Finding new business, Ideas.
Printed From: Carpet Cleaning Forum
Category: Carpet Cleaners Discussion
Forum Name: Business Marketing Advertising and Promotion Discussion
Forum Description: How do you successfully promote your business? Offer and receive advertising tips
URL: https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4775
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Topic: Finding new business, Ideas.
Posted By: mrbreeze
Subject: Finding new business, Ideas.
Date Posted: 20/February/2008 at 3:52pm
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I know squat about cleaning carpets. But, I have years of experience in marketing, and business writing. You have all been very nice, so here are some free ideas. 1, People who are trying to sell their house, should have their carpet cleaned. It makes it more sellable, and in this market, the more the better. How do you find these people ? I would start by looking for " the for sale by owner people" there are websites that will list their home for them, and there are also magizines they place the home in. I would check out an ad in these, explaining why a small up front investment in carpet cleaning could bring big returns. Remember, NEVER use the word " price" or " cost " in any ad. Always use the word investment! NEVER use the word "house" in an ad, ALWAYS use the word " HOME" Afterall, home is where the heart is. 2, Who has the most to gain from the sale of a home? The dreaded real estate broker. They want listings from buyers, and sales. A large real estate office, a Century 21, or other big hitter, needs to move homes to make money. I would go to them with a business proposal. I would tell them that offering potential new listers a free carpet cleaning would be a great way to bring in more sellers. I would try to cut some type of deal. You could also tell them that offering a potential buyer a free carpet cleaning before they move, is a great way to attract more buyers to their listings ( which I am sure are piling up ). At any rate, the brokers pay for it, and they have lots of work! You could also go to individual brokers with the same proposal and they could offer potential buyers a free carpet cleaning before they move in. It just comes out of the brokers commission, let them pay. I would jump on it, if I was a broker trying to move some inventory, and I would love it, if I was thinking about buying a home. I have many more marketing ideas, and would love to help, if anyone cares to know. mrbreeze. |
Replies:
Posted By: Soil Lint Green
Date Posted: 20/February/2008 at 8:46pm
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Take two fliers with you when you hit the neighborhoods. One is the regular flier, on is for homes for sale. Skip the agents who will get them to put in low grade carpet before cleaning the old. House will sell for more that way. Now if you offer a wholesale carpet replacement service over cleaning the carpet, congradulations on evolving into a different breed. I did it in L.A. and together with my partner we developed a business of selling carpet that was so busy we found it hard to clean carpets, except for resale. Every carpet cleaner hits these real estate offices. You get to leave your flier in the agent's mail boxes along with the other metoos. Been there, done that. Stopped doing for a good reason. Low production. |
Posted By: mrbreeze
Date Posted: 21/February/2008 at 2:19am
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With all due respect, I can't imagine an agent saying to a buyer " Congratulations on the purchase of this $ 300.000 home, I recommend putting in some cheap carpet." Bullet proofing windows is the business I would want to be in around LA. When you team up with a big real estate office, you get big numbers. |
Posted By: mrbreeze
Date Posted: 21/February/2008 at 2:27am
| P.S. I don't suggest dropping of a flier as if you could care less, I suggest a meeting, shirt, tie, briefcase, to discuss the partnership. Imagine Century 21 in Toronto advertising " Century 21 is proud to be affiliated with Red Wolf Carpet Cleaning " your phone would be ringing non stop. This requires a proposal, to the president, and a meeting. |
Posted By: Soil Lint Green
Date Posted: 21/February/2008 at 6:16pm
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Real estate agents don't have the time to kill with carpet cleaners anymore than they do lenders, title companies, termite inspectors, building inspectors and escrow officers. And real estate brokers take offense at anyone thinking they are so important that they deserve the right to interrupt business with a pitch. Good agents are hardly ever in the office. The only real estate deals in the office are the ones someone already listed or sold. Agents are out making deals or they are in the office waiting for the world to walk in or call. Those agents are time wasters. Then you have the agents who are in the business for one reason - to buy property for themselves before the rest of the world finds out about the great deals. Work as a successful loan officer as I did the 80s and then come back with real life experience based ideas. Not some untested theories. Clean uniform with company logo, you should wear one when dropping off fliers. Unless you are going to dress appropriately and would rather convince somebody that you always wear a dress shirt and tie and carry a briefcase to clean carpets, you will be seen as a scam artists in the house so guard your wallet. The agents have cleaners they prefer and if they don't, they work with someone who does or there is always the phonebook. They ask each other who to recommend. Want a way to reach active agents? Write down the name and number from the yard sign, call the agent and offer to meet for breakfast - your treat. Work them one agent at a time, always looking for a tip on who