[Martin S]

As I look further and further into starting in CC,  I had a look today in the new 04/05 YP.  There are Nine pages of adverts from other CC companies.  Local paper has only three or four ads.

I've read past comments about some of you pulling out of YP because it isn't profitable enough.

My question is:

Should I take that as an indication that the market is totally saturated.  Or, is this an indication that there is plenty of work out there.  I like to think that the latter may be true, as if there we no, (or very few) ads, maybe that would indicate there was no business to be had.



I don't know where all these guys are working, as I have only seen about two or three vans in my travels around the area, although of course, I am more aware, now that I am looking into the business.  I hardly ever get leafleted at my home.  (And no, you're not having my address).



Regards

Martin S

[mark_roberts]

Theres plenty for work out there for everyone and then some.  

Look at the previous few years pages and compare whos still there, ad size etc and that will give you an idea of the number of 'active' cleaners in your area.

Depending upon your location ie. city or rural area, most of your customers should be within a 5-20 mile radius of your house.  So look at the cleaners within this area to see your local competition.

My advice is to use flyers etc to advertise to identify why customers choose you and not the competition and then use these points in your yellow pages ad.  Spend about £1000 on the ypages ad. track results and then change the next year to improve.

Yellow pages advertising is part of the advertising pie and you should not rely soley on it for the phone to ring.

Mark

[David_Annable]

I agree with Mark you need to spend at least £1000 which will generate somewhere between £3000 & £5000 per annum. Unfortunetly it will also generate a lot of price shopping phone calls, so if you find these people annoying then YP isnt for you.

Dave

[cleanability]

Yep.......open up the yellow pages and theres lots of carpet cleaners. BUT!!!!   When you break it down, its not so bad. Most potential customers always always call local companies. So that counts out most of the CC section. And believe it or not, there are a lot of companies who you can never get hold of, eg no answer or wont call u back if a message has been left on their answer machine.  I get a fair bit of work from YP. But I've never really gone for the sales patter that double your ad size increases your enquiries. To a certain degree maybe but not to the degree they are telling u. Better maybe spending that money on leaflets etc etc.

                                     Chris      

[Dennis]

Depending upon your location ie. city or rural area, most of your customers should be within a 5-20 mile radius of your house.  So look at the cleaners within this area to see your local competition.

Mark

Unless you live by the seaside, 1 - 20 miles east of me is water.