Plumber relocated and needs advice.

PSPlumbing Paul · Nov 1, 2011

Hello all, I'm a new member to the forum and would be greatful for any advice on my predicament.

I've been a sole trading plumber for 8 years now and have now relocated from Leicester to Eastbourne (the things you do for women). I've been really lucky with work over the years and haven't really had to advertise for any work thus far. However moving to the other side of the country has made me realise how unexperienced I am advertising myself.

Obviously if you're a trader in the East Sussex area you'll be less inclined to help but any advice on how to gain work would be appreciated.

Ive heard that the phone books aren't productive these days and until now i've not considered the internet for touting for work or gaining contacts. Is an internet site worth setting up?

Any ideas or good sites to check out?

leelister6 · Nov 1, 2011

Local forums?

mikimac · Nov 1, 2011

Welcome to the forum & welcome to East Sussex. There's no real shortage of work this side however as in most places there is an abundance of unrealistic people who expect a first class job at an economy class price. How cheap you are willing to sell yourself will dictate how busy you are.

A website IMO is a must these days. If you can get 1 job a month from it it's got to be worth it.

Business cards are also a must have..phone numbers on beer mats & scraps of paper indicates disorganised.

If you are GSR, get business cards into lettings agencies & estate agents. This is an 'off chance' recommendation as the 'gas safety inspection for £30.00' brigade seem to have destroyed this market. With the winter at the door it may be also be worth an ad in the local paper for services etc.

Good luck

gravytrain · Nov 1, 2011

hi i'm a sole trader and started from scratch 3 years ago, you will need to invest a lot of time and money in advertising. in a new area no-one knows you're there if you dont advertise. you need to advertise as much as possible. this is what works for me after 3 years.
as has been said before get a DECENT website not some mickey mouse affair by a bloke down the pub. look at all the other plumbers websites in your area. get a yellow pages ad and get on yell.com. i've got a small ad in yellow pages and last year i had 154 calls from that ad, thats 3 a week. they are doing deals at the moment for colour ads.
i also find that local parish mags are cheapish and generate work. get your website first and get your web address on all your ads. get photos of your work on the website. then ask everyone who phones up where they saw your ad and you will build up a picture of what works for you.
lastly you have a scheme in east sussex called Buy With Confidence - get on that scheme as quickly as possible, if its as good as the one in my area it costs next to nothing and generates loads of work.

PSPlumbing Paul · Nov 2, 2011

Thanks for the replys lads. I'll get on it. cheers

Deleted member 25704 · Nov 3, 2011

I wouldn't bother with too much investment in formal adverts, because you need work quickly to maintain your business. Adverts are also paying for work and raise your overheads.

A quick way to win work and customers is to be cheap. I ran a local business for many years, but my customers have all but gone to firms doing safety checks for £25, LL checks for £40 (whole house) and tap washers for £10 per hour (advert in a our local age concern add).

Although £10 per hour to do work is ridiculous, those who have been more competative are now in contact with customers - and the old saying goes, we make 80% of a profit, from 20% of our customers. Face to face contact with a customer is a better way of securing future business than an advert - so you pay for your customers through cheap work.

The plumbing game is not about adverts, its about winning people's trust.

Paulus · Nov 3, 2011

If you or your partner have friends in the new area this may be worth a try to get your name out quickly. Email a copy of your business card to everyone you know with a request that they email it to everyone they know.

I did this 2 weeks ago and business has certainly started to pick up.

I appreciate that you have moved to a new area but if you only have two friends who have maybe 20 contacts each, thats 40 and how many contacts do they have?

Best of Luck.