[stains-away]

I went out delivering flyers for a few hours yesterday, not normally a time or day that I would, with the weather being nice people were out in their gardens, the net result 2 booked jobs from 30 houses, another one quoted (theyre decorating the room at the minute,reckon they will call me when its finished,so its a possible), and from the 200 odd flyered Ive had 3 calls today (1 being seagrass ) so all in a good afternoon, Andy

[Mike Osbourne]

Please excuse my Newbie ignorance. What I can't get my head round is that what most successful guys are saying here is the difference between success and failure is whether you are prepared to go up to someones front door and tell them about your service or not.

Take the last post ratios 1:15! i can't get my head around people going out of business because they don't like those odds, unless of course their ratios are far worse and in which case what are they doing wrong?

[stains-away]

Mike, on flyers I've managed around 1-1.5%, people may just pick the flyer up and bin it or have a look and think that they will call when theyre not as busy/ got more money or whatever, the end result is they dont make the call, when they are approached face to face I think that they are more likely to ask for a price as they dont feel pressurised as your already on their doorstep, Andy

[John Kelly]

Mike
As I have mentioned many times previously this is a close contact business where you are actually carrying out work in the customers house. What people should realise is that a lot of success actually depends on your persona. The majority of the time you are alone in the house with women. If you are the kind of person that women don't feel relaxed with in their own property you will find it very difficult to establish a succesfull service orientated business. I have seen carpet cleaners come and go. A lot because they didn't charge enough for their services but also a few because of what I've mentioned. Most people who become self employed are usually pretty confident and should project a professional image however some can be over cocky or cheeky which will put some customers off, then there are the ones you wouldn't let clean your garden.

[Mike Osbourne]

So over and above rejection issues that could hold a CC back, you have to look professional, safe and friendly.   I can do that.

   

[scott.]

John

Scenario.....

Lonely housewives  and lonely mums

Ive come across them.....just how far would you go to be friendly?

Is it un-professional to take these offers, or indeed decline them?

Joking aside, I've indulged in this unethical practice a few times, and got repeat business from it.

Whats your angle on that one?

[John Kelly]

Just make sure the husband doesn't catch you. Extracting a hand tool from your rear passage wouldn't be a particularly enjoyable experience.

[scott.]

But john....It's all part of the service....anyhooo...most are sorta single-ish.....hand tool?...would be more worried bout the wand

[John Kelly]

I thought of that but the wand would probably kill you.

[Ian Gourlay]

I dont clean all week as most of you know so dont need to find that much work. However a mate of mine in the c/c business is or was struggling for work and hadnt had a job at all last week to clean nor did the phone go for next week. So yesterday I went with him TO THE ROAD HE LIVES ON spoke face to face with 20 people and he now has 12 jobs to do. He discounted all the work to 200 a house to just clean carpets (what else he ends up with he will have to wait and see) So next week he will have £2400 worth of work to do.  To save you getting a calculator that works out to be approx 125 thousand a year but of course working 52 weeks. My point is and was before, there is plenty of work out there and not enough carpet cleaners for it. We on the whole just dont go out and get it. ...... Craig in answer to your question about the yellow pages.....apart from refering to the posts about it...... the yellow pages on the whole just plane doesnt work. Also and it has been touched on a little, most people who need their carpets cleaned just dont get them cleaned, these are the people we should target, he who asks gets..... not all the time but on Saturday it worked for one cleaner so should work for many more. No adds, no leaflets no advertising of any sorts ........... but 2400 pounds in the bank for a weeks work. Hmmm maybe I should just sell for those who dont go out and get work on their own. But who in their right mind would do that??? After all its not rocket science to talk to ones nextdoor neighbour is it?..... Best, Dave.

Dave,

You must have a Golden tongue, walked down street talked to 20 people got 12 to spend £200.


What are they  having done?

Out of interest how long did it take  you?

[Mike Halliday]

and none of them just wanted a lounge cleaning : all spent £200 :

his tongue is either silver or forked

Mike

[Liahona]

Ian and Mike, in short it took about 2 hours. The idea and it worked, that each of the people knew my mate so it wasnt actualyy cold calling. They didnt know hw was a cleaner though.

 A sweeping statemen I know but most of the houses would have cost 3 or 400 to do, so to offer them all the same price of 200, 12 people said yes....... I am sure at some stage he will clean the others too.....

