Does anyone know the best way to get in touch with the property manager for a lot of business with trees that could use some work? Sometimes there's trees that looks like in belongs to the government since its closer to the sidewalk but then there's trees that is inside a business zone.
How do I find the owner of the trees?
- Thread starter MrTreeGuy
- Start date
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Yes. It's quite easy.
Almost all counties and many cities maintain property records. You can usually look up the ownership of any property, although some counties conceal the ownership information but still list the other stuff, like code violations, assessed valuation, and other "public" information.
Just get on google, search "GIS mapping, <your county>, <your state>.
The county website is usually the 2nd or 3rd listing. Rarely the first.
You will invariably be asked to click a box for the disclaimer, then various tools pop up, I have ALL the 5 counties in my area bookmarked, as well as the KCMO website.
Example: https://www.google.com/search?as_q=...ch=&as_occt=any&safe=images&as_filetype=&tbs=
Searching for Ray county, Missouri, found me this:
https://raygis.integritygis.com/H5/Index.html?viewer=ray
And there you go!
Almost all counties and many cities maintain property records. You can usually look up the ownership of any property, although some counties conceal the ownership information but still list the other stuff, like code violations, assessed valuation, and other "public" information.
Just get on google, search "GIS mapping, <your county>, <your state>.
The county website is usually the 2nd or 3rd listing. Rarely the first.
You will invariably be asked to click a box for the disclaimer, then various tools pop up, I have ALL the 5 counties in my area bookmarked, as well as the KCMO website.
Example: https://www.google.com/search?as_q=...ch=&as_occt=any&safe=images&as_filetype=&tbs=
Searching for Ray county, Missouri, found me this:
https://raygis.integritygis.com/H5/Index.html?viewer=ray
And there you go!
OnX app, Or contact your county assessors office, though they frown on folks wanting to solicit business.
Ok thanks. I'm wanting to do tree work for the private lots of business, not the government owned trees. So business lots like wholefoods etc. Wouldn't it just be best to contact the property manager?
Another question is, I just approached a business and asked if they would like a tree pruning service and they said they already work with somebody but their trees never receive any type of pruning whatsoever. I was speaking with the manager and it was sort of a on the fly situation which made it difficult to assert my position and service so I just said thanks and left. Do you guys have any tips for this? Would it be better to solicit by email instead of in person>?
Another question is, I just approached a business and asked if they would like a tree pruning service and they said they already work with somebody but their trees never receive any type of pruning whatsoever. I was speaking with the manager and it was sort of a on the fly situation which made it difficult to assert my position and service so I just said thanks and left. Do you guys have any tips for this? Would it be better to solicit by email instead of in person>?
The onX app will give you the property lines and owners names .
Ernie
Ernie
Build a reputation first. Get a good website. Get some reviews on a free Google my business page. It takes time before you start getting commercial accounts. Start with smaller residential stuff and work your way up.
leave the knocking on doors to the scum bags that overcharge for simple services.
Do good work, under promise and over deliver. your name will spread from there
Do subpar work, and your name will spread as well...
In reality, your best advertisement is to stay busy, maybe put some professional decals on your trucks and keep things looking good, really about all you need to do.
Tree service work is highly competitive, so be aware of that.
And if an outfit already has someone they contract with, leave it alone, if they are happy with them asserting yourself is only going to make an enemy, either of the potential client or the business you are literally robbing work from. Now if said property were to call you, its a different story, you'll still upset the competition, but if thats the case, maybe the other guy should be doing better work?
I don't generally solicit any business, and I haven't spent a nickle on advertising of any sort for the last 5 years. I still get more calls than I can manage.
If you wish to solicit a particular job, and have identified a specific problem, then find the managers by the method I showed you, and then MAIL a proposal to the owners of the property. Such solicitation will probably get pitched into the trash bin unless you effectively identify a liability problem that scares them into action.
Businesses that care about cosmetics will already have a tree service. If you are eye-balling that lovely property and a couple of trees that could use a little pruning... give it up. They already have folks that they call.
Focus on the properties that show dead trees not removed, large dead branches overhanging the parking lots, weed trees growing into the foundation or perhaps just the fenceline. Many of those potential customers either haven't noticed the work needs done, or figure they cannot afford the work, or just don't have the time to bother with getting quotes. Put it in writing, and let them mull it over. Send an updated quote 6 months later, when the job is looking worse and still not taken care of.
If you like the personal approach, walk in the door with your written proposal, and ask the minions who you should address your proposal to. Be sure to include a business card. Then drop it off and run.
Property owners do NOT like to deal with salesmen. They do like service providers that make life easier for them, however. Be that person and they will come to you year after year.
