Where can I find clients???

[SCper]

Hello everyone
I lived in the east bay California, and I'm planning to start an engineering office (structural)
This year my plan is to develop a network and find some clients, but I do not know how to start.
If somebody can recommend me something it will be really helpful.
- Is there any web page, newspaper, forum, or something that can led me to a possible client

thank you very much

 

[zdas04]

First, look in your local Yellow Pages under "Engineer, Structural" and see how many pages there are. In a town of any size the listings run to many pages. You need to ask yourself "why would someone select me rather than these 200 other guys?" What differentiates you? From what I've read on eng-tips.com, Structural Engineers pull their client pool from: (1) homeowners (not willing to pay much); (2) contractors; or (3) architects. You can get in with the first group through your Yellow Pages add (expensive for a low return, but most Structural firms feel that it is necessary).

That leaves the other two groups. They are going to find SE's through word-of-mouth (not much use for a start up), personal contacts through industry societies, trade shows, and community involvement. You have to remember that these guys are getting hit by 20 hungry SE's a month and will mostly throw a cold call in the trash. Were I you, I'd:
[ul]
[li]Become an officer in your local professional society[/li]
[li]Write a few papers for journals/conferences, there are a lot of both that are screaming for quality content[/li]
[li]Build a web page that has content of value (the pages that just say your name and e-mail don't get much traffic, you have to give people a reason to come back)[/li]
[li]Get active here at eng-tips.com (all of my current [industrial] clients found me through my activity here, followed the link in my signature, and asked themselves "if he's giving this much content away for free what do I get if I pay him?")[/li]
[/ul]

None of this pays the bills the first quarter, and maybe not the second or third quarter either. When I started my ME firm I had a year's operating and living expenses in the bank, not relying on having any billable hours for 12 months. It turned out that I did better than that, but so what? If you plan on no revenue for a quarter and it goes to two quarters then you are out of business and maybe in receivership. If you plan for no revenue for a year and break even in the first quarter then you are profitable with money in the bank which is never a bad thing.

One other thing, diversity is key. For my first two quarters I had one client, they paid really well, but they were the only client. When that client decided to move the work I was doing in to company employees I was out in the cold with zero clients. Kind of scary after a gang-busters start. I still had my reserve to carry me until I found may second and third clients, but it was still scary. After that I have always had 2-3 active clients and 3-4 others that were either current with no active projects or prospective--I make it a point to keep in close touch with both of these groups.

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

Law is the common force organized to act as an obstacle of injustice Frédéric Bastiat

 

[SCper]

this information is great ...
besides eng-tips.com would you recommend me to follow my possible clients with a different social media, like facebook or twitter
Thank you very much David

 

[zdas04]

I see Facebook and Twitter as negative for an industrial business. Both are more friends/family oriented (industrial companies that have pages have pretty lame pages that don't get monitored by anyone likely to hire you), and your clients are not going to come from that community.

LinkedIn has a lot of business support, but I've not yet figured out how to capitalize on it, maybe others can give all of us that advice.

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

Law is the common force organized to act as an obstacle of injustice Frédéric Bastiat

 

[berkshire]

danielsc (Structural)
LinkedIn is of some use, but you will also find several hundred guys like yourself on there.
Whatever you do , do not rob clients from your boss.
B.E.

You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.

 

[brandonbw]

Something that helped me in the beginning was letting everyone know what I was doing, like old bosses and coworkers. Another one was going to a local reprographics place to pick prints up. I ended up connecting with an old high school person who became an Architect. FB and Twitter are just ways to communicate you are doing business. I wouldn't rely on them for getting work. I renew our free craigslist post every 2 weeks and have found a couple of clients from that this past year. I post to our blog about 1-2 times a week and people find us because they like reading what I have to say. But the majority of work has been through repeat Architects and word of mouth.

I don't think its worth going into the yellow pages though. It does take some time to get things going.

B+W Engineering and Design
Los Angeles Civil Engineer and Structural Engineer

http://bwengr.com

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http://bwstructuralengineer.com

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http://bwcivilengineer.com

 

[berkshire]

The yellow pages are like a land mine, they just sit there, and just about the time you think they are not worth it, you get a hit.
B.E.

