The competition...
- Thread starter HeX0rz
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beerman6
Addicted to ArboristSite
wow
Time for a new line of work, methinks.
Just have to make yourself stand out from the rest. Build a customer base on quality product, and perfect customer service. Everybody is in the game....
Mr. Firewood
ArboristSite Operative
I lost a delivery today due to the customer finding someone on craigslist that had wood for $150 a cord delivered instead of my $220, I told him to knock himself out and try it and when he ends up with a bunch of garbage to give me a call back
You think that is bad
check this one out:
http://nashville.craigslist.org/search/?areaID=32&subAreaID=&query=firewood&catAbb=sss
I just sell to the people that have bought frm me in the past which ends up being around 30-40 ricks of wood each winter.
check this one out:
http://nashville.craigslist.org/search/?areaID=32&subAreaID=&query=firewood&catAbb=sss
I just sell to the people that have bought frm me in the past which ends up being around 30-40 ricks of wood each winter.
woodhounder
ArboristSite Operative
You'll have to find another way to advertise. I think it is about impossible to stand out when there are that many adds.
I see people around town doing advertising with a truck on the side of the road with wood in it... Sometimes they are there for months and sometimes they are there for a couple days...
I was just recently thinking about bundling up 1 cubic foot bundles and selling them at $3 a bundle to local stores. That would make me a killing on a cord of wood if I got contracts...
EDIT: On the side note, if unemployment rates was not so high in the area, there would not be so many first-timers selling wood!
I was just recently thinking about bundling up 1 cubic foot bundles and selling them at $3 a bundle to local stores. That would make me a killing on a cord of wood if I got contracts...
EDIT: On the side note, if unemployment rates was not so high in the area, there would not be so many first-timers selling wood!
branchbuzzer
Undiagnosed
Unless you present your ad in an articulate fashion. If your ad is full of spelling errors, THE CAPS LOCK IS LEFT ON, you say things like "I got lotsa good burning hardwoods for sale, real good stuff" and so on, then you're gonna look like just another redneck with a saw and a truck (throwing green wood in the back).
Take a little time to make your ad look nice and people will actually think you know what you're doing ( even though you ARE just another redneck.... )
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CrappieKeith
Addicted to ArboristSite
Customer service is key and having good dry wood. Getting referals from your exsisting customer base is a great way to expand.
People will see through those others at run shoddy ...short load,green wood and what ever else that's a negative.
You may try listing exactly what kind of wood it is along with how long it has been cured,and that they will be getting a full 128 cubic feet full cord...not a partial.
To be the devils advocate...healthy compition keeps the market stabil and is good for the consumer.
I've generated 6 new customers for my wood guy this year.
The word will spread if you worry about pleasing the customer more than you are worried about your pocketbook.
If he wins...you win.
People will see through those others at run shoddy ...short load,green wood and what ever else that's a negative.
You may try listing exactly what kind of wood it is along with how long it has been cured,and that they will be getting a full 128 cubic feet full cord...not a partial.
To be the devils advocate...healthy compition keeps the market stabil and is good for the consumer.
I've generated 6 new customers for my wood guy this year.
The word will spread if you worry about pleasing the customer more than you are worried about your pocketbook.
If he wins...you win.
banshee67
Poulan Wild Thang
+1, very important
craigslist is already unprofessional enough to begin with. everytime i type in firewood , more than half the ads are clearly typed by an idiot who should be seeking help from the local preschool with his english composition, its depressing to watch.
a clear, to the point, professional looking ad is always best, no hidden games or added charges,some of these ads im sure most people close before they even finish reading. one thing i see often, which i would never do, there are the guys who give the price per cord (usually a bit cheaper than rest) annd then say they are charing $20 for delivery within 10 miles of their location and even more if you live outside of 10 mile radius!... very dumb... just raise your price $20 and put "free delivery within 10 miles". same amount of money, but sounds much more honest and friendly, even if they are 15 miles away , 90% of the time i give them free delivery anyway , ive done some that were closer to 20 miles away for free delivery too, but the sale and happy customer is worth more than $5 in gas, no?(unless their attitude earns them a delivery charge).. this makes you seem like a nice , honest generous person, rather than some cheap fool who is worried more about driving an extra 10 miles round trip than actually making a sale and having a happy customer.
i think i could make more money helping people type up ads than i could selling firewood sometimes, the ads on my local c-list are mostly horrible and misleading. most of the time i dont think the vendors even understand this though, you see these firewood ads that are like 2 paragraphs long! WHY? short , simple, to the point.
