JUST A LITTLE GIMMICK I USED IN THE PAST

One thing about Mr. Steamer he's always been honest on this forum...........having said that..............you have to consider the delivery of any promotion is as important as the promotion itself. Steamer doesn't like to swim in unchartered waters.

Revee you can do either way, be upfront in the ad and state Free Carpet Cleaning............Just $$$$$ for the carper protector or CALL FOR DETAILS

That's not to say your wife is wrong Revee............woman have a good nose to smell a rat, and if it smells like a rat to them.........most of the time.............it's a rat.

Funny thing though if a woman offers the same receipe for rat to another woman.............it's all good. So let your wife handle the customers and promotions , she sound like a smart cookie.

                             Nightrider

Nightrider, would you put the fact that the customer has to purchase scotchguard right in the ad, or would that be something the customer only found out later when they called?  Just wondering. I had a debate on something similar with my wife a few days ago and she felt to offer "free carpet cleaning - call for details" in a coupon, then explain the conditions later, was a bit sleazy from a womans point of view.

In this case I was pondering offering a free maintenance cleaning with the purchase of a service contract. Maybe a pay for 2 full cleanings (eg spring/fall), get a third cleaning traffic areas only sometime during the year at no additional charge.

My other thought was simply to offer free cleaning in the form of a rebate. EG, get 6 of your friends/neighbors to clean within 30 days, receive your own cleaning for free.

DON'T  cheat the customer on the diluted protector....scotchgard...telfon...carpet armor... or whatever you use...

The customer will probably call you back....Wicking...cellulose browning will happen....especially on a light color berber...

Your applying more water than protector...So your stepping on your own b*lls by cheating them....As the carpet dries...any dirt that you didnt get out is drawn up to the tip of the fiber and adding the over diluted protector will make enhance the wicking........

They are paying top price.... give them top protector....At the right dilution ratio.........

Nightrider has some good ideas.......

 

Edited by John L

I actually don't think nightrider's idea is shady and neither would the customers, unless you tell them that you're diluting the ScotchGuard more than the recommended ratio.

On the phone you're being straight up with them. "You get a free carpet cleaning if you buy the protectant at 20 cents a square foot". Or whatever you want to charge. The customer can hang up on you, say no, schedule an appt, or schedule an appt and stand you up.

I'm willing to bet that a lot of carpet cleaners don't follow the recommended water / protectant mixing ratio anyway. Some don't even realize it, others do and keep it hush hush - trying to protect their perceived image as a good honest reputable cleaner. They have that "Do as I say, Not as I do" attitude.

I know I don't know any business man or woman that has made it to top and has never did anything somebody else thought was shady or unethical. And probably nobody else does either and if you think you do, you don't know the business side of that man or woman as well as you think you do.

BTW diluted protectant will still protect as long as it's not really diluted, it just won't protect as well or last as long. Just as diluted dish soap will still clean your hands, it just might not clean your hands as well.

That's my 2 cents. Now back to reading some more threads.

People are always looking for the "CATCH"  and the watered down sctochgard "that you have to pay for" is the catch...

good idea... but one from the dark side

NICKLE AND DIME THERE WAY TO THE TOP...LOL

What sounds shady is most likely shady... and that free cleaning sounds shady... and with watered down scotchgard it is shady

give good service and charge your price people with respect you more.

upfront is the best way

Edited by MR. STEAMER

watered down scotchguard and .20 a sq. ft.

 

doesn't sound too profitable to me

 

but I guess if you're desperate