Quotes

[picframer]

I was responding to a PM here today when something we do with every job struck me as something you might want to consider. 98% of inquiries to us is via email or the contact form on the website. I schedule a meeting, as we do a walk around I make notes, tell the prospect I will send an email listing each thing we talked about and a quote, I think only one or two have asked for a quote on the spot, people understand you have to calculate things, even though I may know the cost in my head, I do not offer it unless pressured. My email starts by thanking them for the opportunity to meet and discuss their yard improvement and we would be proud to be part of making it happen. Listed below is each area we discussed, if I overlooked something, please accept my apologies, let me know and I will respond promptly. Doing all this work at once may be beyond your budget, feel free to select the areas you would like at this time, one, two or everything, our goal is to help you get started. then I number each item, offer a brief two or three sentence on what we would do and the cost. I like doing quotes this way as I do it in word and save it under the prospects last name, that way I will always have it. Spraying is the exception, I carry my laptop and can do and print a quote on the spot, if the client accepts they sign the quote, print another and I sign and leave it with them. Anyhow just something you might want to try. Andy

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

Oh very interesting. Andy, quite often we talk about the importance of presenting the bid and the prices in person so you can help sell it, but from this I am gathering that you will email the bid. How then do you follow up on it and how does this method compare to presenting it in person?

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[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

Oh very interesting.

Andy, quite often we talk about the importance of presenting the bid and the prices in person so you can help sell it, but from this I am gathering that you will email the bid. How then do you follow up on it and how does this method compare to presenting it in person?

Honestly, I know before I leave the property whether or not we will get the bid and 95% of the time we do. I did follow up at first but honestly I do not as we have so much work ahead of us I just do not have time, we are getting 5 to 6 inquiries, 7 days a week, it is honestly insane the pace we are running.

Our office manager will follow up however if she has time but even she is being pushed to the max being a stay at home mom, I told her this morning to hire an assistant, hopefully another work at home mom, in my experience they really work well.

Andy

[Steve]

Honestly, I know before I leave the property whether or not we will get the bid and 95% of the time we do.

What kinds of things do you use to read the customer to allow you to tell this? Any advice on that?

[justin_time]

What happens if the customer doesn't have e-mail.. then what do you do ?

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

What kinds of things do you use to read the customer to allow you to tell this? Any advice on that?

Body Language and how well do they listen, are they asking questions as you describe the process, are their arms folded, if they are that is not a good sign.

Its hard to explain but I just get a sense an if I o, its a short presentation.

[picframer]

Originally Posted by justin_time

What happens if the customer doesn't have e-mail.. then what do you do ?

Every customer who has contacted us for an initial quote has been email, either through the website or direct email. I do get follow up calls, calls to come back and do more work but I haven't had anyone yet with no email. When I do it will be presented in person, I would guess the average age group we are working for is around 46.

[justin_time]

Originally Posted by picframer

Every customer who has contacted us for an initial quote has been email, either through the website or direct email. I do get follow up calls, calls to come back and do more work but I haven't had anyone yet with no email. When I do it will be presented in person, I would guess the average age group we are working for is around 46.

Yeah that ain't my case over here. It's mostly all elderly people that don't even know how to use e-mail and stuff like that. Otherwise, my life would be so easy. I would just have to click save as pdf and e-mail. lol

[picframer]

Originally Posted by justin_time

Yeah that ain't my case over here. It's mostly all elderly people that don't even know how to use e-mail and stuff like that. Otherwise, my life would be so easy. I would just have to click save as pdf and e-mail. lol

Aren't you west of North Bay? Kind of cottage country area, I have been there twice many years ago, I seem to recall you are on one of the Great Lakes....can't recall for sure.

[justin_time]

Originally Posted by picframer

Aren't you west of North Bay? Kind of cottage country area, I have been there twice many years ago, I seem to recall you are on one of the Great Lakes....can't recall for sure.

You mean Lake Nippising ?