Kipp
Member
Good one Art, you're like the dead beat dad I never had....
One Man Show
- Thread starter Don336
- Start date
Good one Art, you're like the dead beat dad I never had....
Same here
And Gawd Do I Love every minute of it : )
Especially when I get the so and so told me to call you bit .......
Shane Deubell
Supportive Member
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2011
- Messages
- 4,052
Its easier that way for us small ballers, IMO.
Thats 60 leads month considering winter.
So then he can just break it down.
Adwords- 30
Referral route- 15
Direct mail - 5
Facebook -3
Misc- 2
coupon mailer- 10
Or he can just make it up and hope for the best.
WillS
Supportive Member
After our first year, we just begin working off referrals and a bit of internet advertising. We grossed over 80k first year open with 2 of us, and 1 truck. Now after a year and a half, we added our 2nd truck and have 4 guys total. If your doing a good job, the referral network will be your biggest money saver. We had to spend like crazy on marketing first year just to get our name out there. Now that budget has been reduced drastically because of our referrals and now that our name/brand is out there, its more recognizable.
Russ T.
Supportive Member
The question of wether you are talking net or gross is key.
I can see grossing 60 if you hustle and have some connections.
Net 60 your first year out and you should teach a class. Probably not going to happen.
My suggestion is...go for it! Hang out here and take advantage of all the wisdom (and BS) one could ever hope for.
Eventually a good accountant will help you keep as much of your hard earned money as possible. But in the beginning, focus on making that phone ring. I'd invest in customer retention from the beginning in the form of Service Monster.
The Clean Machine
I can see grossing 60 if you hustle and have some connections.
Net 60 your first year out and you should teach a class. Probably not going to happen.
My suggestion is...go for it! Hang out here and take advantage of all the wisdom (and BS) one could ever hope for.
Eventually a good accountant will help you keep as much of your hard earned money as possible. But in the beginning, focus on making that phone ring. I'd invest in customer retention from the beginning in the form of Service Monster.
The Clean Machine
Kipp
Member
Well I have something to say but one "welcome" thread is enough for me...
Shane Deubell
Supportive Member
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2011
- Messages
- 4,052
Kipp
Member
Nice try...
bob vawter
Grassy Knoller
ya....jus wait till we LIKE you!!!!
Shane Deubell
Supportive Member
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2011
- Messages
- 4,052
Kipp
Member
Mikey P
Administrator
I've always liked Kip
I knew someday hed get sick of garbage content of those lesser blogs.
Now we wait for Snowball to get jiggy with the program
I knew someday hed get sick of garbage content of those lesser blogs.
Now we wait for Snowball to get jiggy with the program
TomKing
Supportive Member
I would belooking at your marketing plan.
1. Website tight andproffesional
2. all social sites in place
3. Places listing correct and filled out.
4. On truck sales system developed.
5. routing established for your refferal sources. What will you do on days you do not have work? Written plan and schedule.
6. what network organizations will you join?
7. a phone script developed to cold call for business appointments.
8. commercial sales presentation.
9. Uniforms, clean truck, look like a franchise!
10. List of 100 potential refral sources to get a meeting with.
Yeah if you had all that ready and in place you could do 60k!
If you wnet to work everday and pushed yourself 70 hours a week your first year.
If you worked 6 days a week no vacation during the first year.
Yeah you could do it. This is what entepanures do. if you want to build a company and not just own a job.
Sure you can. do you want it bad enough. No one will give it to you. You have to take the message to them.
1. Website tight andproffesional
2. all social sites in place
3. Places listing correct and filled out.
4. On truck sales system developed.
5. routing established for your refferal sources. What will you do on days you do not have work? Written plan and schedule.
6. what network organizations will you join?
7. a phone script developed to cold call for business appointments.
8. commercial sales presentation.
9. Uniforms, clean truck, look like a franchise!
10. List of 100 potential refral sources to get a meeting with.
Yeah if you had all that ready and in place you could do 60k!
If you wnet to work everday and pushed yourself 70 hours a week your first year.
If you worked 6 days a week no vacation during the first year.
Yeah you could do it. This is what entepanures do. if you want to build a company and not just own a job.
Sure you can. do you want it bad enough. No one will give it to you. You have to take the message to them.
Mikey P
Administrator
Very nice Tom..
ruff
Member
Are you intentionally trying to hurt the big boy?
He does business in Scruz CA. Once the C word gets out, his business is history.
Becker
Member
My 1st year in 9-2001 to 9-2002, starting over in a new location I did over $70k gross. My profit was a small percent of that. By year 2 I was making a decent income.
My goal was to spend and build fast. My mistake was trying to use yp to do it.
....
My goal was to spend and build fast. My mistake was trying to use yp to do it.
....
