Help one another, how about it?

[Jerry Martin]

Well I think it's time to start a thread to where we can exchange ideas and put money in our pockets.
For the most part all the viewers here live a good distance from each other and are noncompetitive so you won't be giving your secrets away to your competion if any.
The old saying is: "don't raise chickens to peck your eyes out."
I started in the WS repair business about 10 years ago and worked it for 2-3 years before other interests had me drift away from it. Now I am 66, retired and just look for a little extra scratch and because I enjoy yaking it up with others.
This was before Safelite had their repair trucks in place. Safelite played real nasty and I could see the handwriting on the wall that something was going to happen.
The most referrals I ever got was 4-5 a week from them and NEVER in my home town.
I had a 25 mile radius (now cut down to five) and they started sending me just as far as they could.
Some towns would be on the borderline 25 miles, but by the time I found it, it may be another 5-10 miles on the other side of that.
Well I was there and might as well repair it only to find the chip was the size of a football. Unrepairable.
Great for Safelite as they qualified the customer for a replacement at my expense and no cost to them.
Next Safelite started sending me on wildgoose chases to repair a windshield only to see a Safelite repairman pulling out of their driveway, grinning and waving at me as he went to the next repair.
I was starting to smell a rat. What better way to discourage the competion than to pull episodes like this.
This was about 8 years ago so I don't know what they do now but I can say it will be very unlikely I will get any referrals. I have just reregistered with them.
Also with Lynx and they told me that their referrals was on a rotating basis. Not encouraging.
Today I checked my yellow pages phone book and found that nearly every business that dealt with glass had a glass repair service. More discouragement.
Years ago when I tried for the local governments repair business I hit a brick wall. People here are very cliquish and unless you were born here you will only get scraps if anything at all.
I will be posting more on this subject but I don't won't it to be to long and boring.
Let's hear what works for others.
If we don't take care of our "Brothers of the Glass" no one else will. And we are all in it to make $$$$$$$$:eusa_clap

[SGT]

Just what kind of ideas our you talking about? I would love to hear what you have to share with the forum in your pot of gold

[GlasWeldTech]

Share something useful with us all.

[Mr Bill]

The gentleman is looking for some marketing ideas.
I suggest that he researches the archives of the forum.
Put some signs on your truck. Get noticed.
Good luck!

[Shepard]

I am younger and greener than you, have probably repaired fewer windshields than you and purchased a silver spoon that is now in my mouth... but I agree with magnetic signs for the side of the veh... my white Tahoe has 7 bright red & yellow magnet signs and 4 of my bright red & yellow promotional ice scrapers that I have attached magnets to. i am noticed. It is ugly & gaudy! I estimate that I get at least 25% of my business because of veh magnets.

I have never gotten a referal from a safelite or Lynx company. I just spent $3k on yellow pages adds, even putting my name under Optomitrists with the tag, "Maybe your eyes aren't the problem."

the majority of my clients are loyal return clients. Lots of folks in our business have repeat clients that they aquired over many years without the help of any "self-help-business books. I bought a great "following." if you don't already have 1000 to 2000 loyal repeat clients that are excited to tell their friends about you, read High Trust Selling by Todd Duncan.

Remember also, those of us that are self employed are not just techs... we are part of the small business world, the world in which 80% of new ventures fail in the first year, 80% of the remaining in the following year... We have a great service with a great mark-up, but all the stuff that applies to other businesses applies to us... keeping expenses down, good accounting, strong marketing, strong sales skills etc...

just what you wanted, right? Some guy half your age with less experience telling you how it is!

