Not getting calls

Ken692

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Jul 12, 2015
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405
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Boston
Name
Kenny
I have some online ads and put up flyers. The online has action but no work in the last ten leads. I have cut price to rock bottom. The flyers have been used people take the tear offs and still not one call. We have had a very dry winter and that can hurt, but what's the next step? My back is up on the wall.
 

Cleanworks

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Oct 22, 2012
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New Westminster,BC
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Ron Marriott
cutting prices, that's the death knell. Won't be long before your completely out of business. Like Fredc says, go knock on doors, get on the phone, do a mail out to your past customers and follow up with phone call. Look around your neighborhood and choose which buildings you would like to clean and go in and do a free estimate and proposal.
 

Mikey P

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The High Chapperal
tis the season I'm afraid..
The only people willing to open their doors in the dead of winter are "event' cleaners.. Move outs or ins, pet messes , visitors coming etc. Marketing to people in these situations is tough and in most cases a waste of time and money.

Find a local B2B group that needs a carpet cleaner. Some of these groups are a bit desperate for members.
Do what Fred suggests..


Have you visited every flooring retailer in town? Most if not all will have a cleaner they refer who has more experience than you I'm afraid, but you could luck out and find one that is looking. Rare but it happens. Tell them you're looking for someone to refer for repairs and new sales. Don't ask for work on your first visit. Just look around the show room, ask what the best sellers are, see if their brand of poly is making people happy. Notice if any other cleaners have business cards on display on the counter.

If not...

Ask if they have any dirty tear outs out back that you can have, tell them you have a new method or machine you want to test..See if they react. Don't be a pest, don't stay too long. Go back in two weeks and buy a few pieces of tackless and mention you are working on a pet damaged carpet. Feel them out...if they dont ask questions or show interest move on..
 

Chris A

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Sep 25, 2007
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OH
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Chris
Tough time of year lots of people are taking a breather after overspending on Christmas. This week is looking pretty slow for us and we're in year 31
 
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Noble Carpet Cleaners
that reminds me I need to dust off my carpet tape radar machine and get back into bonded inserts. Starting my week off with several jobs of pet urine and really polluted grout. Making friends with pee, ahhhh what a charmed job I have.
 

Spurlington

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Dec 15, 2012
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On The Board
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Spurlino
tis the season I'm afraid..
The only people willing to open their doors in the dead of winter are "event' cleaners.. Move outs or ins, pet messes , visitors coming etc. Marketing to people in these situations is tough and in most cases a waste of time and money.

Years ago we spent more money marketing in Jan and Feb than we collected from those efforts. Not only working for free but paying out to freeze my ass off. Yeah yeah planting seeds referrals etc .. still a loss !! We do free marketing thru the winter through email to current base and may get a few here and there. We'll have stragglers who finally call from previous marketing. Otherwise we wont start the paid advertising til March - April. Im a one man show so I really look at winter as break time. Nice to hang around in warmth daydreaming how the phone might ring off the hook come Spring!
 

Onfire_02_01

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Jan 2, 2016
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Minnesota
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Jeremy Gray
As others have said, this is the slow time of year for those of us up north. You need to be saving your money from the summer and fall to make it through this time of year. I have 2 jobs on the calendar for this month but I am not stressing 1 bit, (this down from a steady 3 jobs a day), I have financially planned for this and have enough money in the bank to pay my bills for 3 months without 1 single job coming in. I am using the slow time this year to plan out my marketing for next spring and get some fliers, mailers, and door hangers made for me. I will be trying to rebuild a truckmount and put it in a trailer that I wanted to do last winter but was too busy to do. I also plan to wrap my van and have some maintenance done. Use this time to your advantage. If you seriously do not have the money to pay your bills, grab a stack of business cards, find a townhome development and start knocking on doors, it will be scary, but do not leave that development/day until you have at least 1 job done, booked, or the nightly news comes on at 9pm. Do not slash your prices, keep them the same as what you want but offer a deal to sweeten things, free carpet protector, 1 room free, moving furniture free, something like that. The next day switch it up. Go door to door at businesses and give free quotes to clean all their carpet and upholstery, offer to do a 5x5 area so they can see what you can do. Make sure that it is the 5x5 right in front of the main door. That way you have cleaned the worst carpet and make the biggest difference. Also it will be super clean in the area you have cleaned and dirty all around, the business won't want the customers to see that, so are more likely to have at least the waiting room/front area cleaned. :evil: :lol:
 

Onfire_02_01

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Jeremy Gray
Nice suggestions Jeremy!


How did you find us here?

Welcome!
I have been aware of you/MB for a couple of years. I have been posting on other forums but I like to post on places where people are actually interested in learning things and sharing knowledge, not slining crap back and forth because they find it fun. So I thought I would spend some time here.
 

TomKing

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Sep 18, 2012
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Indianapolis
Name
Tom
I have some online ads and put up flyers. The online has action but no work in the last ten leads. I have cut price to rock bottom. The flyers have been used people take the tear offs and still not one call. We have had a very dry winter and that can hurt, but what's the next step? My back is up on the wall.
Kenny
How long have you been in business cleaning carpets?
What is you current past customer count for the last 2 years?

First if you do not have reserves to meet your bills go get a part time job this week.
Get some cash coming in this week.

I would look at large janitorial companies they have massive turn over.

If you would like I could spend some time on the phone with you Monday and help lay out a plan.

Call my office at Sani-Bright and tell them I asked you to call they will get you to me.

I have several things we do to help make the winter months better.

Fast action can turn things around.

DON'T SLASH YOUR PRICES!!!!!
 

Mikey P

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Oct 6, 2006
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The High Chapperal
I have been aware of you/MB for a couple of years. I have been posting on other forums but I like to post on places where people are actually interested in learning things and sharing knowledge, not slining crap back and forth because they find it fun. So I thought I would spend some time here.


Less BS , that's for sure.


Are you near Grand Rapids/Saiger?
 
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Ken692

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Joined
Jul 12, 2015
Messages
405
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Boston
Name
Kenny
I'm new like 8 months, not a very big cb. I have all the leads from a hit board and did try to email, not getting any traction. I want to start knocking but just can't see the right places
 

Kellie Hiler

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Kellie Hiler
Wow.....Ken. Either you are a fake profile....most likely scenario, or you are a complete idiot! I wouldn't let you wash my car!!!!
 

Ken692

Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2015
Messages
405
Location
Boston
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Kenny
Not sure what this means..
Not a big customer base, I do get great reviews. I try to take all the great info here and what seems to work for me to give some good service. When I'm working I'm good, it's just so slow to get going
 

Ken692

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Boston
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Kenny

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Onfire_02_01

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Jeremy Gray
You look like an older version of Q from star trek next gen.
Being in a new company is tough. Who is your target market? What kind of marketing material do you have now?
 
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Kellie Hiler

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Kellie Hiler
Hahahahahahaha!!! Oops!! My bad! Shall I change my name to conclusion jumper?! Sorry Ken!!
 

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