When opening your plumbing store, you should understand that if at the very initial stage you pay special attention to advertising the business, and therefore spend a significant amount of money on it, this will make it easier to get a stable profit in the future. Let's figure out which plumbing store advertising is the most effective, and which one is better not to spend time, effort, or money on.
What does active plumbing advertising mean?
Printing.
To begin with, you should order business cards with lamination from the printing house (about 1000 pieces), which will indicate the name of your plumbing store, contact information, website address or the name of the community on the social network. It is desirable that the first business cards be discounted (3-5% discount on plumbing), this will allow you to get regular customers. Then you need to print glossy color A5 booklets (about 10,000 pieces), which should be distributed in the mailboxes of nearby houses. Advertising posters in A3 format (approximately 500 pieces) should be pasted at stops in your microdistrict. Do not skimp on poster design - if you do not work with Photoshop yourself, it is better to contact a designer.
Advertising of a plumbing store should always be in front of your eyes, so it is recommended to stick flyers on special bulletin boards in the elevators of houses in the next four or five microdistricts. You should not ignore this method of informing, and also neglect the help of a design project development specialist.
Receipts of Teplovodokanal, HOA.
This method involves you supplying the utility with paper that has your promotional offers printed on one side. If you can negotiate with these organizations, then your plumbing store advertising will be especially effective. Apartment owners will receive monthly receipts printed on the back of your outlet. This is a great success, since people keep payments for at least three years, which means that the necessary information will always be at hand.
After reaching an agreement, your plumbing store advertising will move to a new level. By paying for this order, it will be possible to refuse one of the previous items, for example, leaflets in elevators or posters at bus stops, which will save you money and expand the circle of potential buyers.
If possible, it will not be superfluous to order an advertising page in a periodical with a large number of copies produced. However, one must be prepared for the fact that such an advertisement for a plumbing store can be very expensive.
A banner is an advertising medium that has a large consumer reach. It is a PVC mesh or advertising canvas, which is fixed on the facade of the building. Banner fabric is strong and durable, resistant to external influences such as sun, wind, snow, rain. The main advantage of this type of advertising is that the banner has a non-template format, that is, it can be made according to the parameters ideally suited to the customer. The image can be applied using self-adhesive films or using large format printing. First, a metal frame is installed, and then an advertising canvas is attached to it.
Banner printing is a good replacement for paper printing. Despite the fact that this is a more expensive type of advertising than flyers or posters, the image on the facade of the building will last much longer. You need to spend money once so that the banner performs its functions for two or three years, without losing the information content and brightness of the picture. Plumbing store advertising in the form of a banner will attract customers, inform about new offers, show the direction to your outlet.
your store is located near crowded roads and streets;
your products have a wide reach among consumers;
you want customers to quickly find your outlet.
Before you order a banner, you should consider its design. It should be something creative and informative. Text information should be concise and understandable. An excess of unnecessary details will annoy potential customers; to avoid this, it is better to limit yourself to the name, slogan and contact information, which will not take much time to read. A well-chosen place will attract new customers and strengthen the image of the company.
Originally submitted information about the proposed sanitary products, printed on a large banner canvas, is suitable for image advertising and for expanding the circle of customers.
It is necessary to make sure that the film is well attached to the surface of the transport and subsequently does not peel off. Even if the plumbing car advertisement is well applied to the car, but the film was chosen incorrectly, then the advertisement will move away on bumps or rivets. This is to be expected if a monomeric calendered film has been chosen, which can only be used on a straight, flat surface. This is because there is "film memory", that is, the sticker will tend to return to its original position sooner or later. However, this problem will bypass you if you choose cast film.
Since all cities have a TV newspaper, you can use this method to post information and run ads every Friday and weekend.
You can spend money on a full-fledged video, but be aware that advertising plumbing in this way will require too much spending. Most likely at the very beginning of the journey you will not be able to afford it. After all, in addition to the cost of the commercial, you should also pay for the airtime.
Don't underestimate the radio as a marketing tool for your plumbing store. The main advantage of such advertising is a wide coverage of the audience. A potential client can hear radio advertising anywhere - in stores, entertainment centers, in the office, on the way to work, in a fitness club, beauty salon, and even at home.
Plumbing advertising on the radio has many advantages - mobility, accessibility, cost-effectiveness. But there is a significant drawback - the lack of an image. Therefore, you should think carefully about the text, the voice of the broadcaster and the background music so that your audio clip gets the desired effect and attracts buyers.
fans of radio stations (45%);
radio fans (35%);
lovers of music programs (11%);
people who listen mainly to news broadcasts (9%).
