Q:
Please take a look at an e-mail I want to send to a reputable engineering firm in the area. I want them to meet with me and give us an opportunity to display our talents and skills on the jobsite. They typically use bigger contractors with a minimum of five years in business to bid their work. A property manager has asked we be put on their bid list for their job and has sent our company folder and references to them. So I think the ice has been broken. Now I want to take it to the next level and get on his list of great contractors. Any input will be greatly appreciated.
My proposed email:
Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Jimmy Pickett, President of Ticor Construction. I have twenty years experience in the building restoration industry. I began my career with Smithers Company of Virginia and later worked with Sampson Unlimited. I started as a field laborer and through hard work, knowledge and dedication, earned a position as a Project Manager. In 2002, I founded Ticor Construction due to a need I observed in the area for a restoration company that offered superior quality work and focused on customer service. We have developed a loyal client base through customer service and quality work. We are currently in our seventh year of business and have assembled a team of excellent employees and outstanding management. We would like the opportunity to assist you with your building restoration needs. I will forward a company folder with a list of references for your review. I would also like to stop by your office and introduce myself. Please advise me of a time that would be convenient. I look forward to meeting you.
James Pickering
JP Restoration
A:
I read your proposed e-mail. First, your e-mail should be a letter. And as written, it is all about how great you and your company are (who cares?) and not about what you'll do for them. Don't send a company folder-take it to him. And then sit in his lobby until he'll meet you. Letters are nice, but a face to face meeting will get you on the bid list.
I would take him this letter:
_______ Property Management Company has asked you to place JP Restoration on the bid list for the _______ project upcoming in _______ (city, state).
Our company specializes in _______ type of projects ranging in size from $_______ to $_______. We have _______ management and highly trained field staff ready to serve you. We have built over _______ projects for numerous companies including _______, _______, _______ and _______ companies. Our competitive advantage is _______. The benefits when our clients use JP Restoration are _______.
I would like to show you some of our projects, explain our qualifications and show you why we should be on your select bid list. Plus you will appreciate our personal service, excellent response time, perfect workmanship and very competitive pricing.
Can I have fifteen minutes of your time? I will keep it short. Plus I will give you a few ideas how to save some money and time for the _______ project. When can we schedule the fifteen-minute meeting? I would like to see you this week.
Then call him and leave a message for a meeting and e-mail him. Do it daily until he responds. If he doesn't respond in two days, send him a fed-ex box filled with nails and ask him when you can nail down a time to meet. Bug him until he buys or dies!
Q:
I will have about $30,000 to invest by the end of the year and about $30,000 more next June. Should I pay off my home mortgage or do something else with the money?
Joe Davis
Davis Drywall
A:
I always recommend getting out of personal debt first. But if you want to invest, consider your home mortgage costs you 6 to 7 percent. Can you make more on an investment than that? Yes. Look at buying a two small fixer upper homes in the $125,000 range. Put $25,000 down, keep $5,000 for repairs and upgrades, rent them out, and wait three to five years. Then your $60,000 investment should grow to $160,000 at a growth rate of 4 percent per year. Then pay off your home.
Construction Business Owner, March 2008
