DEALING WITH COMPETITORS AND THEYR $2 PRICES!

ask them if they want teflon on that bullet, Louie?

If you keep showering them the sentiment of the gifts becomes a sour pill to swallow and makes it look you are a whore for the business rather than appreciative for the referrals.   Just dropping by with a heart felt thank you should be normal in the course of working with the agents.  Using common sense will guide you in what and how often to give.  No to percentages or fees.  They make way more than you do on a single sale at 3% of the homes selling price.   I would do the fliers ever 2 to 4 weeks with a different message each time.

Ream,

They do not have time to talk and may not give you any business because of it.  If one gives you a lead or has one of their buyers/sellers call you , be sure to drop by, see the agent and PERSONALLY present him/her with a Thank You gift (preferably flowers or something like that which will look good on their desk and have other agents asking who-what-why.  Fliers are perfect.  Specify these are WHOLESALE prices and make it a price list.  Be prepared to do the job at the drop of a hat.  Empty houses try to do in the evening if the agent has the key and you can drop it off the next morning.  You may need to invoice them.  I would for the ones who are repeat agents that pay within terms (say net 14).

Whatever price it takes to get the job, you either do it for that price or let your competition eat well from the money you could have had.  Even 50% of something is better than 100% of nothing.

Avoid the cheaper than the other guy attitude. prove on each job that you are worth what you charge. and over time get those rates up there. I currently get 25 cents ( 30cents for rotovac 360) others in my area are considerably less at times . It doesn't bother me at all . but I have been at it for 25 years. I have all the work that I want.

Just prove by your actions not your words that you are worth every penny they are paying and " they " ( your customers ) will help your business grow. It worked for me.

If your not losing a customer on price once in a while you need to raise your prices! IMO
    

Edited by danmarck82 - 16/October/2007 at 11:38pm

Try saying "Call Today - Clean Today".  And play to the rentals and "clean carpets sell houses" crowd which includes .... real estate agents looking to better the chances of a listing selling.  Nobody (hardly anybody) cares if you use a truck mount or black magic.  They are concerned about you meeting their needs.  The family selling a house could care less if you use the best chemicals and equipment for their carpet.  They expect it to LOOK clean enough to sell for lots of money.  Price sells and watch the price wars start with manufacturers trying to get their slice of the pie that makes up carpet cleaners.

I use cleaning chemicals that I pay less than $10 /gallon for and then semi-neutralize the effect with a cheap rinse.  I'm cleaning carpet, not caring for the flooring at Buckingham.  My customers are neither royal nor a royal pain in the a**, just common folks with an easy to meet expectation - make carpet look clean.

STEAMPRO wrote: newbie wrote: Hell, in some cases, i figure if you can't beat 'em join 'em. Just do a 15 minute power thru with the truck mount. I'd even tell them it will tak 15 minutes. If they are not happy, tell them to PAY MORE SUCKA!                   YEA I LIKE THAT IDEA, I WAS THINKINING ALONG THOSE LINES LIKE ADVERTISING,20$ A ROOM, BASIC CARPET CLEANING,$10 A ROOM SCOTCHGUARD, AND HAVING A 3 ROOM FOR 50$ SPECIAL,AND MAYBE SOMHOW ADVERTISING THAT WE USE TRUCK MOUNTED UNITS,,,??

   FORGOT TO MENTION CLOSETS AND HALLS ARE AN EXTRA 10$ EACH,,,,