Pricing.........Pricing

Money
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I’ve been a little more loose with my minimum as the season “ramps” up and I regret it. I’m back to not leavibg the house unless I’m coming home with at least $850 on the day or $300 for a single job.

I’ve been MIA because my phone won’t stop ringing. I’ve been getting up at 4:00 to flush salt off sidewalks for a property management company that’s been really good to me and pays net 7 or I wouldn’t even take it. I’m also washing a full day worth of houses after that. Not getting home until 6:00 or 7:00 which if you know me is about 4 hours later than I like to be home. Ha!

I was telling @SchertzServicesLLC this year is going to be the busiest year any of us has ever had. Here’s my prediction:

I’ve seen two new trucks pop up advertising pressure washing that I’ve never seen. I bet there’s more. That’s a good thing.

More people will know there are companies like ours and start looking for companies with a professional, “turnkey” or franchise like operations. So better tighten up appearances and marketing. Earn your premium.

The cheapskates are never worth working for. High five a stranger when they take a different, significantly lower bid. You don’t want that customer anyway. I promise.

They won’t be in business next year if the winter is as brutal as this last or they are working their tails off to earn no or negative amounts of money by being cheap or fall off a ladder, but you can piggyback off them spreading the word. Buy their equipment for cheap in December.

Speaking of brutal winters, this year it seems like people are dying to treat spring like summer to fight off cabin fever and lack of vitamin D. That means warm weather chores and people who want to enjoy their outdoor spaces NOW. So the calls are going to flood in and summer will still be summer.

We’re going to have to start hiring or turn down jobs to keep up with demand. Except all the good folks are already hired. Gotta start poaching and hiring an army of part time retirees.

Even some of the turds who aren’t going to be in business next season and shouldn’t be in business this season are going to be busy because they’re cheap and the demand will be so high. They’re going to screw a lot of stuff up. That’s good for a lot of us here.

Focus on your marketing and your business. Own a narrow market in very few zip codes. For example, there’s a guy on the Kansas side that’s one upping ALL my marketing. “Kansas City’s highest rated COMBAT veteran owned pressure washing service”. Not even kidding. He’s also charging $140 less for an average 2 story house wash. Don’t care one bit. I have two jobs tomorrow on Olathe, Kansas (his market)that will put just under $1100 in the bank tomorrow. He can’t do it all.

I wouldn’t even go in his market since I’m hell bent on dominating Parkville, Gladstone, and Liberty, but I’m not going to turn down $1100 either and my map listing is GOOOOD. The demand is there. Don’t worry about the turds. Find a small area and OWN it.

This year is going to be bonkers so buckle in champs…

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Basically same as I said back in early March. Going to be a record year but seems like a few more price shoppers this year.

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You’ve been harder to reach than my shoe laces after a buffet! I hope you are right!

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That’s funny rite there I had to read it twice just to make sure that’s what it said .

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Ask @Innocentbystander about trying to reach me. I finally called him back today after 3 weeks and whined at him for 15 minutes about being busy.

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Starting to sound like me this winter!

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Man I feel ya on that . I’ve got twice as much work as I can handle . Equipment that needs repair with no time to do it . Employees that that can’t get there life straight. Not enough trucks . I ended up with everything I’ve worked for for years and I’m constantly realizing I wasn’t ready for it now I’m scrambling from sun up to sundown just to slow down how far behind I’m falling.
I just chalking it up as growing pains

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I noticed my pump oil was milky today I drained it and refilled it with sae 30. I’ll do it again tomorrow if it’ll buy some time to swap out the pump in two weeks. If not, I’ll carry the pump with me and swap it wherever I happen to be.

It’s been that kinda start.

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When I get milky oil in pumps it usually caused by the filler cap somehow letting rain water in or a cracked piston. Both easy to fix

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I’ve got spare pistons and just ordered more and a seal kit. Still feel better swapping it out and fixing the pump on my own time which at this rate will be Thanksgiving 2020

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This isn’t a “thing” I’ve heard of? What’s the benefit in making reference to being a veteran? Do they pressure wash better for some reason?

No offence meant. I just don’t get the connection…

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A lot of people give veterans preference as they should.

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Should?

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It’s a marketing strategy. I think if a homeowner is trying to decide between two businesses marketing the company as “veteran owned” can be the deciding factor. I think it’s their way of giving back or whatever you want to call it. It’s almost a guarantee if that family has any relative that served or who knows a firefighter, policeman, paramedic, etc. I think they’re all kind of grouped together by most. All of it goes for first responders too. Many Americans are all about hiring the ones who were willing to put their life on the line for freedom or to put their life on the line in the time of need. At least it’s what I see in my area but there are a lot of patriotic Americans in the Midwest.

It seems pretty obvious the guy put “Combat” before veteran in an attempt to one up Squids though. He definitely went a little too far because he basically stole Squids headline. Quite a few companies market as “veteran owned” by I’ve never seen “Combat veteran owned”.

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Thanks @marinegrunt it’s definitely not commonplace here or the UK.

I’ve seen it a lot on here, and when squid got “one-upped” it kinda devalued it for me somehow?

Annnyway - I’ve just recently seen “Fire Fighter Owned” too, so maybe there’s a nurse, paramedic, police owned to come!

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@anon26752184 this is all

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It could be a cultural difference. But here (most folks) when given two competitive bids would opt for the veteran owned business. We feel that they served our country and if the price is the same they will get picked most of the time. You also know (with the exception of @squidskc) that you are getting a disciplined professional.

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Haven’t really heard much of Australia invading foreign countries lately, probably a cultural thing.

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Pretty sure they’ve been with us on most of our adventures ie Korea, Vietnam, Iran, Afghanistan, etc.

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Didn’t even make it to 11:00 and there’s two more call ins. Also, I take back what I said about magnets being sufficient. The new turds are using them and with more visibility toward our profession you gotta look “franchise-y”.

Last week, had a lady flagging me down at a stop light with her phone to her ear except my number goes to bidslot. Rolled down windows and realized a woman answered the phone.

She hung up the call and I followed her to her house right then. She’s on the calendar for next week.

I blame it on the new vinyl lettering.

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