[CBCarpetcare]

Hi
I am starting up again after a break of 3 years trying something else, I had been 9 years previous.
I sold my old business and so have to start all over again - not one of my better decisions and the grass is greener and all that, I am planning to start with a Ninja again and possibly add a truckmount after a year.

I built my old business by leaflet dropping and found yellow pages to be poor in the past. The wife is against me being self employed again but for some reason I have the burning urge to get back into Carpet Cleaning again.

Since I stopped I have put 2 stone on (desk job)!!

Any advice or do you think if I manage to drop 800 - 1000 decent leaflets again a day myself to start work should start coming in? does anyone have any leaflet examples? Does anyone believe their website works well enough for me to have one built.

As I said I have to prove the wife wrong and get back in control of my working life rather than being bossed around, I am willing to go at this 7 days a week to get me off to a start, My old business used to make £35K a year profit have prices gone up for work?

What prices are people realistically charging for suites and carpets?

Sorry for the questions and Thank you in advance

If anyone has a Ninja for sale then please let me know, I have asked on the used equipment section.

Thank you

[craigp]

Hi Carpetcare,

if you fill in your profile ie. your location your get more replys, people dont like to give advice to amonius posters, they could be helping there local c/c er, lol,

Craig

[CBCarpetcare]

Ok will do

[Steve Chapman]

Hi,
If you were making 35k profit a year why on earth did you give it up?

Is there any chance you can market to some of your previous customers?

I would say from experience it takes about two years to get established and make a decent income, as for marketing a little bit of everything is probably a good idea rather than just relying on one avenue.

regards
steve

[CBCarpetcare]

my thoughts exactly why did I give it up? I went to work for £30K a year and I just thought regular pay and all that and a nice desk job no dealing with client but instead it was very stressfull and I spent alot of time wishing I was working for myself again so here I am. I just brought a van today so need a decent machine and leaflets - I am going to update the board with progress to see how quickly I can build it back up.

I have addresses of old clients so that is my first job to write to them all!

[calmore]

Bear in mind any agreement you may have made with the purchaser of your old business.

If it was done through a solicitor there may have been a clause to prevent you starting a similar business within a certain amount of time. There might even have been something in there to prevent you using the old customer database.

Just something to think about as it may alter the way in which you approach your old customers.

Edit: Good luck with your new business!

[CBCarpetcare]

Thanks for the advice, there was a 3 year clause which has lapsed so I am free!!
It is weird starting again so much to organise and I have to be ridgid with time management!

[kevin]

All the best for the best 2007.

[Macarthur]

I also tried many different business ventures prior to carpet / upholstery and contract cleaning, none of which worked out for me, just lots of lost money along the way, really wished I had started sooner, as I feel this business is really taking off now, has taken me three years (not long) and has been well worth it.
Good luck to you, I am sure you will be up and running again in no time, you have the advantage of previous experience on your side.
Nigel.

[calmore]

As James Dyson once said: “Enjoy failure and learn from it. You can never learn from success.”

[Ian Gourlay]

If you have a Genuine £30k job and they want to continue to pay you why quit.

Why have allthe worry of being Self Employed.

Why Clean other Peoples Muck


Then I would say that


Good Luck##


Ian

[CBCarpetcare]

Reasons to go back to self employment

1. I am in control of my destiny
2. The harder I work the more money I earn
3. I miss the Clients and the getting out and about
4. I have the option of working 4 days or 7 Days
5. I Have freedom
6. I want to be able to attend my Childrens Christmas Plays or take them to the Doctors without begging a boss

Yes it was a genuine £30K job but beleive it or not I fell asleep at my desk once because I was so BORED! All my work was done b4 anyone asks and ahead of targets!

At least now I already feel as though I am excited about work and okay I am leafleting to get started, I have already designed a leaflet, looked at old client records and am itching to get out there.

I am going to do an update 1 a week to mark progress to see if within 1 year I can regain a profit of £35K.

If people want to read my threads then great if not then thats fine - I think people may be interested on how hard or easy it is to get started again with a tight budget.

I have already brought a van (from ebay £1000) 1999 spotless Seat (Like VW Shape) The lady ended the auction early with a cash offer, so I have a van thats a start!!!

[carpetguy]

If you have previous knowledge and experience, you should find it easy to get back into the industry............the only comment I would make, would be, do not go after your previous clients.

robbie

[Len Gribble]

Think Robbie has a point on old customers on targeting them! Don’t know your reason why you dump them/sold business only you know.  However new business leaflets their roads if you pick them up make sure what you tell them is credible.

All the best

Len

[CBCarpetcare]

Hi

Yes I agree, I was going to look at re targeting old clients as I said in an old post and was geared up to call some of my old letting agents, but as I sold the business and even though 3 years have lapsed I think the right thing to do is to build a new client base. If I come across old clients I will explain why I sold the business and tell them they should use the person I sold the business to unless they are not doing a good enough job.

I also called the person I sold the business to and they obviously would rather I did no start up but they were happy how I sold the business and that I was honest with the client base, I have some old client records here which I am going to give him as they are not mine.I have alsways kept in contact with him and given advice when needed and use to pass on clients I came across.


Thanks

[*Chris Browne]

Good luck CB.

Chris

[mark_roberts]

£30k profit/pay is not difficult but will take a few years to buildup with residential only.  Commercial is where the easy big money is.

Sort you pricing out first.  Things have changed within the industry and so customers may need more than a leaflet with prices on it.

Mark

[Len Gribble]

Mark

Commercial easy big money? By that you mean offices and not letting agents?

Len

[CBCarpetcare]

Just brough a Ninja from Ashby's - reconditioned but with new hoses, I must say Martin was 1st class and when I told him I was an old client he gave me 10% off hoses and a wand!

It is being delivered today, I found a good leaflet producer www.circleprinting.co.uk £90 for 5000 leaflets printed one colour on gloss paper. Sounds to cheap but I have ordered some and the guy was really helpfull, I am going to sit down and write to solicitors today and accountants that I have databases for to see if we offer a discont to their staff they will put an email around staff, I have a few contacts.

I am not sure if anyone has tried it but some of the bigger companies have intranet and if you give their staff a discount they will advertise on the internal system for you - free advertising.

I have missed yellow pages - deadline was in december- oh well more leaflets to deliver instead!!

[mark_roberts]

Len

Yes and no.  Offices have a bigger end ticket.  But a three bedroom empty rental can earn £100 per man hour, with a TM.  Although just to clean one small room in a rental can be money lost.

Swings and roundabouts.

Mark