[robert meldrum]

One of the most productive and profitable ways of building a business is to BUILD A LIST ................and work the list forever after.


Using something like Groupon could certainly build a list very quickly and save a lot of time and expense on other marketing methods.

If someone who can cover the high volume of work because they are in a position to do so with enough vehicles / workers / know how, they could race ahead and be in a very strong position in months rather than years.

I've read MANY reports on the use of Groupon and if handled properly the work CAN lead to additional work at the same time as carrying out the Groupon supplied work..................but only if you have the MANPOWER and the equipment available.

Some will look back after a few years and think......................IF ONLY I'D HAD THE COURAGE.

[mark joyce]

the thing with groupon is you can set the rules 1, limit the sales  2,if you do a second /third run stipulate previous need not apply (dont forget you know the addresses)   3, do one room only so there is an easy up sell I did lounge for 15 quid most who brought had lounge hall and stairs done 25% had whole house done and I also have had 15 spin off jobs from friends and family of voucher buyers 

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

Good post Robert.

New clients are expensive to come by, so they should be actively marketed to.

You can't keep relying on new business year in, year out.

[Simon Gerrard]

Mark,
So who sets the deal? How do you limit the deals done?

I like your website. What percentage of people book straight from having used your online quote, if you don't mind me asking?

Simon

[mark joyce]

well I did, so you would just stipulate what you want commission, amount, ground rules they need new ventures as there are so many of the same the listen.


thanks on the website
not as many as I would like really but a few probably 2 a week just book then about 5 or 6 more ring to confirm a day they really need is available

[Simon Gerrard]

Marks,
Thanks for that. I'm just interest if you think having an online price calculator generates more sales than if the customers had to ring you for a price?
Simon

[mark_roberts]

Hi Mark

Thoughts are as Simons but with one question about your suite price.  Is that £60 across the board for a 3-1-1.  Do you consider physical size, condition, type of fabric etc?

thanks
Mark Roberts

[Adam P]

major: i don't think so. it's impersonal and customers need the personal touch imo. price generator comes across as some random generic company and you are one of their random customers. that's how i feel after having one on our site.

edit after seeing the one we're talking about perhaps it's ok. we have a full booking system and although it's great to have all the info done you miss information by talking to customers, and as we're one of few to have this, what the customer will do is get price on ours, then ring competition and form a relationship with them and be able to negotiate on the phone

afaik groupon doesn't cost anything, so it's not about courage. at the end of it if it doesn't wok and you find after 10 customers it's rubbish what then? it's still your business you are still in control, (except with how much groupon take the greedy buggers!) so i can't see how it's about courage but instead about whether you're busy enough to worry about it.

[mark joyce]

the on line price calculator cuts out the price shoppers and time wasters IMO I have customers just book and when I meet them they are very nice just busy and cant be doing with the sales stuff lol

yes thats for a 3 piece suite but I hate doing them so only ever do them if Im doing the whole house

groupon are greedy but its your business so dont give it away just keep saying no they will say yes in the end lol  it took me 4 weeks to get what i wanted but got it in the end they need us CCers

as for the customers I told them when I could do them I allocated a couple of days a week for them that only wanted a lounge doing or fitted them around bigger jobs or regular work 

[Steve Rothwell]

Kermit, the courage comes into it, by taking the risk that you will be working flat out for £11.00 a job, and for weeks and weeks with no extra return.

Think about it, £50 a day for 3 months if the deal sells well, not many business' can afford that even if it is for a data base, so the courage is in not knowing if you will be able to sell add ons etc.

Quite a risk really.

[mark joyce]

then dont do it             think you have said the same thing loads of times negative why keep going on

[Adam P]

but as mentioned hector it's still your business, you wont be working flat out all day every day for £11 per job, you make up the rules surely as you run your business? are you legally required to do only groupon work until all sales are completed? what if you can't fit in some and they have to wait? what i'm saying is if you have free time and aren't earning much etc it's not courage to then let groupon get you loads of work, it's not courage working for nothing in the hope the customer who looks for cheap deals will want to pay top dollar next time round when the cheap guy worked. courage is using yell; groupon is guaranteed work that they'll bring right to you. my cleaners earn less then £50 a day, ok they don't have running costs but someone starting up wouldn't how many either, and it only takes one of the customers to also want a lounge done for £40 extra then you're on ~£100 a day. i don't see the courage here that is required. are you all scared of groupon? standing up to someone takes courage, being walked over takes something else can't think of the word...

[Steve Rothwell]

then dont do it             think you have said the same thing loads of times negative why keep going on

Actually I agreed with Jason when he first mentioned it, and never been negative about it

[mark joyce]

have you said anything positive about it 

[Adam P]

the discussion keeps coming up mark. you can't only hear positive stuff when people keep brining it up. this is a public board the point is to give different views. the negative may stay the same and you may have heard it enough but you aren't the only viewer.

[Steve Rothwell]

have you said anything positive about it 

If you would care to read my posts  YES

[Simon Gerrard]

That is a lot more encouraging knowing that you can design your own scheme and limit the numbers, makes it more manageable. It's not for me though, but still a very interesting business model. Hope the people that do it keep us posted.

Simon

[Neil Williams]

That is a lot more encouraging knowing that you can design your own scheme and limit the numbers, makes it more manageable. It's not for me though, but still a very interesting business model. Hope the people that do it keep us posted.

Simon

Clearly some people haven't thought it through and signed up on the spot to a great scheme, hence why we are being told about some CC's having 500 plus jobs to fit in.
Now on the other hand Jason and a few will 'probably' limit it to a lowish number, so that they get clients and can also do their own correctly priced jobs.
All the same after 12 years in this industry I have no intention of going back to working for peanuts on any particular job.

I sold my window cleaning business a couple of years back because I didn't want to do it anymore, but I still get enquiries and if people want to pay the price for getting me interested then I'll do it. Today I priced up an initial outer & inner clean on a cottage with conservatory. Just short of £200 will inspire me to do it, if they don't want to pay then that's fine. In days of old I would have been pleased to get £60 for that and if it took 3 or 4 hours then fine.

So, for a start up situation where the person has some brain cells groupon will probably help them, but they'll need to have financial back up (like redundancy money) to see them through whilst they work for very little.

[Anthony Brown]

the on line price calculator cuts out the price shoppers and time wasters IMO I have customers just book and when I meet them they are very nice just busy and cant be doing with the sales stuff lol

I concur with Mark, I was sick of price hunters using & tying up my 0800 number not to get a sale. I use an Amazing Instant Online Quote Calculator & Booking System as an extension to my existing website, http://www.newcastlecarpetcleaningcompany.co.uk and guess what? I don't get any time wasters and my conversion rate is at 90% and it increased my sales upto 40%. I love this system as it's automated and I can respond to customers the second they make a booking and even when I'm on the road working.

[dan paton]

anthony where did u get the online price calculator and how much did it cost etc .. dan