KBzine: the original kitchen and bathroom industry e-news - since 2002
28th January 2021
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Thanks to my roofer falling out with his colleague at the weekend, I've spent quite an unusual week doing 12 hour days up on some scaffolding, hacking out mortar from between the brickwork prior to repointing... Well, I was unlikely to get hold of a decent replacement over the bank holiday weekend, it would save money - and once I'd got used to the altitude it was quite rewarding work. And of course it was beautifully sunny up there and the view over all the gardens was fantastic!
Like most things in an optimist's life, the work took longer than expected and - upon noticing an able bodied man delivering leaflets for what was probably a pittance, I almost called out: "Do you want a job?"
Descending for a cuppa later on, I picked up the leaflet and saw that it was from a building firm. I rang and was put through to the owner, who just happened to be the man I'd seen delivering the leaflets! He'd noticed me up on the scaffolding and had been tempted to ask if I needed some help, but hadn't as he'd thought I was working for a building company.
He was delivering leaflets as he didn't have any work on for the week - a more common occurrence these days as a result of people having to curb their spending.
Findlay returned to give me a price on finishing the job and when he arrived for work the following morning he seemed surprised when I asked him where his sign was.
"Sign?" he repeated. I replied that I meant the sign he should be putting up on the scaffolding to advertise that he was working there... something with his company name and logo and contact details, so that those walking past, or sat in traffic (I live on a busy road) would see it, perhaps take note and then get in touch when they too needed a builder.
I saw the penny drop, followed by what was possibly the calculation of money spent on leaflets and time out delivering them instead of earning real money, practising the trade for which he'd trained.
As a householder, I receive dozens of leaflets every year and few of them are actually saved for when I might need them. I often note down contact details on vans and boards such as that I've just described though, as to me that type of marketing smacks of professionalism and makes people such as me believe that the company concerned is on the ball.
OK you may not always have the benefit of some scaffolding, but most customers won't be adverse to a board - perhaps on a stand - saying, "bathroom being beautifully fitted by................ Contact me on................."
So all you tradespeople amongst KBZine's readership - you know what to do!
Yours,
3rd September 2010