[Simon Gerrard]

Phil
But i only have access to dry fusion at the moment and if my business did pick up then i would invest in other machines to do different types of jobs but at the mo it's a no go.
The problem is you're trapping yourself because your business will never pick and therefore you will never have the money for a better set up simply because you are charging too little in the first place. But reading between the lines I don't think you think you are worth more than the pittance you are charging, as if you're almost apologising for charging what you do, whereas you should proud to hold your hand out for far more. Get some proper training, go out with other carpet cleaners and try to get a greater understanding of what it is you are trying to do, all of that will build your confidence and with more confidence and greater skills you'll start charging proper money which in turn will finance your business to provide the tools you undoubtedly need.

Simon

[Dean Davis]

THIS IS YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND!!!!!

Use yell.com to search for target market sectors like nurseries, doctors surgeries, schools etc.  Dealing with one type of target like schools all at once helps you adjust to the specific needs and characteristics of that type of customer.  By the time you've phoned 10 or 15 of them you'll notice you're having very similar conversations with all of them

Ring them up, nice and confident sounding (even if you're bricking it ) no messing about.... tell them your name and what you do, and offer a FREE DEMO.

Very few will go for the free demo, they just stumble over themselves with excuses, but that's OK because before they hang up you ask if you can pop something in the post to them, and ask who is the best person to address it to.  Most will give you the name to get you off the phone, some will just flatly refuse but hey ho that's how it works.

Remember to make a note of each call, what the response was (no good pestering a rejection) and any further action needed such as post letter/flyer to them or call back next month.

Before you know it, you've built yourself a list

You can keep working on your lists, use the phone to get more details and then put mailshots in the post once you have the decision maker's name.

No good addressing to "the manager" or "whoever does the cleaning", it'll just get binned.

I guarantee if you make 100 calls you'll get a couple of jobs.  Try it

P.S. I use microsoft excel to create and manage my lists, very simple

[Kinver_Clean]

Having been in the game for nearly 30 years I have had a problem with underpricing.
When I started £25 for a suite and £7.50 for a room was good money. I had to steel myself to put prices up to realistic levels. The easiest is to put prices up twice a year by a smaller amount every Jan and June. I am probably still under what I should charge but I am happy with the what I make as I do not advertise or buy new machines, much as I would like a new turbopowered one.

Compete upwards with the cleaners charging more not with them who charge less. You will never beat the cheapies on price as they will always drop a bit more before they go out of business.

If you do not ask you will not get. If you feel a job is slipping away and you have enough room to manoeuvre then you can always drop a pound or two- you cannot go up if someone says 'Is that all'

Be bold, ask the price you should do and you will be surprised.

[Jim_77]

Wise words Trevor

Dean, were you going to actually say something yourself, or just copy me

[AshWhite]

THIS IS YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND!!!!!

Use yell.com to search for target market sectors like nurseries, doctors surgeries, schools etc.  Dealing with one type of target like schools all at once helps you adjust to the specific needs and characteristics of that type of customer.  By the time you've phoned 10 or 15 of them you'll notice you're having very similar conversations with all of them

Ring them up, nice and confident sounding (even if you're bricking it ) no messing about.... tell them your name and what you do, and offer a FREE DEMO.

Very few will go for the free demo, they just stumble over themselves with excuses, but that's OK because before they hang up you ask if you can pop something in the post to them, and ask who is the best person to address it to.  Most will give you the name to get you off the phone, some will just flatly refuse but hey ho that's how it works.

Remember to make a note of each call, what the response was (no good pestering a rejection) and any further action needed such as post letter/flyer to them or call back next month.

Before you know it, you've built yourself a list

You can keep working on your lists, use the phone to get more details and then put mailshots in the post once you have the decision maker's name.

No good addressing to "the manager" or "whoever does the cleaning", it'll just get binned.

I guarantee if you make 100 calls you'll get a couple of jobs.  Try it

P.S. I use microsoft excel to create and manage my lists, very simple

It would have been much more effective if you had just said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-AXTx4PcKI

THAT is the daddy of motivational clips lol

Ash

[jim mca]

Phil

If you look on the dryfusion online shop you will find 1000 leaflets for £20 if you are licenced if not then get your own done and leaflet every day but dont compete on price its a waste of time sell the benifits of your system clean protect deodorise £4 per sq metre or clean only £2.50 per sq metre and use a micro splitter.      (dry in 30 minutes push push push) imo the system is worth it just for its marketing alone.

Jim

[clinton]

Jims right and dont forget the dry fusion set up is sold as a  premium clean..

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Clinton with your hair do I bet you sell it as a 'barnet' clean

Shaun

[clinton]

Shaun More of a quick dry and shampoo

[Phil @ Extreme Clean]

sorry to sound like an amateur but iv'e only ever used dry fusion chemicals that's all i'm allowed to use otherwise i wouldn't be giving the dry fusion clean that i advertise. What is a micro splitter? and if anyone can get me work at £4 per square metre i'l give you 25% lol thats crazy money.

Phil

If you look on the dryfusion online shop you will find 1000 leaflets for £20 if you are licenced if not then get your own done and leaflet every day but dont compete on price its a waste of time sell the benifits of your system clean protect deodorise £4 per sq metre or clean only £2.50 per sq metre and use a micro splitter.      (dry in 30 minutes push push push) imo the system is worth it just for its marketing alone.

Jim

[Jim_77]

Phil you've got to get out of that mentality if you're going to succeed

If you offered most fusioneers £4 a metre to do an average lounge carpet they'd ask where the rest of the money is.

[Phil @ Extreme Clean]

you rite i do need to sort my head out i'm gonna try sort out a worker to go sell my services at 20% commission they turn up measure up then give the price there and then if i get it i get it if not so be it.

[Robert Watson]

Hi Phillip.
How come that's all your allowed to use?
You really have to change your mind set or your on a hiding to nothing.
The only reason I typed that is you have kids and you worry me.
And what Jim says.
Good Luck
Rab.

[Phil @ Extreme Clean]

Hi Rob you have to be licensed by dry fusion to use there setup and you can only use dry fusion chemicals with the dry fusion machine as there specially made for that and if i was to use any other chemical i would be in breach of my license.

[Steve Rothwell]

here is a clue



don't tell em

 

[Steve Rothwell]

use the lovely fire engine machine, but market yourself as LM cleaning, you can charge just as much as dry fusion, after all the public out there do not know what dry fusion cleaning is....

They want to know..

will my carpets be clean...
how long will it take
how long will they be wet
how much


become a LM cleaner use a microsplitter or an encapsulation chemical like fusion clean, use microfibre pads
switch on the heater on your fire engine when you start and wizz through the carpets.

I ONLY LM clean, and you can go very quickly and advertise the low moisture bit, the punters love the idea that you will not flush thousands and thousands of gallons of water through their lovely expensive carpet right carpets.   (poetic licence)

[Phil @ Extreme Clean]

I'm happy to use just dry fusion chemicals because i know there safe on wool and all carpet's i don't have to worry of damaging anything and i like the fact it's ph neutral.

[Steve Rothwell]

so are many many others at a fraction of the cost.

[Phil @ Extreme Clean]

tell me more??

[jim mca]

Phil

The point is dry fusion is your premium service you can use another chemical eg pure clean go and quote in person give them 2 prices and see what happens when you give your price cheaper 1 first then really sell the dry fusion give the price and say nothing until they answer.