[bennymon]

I quite like carpet cleaning but if I had enoug money to retire now I sure as hell would there's always things to do and half the world to visit .  del

[COLIN BRIGHT]

With boosters my friend

[Dave_Lee]

With boosters my friend

[Dave_Lee]

Andy,
Back to your original question. You've been going 10 years so must have built up a customer base. Repeat work is the basis of a strong business.
Do you mail them, even just twice a year. When I started doing this, I was surprised how much work it quickly brought in, and it works every time. Even if you just plonk a leaflet inside an envelope. If you haven't got a database simply take their addresses from your diaries.
If you can afford it you could get a postcard size card made up with space for an address label, this is faster than filling envelopes.
Of course the downside is that even 2nd class stamps are now over 50p, so just send what you can afford.
I think this is going to be the quickest way to get results to turn your business round, I have been there a couple of times myself over the last 34 years, and this is defo what I would do to get things moving fast.
Best of luck.
Dave.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

In the last 2 years 4 of my older competitors have gone out of the business, 1 went under, 1 took early retirement, 1 ceased doing carpets and concentrated on windows and one has opened a coffee shop.

Perhaps it's new starters in the business or low buying confidence in the market.

Shaun

[COLIN BRIGHT]

I have a very quite week next week, only 3 jobs booked in, but I'll still make more money than when I was a manager of a butchers shop back in the day, and had to work 6 days for that, so as the song says " even the bad times are good"

[M.Acorn]

Have to agree Colin, it's up and down here, some weeks the phone won't ring at all, others it's ringing constantly, no formula to it.
Have got a full week next week and £760 worth of commercial to do come the end of the month, no point worrying, been doing this 10 years now and like you said it's so much better than being employed by someone else.

[COLIN BRIGHT]

Exacta mondo

[Ian Gourlay]

Have to agree Colin, it's up and down here, some weeks the phone won't ring at all, others it's ringing constantly, no formula to it.
Have got a full week next week and £760 worth of commercial to do come the end of the month, no point worrying, been doing this 10 years now and like you said it's so much better than being employed by someone else.

Mark what are you using for commercials

[Stoots]

Just a general idea but how about diversify from just carpets.

I am only self employed part time currently doing car valeting, next year i am hoping to offer pressure washing window cleaning and carpet cleaning, marketing through websites mainly and looking for contract work to offer regular income rather than rely on phone calls/leaflets etc

[Ian Gourlay]

adam you want the EASY MARKETING SYSTEM   available for ten payments of £49 with advance payment of £96

If you do not suceeed and you can show 100% documented proof with times and dates you carried out at least 17 strategies you get your money back.

Another way could be to sub contract your marketing .

I think there is a company at top of board offering end of Tenancy   bookings I know nothing about either

[M.Acorn]

Ian, I use my Steempro.I tend to go in with a quote for lm and a quote for hwe, but I always big up the hwe more than lm and they always book the more expensive hwe.
I also do tile and grout and hard floor cleaning.

[M.Acorn]

[Shaun_Ashmore]

What kind of prices are you getting for tile and grout cleaning?

Shaun

[M.Acorn]

Whatever  can get Shaun  one in the pic was £250, that was a strip and seal, did one earlier in the year, larger space, that was £400 odd

[Pete Blackburn]

I can tell you with certainty that your key domestic market is now .... The elderly (retired)/ Wealthy/ Or Both.

Look at all the best customers you have at the moment and I guarantee that most (not all) fall into the above category.

It used to also include young familys, living average lifestyles (ford mondeo people), but those days are gone. They sort out their own carpet cleaning, be it, hire, own a little machine or go for the cheapest idiot they can find or dont bother. It’s actually to the point where I feel quite insecure when these type of people contact me.

In the current climate, self employed carpet cleaners are a product of the wealthy man or the unable man or both.

[stuart_clark]

Judging by the white bits of seal in the grout areas you are using a lambs wool tee bar ? And not a micro fibre applicater ? I strip and seal a fair lld ammount of amtico and stone flooring, the thing about airmovers you can leave runs in the seal where it is drying, you would be betrer using dri pods as they have a more gentle drying effect



Stuart

[M.Acorn]

I was using a T bar, but it was an old one and didn't shed, the white was there prior to me starting,  ( I think cement or lime ) in the gaps, wasn't grouted , was a very old building, customer was over the moon with the results

[Ian Gourlay]

  mark Sorry to be a pain but what are you doing tile and grout with.

Glad to see you are not letting Art of Clean have all his own way

[M.Acorn]

Xtreme clean tile and grout cleaner, then sealed with aqua mix seal and finish lo sheen, great products and great service from the company who supply, very helpful.
And some people don't want to pay the earth, so the work is out there