure. From my experience most tree co owners do not talk to one another in this area.
 
Magnum783 said:
Word of mouth is great even better if it is someone else's mouth. Levi's brother has gotten lots of his work that way he worked for one company and they spread the word to many other. I personally have gotten plugged in the circuit by cold calls. I have given the owners or managers a call and sat down and had a conversation with them explaining what I do.
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I'm not sure where you heard that, if any of the people I have worked for this summer have directly referred me it hasn't gotten back to me. The one exception would be Landon Painter, I met him contracting for someone else and later worked a day for him, he has hooked me up with a couple of people. I'm pretty sure most would give me good recommendations if I asked but my experience has been the same as Levi's, most of the biz owners around here aren't sharing that info on a regular basis.

I sent out an email this spring that generated a lot of interest, a few good references helped seal the deal with a few good companies.

I think meeting people face to face is key. I walked onto one of my regular guys' jobs and introduced myself, I don't think I'd be working for him if I hadn't because he didn't really bite on the email. I got a good contact from the guy I quit on to start this. I owe one of my best clients to a friend and coworker, who shall remain unnamed, who has been a tireless promoter for me this spring and summer.
 
Do you find you get all the crap jobs? That's kind of the deal around here. The contract climber gets the stuff nobody else will do. Also these guys that do it around here are changing pretty high per day. Upwards of $350 a day. That seems kinds high compared to what I'm paid hourly. Would be nice to make $1700 and change a week though. Just don't wanna get screwed at every jobsite.

Back on subject. Sorry
 
I do a lot of technical removals, dead trees, and big pruning. I still do everything else, even shrub pruning believe it or not, but mostly the big three there.
 
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rockettree said:
I'm not sure where you heard that, if any of the people I have worked for this summer have directly referred me it hasn't gotten back to me. The one exception would be Landon Painter, I met him contracting for someone else and later worked a day for him, he has hooked me up with a couple of people. I'm pretty sure most would give me good recommendations if I asked but my experience has been the same as Levi's, most of the biz owners around here aren't sharing that info on a regular basis.

I sent out an email this spring that generated a lot of interest, a few good references helped seal the deal with a few good companies.

I think meeting people face to face is key. I walked onto one of my regular guys' jobs and introduced myself, I don't think I'd be working for him if I hadn't because he didn't really bite on the email. I got a good contact from the guy I quit on to start this. I owe one of my best clients to a friend and coworker, who shall remain unnamed, who has been a tireless promoter for me this spring and summer.
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I too do a bit of contract climb hence how I have heard of the other rocket. I did some work for preservation tree in Denver and they spoke of you very highly as did a few other companies.
 
It is ok, I have a full time day job and live in Cheyenne two things against me. I do enjoy it but there is no climbers in Cheyenne so I keep busy here I try to send people your way down that way. I would love to catch up with you one day Matt spoke super highly of you.
 
When I was looking for contract work, I went to our local tree equipment supply house, as they've got a bulletin board where people can advertise their used equipment for sale. I asked the manager if I could sell myself as a contract climber, and he didn't see why not, so I made a flyer. Gave my tree resume, several nice photos of me climbing, doing crane removals, etc and my phone number. Had to call the supply house back 2 months later and tell them to take it down, as I had so many people calling I couldn't possibly keep up with it (I was only doing it part time).

Even if you don't have a supply house nearby, all of my local Stihl/Husky dealers are friendly enough I'm sure if I asked they'd let me advertise somewhere in their showroom. Tell them you'll be their local version of Mark Chisholm/Ken Palmer, talking up their product and demonstrating it to potential buyers. Of course, you might have to buy 2 complete sets of saws (1 Husky, 1 Stihl) in order for this to work, but hey, it's just more toys!
 
Steve Connally said:
Do you find you get all the crap jobs? That's kind of the deal around here. The contract climber gets the stuff nobody else will do. Also these guys that do it around here are changing pretty high per day. Upwards of $350 a day. That seems kinds high compared to what I'm paid hourly. Would be nice to make $1700 and change a week though. Just don't wanna get screwed at every jobsite.

Back on subject. Sorry
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Totally on subject. The most successful/sustainable contract climbers weed out the owners that make their work days miserable and build good relationships with the owners that treat them fairly.
-AJ
 
I think videos, even unedited work on pruning and removals (to add in your email) would be helpful to a business owner that may be looking for a contract climber. I think of it as a resume of sorts. A $200 GoPro might be a good investment.

It is easy to fib a letter with work experience and skills, but a video is about as close as you can get without actually being hired to perform the work. Might work, might not....just throwing a few bones out there.

That being said, I think face to face is going to work best. Then personality can shine through. However, it may take an email or phone call to get the face to face you may be looking for.
 
I agree that video might be an excellent resume so to speak. I don't have the technology right now to do that. I just figured I needed to get my foot in the door and then "audition" on the job should they want to give me a shot. I thought about shooting out an e-mail to some local guys and seeing what the response is. I figure I should tell them that I have a part time tree service and let them know the scope of work that I do, and maybe a little about my customer base.
I am interested in working with some other companies if they could use me, I am just not willing to give up my business in order to do it. I am just hoping they are ok with that. I am very small and I don't think I am really competition for them right now.
 
Landscape companies supply easy work for the most part. just be weary of the ground help. but there are some hardworking, smart guys that landscape (i used to be one just a few years back!) that you can utilize as a good groundman. i climb for a local landscape company and the two guys they usually give me (sometimes individually) are pretty solid.
 
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The Buzz.

Cold calling is a good start if you don't know anyone (It's not who you know, it's who you get to know!) Arborist supply co's bulletin boards. trade shows, etc... See a crew working stop and chat up the foreperson. It's a business with high turnover and seasonal fluctuations that work really well for contractors.
 
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