[Jerry Martin]

OK, this old bird isn't exactly a newbie in repairing windshields and when I entered this business before, a person was strictly on their own. I tried many, many techniques and most wasn't worth a spit.
I also have around 50 years of business experience.
Today yellow pages are a waste of money for this business.
In checking the ads here it is loaded with glass replacement shops which also do chip repairs.
Fleets, car dealers have been so overworked from us that they are used to the $10.00 repair and thats all they are going to pay.
Most have their own rockchip repair equipment.
For the local government business, if you are not a member of "The Good 'ol Boy" club you ain't gonna get nothing.
This may not be the same everywhere but it is here.
Furthermore I spent more than 40 years in the graphic arts business and I know what works. Handing out flyers and business cards don't.
Buying a hundred 16"x24" exterior signs sprinkled around on trees, telephone posts and fences DO work but most cities have outlawed them.
They have here and in the Houston area.
Newspaper ads are expensive, here today and gone tomorrow.
Here is one of the most successful ways of getting a lot of business with little effort.
It works, it works, it works.
Say they is a business or a small office building with a lot of cars parked there. I have my clip board with me and maybe scribble the companies name on it and their address. The receptionist or secretary who's job it is to keep out people like us is sitting there scowling about anything.
I put on a serious but pleasant look and say: I had a phone call to come here at such and such time to meet someone here to have a rockchip in their windshield repaired. Was that you?
About have the time the woman will snap to attention and say no but I do have a chip in my windshield. How much to repair it? I go through the free chip repair, go repair her windshield and ask her if anyone has came up to her asking for me.
No but I'll go ask. The woman will go through the whole building asking everyone and usually I will get 6-7 different vehicles to do and they are grateful.
This method is a little sneaky but war is hell.
I ALWAYS ASK ANY CUSTOMER IF THEY CAN REFER ME TO THEIR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES. That works too.
My car I had a 1985 Ford Escort station wagon which I closed in the rear side windows and back with sheet aluminum and covered the hood, tailgate, and lower part of the car with pink reflective mylar and the top with black reflective mylar.
Man, talk about wild. I would be driving down the road, the sun would hit it and it would just explode in brilliant colors. People would get out of my way and want to know who I am. THEY NOTICED AND REMEMBERED ME.
I also mounted a 2'x4' long sign on top with smoked plexiglass with a sealed wooden frame around it but on the inside I had a couple strings of flashing xmas tree lights that twinkled brightly. I used an inverter for the electricity.
I had my business name, phone number and a brief message of what I do.
Never over load your message, people don't have time to read it unless they are behind you. Then they have a good chance of rear ending you.
YOW!! Did people ever notice. I had near celebrity status.
If I was at a house and had people watching me with children I would perform a couple magic tricks with hands which thrilled and delighted the youngsters.
Good to make friends and remember that someday those kids will be driving cars and get rockchips too.
A good tip!!
Never, never argue with a customer while they owe you money.

[glassdoctor]

I like the twist on the "coitster" technique with the offices... very nice.

I don't like the circus freak car thing though... not my cup of tea. I believe you that it gets attention!!! But I wouldn't be caught dead in your pizza-delivery-car-on-steriods with christmas lights car...

I would go for a rolling billboard look with a vehicle with a lot of signage... even a full graphic wrap. There's a couple PDR vans here with a nice full vinyl wrap of a thunderstorm and lightning.... with "hail repair" etc on it.

Reminds me of a guy in my area (haven't seen him for a long time...) that drives a little old truck with cheezy bumpersticker looking signs and magnet signs on his truck. His truck makes it look like his business is not very successful.

Having said that I have kept my cars "stealth" with no signage at all. I have wanted to do up my vehicle with some sharp looking vinyl, but never got around to it. Plus, I work dealers etc exclusively and sometimes it's good to have no signs...

[Coitster]

Jerry I would like to talk to you sometime. Let me know how I can get a hold of you if thats ok.
David
Coitster

[Jerry Martin]

My email address is
I won't give out my phone number on forums because to many people abuse ones privacy. Just posting my email address is going to bring unwanted spam
Man I got one clever AH that spams me and his subject return address and website changes everytime. You folks maybe getting the same jerk.
They advertise viagria among othe things.
(Not that I need it.):redface:

[Coitster]

Hey Jerry,
My e-mail is on my profile.
David
Coitster