Need to Make some money with my Tractor.

[DavesTractor]

Truth is that I generally take the truck if the potential client is local and there fuel in that gas-guzzling beast. Otherwise, it's my 200,000 mile Ford Escort econobox with the rear bumper and tailpipe both dragging on the ground. At least if I run out of fuel, I can always take the plates off and walk home... no big loss.

Dougster

Dougster, you know I am just kidding you. Living in Mass, owning a Vette and a Harley...tough times.

On a more serious note, I think a clean but not "showy" rig is most appropriate. You want to look like you are in business, but not like you are getting rich off your customers.

 

[Dougster]

Dougster, you know I am just kidding you. Living in Mass, owning a Vette and a Harley...tough times. On a more serious note, I think a clean but not "showy" rig is most appropriate. You want to look like you are in business, but not like you are getting rich off your customers.

Understood. No show-off truck here. Just a 2006 Chevy Silverado 2500HD work truck... complete with tow package and snowplow set-up. Pretty standard contractor-grade stuff.

Dougster

 

[bones1]

I want to nominate this topic for post of the month.It is a great read and very informative.I love it here!.
PS.I think Dougster has a rainy day fund

 

[Dougster]

I think Dougster has a rainy day fund

Ha!!! Now that's funny!!! I wonder where I misplaced it!!!

Anybody out there want to give me a loan based on my vast reserves???

Dougster

 

[workinallthetime]

doug dont ever call me a yuppy again
vette amd a HD,lol

when i meet a customer for the first time i show up in my truck, im wearing my company t-shirt, i have clip board, a pin and 5 business cards. i write down notes about the job and i write down my rate per hour on the back of 1 card and my e-mail. they always lose 1 card so i give them 5 and this also gives them some to pass out to their friends.

I think that dougs only problem is that he has not run into the right group of people yet. remember the movie 6 degrees of seperation? I really think that you are only 6 people away (in your area) from somone who knows you. Once he breaks into the group of people who landscape, own property, ect... things will take off.
I dont know if there are any "farmers markets" in your area but those are a real good way to pass out info about your business. When my dad had is nursery we would go to 3 of those on saturday and there was always some guy at one set up with his stump grinder as his display and handing out info about his services. One guy i knew quit coming after 3 weeks because he was to busy. rent is usually 30 bucks, you could take your TLB up to one and set it. then hand out cards and business flyers to people who come to see your pretty red thang. liabilty issues if they climb on so a "please stay off" sign will be needed.
just another idea for ya
happy diggin, all i did today was yap on the phone and bolt some new hooks on the bota

 

[Dougster]

doug dont ever call me a yuppy again vette amd a HD,lol when i meet a customer for the first time i show up in my truck, im wearing my company t-shirt, i have clip board, a pin and 5 business cards. i write down notes about the job and i write down my rate per hour on the back of 1 card and my e-mail. they always lose 1 card so i give them 5 and this also gives them some to pass out to their friends. I think that dougs only problem is that he has not run into the right group of people yet. remember the movie 6 degrees of seperation? I really think that you are only 6 people away (in your area) from somone who knows you. Once he breaks into the group of people who landscape, own property, ect... things will take off. I dont know if there are any "farmers markets" in your area but those are a real good way to pass out info about your business. When my dad had is nursery we would go to 3 of those on saturday and there was always some guy at one set up with his stump grinder as his display and handing out info about his services. One guy i knew quit coming after 3 weeks because he was to busy. rent is usually 30 bucks, you could take your TLB up to one and set it. then hand out cards and business flyers to people who come to see your pretty red thang. liabilty issues if they climb on so a "please stay off" sign will be needed. just another idea for ya. happy diggin, all i did today was yap on the phone and bolt some new hooks on the bota

Ain't no Yuppie person here! You see any ORANGE in any of my photos??? They don't even let me sit on them ORANGE things over at the local Yuppie Palace!!! They even make me park in the street. And no big fancy vacations down south of the border either!!!

Those other things are toys leftover from better days that I can't even afford to insure and run anymore! Everything goes into the business now... and a few dented cans of soup!

