[Colin finney]

Having read some of the posts regarding marketing and leaflets etc, I’d like to propose something a little different. What amazes me is that some of you actually think that its good business to spend good money on advertising  and then deliberately do things to dissuade people from even ringing you. Isn’t marketing about encouraging as many people as possible to call your business and for you to do your level best to have them book you instead of one of your competitors.
If your diary is full then this won’t apply to you but for the rest of you here’s an idea that might help fill your diary.
We have three vans manned by myself and my two sons, my wife and daughter work  the phones and run the business so it truly is a family affair. Our business makes us lots of money because we are always busy because we adopt a far more open attitude to marketing and sales than the ones mike would have you do. Every phone call is important to us whether its from someone in a council house or a mansion because we want to do business with everyone because making sales is what keeps us in business. Turning your nose up at people because they aren’t prepared to pay your price is idiotic in my view.
So why not adopt a more open attitude to selling and making sales? Yes sell your services at the highest possible price but to those on a budget who freeze at the mention of your price why not sell to them as off peak customers who get the same specification cleaning but get 25% off in return for doing it last job in an afternoon or Saturday either or at sometime convenient to you which helps fill the gaps in your diary. This way you get two bites at the same cherry and convert the potential customers Mike doesn’t want to know about into good paying customers who come back to you time and time again. Say your suite price is £95 you could have an off peak rate of £65 - £70, ok it’s less than you want but it’s a sale and with that initial sale comes the chance of serving that customer again, whats wrong with that?
Col

[Mike Osbourne]

Colin

First of all, which Mike are you referring to? Secondly what you say is perfectly valid for you. You want to capitalise on everything that comes your way. Nowt wrong with that. Another strategy is to focus on a particular group, maybe at the expense of excluding other work.

If you have three vans on the go then hats off to you cos not many on here can claim that. But maybe if you just had one van and don't want to work too hard your strategy may not be the best one for them.

[Colin finney]

Mike, sorry i meant Mike Halliday.
It's a stategy that keeps a continuous flow of sales and cash and maximises the return we get from our advertising £'s. You have to be a complete clot not to make money out of every job its just some jobs you earn slightly less or more than on other, so what we're making piles of money and have the lifestyle that goes with it. Isn't that what being in business for yourself is all about, making more money than you would holding down a 9 to 5 job and being able to do what you want when you want.
Col

[derek west]

personally, i wouldn't take any advice from someone who can't even be bothered to fill in his profile, something to hide maybe? you might have 3 vans, then again, you might not?
for all i know you could be a busy fool.
derek

[Mike Osbourne]

What you say makes a lot of sense and I think I've been guilty of turning my nose up to some stuff that I've essentially paid for through advertising.

I think the key to this is 'If you don't do that 'cheap' job how else will you spend that time?' If the answer is spend time with my kids and that's important to me, then that's the right answer. If it's I'm speaking to local businesses to persuade them to mailshot their clients with my details, then, that might be the right answer.

If it's  sit on my chuff hoping the phones going to ring then, well, only you can decide.

[Colin finney]

derek??

[derek west]

colin? or john? or bill? or simon?
what?
whats your website called, love to see all the vans flashed up.
or is it really a ford escort estate that you borrow off the brother inlaw? when your renting the RD
who knows?
?
?
?
derek

[clinton]

Derek

 

Might be fred

[Mike Osbourne]

Right Said? or Bet?

Actually Derek-Right said Fred He's to sexy for his .... could be a good tag line on the van

[clinton]

Mike

Might be fred the weatherman here on granada reports lookalike

The one who goes on that floating map on the morning programe the one with pip schofield and fern

[robert meldrum]

You amuse me Derek - sometimes - !

Colin,
I agree with your comments, particularly about running a business, rather than playing at it, on a part time basis. Not sure what M H wrote, that you took exception to, he normally has a positive and businesslike approach in his posts and knows what he's talking about

[Joe H]

Well Colin,     Derek has put out the challenge.

How about a picture of your 3 vans, and your profile filled in with location and web details etc.

[clinton]

Mike

Is this what you mean by sexy carpet cleaning

[Joe H]

I can see where Mike H is coming from (or going too).

What would you rather do  4 - £50 jobs in the day, maybe taking all day what with travel, set up, close down

or 1 £200 job and be finished by 2pm.

[Mike Osbourne]

I agree with the approach, less jobs more money. I don't think putting high prices will give you the desired result however.

But as I haven't tested this I can't be certain and it's just conjecture.

[clinton]

 

[clinton]

 

[clinton]

Sexy carpet cleaning mike as i know your a leg man

[Mike Osbourne]

How did you know I'm a leg man?

[clinton]

I just guessed

I saw you buying that magazine a few weeks ago  that gave it away:D