[Phil @ Extreme Clean]

You actually should be operating on the other end of the spectrum by being good at keeping statistics and that nitty gritty stuff first and foremost... and then do the graft on the back end of that effort.

What you need is a partner who is good at that and you do the graft

Thats exactly what i need allthough no one will without a wage to start my dad was offered as he got made redundant he was a manager for the council so ideal on the phone and meetings etc but he needs to earn money so got a job instead of helping me build up then earning with me 

[L.Doubtfire - The Blade Runner]

Garry,like yourself Phil was also 10 or perhaps 20 times better
Than me when I also started.Experience is your best and biggest
Teacher.Phil`s been like this now for ages,he dos`nt seem to be
Moving along anywhere at all.I think it`s possibly a self confidence
`thing`.There again if ya`ve no finance to invest,enough said.
Phil,with all the hotels,pubs,guest houses around your way,the levels
Of soilsage ya get and encounter,ya do need I would say nothing
Less than a 10 or 12 gallon inject / recovery HWE set up with the
Hand tools,accessories etc.Vaccing,and rotary on it`s own `won`t cut it`.
Truck mounts were nearly unheard of in this country when I started.
In fact they were.A truck mount we know is `out of your league`.as
It is with a lot of us.
Phil,I agree,Blackpool,Fleetwood and most surrounding areas are broken
Down dumps.I like Blackpool,but stay North shore.
Last summer in one edition of the Blackpool Gazzette there was a photo
Of the full council,meeting to clear the travellers and `druggies`,and street
Walkers of the night and day problem.Any improvement yet at all?
What Simon and others are saying is,your in a good position for marketing
And advertising.Ya can read all the books ya like that are out there,,,
It`s having what it takes.
There`s an old saying,,,,,,,,,,,,,You can take a horse to water,but you can`t make
It drink.


Lewis  Doubtfire

[jim mca]

Phil

Have you knocked any doors and asked if they would like a quote for gutter cleaning build up your sales confidence this way and then target commercials The first door is the hardest door but you need to learn a few closes e.g. how does that sound after you give your price then say nothing until the custy has answered

[Mike Halliday]

I think you need to remember February is not the time to make harsh decisions, a lot of carpet cleaners are suffering a slow spell, it always happens. Things can look a bit bleak and you can start think that some thing needs to change but nothing you do will effect that a smaller amount of people want their carpets cleaned.

You can try harder to find those elusive people who do want our services but if all the other carpet cleaners in you area are upping their marketing you will still be onto a losing battle.

I had coffee yesterday with 2  carpet cleaners. 1 has been on the go 20yrs the other 12yrs . The 12 yrs has just applied for housing benefit and the 20yr guy has  had the worst start to the year he has ever remembered..... He was asking the other guy how to apply for benefits

Things will get better.

[Simon Gerrard]

You actually should be operating on the other end of the spectrum by being good at keeping statistics and that nitty gritty stuff first and foremost... and then do the graft on the back end of that effort.

What you need is a partner who is good at that and you do the graft

That's exactly what i need although no one will without a wage to start my dad was offered as he got made redundant he was a manager for the council so ideal on the phone and meetings etc but he needs to earn money so got a job instead of helping me build up then earning with me 

Phil,
The last thing you need is a partner, or any extra overheads. What you might not realise is that we have all gone through this massive learning curve to become not just good carpet cleaners, but competent business people. That requires the wearing of many hats and the learning of many skills, book keeper, marketing manager, salesperson, public relations manager etc. Most of all you have to become your own fiercest critic and yes, give yourself a good old pat on the back when you do something that moves your business forward, but you also need to have a constant eye on what still needs to be done and never think you cannot do it, because you can, but only when you try. The things that challenge you at the moment may seem daunting but only because at present you don't have the skills to overcome them, so take those challenges on, learn about marketing, websites, take DF and hone it to perfection, discipline yourself to spend every day when your not work learning then applying those new skills and sooner than you think the things you thought you couldn't do will just become a way of life.
So much about becoming successful is about how much you want it and what you are prepared to do to get it and it is in these moments when success seems so far away that you must dig deep and rise to the challenge. And when you meet with success, and you will if you work hard enough and believe in yourself sufficiently, then you will look back upon these days of hardship with a great deal of satisfaction, know that you took on the challenges and beat them.
The good news is that you are not alone. The great thing about forums is that there is always someone on hand to help with even the most obscure of questions. Case in point from Deep Clean Solutions:
Yes, that's what i mean, some times it takes a while for them to verify it for you, it will probably say pending in your google account. Give it a few weeks, if it's still not working i will help you out with it.

Simon

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

Lots of sensible suggestions.

What struck me is how you still struggle to justify charging prices which reflect running a business.

I would imagine you were previously earning £10 an hour and think getting £25 for carpet cleaning is excessive, but elsewhere you indicate that you are really struggling, so you are probably earning £5 an hour. I aim to take £80 to £100 per hour but do not earn £4000 a week.

What we take is not our earnings, anymore than the newsagent keeps all the money he is given. It is the start of the chain, not the end.

