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	Subject - Management - Working ON your business NOT in it. John A. Peters I set up this section specifically for electricians to discuss and help other electricians in the areas of management, advertising, pricing of our services, etc. In other words, helping people WORK ON THEIR BUSINESS, NOT IN THEIR BUSINESSES. And specifically, in the area of residential electrical service work. There are lots of other places on this site that help people with technical questions. I felt that the businesses areas above were being under served. So if we could keep this forum for those business questions, I would very much appreciate it. Believe me, that is where the real money is made. To your success, John A. Peters Transcribed from a note by Patrick Kennedy of ESI in response to my request for a policy statement. John A. Peters We charge 97.50 per hour with a minimum of 1-1/4 hours to give 15 minutes travel time. So that is $121.98 minimum. I have some new competition. If you ask for a price they say - "We will come out and give you a price after we see what is needed. It is a free estimate and there is no obligation. Do you want an apointment today or tomorrow?" I guess they come ready to work, and I know they use a flat rate book. So any of you do it like this, or how do you avoid the clients who are getting multiple bids, other than being in the first three full page adds in the phone book? It takes a long tme to get up to that level. Most of us charge some thing to go out to the job. jdelectric04 Hi im new here and have a question. i have been doing electric for 7 years and moved to southern ILL and starting my own co. i want to know what advice you all can give me. like how to get my name out and how to get hooked up with a GC. Scott Vickrey Thanks to John for suggesting this often overlooked subject. Doug Wells I really do not want to get hooked up with a GC. Usally they are looking for the best Deal in town,So I assume if you can underbid the next guy I am sure they will take a look at you. Doug Wells Thanks John I will be looking forward to visiting this section .I am trying to build up a servce business myself. MSD For well over 10 years I have beeen purchasing "escrow lists" of all homes selling in the surounding areas (zip codes)that I wish to work in. Cost is about $900 a year. I get a "address label" for every house sold that also includes the financing info on the home buyer. Makes it real easy to pick out the "fish". Nothing has worked better than the "escrow list method". I run full page newspaper ads, junk mail advertise, and sponsor local schools and sports teams to name a few of my other advertising methods. By far the best results are from the lists, otherwise I would have stopped bying them a long time ago. jdelectric04 thanks everyone where would i get a escrow list from is there a site i can look them up at MSD The company that supplies me the escrow list is called "Homeowners Marketing service, Inc" They are located in North Hollywood, CA. They have a toll free telephone number. John A. Peters Thst sounds great. I can not find them with Google, do you have a URL or a phone number or an email address, please. John MSD (eight-hundred) 232-2134 or (eight-one-eight) 506-1507 Mike Delaney I'm interested in the flat rate service. Companys around here are starting to go that direction. It's a little expensive to get set up with all the books and stuff, but you can make a killing. I know people around here inflate there rates, because the customer doesn't know how much you make an hour. I see one big benefit of using flat rate....I don't know if anyone else has experienced this....It seems like by the hour, the customer is watching his watch from the time you get in the door, and even though we do a good job, there still is quiet a few customers it seems like we have to haggle with...By using flate rate the customer knows what they are paying before the work begins...out here in colorado company charge a $25 dollar estimate fee, and if you accept the bid they wave the fee...theres alot of profit in servie work, and remodels...new construction not as much...to much compatition.