This is awesome advice. The first 3 tips are the most important things you mentioned. You can do all of the other tips but if you sell wet wood you will screw yourself. They will never be back. One thing you mentioned is smiling, however you didn’t mention bitching during your delivery, I know you kept this positive video however I’ve watch other RU-vidrs complaining during the delivery about how far they have to walk it for an extra 20 bucks, or they have to stack it for an extra 20 bucks in front of the customer. Not that it’s there payday and job they choose. The need to change professions if they don’t want to do the customers job as one says all the time!! They say this because they don’t want to split stack let dry and reload. They want to split into the truck and deliver, saving a lot of steps but delivering unseasoned wood because (drying is the customers job!). It saves them steps but in some cases there selling unseasoned wood. Be honest with your customer tell them I am out of seasoned wood and I have some semi seasoned wood. Let them decide if it’s for them. The other factor in this is space. Space is valuable because if it sits 2 years to season you need over twice the space you sell in a year to allow your wood to season. I think space is one of the reasons firewood suppliers don’t season there wood because they have no space to work or stack anymore. Wood is not a get rich scheme it takes time, it also is not a job you get paid for when you work. You get paid years later when it’s seasoned. You work today for your paycheck in two years. Many people don’t want a job you don’t get paid for in two years. Something for people to think about and not mention enough. Peace
Yes Chris you are so true its simple be nice to people who provide you with food on the table do not take for granted your customer appreciate tham and yes thank tham
School is in session . What a great clip you did again. If people who watched did not get the points you talked about they were sleeping. Everything was spelled out and to the point. Thanks again Don
Thanks, I can't stand videos that have a bunch of scenic shots and music for a long time and a girl in yoga pants and a tight shirt prancing around the thing I came to see for half of the video before the good stuff starts.
Morning Chris. Great selling points. You would be the King Of Firewood here in Massachusetts. Pricing Is ridiculous when it comes to buying dry wood versus green wood. These guys need a class on customer service! Keep up the good work👍
I have a Craigslist ad and just like you I sell out of wood every year. I am not worried about loosing sales as there is more than enough competition around me that we all can work together. Plus I see it as I don't want to deal with everyone and not everyone wants to deal with me. I am ok with that some vibes just don't mesh.. So when I run out I am gathering it all up while everyone is delivering it.. As for your advice spot on.. I have gotten all kinds of complements on the being on time (with in 10min early or late) ans delivering the correct amount where the last guy was the opposite...
It's a great feeling isnt it? It's scary and exciting at the same time! I left my job after 13 years of working back in June 2020. It's slow to grow, just stay out of debt and try to make some money elsewhere as well.
Great video! Another thing you can buy is the magnets for your business cards then they can put it on their fridge! Now everyone can see it. And you cannot lose it.
Chris once again you are 100% correct on everything you have said. I started my sideline business 3 years ago and it’s amazing how many customers I have acquired by being honest and putting Customer service #1 that’s how I run things👌🏻🔥🇨🇦
Great clip, its great to be back in the woodyard. I've been away for a week in hospital with clots on my lungs didn't see that coming its great to see you Chris look forward to you and the machine stacking I've got to take it easy for a month or so but i will be back tomorrow with you in the woodyard. Thank You Andy from Wales UK .
0603 hrs, Killeen (Fort Hood), Texas in the house. Widemouth Bass fishing is on the agenda this morning as soon as I visit with Chris at "The Woodyard'.
Used to fish cowhouse at the bridge where the impact zone borders and the crappy house in blora. When those schools show up under the lights at 0630-0800 START CASTING! We used large minows.
Good morning Chris!!😀😀 I couldn't have said it better. Those are definitely all things you need to do to sell out every year. We need to get together one of these days soon!! TTYL!! Logger Al
I visit your channel every day. I enjoy seeing your whole production process. (Great value!) Every little while, you give us extras: Marketing tips, beaver trapping, your brothers operations. (Extra value!) Here's an idea; Interview your wife (off camera) for tips on how to get along with a go-gettin' outdoorsman like you. Kenny's wife too! While showing a splitting or stacking segment, present it as a voice-over. How about an interview with The Machine. What are his goals, does he feel he's getting enough water to compensate for his efforts and the like.
I had the hook up for advertisement. My relastate lady would give out my businesses cards to new home owners with fireplaces. And adds in the paper worked good to tell a ice storm hits. 100s of calls a day for wood. Good times. 👍👍✌☺
tell one thing chris , how long have you been selling ice to the eskimos , you are absolutely right in what you are saying 120% and always say thank you for your business at the end of the sale, it go's along way
Thanks for sharing the firewood sales tips. Quality products, quick response time, friendly communication and a fair price will aid most any business in growth. I’m a price is the price guy in my business. Do you get many hagglers calling?