is the whale in the office. That is the one you want to shower with attention. The whale is the center of influence. Why don't I do agents? Actually, I do but I also do their homes, their clients homes and their friends homes. Did I pursue agents? I pursued anything with a pulse living in the "right" neighborhood. I clean the homes of cops too but I didn't walk into a police station to make my first sale. If a person lives in a home with carpets, they are suspect. They may not qualify as a prospect, but they are still a suspect. The only people I can't sell are other carpets cleaners and anyone who has taken up residency in a cemetery. Want to go after those real estate offices? Visit all of them to determine your best 20. B&W fliers in everyone's box. Then drop by these offices every other day. Put a small gift (deodorizer or something for the home) on a small flier only once per week. Compliment the ones who are showing up on signs all over town and having open houses in the paper. That gives you a purpose for your visit, just wanted to say hi to so-and-so. If an agent gives you a deal, have flowers delivered which is real visible (oh, who is the secret admirer). They are egotist, feed their egos. Type A personalities too. They appreciate the fact that you respect their time with no idle chit-chat. If you are doing fliers in neighborhoods and repeating the same neighborhoods every month, the owner of the home will probably call you anyway. I do full restoration with a shampooer and rotovac on many homes that go on the market right away. And I do many just before the open house. I'll bet you that many guys here get lots of agents by just doing the same thing they have always been doing. Most of us are too busy with what works to try something that has a longer sales cycle than fliers do. Joining one of those referral clubs will give you contact with plenty of real estate people and will be more effective. Hire a guy or gal, commission only, to work the real estate offices. That way when it doesn't pan out, you aren't out any money. |
Posted By: Soil Lint Green
Date Posted: 21/February/2008 at 6:27pm
Put in cheap carpet to SELL the home rather than clean it. Does that clarify it for you? Wouldn't make much sense to do what you said and so obviously I didn't say that. It will turn faster with new vs clean regardless of grade. I did it. Carpet was cheap ass apartment grade that I would never put in if I wasn't moving (that would have been the best sh!t. Sold before listing and at a price higher than the comps. And watch a few of the shows dedicated to fix it up and sell it. These are cosmetic issues. And new carpet, ah the odor. Hits them when they walk thru the door. The house smells new and last I checked - there is a NEW CAR fragrance but I haven't seen NEW CARPET fragrance. Send me a case when we get it. Cheap carpet installed at rock bottom prices will give you a faster turn. It is more than clean - this stuff is NEW! |
mrbreeze wrote:Posted By: mrbreeze
Date Posted: 22/February/2008 at 5:44am
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Soil, I think your way of thinking will work great if your target group is flipp'n houses in the " hood." But, a $300.000 home usually has a decent high grade carpet. The owner ( a decent hard working family man) most likely took care of it. Why would you want to tear out a carpet like this, and replace it with a cheap low grade carpet? Can you move out all of the furniture, replace the carpet, move it back in, cheaper than the cost of a good " cosmetic " cleaning to compliment the home when it is viewed by a buyer? Why would anyone tear out a $6000 carpet in a $300.000 home, and replace it with a cheap low cost carpet? I would rather have it cleaned, make it look like a well kept home, make it smell fresh, and let it compliment the place. A great low cost investment for a homeowner, and a great market for a carpet cleaner. I have bought many homes, and all the sellers had one thing in common, they cried at the closing, and talked about the memories they had, and how much they hoped I would have the same happiness living there. They didn't throw me the keys, and run out of the room. As far as brokers not having time for carpet cleaners, title companies, bug control, they should find a new line of work, because a prick like that would never get my listing. The people reading on this board are Canadian, who clean for decent people who most likely dread selling there place, and have lived there for years. JMO |
Posted By: mrbreeze
Date Posted: 22/February/2008 at 5:44am
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Soil, I think your way of thinking will work great if your target group is flipp'n houses in the " hood." But, a $300.000 home usually has a decent high grade carpet. The owner ( a decent hard working family man) most likely took care of it. Why would you want to tear out a carpet like this, and replace it with a cheap low grade carpet? Can you move out all of the furniture, replace the carpet, move it back in, cheaper than the cost of a good " cosmetic " cleaning to compliment the home when it is viewed by a buyer? Why would anyone tear out a $6000 carpet in a $300.000 home, and replace it with a cheap low cost carpet? I would rather have it cleaned, make it look like a well kept home, make it smell fresh, and let it compliment the place. A great low cost investment for a homeowner, and a great market for a carpet cleaner. I have bought many homes, and all the sellers had one thing in common, they cried at the closing, and talked about the memories they had, and how much they hoped I would have the same happiness living there. They didn't throw me the keys, and run out of the room. As far as brokers not having time for carpet cleaners, title companies, bug control, they should find a new line of work, because a prick like that would never get my listing. The people reading on this board are Canadian, who clean for decent people who most likely dread selling their place, and have lived there for years. JMO |
