Need help reaching put to customers - TilersForums.com

[Fitwidge]

Hi!

i have a bathroom/tile showroom thats been open for about a year.

business is a struggle at the moment.

I’m just locking for some advice.

our local tilers/plumbers and tilers haven’t even tried us but we do get our some of our own customers.

with customers, we’re waiting till we build up a reputation and progress with word of mouth (the best way)

we’re a supply company only.

butmy main question is, how do i get tilers/plumbers to try us out?
Thanks!!

 

[Andy Allen]

trade prices, without that theres no reason for the trade to use you....
topps are probably one of the largest tile outlets, there trade prices are rubbish and I don't know of a tiler in my area that uses them..

 

[Boggs]

Why don’t you offer a fitting service?

 

[J Sid]

Sell products which local tilers want to use and price match other outlets. Know your products and how and when they should be used.

 

[Fitwidge]

Why don’t you offer a fitting service?

Its only me and my dad in the showroom, we have a recommended installer (my brother), but he can only install so many bathrooms a month.

its hard to trust other installers as we’re not sure what they’re work is like.

i was thinking of ringing tilers/plumbers but i thought it would be annoying for them, so i decided to text/email them.... and tbh there are alot of tilers/plumbers in my area too.

it seems that customers who are getting new bathrooms, get there installers to source their products too.

 

[Dumbo]

You have to advertise. I dont know where you are but if you are on a trading estate you are not going to get general public footfall for bathrooms . If you advertise you sell the goods and then they find a plumber rather than them find the plumber before they find you ,. Then you are selling closer to retail than you are trade .

 

[Boggs]

In my experience customers would rather deal with a local company who can organise the complete job for them.
They don’t want the hassle of organising the materials, plumber, tiler, electrician etc etc.
You really need to be offering a complete package, from design to completed install in house.
It’s going to be tricky getting the right tradesmen, but it’s not impossible, there are plenty of decent tradesmen out there.
Plenty of references and site visits to view their work in progress.

 

[Dumbo]

I agree with @Boggs .
You don't have to make money out of the tradesmen just put them forward for work . Because you will make money from the goods .
I do some work with a plumber , it's his job he ask me to quote for the tiling ( direct to customer ) he arranges a spark. But the job was pushed his way by the bathroom showroom .
If you get trades and try to make money from them , you will either price yourself out out or have rubbish tradesmen prepared to work for rubbish rates.
Contact local plumbers with a good rep and ask them if you put them forward for work would they be interested on the grounds you supply all the bathroom goods , I'm sure you will get a positive response .

 

[Bill]

I live not far from Rochdale - pm me with your business address and I will pop in - Rochdale is poor for trade prices on tiling materials - this could be your USP!

 

[Dumbo]

Sell adhesive cheap , don't make much money on it , use it as a loss leader , well not loss but don't make much . You may be surprised at how much money you make on it purely because of the volume you sell . Do deals on large tile orders , lets say you x on a metre of tiles so on 10 metres you make 10x , so on a 100 metre order do you need to make 100x when it takes the same amount of time to email an order for 100metres as it does for 10metres