 Mike apart from when I was a rookie and starting out I never clean just one room. Why would you go to a house and just clean a lounge. If thats what most people do then againmy point is, maybe we ned to change the market we are cleaning for, if that makes sense? Please note I am not a salesman in anyway shape or form. In fact I despise selling, so I dont. I have always thought that a good salesman will try to get more for what is needed as opposed for getting any amount of money for what is wanted. I also feel and I am sure we all do is that as the saying goes, 99.9% of each house that we go in needs everything cleaned. If we only clean a lounge or the infamous hall stairs and landing, then we are not doing our job correctly. After all we are in the business as service people, if we only clean the lounge we arent offering much of a service are we?....... Sorry a bit bitty but I keep looking back at the questions frm you both.......Ian, all are having all their carpets cleaned. If he adds on furniture or the like that is up to him, I would for reasons mentioned above...........


. Mike, I understand your comments about my tounge. However I am a nice bloke, really. There are a few people on here that know me and I dont think I upset them so to speak on how I am. I must say though ia a lot of cases and I hope with all of us, that on the whole at least our existing customers dont just want their carpets cleaned, they they want us to clean it. That being the case it is tribute to you or us as people or as a person, not the fact that you are a cleaner. After all it aint that difficult to clean a carpet now is it?......


 You can be the best carpet cleaner in the world but if Mrs or Mr X doesnt feel comfortable with you as a person you purely and simply wont get the job.......

The way I am when I clean is so very different than the norm,  my customers are indeed happy with me, so who cares?......

My theory is, 'till they find someone else they are more comfortable with they will continue to use me as their cleaner, cleaning all they have to clean......

Last thing to Ian. You commented on the 12 out of the 20. My concern was the 8 out of the 20.. My attitude was that I failed to impress for a better word, 8 peopleabout what it is that we were offering. I am spoiled as you know as I get 100% of the people I go to see. (After I have the designer) ........ so not getting the 8 was a dissappointment. For curiosity value for me and I am sure yourselves, I will keep you posted as to what happenedduring this week, at the end of the week...

 Cheers for now, best, Dave.

[HolmansUKLTD]

Bitty

[Ian Gourlay]

Dave,

Good to talk to you this afternoon

[John Rimmer Marshall & Rimmer Ltd]

A very big pinch of SALT comes to mind when i read some of these posts.

                                    Take Care John

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Dave I would have loved to hear your pitch to these people, obviously you have put your point across very well for them to book their carpets to be cleaned by your friend.

To give us an idea of what demographic area were you/he in:-

What type of houses were they?
How much approx were the homes worth?
What kind of people? Doctors or dustmen

Shaun

[Mike Halliday]

Dave slightly off the point, and i hope you don't mind me saying

I find your posts very hard to read, could you use paragraphs to separate different points.

I actually think its my eyesight because I tend to loose my place as I read your text, I would find it helpful for you to use paragraphs.

there endeth to-days English lesson

Ta very much

Mike

[Liahona]

Mike, I would if I knew how too. Thats why i tend to do this......... but you are right they arent easy to read. I will ask my son how to do it. Best, Dave. ..........Shaun I ll answer your questions tomorrow as I am off to nodsville.....

[craigp]

dave,

where you 'put.............'

just press 'enter button' instead, to drop a line

press it twice and you'll miss a line

i thought you did it cus you write so much that you needed to save space  

[Liahona]

Craig, thanks mate and accordingly I hope this and more will be easier to read. I do write a lot but I

hope that is ok. Two reasons, one, being quiet isnt one of my strong points and two quite often

I have a lot of questions to answer. Anyway, hope i dont bore you too much. Oh and Mike, I dont

have a problem you saying what you did. If more people not just on here but in general actually

wrote or spoke what they wanted, life would be so much easier.  I am often asked the difference

between the states and here and in answer and I hope you get my point. On the whole in England

if you are out to dinner and it isnt to your liking when the waiter or waitress asks you how everything is

the reply is " oh everything is fine thankyou"  or similar. In the states if the same question is asked the

reply would be just as it is. Its too hot or too cold it was late etcetera etcetera. Anyway I side track yet

again. Shaun..... 3 bed semis.....£200,000 is what me mates house is worth....... no idea of the kind of

people......... John...... I understand what you are saying about the salt........But my point is and always

has been, with no flyers, no yellow pages in fact no advertising in any way doesnt mean you cant get

work. If you had no jobs at all lined up then speak to someone untill they say yes you can clean my

house. It may not be 1 to 1 but who cares if it is 1 to 10. You now have a job to do tomorrow. This has

to be one of the easiest business's to get into and actually do and the profit margins are huge. No

special licenses needed, no years of training and we can make a £1000 pounds a week with our eyes

shut so to speak and still be home to watch the world cup in the afternoon. I just wish I knew about

carpet cleaning when I was a kid. I would have mostly retired at 30 instead of 40. Anyway, hope this

made better or easier reading, best, Dave.