If you wish to solicit a particular job, and have identified a specific problem, then find the managers by the method I showed you, and then MAIL a proposal to the owners of the property. Such solicitation will probably get pitched into the trash bin unless you effectively identify a liability problem that scares them into action.
Businesses that care about cosmetics will already have a tree service. If you are eye-balling that lovely property and a couple of trees that could use a little pruning... give it up. They already have folks that they call.
Focus on the properties that show dead trees not removed, large dead branches overhanging the parking lots, weed trees growing into the foundation or perhaps just the fenceline. Many of those potential customers either haven't noticed the work needs done, or figure they cannot afford the work, or just don't have the time to bother with getting quotes. Put it in writing, and let them mull it over. Send an updated quote 6 months later, when the job is looking worse and still not taken care of.
If you like the personal approach, walk in the door with your written proposal, and ask the minions who you should address your proposal to. Be sure to include a business card. Then drop it off and run.
Property owners do NOT like to deal with salesmen. They do like service providers that make life easier for them, however. Be that person and they will come to you year after year.
OnX seems to be for hunters and other outdoorsmen types. I kinda doubt that they are as effective as the county tax assessors, who absolutely know where the property owners get their tax bill delivered. OnX is probably just compiling the county tax records, anyway.
Plus... OnX isn't free. It might be easier to use for some areas, particularly for remote counties that don't keep a public archive available on-line.
I want to jump on the commercial accounts because it's easy. The trees are still very young and easy to work on and
...and the established tree services will probably have that work tied up already. You gotta go for the hard & dangerous work, that the other guys don't want. The experienced buyers want established tree services with pretty trucks and uniformed staff to do the pretty work.
That's a good goal. If you know someone on the inside it is possible but not likely. Most grocery stores and larger business have property management companies that hire that stuff out.
Beyond getting those kinds of jobs there are other qualifications. Do you have liability, commercial auto, and workers compensation insurance? Sometimes companies, like the hospital system we work for, even ask for extra "aggregate insurance" and will ask you to have your insurance company write them as "additional insured". Are you licensed in your municipality and state?
You will be better off getting your feet wet in residential jobs, building a reputation and equipment, and making it a goal to get into commercial work.
Its free for a month trial, and yeah they pretty much just compile county/state etc but it does give you a place to start.
They want an absurd amount for a yearly subscription though, way more then its worth.
Give me an address in your county, and I'll probably be able to tell you the owner. Shucks! Just point at a location on a map.
It won't cost me a dime, and I won't need to give away my personal information in exchange, either.
Like I said, some jurisdictions don't publish ownership info, so there are no guarantees.
It won't cost me a dime, and I won't need to give away my personal information in exchange, either.
Like I said, some jurisdictions don't publish ownership info, so there are no guarantees.
I have another question for the veteran arborist here, what do you guys think about freebies upfront in order to gain a customer? Since I'm in the trimming side and not the removal side of tree work, would it be better if I offered to give the property manager a free service upfront and explain to them thats what I do?
Honestly, all of this is just a side thing for me. If I can sell the service, great. If not, its not a big deal. But either way, most trees, especially trees in residential areas never receive any type of needed preventive pruning. Hell, I'd do it for free just for the trees sake but its winter so less motivation to go outside unless I can have even a small monetary incentive. Christmas is coming up fast!
Honestly, all of this is just a side thing for me. If I can sell the service, great. If not, its not a big deal. But either way, most trees, especially trees in residential areas never receive any type of needed preventive pruning. Hell, I'd do it for free just for the trees sake but its winter so less motivation to go outside unless I can have even a small monetary incentive. Christmas is coming up fast!
Loss leaders are a marketing idea from retail merchandise. If you want to tease them into calling for your services, sell the value of what you do instead of letting them know how little it is worth. I've always had a minimum fee, and I figure that if a customer doesn't recognize the need of a service to make money, they aren't worth consideration as a customer.
You might consider volunteer work with community cleanup organizations. That way you at least get press for your give-away efforts.
You might consider volunteer work with community cleanup organizations. That way you at least get press for your give-away efforts.
I think Ill have to try different selling methods because potential customers are going to fail to see the value no matter how well you sell it to them. The benefits can simply be out of their knowledge, whereas, as simple tree removal people have more experience with that and can see the benefits.
Speaking of experience, how is your resume looking.......?
quahog
ArboristSite Member
OnX isn't even remotely accurate where I own land in NW NH. Land owners not listed, lot lines missing, lot lines where they aren't, etc.
The best thing in NH to use is the already mentioned tax maps. Here, they are either in PDF or GIS format and updated once or twice a year depending on who the town has the contract with.
