[feldon]

After procastinating and nearly taking the plunge back in 2008 to start up as a carpet and upholstery cleaner I am again looking to start up.  Last time I decided it just wasn't the right time due to the credit crunch.

This time I am looking to start on a part-time basis over serveral months whilst keeping the day job (which is flexible in that my days off are weekdays and I am working on a self-employed basis so I will be able to fit jobs around my main income.

Getting back to the point of the thread I am looking at various means of advertising, leaflets, yellow pages, postal advertisers and parish mag's. I have read that many people say that they are a gold mine and cost next to nothing, but what sort of response can you get from them per month and how many mags would be worth placing an advert in.

Before anyone asks about training etc, I'm  looking at doing training with Cleansmart and doing the NCCA  before starting.

[Colin Day]

It' a mine field and I wish I knew the definitive answer. A lot of advertising is trial and error and of course, word of mouth is always a key word with regards to this sort of question.

What works for some, may not work for others! I would make sure you get some good quality leaflets and a sign written van. (Strategically parked when your at work ) 

Try and leaflet drop in the evenings while it's light nights, when most custy's are in. Some will be in their gardens and you can then introduce yourself and your services. As long as your chatty and friendly, you'll do well....

Top tip of the day..... When you're popping a leaflet through a letter box, watch your fingers.... A Yorkhire Terrier nearly had mine for breakfast this morning

[adimarsh]

Hi Feldon

You have asked the question which we all ask ourselves on a regular basis. You will get many and varied answers to you question. The single most important answer is that there is no holy grail to advertising. If you have time on your hands I would suggest you start off by doing some leafleting. When you do actually start cleaning make sure you leave your details with all your customers and keep a record of who your customers are. Best of luck though as, for many, this has been a quiet year.

[adimarsh]

Just to enphasize the point. Just had a newbie's leaflet pushed through our door, 10 past nine

How very dare he

[nathanjd]

In my experience 'parish' magazines have performed pretty poorly. So I don't wast to much on them any more. What i have found to be very successful though is local service directories, those small booklets that come out once a year.

Also Yellow Pages with Yell.com is good. Advertising with them is cost effective if you ensure it has more emphasis on the website. Starting off like you are i would spend no more than £90 (inc Vat) a month on Yell.

Ensure all your family and friends know you're doing it too - that's the quickest start to your word of mouth work.

[Colin Day]

Just to enphasize the point. Just had a newbie's leaflet pushed through our door, 10 past nine

How very dare he

That's unforgivable..... Maybe I should have mentioned you should keep your timings realistic, and never on a Sunday.....! Respect is paramount!

[Simon@arenaclean]

This time I am looking to start on a part-time basis over serveral months whilst keeping the day job (which is flexible in that my days off are weekdays and I am working on a self-employed basis so I will be able to fit jobs around my main income.

Mate it's great you're looking ahead with regards your training, all ready considering your advertising, all steps on starting on the right track. The quote above though is quite negative despite your positive approach. You still see your other work as your main income which will totally sap your motivation for carpet cleaning (or whatever you do) Have the mind set your new business is the way to go set yourself some realistic goals. Your whole attitude will put a smile on your face, so while your delivering leaflets and no-one has still called to book a job, you will still be in the right frame of mind if you're approached. If you consider it part time it always will be. Keep motivated and keep smiling

Good luck!

[adimarsh]

Simon

I have to disagree with your post re: starting part time. I did exactly that. It's called paying the mortgage. You can have all the positive mental attitude you want but that will not pay any bills. We all know it's takes time to establish yourself so in the meantime there's nothing wrong with keeping your full time job. I was told by many in the CC world that "it'll take you five years to really establish yourself", not something you really want to hear when starting out.

[Simon Gerrard]

Feldon,

In this economic climate it is probably a good idea to start off on a part time basis. If you're wise you will use the money from sales to make sure you do all of the relevant training course and fit yourself out with all the proper equipment.
The key to success is not how you start out but by the quality of what you do. The objective is quite simply this: To put your customers in a position where they can't get what you do anywhere else! Achieve that and from day one you will be building a solid business that is based on high quality which in turn will build a loyal customer base.

Simon

[feldon]

Thanks for all the replies.  Although Simon, I don't think its negative concerning the day job, I just meant it allows me the flexibility to carry on earning some money whilst starting my business.  I currenltly work as a sales agent for a well known motoring organisagtion working from various venues around my home on a self-employed basis. As I have no set hours as such it will allow me to fit jobs around this and do leaflet jobs on the way to and from various locations.  As for my current job it is not something I really enjoy and the thought of freezing my b******s off standing outside supermarkets during the winter fills me with dread, especially as on somedays you can be there for upto 9 hours and have no sales, and therefore no income.

