Keep me on track here please!!

I am currently bidding on a project that includes 62 buildings, each building includes 8 townhomes. I have a good friend that lives there and she was able to get a copy of the HOA budget and let me know what is in the budget for lawn maintenance for the upcoming year is. Last year the HOA paid 99,300 for the basic lawn maintenance. They paid extra for tree removal, snow removal etc... The budget is 107k but they only paid 99.3k last year. I will be placing my bid tomorrow so any ideas on where I should be with my bid ahead of time would be great. Thanks in advance for the help. Tote

Lawn care business tips

Wow! Isn't that a pretty big job? How many days per week do you think that will take? As far *** bidding, I have no idea. I'll let the other folks here tell you that.

[swstout]

I've never bid a job this big, but if you are doing labor only (mowing edging, trimming etcetera) at $95,000 per year, that would be 36.5 hours per week at $50.00 per man hour.

If you have fertilizing, dethatching, aerating, etc. you will have additional costs. I would use liquid dethatchers, fertilizers and aerators to eliminate the heavy machinery and cleanup afterwards. 94K would be $1,800.00 plus per week. That's a good contract!

Steve

[Steve]

I am currently bidding on a project that includes 62 buildings, each building includes 8 townhomes

We have seen the best way to create an estimate for a large property like this is to break it down into areas you can better eyeball the time you will need to spend on it.

You already have a ballpark figure on how much they are looking to pay which is good for you.

From there you should break it down and see if it is possible for you to provide that service within that price range.

Would you like to post an overhead shot of the property and start breaking down what would be required for 1 of those buildings and then go from there?

We actually went in and saved them 500.00 per month and threw in snow removal which may be once per season. All equipment is paid for so I think we are good.

[Steve]

Keep us posted on how it goes.

This has been a good week. I haven't heard on the apartment complex or the townhouse community but we were able to secure 3 large jobs. One is a townhome community with 104 units, another is a townhome with 96 units and the third is a condo community with 48 units.

Still waiting on bids for 2 apartment complexes, and the large 496 unit community to be awarded. Keeping fingers crossed.

[Steve]

This has been a good week.

You are doing fantastic! What do you attribute you ability to drum up so much business in what seems to be a short time?

Steve,

I have been in sales all my life so getting into doors is second nature for me. In the past 2 weeks I have hit every business, apartment complex, townhome community, HOA, Property manager, etc... that I can possibly and physically do by myself. I get up at 6, I get to the office by 7 and plan out my day. By 8 I am hitting doors. In the past several weeks we have actually placed bids totalling $595,000 annually, and today I got a return call from a manager that wants a portfolio bid for 11 apartment complexes next week.

You ask what it takes?? Hard work and many hours per day. Right now is the time when most companies are reviewing and renewing contracts. So get the business cards printed and hit as many doors as you can. Property managers are notorious for not returning phone calls so going to their office is much more advantageous.

We have won 3 contracts this past week and we currently have 14 pending. The portfolio bid of 11 properties will put us at over 1 Million in proposed contracts we have submitted in the past 2 weeks. The key is to place as many bids as you can and estimate 20% of those that you will win. If it's more than that, then you're doing great.

[Steve]

I think this is a great example of how the owner of the business really needs to be it's chief salesperson.

When it comes to motivation like this in sales and desire to succeed, do you feel it flows from a certain personality trait certain people have or do you feel this is something one can learn and apply themselves?