ESTIMATES IN A HUMMER H2

This is another interesting old topic I saved from many years ago, still holds up!

TOPIC-

INFINITY- Estimates in a Hummer H2 I've always wanted to buy a Hummer but the only way I could ever drive it would be if I took it out for estimates. I think that I would lose business because the truck is flashy. What say you?

REPLIES-

RIVER RAT DAD- Where would the ladder go?

LEFTY- People like to do business with successful businesses. That is only 90% of the people. Everyone fights for the 10% who buy because of price.

RIVER RAT DAD- Within the umbrella of "successful businesses" there is a wide variety of additional factors. Some are successful in part because they are honest and fair, or at least are perceived as such. Some have incredible marketing schemes, some are successful because they offer quality at a lower than average price. The 90% of those who like to do business with successful businesses, general have multiple choices and will make decisions based on additional criteria. Suppose a homeowner does some homework and finds two or three contractors that come highly recommended by friend, neighbors, and coworkers. If RRD's estimate is 10% higher than the competition that is perceived to offer equivalent workmanship, the homeowner is gonna wonder why. One answer he may come up with, fair or not, is I'm paying for an estimating vehicle that I can't put 10 square of shingles in.

BOSS- I make a point to act as if I am just getting by on what I make with the business. I have even noticed that my rich customers get uneasy if they find out how I am financially. I make it a point of mine to try NOT to say anything about my personal like other than talk about the family. There was a neighbor next to the roof we were doing last week, she looked at us and treated us like we were scum. I so much wanted to go over and tell her that I could fit her whole house in my kitchen. But I kept my mouth shut and just kept working. I wouldn't advise buying a Hummer unless your customer would never see you driving it around.

RRD- I agree pretty much with BOSS. That tends to be the reality of things right or wrong, fair or not.

MISCREANT- The downside of Hummer ownership is that a large percentage of women will think you have a small member.

INFINITY- Boss, that is pretty much my line of thinking as well. I am just trying to justify buying it somehow. I would never drive it to estimates so that leaves very little time to drive. I am trying to get my wife to drive it as our family vehicle but she is having none of it.

JET- Wrote a ton of business driving a new Caddy so I dunno. I think people here in FL tend to like to see that the guy selling them is in business for the long haul and making enough money to be there if they need him again.

AARON- What if I bought a military HumV? Would the perception be the same? I want the one with the snorkel and 50 cal. A guy here has a yellow H2. It is marked in a mirrored fashion, top and bottom. The guy does nice work. He is a part of the community. He gives to the local youth athletic associations. He is working all around the county. I do not know how well he is doing financially, but he seems to be well liked and received. I hear he is nowhere close to the cheapest.

TWILL- There is a contractor w/one here. A black one. There is also a construction company w/a couple. I don't know what difference it makes. But I don't flash my wife's '98 Jimmy in their face, just to be safe.

TOM- Welp, lets look at logic. Do the words "Dress for success" mean anything? Using some of the things I read on this thread tells me if you want to sell and keep customers you need to drive a 64 pickup, all sides dented I with a short wheel spare as one of your 4 tires so people can see you will be the cheapest price. IMO the people that believe this need to get real fast cars so they can drive by real quick for estimates, turn around and throw the proposal in the mailbox at the speed of light. Buy what you want, people in general buy from the person that can sell, I never saw a vehicle standing there with its foot in its mouth.

BOSS- I just think we are roofers, not salesmen. A salesman is someone that sells, houses, used cars, etc. not a service like roofing, building and lawn care. I hear story after story from the customers making fun of the guy that came in driving a Caddy and wearing a suit trying to sell them a roof or any other house maintenance. No, I think the flaunting of something like a Hummer is throwing it in their faces and they don't like that.

KR- A huge HUGE difference in consumer perception between a one year old F-250 & one year old LOOK AT ME Hummer. A friend after paying 25 years of dues as a carpenter/contractor bought a 2 year old Jag as his personal use vehicle. He regrets his purchase & has resorted to constructing elaborate lies claiming the vehicle ain't his. Murphy's Law had him stumbling into people he has business connections to every time he drives it.

JAY Z- Just drive nice clean trucks use your money for real estate investments.

SHINGLE MONKEY- Boss what works where you're at doesn't always work where others live.

RRD- One difference between the F-250 and the Hummer in the eyes of the consumer is that the F-250 is a work truck. They don't begrudge a vehicle a guy can put 40 sheets of plywood or 15 square of shingles in. The customer is gonna look at the Hummer as a giant toy. As the second poster in this thread I asked a question yet to be answered. Where do you put your ladder?

BULL- Ok here's the deal for me and the Hummer. If it were purely a personal vehicle, it would be flat paint Camo, with as my esteemed pal AARON pointed out, a 50 cal and a snorkel. This is purely advertising, hell I just had it in a parade pulling a float on TV as well, and a vehicle ion is strategic. I build and sell 400,000 to 1 mil homes in an area where the average home value is $100,000. I have to stand out. Call it shallow, maybe it is, whatever. You wouldn't believe the people that talk about this thing. When people see me in this, and walk up to me to ask about a house. I know they're serious. It helps me find my target market rather well. Besides, as Tom said. If you get in from of me I don't care if I have the hummer or I rode a pogo stick you're gonna get sold.