Posted By: Soil Lint Green
Date Posted: 22/February/2008 at 12:46pm
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Since a large number of the members on this board are from the states, congratulations of effectively alienating the lions share of them. You implication is that americans are somehow inferior to canadians in matters of caring for homes. NO, we are equal and as I previously stated you are talking out your ass when it comes to marketing to real estate agents or homeowners who will gladly trade a fast sale at a higher price for a few dollars upfront. In todays real estate market it is dog eat dog. And you should know (before making yourself into an even bigger fool) that real estate in America is being bought by Canadians, not Americans, in droves. Oh, of course you wouldn't know that. You aren't in daily contact with real estate agents like those of us who see them everyday outside of the office. You are living a bubble of ignorance, sheltered from the truth that would quickly unravel your fantasy world and leave you no solid terra firma on which to make your febble stand. The shift in currency exchange rates makes our property very attractive right now. So, competing for the same finite collection of buyers, sellers attempt to out do each other. And we, being experienced at what sells, know a new car or near new will always sell quicker and at a higher price than a used one. Either put in new carpet or give them a carpet allowance. Put your ideas into practice before offering them as gospel. I have fired employees like you or encouraged them to walk for challenging everything that is status quo as if by some miracle they had been endowed with divine inspiration making them the messiahs sent to save your business. Remember what college does for society. It provides "A" students the forum to teach "B" students HOW to work for the "C" students who will then teach them how to swim with sharks without being eaten. Do not pretend to be an expert when you are surrounded by people who are experts at promoting their businesses. Go sell it to a panhandler on the street. Or get a job and stop trying to sell us your worthless swamp land. |
Posted By: Soil Lint Green
Date Posted: 22/February/2008 at 1:02pm
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Opinions offered freely ..... "I know squat about cleaning carpets. But, I have years of experience in marketing, and business writing. You have all been very nice, so here are some free ideas." are said to be like a**holes. Everyones got one, they all stink. Sorry you couldn't make it in the states. But I can certainly see why. Since you have no experience in our business you must be trying to see if you can find a few suckers for your services. We have marketing people who SPECIALIZE in our industry with a proven track record in our industry. You would waste less time by taking your retoric back to the multi-level-marketing experiences you got it from. Look for a board that caters to YOUR industry and learn to leave ours alone. Yes, Canadians are friendly, but not stupid enough to fall for your rhetoric. Everyone has been made more aware after 7 years of Bush when a con game is on. |
Posted By: mrbreeze
Date Posted: 22/February/2008 at 1:06pm
Let's take a look at your own profile, written by you, that speaks volumes about who you are, how you do business, and your " professionalism."
This reads like someone who was recently released from prison wrote it. It is an earthquake of " ignorance" as you put it. Maybe you should print it out and you can use it as your own self written character reference and give it to your potential customers. You can pump my gas, you can even cook my burger at MC'Donalds, but who would let a creep like you in their home to be around women and children? The answer is nobody, and there is no amount of slick marketing that will change who you are when the doorbell rings. |
Not GivenPosted By: Soil Lint Green
Date Posted: 22/February/2008 at 2:07pm
My profile is to keep people just like you from learning anything about me. I offer that information to anyone I wish to give it to and you are not on that list. Got it, or do I need to draw a picture for you? It seems I really got to you for being a marketing flop. Good. I win, you lose. I really doubt you could afford a gallon of gas or a fast food meal and nobody is desperate enough to hire someone like you for serving up gas or food. Did you find a job today? Anyone looking for a know-it-all? By the way, when you left America, was it by choice or force? And did Canada know they were getting a cast off who would live off entitlements while he waited for the perfect job that doesn't exist? Now that I have successfully uncovered your true lack of professionalism (big word for you, look it up) you have two chances of conning anyone into giving you a dollar for your opinions; Zero and None. Go finish playing with yourself.  |
Posted By: B Rice
Date Posted: 22/February/2008 at 2:14pm
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Not to take sides, but I have fairly nice home, bought it new but if I bought previously used house (for me, not for one of my rentals) I would rather have my kids playing on cheap new carpet rather than someone elses problems(could care less how high end it was!) ------------- http://www.PanhandleFloorCare.com - http://www.PanhandleFloorCare.com http://www.Pensacola-Carpet-Cleaning.com - http://www.Pensacola-Carpet-Cleaning.com |
Posted By: Soil Lint Green
Date Posted: 22/February/2008 at 2:22pm
