[Phillip Mold]

Its easy to find scapegoats, easy to find reasons why we dont get wok.

Funny but if I am not cleaning I leaflet

Funny but if I leaflet the phone rings

Funny but if the phone rings I quote

Funny but if I quote I get work

Funny but If I dont work I leaflet

One day when I've survived long enough the phone will keep ringing and I will not have to leaflet!

[matt jones]

well you say that phillip but re-read some of the pages on this post and you will see even though mike h has been in this game for a no of years he still has to leaflet alot.
So question is do you ever come to a point were you no longer have to leaflet, i would like to think so but the truth of the matter is im not sure?
matt

[joey p]

  NO

[Derek]

As I have said many times I have never used a leaflet in my life other than informative ones I give my customers whilst on site...

so in answer to your question Phillip.. Yes... providing all the rest of the service is in place.

[Phillip Mold]

I never cease to be amazed, done two quotes today, got both jobs, from leaflets delivered 5 and 9 weeks ago, just checked the areas. If people hang on to my leaflets for so long then I do not have to leaflets that area again.

Hopefully two more happy customers prepared to book repears cleans and also recommend friends and family, reducing my need to leaflet.

[mark_roberts]

Yes Derek but you started what 30 odd years ago when England was a very different place.  Im sure you used some sort of marketing ie. yellow pages etc to get work and not only referrals.

Todays market is very different and for new and young businesses and even businesses going longer but who want to grow need more than referrals to survive.

If I only relied on previous customers to come back to me and refer me to their friends then Id still be using a portable

Mark

[joey p]

whats wrong with portables, even with your BIG truck mount, you still cant do without one! get over yourself.You obviousely dont get many referals or repeat work. Must be that damn truck mount.

[joey p]

CALM DOWN......I'M ONLY KIDDING!..SRI LOL

[Derek]

Mark

It wasn't so very different......plus people have more revenue available to them today than 30 years ago

[chrisg]

Your always need new custies. Sad but true.

Even after twenty years regulars will not keep you going.

Remember we need upwards of 5 jobs per week.

[Terry_Burrows]

yes all true statements!30 years ago there was no woody bloody floors
its very hard now to start out

[carpetguy]

Terry

I don't think it's any tougher. Thirty years ago, there were low price adverts around and advertising costs, were pro rata, higher than now.

Lami' floors have an effect, no doubt, but every house I've ever been in, has sofas and chairs ! Also, there has been a massive increase in private house building over the past three decades.
 

[Terry_Burrows]

yes true,there just seems to be so many cc at it :

[John Kelly]

As a supplier I see a cross section of the market. I can say that at the moment a lot of cleaners are quiet. However some of my customers are busy all of the time, they obviously have some quiet periods but on the whole they are constantly busy. Why, because they have got there marketing right. Whats more telling is they aren't the cheapest either.

[darrenlee1]

derek bolton

your post
Mark

It wasn't so very different......plus people have more revenue available to them today than 30 years ago

well it was different then lol

darren

[Derek]

Darren

Touche.. ....Yes I suppose you are correct...but there is certainly more disposable income these days....many people have several houses....there seems to be more letting agencies et al

Terry has hit a rather significant nail on the head..there are certainly more people coming into the industry

[chrisg]

Good post John Kelly.

I think there is more money around now, however it is far harder to start.

20 years ago there was not even a deadicated 'carpet & upholstery' cleaning section in the Y/P as there was not enough to advertise in it, as the numbers grew Y/P decided it justifis its own section, even then most towns only had 1 or 2 pages of C/Cers, now it more like ten pages.

The market is a bit flooded, but it should leval its self out as companies drop out and give up, that is if new ones are not starting as fast as there droping out. 

We lose quite a bit from hire machines and vaxs too. Especially the rug doctor most recently with its high profile advertising, i've had many customers say they used them, never satisfied with the results though of course.

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

im not going round pushing rubbish in peoples doors never have never will would rather stop in the house and come on here 

i keep four cleaners going all year just tought one little paper add and custys we had for years 

[carpetguy]

Morning Susan

How big an area do you cover, as it's quite an achievement, to keep four operators working all year round, unless you have weekly, or monthly contracts.

When we were in the high volume business, we had adverts in four papers, covering about one and a half million population and this kept the phone ringing.

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

Morning Susan

How big an area do you cover, as it's quite an achievement, to keep four operators working all year round, unless you have weekly, or monthly contracts.

When we were in the high volume business, we had adverts in four papers, covering about one and a half million population and this kept the phone ringing.

we cover 65 mile each way here and at one stage i was in 5-6 papers but dont anymore im not paying them silly bills anymore