High end customers

[Walrus Gumboot]

So you by definition are "High End" in your area of sub $100k new 3/2 track homes

What does your wife want out of a service provider?

You're a little off track. There are no new sub $100k 3/2 track homes in this area.
What does my wife want in a service provider? Me.

 

[Walrus Gumboot]

I'm just here to ask questions and get advice that can help my son (22 yrs old) be successful. I just turned 59 and basically retired 4 years ago.
Here he is, cretins...

 

[Joe Appleby]

High end prospects rarely buy from carpet cleaning direct mail.

Designers
Women’s Country Club golf tourneys
Designer Showcases
Dry cleaners
Other contractors that work with them
Your last high end custy.

 

[BIG WOOD]

Building this business for my son. I'm not taking a penny from it.

What made you choose this business for him to start his career in ? Were you already experienced in this, or did you come from another industry before you retired?

I'm right down the road about 1hr from you if you get any real big jobs and need a second tm.

 

[Trip Moses]

The land was just $86,000 -12 years ago. Hey, it's Ga!

Man! Don’t let the secret out. They’ll all be moving here.

 

[Trip Moses]

Just outside of Athens Ga.

You may know my uncle. He owns Specialty Paint and Body.

 

[FB7777]

Joe Appleby, JimP and Mikey gave you great responses


Cracking the high end market is a combination of the many factors described, my bet is your son will do far better making Chamber connections than the Postcard campaign

Enjoy retirement, 60 years and $6 million is my tapout goal

 

[Walrus Gumboot]

What made you choose this business for him to start his career in ? Were you already experienced in this, or did you come from another industry before you retired?

I'm right down the road about 1hr from you if you get any real big jobs and need a second tm.

I did this as a side business to Real Estate investing for about 20 years. Made some good money but never really ran it like a business.
He's very smart, but likes hard work and big paydays. He is at 22 where I was at 32, but I do take credit for some of that. I've been teaching him about money, people, and business since he was about 10 years old. He has the work ethic and personality to make this a big deal, and I'm doing my part to make sure that happens.

Yeah, I'm familiar with Toccoa. It would be great to get together some time, I'm sure he could learn a few things from you.

 

[Walrus Gumboot]

You may know my uncle. He owns Specialty Paint and Body.

I don't personally know him, but I am familiar with his business. Great reputation.

 

[Sierra Clean Care]

BTW, you MIGHT get a 1% return on your postcards.
Now if you sent them out to blue collar homes, with a 29.95 special on them, you’ll get a better response.
I’m not trying to be sarcastic, it’s just the plain truth.
I bought my 2 businesses 7 years ago.
COMBINED, I did 67K the first year.
Last year, my gross off both was 258K.
I am a one man band, O/O.... Not Bragging, just showing what’s possible.
You are trying to service white collar with a blue collar company... That is how they view us, no 2 ways around it.... you have to change their perception of YOU, not the industry...
THIS IS A BUSINESS OF RELATIONSHIPS. Make the right connections, and you’ll be flying....

 

[Jimmy L]

They are all high end when you live in a.............trailer park

 

[Jimmy L]

I don't respect any man who wears................sandals

 

[Cleanworks]

They are all high end when you live in a.............trailer park

They're the ones with double wides.

 

[Jim Williams]

You really have to be fortunate enough to run across one or two high end customers who become referral machines. I have one lady who got me into a local country club community here. She doesn't even live there, but is good friends with a few high rollers who do. If that person likes you, trusts you and is absolutely blown away with your work, then you have your foot in the door.

 

[The Great Oz]

How hard is it to break in to that market? We have 3000 postcards (6x11) going out this week and plan to hit them again in about 4 weeks. Repeat as necessary.

Good grief, you all must look like cretins and live in Doublewides.
Not going to get into a pissing contest here, but my house is 5000 sqft on 10 acres. I would be on my high end mailing list.
Go ahead, have at it.

You have to admit you were asking for trouble combining high-end and a postcard strategy. And in a part of Georgia that's not Augusta.

Now that we know you're a proper wine-swirling, country club sort, the guys here are mostly right.

Entry level: Your website should make people feel like you know what you're doing without shouting. Your marketing absolutely requires you say less about your technical competence and more about being trustworthy. Photos should be of the type of home you're targeting. Before and after photos (if you even choose to use them) should show high-end surfaces.

Grad level: You have to get to know people that know people, and knock those people's socks off not with charm but with professional excellence. Many designers and carpet dealers learned during the recession that cleaners will pay for referrals. Avoid that trap. Concentrate on the "goodwill advocates" that refer you because you won't embarrass them to the person that asked for the referral. Make sure you find opportunities to return referrals and refer others. Become the go-to guy that knows the best people in any related industry.

PhD level: Always be booked two or more weeks out even if you're not, but be able to fit that special customer in. (All of your customers can be special) When you get to this level you've earned a bit of snob appeal and people will call you just so their neighbors see your truck at their house.

Live well.

 

[The Cleaning Artist]

We have lots of high end clients. Our work is mostly for the middle class and up. We don't send a single anything to them but the invoice. I clean their home while they are not there and send the bill the next day. They pay in the given time frame. Important people want to feel that they are important . And thats what we give them. Document ur work in their home, make thorough notes documenting problem areas. DO your Job and move on. We bill about 80% of all our work.

 

[Bob Pruitt]

Know what you are doing. Solve problems regular/basic Cleaners can't.
It is a word of mouth game. period.
Be on time, wear a fresh shirt...listen...and keep listening... respectfully. They are going to talk a lot because they are trying to get comfortable...with you.
Their issues aren't money, it's trust.
After you solve their problem, thank them for calling you and ask them to help you by spreading the word. They will.
Minty Fresh Breath...absolutely.

 

[Sierra Clean Care]

You have to admit you were asking for trouble combining high-end and a postcard strategy. And in a part of Georgia that's not Augusta.

Now that we know you're a proper wine-swirling, country club sort, the guys here are mostly right.

Entry level: Your website should make people feel like you know what you're doing without shouting. Your marketing absolutely requires you say less about your technical competence and more about being trustworthy. Photos should be of the type of home you're targeting. Before and after photos (if you even choose to use them) should show high-end surfaces.

Grad level: You have to get to know people that know people, and knock those people's socks off not with charm but with professional excellence. Many designers and carpet dealers learned during the recession that cleaners will pay for referrals. Avoid that trap. Concentrate on the "goodwill advocates" that refer you because you won't embarrass them to the person that asked for the referral. Make sure you find opportunities to return referrals and refer others. Become the go-to guy that knows the best people in any related industry.

PhD level: Always be booked two or more weeks out even if you're not, but be able to fit that special customer in. (All of your customers can be special) When you get to this level you've earned a bit of snob appeal and people will call you just so their neighbors see your truck at their house.

Live well.

Good post...