Just started the business 3 weeks ago.

[DirtBuster]

Hi everyone, I just started the business 3 weeks ago...then I found this forums. I'm glad I did. Learning carpet cleaning by just watching videos and from this forum is no rocket science....it's easy. I know there's a lot more to learn, but through this site I'm getting so many informations that I can use to do my job efficiently. I know I'll be facing frustrations, rejections, callbacks, slowdays, etc....but these things happen to everybody when they start. I had been a seafarer for 20 yrs and I know what loneliness means. And now...it's time to go ashore and be with my love ones. At 48, I think I can still clean carpets for the next 10yrs :bigsmiley: Right now, I've been cleaning carpets just for friends to train myself. They are my guinea pigs lol. I'm doing good so far, because I'm getting referrals; thanks to an old RX20 I bought from a guy. Any suggestions for effective marketing?

 

[Nick P]

Well good luck and welcome to the forum. I would make some flyers up and maybesome post cards to start. Then maybe a couple hours a week or 1 day week start walking the area that you want to target and hand out flyers or post cards. Try parking lots and put them on cars. houses are better. Also when you do a customers house make sure you ask for a referal and if you get the job offer them a discount on their next cleaning. have some magnets made up and hand them out to your customers the work really well. Okay, I don't want to make your head spin so start with that, I'm sure more people will jump in and give you ton's os information.
Nick

 

[DirtBuster]

Thanks Nick. I'll do that. I think It's a good idea.

 

[Scott W]

Congratulations. Welcome to TMF. Try to think of your business as a marketing company that sells cleaning services. The emphasis of your efforts must be on marketing to succeed. Of course, you have to deliver a great product or you loose all the repeat and referral business, but don't get so busy cleaning you forget to sell your services.

BTW - Adding Maxim Advanced Carpet Protector is one of the best ways to boost your profit on every job.

 

[Nelsonation]

congrats bud! i just started mine around 3 weeks ago as well. best of luck to you!. i believe the more you market yourself in a profesional manor the more business your going to get, go to a print shop, get a quote on business contracts. door hangers, and buisness cards. go online and find a cool logo. with some good colors. the folks at the print shop will beable to put most of this together for you and make it look nice. for 500 contracts 2000 door hangers and 500 buisness cards i paid like 250. the contracts are the most expensive. the more colors you use the more expensive to. so stick with 2 colors untill your buisness grows. dont make yourself look to big. but also not to small. people prefer to go to a well owned family buisness then some massive pay by the hour companies. they also dont like the run down 1980's portable unit sitting in the back of a pickup truck that may be older then the machine. so keep it right in the middle and you should be good to go!. best of luck to you again brother.

 

[BigLou]

It's fickle out there gonna have to bust your butt to start if your willing to do that you will do fine BUT never under price something just to get the work it never works out to your favor with compliments or callbacks TRUST me the cheapies are always the ones that complain and callback for new stains after the fact or are never satisfied no matter how great of a job you did.

 

[DirtBuster]

Thanks guys for your advice. God bless everybody. :AddEmoticons04233:

 

[rob allen]

All great advice so far. I would add this. Ask every living being that I came into contact with if they needed anything cleaned no matter how small. Then when I got into a home I would deliver mind blowing quality and customer service.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

Just starting up myself DirtBuster, Good luck!