odd job man

[pb1951]

First of all like to say hi as i am new to this

I took early retirement last year (I am 56) and work part time 2 days a week at an action house. I have started doing some odd diy jobs for a couple of elderly ladies on my days of( and i dont mean i rip them of, they are very happy with what i charge) I would like to do this a bit more. whats the best way to go about this. i am charging between £6 to £8 an hour is this Ok at present I only do about 2 or 3 hrs per week, should i put a flyer together or just knock on some doors. any advise would be helpful

thanks Peter

 

[Yourlocaltrades]

What you are charging seems reasonable,
HOWEVER:
Knocking doors offering services?? not a good idea nowadays!! (cowboys)
Flyers?? not as good as they use to be, the cowboys like this idea too!

Try a small advert in your local press, although you could get asked about Public Liability Insurance, a MUST have when working in/on other peoples homes! Also, References, do you have any? i suppose you can get some from your current customers, maybe get them to help spread the word, give them a few flyers to give to family/friends and neighbours.
What sort of work is it you actually do? alot of services that are offered also need backing up with Qualifications/Certificates, by that i mean a few years training, not the 1 week painting/bricklaying courses you see!

It has changed and so has the publics conception of getting a tradesperson in to do a few things here and there.

I dont know if this helps you any, all the best
Steve

 

[julesbrad]

Personal recommendations are a good way to build a business. If you current customers are happy with the work, why not simply ask if they know anyone else who would be interested in your services.

Maybe even have some cheap telephone note pads printed with your contact details on which you could drop off in your local area where you are looking to work - each time they use the phone, there will be a reminder of your services and contact details.

 

[Yourlocaltrades]

Maybe even have some cheap telephone note pads printed with your contact details on

MMmmmmmmmm???? "cheap", good way of selling yourself!
I would want to see the following details if i got one:
Name
Address
P/Code
Landline No
Mobile
Email
Website
VAT No
Trade logo if applicable, Corgi etc..

Its not a quick "entrance" into this field anymore, you CANNOT wake up one morning, grab your tools, knock doors etc.. and call yourself a qualified tradesperson! These types are known as cowboy/rogue traders, its NOT like it use to be (for the second time!!)"think!"

 

[Lisette]

Given your very reasonable rates and probable preference to keep to a local area I think that referrals are a good idea and sensible from a cost point of view. Perhaps giving your existing client a few business cards would be a good idea. You can always get some done in A7 which is a bit bigger but not too big. Just chat to them and say that you are keen to build up this side of their business. You might also consider preparing a few checklists - preparing for winder, getting ready for summer with the sorts of thing that need to be done - or even an annual 'almanac' which will give them ideas of both what should be done and what you can do. You should not be too salesy - just give this out as a free advice sheet with your contact details at the bottom.

Another option might be to ask your local shop if they will hand out some cards or let you leave your details with them - this is where many of your target clients will come. You can always offer to do a free one hour job for them so that they are incentivised to refer you and say say that they have personal experience. The 'corner store' is an obvious place but also if you have any repair shops, diy/hardware stores.

Another person to make contact with would be the local window cleaners since they might be in a position to refer you if asked by their clients. And also gardening companies. You can always add their stuff to your almanac and get them to contribute to printing costs and help distribute

 

[ExpandOnline]

Peter

Good luck with the venture - I think as long as you are not touching electrics, gas, or anything structural that requires a builder you should be fine.

Have a think about what you would do if things go wrong, ie damaging someone elses property or injuring someone - that's what the Liability Insurance is for. If you are using your own car and carrying tools etc, you need to make sure your insurance covers 'business use' so they can't back out of a claim.

As for advertising, I would say that 'word of mouth' is definately the most powerful and cost effective - although it does take some to get going and you often need to ask for referrals.

Peter