Hey everybody, this is my first year in business. I’ve been doing a good bit of residential work and a little fleet washing. Business has grinded to a halt here in eastern South Carolina. Any advice on what I should be doing for work in the winter or the upcoming spring?
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" would you like to supersize that meal ?". Sorry couldn’t resist. If cash flow is an issue you may want to consider a part time job. A lot of guys snow plow, hang Christmas lites & do what ever it takes until you build your business. That is why it is sooooo important not to give your services away & charge a premium amount. The low ballers never last.
John Devine. allwashedupny.com
Cash flow is not the issue. I just want to do the most that I can to make sure this business succeeds.
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I work on targeting new areas, generating new commercial customers, rebuilding or upgrading equipment & so on.
We still get calls on a daily basis but basically shut down till Feb. then ramp it back up.
I like a couple of months downtime to get the game plan together for 2014
Relationship building is a good way to spend time during the slower months. If your going after commercial work, target an area where you wanna generate work, then do some research on managers in the area. Get in contact, shake some hands and submit some bids. A good follow up method can be perfected in the slower months by having a lot more time to focus on smaller details that get overlooked when your really busy
There’s no snow to plow around here but I know a few guys that get into professionally hanging Christmas lights during this season. You can target residential, country clubs… I’m still washing as long as its above 35 or so. If your not hustling 12 hours everyday except Sunday either washing or pursuing washing in your first year you may not see a second. Knock doors and leave biz cards with prices…try to schedule them. I have a couple on the books for spring. Just remember anybody that you low ball to get food on the table now will come back to bite you in the butt next year after they have told their friends how much you did it for. Been their done that. Not sayin’ that you are, just putting it out there because that’s what I learned the hard way when I was hard up for work.
hang out with the family,hit the gym, play daddy daycare, catch up on movies/tv shows till feb. Then go balls to the wall scheduling and getting busy for the best time of the year…
Hey West.
I don’t know about your neck of the woods, but if you are close to an agricultural area, I would suggest looking into that sector. In many cases, agriculture has no off days, holidays or nothing-to-do days. Here in Southwest Arkansas, poultry farming is every where. I have a fairly constant work flow year 'round because of that alone. They need washing done rain or shine, cold or hot. Sure, I get busier in the summer, but work never stops. Also, the timber industry is big here. I have a couple of log truck companies I wash for each Saturday, and with exception of rain and freezing temps, I do that each Saturday. If not log trucks, OTR trucking companies may be in your area. They run year 'round, and perhaps your could tap into that.
Hope this helps!
What kind of work do you do for agriculture?
I got started washing poultry house components back in 2009. I had been laid off in December of 2008 at the depth of the Great Recession, and did some research into agricultural businesses here in Southwest Arkansas. I have a friend who has 4 poultry houses who asked me to consider washing “chicken house fans”. Ha, ha, I said. Not me! But here I am, 4 and half years later, and poultry is my bread and butter.
In last September’s issue of Cleaner Times magazine, I was fortunate to be able to contribute to their Power Washer’s Guidebook with an article on Poultry House Washing. If you are on LinkedIn, I have also posted a video on washing poultry house tunnel fans on my page.
There are a lot of “Broiler” poultry houses here, as Tyson and Pilgrims have growers all over the place. Our local Tyson processing plant supplies McNuggets for McDonalds. These broiler houses grow the birds that supply the meat for the McNuggets. There’s a 10 week turn around with these flocks. They catch the birds at about 8 weeks old, with about a 2 week window to clean the houses and get set back up for the next batch of chicks. Like I said, this is year 'round, rain or shine, cold weather and hot weather. You gotta be able to be there on the spot regardless, 'cause there are at least three of us poultry house washing companies here serving this area, as well as several farmers who do it themselves. It’s very competitive. But if you pay attention to detail, do a better job and provide more services, you get business.
This may have been more than you wanted to know, but I hope it answers your question.
