Practical Marketing Tips - Part 1

FACT #1: Carpets are like giant health filters, trapping bacteria, dust, dirt, allergens, mites, and their waste.

Government sponsored studies have even shown that people are more prone to getting sick in buildings without carpeting.  However, like any other filter, carpeting becomes saturated and ineffective over time, which creates a need for professional carpet cleaning.  Simply vacuuming every day does not kill bacteria embedded in carpets.

The EPA even found that professional carpet cleaning actually gets carpets 1,500 percent cleaner than vacuuming daily.  The steaming hot water used by professionals kills germs and bacteria that vacuums leave behind.

As of this writing, the EPA even has a recommended schedule for professional carpet cleaning, which averages every 6 months.

So the question is...How many of you are re-selling your services to existing customers every 6 months?

FACT #2: Marketing to existing customers is the cheapest and most effective marketing. Existing customers already trust you and it does not cost a dime to acquire them.  Re-selling to them is the easiest way to increase sales and increase profit margins.

Here are some tips that will help you take advantage of these two facts.

1.  Educate your customers with FACT #1.  Use the information in FACT #1 in your circulars, ads, website, flyers, etc.  Customers are more receptive if you are teaching them versus selling them.  The sale will come naturally once you build rapport.

2.  Your marketing efforts should be split equally between acquiring new customers and marketing to existing customers.  The biggest mistake you can make is leaving money on the table with existing customers.  Too often, business owners simply get lost when focusing all their efforts on acquiring new customers.

3.  Keep track of your customers with a database.  Jotting down notes on a piece of paper just does not work anymore.  To re-sell to existing customers, you must know everything about your customers with laser-like precision.  A database can remind you when to re-sell and what to re-sell.

4. Take advantage of technology.  Technology and software allows us to work faster and smarter.  It does not matter if you are using simple Excel or a package designed specifically for the carpet cleaning business...JUST START USING IT.

5.  Discipline, Discipline ,Discipline.  Like anything else, discipline is the key to success.  By consistently using the techniques mentioned above, you'll find that growing your business can be realized.
 
Thanks for reading!