Is it quiet or just me?

[PaulSC]

My first post, so please be gentle.

Went self-employed in January and realistically gave myself 1-2 years to build a business as a domestic spark. But despite regular weekly advertising in the local press, a great web site and the usual free online directories, the phone refuses to ring (apart from other online directoroes trying to flog me more services).

Every customer so far has been really pleased with any work carried out (full rewires to bulb changes!) and offered to recommend me.

Is any else in the same boat? Any ideas or suggestions, or has the country simply gone down the toilet. I dont need a huge wage, but simply can't survive on 1-2 days work a month.

I've given myself until Christmas, after which I'll be stacking shelves at Tescos.

 

[Badger]

ive found it really quiet round staffordshire all year as well, i think its pretty general to be honest

 

[Zeespark]

Mate, stay away from Tescos, apply anywhere but there is My advice.

AndyGuinness

 

[Badger]

you still shelf stacking ol matey :^O ill phone you later this evening if your around still on your home number 01234 123456 :^O :^O :^O oh sorry thats the mad houses phone number :^O

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

My first post, so please be gentle.Went self-employed in January and realistically gave myself 1-2 years to build a business as a domestic spark. But despite regular weekly advertising in the local press, a great web site and the usual free online directories, the phone refuses to ring (apart from other online directoroes trying to flog me more services).

Every customer so far has been really pleased with any work carried out (full rewires to bulb changes!) and offered to recommend me.

Is any else in the same boat? Any ideas or suggestions, or has the country simply gone down the toilet. I dont need a huge wage, but simply can't survive on 1-2 days work a month.

I've given myself until Christmas, after which I'll be stacking shelves at Tescos.

Welcome to the forum Paul...

IMHO 1 - 2 years is an optimistic timescale for any new start business in any trade.

Before I started self employment I read various books on the subject

and several sources gave statistics that most small business fail within the first 5 years.

So gave advice that you need to be looking at getting 5 or 6 years under your belt to be getting a reasonable stability of income.

Books I had are now out of print...

(they do tend to reprint and change some items relating to tax rules etc..)

anyway sort of things bit like these:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=self+employment&x=10&y=15

Ignoring the specifics of the electrical bit

there is the principal of working out your unique selling point...

what can you push to make people choose you over other electricians..

Don't be fooled into thinking it is just all down to price!

Lots of customers will pay more for quality...

(thats why Jaguars sell as well as Kia's)

i.e. you can balance

Fewer higher quality jobs with greater return

-vs-

More quicker low quality jobs with less return.

Things are undoubtedly quiet...

That is clearly evident daily in the media

BUT...

it is still a fact that this nation has a growing population who are living longer of which many cannot and will not touch anything electrical...

However it is also true that where people fear they may lose their job they put some of the less essential home alterations on hold!

(such as employing an electrician for something that is still working at the moment through the adapter and multi-block extension lead! )

One difference for electrical work compared to some other trades is that people don't normally want electrical work every year!

so when people say they will recommend you..

it may be 18months down the line before someone asks your customer

do you know a good electrician?

Whereas say a gardener will have numerous repeat visits during the spring summer autumn seasons each year, year in, year out, with the same customer!

What services are you providing

are you limiting to a purely 230v electrical wiring service?

Do you offer a wider package..

Communications (Telephones, Data, TV etc..)

Alarm systems

Plumbing showers, combined electric & wet towel rads, immersion heater problems, Central hearting wiring

etc..

etc..

Are you a member of one of the approved contractor schemes to self certify your work?

If yes does your scheme provider have any subsidized adverts in any of the phone books / websites etc..?

There are NO magic solutions... just hard graft long hours and sometimes intermittent gaps between significant returns

:coffee

 

[Zeespark]

No mate, I have been diagnosed with having arthritis in My right ankle, more determined than ever to go self employed now

AndyGuinness

 

[Apache]

No mate, I have been diagnosed with having arthritis in My right ankle, more determined than ever to go self employed now

Would that not be an incentive to be employed? They have to pay you if you have a month off sick - self employed you don't work you don't get paid!

 

[Apache]

Oh, hello and welcome. Heed SL's good advice!

