How many estimates/proposals do you write per week

Re: How many estimates/proposals do you write per

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...One of my strategies is to charge a higher rate on little jobs and a lower hourly rate on larger jobs, and to be honest it has really been working wonderfully...

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Bingo! I discovered this strategy a long time ago. It does work.
 
Re: How many estimates/proposals do you write per

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...One of my strategies is to charge a higher rate on little jobs and a lower hourly rate on larger jobs, and to be honest it has really been working wonderfully...

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Bingo! I discovered this strategy a long time ago. It does work.

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But risk increases as the job increases. I would expect price to increase accordingly (by large, I mean a large tree removal, say 2days)


I would rather have 4 $500 jobs than 1 $2000 job.
 
Re: How many estimates/proposals do you write per

I would rather have 4 $500 jobs than 1 $2000 job.

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That is so true. Most of the time on smaller jobs the risk is not nearly as great as the risk on a large removal or what have you.

My Dad has always said to"be the king of the medium job." And I really have to say that if you focus on the medium job, say $500-800, then you can reach more customers in a normal work day, and the risk is hardly ever as great as removing a huge oak or sycamore over a house that is worth 3 or 4 grand. I totally agree.

D.W.H
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Re: How many estimates/proposals do you write per

I get 30- 40 calls a week. I can never seem to get caught up on the phone. I know this is bad but havent figured it out yet. I will look at 20 one week and 10 the next depending on the work schedual. I guess I should start a new thread on how to higher a business manager/salesperson.
 
Re: How many estimates/proposals do you write per

I'm right there with you Mark. I hammer estimates hard when slow to steady. But when things get crazy busy or I'm on munucipal contracts I really start to slack. Then I catch up on my work load and wish I had kept pushing hard on sales. I am still with my crew every day and with the wife and four kids to tend to it can get monotinous having to run all over after work. I have been looking at possibly having some extra help with sales. Last week for instance I had a homeowner a couple doors down stop me at a job while I was moving the grinder to the next stump. I told him when I was done I would stop by. "Can't you come by now." I was trying to finish the job and said I would take his number and call him. Finally I remember to pass the info to the wife to set an appointment. But he had already hired someone. I should have just stopped what I was doing or let one of the other guys take over. I hate to stop in the middle of something, but should have made a better effort to give him a quote.
 
Re: How many estimates/proposals do you write per

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I would rather have 4 $500 jobs than 1 $2000 job.

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That would depend on who bid them...
 
Re: How many estimates/proposals do you write per

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I would rather have 4 $500 jobs than 1 $2000 job.

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That would depend on who bid them...

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True. Some are real GEMs.
 
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During the normal work season how many estimates do you write in a week?

If you have/are a sales rep and ONLY sell, how many are you expected to write each week?

Is there a dollar volume that you're expected to write?

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Right now, not writing nearly enough! Sloooooowww
 
I want to charge for estimates, but cant figure out how to. To of the things that annoy me the most in life are the telephone and driving. makes running estimates and keeping up wiht customers a real chore. on the other hand I enjoy looking at their trees and talking to them about their trees when Im there. I myself can run maybe 10- 12 estimates a week and still do the work as well as stay sane and healthy. The problem is now I'm getting 13-14 calls a week, so therefore I put off and piss off 2-4 people.

Sadly, Its usually the people who I assume wont be able to pay me as well. I could be very wrong about that because some of the people who I think will pay well dont, so I know my judgement has to be wrong the other way too.
 
Either way its hard when you're small to do everything. While my phone doesn't ring off the hook it rings enough to me working throughout the week and it's hard to fit in all estimates while also having to be on every job. Being a service industry I try and work around clients schedules the best I can. However, the callers that don't understand that we work around the weather and they aren't the only person we work for are a good indication of things to come.
 
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I want to charge for estimates, but cant figure out how to.

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Kevin, I have experimented with this and received good results. *FTR: I am not charging for all of my estimates. At the moment, I am not charging repeat customers or referrals for a bid, yet. I also consider each phone call a case by case situation. I'll explain below...

I am basically asking a lot of questions to screen the customer. For example, I will ask some small questions to get control of the conversation... "What is your address?" (If they haven't already given me on on the voice mail). I immediately follow up with another quick question, so they don't give me directions and waste time... "So, how did you hear of me?" (As they tell me their address, I am Googling it. My second question distracts them and buys me more time to find their location. (Nothing against the ladies, but if I ask a lady their address, nearly 100% of them will start to give me verbal directions, landmarks to look for, etc...
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) So, if you're fast enough and someone starts to give you directions, you can now say. "Got it! I just Googled you." It stops them in their tracks.

Now, I have their location. I'll then ask, "Is the tree located in the front yard or back yard?" If it is the front, I look at the "street view" on Google maps. If it is a simple Aspen removal, I have no problem with estimating over the phone. If I can get an idea of a small trim, I'll quote it over the phone. (I used to be highly against this principle, but times are changing right now. People love a fast reply, quote, and transaction. Thanks to the Intereb
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)---So, it doesn't really cost me anything to do this type of estimate, which means I don't have to charge anything.

I'm going to start another response...
 
Last week I was running out of work fast. A lady found me on the Interweb about 15 miles out of my service area, in a larger metro city. In 7 years of business I have never driven that far for work (or at least needed to). Bottom line: It was a front yard Green Ash trim. Since I'm totally familiar with Ash and I could see it on the "street view" I gave her a quote. I did the work right away. She was stoked and I got 3 pending estimates from neighbors in that neighborhood...

Another thing is this: I have noticed that I am typically the first person to call. If someone is new to the whole game of hiring a tree guy, they don't even know that a vast majority of tree guys don't charge for a bid.---
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We can use this to our advantage because most trades charge for bids; electicians, plumbers, painters, roofers, landscapers, etc... So, I explain over the phone, "My estimates are free if you choose me to do the job. Otherwise, I charge $20 for the bid. That includes consulting and some education for how we will do the work properly." The only response so far is, "Okay." And, I just got a check in the mail from a guy who didn't use me for a removal.
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Then, we have to be creative with our response back if they say, "Well, Beer Money Tree Service said their estimates are free. Why do you charge."

I have thought of some responses to that, but I wouldn't be professional saying them...
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Re: How many estimates/proposals do you write per

Has anyone though about only charging for estimates in certain zip codes, such as those outside a normal operating area? Or those in dangerous neighborhoods?
 
Re: How many estimates/proposals do you write per

I think I'd charge a lot of money if I had to do a bid at 90220. And I'd charge a heck of a lot, if I landed the job....
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Sorry for the sloppy typing & grammar above. The my wife and I are going out to dinner.
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Date night? Nice!

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I immediately follow up with another quick question, so they don't give me directions and waste time...

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Isn't it funny that people still try and give directions in this day and age. It is really helpful to be looking at the prop. on google as they are explaining their needs. Good stuff Jamin.
 
I sold another bid last night with the same techniques mentioned. A small group of dead/dying Aspens.
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However, I've got 4 free-bee bids this morning. They are referrals and repeat customers.
 
Jamin- not to be too nosy- but what scale are you using this system on? Your system seems fine for a 1-4 employee company, but I'm not so sure about the consistency as the company builds.
 
You only charge after you know you didn t get the job, I wouldnt trust people to send me $20 after I left their property without any actual work done. We pull up in front of the customers house and get out of the car with our hand out.
 
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