Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: cleanability on April 10, 2008, 12:23:31 am
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I've had this topic on here earlier this year. And i just gotta say this is getting ridulous now. This week just 2 jobs on Monday and 2 phone calls and its Wednesday night now. Even if i've got the worst adverts in the world which i havent then 10yrs trading, half page ads in 2 yellow pages, ads in 4 thomson directories, leaflets, reminder cards sent out regular and nothing but praise from all customers then surely i should be getting more than 2 -4 jobs a week.
By the way what ever advice i take about ad design and size in yellow pages they never drum up any more work so sod it I'm gonna put prices on my next yellow pages ads. And drastically reduce size from half page.
Chris
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Yellow Pages will not permit you to advertise prices
Richie.
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I think you'll find YP will now allow you to put prices in.
Justin
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You can just about do anything you want now with Yellow Pages because they are struggling so much themselves,
Even though I am in a legal fight with them they still want me to come back and advertise.
Waste of time yellow pages is, internet, internet, internet is the way forward. My Local paper used to be the best advertising I had but even that is starting to underperform.
Is not very busy with advanced booking but I am getting lots more last minute jobs that people want doing yesterday. Roll on May, thats when the summer rush starts I hope.
I am pushing commercial a lot more these days to get the cash flow up.
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I think that this is the begining of some very hard times. I have never known it this quite, but the thing that makes me think it is more than just a quite patch is the way it has just nose dived. I have more advertising than ever thousands of custy on data base but things are frightningly slow.
Justin
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Same here quiet as hell few phone calls from price shoppers,went in high as few miles away not got the jobs ! thank f+#k i work for lettings agy`s so have just been ticking over .got a 4 bed town house today in Cambridge £265..then thats all for now not got any work booked in for the next couple of weeks.
People are prob saving for holls as the pound is rubbish against the euro now,off to Greece in just over 3 weks so hope i get some bookings or it`s bread and water not cocktails by the pool !
My yellow pages add paid for itself this year so going to run it again £1600 for the privilage
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This was posted a while ago by Mick Halliday. Having been a young whippersnapper estate agent, cutting my teeth in estate agency during the last ressecion I know who true it is.
the hot dog seller
THE MAN WHO SOLD HOT DOGS
THERE WAS A MAN WHO LIVED BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SOLD HOT DOGS.
HE WAS HARD OF HEARING SO HE HAD NO RADIO.
HE HAD TROUBLE WITH HIS EYES SO HE READ NO NEWSPAPERS.
BUT HE SOLD GOOD HOT DOGS.
HE PUT UP SIGNS ON THE HIGHWAY TELLING HOW GOOD THEY WERE.
HE STOOD ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CRIED; "BUY A HOT DOG, MISTER?
AND PEOPLE BOUGHT.
HE INCREASED HIS MEAT AND BUN ORDERS.
HE BOUGHT A BIGGER STOVE TO TAKE CARE OF HIS TRADE.
HE FINALLY GOT HIS SON HOME FROM COLLEGE TO HELP HIM OUT.
BUT THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED.
HIS SON SAID, "FATHER, HAVEN'T YOU BEEN LISTENING TO THE RADIO?
HAVEN'T YOU BEEN READING THE NEWSPAPERS?
THERE'S A BIG DEPRESSION.
THE EUROPEAN SITUATION IS TERRIBLE.
THE DOMESTIC SITUATION IS WORSE."
WHERE UPON THE FATHER THOUGHT, "WELL, MY SON'S BEEN TO COLLEGE, HE READS THE PAPERS AND HE LISTENS TO THE RADIO, AND HE OUGHT TO KNOW."
SO THE FATHER CUT DOWN ON HIS MEAT AND BUN ORDERS, TOOK DOWN HIS ADVERTISING SIGNS, AND NO LONGER BOTHERED TO STAND OUT ON THE HIGHWAY TO SELL HIS HOT DOGS.
AND HIS HOT DOG SALES FELL ALMOST OVERNIGHT.
"YOU'RE RIGHT, SON" THE FATHER SAID TO THE BOY.
"WE CERTINAILY ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A GREAT DEPRESSION."
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I think its a bit more than that this time.
