"Chi/FindIt" is the nickname for a listserv I run. Its official name is "Chicago/Metro Find It". I created it a couple years ago.
The ChiFindIt list is for people who live and/or work in the Chicagoland area and want to trade recommendations for great local businesses. So the Subject lines of Chi/FindIt posts are along these lines:
- "Need a plumber on the north side"
- "Kids dentists?"
- "Anyone know a wholesale source for landscaping stone"
- "Looking for real estate attorney/NW burbs area"
When list members reply, they include contact information for a business or other source that they personally used in the past. No ads or referrals to the person's own employer or business are allowed.
Basically it's the same as "asking around" but on a larger scale. And it just feels good to let a new vendor know upfront they were personally recommended by one of their clients. You know the guy's going to treat you well, if only to live up to his reputation.
One of my recent scores from the list was finding a family-run business that specialized in small/home office computer networking and phone systems. I showed the owner (who came over on a Saturday to install and set up a patch panel) his recommendation on the Chi/FindIt list and he was tickled to see three or four clients extolling his praises in their replies to my post.
The list has worked out great so far, we have over 100 subscribers (all by word of mouth). The message traffic is just right, only a few a week, and always on target.
Come join us! List info/subscribe: Chi/FindIt
