Ask Mr. Now

[Sotiria]

What do I look for in contracting opportunities, and to what end?

Am I looking to go from long-term contract to long-term contract with a single entity, or am I looking for a few part-time contracts simultaneously? Through a contracting firm, or am I finding these on my own? Either way, what is the advantage and/or difference between contracting and starting my own operation?

[Mr. Now]

Contracting *is* starting your own operation.

Clean up your finances, independently develop some genuine resourcefulness, and pay attention to clarifying your goals.

From there you have all your answers to all these questions, without help from anyone, including Mr. Now.

[Sotiria]

Thanks Mr. Now. Are you sure you don't want to hold my hand.

[Justaguy33]

Mr. Now,

I am looking for ideas to diferentiate myself from other plumbing and drainage companies. As a start up yet to launch my first idea is to focus on being a "green company" which is very important to my local community. Also I am looking for ideas on where to market besides the yellowpages and a website. I will be focusing on the residential drainage market. Any ideas?

[Mr. Now]

Please provide more information.

Please explain why "green drainage" is good business idea.

Share all of your thinking. Provide all of your numbers (if any) for # estimated customers, service area in miles, average sale, sales per week, weekly expenses, weekly time investment, startup costs, associated service sell-throughs, startup costs, numbers supporting market growth if any etc. Provide more information than simply a few sentences. Provide a highly detailed explanation.

Also provide all of your personal reasons for being so passionately attracted to a job in drainage, green or otherwise.

Aren't most of the drainage pipes totally full of [censored]?

[Justaguy33]

I live in a wealthy community that is overly concerned with the envrioment that is this idea behind green drainage. We will concentrate on the residential drainage. The reason being most plumbing and drainage companies concentrate on commercial so it will be less competitive. As for market size I don't know I also don't know if it is a growing market or not. But I think (which may be wrong) that is safe to assume that the market size doesn't fluctate that much based on any reasonable economic or social factors.

We will charge 75hr min 1/2 hr charge which is 5 dollars below average. My brother is a plumber and he will be the sole employee unless demand is great. Expenses on a high estimate will average 1200 mth. Startup costs at around $6000. For him to triple his current salary he would have to work 4 billable hours per day, 5 days a week. 4 billable hours would be maximum 6 hours realtime. All supplies are billed to customer.

The main reason we are planning to do this is he is basically doing everything you would need to run this business now but getting paid 1/3. I believe the business is a good fit for him and so does he. My big concern is market penetration. He believes their is enough demand that we will not even have to advertise, while that would be great I have my doubts. Of all people I have polled refferal is the top criteria for plumbing choice. He is great at the service side and once we get rolling I believe we will see growth but I am looking for back up plans in case we "do have to advertise". Any ideas on adding value or marketing strategies that can help penetration or start the referral process would be greatly appreciated. In fact any thoughts period would be appreciated.

[Mr. Now]

If you live in a wealthy community, you have a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's nearby.

You probably also have some local green/organic stores nearby, and probably some bookstores.

These are theplaces where you customers are shopping and hanging out. So, you might think about how you can get access to them via these venues.

Talk to the owners/managers and think about how to weave yourself into their community of customers, such that you have some access to them. Go to any green-type meetings in your area. Talk to and listen to anyone selling organic products in volume in your region.

For advertising, you can also sponsor some of their green events or meetings, and by doing so you are buying ads and exposure that is noticed and examined by readers who are a total match with your target-customer demographic and values profiles.