A Text Leads To A Work Order

This work order was a first for Fix-A-Fence LLC. I received a text from a lady that needed her fence fixed so she sent me a photo via text on my mobile phone.

 I responded with a quote and it was agreed upon. So the work order was put on the schedule to get fixed.
Here are some before and after photos of the first ever text work order for Fix-A-Fence LLC

Missing rail end

Rear wheel needs to be straightened

Needs to have a Puppy Save installed

Here are the photos of what took place for the repair

Cut post down and rail to fit fence panel, added rail end, removed excess chain link and re-stretched fence panel taunt.

Added rail end at the other end of chain link fence panel

Straightened and tightened rear wheels for slide gate

Installed a Puppy Saver that works, adjusted gate for proper functionality.

The invoice was put in the mail and the owner paid the bill. 

This is something to 

about. A successful transaction via text. What would we do without technology today? 

Until the next 

Happy Holidays 

and

Remember 

City Blessing

This was certainly a blessing for Fix-A-Fence LLC. Landed the contract to remove and haul away the existing chain link fence and install new. Here are some photos of before and after.

8' high chain link with three strands of barbed wire

Someone put a gate frame in the fence line to fill a gap

Fence line is clear and new holes lined out ready for jack hammer

Busting out asphalt

Wow,..that was quick. Okay,...I forgot to take pictures before getting started

Gate is installed and the customer is happy

Sure cleaned up the area by taking out the existing fence and installing new

The reason this blog is titled City Blessing is because the work was performed for a church named City Blessing. Well,...like I mentioned in the beginning it certainly was a blessing for Fix-A-Fence LLC.

Lately the work just keeps piling up, still about 10-12 days out from scheduling, I have slowed down on posting ads and the phone continues to ring. The latest estimate has been through texting, gotta love technology. The potential customer even sent a picture of the damage to the fence. Estimating has gotten easier especially when you can get the potential customer to do the foot work. This kind of estimating will never replace the on-site inspection and relationship established to meeting the potential customer in person. Eye to eye contact, show of character and industry knowledge. The list goes on.

Until the next fence blog update remember to always

I have been told that laughter is the best medicine.

Great Benefits

            Thought I would post the photos from the finished look for the bartered advertising space.

Nice clean look

6' high solid wood fence dog ear cut top

Nice way to advertise the fence company for a few hours of labor

The Foster-Powell PDX blog averages anywhere from 1,200 - 1,500 hits a week,... so a few hours of labor to enjoy 6 months of advertising is a great benefit for Fix-A-Fence LLC 

Until the next update

because we all are made for so much more.

Bartered Labor For Advertisement Real Estate

I like estimates that turn into a win win for the customer and the business. Went on an estimate and during the estimate through all the chit chat I found out that the customer has a blog site and he asked if he were to use Fix-A-Fence LLC would I be inclined to barter some advertising space for some labor.

As you are well aware in this internet world the more links and backlinks the better for ranking's on the search engines. Here is the blog site that has the Fix-A-Fence LLC advertisement listed.

Not a bad deal for a few hours worth of work, the stats for this blog are not huge but considering the area it covers the fosterpowellpdx.com blog site has a number of followers that may just need a fence repair or install. Winter is coming up and there may be a few items left on the honey-do list too.

Here are a couple photos of the barter

The customer has taken out all the exiting 5' high white slatted chain link fence and had it disposed of and in place of that is having a 6' high solid wood fence built by Fix-A-Fence LLC

Remember if you're in the Portland, OR area and you are in need of a fence repair or complete wood or chain link fence install Fix-A-Fence LLC can do it all.

Whoops,...that almost started to sound like a commercial. Well that what seems is always on when I go to turn on the TV,...commercials. Change the channel more commercials. Why couldn't we embed some sort of encrypted message into a commercial that whenever someone watches it they wind up committing a random act of kindness? Imagine how this could change the way we run our daily lives? Imagine how many acts of kindness would be committed everyday? Why not go out and just create the app so that everyone can get it on their Iphones and Androids? 

Well that is just an idea. 

Anyway until the next post remember to always

The Motor Is In And The Truck Runs Like New

The motor is in and I am

smiling!

The truck runs like new, what a saving's. It sure is nice to have family that helps out. 

One thing for sure when it comes to business it is nice to have clients that trust you and will call you for other work besides the profession you are in. For instance the last time I worked for a client of mine he asked me not only to build him a fence but to remove and install the boards on the front porch of the rental property.

He also had me remove the existing black falling apart rot iron hand railing and install new galv. fencing material as handrails. Big change and only a few stains. My client plans on painting the next year, is like me in a way because it is always one step at a time. I have had my share of running and it is getting harder to get back up from falling so I have learned to slow down in running this race called life. 

Just after finishing this project my client has asked me to bid a 6 unit complex for backyard dividing fence partitions and gates. Just put the bid out before I starting writing this blog so that will be the next bit of fresh content, whether I get the work order or not.

So until the next bit of content

Remember to

How To Get A Free Fence Estimate From Fix-A-Fence LLC

She sure was a great help today,...

Leads Are Always Good In Any Business

Check this out!

Here is a great way to gather leads for your business.

It has helped my business grow by sending me leads via e-mail. I have the choice of responding or not. Thumbtack has a great way to gather and seek out viable candidates for the people that are searching for licensed contractors.

