Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Jamie Wiles on February 07, 2008, 08:34:06 am
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Hello guys,
I don't know how many of you remember me but about three years ago I started up a CC business after being made redundant from an office job. Things seemed to be going reaonably well for a while and I was starting to get regular work coming in but then the business seemed to just die. Phone just suddenly stopped ringing and I can't really explain why as I didn't stop spending time and money on my marketing efforts and I NEVER had a complaint about my work. Anyway this 'quiet patch' ended up putting me out of business around about the summer of 2006. I have since gone back to working in an office job, but for some reason didn't sell off my equipment or switch off the phone.
Over the last few months I have been getting the occasional call about carpet cleaning work, which I haven't turned away as quite frankly I am greatful for the extra income. But doing this work has made me realise that I really want to give it another go.
Now I'm not stupid and I know that I can't just quit my job as I have a family and a large mortgage, but I would like to initially get to a point where I have a steady flow of around 1 or 2 domestic jobs a week to supplement my current income, then maybe look at taking it further once I'm at that point.
I suppose then what I am asking is, could any of you very helpful lads and ladies possibly give me some marketing pointers so that I can get to where I need to be (1 or 2 jobs a week) without spending an absolute fortune.
Any help that anyone could give me would be enormously appreciated.
Thanks
J
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Jamie
Helpful tip: If you change your e mail status to show it instead of hidden, you may get a reply.
Cheers
Kev
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Ok thanks, I've done that. I usually hide it to prevent webcrawlers picking it up and bombarding me with spam...
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Many years ago when I was doing a bit of door to door selling I remember someone saying this..
when householder comes to door even if you say "I dont suppose you would be interested in having (house alarm, double glazing, CARPETS CLEANED), 1 in 100 would say "yes, just the person I am looking for".
If that statement is true the it is as good a conversion rate (or better) then leaflet drops without the expense.
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Joe
I know you have more experience than me at door knocking but in alarms Windows etc one in a hundread is good unless you use tricks like a house full of windows for free and rep wonders what the customer is talking about when he gets there.
No I used to get 1 in 300
Got pretty hot during the Summer and frozen in the winter
KEEP ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Head Up
Next No is one more to YES ;D ;D ;D
WHEN i was recruited to earn OTE 100K i WAS TOLD ONE IN TEN agreed to an apointment and one in 3 apointments converted to a sale
So I only need to knock 30 houses to earn £300
Funny thing was I went to Monday Sales Meeting and everybody apart from me was reporting these statistics.
I was told go out try harder.
I eventually found out they were being given Hot LEADS
THE ENTIRE DIRECT SALES INDUSTRY IS A LOAD OF CON MERCHANTS
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Difference now, Ian, with my door knocking, is that whilst the conversion rate is very much less, it is vastly more enjoyable - hot or cold weather. :D
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Hi,
I am just about to drop 10,000 leaflets, double sided glossy number, any idea on what response that should bring?
Dan
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Get a decent website designed and spend your free time creating links and registering it with free directories.
We don't need to waste large sums of money on Yellow Pages and Thomson Local.
Regards
S
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Dan,
10 i.e. .001% initial response provided its not a crap leaflet, however I think you would be better leaving it until the end of Feb.
Dave.
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Unless you are deadly serious about going full time at carpet cleaning i think you should put the thought out of your head. At the end of the day you are already earning a living and want to do carpet cleaning as a "bit of extra cash" what you should think about is all the serious carpet cleaners out there who do this for thier bread and butter. That bit of beer money could be costing somebody else a meal, perhaps not not quite that drastic but you get my gist.
Cheers Goron
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At the end of the day you are already earning a living and want to do carpet cleaning as a "bit of extra cash" what you should think about is all the serious carpet cleaners out there who do this for thier bread and butter. That bit of beer money could be costing somebody else a meal, perhaps not not quite that drastic but you get my gist.
Cheers Goron
You are joking right?
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Why?
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So what you are saying is he shouldn't start his business up because he will do someone else out of a meal?
And especially if it's just for beer money? LOL ;D
I think I will write to all the carpet cleaners in my area and ask them to lay off a little as this month it's been very quiet lately. ;)
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Relax Goron, He's in Essex he won't be a threat to you ;D
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If someone isn't totally committed, the chances are that they will not have treatments risk insurance & training, I don't want to pre-judge, but if you are only attempting to start a business 'on the side' then the potential customer is at risk.
I can see where Goran is coming from, I had a customer cancel us a couple of weeks ago because she had found someone to 'do' her suite for £40, who also did her gardening, the above mentioned situation did apply in this case, the guy had no idea regarding pricing.
We are fortunate to have many customers, so for us it wasn't a problem, but he could have taken the business from someone that had just invested everything in a new business venture.
Regards
S
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Not all cheapos do substandard work but chances are they only clean in 1 way that's to blast it and also they are never insured but some customers aren't bothered....but luckily for us most are.
I dare not ask what you would have charged Spencer!
Shaun
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Sorry Mike, but I agree with Goron. I have nothing against guys who hang on to their day job whilst they test the water, so long as their ultimate intention is to (Within a reasonably short time) turn full time CC. But I am not at all happy with the full time, part timers, if you know what I mean.
There are a coup[le of well paid Fire fighters that I know about that CC in their spare time. They undercut all the full time pro's and in doing so, unfairly (in my opinion) steal some of their work. Let them go and and get a part time job by all means. However for a full time EMPLOYEE to start up in direct unfair competition to a full time SELF EMPLOYED, as I see it, is not on.
Dave.
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Not as much as Chris Straker, but probably x 3.
I had a chin wag with Chris in Chelsea today, admiring the Ferrari's and Astons as they drove by.
