[derek west]

its time for me to get my custies into a database and start marketting it. so i'm looking at all the options if there are any.

1)what do you guys use?
2)now kev's has been trialled, is it any good and worth the money?

might down load the trial version of kevs, is there any other free trials software for this kind of thing?

cheers
derek

[Pristine Clean]

Hi Derek,

When you ask about a database, a database can be designed to perform many functions or queries.

Theres a CRM Customer Relations Management one called "Act!"

What would your purpose for it be?

Or do you mean for simple accounts purposes like Sage or Quickbooks.

Or have I gone off the beaten track here. I am confused about the bit where you say Marketing it?

Dave

[Andrew Briscoe]

Dave, i would think Derek means, marketing his database.
ie contacting his past years customers to promote further cleaning, or advising of any offers or new developments to his business, eg, leather clean repair, hardfloor and grout clean etc etc.

Andrew

[andi wilson]

I use Kev's, and it is very good.. Good value, and easy to use...

[Ricky M]

Micro soft office 2007 , will do all the same sort of stuff and much much more but kev has designed that CCmate for this game and I been told it works really well and so easy to use .

if you want micro 2007 for  a let me know I know a man that can sort it .

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Derek

Very happy with my copy of CleanersMate. At £200 or thereabouts it's good value. It doesn't try and be all things to all people. I don't use it to it's full capacity.

I'm sure there are more comprehensive ones around but probably at corresponding higher price. AS such I haven't tried looking for any others.

I suppose if you have plenty of time on your hands then an all-singing-all dancing one would give you lots of possibilities, however as you get busier through all your repeats/referrals etc, you'll have less time available to play with a snazzy one. But there again why would you. The name of the game is to use it to generate more income.The more work you get, the less you'll need the database to generate work-instead you'll use it for recording work and probably syphoning out your less profitable customers.

Roger

[davep]

Cleaners Mate is really good, get one 

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I use Microsoft but one thing I have found is that doing mailed database is getting far too expensive and have gone from 4 times a year to twice and eventually it will go to once and may be then it will go, reading what others have put there are other ways in getting repeats and or other work.

Roger do you not use your Cleansmate for database marketing?

Shaun

[Mike Osbourne]

Nearly every letter I send out there's an incentive to provide an email address. 

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I still look at my postal post where as emails are easily deleted.

Shaun

[K.O. Glanville]

Over the past five years or so, I have been using Customer Manager.

This is a Quicken product and works in conjunction with my Quicken accounting program.

It is very reasonably priced and does everything I need it to do.

Sure, it's not carpet cleaning specific as a lot of them are, but to keep my customers in order, allow me to contact them when they are due for a clean, plus all other info that I need, it's the bee's knees. 

Check it out on their web site.

Ooroo,

Shorty.

[Mike Osbourne]

I still look at my postal post where as emails are easily deleted.

Shaun

That's why you send them more frequently as well as because it's free.

It doesn't have to be selling something. Just something useful or interesting. It doesn't even need to be something you've written.

Articles
How spend No money and look generous. By S. Ashmore

Ebooks
Darn, those socks! Never buy another pair again! The lost Art of sewing - for women.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Misread and Misunderstood by S.Ashmore only £9.99

Shaun

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Misread and Misunderstood by S.Ashmore only £9.99

Shaun

Missed a trick there Shaun; I'm sure your best-seller is underpriced at £9.99. What about £99.99. That price should appeal to all Yorkshire authors and all non-Yorkshire buyers.

To answer your other question. No I don't use it for database marketing. If you trawled back through my other posts you will see I keep banging on about looking after your quality customers. Pareto's Law states that 80% of your profits will come from 20% of your client base. I put my energy into looking after that 20% rather than any form of mass marketing. As such I use very specific, customised to each individual, types of communication to get my business in.

CleanersMate then gives me a clear picture of how this is working.

Feel free to ring me if you want to discuss this further.

Roger

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Thanks Roger I will definately contact you I would like to 'bang heads together' perhaps we could have a meet? ATM I am gearing up to go on holiday and am busy trying to get some holiday money (it's not cheap holidaying in Sidiothorpe)

Shaun

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Shaun
I've sent you an email but it's bounced saying your mailbox is full!

 I sent it to info@*********cleaning.com

Roger

If you have another more appropriate email address let me know at  roger@doctorcarpet.co.uk

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Flippin t'internet!

I'll reply to yours but just incase

shaun_ashmore@lineone.net

Shaun