At least one person has found us. Well got my first call this morning, a lady has a opossum living under her house. We talked for a few minutes about this and that. When I told her the price and what it covered, it turned into one of those; I'll have to check with my husband calls. Maybe she will call back, maybe not. Oh well at least I did find out where she heard about me. She said she seen an ad I posted on Craig's list. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a call back.

If you don't use Craigs list, you should. People are definately looking at it.

Congratulations on your first call!

Don't feel bad if you don't get the job. Half of the calls I get go nowhere.

It's a start though.

btw...When you get your cards don't forget to hit every real estate office in your area. They provide a good amount of work.

Craigslist in my area seems to be mostly people wanting something for nothing.

I do a lot of work for real estate and property management offices along with golf courses. I would also drop cards off with local police department dispatchers. Make sure the dispatcher gets it. They are the ones fielding the calls.

I used to tape a bunch to gas pumps when fueling up but got a couple calls from the stations asking me to stop doing that. I also put cards inside all the traps at hardware stores but got a call from one of the manufacturers telling me to stop that also.

When you hear "I am going to check with my husband," that is the kiss of death.

Phil, I sort of figured that but oh well. It felt good anyway. Maybe the next one will be the charme.

Here is another tip. When you get those calls save them.

I write each one down on a post it note with name, phone number, complaint, and day they called. Then I call them back a week later and just tell them I was doing a follow up to make sure they got their problem solved.

I would say 4 out of 10 hire me on that call back.

Nate that is a good idea, thanks. I will definately do that. Anyone else got any tips they don't mind giving out?

Never ever let price be the first thing discussed, even when they initiate the call with "how much do you charge". Also never ever finish with the price.
Get them to talking about their problem, ask directed questions and when you have gathered what you need to fully understand the problem then you outline (just an outline not teaching them how to) your solution again not mentioning price. The idea being that the two of you are making a personal connection of they have a problem and you are the answer. Then you can discuss price. I am a firm believer in telling them twice what I am going to for them and then state my fee and then tell them a third time. Be sure to string through all of this solicitations for positive answers and finish on a positive like, "does this sound good" or does this sound like what you want to happen". Make it easy and get them in the habit of saying yes. If I've got them on a roll and it's all there my final question is "when would you like to schedule".

Another thought. The tire kickers are going to shop it around and talk to many folks. Some keep notes. The more I say the more the notes so keep them talking. I've had many callbacks based on nothing more than I was remembered.

Same as Warrior I get a lot of those people calling me back even if I am not the cheapest. They usually tell me I gave them the most information and I took my time to speak with them. Even if they are out of your area being nice and helpful will be great for your business. My highest paying job to date came from a guy out of state that had a squirrel issue. I think I sent him to someone on here or Robbs site... I get a call from a big plant down here seems the CEO is the son of the guy I helped out of state. Karma:)

Answer the phone! You would be surprised how many jobs I have gotten because I was the only one they called that answered or I was the first one to call them back.

Ditto! Many many clients in the last 1.5 years have mentioned calling others with no call back! Same thing with smartphone emails
I return them as soon as I am physically capable and people love that!

Justin

It amazes me how many people tell me that I was the only one to answer the phone. I pay $200 for a phone bill you better believe I am going to answer it.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^ they want to talk with a person NOW

All the above tips are very good.
The tire-kickers are gonna do one of three things: hope the problem goes away, buy a Havahart at the local Home Cheapo, or hire a pro like you. While, as David says, you talk a while before you get to price, don't spend ten minutes before mentioning price: once you get to price with the tire-kickers, nothing else matters (thanks to price-oriented stores like Home Depot, Walmart and Lowe's). Some folks start the conversation with "How much does it cost to...?"
"Let me ask my spouse" is usually the last you hear from them, but not always. If I don't close the sale over the phone, I always finish the conversation with "let us know what we can do for you." You have to let the customer know that you want his business. Never let your pride get the best of you and say anything nasty or slam down the phone. Many of my customers tell me they hired me because I sounded professional and personable.
"People don't hire companies, they hire people."

Dave, your absolutely right and it is one of the things I have to watch and that is talking them out of hiring. Get them talking just enough to make the connection and then take charge and direct the conversation the way I need it to go.

Another good tip is after you state your price, stay firm. If you start adjusting your price on the phone, they will either think 1) Your prices were too high to begin with you must be gouging them, or 2) You don't know what you are talking about. They will take advantage of you if you allow them to. Once you open the door on price negotiations they go for the jugular. That is very hard to do when starting out. Show confidence and people can sense that.

This does not include repairs however. I will normally want to see them before giving them a price, or exclusion jobs like bats.

Dave is exactly right people want to do business with people not huge corporations.

Boy, you can say that again.
There's nothing I respect less than a salesman who will try to sell something at twice the real price. There's a local home improvement company that is notorious for that.

It could be you placed your add on Craigslist and got your call but it wasn't a real wildlife problem . Lady's husband might have some service offered along side of yours and a light bulb lit up because her husbands niegbor hand a possum problem and they where just seeing how much that payed . People have a animal probem I can 100% guaranty ya they don't look on Craigslist . They don't look on YouTube or EBay . If they don't know about a service people offer they ether reaserch on google or call a friend that had this same problem . It would be nice if it where as simple as placing a free add but it just doesn't work that way . People have a possum coming up threw there bath tub it's like 911 time . They don't go on Craigslist looking for a doctor or fireman and wildlife is the same thing . It's raccoon breeding season not possum in the bathtub season . I hope I'm wrong and the lady does call back and the possum job goes well for ya . Mostly likly I'm not and if you keep posting there most likely every Tom dick and hairy will take note and do the same because they think wow this guy must really be doing good .

Ahem.