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We have had the busiest start to the year ever i keep expecting it to drop off but it keeps getting busier, i advertise my prices in yellow pages and have taken 68 bookings since 3rd Jan, the average spend is £90.00.
This is for a 1/4 page double black on white at a cost of £2200.
Mark
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Mark
Its not you that advertises £59. for a 3 bed house in YP is it?
Justin
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£59 for a 3 bedroom house? These people should be locked up in a padded cell!
Maybe they are bait and switch merchants - wouldnt surprise me!
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ye prodry iv read a similar text to that b4 :)was always told by a guy who runs a v sucsesfull c cleaning company,that when things get quiet its the 1 that pushes the boat out futher in advertising wins the work :-\ must say i just thought it was me being quiet the last month or so,but since iv joined the forum i know its others that are quiet too, thankfully i hav sum commercial work to keep me going but my phones have been v quiet ..
Translation:
Yes prodry, I've read a similar text to that before. I was alway told by a guy who runs a very successful carpet Cleaning company that when things get quiet, it's the one that pushes the boat out further in advertising that wins the work. I must say that I thought it was me being quiet this last month or so but since I've joined this forum I know it's others who are quiet too. Thankfully I have some commercial work to keep me going but my phones have been very quiet.
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Greetings All
Im new to this forum,
Im carpet cleaner trading in and around birmingham since 1992.
I agree with whats been said bout how quiet it been this year, Iv paid to go in Yellow pages and thomsons direct this year and in hope work picks up this year.
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March was down on last year, never happened before! April & May are always slow but if they are down on last year, I'm outta here! Last man turn the light out.
Justin
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It does feel slower than normal, but having just checked my figures, I am 2 jobs up on the first 3 months of last year and £1500 up in takings.
Dave.
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£59 for a 3 bedroom house? These people should be locked up in a padded cell!
Maybe they are bait and switch merchants - wouldnt surprise me!
maybe they have plenty of cash and no debt so they dont need so much to live on as you ??
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Who was that aimed at?
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No Justin, I dont give prices for full house cleans in yp just an average price for each room.
Mark
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Who was that aimed at?
not aimed at anybody just why do people still think that if your cheaper then they are then you must be a cowboy ??? maybe the guys retierd and does i bit of cleaning to get away from his wife ???
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been real busy all year but am just waiting for the dip as there is always one just round the corner to knock the wind out of your sails.
Just don't give up everybody it all swings and so on!
Cheers Goron
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The longer customers hold out not having there carpets cleaned - the sooner it will come they start ringing
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£59 for a three bedroomed house??
Work out the profit after treatments risk insurance, equipment, products, van insurance and diesel,
bank charges, tax, etc.........must be bloody stupid. ???
S
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Probably hasn't got any insurance
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You would see a better return working in Argos.
S
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By the way getting back to an earlier point. You can advertise your prices in Yellow Pages now, I called them today. Which is what I'm going to do. It cant get me any less work lol
Chris
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If someone was retired why would they want the expense of a YP ad?
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If someone was retired why would they want the expense of a YP ad?
very true are y.p adds dear ??? have nt had one in donkeys years
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Im finding it to is still quieter than normal :(. Lets just hope its a late start this year.
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Its not really fair for me to make a comment on being quiet or not as I am always quiet but that is by choice, hence it not being a fair comment.
I have always said and will continue to say............. you need to change your clients to suit what it is you want out of this business as well as your prices but thats another story.
Sweeping statement I know but....... if you are using leaflets and y/p, chances are you will be attracting or not, the type of client that is affected by the economy, school uniforms to buy, holidays to save for, tax time, bad hair day, you name it. If this is the case then poss now the work is slowing down.
I hasten to add that there are some that are very busy advertising the way I have just mentioned, Mike is always busy and for some the y/p work. However on the whole more people dont buy from leaflets or y/p. So go find a market that will buy from you.
If you seek clients that arent affected by the above mentioned criteria then you will not be busy or quiet, you will be wherever you want to be. It will become your choice how many clients you have not the market dictating it for you.
Clinton, or anyone is the £1200 a year or month or????????
I ask as for 1200 invested looking for work I would want in return at least £35 to £40,000.