You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.

 

[JedClampett]

Maybe I'm the only one, but I think if you're considering hanging out your own shingle, shouldn't you already have a good idea about where your work is going to come from?
You need a business relationship with potential clients to get started. If you're already working at a company, would some of their clients follow you? Can you add some value beyond what other established firms provide?
Basically, right at this moment, someone is doing all the structural engineering work there is to be done. There's not a backlog sitting around, waiting to be mined. Who will you take work from?

 

[SCper]

I know that starting your own company it is a big step in someones career (and life) that's why I don't want to rush any process
So far my goal this year is to start developing more connection among the industry, I don't plan to still any client from anyone but why not have them as reference.
It is a long path and I have to start doing something to reach my goal ....
thanks for all your comments

 

[SteelPE]

When I started out, I was working for a fabricator doing desigh-build engineering. The company went out of business and everyone scattered like rats from a sinking ship. I ended up being forced to start my own company after trying to get a job. I contacted the people I worked with at their new companies. I contacted a few architects I worked with previously and had a good relationship with. I knew people in the steel erection business as well who have help me get a few projects. It has been almost two years since I started. I don't know if I will be able to make it but I am taking it day by day. Right now I have about 10 potential large project on the board..... of which I may only land 1 or maybe none.

In the end, you need to be ready to do the things others won't. Being a structural engineer on the east coast connection design is something everyone hates to do, and is a good way to fill in the low spots. I'm not sure how that works out in CA though. I work a lot with contractors, fabricators and erectors.... I don't suggest working with these clients as payments are not prompt and you can end up with a lot of money "out there". Right now, I have 1/2 of my previously salary "out there". So far I only have one client who didn't pay his bill (I kind of figured this would happen with this client).

Good luck.

 

[FixedEarth]

When you say, "Is there any web page, newspaper, forum, or something that can led me to a possible client", I get the feelig you are not writing proposals, meeting with clients, etc. at your current position. What are your job functions now at your current firm?

http://www.soilstructure.com/

 

[SCper]

Hi all
Right now I'm working as a project engineer for structural engineering office,
I have been working for about 8 years now mainly mid and high rise buildings
I will take the SE exam this year, so far my experience with this career have been amazing I have learn a lot and I want to learn more
In the office we have a marketing guy who always coordinates proposals and fees with the principals, I haven't done anything on that.
thanks for your reply

 

[FixedEarth]

Great. So you have the technical side taken care of. See if you can transition to a senior engineer position with another firm that will show you how to write proposals, meet with clients and run a small department. Your current position does not prepare you to go solo. In the meantime, subscribe to "Inc" & "Entrepreneur" magazines and take at least three classes at a community college - one on entrepreneurship, second on marketing and third on small business accounting. Work on setting aside 12 month's living expenses. Find a mentor, may be another structural engineer who owns a small practice in the Bay Area. It takes few years to learn these skills.

Get the following books on Kindle:

http://www.amazon.com/Start-Quarter...3055499&sr=8-1&keywords=start+quarter+million

http://www.amazon.com/Value-Based-Fees-Charge-Youre-Worth-ebook/dp/B0062O8UBY/ref=tmm_kin_title_0

It takes about 5 - 7 years to establish a firm based on your netwroking skills, economy and demand for your services. Give us an update next year on your achievemnets. Good luck.

http://www.soilstructure.com/

 

[ztengguy]

Call every architech and civil engineer in the phone book. Tell them you will refer work to them if they do to you. Alot of civil engineers still get structural projects come up and need somewhere to go.

 

[kylesito]

Jed said my thoughts exactly. My last company was debating opening a branch office in a new market. I got to watch the process as it was debated and considered. The biggest lesson I learned is that it only works if you already have a pretty steady bill of work and client base. Almost all new offices fail that start out on an island.

PE, SE
Eastern United States

"If a builder builds a house for someone, and does not construct it properly, and the house which he built falls in and kills its owner, then that builder shall be put to death!"
~Code of Hammurabi

 

[SCper]

I found something interesting about linkedin
Check this out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCKtfcAGUTE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv_7...ew-vl&list=PL7MtT0VRyvmLjGwuOmEoSfNfGX6HMwmhV