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| Subject - getting started | |
| 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. |
| Mike Delaney | I was in your shoes about two years ago. The only difference is I was in the same area as I worked, for seven years for my former employer. I did side jobs on evenings and weekends, and slowly built up a clientel. One thing that works well is make a "contractor pack". Use a nice plastic covering with your business logo, a couple of business cards, a brief note about your company, and goals, a list of references, a copy of your liability insurance, and a copy of your workmans comp. Walk into a GC office and try to speak with them personaly. When you hand them this packet they will be impressed. Once you land the GC, always be on the job when you say your going to, clean up after yourself, and get along with other subs...keep it up and you will be a success! |
| lctrc789 | You are not saying what type of work you are doing, comm. residential etc. If you are doing comm. work it is very competitve and need to get foot in door for sure advertising etc. If you are doing residential realtors and insurance groups can help you gain much work good luck |
| jdelectric04 | well thanks i will try the pack and see how it does and any other advice you can give me on how to run a co and anything would be helpful thanks so much guys |
| JimmyDee | We have an excellent forum HERE where a lot of excellent info on being in business is discussed. I would invite you to ask questions of the people in the know in that forum. John Peters is very sharp in that area along with others and will be a great help to you I'm sure. Jim |
| sparkie2170 | What kind of work will you be doing? Residential, commercial? I am in Chicago, and we have gotten alot of work in bars and restaraunts simply through word of mouth. There is a relativly tight community in the bar and restaraunt industry, and they are frequently getting violations from inspectors. Its a great source of service calls. As far as General Contractors, No. 1, be careful. Most GCs are (at least in my experience, and being one myself, I can say this) guys who think they know everything, and have little experience in any trade. They forever mis manage funds, and its a nightmare trying to get payouts. (I do not mean I'm like this, I have 25+ years in the trades, and my subs always get paid before I do, Much to my wifes dismay!) Anyway, good luck, and give it awhile. It takes about 3 years and alot of hours to get a decent business going. |
| John A. Peters | quote: Thanks for the complement! Actually, I am not any sharper than the rest of you here, but I do have more experience than some of you. One thing I suggest (and do myself) is to start writing your response in the little message composing window but then cut and paste it into something like outlook express where there's a larger work area and a spell checker. After editing and proof reading it, I copy and paste the message back in to the little window here in the forum and use the preview window to double-check what I'm saying is clear enough for an audience of the 900 or so subscribers that we have here. This process makes me appear sharp even though I'm just one of the guys like you. |