If the y/p does this then I will stand corrected, if it doesnt then I will still stand by that it isnt the besy way of getting clients.
Lastly on the subject of being quiet. If it is that slow, go door knocking, not leafleting and simply ask for work. Most people you will be surprised will talk with you about your services. Even if they dont want you at this time they will think of you the time that they do. There will be some you can book in the same day for maybe over the next week.
I started my business this way and still do the same thing. Granted I pick and chose which doors I knock on but it is still the same.
Best, Dave.
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Dave,
Just out of interest how many hours a week do you spend on this type of marketing ( knocking on doors), I have thought about trying this method in the past. I was under the impression that people hated salesman knocking on there doors maybe im wrong.
Mark
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Mark, I dont spend anytime anymore door knocking. Sorry my post was a bit mis-leading as I have just re-read it. Having said that everynow and again I will find someone I want as a client and knock on their door. But it has only been twice in the last 2 years. When I set up the business in this country I "knocked" on doors for about 3 months trying to find who I wanted as a client and not the other way round. I found 4 people then and I have since found 2 more.
I have just recently found a company that custom make silk or silk/wool carpets and I mean wall to wall rangeing from £1000 a yard to £2500 a yard. Rest assured I will be knocking on their doors.
I think what you have said about salesmen and or women is quite correct. I dont come across as a salesman so I am quite well received by those I meet. Unshaven, shorts and all.
Again, sorry for the confusion, best, Dave
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Hi
I disagree about leaflets not working.
Generally the leaflet that doesn't work contains the wrong information. Or is disributed in the wrong areas.
The customer that lives in a £500K must have a higher disposable income than someone that lives in a £50K house.
Ultimately you need to decide what you want to earn per day, how many days per week you want to work & go and find the custonmers that will do that for you.
Dave
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Ive noticed a slow down from yp but my customer base is still working for me and I still get at least 3 jobs from every 1000 leaflets and then refferals and repeat etc from those 3 jobs. I try and do 400 ish a day myself first thing in the morning or at end of day. So far so good this year.
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I often wonder what people's different view of busy is.
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an answer to your question susan,to advertise in yellow pages a basic non colour advert 5 inch x 3inch about 1200 pounds..what marketing do you do susan to get work?
for the last year i have a very small ad in the loacl paper and thats it dont do northing else couldnt fit much more in these days i rely on my old custy ringing back
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You could reasonably refer to Dave and Susan as highly successful individuals, in the same business, but at opposite ends of the " market "
What Susan does, is what she learned to do, from her father, but after encouragement on this forum, from a few individuals, she raised her prices and even purchased a T/M, but by raising her pricing gently, she has retained most of her clients.
Dave is a charismatic and very outgoing character, who's success is based, I feel on his character and personality, allied to a meticulous approach.
Everyone else, is somewhere in between....................can you learn from these two successful people, or do you have too much conflict going on, from the " advice " of others.
Replicating Daves approach, will be extremely difficult and unlikely to work for 99.9% because he is, as I said, very much an individual................but, you can " get a rub " off successful people, if you talk with them, meet with them.
Susan was raised in the low price / high volume business and has proven what many already know, that you can give a high value service at a moderate cost and you will always be busy.
As you have virtually no chance of cloning Daves business, you could, " bite the bullet " and just get on with it, as Susan and many others do, successfully, or you could try to become like the Mikes, Shauns, Chrises, Pauls, Steves, etc, who all have individual approaches, that work for them, but will it work for you ?
Whichever route you choose, will involve discipline and patience.
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Mark, I dont spend anytime anymore door knocking. Sorry my post was a bit mis-leading as I have just re-read it. Having said that everynow and again I will find someone I want as a client and knock on their door. But it has only been twice in the last 2 years. When I set up the business in this country I "knocked" on doors for about 3 months trying to find who I wanted as a client and not the other way round. I found 4 people then and I have since found 2 more.
I have just recently found a company that custom make silk or silk/wool carpets and I mean wall to wall rangeing from £1000 a yard to £2500 a yard. Rest assured I will be knocking on their doors.