Kipp
Member
We started in the middle of July and we're officially up and running in August.
Marketing
We're using Customer Factor for our CRM/dispatch software. Wasn't because it's so cheap, it's because it did most everything I wanted including website integration for capturing prospects. Infact I put in a request to integrate 123contactform and they are working on that as we speak. This will give users nearly unlimited control over how/where they capture prospects and have their info automatically loaded with no double entry. They also integrate with QB and QB online so it is seamless start to finish.
My strategy for success is being tenacious on closing every deal possible, following up on "unclosed" opportunities, up sells, and mixing aggressive offers to generate cash flow with targeted marketing for big ticket services primarily in tile and grout services.
Another critical component is tracking. I am meticulous on tracking marketing. I think this is a critical exercise that most businesses don't do right or at all. I track, measure and tweak my marketing constantly. Dump the poor performers and double down on the good ones.
I'm also am having some success with rug cleaning and am focusing on ramping that area up as quickly as possible.
Another advantage I have is utilizing personnel at our RV dealership (specifically detail department) to fill in gaps and help on larger jobs. Training though is a struggle as I'm buried with the daily workload at the dealership while I try to follow my passion and play carpet cleaner on the side.
Since I'm not paying myself out of the company that's helping build cash reserves quicker to push growth. No outside loans for anything as I need to add vehicles and equipment I just buy outright then down the road I'll have the biz pay me back as a "loan" if it doesn't have enough cash to do it itself at the time.
I also plan to get one or two sales reps on the road this year to work commercial routes.
Marketing
- Craigslist
- Adwords
- Clipper Magazine
- Thumbtack
- Homeadvisor
- Yelp
- Website
We're using Customer Factor for our CRM/dispatch software. Wasn't because it's so cheap, it's because it did most everything I wanted including website integration for capturing prospects. Infact I put in a request to integrate 123contactform and they are working on that as we speak. This will give users nearly unlimited control over how/where they capture prospects and have their info automatically loaded with no double entry. They also integrate with QB and QB online so it is seamless start to finish.
My strategy for success is being tenacious on closing every deal possible, following up on "unclosed" opportunities, up sells, and mixing aggressive offers to generate cash flow with targeted marketing for big ticket services primarily in tile and grout services.
Another critical component is tracking. I am meticulous on tracking marketing. I think this is a critical exercise that most businesses don't do right or at all. I track, measure and tweak my marketing constantly. Dump the poor performers and double down on the good ones.
I'm also am having some success with rug cleaning and am focusing on ramping that area up as quickly as possible.
Another advantage I have is utilizing personnel at our RV dealership (specifically detail department) to fill in gaps and help on larger jobs. Training though is a struggle as I'm buried with the daily workload at the dealership while I try to follow my passion and play carpet cleaner on the side.
Since I'm not paying myself out of the company that's helping build cash reserves quicker to push growth. No outside loans for anything as I need to add vehicles and equipment I just buy outright then down the road I'll have the biz pay me back as a "loan" if it doesn't have enough cash to do it itself at the time.
I also plan to get one or two sales reps on the road this year to work commercial routes.
Art Kelley
Supportive Member
Sounds good Kipp. I like the fact this is your second go round and you know exactly what you want to do with your business. Focusing on the highest profit services, particularly grout color sealing, and using your sales skills to do those services, should accelerate your growth rate dramatically.
Mikey P
Administrator
Hows the middle class doing in your area?
Shane Deubell
Supportive Member
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2011
- Messages
- 4,052
Like the diversity and following up on estimates. Think most people give up too easily, sometimes people tell me i was the ONLY one who followed up on an estimate.
Also like the idea of running some targeted campaigns for "big tickets". Always like to throw a couple hail mary's every month.
Kipp
Member
Not sure but the lower class is doing great!
Barry-QDCC
Supportive Member
Forgetting the newbie part of the question, a one man band can do well. I didn't take the time to look thru all the other responses so forgive me if I repeat something already said.
There is good and bad to being a one man van owner. I've been a larger operation with 3 vans and now I'm a one man band - and enjoying it very much. But that's because I'm at the point where I'm looking towards the end of cleaning carpet, not someone who is 20-40 yr old and looking to build a business.
Are you willing to work 10-12 hours a day?
Are you willing to work 6 or even 7 days a week? (You are crazy if you are!)
Will you work out of your home?
There are other considerations too of course.
Even if you average 3x $200 jobs a day for the average 22 work days a month times 12 months that's almost $160K a year. Work that extra Saturday and a 4th $200 job and the gross goes to almost $250K. Sounds pretty good huh? You'll kill yourself doing it, if its even possible but what the heck!
But you can play with numbers all day long. If you don't have the work, you can dream all you want, but it will all just be a dream.