Large audience (more than print media). In terms of efficiency, it is in second place after TV, but in terms of coverage it can compete with it.
Audience segmentation is possible. As a rule, people prefer one or two radio stations and several programs. If you place an advertising message during a broadcast with a narrow circle of listeners, then the impact will be on this particular segment of listeners.
Mobility. Listening to the radio, you can do various things: drive a car, clean or cook, work in the garage or relax in nature.
The main group of radio listeners are motorists. That is, they are the most expected target audience.
No image. The presence of only sound information, without a visual representation, makes it impossible to see the subject of advertising. Therefore, you should thoughtfully and competently compose a message, assess how understandable it will be for the audience, carefully select the background music and the announcer with a suitable voice timbre.
Participation in exhibitions and fairs.
Exhibitions and fairs provide an opportunity to:
show potential customers and partners the capabilities of the company;
establish contacts with suppliers and buyers, conclude cooperation agreements;
demonstrate the offered product to the media representatives and enlist their informational support.
How Passive Plumbing Advertising Works
Plumbing shop sign.
The sign should be large and noticeable, regardless of whether you have a large plumbing store or just a department in a shopping center. In this case, you can not save, but buy a neon or LED sign. It has a high cost (from about 30,000 to 50,000 rubles), but by attracting buyers, it will quickly pay for itself.
Pillar.
A mobile street pillar installed on a busy highway will make passers-by slow down and pay attention to your plumbing store.
Word of mouth radio.
The most reliable, effective and absolutely free form of advertising. Satisfied with the quality of goods and the responsiveness of sellers, buyers will begin to recommend your plumbing store to their friends and acquaintances. However, you will have to be patient: in order for word of mouth to work as it should, about six months should pass. During this time, the main thing is not to spoil the reputation of your outlet.
Do not raise your voice, even if the client is wrong, agree to a return, exchange of goods under warranty. Once having received a benefit, without going towards the buyer, you will lose profit in the future. An angry and dissatisfied consumer will tell his colleagues and acquaintances at the first opportunity that it is better not to go to your plumbing store. And then the word of mouth will turn against you, and this cannot be allowed.
What non-standard ways of advertising plumbing can be applied
Such advertising includes everything that did not fit the above methods. For example, a sales receipt with a company logo and a website. Each buyer receives a check, it is kept for a long time as a document guaranteeing the return or repair of goods, so information about your plumbing store will be with the client for a long time.
coupons are coupons that give the consumer a bonus in the form of a discount when buying a specific plumbing fixture or when purchasing it under special conditions;
gifts - goods that are given free of charge or for a small fee as a reward when purchasing products from a predetermined list;
a product at a reduced cost - information about a change in the regular price down is placed on the packaging or price tag;
encouragement of regular customers - these are monetary or other bonuses that directly depend on the level of consumer commitment to a particular store;
joint incentives - several companies or brands unite, offering discount coupons, souvenirs and other bonuses;
guarantees - a documentary or oral guarantee of the seller that the product will function stably for a certain period of time, and in case of a breakdown it will be subject to repair, exchange for a product with similar characteristics or the store will refund the money;
product presentations are performances, shows, seminars in order to additionally attract buyers or partners;
prizes (lotteries, draws, contests).
Advertising plumbing on the Internet
YouTube video hosting is the most popular in terms of number of hits, followed by a GIS mapping firm, local portals, site directories, bulletin boards, forums and price aggregators.
Advertising on YouTube
YouTube video hosting allows any Internet user to create their own personal video channel. You can build an advertisement for your online plumbing store in this way:
conduct regular video reviews of goods from the store or video instructions for the installation or use of this plumbing. It's good if you include your link in the annotation. This will help the buyer, who is interested in the information, go to the address on your site, to the section dedicated to the assortment of the store or contact information. The name of the link will depend on your imagination;
link from the main page of the video channel. Link icons to your website and social media communities can be added to your YouTube channel page. So it will be easier for users interested in your video to go to the address. A well-designed, original icon will attract new customers to your online store.
The advantage of advertising on the Internet through YouTube videos is that you get a ready-made target visitor. The user has watched the video review, read the instructions for plumbing and is ready to buy your product, he just needs to go to the site and find out the details of the purchase.
Advertising on the electronic map of the city
If your organization that sells plumbing has a physical address, such as a retail outlet or an order pick-up point, it is recommended that you place the company information on an electronic city map. To do this, you can turn to the 2GIS system, Google Maps services, Yandex Maps.