I think what you have said about salesmen and or women is quite correct. I dont come across as a salesman so I am quite well received by those I meet. Unshaven, shorts and all.
Again, sorry for the confusion, best, Dave
must be the shorts dave ! your luky charm ;D
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If you are good at your job and cheap you should always be busy, I know I was. Through two recessions, and very busy, so much so I was struggling for years to fit all the jobs in. Problem was I wasnt making any money, just enough (just about) to pay to bills.
Then I was enlightened by the Fast Track, changed a few things, and money in my pocket at last, not only that I started to be able to afford new equipment, instead of having to run things into the ground and beyond.
I am now neither cheap nor expensive, my customers are those who want a very good job doing, some of which find my charges stretch them to more than they wanted to pay, whilst others are surprised that I am not charging more.
the point of what do people call quiet. It will vary from operator to operator. I count being busy or quiet by the number of calls I am getting, as the conversion rate remains constant. I start to get concerned however if my taking drop below £1,000 per week.
Dave.
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As long as tomorrow is busy, that's all that matters.......and it is ;)
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This is my point, £1000 per week would not even cover my overheads, wages etc. I do wonder what people call busy. My example of busy is 3 operators working 6 days a week 8 till 6 Mon - Fri and 9 - 3 on Sat , Sundays as needed. I think that some people think if they go to work everyday then they are busy, I'm not slating anyone but it is difficult to gauge "busy" or not when it seems we all have different business's.
Regards
Justin
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Buisy: Where all or nearly all your available working hours are being worked.
Not buisy: Where half or les than half your available working hours are being worked.
As our business covers various activities we are extremely buisy ie we are fully booked for the next 3 weeks. If it was carpet cleaning only then I would say it is quiet, nearly all incoming work is from previous customers, family members of or referals from.
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To me busy is a figure I intend to reach at the end of the week, if I reach it and go over it I am busy.
This weeks figure was £12.52
Shaun
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dam you for beating me by a pound :o
Cant believe I didnt bump into you at ccdo Shaun.
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Justin
If you've got 3 Vans out and about could you not just do it yourself pick and chose the work clean 5 hours a day max and Charge £100 an hour. Thats £2000 a week without the worry of staff and all the other things that go with having a large operation. £100 an hour is very possible where we are. With you having 3 vans on the go surely this is possible.
I'm just not convinced that having multi vans on the road and still cleaning can be done properly without killing yourself, if your doing that then you should just be at the top of the tree running the shop.
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Pete pointed you out to me at the CCDO and I was going over to see you (with my begging bowl) and I got intercepted by John Gotts trying to sell me a TM on the way! lifted his pockets though ;D
Shaun
PS I was the one with the stray Liverpudlian following me around!
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Hi Neil,
The trouble is no one will ever do as much as you do so if I step back my turn over will drop by half, I do the same as two others ( I have T/M ) Plus I am not the type of person to not get involved. For instance, today (Sat) I have 3 EOTs if I pay someone to do it they want time and a half, why would I do that when I can do it myself?
Cheers
Justin
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Hi Justin
I now what you are saying and its one reason why I have never got any help in, to fussy for my own good.
Do you earn more money yourself by having 3 Vans out, or much more to warrant it. Overheads must be a nightmare.
Would it not be better working with another local CC ;) who has his own gear but you manage the quotes and payments. Then you dont have the worry about staff and their performance.
I work for a lady that runs a local cleaning company and she has no staff, no overheads with cleaning products and like but has become the biggest local cleaning company in the area. Everything she does is outsourced to Self employed People, it works really well for her. They do a bad Job and she finds someone else.
If you are like me you set up your business to have more time for your family and to do the things you like doing.
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I am thinking of reducing back down to me plus one, for that very reason the third person doesnt really earn that much, three's a crowd! you either have to have you or you plus one then after that I think it only works on 5 operators, then I think you could step back, but you would need to, to keep the work coming in!
Cheers
Justin
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Most of the guys on this board are one man operations and I think that the original question of busy was directed more at the solo operator in the business of Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning. Some have explained that their businesses involve other activities, however most of us are talking Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning after all thats what this board is for, isnt it?
Dave.
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Consider why you are in business...........
Is it ; - To give yourself a job ?
Is it ; - To build a saleable commodity ?
If your answer the latter, then you really want to " work your socks off " and reinvest the profits you make in your future, which will give you focus and incentive.
If it's the former, you will not have the motivation to work as long and hard, as you are only working for today.
This is not a flippant comment, it's one of the basisc.
rob
need to go and see a job
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Another consideration is to accumulate money to invest elswhere. I know several CCs who, as they amass enough for the deposit, invest in buy to let property. They build up their portforlio of properties as their Carpet Cleaning activities provide the capital. I know of one very recently, who in a short space of time built a very successful high priced Carpet Cleaning business. This business brought in so much money that the guy is now a property millionaire, and developer. His new business, built up on the funds from his Carpet Cleaning, has now taken over, and he is doing so well, that he recently totally abandoned his cleaning business. He delivered his van and TM back to his supplier and just told them to get what they could for it, together with his data base.
Dave.
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Now..............that's what I'm talking about !!!!
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however most of us are talking Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning after all thats what this board is for, isnt it?
So are you saying I'm not entitled to an opinion because we are not 100% carpet & upholstery cleaning?
With most of the comments saying they are quiet, I'm glad we've got other avenues of income.
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however most of us are talking Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning after all thats what this board is for, isnt it?
So are you saying I'm not entitled to an opinion because we are not 100% carpet & upholstery cleaning?
With most of the comments saying they are quiet, I'm glad we've got other avenues of income.
I'll second that - monies coming in from carpets at the moment are not nearly enough to live on, but as an additional income help my business tick over a nice profit.
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If I upset anyone I appologise, however I also do a lot of carpet fitting, but I just didnt see the point in mentioning that I was busy in that area, when the topic was whether we were busy in carpet cleaning, thats all.
Dave.
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i'm busy
who needs to work more than 3 days a week anyway?
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You do after eating those out of date chocs I gave you!
Shaun
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Phone has gone quiet again, what a strange year this is turning into :o
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Paul
Used your quick leather cleaning technique today you demonstrated at CCDO - including using the large "sponge" from Solitions UK.
Job went well - I felt I had to slow down to justify the charge to customer!
White leather corner suite looked good to me and the customer (a police lady) was well pleased.
Also got delivery today of a small compresor, air brush on its way, so moving into the restoration proper this time.
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Nice one Joe, hope it earns you some good money ;)
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NOT ONE PHONE CALL YESTERDAY??????
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Its always bad these two weeks of the Easter School Holidays but I have booked a number of Jobs this week for next week.
I think its just luck sometimes as Justin is only up the road from me, It is like picking a rabbit out of a hat in the search that new customers make..
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Hi Justin,
Have written to your previous customers? That usually gives us a huge boost, We mailed only about 200 of last years customers last friday and we,ve booked about £1800 worth of work from it so far.
All the best
John
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That sounds like an excellant response John.
Would you mind sharing with us some of the letter content you sent out?
If you prefer to do a pers email then feel free. (or may be not)
Quite today - van in fro service - time to catch up with taxmans figures, then the accountants figures. Got an headache already!
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Paul
Used your quick leather cleaning technique today you demonstrated at CCDO - including using the large "sponge" from Solitions UK.
Job went well - I felt I had to slow down to justify the charge to customer!
White leather corner suite looked good to me and the customer (a police lady) was well pleased.
Also got delivery today of a small compresor, air brush on its way, so moving into the restoration proper this time.
Hi Joe, were did you buy your compresor from and did you det the gun with it. Terry
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Hi Terry - hope you OK
Got both off ebay - 2 different suppliers although the compressor supplier also does guns but Paul recommended a gun so I got that.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260227181135 £61.99 inc p&p (£12)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150234577601 £21.99 inc p&p (£4)
If you have problems with the links contact me and I will get info to you another way.
The compressor was £2 dearer then others he had because this one has a cover over - just smartens up appearance, purely cosmetic.
Works fine.
It has auto cut out so whan it gets to a certain pressure it cuts out then back in when pressure drops. You can set the cut out pressure very easy.
Paid for it Sunday evening via PAYPAL and it was delivered Tuesday, all new in its box.
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Paul
Used your quick leather cleaning technique today you demonstrated at CCDO - including using the large "sponge" from Solitions UK.
Job went well - I felt I had to slow down to justify the charge to customer!
White leather corner suite looked good to me and the customer (a police lady) was well pleased.
Also got delivery today of a small compresor, air brush on its way, so moving into the restoration proper this time.
Hi Joe, were did you buy your compresor from and did you det the gun with it. Terry
I use the electric compressor from machine mart
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/wiz-mini-air-compressor/path/diy-semi-professional-air-compressors-2
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I went in the local Machine Mart last week to get one.
They had loads of compressores but no mini one.
It was the same last summer just after I did the Furniture Clinic course - none, so business went elsewhere.
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Really quiet for me ! had a call back from a customer i cleaned for in 2006 booked him, had 1 call yesterday someone in lincolnshire long way away from me said £120 for a 2 bed flat didn`t call back !
Had a dentists appointment this morning and the dentist asked for my no ! get some of my money back from him i hope ;).
Was hoping it would pick up when the kids went back to school no such luck
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Hi John
I write to customers weekly on a rolling basis, send approx 2-3 hundred per week. As it goes, phone has gone mad today??????????? I'm confused.
Justin
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Swings and rounabouts, Their is no reason to it at the moment, busy quiet busy quiet.
Anyway desicion time for me as I have been offered a Job managing a private estate that I do cleaning for over in Elstead. If I can do it and keep this going then I may do both but and its a big one, I am not sure what to do.
Pro's for Changing are: Nice Salary, Free House to Live in, Rent my House out to pay mortgage
Cons: Always working 24hrs when I am their, no real time off. I wont be my own boss anymore and making money for me.
It should be a no brainer but I am not sure i want to lose what I am building up.
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Justin,
Do you tend to offer a special offer in the letter ??
Its something i keep saying im going to do but never do !!
Cheers Paul
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Paul i send lwtters out every month on a 6 month rolling perion so lets say anyone using our services this month will get a letter in October basically a reminder most times with an offer of 3 carpets for the price of 2 or 3pc suite and lounge carpet for £110.00 and i send out around 60 a month i get a great response from this, just remember if your rushed off your feet one month you still need to find time to send them. there are far too many cleaners that only market when they are quiet i market all the time and i am never quiet.
mark
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My phone went quiet from the latter end of last week but I'm fortunate to be booked up so I can ride the storm, then today had 6 jobs booked in which isn't unusual but they are range from £120-£450 so happy days.
Shaun
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Shaun,
Have you picked your new machine yet.
Paul
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No just squeezing a shilling or two out of the deal.
Shaun
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Paul,
yes always offer custys a special!
Neil,
Where's the job, I'll take it!
If you do take it, let me know we may be able to sort something out with the CC.
Cheers
Justin
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however most of us are talking Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning after all thats what this board is for, isnt it?
So are you saying I'm not entitled to an opinion because we are not 100% carpet & upholstery cleaning?
With most of the comments saying they are quiet, I'm glad we've got other avenues of income.
I'll second that - monies coming in from carpets at the moment are not nearly enough to live on, but as an additional income help my business tick over a nice profit.
I agree Although Forum is about Carpet Cleaning Dave has been established a long time
I see nothing wrong with Diversifying. And i think the Guy who had the Property empire did the right thing up unill now.
Rob owever did give some advise once it was somthing like if you diversify do not get swept up in and take your eye off your core income. You can only do it in the quiet periods
I also agree that when we ask how busy we are we are talking about Carpet Cleaning. To say you are working 7 days a week and that icludes Cleaning Widows Doing End of Tenancy Cleans not Carpets Cleaning ovens, selling Invalid Carriges, Being a Sales agent etc just confuses the picture
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very strange year so far just looked at my figures im down on jan march april this year but up on feb feb actually beat my best month last year so i am up 2 grand so far this year very strange year
and i am very quiet at the moment but i usually am as schools on holiday hopeing for it to pick up again next week
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Ian
Anyone who owns property has nothing to fear...........the true value of property will continue to rise and the rental income will pay for any mortgage increases.
rob