| Yep, you never know what happened on that old carpet. You child be crawling over another family's dog urine. Brad gets it, some American exports don't. But then again, Brad is in this business, Market Boy isn't. Brad listens to customers. Market Boy needs customers. Too bad there is not an entitlement program that provides starving wannabes with someone to sell their ideas to. |
Posted By: mrbreeze
Date Posted: 23/February/2008 at 10:30am
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Soil, I will not be posting as I have obtained the information I needed, and I am leaving for a business trip to Zurich in the morning (this is in Switzerland, which is located in Europe.) Europe is located east of where you are, and not in Canada. If you had ever been to Europe, or ever read a Wall St Journal or any other news source other than the latest issue of Hustler, you would know that poor Americans can't come to live here for entitlements as you must submit financial records showing you meet the income amounts based on the size of your family before they will give you a permit to live in the E.U. ( This means European Union and is a group of nations that formed an alliance.) I have a family of 4, so how poor can I be? Now, let's be honest.. What kind of man would write " go finish playing with yourself"? What kind of business " man " would put a graphic of a character showing his ass on a message board ? I know Bart Simpson would. I know Al Bundy would, and Al Bundy was a loser so my question is not hard to answer. Now, let's be honest... What kind of business " man " would refer to himself as " YOYOMAMA" on any written correspondence? Would the CEO of GE ever view himself with such pathetic disrespect? Or, does he maintain the highest level of professionalism at all times? Does the owner of any successful company fill out his own profile and make a mockery of himself by calling himself a pimp? You my friend are a thug and two bit creep. Your mind is in the gutter, and it is guys like you, who make guys like me, have to apologize for Americans every where we go. You bring your Al Bundy sewer with you, even on a Canadian board, and pollute the place with insults and threats, and cheapen what it means to be a decent American above all the hate guys like you spread around the world. Your idea of free speech is when you agree with the thugs who want to push people around and bully, if you don't then you shout them down, and insult them. It is morons like you, who have Americans hated around the world because you can't keep your trash mouth shut. This is why we get spit on around the world. You ought to be f**king ashamed of yourself for acting like a trailer park piece of trash on a foreign message board, and confirming what most people all ready think about us. |
Posted By: Soil Lint Green
Date Posted: 23/February/2008 at 1:29pm
Good, mission accomplished. You might not agree with my methods by getting America's rejected gone from this board (not to say any American save you in a reject) but it is to the benefit of the hard working men and women who belong here talking about their businesses with people who have field tested ideas, not brain farts and want to talk about what is important to them and not your pocket book. Face it, the fraud was revealed and you resent that we have more common sense than you give us credit for. And to the rest of your ramblings they prove that I put you in your place and only serve to prove you can't hold your own against opposition and fail to grasp the concept of humbling yourself when faced with a superior opponent. Good riddens. We all know the information you needed was nobody here s buying your BS. Happy trails to you, buckaroo. Oh yeah, since you like it so much and we all like to use it, this one is a special gift from me to you: |
Posted By: Clearly Pro
Date Posted: 23/February/2008 at 4:05pm
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Dude....therapy. Elsewhere you tale credit fpor the guy leaving after he clearly states he is going on a trip... Relax bro...have a brew and wipe this off your shoes. ------------- Dance like no ones watching Love like you've never been hurt work like youre already rich |
Posted By: B Rice
Date Posted: 23/February/2008 at 7:37pm
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you couldn't sell a house in my towm right now without new carpet and paint at the bare minimum ------------- http://www.PanhandleFloorCare.com - http://www.PanhandleFloorCare.com http://www.Pensacola-Carpet-Cleaning.com - http://www.Pensacola-Carpet-Cleaning.com |
Posted By: Soil Lint Green
Date Posted: 23/February/2008 at 8:34pm
It will be the buyers market for a few years until the shakedown it complete. Same thing happened in the early 80s, early to mid 90s and now. All part of a recurring cycle. That is why we decided to sell our house in the L.A. area when we did despite protests from doubters of the current situation arriving. We owned in the late seventies and sold with a profit before the RE crash. We bought in the late 80s and got caught in the RE crash that took our home from $175k to $70k, then when we hit $325k in 2005 we cashed out and bought this place in Oregon which was cheaper (until us Californians moved here - over half of the population is now former Californians who own outright) with no intention of playing that game of chicken again. At 56, I am not willing to start over. Someday, after I am retired, the sellers market will return and fixer-uppers will sell. Now I just laugh at the prices these morons have their homes listed at knowing they are at least 40% over value. Want to drive a seller nuts? Look up the appraised value on the property tax roles and offer that to them. Pisses off RE agents too who are desperate enough to sell a home and required by law to present the offer. Great game to kill time at some unlucky souls expense. And if they did go for the deal, you got a steal. ------------- It's ORY GUN, not OR A GONE. Learn to talk. |