Clean It Up

UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: CARPET KNIGHTS on February 17, 2005, 05:55:42 pm

Title: struggling to get jobs
Post by: CARPET KNIGHTS on February 17, 2005, 05:55:42 pm
I have recently started a carpet and upholstery cleaning business in cornwall called carpet knights. have advert in the recently delivered yellow pages and have posted a few leaflets but as of yet i have very little enquiries. can any body give me some suggestions of what i can do to get more work? other carpet cleaners in the area seem to be busy and my prices are reasonable too.
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: ian richards on February 17, 2005, 06:21:23 pm
To who ever you are!!!

A name would be nice!

Don't take that the wrong way, it just gives us a better start.

Anyway welcome to clean it up!

How long have you been going?
It isnt as easy as that!! I'm a newbie of about 15 months and its tough mate, or miss!!

However if you are looking for help and advice then you have come to the right place, there are plenty of carpet cleaners on here that will offer plenty of help.

Good luck!!

Ian
 
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: CARPET KNIGHTS on February 17, 2005, 06:28:15 pm
sorry, my name is Goron, i am a mate not a miss.

just started in beginning of jan  yell pages came out mid jan and had 1 enquiry from that, and one enquiry from about 500 leaflets.

thanks for the welcome

cheers Goron
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: stevegunn on February 17, 2005, 06:29:28 pm
Fill your profile in too where are you??We don't want to be giving out marketing tips if your on our doorstep
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: ian richards on February 17, 2005, 06:32:07 pm


Steve

He's in cornwall, he did say on his intro!! 

Ian
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: CARPET KNIGHTS on February 17, 2005, 06:47:24 pm
i have been playing with the style of my leaflets and am not sure whether to keep them simple or go into detail of what i can do. Also with commercial promotion is it best to visit them in person or write to them?
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: Ian Gourlay on February 17, 2005, 06:55:07 pm
Tip one put out lots more leaflets

Consider a Special as per Mike Halliday leaflet.

The only no cost Marketing is Door Knocking.
#


If you want customers you have to spend money on Leaflets.At least 1000 a week , do not expect good results straight away.

Do not get sucked into any other advertising deals until you have asked for
advise.
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: Ian Gourlay on February 17, 2005, 06:57:48 pm
Regarding Steves point I cant see how it makes much differents where the person who asks the  question is located.

Because when steve does pass on a Marketing Tip someone in The North East is bound to read it.
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: paulchambers on February 17, 2005, 07:09:06 pm
Where in cornwall i struuggled for 8 months to find work in St Ives / carbis bay cornwall

Paul
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: CARPET KNIGHTS on February 17, 2005, 07:15:38 pm
I'm in Truro
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: CARPET KNIGHTS on February 17, 2005, 07:22:32 pm
so can anybody give me some tips on how to jump start my business?
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: HolmansUKLTD on February 17, 2005, 09:35:37 pm
Just be paitent if you do a high quality of work then it will come eventually :o
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: Mike Roper on February 17, 2005, 09:53:55 pm
Paul,
Hows things ? Still not managed to catch up with you yet. Hope your settling in .I,ll look out for you & meet soon .
Mike.(Whitby). 
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: cleanability on February 17, 2005, 10:15:07 pm
Wouldav thought January has got to be the worse time to start in this business. Most companies are less busy in this month. Well I am anyway. It can only get better though. So stick with it.
I am one of the few where Thomsons Directory actually makes me money. Maybe try that. For my area I payed £500 for an ad bigger than most in the carpet/upholstery cleaning section. As everyone says, a well designed leaflet and 000's delivered will guarantee work. For me Yellow pages is a must.

                                  Chris
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: mark_roberts on February 17, 2005, 11:42:21 pm
To get business you have to have something people want which is their carpets cleaned but you have to make them want you.

Are you trained, insured, what methods, guarantees, etc.

From the above you will develop your USP and from this the content for your marketing.

For new business I find letters, flyers, door knocking work best.

Mark
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: Amberleyandmick on February 18, 2005, 07:10:04 pm
hiya. we also started up in january and in cornwall. And i started to think i had got it wrong as phone just did not ring.Advertised all usual places-yellow pages,parish magazine, local papers etc. but this last two weeks we have started to get calls- and got the jobs, so feeling a lot more confident tonight, especially as we did first three piece suit today and a appointment made to come back next week to do carpets ,also we have got a reccomendation out of it as well to someone who has just bought a resturant and needs some work doing. so it will come - just have to be patient and keep going with your advertising . there are a lot of established c/cleaners on here who are also finding work a bit thin on the ground at the moment.-so as newbies we are bound to feel it harder. What we did do was make sure we had enough money to live on for a few months while building the business up...Mick
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: beau4021 on February 18, 2005, 07:18:09 pm
hi
i adise dont panic
everyone else may look bust bur really next month is when the phone should ring
i started the same way and if i was dependent on flyers or yellow pages it would be quiet
i have 7 out 10 repeats as you will if the quaility of work service and price is good
give it time
regs.brian
please contact me by mail if i can be of further help
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: Fintan_Coll on February 18, 2005, 07:49:50 pm
My piece of advice is this, get your leaflets, get out and knock on doors, I do not mean put them through letterboxes, no knock on the door, wait until someone answers the door, then introduce yourself and explain what you are about. Does it work?, it worked for me anyway.
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: Scott Martin on February 18, 2005, 09:05:40 pm
My advice!

PERSERVERANCE PAYS, EVENTUALLY! BUT YOU HAVE GOT TO GO OUT AND GET IT!

You have a job at 9am, do a 30 letter mail shot and 50 name emailer before you leave for the job.

Advertise anywhere you can, costs a bit but you WILL get a return.

As Del Boy said, He Who Dares!

Good Luck but it needs 110% everytime.

Best
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: Ian Gourlay on February 18, 2005, 11:07:41 pm
Scott,

I know you are target driven could you give details of email marketing.

Where you obtain email addresses


Is this spam
Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: Scott Martin on February 18, 2005, 11:42:10 pm
Iain,
Def not spam.

Join your local Chamber of Commerce and you will get directory for all Scotland or England or Ireland or Wales.

For £150apx per year you get all email and The RIGHT PERSON contact details! (email, phone and fax)The book is woth it's weight in gold and thrashed yell or thomsons hands down, the benefits are good as well.

Honest

Cheers
Scott

Title: Re: struggling to get jobs
Post by: Ian Gourlay on February 19, 2005, 01:42:30 am
Many Thanks