Cheers

Doug

[John Kelly]

Cheap pricing is the cause of so many carpet cleaners woe's. I started in 1994 and was charging £12 a carpet. The phone never rang so I lowered it to £8. The phone still didn't ring. I met some one who called me a stupid T*** and immediately put my price up to £35 a carpet and I never looked back. The money I then started to earn enabled me to invest in other areas and 18 years later I am still here.

[John Kelly]

And that was in Newcastle a supposedly "poor" area.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Hello......you don't know poor

Bob cratchit

[Craigp]

Cheap pricing is the cause of so many carpet cleaners woe's. I started in 1994 and was charging £12 a carpet. The phone never rang so I lowered it to £8. The phone still didn't ring. I met some one who called me a stupid T*** and immediately put my price up to £35 a carpet and I never looked back. The money I then started to earn enabled me to invest in other areas and 18 years later I am still here.

Completely agree, there seems to be a race to the bottom.

Prices on websites is a bad idea, in my opinion it encourages price shopping, customers dont even need to call they will use those prices as a reference, they see right this guys charging £50 a lounge then they'll spend an hour looking at websites see how much they can beat that by.

Arent the cheap c/c'ers just relying on more espensive c/c'ers not to be so stupid as to lower their prices to compete?

[Kinver_Clean]

Quite a few years ago I was rushing around chasing my tail and not making much money.
I then more than doubled my prices and found I was making a lot more cash, also working sensible hours. The other benefit was that most of my custs were from nicer homes with very few really mucky carpets. And the tea/coffee was much better.
I have put my prices up every year since and have very little resistance to it.
You need to be taking at least £50 absolute minimum per hour.   By the time you have paid tax, van expenses  etc etc you will put less than 1/2 in your pocket.

[Tony Stewart]

Hi Phil
I feel for you - it's hard to know sometimes where to go and you can end up like a rabbit staring at the headlights frozen completely. I agree with all that has been said but would add a couple of points:
Think of your strengths rather than your weaknesses. You are top ranked on Google for Fleetwood, so take the prices off the website and then deal with the enquiries when they come in. I ALWAYS go to the clients home and chat with them and do a dye test etc. Not so much for my benefit but so that they can see that you are the consummate professional. It takes a bit of courage to ask for the price and then let the power of silence come in to play. You can give the price, wait a few seconds and then say something like "so how does that sound? or " I can come and clean the carpet next Wednesday Morning at 9.30; would that be a convenient time for you?"
Also I know that people want a job done cheaply but they want the job done properly so if it is too cheap they know deep down inside that alarm bells will ring inside their head. Bear that in mind. Last week I got the job @£200 and the other guy had quoted £135. How did I get it..because I was in their lounge and all I said was "Has the other guy been out to see exactly what is involved?"
For Commercial jobs it's probably a bit trickier and others will be more experienced than me as where to pitch the price. However write out your script on a piece of paper then put it into bullet points to have to hand. Call a few and offer them a demonstration clean of a test area. When you are there it's not selling just passing on information enthusiastically. You know your DF so tell them! Don't remove a stain just remove half of it.
It's tough out there and I am like you in my second year and still only part time. I think it takes about 5 years to get the business up to critical mass when your repeats come in and the referrals come in and there is enough to keep you busy most of the week. I think that you end up feeling a failure because everyone else seems successful at this game, but remember many of the people have been in business more than the five years..............that is why there are plenty of people who read the posts and never chip in because they are in the same boat as you..and me!!!

[John Kelly]

Good post Tony.

[Hilton]

Except that I would say that there are not many CC who will ever reach critical mass...you constantly have to work at it...

[Ian Gourlay]

Just listned to  a little bit on the Free Audio Section of the Cleaners Pro Network about why cleaners fail. Its Two hours so have not listned to it all.

But 30% of carpet cleaners fail in first year. Why because its easy entry , 2 Cost Of Advertising.

Then the is E myth  most guys prefer the technical get trained in that etc but do not come from backgrounds of running a business. two completley diffrent skills.

Could be why someone like Derek West  apears to be OK as he came from a Market background
I will devote some more time later but I keep trolling internet nd have come across hours of stuff by loads of gurus of the type Gary 22 mentioned and although I am still in recovery mode have ot got the time as I need to organise my reluanch/

Also in same section 2 hours on dealing with Pet Odours etc
By Scott Warrington

[garry22]

Ian.

Looking through hours of stuff can be daunting and it's difficult to know what is good or bad advice.

The reason I mentioned the two Dan Kennedy books are that they are simple to read / understand and the information can be put into action immediately.

[cannon]

Ian.

Looking through hours of stuff can be daunting and it's difficult to know what is good or bad advice.

The reason I mentioned the two Dan Kennedy books are that they are simple to read / understand and the information can be put into action immediately.

I ordered the 2 books you recommended the other day, i think i only payed 17p for one of them used
thanks

[L.Doubtfire - The Blade Runner]

Phil I take all back what I wrote.Stick at it.Take up Simons offer.
Seasons soon here now in Blackpool.
Glad you’ve got  HWE.
Best of luck.


Lewis  Doubtfire