Advertising on bulletin boards
You can pay attention to the so-called bulletin boards. These are portals that publish products and services offered by users (for example, Avito). However, these ads advertise specific products, not online trading platforms, but you can post a message about the sale of sanitary ware and leave a contact phone number.
Advertising by buying links in articles
If you find a good site on a topic similar to yours (for example, plumbing) with high traffic and write high-quality selling text, then this link can attract new customers.
contextual advertising
For an online plumbing store, this type of advertising is one of the main ways to attract customers. Contextual advertising means that your ad will be visible only to Internet users who are interested in a particular direction. It works like this.
First you need to conclude a user agreement with an advertising network, for example, Yandex.Direct or Google AdWords.
Then you should compose the text of the message, if necessary, add pictures.
Set the conditions for the appearance of the ad and the planned costs for promotional activities.
In the settings, specify to whom, where and when to show your message.
After that, activate the impressions and start meeting new buyers.
Advertising in sales aggregators (with cost per click)
The essence of this method is that you create a mini-version of the store on the platform of the aggregator site. The sales aggregator is a shareware resource. As a rule, the free plan has restrictions on the number of products that can be placed on the site, but it is allowed to publish a link to your site. To take advantage of this resource, you can post one sample from each product group to give the customer an idea of your firm.
Yandex.Market is one of the most commonly used paid sales aggregators with advanced functionality. On this resource, you can place a complete catalog of goods and pay money only for the transition of consumers to your online plumbing store.
Advertising banners on websites
Many Internet portals place your advertising banner for a fee. For the greatest effect, you should choose a resource that is close to your subject. For example, if you have a plumbing store, you can agree to place your banner on a site dedicated to construction or repair.
Advertising in directories of sites and online stores
Use catalogs of sites and online stores to register your plumbing company. A small part of visitors may come from these resources. The advantages include the fact that you do not have to pay for this type of advertising.
Advertising on the forums
A reliable way is hidden advertising on forums corresponding to certain topics. Not the best solution would be to thoughtlessly send out the contacts of your site in messages to their members. Start actively communicating, gain popularity among the audience, give practical advice. But when they begin to listen to your recommendations, then you can carefully offer the store where you bought a certain plumbing and were very satisfied. Do not insist, act carefully, it will bring more customers than aggressive advertising.
Advertising in social networks
Social networks today are an excellent platform for increasing their competitiveness, and, accordingly, profits. In addition to creating a community that informs and offers products from your store, you can communicate in other groups, post a link to your online plumbing store website, recommend a product, or listen to unbiased wishes and feedback from potential consumers.
Advertising by E-mail mailing
Sending emails is another free way to advertise your online store or product offerings. You can either create a group of registered visitors to your site, or select contacts of firms that may be interested in your offer from the relevant electronic catalogs.
Advertising on city Internet resources
On city information sites, you can probably buy a place for your plumbing ads for a couple of months. If your locality has portals about construction and repair, then the effectiveness of advertising will increase significantly.
Own website (business card website or online store)
On such a site, all offered products with photos, descriptions, and a convenient search should be displayed. You can’t save on the site, this is a one-time investment, but the better SEO promotion is carried out, an understandable menu is made, competent design, the faster your plumbing online store will become popular.
Plumbing advertising without the offer of related products and services will be incomplete
For the full functioning of the plumbing store, it is recommended to include in your assortment the appropriate products for the installation of equipment, to sell all components, tools, materials. This will speed up the choice of a person, eliminate the need to look for what is missing in another store.
Initially, free plumbing installation will bring you certain losses, but it will help create a circle of buyers who will advise your company to their friends and colleagues. You will get the effect of viral advertising, spreading with the help of rumors and positive reviews.
Sell goods in installments whenever possible. Get in the position of people who make repairs, spend a lot of money and are therefore limited in funds. You will receive a stream of customers who have chosen more expensive than planned plumbing in installments, will pay it for a couple of months and remember your store, which was attentive to their problems and went forward to solve their problems.
You should look for the possibility of signing contracts with institutions (for example, clinics, kindergartens, schools, organizations, construction companies) that need a large batch of plumbing.
Also, an important way of advertising will be the signing of contracts with utilities. A plumbing store advertisement received from the utility will inform residents who have had a plumbing accident where they can purchase the necessary equipment and receive installation services.
Collaboration with repair companies, companies that make installation of equipment, sometimes turns out to be very useful for a plumbing store, since after starting repairs in the bathroom or in the kitchen, almost everyone wants to replace the plumbing equipment. You can work with repair teams to offer free installation of appliances purchased from your store. To avoid losses, the cost of this service may be included in the price of plumbing.