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For those CL prices why would you get your own???
Cheep cheep cheep!!!!
IHscoutII
ArboristSite Lurker
So thats the reason why no matter where I go, I cant find anything good to cut. I have never had any problems years past finding good wood but this year has been a royal pain.
o8f150
Tree Freak
that is high for what they get around here,,thats why i am not selling any,,,lucky to get 100 a cord here and that is delvered
branchbuzzer
Undiagnosed
Lesson #1 in "How Not to Design A CL Ad"
This is from an actual CL ad, it'd be funnier if it wasn't so sad, 'cause the guy prolly really needs the dough, methinks:
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Mixed Firewood - $55 (xxxxxxxx and surrounding areas)
Oak, hickory, wild cherry, locust, maple, gum, elm, and some popular.
Hauled on a Toyota Tacoma. Which hauls a face cord of wood.
Cut, Split, and Delevered.
Ton truck loads and Dumb truck load also.
Gas added if outside xxxxxxxxx.
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1. Ok, it's hardwood, but just how much of it is "popular" and maple and how much is oak and locust. I'm already hesitant as a buyer. Never, EVER, list poplar or equivalents in the mix ( unless you are only selling poplar )
2. Ok, it's maybe a face cord, IF it's stacked right. Strike 2.
3. Ok, cut, split and all leverage has been removed, is it seasoned? Hmmmm
4. The next line speaks for itself....
5. Yep, the ole delivery charge - and the town in question is not large. Just eat those extra dimes worth of gas unless it's a huge distance.
This is from an actual CL ad, it'd be funnier if it wasn't so sad, 'cause the guy prolly really needs the dough, methinks:
----------
Mixed Firewood - $55 (xxxxxxxx and surrounding areas)
Oak, hickory, wild cherry, locust, maple, gum, elm, and some popular.
Hauled on a Toyota Tacoma. Which hauls a face cord of wood.
Cut, Split, and Delevered.
Ton truck loads and Dumb truck load also.
Gas added if outside xxxxxxxxx.
----------
1. Ok, it's hardwood, but just how much of it is "popular" and maple and how much is oak and locust. I'm already hesitant as a buyer. Never, EVER, list poplar or equivalents in the mix ( unless you are only selling poplar )
2. Ok, it's maybe a face cord, IF it's stacked right. Strike 2.
3. Ok, cut, split and all leverage has been removed, is it seasoned? Hmmmm
4. The next line speaks for itself....
5. Yep, the ole delivery charge - and the town in question is not large. Just eat those extra dimes worth of gas unless it's a huge distance.
branchbuzzer
Undiagnosed
Same deal.....actual ad.
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I have a load & half of seasoned oak firewood forsale. It's a long bed truck full. $125 for both or $70 for the full load & $40 for the half load.
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Now, I dunno 'bout you, but when I buy a larger size I like to get a discount - not pay a $15 fee....
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I have a load & half of seasoned oak firewood forsale. It's a long bed truck full. $125 for both or $70 for the full load & $40 for the half load.
---------
Now, I dunno 'bout you, but when I buy a larger size I like to get a discount - not pay a $15 fee....
banshee67
Poulan Wild Thang
branchbuzzer
Undiagnosed
hes smarter than you think, its just clever advertising!
He's probably running the "short count" scam when he gives the guy his change, too ( as in Paper Moon )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqueZ1KNeT8
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Despite not having the best quality wood, I still aim at total customer satisfaction. On top, I just tell them to give me a buzz if they are not happy. Have not had a single call back yet! Whenever a customer seems to not be so knowledgeable about burning wood, I give them their tips they need to make it work the way it needs.
Let me give you guys my ad and let me know what you think(don't be too harsh now!)
Let me give you guys my ad and let me know what you think(don't be too harsh now!)
DangerTree
ArboristSite Operative
Just hold your wood til Dec-Jan when people run out they suck em`dry.