BOSS- Another thing nobody has talked about, What will your employees think? Will they expect a raise since you got to buy yourself a new hummer? Maybe they deserve more money if you are going to be wasting it on a Hummer. Don't forget what it was like way down the ladder. Maybe you didn't have that attitude, probably not many here did because we are a different breed, we are all business owners and see and know what it takes to get here. But most employees don't, they see the "office" as the enemy and anything that can give them more ammo, they will scoop it right up. I remember the near mutiny whenever the owners bought the new van, camper, boats and cars. I was thinking to myself, well they probably deserve it, they probably planned for it. Were the other employees were ready to burn the place down because they deserve more. Think about it.

TOM- This BOSS is what made you a superior employee, and the sight of such things probably drove you to become a successful businessman as well. The employee you speak with the other attitude is probably still a grunt labor that has left many companies because he blames his failures on all other people getting ahead.

JSC- I remember when I bought a new boat a couple years ago. It inspired the employees so much, they stole four times as much so they could have one too.

MIKE H- I drive what I want, with reserve. I'm not a bling-bling guy, and my vehicles reflect that. They are recent vintage, good buys, look new, and most importantly, fit me. If a customer really CARES about what I drive, then it's probably not the customer for me. Perhaps a product of my upbringing, Boss's point about employee perception is a strong consideration. The customers are nor that hard to find, bit I can't keep them without employees that can do the work I can't. To me, I'm more concerned about the perceived condition of the vehicle, rather than the type of vehicle. I figure if a person takes good care of their stuff, they should take good care of my stuff, and that's what matter to me when making a purchasing decision.

CHOPPERHEAD- I think the point may have been missed on this thread, although I haven't read every post. Just like with the endless debate about closing strategies, there isn't one right answer and all the others are doing it wrong. Different personalities and businesses styles require different approaches. When I started out in roofing sales about 25 years ago, I wore a white long-sleeve shirt, tie and slacks, every day. My competitors laughed at me and labeled me: "West Texas" Best Dressed Roofer. While they were laughing I was growing 300% annually 3 years straight. Why? I didn't know it then but what I needed was a way to offset my lack of experience. I was dressed different than other roofers, so I got Mr. Prospect's attention and he knew I was serious about my work. After a couple of tens of million in sales and a couple of decades experience, I could wear whatever I want because my experience sold for me. I also think your region and customer-base makes a difference in how a Hummer would be accepted. In Mike H's region and other areas of the Midwest I don't think it would help. In California or Colorado I think it might help. It you're a realtor I think it might help if you're an insurance salesman I think it might hurt.

ROOFER DUDE- Funny I know a very successful realtor/broker/property investor, tis a husband wife team. They told me that when they list a property or are trying to list a property with a potential customer's they ALWAYS drive their cream of the crop brand new every year Caddy. One the other hand when making an attempt at a sale & meting with buyers they drive a 10 yr old (but clean) Buick.

TWILL- So what you are saying RD, is that when meeting with a sales rep (seller), drive the best. And when selling a job (buyer), drive the 2nd best?

ROOF DUDE- That was their theory. They wanted a seller to SEE they were rich so to speak. They wanted a buyer to see them as comfortable or competent. They are worth million BTW. They dress according to that theory as well. Sellers- dress expensive, wear the Rolex. Buyers- dress casual wear the Timex.

BULL- I still agree with your theory Chopperhead, you just didn't know the particulars. Many folk put much more into advertising that does not work. In short, It's advertising that works well for me. My 2 latest custom homes were for county judges and the both mentioned during our initial conversation Man, I really like that Hummer of yours. Things are different everywhere and for everyone. Here, for me, my Hummer helps sell houses.

I was so smart way back then........what happened???

Bump

Woody you are way too cool for your own good. rotflmao!!

I live in anti-Hummer territory. You would anger half of your customers driving or advertising in one. The ideal show-off vehicle around here would be a plug-in Prius towing a custom-made trailer from recycled bicycle parts that would carry your organically-grown bamboo ladder.

I still feel the same way as I did all those years ago.

i was a salesman in south florida when i had my h2. i can say it helped and hurt at the same time. i was literally spending 100usd per day in fuel running leads from south miami all the way up to stuart. on the other hand, it looked really good with my signs on it. i thought it actually made a great sales machine overall. i had two gorilla ladders up top, removed the third row seat and had a mini showroom in the back and had a laptop with a printer in the back seat. it worked in south florida because the people i was selling to had money and debt as well and most of them liked my sales machine. i'd run into someone every now and then who i could tell it gave the wrong message to though. but if i was in say michigan or ohio i would think the h2 would kill all of your sales. so my overall opinion is that you can do it if you're in the right market. selling shingles in macomb twsp, stick with the f150, selling ludowici in palm beach, h2 all day.

Miscreant answered best LOL!! :lol: