getting leads with craigslist & company websites

[americanlawn]

Anybody have luck asking to bid on commercial properties via craigslist or contacting them direct via their company website?

If so, what have your experiences been? thanks, rscvp

[Littleriver1]

The ads I see on craigslist for "work wanted" look to be poorly done by poor people and child like. It is what it is. Birds of a feather flock together. If you want to look like a pro. stand next to a pro. Some one in my area has my email from my ad and sends me information on what is going on in his business. To me it is SPAM.

[grassman177]

we have had one account via website email, worked ok there, but not common

[MowHouston]

Look at the bottom of people's posts.

99% of the time it says:

"it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests"

I get emails from people offering legal services, marketing advice, all sorts of crap from people trying to blindly advertise to me and I hate it. I'd imagine most other companies do too.

[White Gardens]

Anybody have luck asking to bid on commercial properties via craigslist or contacting them direct via their company website?

If so, what have your experiences been? thanks, rscvp

I've used Craig's list and got a call from an operator of 3 hotels for snow plowing.

They were of Foreign decent.

Take a wild guess where that led to. :hammerhead:

[freddyc]

I've had really good luck with Craigslist.

But, you have to really sort things out. There are a load of people on there that just think that you will mow for $5. The trick is to corner them right away and if they're just looking for a college student to do something, move on.

I have several good customers from there for both mowing and plowing. I've had them for 2-3 years and they ALWAYS pay either the same day of service or within a week. Never a problem.

By contrast I picked up a neighbor of one of them when they saw me mowing. I ended up doing it and finished mowing them in late September. After 2 late notices I finally got paid in January.

Sometimes people just don't know how to find a decent service. I've found that some start out looking for a low price but when you talk with them they are OK and end up paying well.

No idea on commercials though. On a side note I keep getting calls from US maint and another place. No thanks.

[Mike's LawnCare Landscape]

I get a few good customers from there.
They are a few that want something for nothing.
But most of all its OK.

[capnsac]

I hate craigslist, you get the kind of work that no one else wants to do at a price that no one wants to do it at. If it's your first year than I say it's a right of passage, if it isn't then be wise and don't post on craigslist.

[LawnGuy73]

I've gotten alot of tire kickers, thats about it. I don't recall if I have signed anyone of those tire kickers up but I don't think I have.

[Woody82986]

I have had great success posting on craigslist. I don't solicit other companies for work on there though. Most of them don't want to be bothered with crap like that. I know I don't like it when someone tries to solicit legal services or something like that for me out of the blue.