Shaun, if you want a link on our new site, help yourself, I will add one back.
Regards
S
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Who said business was fair, life isn't fair. There are Firemen near me who work part time but to suggest they shouldn't do it is ridiculus.
Also what's creeping in and is a diffrent arguement is whether they are insured and do decent job. Buyer beware is what I say.
What I'm saying is worry about your own business and let them get on with it. It's called loci of control or sphere of influence.
ps I'm one of the ones who are below the bread line so any donations welcome. :'(
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I suppose then what I am asking is, could any of you very helpful lads and ladies possibly give me some marketing pointers so that I can get to where I need to be (1 or 2 jobs a week) without spending an absolute fortune.
Any help that anyone could give me would be enormously appreciated.
Thanks
J
Hi Jamie,
Try running some small ads in your local papers and village / parish magazines. Wont cost a fortune and should make the phone ring.
As long as you've done some training, have insurance, use the right equipment and chems and do a good job then good luck. Fitting it in around a full time job could prove a problem, however if you're prepared to put in the hours to build up business and a customer database with a view to going full time then fair play to you.
If you'd like a chat then give me a call (07721 827163), I'll be more than happy to give you some advice. I've only been in this business for 4 years and have made every mistake possible. I have however learnt from my mistakes and have just about turned things around (touch wood).
All the best,
Jason.
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Hi Mike,
Did you get the email?
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Hi Guys
Can't really see where the the part time argument comes from.
We have an unregualted industry so a free market applies and the best will come out on top, nothing wrong with that.
As for the orginal question I too would suggest internet or very local as Jason has said using magazines.
Cheers
Doug
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Thanks for all the input guys. Just to make it clear I have done some training (IICRC cct) and have full treatment risk insurance from McGregor LLoyd, and have always charged a fair price for my services. And I am certainly not in it for beer money. I have substantial debts that need to be paid every month and the money that I earn from full time employment just about covers my outgoings but things are tight. I do actually NEED the extra cash not just want it. So for me its either bring in some more CC work or go and stack shelves at night in Tescos....
That said I do appreciate all of your comments...
Thanks
J
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Jamie
Where there's a will there's a way.
Try to find inventive ways to market your services on the cheap.
Use your network. Family, work, social and give out cards with a small discount.
Do work for free for those who are likley good referral sources and carry some weight for testimonials etc.
I think you will have to invest some money in your business and it will cost before it starts making a profit. I like you thought it would get me out of a short term hole but unfortunately will probably deepen it at first. Oh and you will be knackered all the time.
Good luck.
Mike
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i have a f/t job................1week i work early shift...then a week of lates.....
i do the cc in between................. it was difficult starting out with inital outlay for machine, chems and training...........etc :'(
on this forum you will get lots and lots of solid good advice from the old pro's and the not so old(len) ;D
and then u will get the odd ****** who will tell you to throw in the white towel
at the first hurdle.........( especially if you are working"their" patch) :-X
imho
you should do what ever it takes to get the work in. if that means working cheaper than you normally would then do it ........untill you can get a good database of customers.
but take care not to burn yourself out.....all work and no play
when your cc work starts to increase then so do your prices......at this stage you need to get the work. then word of mouth will start to do the work for you....imo this is the best form of advertising....
you will need to advertise but dont get yourself into debt because of it......most cc whose business's fail ...........fail because of over spending on advertising.
ask some of the guys who does their printing of b.cards/ flyers......they are not as expensive as you may think..........when you are not working your day job go posting your flyers.
its a great way to meet potential clients and its good exercise!!
GORON
how did you find you way into carpet cleaning
did you go and buy a t/m and van then start cleaning??
what was your 1st year profit??
not being spiteful just an honest question.....
everybody must start somewhere!! :) :)
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Yes i bought myself a tm and van and got on with it. didn't make a profit in first year but that didn't matter as i had loads in the bank!
Cheers Goron
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some are more fortunate than others :-*
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Goron,
Similar, I came out of 9 years in the army, during which I researched Carpet cl;eaning for the last 4 of them. I started up full time during a bad recession. Of course lots of walking the streets putting flyers through and initially getting very little out of it. I was on maximum Family income supplement and my son got free school dinners and milk, we were also on maximum housing benefit. All this time and extremely humiliating it was, I walked those streets pushing flyers through whenever I wasnt actually cleaning, and that was most days. When things started to happen after two years, one evening on my way back home I popped into an off licence and bought a four pack of lager, the first since I had left the army. My wife thought I must have won the pools, we hadnt been on holiday or even had a single night out in all that time. After that first horrible two years things rapidly picked up and they got better. Another two years and we able to get a mortguage.
All this was 28 years ago, the reason I am putting it down in this post is in a way an answer to the original question - if you want it badly enough you have to be prepared to put up with bad to get to the good, keep focussed and you will win through.
I suppose my experience is one reason why I am unhappy with part time self employed (Not only carpet cleaners). I have nothing against them personally, as obviously they do it for a reason and I know some great lads who are part time CCs, I have even had some of them spend a day with me, but I cant help feeling that if an EMPLOYEE wants a part time job, fine get a part time EMPLOYED job, just like part time firemen.
Dave.
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I agree with Dave, if you are employed by someone you have a safety net and never really get your business off the ground it becomes a bit like overtime, you take it when you want something and not bother when you don't.
Although in your position youy have no choice but if you want to become full time you will have to work the 40 hr job and anothe 20 hrs getting it running again but this will take longer as you will be part time and you can't answer your calls at work. My advice would be to plough everything back in the first 2 years and you'll be on course to go fulltime then.
Shaun