[Steve Gunn]

Four or five years ago I was fully booked till xmas eve over the last couple of years always able to fit people in now

[Paul Moss]

Steve up til now I have not got a Dec booking.

[clinton]

Same here and it was just always a full diary in dec with the run up to xmas..

[Chris Hawkes]

Paul

I know you've got lots of fingers of lots of cleaning and restoration pies so for you to say things are slower than usual is worth highlighting.

I thought diversification was always the key to survival/growth in this game but if you are slow with a multi faceted business then it must be slow.  People just aren't spending and I can't see things improving for a long while.

Chris

[Paul Moss]

Chris, things always have a way of panning out if you keep working hard. One thing I have noticed over the past few years is that Dec is not the mega month it used to be, but rather just a normal run of the mill month.

Things are hard for all at the moment and anybody doing well is very lucky as things tend to change quite fast.

In this current climate you have to run fast in order to stand still. So as long as you can pay your bills and end up with a few quid in you pocket, you just keep smiling.

[davep]

Got 6 in for December here

[derek west]

first 6 months of the year i was well up on last year but i'm actually down on last year now, took my eye off the ball for a few months and that had some bearing on turnover but even now i'm focussed again i'm still struggling to hit last years takings. hey ho, time to try even harder i suppose.

[M.Acorn]

Same here,nothing for Dec so far other than the possibility of a £450 com job,the company who want that doing have just been bought out,so won't be holding my breath there.
This week is looking good so far though,having to travel a little further afield though.

[Fintan_Coll]

For the past two or three years I have noticed this trend but when my diary for December is full as it normally is by around the first week I simply close it and take no more bookings. I remember years ago trying to squeeze in every single booking right up to Christmas eve. But the month of January was always dead then, now it seems to be as busy as most other times of the year.

[Jim_77]

Mark, don't come too far along the A14 in my direction

Sorry chaps but I'm roadblocked at the moment, next 2 weeks booked up solid, 2nd half of November looking good already and got some december bookings in the diary too.

But I had a terrible October

I hit my list with mailshots about 2 weeks ago, with hindsight should have done it 6 weeks ago to rescue October, but have definitely found a lot of repeat customers giving it the old "oh I've been meaning to call, then your letter came...."

If anyone hasn't mailshotted their list yet, DO IT NOW!!!!!!  That's my best advice

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

Xmas has not been that busy relatively for me in the past 15 years, summer is much busier!

Cheers

Doug

[Craigp]

Same here Doug, may to August are the busiest months, this is the time it slows down with a small pick up to Xmas, probably July is the best overall, you should have saved enough to carry yourself over the quieter winter months.

[Neil Williams]

You could spent 3 years putting together a university grade study on the subject but I'll bet no-one will ever get to the bottom of it.
Back in Feb I was cacking myself about the lack of work whilst others on here were flat out, so I phoned them to try and get some guidance. Three months later and I was flat out whilst the same people were struggling. This same thing was happening in this area when I spoke to others, one week I'd be busy whilst he wasn't, one week later and the roles changed.

Normally for me Jan & Feb are busy whilst July & Aug are quiet. this year has been the exact opposite.

The only conclusion I can come to is to advertise, write to previous customers and get recommendations all year around. The trouble is when you are busy it's (a) hard to find the motivation to do this because everything is great and (b) find the time to do all the advertising.

[M.Acorn]

Mark, don't come too far along the A14 in my direction

I am off here tomorrow   Wicken bonhunt,strange sounding place

[Jim_77]

That's OK Mark, opposite direction to me

[wynne jones]

If anyone hasn't mailshotted their list yet, DO IT NOW!!!!!!  That's my best advice

[The Great One]

Hi

Very weird this year, heaving one minute, dead the next, summer usually stacked out, this year did nothing for 3 weeks!

Anyway, down on last years gross by £12,931.50 so far (£2000 a month).

Martin

[Paul H]

Is that down 2k per month..

Or you are taking 2k per month..

[M.Acorn]

No idea what's been going on today here,booked 4 quotes in the space of about 2 hours,and booked 2 reg customers for next week,why is it either dead,or crazy,wish it could just be steady

[The Great One]

Is that down 2k per month..

Or you are taking 2k per month..

Down £2000 a month gross on last year.