YOU, my friend are obssed! It's madness. But it's a fine kind of madness! ;-)) "My candle burns at both ends. It will not last the night. But oh my friends and ah my foes, it sheds a lovely light!" Shalom/gw
G’mornin Chris. Great tips and information. I’ve copied your delivery rates, and have had great success. Also, I got a $20 tip for my “promptness”. Keep up the great content !! Thank you. GoodNightIrene
Not sure what you are trying to say?? I USED to stack it all ...this video was over 2 years ago, I now pile it in bins off the ground to dry..fast, easy and it works great.
I thought it was the customers job to dry/season the wood? Lol, not going to mention anyone, they know who they are. Your price for dry wood is very reasonable. Wood that I have to dry myself, would be half of what the going price is for ready to burn. dry wood.
I ran out 2× in the last year. The 2nd time is right now. And I haven't advertised in 3 months. The last 90 days have all been repeat customers and referrals. I only sell about 40 facecords a yr. Mainly because thats all the space I have to season.
God have mercy wished I knew how to send this episode to someone else because Joe’s premium firewood needs to hear this it’s not the customers job the customers are looking for Drywood not for lazy man excuses
16:42 - "because maybe the other guy's better than you..." Mmm... an especially big risk if they call a guy named Ken, and his mate Leroy answers the phone... 😋...🤣👍🇦🇺
One other tip my friend in Idaho does is when he stacks the wood he staples a couple business cards on the stack and he cards are a bright orange and green color.
I've been self employed for 14 years, selling wood for 11. I take care of my customers and most new customers are skeptical and get burned in the past, or they see that I have an ad that shows attention to detail and experience. However, I am spoiled because I have little competition in a city of 4 million
think you did a great job explaining your points, considering the effort it takes to provide the service wise to do it right, not selling your wood too cheap probably be another, you'll know if its too expensive ha ha
We only get The Cadillacs of wood oak here in Texas. You can get mesquite which is awesome. You have to find the right guy to get mesquite in bulk .A lot of people want to sell it as a barbecue wood which increases the price. I do get my pine the only way you can get here is by scavenging new house builds and asking them to for the scrap odds and ends. I've got a couple pallet full of scrap pine construction 2x4s 4x4s that's how we get our pine here at least I do🙂 I do wish we had more options like up north. All hard woods here
90% of the wood i sell is maple and cherry because where i live we get scorching hot summers and if you stack that stuff in the sun its well below 20% by the end of summer if i split it in spring - i am a logger so most of the wood i split has already been downed for a year or 2 which really helps with the drying process
Chris we have never charge for delivery because we had it to the price only because when we had a price for wood plus delivery they say i ll call you back that means they well buy it some where else so we just put it in the price and yeah most of the time we have to delivery a week out so we have to tell them next week or two weeks that is because that is how far out we are
thank you for all these tips. i used some of them to source a logging company and scored 12 cords of oak log for 135$ per cord delivered, up in the eagle river. now im freaking out thinking how am i going to sell the $1620 worth of wood lol
Morning Chris, your old-school as they say, you do what you say, when you say you will do it, a rarity these days . Can’t believe how many people make appointments, and almost always, show up 30-60 late, rarely a call or text. I guess you have to be clear when you tell a potential customer, let me send you a few pictures of my wood.... Have a good day
The best tool for drying wood was when I built the first kiln.. it's almost impossible to run out of wood which is the worst scenario to be in for a firewwod business.. something for ya to ponder over. .and my new kilns run off wood so we use all the odd ball stuff to dry the good stuff.. win win..
I subscribe to truth in advertising with how dry the wood is that I sell and that works well too. And I make sure to ask what they will be using it for and when, if they respond to an ad for wood that isn't quite ready, or is green. I price accordingly, as well. The greener the cheaper. But even my green sells for more than your dry, but this is in Southern Maine. Oh and I use your exact delivery model. Free under ten miles...
Just watched your glove video and you need to try white ox gloves You’ll have to order them from the login shop in the Northwest but they run about seven bucks a pair and last a long time and are very good and cold weather
I just checked them out and I will get some and give them a try. I'm not sure about the cold weather though, cotton and cold usually do not mix well, that is our cold...-30 for days and days with wind is not the same as west coast cold at almost freezing.
