https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/ Copyright (c) 2006-2013 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Sat, 12 Sep 2026 16:49:29 +0000 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:02:27 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 12.06 360 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=5195 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_images/web_wiz_forums.png https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/ https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5195&PID=145797&title=carpet-audit-free-rooms#145797 Author: bubbleberry
Subject: 5195
Posted: 21/July/2008 at 3:02pm

Thanks Guys, I have started designing a tri fold brochure, that I will use door to door, knocking and introducing myself, no hard sell but simply asking when they next plan to have their carpets cleaned & if they mind me calling them a few weeks before hand ???

As for BNI, it did work great for me for about 6 months, I think it depends on the chapter you are in, and the level of business in that chapter, mine has 40 members & I have cleaned most of their carpets, but they have pretty small businesses, so the referrals are not flooding in, but its a nice way to start your day...I guess its about making them like you, one lady referred me to her church, and I clean that on a regular basis, the other gave me a lead to a lady with serviced offices, which gives me a bit of work.


Edited by bubbleberry - 21/July/2008 at 3:05pm]]> Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:02:27 +0000 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5195&PID=145797&title=carpet-audit-free-rooms#145797 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5195&PID=145796&title=carpet-audit-free-rooms#145796 Author: duckcountry
Subject: 5195
Posted: 21/July/2008 at 2:40pm

BNI is looking for referrals from you, good luck on getting much out of them.  Polish is great at marketing a concept but not much else these days.  I have not use coupon books, coupons on door or full page fliers only and they get me 75% of my new work, existing customers get me the other 25%.  I vote for fliers hand delivered, not as a newspaper filler item.  Nice weather for delivering fliers.]]> Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:40:17 +0000 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5195&PID=145796&title=carpet-audit-free-rooms#145796 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5195&PID=145795&title=carpet-audit-free-rooms#145795 Author: Soil Lint Green
Subject: 5195
Posted: 21/July/2008 at 2:29pm

Valpak - It is the coupon that makes the difference.  Don't advertise price.  Use lead ins like 50% OFF weekend rates, $1 (match a written competitive offer and beat it by one dollar - no ads or coupons, must be a written signed estimate) and of course One Room Cleaned FREE (2 rooms at regular price, 1 room of equal or lesser size to the smallest one cleaned is added on free).  Do 3 coupons, not 1.  Make each have its own code the customer must use.  The choice is which coupon to use, not which cleaning service to use.

Referrals - BNI is a waste of time and money.  The only referrals that work are those coming from satisfied customers.

Joe Polish - Throw fliers.  Joe's methods are for a day and age that is long gone.  The customer base he promotes as being your target is shrinking fast and going toward value conscious buying.

Just get out there and spread the word.  Keep business cards on you and schedule with people rather than just give them your card.  The only way to get the sale is ask for it.

Hope all goes well for you.
]]> Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:29:37 +0000 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5195&PID=145795&title=carpet-audit-free-rooms#145795 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5195&PID=145792&title=carpet-audit-free-rooms#145792 Author: bubbleberry
Subject: 5195
Posted: 21/July/2008 at 10:38am

Hi Guys, I really need some help here...

For those of you who do not know, I am a European guy who came to the U.S. following hurricane Katrina, to help rebuild houses. I fell in love with another volunteer, a Californian lass & relocated myself & my  carpet cleaning business to the U.S.

I have been here just over a year, and am still trying to get to grips with the different ways that businesses promote themselves here. The fact that I started a business just as the housing market & the economy took a huge hit has done little to bolster my success, so I am hoping that some of you seasoned professionals can offer some advice on the various marketing options out there. At the moment finances will not stretch to buying any of the programs, the hope is that through hard work & honest advice I can weather the storm...

Things are getting tight, I do not have an established client base, so here are my questions...

Valpak, does it work for any of you guys? I have been getting enough custom to cover my costs, I have not advertised a particularly low price, and the customers I get love my work, so can they be turned into a loyal customer base?

Referrals, I am in a BNI group, that gives me some business, have any of you approached carpet stores, designers, real estate agents...how did you develop the referral relationship, how did you track, organize & reward your referrals? What is the best way to set up a referral program ?

Joe Polish, talks about a free carpet audit, what is this, he likes offering a free room, does this work, what conditions should I attach, how can I make this work, how can I ensure that I am not getting a bunch of freeloaders ? Do any of you have a copy of the audit you could mail me ?? He also talks about "five-arounds" & "three sequence mailers" would any of you be able to tell me what this means?

Does anyone have any other advice ?

If you check out my website  http://www.natradry.com/ you will see that I have some experience with graphic design, I did moat of the graphics on the site so I am more than willing to swap some marketing materials for some graphic design work ?

Thanks guys, I really need to get this thing moving.

Brian


]]> Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:38:48 +0000 https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5195&PID=145792&title=carpet-audit-free-rooms#145792