Plumbing advertising from wholesalers
Many wholesalers provide promotional support to their customers, offering outreach assistance. For example, this is what the SantekhStandart company does, whose information and advertising offers are aimed at developing consumer services. Employees of the advertising department of this organization create promotional products with trademark emblems to establish strong ties between the official representatives of "SantekhStandard" and consumers. "SantekhStandard" offers to buy the following promotional products of "SantekhStandart" plumbing.
1. Printing products:
a product catalog containing detailed information about the technical description, properties and types of engineering plumbing "SantekhStandard";
information booklets dedicated to all brands.
2. Registration of points of sale:
information desks for all plumbing brands;
posters for all brands.
3. Souvenir products:
ballpoint pen "SantekhStandard";
corporate package "SantekhStandart";
flash drive "SantekhStandard".
Company SantekhStandard has been a supplier of engineering plumbing in Russia since 2004. Cooperation with SantekhStandard provides the following benefits:
quality products at reasonable prices;
constant availability of products in stock in any quantities;
conveniently located warehouse complexes in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Novosibirsk and Samara;
free delivery in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Novosibirsk, Samara, including to transport companies;
delivery of goods to the regions through any transport companies;
individual approach and flexible work with each client;
discounts and various promotions for regular customers;
certified and insured products;
trademarks registered in Russia, which is an additional protection against low-quality fakes.
Specialists of the company "SantekhStandart" are ready to help both individuals and companies choose plumbing. All you need to do is call:
Unwilling to wait any longer from the employer to raise wages, construction and utilities specialists hope to find an alternative to them in the field of private services. Why would a master plumber, electrician, plasterer-painter and tiler need to support a director, and a bunch of freeloaders, with his entire office, if he can receive money from a client in his pocket without them. That's what I once thought, but I was very surprised to learn that the private services market does not want to meet me with open arms. Not immediately, but I succeeded and became a wealthy person. I have no problems with profitable orders, and how I achieved this, I will try to tell you now.
Ways to find a job, which is better not to use
I am a plumber. Qualified and experienced. I decided to inform my potential clients about this in a way that is quite familiar to everyone. Having printed the offers of my services on the sheets with my phone numbers, I pasted the leaflets on the entrances of multi-storey buildings, in the expectation that the person who needs to install a toilet bowl or change the faucet will pick up the phone on the go and call. The result disappointed me and I concluded that similar ads do not attract the attention of potential customers. I also tried other notification methods.
Announcements on the entrances give a small effect, but for the first time it will do
Some of them deserve your attention, and I still use them today:
Having ordered a laminated color ad 10x20 cm, on an adhesive basis, from the printing house, I began to paste them in the entrances on the doors of power cabinets. Due to the fact that such an ad can hang for years, sooner or later they work and the costs pay off;
I also had to order business cards there, where under my name and phone number, I placed a list of typical services. After each call, I always give the owner a couple of these business cards. Some clients look for craftsmen by sorting through business cards in a business card holder;
Feeling a little bewildered by my lack of demand, I began to periodically place ads in local newspapers. The result did not please me. I concluded that the classifieds section is read by a limited circle of pensioners who turn to a plumber in extreme cases, and even with an unprofitable order, such as a clogged sewer.
The most profitable customers are looking for a locksmith on the Internet
Persistently advancing towards the goal, I turned my attention to the information resource that attracts everyone's attention today. There are many advertising sites for free ads on the Internet, such as Avito, My Advertisement, From Hand to Hand, etc. I decorated many of them with my ad, paying for its promotion to the top lines of the site. As it turned out, it was financially justified. Orders began to appear more or less regularly, and became more profitable. Along with my growing respect for the Internet, I became more and more advanced user, and quite naturally the idea of creating my own site arose in my head. Having discovered the talent of an amateur programmer in myself, I made a quite tolerable website with my own hands, rolled up my sleeves, and filled it with SEO content. Now Beardach's blog has become popular, and my beard has become his trademark. But fighting for the first places in the browser's search lines is troublesome and takes a lot of time. The creation of sites that top the list is the work of a team of authors, and not loners who sit down at the computer after a hard day's work, with a glass of beer in their hands.
You have an idea to start your own business, but don't know where to start. A whole site of business ideas at your service. Lots of business plans to start a small business with little investment.
Your blog and contextual advertising
Can be for months relink your site, fill it with keywords, but never include it in the top ten lines. I preferred the other way. Dedicating my time to my main professional activity, I prefer to pay search engines - Yandex and Google for contextual advertising. To save money, I only pay to promote my blog to the top search bar when I run out of orders. As a rule, the result follows instantly, and my workload is no longer a problem for me.