You do have more good small business ideas than Carter had liver pills... which is why it's so sad to see you leaving the dirt moving business to go back and work for the man... even if the man is willing to pay you a small fortune! The good news is that my Yellowbook ad finally hit the streets of my town and the whole surrounding area. At least I have a genuine yellow pages listing now... even with a small ad. Suddenly, I feel almost legit! It can't hurt. Please Lord... it's got to help.

Dougster

 

[workinallthetime]

well ive got few obsticles i have to get over in the next couple years so going back to work seems to be the best way to ensure that all goes as planned.
i need a 1 ton dump - easy and cheep when im working for a dealer
kido is going to need braces in a year - insurence
oldest kid is going to need a car in a year or so - dealership
have to have a disc repaired in my neck - insurence
wife needs a brain transplant - wishful thinking

i have not just gotten my feet wet this year ive been soaked to the knees so i know i can do it, I just need to step back for a couple years, network a little more, and then dive back in when i dont have these things hanging over my head.

i know it can be done and i know i love doing so that gives me something to really work hard to happen.

dont forget to give your customers at least a $5.00 an hour discount for paying in good ole green money, works great in more ways than one.

 

[Dougster]

i have not just gotten my feet wet this year ive been soaked to the knees so i know i can do it, I just need to step back for a couple years, network a little more, and then dive back in when i dont have these things hanging over my head. i know it can be done and i know i love doing so that gives me something to really work hard to happen.

Well, the fact that you became so successful so fast clearly says to me that you've got the personality, skills and knack for small business. I understand having to work for the man. Lord knows I did it for long enough myself while my kids were growing up. Just be careful about this idea of waiting until things aren't hanging over your head. There will always be some things hanging over your head. That's just the complex nature of life.

Dougster

 

[patrick_g]

I worked with a couple yesterday in the rain and mud most of the day building a dry stream bed,

Seems counterintuitive or sort of oxymoron like. Building a "DRY" stream bed in the rain.

Gee, I thought Tulsa area was the "Oklahoma Riviera" and not subject to the weather with which he rest of us Oklahomans had to contend.

My quarter has an average elevation of about 1000ft above sea level and has excellent drainage with no threat of flooding in all this Seattle weather B U T There is standing water in every little hoof print and depression on the surface. Even with 4x4 on 3 different trucks I can't drive the property without fear of walking home (not enough trees in parts to winch to.) Last month I got out between rains and brush hogged about 30 acres in one of the 40 acre pastures and then I ran through puddles in places (lots of places.)

I have a cab so rain in and of itself is not a big deal but even with 4x4 on the tractor the surface soil finally got so saturated I can't go out for fear of rutting up the pastures.

I can appreciate your working in the mud to please your client and to try to hold up your end. With a cab on my tractor I didn't use to let weather interfere too much with my activities but at some point it gets so muddy you fall below the break even point and ruin more than you accomplish. Hope you guys up there in the "Riviera" haven't reached that point.

Do you think it would irritate a customer to be working in the rain next to you if you were in a nice dry cab?

Hope the weather doesn't close out your opportunities. Too bad we can't take a rain check on some of this rain and have it delivered in mid to late July and spread out over August.

Pat

 

[workinallthetime]

the area i am working is just big enough for me to get into with the b3030, my old bx23 would have been perfect for the this job. The customer actaully asked me if i minded working in the rain, i said welllllll and she so good its kinda fun, ugg. If i had a cab there is no way i could have gotten into the yard. I was supose to mow my cash cow today but due to the rain its mostly standing water and 10 acres on a zd326 in the water would not be pretty. i know what your thinking 10 acres on a ztr 60 mower but the customer wants it to look like a park and pays me really, really well. If i had something bigger to mow it with it would not take as long and i would not make as much money. I would like to get a hog to drag behind the b3030 but at this point a 6 foot hog or a finish mower would only pick up 1 foot so why bother. i can mow pretty fast with the zd326 and get in all those tight places.

its to muddy to do anything around here right now and lloks like its going to be that way for days to come, after this im sure it will be 95 degrees and humid like you dont want to know