[maxcarpets]

NOT ONE PHONE CALL YESTERDAY???

[Neil Grainger]

Its always bad these two weeks of the Easter School Holidays but I have booked a number of Jobs this week for next week.

I think its just luck sometimes as Justin is only up the road from me, It is like picking a rabbit out of a hat in the search that new customers make..

[john rees]

Hi Justin,
              Have written to your previous customers? That usually gives us a huge boost, We mailed only about 200 of last years customers last friday and we,ve booked about £1800 worth of work from it so far.
    
       All the best
                         John

[Joe H]

That sounds like an excellant response John.
Would you mind sharing with us some of the letter content you sent out?
If you prefer to do a pers email then feel free. (or may be not)

Quite today - van in fro service - time to catch up with taxmans figures, then the accountants figures. Got an headache already!

[terryyy100]

Paul
Used your quick leather cleaning technique today you demonstrated at CCDO - including using the large "sponge" from Solitions UK.

Job went well - I felt I had to slow down to justify the charge to customer!

White leather corner suite looked good to me and the customer (a police lady) was well pleased.

Also got delivery today of a small compresor, air brush on its way, so moving into the restoration proper this time.

Hi Joe, were did you buy your compresor from and did you det the gun with it.  Terry

[Joe H]

Hi Terry - hope you OK

Got both off ebay - 2 different suppliers although the compressor supplier also does guns but Paul recommended a gun so I got that.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260227181135  £61.99 inc p&p (£12)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150234577601   £21.99 inc p&p (£4)

If you have problems with the links contact me and I will get info to you another way.

The compressor was £2 dearer then others he had because this one has a cover over - just smartens up appearance, purely cosmetic.
Works fine.
It has auto cut out so whan it gets to a certain pressure it cuts out then back in when pressure drops. You can set the cut out pressure very easy.
Paid for it Sunday evening via PAYPAL and it was delivered Tuesday, all new in its box.

[stevegunn]

Paul
Used your quick leather cleaning technique today you demonstrated at CCDO - including using the large "sponge" from Solitions UK.

Job went well - I felt I had to slow down to justify the charge to customer!

White leather corner suite looked good to me and the customer (a police lady) was well pleased.

Also got delivery today of a small compresor, air brush on its way, so moving into the restoration proper this time.

Hi Joe, were did you buy your compresor from and did you det the gun with it.  Terry

I use the electric compressor from machine mart

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/wiz-mini-air-compressor/path/diy-semi-professional-air-compressors-2

[Joe H]

I went in the local Machine Mart last week to get one.
They had loads of compressores but no mini one.
It was the same last summer just after I did the Furniture Clinic course - none, so business went elsewhere.

[M.Acorn]

Really quiet for me ! had a call back from a customer i cleaned for in 2006 booked him, had 1 call yesterday someone in lincolnshire long way away from me said £120 for a 2 bed flat didn`t call back !

Had a dentists appointment this morning and the dentist asked for my no ! get some of my money back from him i hope  .
Was hoping it would pick up when the kids went back to school no such luck

[maxcarpets]

Hi John

I write to customers weekly on a rolling basis, send approx 2-3 hundred per week. As it goes, phone has gone mad today?? I'm confused.

Justin

[Neil Grainger]

Swings and rounabouts, Their is no reason to it at the moment, busy quiet busy quiet.

Anyway desicion time for me as I have been offered a Job managing a private estate that I do cleaning for over in Elstead. If I can do it and keep this going then I may do both but and its a big one, I am not sure what to do.

Pro's for Changing are: Nice Salary, Free House to Live in, Rent my House out to pay mortgage
Cons:  Always working 24hrs when I am their, no real time off. I wont be my own boss anymore and making money for me.

It should be a no brainer but I am not sure i want to lose what I am building up.

[Paul_Ashworth]

Justin,
Do you tend to offer a special offer in the letter ??

Its something i keep saying im going to do but never do !!

Cheers Paul

[markpowell]

Paul i send lwtters out every month on a 6 month rolling perion so lets say anyone using our services this month will get a letter in October basically a reminder most times with an offer of 3 carpets for the price of 2 or 3pc suite and lounge carpet for £110.00 and i send out around 60 a month i get a great response from this, just remember if your rushed off your feet one month you still need to find time to send them. there are far too many cleaners that only market when they are quiet i market all the time and i am never quiet.
mark

[Shaun_Ashmore]

My phone went quiet from the latter end of last week but I'm fortunate to be booked up so I can ride the storm, then today had 6 jobs booked in which isn't unusual but they are range from £120-£450 so happy days.

Shaun

[Paul_Ashworth]

Shaun,
Have you picked your new machine yet.

Paul

[Shaun_Ashmore]

No just squeezing a shilling or two out of the deal.

Shaun

[maxcarpets]

Paul,

yes always offer custys a special!

Neil,

Where's the job, I'll take it!

If you do take it, let me know we may be able to sort something out with the CC.

Cheers

Justin

[Ian Gourlay]

however most of us are talking Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning after all thats what this board is for, isnt it?

So are you saying I'm not entitled to an opinion because we are not 100% carpet & upholstery cleaning?
With most of the comments saying they are quiet, I'm glad we've got other avenues of income.

I'll second that - monies coming in from carpets at the moment are not nearly enough to live on, but as an additional income help my business tick over a nice profit.

I agree Although Forum is about Carpet Cleaning Dave has been established a long time

I see nothing wrong with Diversifying. And i think the Guy who had the Property empire did the right thing up unill now.

Rob owever did give some advise once it was somthing like if you diversify do not get swept up in and take your eye off your core income. You can only do it in the quiet periods

I also agree that when we ask how busy we are we are talking about Carpet Cleaning. To say you are working 7 days a week and that icludes Cleaning Widows Doing End of Tenancy Cleans not Carpets Cleaning ovens, selling Invalid Carriges, Being a Sales agent etc  just confuses the picture

[nick p]

very strange year so far just looked at my figures im down on jan march april this year but up on feb feb actually beat my best month last year so i am up 2 grand so far this year very strange year

and i am very quiet at the moment but i usually am as schools on holiday hopeing for it to pick up again next week

[carpet guy]

Ian

Anyone who owns property has nothing to fear...........the true value of property will continue to rise and the rental income will pay for any mortgage increases.

rob