Most orders come from the Internet
200 rubles - Google;
300 rubles - Yandex;
450 rubles / month, for promoting my ad on Avito;
150 rubles / month, for blog hosting.
To some, these costs will seem excessive, but the level of my income has increased dramatically. I have taken place as the breadwinner of the family and I can afford what I dreamed of. Now, I filter orders, choosing only the most profitable ones. The price of my services has also changed in a favorable direction for me. Of course, I don’t think that you, my colleagues in the shop, plumbers, electricians, tilers and plasterers, are “on you with the Internet.” But if among your friends or family there are advanced users of the World Wide Web, my example may be useful to you.
Attachments: 70,000-100,000 rubles
Payback: 3 to 12 months
If you are seriously thinking about starting your own business, this article will help. It is no secret that today there is a range of services that are always in demand. In particular, plumbing. Think about how many houses and apartments are in the city. As a rule, in any residential area there is plumbing that requires maintenance. But only a few owners are able to repair it on their own. Therefore, the services of professional plumbers are constantly needed.
business concept
It is already clear that the business is to provide plumbing services. Clients are ordinary people. The range of plumbing services can be different:
- installation of hot and cold water supply units;
- installation of plumbing fixtures;
- installation of a sewerage and heating system;
- connection of household appliances.
The client only needs to make a call and agree on the time of arrival of the master. You, as a representative of the company, need to take the order and organize the departure.
At the initial stage, you should not expose huge bills for services, this will scare away a potential client. In addition, you can earn more due to the availability and promptness of the provision of plumbing assistance. Thanks to this, you will gain the trust of the client, who in turn will make you “free advertising”.
What is required for implementation
First, decide if you will have your own office. Having your own workspace will be a plus for the business, but will require additional expenses. If the initial capital is small, then it is better not to think about it yet.
It is important to find a specialist who will provide plumbing services. Even better if there are several masters. Thus, they will be able to fulfill several orders at the same time, multiplying your profits. It should be understood that high-class masters work only with the appropriate level of payment.
It is necessary to fully provide the master with the necessary tools, as well as, if possible, branded overalls. The client is pleased to see the master, who is neatly dressed and comes with “full equipment”.
Also, at the initial stages, you will need the services of advertising agencies. They will be able to design branded flyers and posters. Advertising should be concise and describe all the advantages of the company's services compared to competitors. It can be a high-quality and cheap service, a large number of craftsmen. Advertising at the initial stages is best placed in newspapers and the Internet, where the cost is low.
Step by step start instructions
List of steps to take to start your own business.
Step 1 - Registration.
The most important aspect when starting your own business is registering it.
Choose one of the types of ownership forms:
Choice of taxation. Here the situation is more complicated. If you have opened an individual business and provide services to individuals, then you need to select the UTII tax. If services are also provided to legal entities, then it is required to additionally issue a USN tax of 6%. In the case of an LLC, everything is much simpler. In addition to taxation of the STS type of 6%, you do not need to open anything else.
Providing employees with tools. It is mandatory to purchase the following equipment for masters:
- gas keys: No. 1, No. 2, No. 3;
- adjustable wrenches: No. 1, No. 2, No. 3;
- pliers;
- perforator;
- soldering iron for soldering plastic pipes;
- Bulgarian;
- scissors for cutting plastic pipes.
Advertising of the services provided. An equally important factor is the correct approach to advertising a business. It can be placed in newspapers, the Internet, a TV newspaper. In addition, put up ads around the city or in elevators.
Financial calculations
Perhaps one of the main points in a business plan is financial calculations. As a rule, not a single business can be opened without a miscalculation of financial investments and possible profits.
Start-up capital
Monthly expenses
How much can you earn
Profit depends on the number of orders. If we talk about the average income of one plumber, then it is about 200,000 rubles per month. Thus, the net profit from one master can be up to 100,000-130,000 rubles.
Payback periods
This type of business can pay off in as little as six months. However, this largely depends on the flow of customers.
In any case, the business is quickly paid off and can bring net profit from the second or third month.
Business risks and cons
There are not so many possible risks and disadvantages of this business, but they exist. Among them it is worth noting:
- a large number of competitors;
- business is most relevant for large cities;
- the risk of a lack of customer flow at the first stages;
- low profit at the initial stages;
- variable payback period.
Outcome
Business has quite a lot of advantages and relatively few possible risks and disadvantages. The main advantage is the constant demand. This business can bring a good income at a relatively low cost. The quality of the company's services directly depends on your competence.