Click on the link above and see what Thumbtack has to offer the small business.

I have been very satisfied with the service Thumbtack provides me. I get to choose how many credits I want and when a leads contacts you directly there is no cost in credits. Cool huh? Try it.

Saving Money - No Debt - Just Like New

Here is a little bit of more fresh content,...

With over 350,000+ miles on the original engine in my Ford F-150 XLT 4 x 4 Fence Truck it is time for a motor with a few less miles on it.

First I thought I would see about a loan,... just to get another truck that is a bit heavier duty and in size. The company grew by about $20,000 last year and I have a credit score of 748. However with a debt ratio of 78% the bank wouldn't let go of a $4,500.00 loan for a $140.00 a month payment. So after being turned down I started looking up at just replacing the motor.

My nephew works at an auto wrecking yard and found me this motor with only 140,000 miles on it and is going to put it in for me while I go on a men's retreat called Round-Up.

The motor was only $500.00 and his labor is the same and with parts for another $300-400.00 that's like a new truck for only $1,500.00 and I didn't or won't have to go into debt. I wonder how the back will factor that into their debt ratio figures? 

I like saving money and I also like helping out my family. It is nice to have a mechanic in the family. 

The motor that is in the truck now has a constant ticking sound that gets really loud going up hills,...as a matter of fact it really doesn't like hills at all. I have to try and avoid hills which makes estimating and hauling materials to and from the job site that much harder because I have to go the long way around. With the newer motor I will or should be able to get around town and the outskirts of town much easier. This is going to be a lot nicer and quite a bit quieter. 

So until the next bit of fresh content and even an update on the new motor install

Remember to 

How To Make A Wood Z Frame Gate

The Technology of Business

Technology sure has made things a bit easier for the small business owner to feel like a huge business owner.

With the addition of a little device known as, "The Square", Fix-A-Fence LLC will now be able to accept credit cards.

It is actually a milestone for this little fence company. With only a 2.75% on the transaction, life for this small business owner is getting more convenient. Now customers will have another way to get their fence repaired besides having to come up with the cash right away. Convenience. 

I knew about The Square but really never put two and two together until this one estimate not to long ago. He wanted to use his credit card and I told him that it would leave me out because the fence company isn't set up for receiving funds from credit cards. He began to explain the benefits of having this tool. I went home that night and signed up for The Square. 

The next day he called me back asking for the numbers on the estimate and after I gave him the damage report he told me that I was the one he wanted to hire. So needless to say I will be able to use The Square on the person that wanted me to sign up for it. Nice!

Just wanted to give a update of the milestone achieved here at Fix-A-Fence LLC

So until the next post

The How To Make A Video Go Viral Camapign

So the video on stretching tension wire I have been using for a campaign on, "How to make a video go viral" has brought in over 17,000 views in 39 days of posting on craigslist so far.

Not bad for a simple how to video, Check it out

Started the campaign with only 10,000 views, I decided to start this video campaign when posting for free fence estimates was getting routine. Thought I would spice things up a bit.

Got to work at Rossi Farms the other day. Was hired to set fence posts for some gates and then was called back to install the gates

Quite on the set please

Can't even tell there is a gate there. Learned a tricky way to hide a gate in a fence line.

What is good about taking before and after pictures like this is for advertising on the internet. Sometimes I will take some pictures and use photoshop to use for my craigslist posting's. 

Like these here

Let the pictures do the talking

Like this video link

I have been told to keep my day job 

So if you live in the Portland, OR area you can help by calling for your free fence estimate

That's where it all begins

So until the next post 

Remember 

And always 

Removing Old Wood Fence Installing Old Chain Link Fence

This project here was like trading in one old looking but dis functional fence for another old looking fence and functional. The existing gate was literally hanging by a thread.

The fence fell apart as soon as I started working on it. Pulling the existing fence posts out was very easy because there was no concrete. So setting the new posts was even easier than pulling the existing posts.  

This is a gate that was in the yard just waiting for an application like this. The gate was donated by a previous customer as well as most of the posts and hardware. The chain link and posts are all from other fence projects of previous customer donated material. I love it when a fence comes together.

By the way this was a returning customer from the internet. A returning customer that I have never met in person. That's the beauty of the internet.

As far as the, "How To Make A Video Go Viral' campaign goes it has been bringing in over 100 views per day. Sure I have to put a daily post out but we only reap what we sow. Ten minutes a post times two a day is not that hard to accomplish. Adsense dollars have been adding up in the account. I am thinking about starting a computer class at church. Gotta talk to the elders first.

Until the next post remember to always keep

Smiling!!!

An Internet Star Without Going Viral

When I went on an estimate the other day the customer greeted me with, "So you are the internet star for fixing fences huh?"

I just grinned and and then started laughing, it was hard to get a thank you out.

Landed the job to tear out and haul away some existing chain link fence for the customer.

This is what it looked like when I began today 

And this is what it looks like after I was finished today.

Took the scrap home and put it out along the street and it was picked up within minutes. I wasn't even done unloading the truck when a scrapper showed up.

Here is a new video I produced that may have some potential at going viral,...check it out!

Click Here To Help This Video Go Viral

Someday,...

Until the next update 

And remember to always