[Graeme@Access]

Hi,

Maybe they are feeling it more in the south carpetguy.  After all we have just won the commonwealth games and are never as effected by the housing market.

Alas, it seems we are both busy which is good.

What company do you run btw?

Graeme
Access Cleaning Solutions

[carpet guy]

Evening Graeme

My main business is Carlton Care Ltd and continue to trade in a very reduced and reducing capacity as Brighter Homes. My original cleaning business, traded as Caretakers and I am seriously considering resurrecting the latter, for family member.

Don't advertise these days, although still in the yp alphabetical listing.

PS
I honestly don't want to be busy and would love to stop wrecking my body, but need to complete a couple of deals to do so. Interesting reading Susan's post as that's how busy we were up to six years ago, when we diversified and had to reduce the cleaning business, by around 75%.

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

Evening Graeme

My main business is Carlton Care Ltd and continue to trade in a very reduced and reducing capacity as Brighter Homes. My original cleaning business, traded as Caretakers and I am seriously considering resurrecting the latter, for family member.

Don't advertise these days, although still in the yp alphabetical listing.

PS
I honestly don't want to be busy and would love to stop wrecking my body, but need to complete a couple of deals to do so. Interesting reading Susan's post as that's how busy we were up to six years ago, when we diversified and had to reduce the cleaning business, by around 75%.

i will say that i have lost about 17 jobs so far this month due to me putting the prices up buy around 30% but most are paying the new priceses and were now going to a far better type of customer  as well so my lads are not getting bogged down and spending 4 hours on a suite  so in trun im makeing alot more money

i now only have xmas week lefted and thats keeping all four vans flat out im trying not to do any cleaning myself this year but it looks like i will have too from next week    which isnt good for me as theres alot of houses round here falling in prices and i need to keep my eye on them to buy for renting

and trust me people are feeling the pinch big time i was bidding on a house 9months ago for 105k and some clever git , offered more  then me two days befour the comp. date so the seller took there offer 

last week i got the very same house for 78k as he couldnt get the cash together and they needed to sell befour it got tooik off them buy the bank things are starting to hurt and i cant see it getting any better

[maxcarpets]

I take it all back, their is a god! and he has paid us in loads of work! FLAT OUT! in fact looking like the bext month on record ( in only 3 weeks ) Ho Ho Ho

Hope its the same for you guys.

Cheers!

Justin

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

Busy here but also socially, have four meals booked this week !

I suppose it's called work /life balance, do both to extreme  :

Cheers

Doug

[Mike Halliday]

I agree with carpet guy, I think people need to comfort themselves with excuses....... its the weather, its a recession, its full moon : :

Just realise sometimes the phone rings, sometimes it doesn't. As long as you've got work for today who care if you've got nothing for next week, when next week comes you'll have work.

Mike

[carpet guy]

Another point worth mentioning...................If business is quiet, double your normal marketing effort and you will get more business.

In other words.............whatever you normally do................double it!

rob

[turneylogan]

Some good points here. I am quieter than this time last year despite increased marketing. I was early in getting letters out and was fully booked until December - now have gaps!

I think the market is always used as an excuse, but there is always someone needing thair capets cleaned...it's just a matter of finding them.

So during my 'gaps' I have been leafleting, putting postcards in shop windows, advertising in local papers, talking to letting agents etc. I might have missed the pre-Xmas rush now, but I hope my marketing will pay off for the future.

I am constantly surprised at how many people hold on to leaflets and act on them months later.

For the more established CC's I would be interested to know how long you had to market yourselves before referrals became the main source of business?

[Neil Williams]

All change....24 hours later and I'm wondering how we are going to fit everything in.

[carpet guy]

Betterclean

Referrals don't come as a right to people who've been around for a while !

I sought referrals from day one ( long before JP ) and Piranha Marketing, but they have to be earned and they have to be asked for, at least in the early days.

rob

[will01]

Im snowed under with work.  Im so busy right now that all my vans are flat out  . And not only that but this time next year I'll be a millionaire and you wont see head nor tail of me on this forum!!

[Dave_Lee]

Well lots of self employed as well as businesses suffered badly during the two bad reccessions that have happened since I have been in this business (28 years) and I can only speak for myself, but as I saw it Carpet cleaners did very well during those times, as people werent bying new, but getting them cleaned instead.
Dave.

[turneylogan]

Betterclean

Referrals don't come as a right to people who've been around for a while !

I sought referrals from day one ( long before JP ) and Piranha Marketing, but they have to be earned and they have to be asked for, at least in the early days.

rob

Rob,

I know that. I've been CC'ing for about 5 years but only as a bi-product of end-of-tenancy cleaning, therefore it wasn't every day.

Only started marketing stand alone CC business in the last couple of months. Got my marketing in place - Branding, letters to existing and past customers, leafleting programme, website, newspaper adverts, newsletter, newsagent ads, yell, YP, Google, visiting letting agents, & parish magazines

Got voucher system in operation for all CC jobs - discount further work & discount for referred customers. Customers are asked for referals. Customers have been very pleased with work so far and just starting to get referrals.

My question was really how long it took people to be operating vans (like they say they are on here) purely on the back of referrals, as this is what I am aiming for.

But I suppose it was a stupid question in hindsight though - like asking how long is a piece of string!

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

Well lots of self employed as well as businesses suffered badly during the two bad reccessions that have happened since I have been in this business (28 years) and I can only speak for myself, but as I saw it Carpet cleaners did very well during those times, as people werent bying new, but getting them cleaned instead.
Dave.

yes yourbang on the money there , just had alook at my farthers books and when the intrest rate when too 16% in one day it was one of the best years he had !!!!  NO MONEY MEANS NO NEW CARPETS  which is good for us how ever im sure the dear boys will find it a little harded then us middle of the road peeps

[Bennie25]

You'll most likely never reach a point where you dont need to advertise, we in this biz need far to high volume for that, i mean we need to be doing 10 jobs+ per week.

Dont worry about branding, lol, your not coke cola, and it wont make any diff how good your logo is in this game.

[Straker Cleaning]

I need 5-10 jobs a week and they come via website and referrals .................. stopped YP & TL ages ago  :

Logo and 'green' approach are attracting attention ........................ next day i can book work is 9th January 

[bennymon]

im pretty busy here now / and thanks chris for the job in guildford you passed on today  del   

[Shaun_Ashmore]

9th of January

You'll have to start working mid mornings and afternoons next!

Shaun

[COLIN BRIGHT]

finally the rush has started for me
already got bookings and will take 25% up on last year and a full week to spare yet!

 

[colin thomas]

bennie 25, 10 jobs a week, if i only got that amount i would go and do something else for a living, aim a bit higher than that for lords sake,

colin