Lack of demand is a difficult test for any of us. Nobody is safe from it; you can't hide from her. In a financial crisis, a time of ups and downs, it can affect everyone. I was no exception and lost everything: a job, a car and a familiar way of life. But I also learned a lot. I learned to earn where others lacked imagination. I became an extraordinary plumber!
My lack of demand came suddenly. In 2014, another financial crisis came: the dollar tripled, and the purchasing power of the population fell. I, a highly qualified specialist with a higher technical education, at that moment was sure that the crisis would pass me by. The management of the company where I worked in my specialty and was, as it was believed, an indispensable specialist, did not agree with me. And they are not to blame. In a crisis, everyone takes care of himself and only himself. So I lost my job and ended up on the labor exchange.
For a whole year, poking around on vacancies, having tried myself in various labor roles, I could not find something that could provide my family with the usual standard of living. Money was sorely lacking: the monthly mortgage payment could not be deferred; weekly the car required refueling; children needed new clothes, school and kindergarten, entertainment and toys; the refrigerator became more and more empty; Fortunately, my wife understood everything. Friends could borrow money, but how to repay the debt? I sold the car, this money was enough for several months of the mortgage. I took on any job - earnings were enough for food. But, there was no sense of stability. Unclaimedness hung over my head like a big fat rain cloud that threatened, at any moment, to burst open and drown me in a stream of problems.
And then one day, as they say in tabloid novels, fate turned to face me, I found a vacancy for a manager in a wholesale and retail building materials store. Today, in the abundance of building hypermarkets, you don’t even notice them; You have no idea that this type of business exists. At best, they are inconspicuous premises in office centers, but, usually, in order to save money, these are warehouses on the outskirts of the city, where in a single area there is both an office and a shipping area, and all simple goods are folded. The tasks of the manager of such a warehouse store are simple - to find the goods at the request of the client, accept payment, issue documents, and help load the purchased goods. Since it was more of a wholesale store, I had to ship much more often than sit at the computer.
Our clients were those who were engaged in intermediary business - they bought in bulk, took them to their store, in the likeness of a hardware store, in a remote town, and sold at retail; or construction crews, saving the client's money for themselves, bought building materials for the price from the right column, and reported to the customer on the left. On the right was the wholesale price for regular customers, on the left - the retail price. The builders pocketed the difference. The crisis forgave everything. And we store managers did the same. A rare but beloved retail customer was given a product with a 10% discount from the left column, and the sale was recorded in the accounting department in the right column. The difference between the columns was 15%, giving a discount from retail, we received a 5% surcharge on wholesale. Managers put this unrecorded revenue in their pocket. A year later, I even bought products of the domestic auto industry, on credit.
During my work in the warehouse, I met various people, our clients: builders, finishers, plumbers. Their work attracted me with absolute freedom. Of course, the work was hard. Shifts are not standardized, customers are strange. On the other hand, what could be harder than loading 3-4 trucks per manager shift? Or stay overnight waiting for cargo from another city? And after waiting, the goods need to be unloaded, placed in a warehouse and entered into 1C. And all this for one salary. So I again decided to change my activities.
A plumber with a higher education or how I started trading in toilets and other plumbing
On weekends, I joined a familiar crew of repairmen. He is a design engineer by education, who distinguishes by eye the entire range of pipelines, flanges and fittings; able to mentally calculate the hydrodynamic resistance of the heating system; I became the first assistant plumber. That is, he not only gave keys, but also independently packed threaded connections, installed plumbing, connected washing machines. Payment for work is piecework, on seasonal weekends, earnings amounted to half the monthly salary from my main job.
Gradually, having mastered plumbing work, I took up independent evening calls. I pasted a simple announcement in neighboring houses and porches that I would quickly, at any convenient evening, and for a separate price list and at night, install a washing machine, toilet bowl, bathtub and, in general, repair the faucet, eliminate battery leaks. In a word - call! And they called. There were orders. I still wonder how the plumbers of the whole city found out about the average prices. As soon as one or two colleagues raised the price of installing toilet bowls, the price for this service changed throughout the city. Without any communication with each other. Check - the average cost of a toilet installation service is 1000-2000 rubles. In any city. Probably spying on Avito? Although, if you applied, then you know, there we set from 100 to 500 rubles - the minimum cost of a call, and not the cost of the service.
Once, while installing another toilet with a dual flush system and an enlarged 7-liter tank, I became the owner of an almost new toilet. The 7-liter toilet bowl was bought by the customer due to the fact that the previous one, also new, which he got when buying an apartment, did not “flush”. The problem is familiar to everyone. It is solved by adjusting the flush fittings, moving the float upwards at the pressure valve, increasing the volume of water taken in to the maximum. From the factory, such fittings are set to 2-3 liters. And the maximum toilet bowl is 5-7 liters. But, the master is a master. When asked where to store the “old”, I received a clear answer - you can pick it up. And I took it.
