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What kind of commercial clients are you looking to get ?
I have one commercial grounds maintenance contract that I have been doing for last 6 years. Looking for more in 2013
Brian www.mibservices.co.uk said:
cut your profit margins to no more than 5% and start checking out tender announcements; local authority web sites, local paper classifieds. Put your company resume out to the various contractors who now manage (own) so many of our public properties now, including schools and hospitals. Be modest in your ambitions; you need to be able to demonstrate that the contract you are bidding for won't form THE major element in your turnover.
cut your profit margins to no more than 5% and start checking out tender announcements.
work on a 5% margin and you will be out of business in no time, 5% profits work on massive £500,000 plus contracts not on the type of work you will be looking to quote for.
Forget the tenders, schools and hospitals, your too small a company to even think about that size of contract. Be realistic, you only have ever had one commercial site.......... use that as your gauge to build up your commercial portfolio of sites. Go knock on factory manager doors and ask to be given the opportunity to quote for the grounds, phone Property Management and Factor Agents, apply for their approved supplier list.
You could also look at sub contracting to likes of Benchmark, Ground Control Ltd etc, all the big landscape management outfits.
I just really start last summer and find very difficult to find commercial customers...Could anyone help me with some tips how to do it ?What works best to attract their attension...for example estate agents.Should I get some brochures and knock to their door or direct mail works better.Thank you
Hi Paul,
My best advice is find the right name first, then do the contact. I'd bet 99% of unsolicited contacts go in the bin/deleted.
From then on it's getting a professional letter/email together, very short and concise, and you've got something addressed to the right person, and easy to read in a few seconds.