There are some business pages on here made by KME who's having such a bad time of things he's having a month long holiday in Egypt. Some say he's gone to visit his Mummy.........

http://www.electricianforum.co.uk/soletrader.htm

 

[Zeespark]

Mate I would feel better being SE'd rather than work for Tescos any old day of the week.

AndyGuinness

 

[Apache]

Mate I would feel better being SE'd rather than work for Tescos any old day of the week.AndyGuinness

Absolutely, I assumed you meant employed in the electrical industry! :Blushing

 

[septiclecky]

Would that not be an incentive to be employed? They have to pay you if you have a month off sick - self employed you don't work you don't get paid!

Don't know where you get that info from if you work for a contractor all you get is SSP

 

[Zeespark]

Its fine bud, when I get sorted I am not expecting alot work wise, so it would help build strength back into My ankle as I go along.

AndyGuinness

 

[davetheglitz]

Comments below:-

My first post, so please be gentle.Went self-employed in January and realistically gave myself 1-2 years to build a business as a domestic spark. But despite regular weekly advertising in the local press, a great web site and the usual free online directories, the phone refuses to ring (apart from other online directoroes trying to flog me more services).

Every customer so far has been really pleased with any work carried out (full rewires to bulb changes!) and offered to recommend me.

Is any else in the same boat?

Yep! 2 years in - but work dropped off a cliff after the world cup/Wimbledon/budget. Can't afford to pay ourselves at the moment, but there are signs that things are improving.

Any ideas or suggestions

Hang on in there! Any kitchen/bathroom/general builders you can tie up with? Yellow Pages has paid for itself for us. Leaflet drop/local press/Yell - all have cost me. Need to get in YP quick for this year. People like their electricians to be local - so quote the areas you service.

, or has the country simply gone down the toilet

People are scared and don't want to spend. Quite understand!

I dont need a huge wage, but simply can't survive on 1-2 days work a month.

On the other hand I get a phone call a week from electricians looking for a job. Not sure what jobs there are out there.

I've given myself until Christmas, after which I'll be stacking shelves at Tescos.

Hope it doesn't come to that! Good Luck!

 

[sellers]

I started out in Jan too. My advice is to keep all your overheads to a complete minimum and cut spending.

The key for me is recommendations. I've tried advertising and its hit and miss! Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. What I find gets me the most work is getting my name about myself. When your face to face with someone they remember you better.

For example, when working with a builder, his plumber comes on site I get chatting give him a card and then theres a new line of work, that plumber then works for another builder and he recommends you, your then in another line. It just snowballs. Don't be affraid to say hello to customers next door neighbours and give them a card explaining your a reliable electrician. Its just about selling yourself. On your quiet days stop off at a couple of builders giving them your card, tell them your just passing etc.

I went through a dry patch which worried me a little, but now I get so many calls from people who say I got your number from so and so, and also from friends of friends, its just nice to know people are happy with what I do.

Chin up and it will get better.

 

[Evans Electric]

Welcome PaulSC , you have become self employed at the worst possible time since the great depression of 1920 . Do you have a van and if so , is it sign written and if not get it done. Its all about who you know and who knows you . Local paper is a good move.

Things are really quiet , I worked every day last week , all I have this week is a board change on Thursday.

Stick with it if you can manage , consider subbing to help another local guy out perhaps.

 

[batty]

My advice would be get in with a few builders if you can. I know I moan about them but most of my work is for one builder and the rest is made up from recommendations. I don't advertise and have no markings on my van but have been pretty busy all through this recession. But I have been trading for over ten years and sub contracted to other electrical firms when I first started but have always worked for builders also.

 

[Jono Pashley]

Mate, stay away from Tescos, apply anywhere but there is My advice.AndyGuinness

could be worse you could be working at the wilko depot at manton wood, treat you like a bloody dog.

 

[initforthemoney]

I have more work than i can cope with.

Guinness

 

[tom1]

I have more work than i can cope with. Guinness

because you good, cheap or slow???

well seriously good for you, i find my self busy or quite, very quite at the min

if your so busy pass some work on, there is prob some members near your location

 

[M107]

I have work booked in untill end of Oct, mostly periodics for local authority but the phone has been fairly quiet with any domestic work. only had 2 board changes this month.

Phone calls that are most prevelent are the "we can get you more work" sales type calls.