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I would try to engage with the client by at least arranging a meeting. Once you have the clients personal attention you might find the sales process easier.
£14.00 is a very reasonable rate and, providing you are supplying the service that the client is in need of to the full, you should have no trouble with this.
If I had a client who was unsure I would suggest that they employ my services for a day and then make the decision after this in respect of a long term deal.
The downside risk for both parties is then limited. After all, you need to be sure that the client is right for you as well as you for them.
what in fact they are looking for,is joe blogs,man and van,no liability insurance,no PPE,netc,and they will want to pay £10 inc vat.
we try to get most people signed up on a yearly contract,and for that they get a discount.
work out how many hours a month they require,then divide by 12,this lowers the monthly cost to them,even better if they set up a direct debit,that way you have a 12 income from them,even at the quiet winter months.any other work(extras) can be invoiced monthly at a set hourly plus costs.
you could probably go to £12/hour as a discount for annual contract,or stick to your guns at £14 and let them know the overheads a "proper"gardener has.
I never employ anyone on an hourly basis, they may drink tea and have lots of fags in the van, which I am paying for.
When I am asked for an hourly rate over the phone I am "very polite" and ask if they would mind advising what work they need doing. After they have given you some info suggest they may be better to have a fixed price to start with as they could find out to there cost if they employ an ineffective gardener on an hourly rate. Ask them where they live and respond with Oh yes I have 2 customers nearby that I go to every week.( this is true for me because I only work in one small city) This will install a confidence they are talking to someone who is experienced and reliable. In essence, as has already been stated try and engage them in conversation, as you are at this point, like it or not, a salesman.
If lawn mowing is part of the requirements then in my experience you must keep this as a separate and fixed price at all times. Lawn mowing is vastly more profitable than ordinary domestic gardening. If you get it right then it should average out about £20 per hour for domestic customers. I now only have a few customer where I do any sort of gardening work and these are the ones that provide me with work through the winter months.
I can only think that because you arrive with a big mower, blower and strimmer and transform the landscape the customer is more willing to pay for what is seen to be a lot for his money. I don't know if it is true but there is certainly less of a question when it comes to price.
Maintaining other peoples work is not my proffession, perhaps I should'nt comment then really, but I will
You must view all projects to gain clarity on whats entailed, this now your moment, armed with your portfolio you need to " shine brighter than all the other stars" around you.
This will justify your fee, as I note your requests.
Good luck to you and remember the first 10 seconds are the most important
Kerry
Sell quality, reliability, honesty. Sell yourself because that's what most people really buy.
As they used to say, sell the sizzle not the sausage!
Offer to go and do a free quote, that gives you the opportunity to get face to face and sell yourself. Collect letters of reccomendation or phone numbers of satisfied clients and photos of your finished work and offer to show them to clients.
You can't win them all so don't undersell yourself just to get work. You won't want to do such a good job if you are just breaking even and Murphy's law says that the minute you commence such a job, profitable work will come along and you'll miss out because you couldn't start quickly enough!
If they ask for a discount, never ever offer 10% or any round number because they'll push for more. Instead, ask for a trade such as "I could give 2.7% if you paid cash on completion". That way they'll feel they have got something but are less likely to push for more since, in the normal run or negotiation, half of 2.7 = 1.35% and is that, in their head, worth haggling for?
Do remember that even if they pay for materials seperately, you still have wear and tear on your machinery, equipment, vehicles and yourself to cover. Yes, yourself.....you've got to fund a pension for your old age as well as down time due to illness, bad backs and the like. Also you've got to pay Tax and NI. When you quote fourteen pounds an hour, they imagine that is all going into your back pocket. Another reason to price the job in total and add 25% for the "buggeration" factor.
Finally, know what your worth and be ready to walk away, pride in yourself and your work will win you more respect and business than a willingness to cut prices and corners.
and your work will win you more respect and business than a willingness to but prices and corners."
Here Here!
if they want cheap - they get cheap -simple....
time is limited in 'summer' and yes anothe call will come before you know it ! my time is worth £10 an hour to me as i only get 1-2 days off , and i need to un-wind and eat good......ive got jobs on my own house i could be doing instead of theres......................i try and get £20 an hour --------oh i also used to tell them i 'work''hard'' '...............cheque is fine,,,and i used to wait up to 3 weeks/ 1month...... this can swing it. i will now if i have to but most pay within a week now........
after 7 yrs .........sometimes they can probably see, that if your not bothered 'you must be ok as others employ you and regulary.' i went from £5p/h £10p/h £12/14/15
obviously on bigger-jobs with machinary.......i can or charge extra for taking refuse on trailer £40/£50/£80. large loads.(on top) last year about £18 realistically now just getting the £20 bang on, but they get 'value' *important word...............i turn up when they call, i fit it in when rain stops, if they have guests..................look after regulars its took me 7yrs to learn they buy your bread&butter.(and petrol) to enable you to carry on/survive and do the 'other big / on-off jobs. give them priority when requesting 'say hedge cutting / trees, weed spray or whatever and try not to or never say 'no'.....
every time ive said 10/15/20 onthe phone they have almost hung up......but why did 'they' (tight arses) ask in the first place .......most people will not mention money if they are serious & respect you when they see your professionalism/character/trust when you turn up to quote.. dont be to formal and be POLITE...........why not -they are paying you.......
I will never quote per hour or they will fall down in shock!
In the past when I did tell them - I soon discovered they were just window shopping and not that interested in having work done just yet.
Tell your protential client that you cost each service from a position of quality and sustainability and offer an appropriate and fair balance between cost, quality, and timeliness. This is to ensure your clients receive the service for which they have paid, at a standard which they deserve.
Until you have actually seen the work required there is no way you can even pluck a figure out of the air. One person working at £15 per hour may work twice as fast or twice as slow than the company charging a totally different price and to a different quality!
Once you have seen the "work" then sell the client on our USP's as to why they should select you - assuming that you want the work! You will find that price is often not the issue.
I always quote a fixed price per job, the client knows what they will pay for and with no hidden extras. You may under quote on a few and over quote on others (swings and round-abouts) but you soon learn! On the odd ocassion I have added an additional contigency amount that I would only have to charge if we discovered / encountered certain problems, however for general day to day maint. work you wouldn't normally encounter such problems.
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