you must convey that you do excellent work.....because you dont want to be known as the cheap guy...

 

once you get known as the cheap guy in a network... you're done for

 

it's happened to me... do one person a favor and it comes back to haunt you in all the referals to come

 

Check  out their website:  http://www.bni.com/ .  My advice is to contact your local chapter and if they do not have a carpet cleaning company associated with them you would be most welcome as a guest.  One of the criterea for being a member of a chapter is that they do not allow two businesses of the same type that would compete.  There are usually several chapters in larger trade areas and likely you will find one or more with an opening. 

 

I have to point out that BNI is not a club or a social group; it is a serious business committement to each other.  Once you are inducted into a chapter, if you do not attend and miss meetings, your gone.  If you do not regularly contribute at each meeting by providing your weekly committment either a guest or a business referal, your out too. 

 

Along with the weekly meeting(usually a breakfast meeting) comes educational speakers and other business building topics. 

 

The Chamber of Commerce is focused on the business community in general and is a very good place to build relationships howerver BNI is focused on each other for the purpose of refering each other business.  Is it worth the price of a few cases of juice - YOU BET!.

Good Luck!

 

If you can join a business networking group they work quite well.  If you are in Canada look for what is called a BNI group.

 

I wish I could have taken almost every dime back I spent on advertising and kept it and spent more initial effort just talking to everyone I know.  I have had a huge success with this.  Unfortunately, I only started to see the results of my "networking" after I spent a bunch of money on advertising.  It has not paid off nearly as well as just talking to everyone I meet.   Wear  you company uniform and drive your company van (even if it is a pig on gas) everywhere you go and park it in visible locations.  Clean for a non profit orgainization as a donation.  You will be rewarded with paid work from people who saw you and your work on this job.

 

Find a good realtor and do some promo work for them, they will refer you to paying jobs.  Stay away from resturants and low end rental properties.

Just my opinions.

 

I agree that you might want to look into subcontracting while you get things going. I hope all works out. Keep putting out those fliers, they have a habit of coming back long after you have forgotten about them.