After cleaning it up a bit and setting it up, I sold it to a construction team I knew for half the cost of a new toilet. They just needed a "temporary" toilet - a toilet used during the renovation. It is not a pity to dirty and clog it. At the end of the repair, the "white friend" is changed to the owner's, and taken to the next object. And so on, until it finally fails.
At that moment, I remembered my job as a warehouse manager. Having saved contacts and a “corporate discount”, I started my difficult plumbing business.
And he started with a trade-in service in plumbing. Working as a plumber on call, I offered clients to change the old to the new. With their surcharge. Sometimes the installation came out "free" - the old equipment more than paid for it. I offered new plumbing at the wholesale price + 10%. Thus, "saving" them 5% of the retail price. It’s probably not worth saying that I bought equipment at a “wholesale” price? Many agreed. First, it's cheaper; secondly, I took away the old equipment and took it out; thirdly, the installation cost was lower than on the market. So I got jobs for a few months ahead. He repaired and sold old equipment through local ads and the Internet.
Having collected the necessary capital, he was able to organize a small plumbing team. We promptly provided plumbing services, changed equipment, took out the old, brought in the new. The trade-in service was in demand. You have probably met - the replacement of the old plumbing with a new one. This is also a team similar to mine.
At the point of cheap or social housing, I posted ads for the purchase and removal of used plumbing. Social apartments are equipped with cheap toilets, steel sitz bathtubs, and sometimes, just pallets, the same kitchen sinks. Some live with them, some want to change them. The second part is my audience. Arriving for evaluation and dismantling, along the way I demonstrate a catalog with new equipment: toilet bowls, bathtubs, sinks. The client, as they say, matures. I suggest that he dismantle and buy out the old one, in return, bring and install a new one. One hand - several services. In hypermarkets, analogues are more expensive than mine, and if you buy from them, you also have to pay for installation.
In the commercial housing area and on the Internet, I advertise the sale of new or used cheap plumbing for the duration of the repair. My clients, in this case, are teams of finishers. I started working with some on a subcontract, providing them not only with plumbing services, but also with the delivery of building materials from a warehouse. Of course, they can go there themselves. But, this is the time and the need to have a car. Not every team has them, even if they don't have a good plumber. Some of this group of clients are owners of rental housing and hostels. They already have plumbing - consumables. And an intelligent plumber is their king and god. My team of plumbers works with them 24 hours a day.
Bought a small warehouse for equipment and consumables. The warehouse is located at the local construction market. Is popular. Plumbers, builders and ordinary citizens are my frequent guests. After all, they know that I can sell them a toilet according to the “trade-in” scheme - I take the old one, bring a new one, install it cheaper. Or a bathroom or a shower. And I can also bring - tiles, ceramics, sinks, bathroom furniture; and just consumables - tile adhesive, cement, soil and the like.
Weekly, on Wednesdays, I announce a promotion - cheapest item in town. I compare prices across all local stores and sell the item 5% off the lowest price. The only condition is self-delivery. The main clients are construction teams, they buy for the future. Usually, promotional goods are: drywall, hardware, building mixtures. The fact is that this is a mass product - there are many who produce and offer. The manufacturer or his regional representative is ready to give a good discount for large wholesale. Now I again wait for a truck at night, but it carries my goods, my profit, and not goods to my director's warehouse. This is a big difference.
Remembering the whole path that has passed from an engineer in a large company to a private plumbing foreman and the owner of a warehouse store, I wonder where I drew strength from. Apparently lack of demand and social obligations to the family. If not me, then who would feed, clothe and provide for them?
,The American company Roto-Rooter manufactures plumbing fixtures (toilets, sinks) and pipes. She also provides installation and repair services, that is, she keeps a staff of plumbers and plumbers.
It would seem that there is something interesting? An no. This American firm is for some reason - a cult in America, and everyone knows it.
It is clear why - the efforts of the company itself. They want to be the American hegemonic monopoly, and for everyone to associate the word "sewerage" only with Roto-Rooter.
Buying a toilet? Roto-Rooter! Clogged pipe? Roto-Rooter!
That's the kind of ambition people have... They don't think that " since you are a plumber, then you must be a “drunk” and what can you advertise here at all ?! Sit down, shut up...»
It is clear that no one will buy such a toilet and will not start pooping together, although Roto-Rooter encourages lovers to do just that.