Back to my original question concerning Parish Mag's would  it be reasonable to expext maybe 1 to 2 jobs per month?  I was thinking of sourcing around 10 parish mags around my area and really targeting this area with leaflets to back up the adverts.

Regards

Richard

[Ben Lugg]

Hi Feldon,
i advertise in three different parish magazines covering quite a wide area of Somerset. They work well for me,but it is not my only form of advertising. They are not particularly cheap but bring in reasonable revenue.
Hope you find what works for you and good luck.
Ben.

[Joe H]

First thing I would do is get your self a good website professionally done and promote that on whatever advertising media you then choose.

The I would get leaflets, good thickness, or postcards seem to be gaining popularity, obviously quoting your website.

As you will have time on your hands, take them to the door yourself and knock, talk your business. You cover less houses but should get a better response.

[Colin Day]

Joe's hit the nail on the head there...

You're already a salesman, so your half way there and I can only assume you have the gift of the gab.

I would maybe look at Parish Mags further down the line, but that's only my opinion!

[feldon]

Having re-read my post I realise that I missed off websites as a form of marketing but yes I had already planned on having a website and making sure all marketing has a web address. Yep I will be delivering all my own leaflets, had previous experience of delivering them for another business and know if need be I can deliver about 600 - 700 a day, although in practice I will proberably do around 200 to fit around other work.

Basically I am looking at various forms of marketing, some which will take time to bring in business and others like leaflets (by offering incentives) with a use by date which will hopefully have a more immediate response.  The reason I am looking at parish mags is that I live in a rural area and am hoping to use parish mags' in the villages whilst I deliver leaflets in near by market towns.

[Simon@arenaclean]

Hi guys.

Nothing wrong with starting part time, my only point (not a criticism) was to consider carpet cleaning your main business and any other income a means to an end. It would be mad without a lot of money behind you to do it any other way.

[feldon]

Simon, that's exactly what I am aiming to do, use my current work to support me for the first few months whilst adverts and leaflets slowly bring in the work, I'm looking to go full-time in September after doing training and building up my experience. 

[Paul W Jones]

I live in a small village and we have our own parish magazine which is shared between two villages.  I advertise in this for £55.00 per year and two other parish magazines at about £35.00 per year each, so about £125.00 for the three for twelve months.  I find that a lot of people express a desire to employ a local contractor and also the parish magazine tends to instill confidence in people.  There's no way I could survive though just advertising in parish magazines!   

[edward coller]

Parish mags are good to keep work dripping in were in 22 around the area annd good response along with all other ads imo.....cheers simon

[Ian Gourlay]

Thanks for all the replies.  Although Simon, I don't think its negative concerning the day job, I just meant it allows me the flexibility to carry on earning some money whilst starting my business.  I currenltly work as a sales agent for a well known motoring organisagtion working from various venues around my home on a self-employed basis. As I have no set hours as such it will allow me to fit jobs around this and do leaflet jobs on the way to and from various locations.  As for my current job it is not something I really enjoy and the thought of freezing my b******s off standing outside supermarkets during the winter fills me with dread, especially as on somedays you can be there for upto 9 hours and have no sales, and therefore no income.

Back to my original question concerning Parish Mag's would  it be reasonable to expext maybe 1 to 2 jobs per month?  I was thinking of sourcing around 10 parish mags around my area and really targeting this area with leaflets to back up the adverts.

Regards

Richard

Ive always wanted to know how much they charge you to stand outside.

Does RAC or AA pay or do you pay or is it deducted when you earn commision
Why not book a stand and one day switch your sign and umberella to promote carpet cleaning  It would be interesting to see what is the easier sale.
Think of it this way if you earn £40 and sign up a member or £100 to clean a carpet plus lifetime value of client which is the better deal

[feldon]

Ian, I'm a self-employed sales agent for the RAC.  They book all the sites, not sure how much it costs per day, but they pay tesco's, sainsbury's in the region of a few million each for the privalge nationally.  I only earn commision which goes up if you hit targets, but you also get hit with clawbacks if anyone cancels so it can hit you serveral months down the line.  Not bad earnings over the summer months but the winter sucks, standing outside in the freezing for upto 8 hours.  I am currently averaging about 2.5 sales a day.

Not sure if they would allow you to promote carpet cleaning or not, quite a few of the suppermarkets hire out carpet cleaning machines so might be seen as competing against them.  You could always offer a free carpet clean to the manager in return for having a stand for the day.  I expect it would work better if you could do a demonstration or have samples of before and after squares of carpet.