And one thing that some firewood suppliers do not realize as you cannot take rounds split them into your truck deliver them and expect them to burn I don't care if they're Barkless or not wood needs to be split and sit for at least a month even if those rounds are considered dry.... Those rounds maybe 20% on the inside, but once you split it is 20% on the outside also and on the inside .it needs to be way dryer on the outside to burn properly...JPF is clueless and that's why he's almost bankrupt LOL
Hello Chris, the question that I have for you, you may have answered it before. I know you stack all of your firewood to season it, but what is your opinion on just piling wood up say approximately 6 to 8 feet high on top of pallets, so the wood is up off of the ground? Will it season properly? Thank you for a great channel.
@@InTheWoodyard If it is just piled up and not stacked, but laying on top of pallets, only 6 to 8 feet high, would it season properly without being turned? Thank you
Sound wisdom from the Woodyard...and not just for firewood. Wouldn't it be nice if the principles you shared were practiced by many other businesses? It feels like these basics are becoming a lost art. Maybe that's what happens to people when Amazon delivers everything to your door, or you just drive past a window to get something and no one knows how to interact anymore. May your wood stacks always be large and dry, oh sensei of firewood! 👍😎 CYN & GNI
With my low levels of inventory, think is best to concentrate on building inventory for next season? Have at best 8wks left of inventory for my roadside firewood stand. Right now I'm mostly campfire firewood but want to move into the wood stove/fireplace heating market.
Then you had better get cutting...... about 6 months ago, you will need a lot more volume of wood inventory for heating customers! It takes time to build heating wood because those people want oak, hickory, locust, maple, cherry and that all takes 6-12 months to dry.
@@InTheWoodyard, so get a mix of campfire and heating wood when I order logs to build up a little of both? Have room for maybe three truckloads stacked unless can talk the owner into letting me clear more land.
@@InTheWoodyard, I'll do what I can to get cutting. The regular job drags me down. But as soon as I get cutting again, then I come alive and feel motivated to work hard on my weekend off.
All great tips, but the sad things is that many of those have become "extras" in modern society. A good portion of these tips were basically doing what you said you would do, and unfortunately, that's a rarity nowdays. That's why you are the man when it comes to firewood. I get a kick out of reading online reviews about products and services and they are like "everything I expected, 5 stars". Everything I expected is 3 stars, more than I expected is 4 stars and 5 stars should be reserved for the ultimate. Your type of service is 5 stars, but only because you make the extra effort to make it so.
Shocking that some people in the firewood business don't sell wood that is dry, seasoned and ready to burn. Seems the secret to your success falls under the category of great customer service. Which, unfortunately, is quite uncommon these days.
I agree with everything but the free delivery I started charging 50 for a ten mile radius and 100 beyond that I use the delivery fee as a negotiation tool if I have to Delivery fees have changed My margin so I always win.
GM to ya Chris! Another good video sir. Regarding getting and maintaining more wood (#8), are you within close proximity of your wholesalers? If so, what's the ideal range?
When you started out selling wood did you separate it by species like you do now? I have sold some wood this year and nobody has asked for a specific kind, they just asked to make sure i was not selling pine.
Hey Chris! Would your customers pay more for stacking the wood at their home? If you’re going to stack it anyways then why not get paid for it? We average over $600 per cord because of this service
I try to answer all calls asap or call back asap even with land clearing business is what I do, I try to call back asap and even when I get spam calls until I know who is who. Be on TIME is what I try my best to do and I ask anyone who works for me is to be on time. Have a great day be safe.
What’s the projected % on the “seasoned” firewood ? You’ve stated that sound of the wood should be like bowling pins cracking but the secondary backup percentage is below 22% ?
Anything under 20% is the normal. I find 18, 19% still on the high side. With our climate on the east coast, you aren't getting much better than 15% air drying. This year.... I just resplit 4 cords to help the drying process
Most of the wood I sell is in the teens when I sell it other wise I won't sell it . I have enough in rotation that I usually sell the oldest stuff first.
facebook market place allows you to do everything by messenger , getting you off the phone . i found in the past i was on the phone several hours a day , right in the middle of my day ( which is my prime time to get things done to make money ) .... getting off the phone allowed me more productive time during the day and moved all my messaging to either the evening or early morning ... the difference can be 2 or 3 hundred dollars more a day on some days
Maybe so but actually talking to your customers builds relationships much better and to me is actually much more efficient than texting because you taking care of the business all at once also instead of back and forth for hours..
@@InTheWoodyard i prefer to talk to customers in person . by doing this , i'm building a relationship with someone who is already a paying customer . ... again my time is limited in the middle of the day , and it seems like there is a never ending line of noncustomers who will just waste your time once they get you on the phone