Further, the same Roto-Rooter releases a toilet bowl, or rather a whole bathroom room, where the toilet bowl is renamed “Personal Throne”. There is a TV, stereo system, Wi-Fi, headphones, a computer and a bunch of other electronics. It seems that there is even a kettle and a microwave.
Do you think they sell it? No! They made this toilet-toilet in one copy and played at the fair as a prize for the winner of some of their quizzes.
What a scandal! How many conversations!
Roto-Rooter - genius trolls
You guessed it - the foundation of any advertising campaign from Roto-Rooter plumbers is the "Trolling" genre. So what to do? When you are a plumber and swimming in shit, what other style of communication with a clean layman can you choose? Only become an evil and malicious troll! And people love it.
But with one Roto-Rooter, it was so lucky ... It's with the Anglo-American folklore tradition called "Haunted House". Here we do not have this genre and this culture, and we do not understand. But we will try to give ourselves a mini-lesson of regional studies and we will understand everything.
In England, Scotland, Ireland, the theme of ghosts is very fond of. They have a ghost in every house there. And you live in a remote countryside among the Yorkshire moors and swamps - you will not even dream of it ... And then Europe is not Russia. Have you seen many houses in Russia dating back to the 15th century?.. Huh? So that people live there and offices function normally? They don’t know how to protect the historical center, they don’t know how ...
And in Europe there are a lot of such houses! .. Can you imagine how much these houses of history have collected within their walls, what kind of acoustics are there and how the wind is buzzing from the pipes? These houses are forbidden by law, by the way, to rebuild.
So, when the Irish, Scots and English moved to America in bulk, they brought their banshee ghosts and other local evil spirits there. And in general - English-speaking folk culture includes mysticism and gothic by default.
So, haunted house. When it began to change rapidly and there was running water in it, the myth of the haunted house was also modernized!
It "turned out" that ghosts love to live in a system of water pipes! If you are an attentive connoisseur of horror films, then you will clearly remember several films at once, where ghosts “playing” with pipes and taps are a traditional motif. Remember the "moaning Myrtle" who lived in the women's toilet and also traveled through the pipes ("Harry Potter").
And now let's quickly move from the era of grandfather's fairy tales about the banshees - to the cult series "Ghostbusters". And we will see what connection this series has with the creative advertising of Roto-Rooter sanitary ware
Often the pipes really hum and make ominous sounds. Especially if you live in a large two-story house with old sewage and plumbing. Therefore, the creators of the series "Ghostbusters" and came up with the images of two funny plumber characters.
The guys come to the call and already figure it out on the spot - where the pipes need to be repaired, and where the poltergeist is “naughty”.
Their names are (national heroes of TV-America) Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson. They are plumbers who, having gained experience, founded and led the Atlantic Paranormal Society.
Well, the cutie plumber named Jason Hawes in this series is constantly wearing the uniform of employees of the company Roto-Rooter!
This is jeans, so jeans ...
(Jeans - this is how journalists call paid material or hidden advertising).
Now, every American who watches the popular series has a clear connection in his head: plumbing - plumbing - Roto-Rooter - ghosts.
And from here to the annual Halloween holiday is within easy reach!
Halloween is the annual talent fair!
Halloween is an occasion to "promote" in the West, everyone works and thinks!
And here is the latest news from Roto-Rooter. For this Halloween, the company released a free book, which contains spooky ghost stories and tales accumulated by employees of the company during the years of cleaning pipes in the townsfolk's apartments. Troll-style humor from Roto-Rooter What kind of tales can plumbers and plumbers have?
What are the stories about the unusual causes of blockages worth? How do you like the artificial eye found in the pipe?
And it doesn't matter who you are - a plumber or a company that produces an iPhone.
Everyone has the right to the status of a "cult company". Here are the plumbers...
13.11.2012
Earn up to
200 000 rub. a month, having fun!
2020 trend. Intelligent entertainment business. Minimum investment. No additional deductions or payments. Turnkey training.
Meat and creativity are seemingly incompatible things, but this is far from being the case. This collection contains business ideas, marketing moves and trends for meat producers, owners of butcher shops and restaurants.
A bakery doesn't have to smell like good old recipes and traditions. In this compilation, you will find 30 unusual ideas on how to turn a bakery into a unique business.
How to describe professional skills in a resume: sample
Professional Skills on a Resume - Examples of Skill Descriptions
Rules for maintaining and principles for drawing up a vacation schedule in the T7 form What is a vacation schedule
The purpose of the special assessment of working conditions
How to connect pocket wifi