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MR. STEAMER 
True Patriot 
Only in the GTA Joined: 03/March/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 14549 |
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 Posted: 24/October/2004 at 8:58pm |
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I was talking about the advertising... he say he only has the YP... In the GTA YP a lone will bring you nothing... If I was counting on the YP I wouldn't have any TP |
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doug
King of the One Liners 
Just My opinion Joined: 31/January/2004 Status: Offline Points: 32711 |
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Posted: 24/October/2004 at 9:01pm |
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I can recall a day when we made more a sq. ft. here in Canada for carpet cleaning than in the US. What to hell happened?
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Just My opinion
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MR. STEAMER
True Patriot
Only in the GTA Joined: 03/March/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 14549 |
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Posted: 24/October/2004 at 9:10pm |
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Free enterprise happened douggie... CC machine became more affordable for everyone here in Canada... and the Big Firms Cutting the price so low, that they aren't even making money... American believe in paying for service... Canadians want them for free |
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Steaminpile
Master Carpet Cleaner 
Joined: 04/February/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 1155 |
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Posted: 25/October/2004 at 11:22am |
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"American believe in paying for service... Canadians want them for free"
that's a crock last CC co. I worked for we were charging .30 sq.ft. and I know he's raised his prices since then. I think it is how and who you market your services to. where you live makes a big difference. I have only been on my own since Dec. 2002 and other than a smaller YP ad I have done 0 advertising this year and I can hardly keep up to all the work. but I can see it being more difficult in a larger city
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MR. STEAMER
True Patriot
Only in the GTA Joined: 03/March/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 14549 |
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Posted: 25/October/2004 at 3:01pm |
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I guess it does depend on geographic location... but Steamin I don't think what I said is a crock, once again someone has to belittle someone else to get their point across... if you don't agree don't agree but don't talk to me like I'm a fool.... In Orlando Florida Sears charges more than we do here, and people pay, no complaints... call average is way higher... When I post I only post with the knowledge and experience from the GTA, where in the Yellow pages there is a few hundred CC co. with big ads and a 1000 or so with word ads... as a small guy if you get 1 call all year from the yellow pages you're bloody lucky.... to cover the GTA area with a small 10 by 10 ad will easily cost you $1000-$1500 a month... with no guarantees I've been in this a while I don't post crap.... I only speak from what I know If your 15mins late... they want it free.... Had one Lady demand that we pay her for her day off (500 bucks) and clean the carpet free.. Gta also has alot of ethnic peoples who will try anything to reduce cut or get it free.... Out in the boons where Santa claus dare not go anything can happen BIG CITY BIG PROBLEMS Edited by MR. STEAMER |
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doug
King of the One Liners
Just My opinion Joined: 31/January/2004 Status: Offline Points: 32711 |
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Posted: 25/October/2004 at 4:07pm |
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Mr. Steamer: You are right about Sears in the US. I usually collect their brochures when ever we go over. Puting what they get into canadian money and I might even be happy with what they charge. I may not be in the GTA, but we do have one thing in common. People who want things for nothing. My horse and I can get pissed off real easy somedays.
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Just My opinion
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MR. STEAMER
True Patriot
Only in the GTA Joined: 03/March/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 14549 |
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Posted: 25/October/2004 at 6:45pm |
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I was thinking about buying Sears Orlando.... but too hot you only can do 3 jobs a day if your lucky.. plus there is a lot of grout cleaning... maybe even more than carpet.... I think at the time they where charging 27 bucks a room.... anyways if you want to have volume of calls you have to have more than one form of advertising... Steamin you and Padman can laugh all you want but its true... What does a big company have over you??? Lots of them only have a few employees and the rest are subs.....anyone can do that.. They Advertise... YP...Val Pak... news paper... telemarketing... mass mailings from more than just 1 pak company.... Believe it or not Sears GTA will book 60 to 90 calls a day... 60 calls is slow, they need at least 60 to keep things rolling... How do they get the calls ADVERTISE every single form possible... For extra Money Techs do door hangers up and down the street they are on.. Advertise + good Service = CASH MONEY MILLIONAIRE
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doug
King of the One Liners
Just My opinion Joined: 31/January/2004 Status: Offline Points: 32711 |
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Posted: 25/October/2004 at 7:45pm |
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Mr. Steamer: I talked to a carpet cleaner who was cleaning at the place where we stay in florida. I have talked to a couple of different cleaners each year we go. You think GTA is cut throat, it has nothing on Florida. But I like the heat so I would go there. After all I think there is thousands people a day moving into Florida. But we stay in Kississmme a few minutes from everything and a little slower pace. I think the hard part would be having no real season change.
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Just My opinion
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MR. STEAMER
True Patriot
Only in the GTA Joined: 03/March/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 14549 |
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Posted: 25/October/2004 at 10:57pm |
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The Heat will kill you....
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Superglide Ken
Grand Potentate 
SGK Joined: 17/March/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 4868 |
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Posted: 26/October/2004 at 12:15am |
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So will the humidity. And if that doesn't, the hurricanes get a shot at you every few years.
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Inventor of the Teflon Wand Glide and the Turboteck Rotary Air Duct Cleaners for TMs.
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Steaminpile
Master Carpet Cleaner
Joined: 04/February/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 1155 |
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Posted: 26/October/2004 at 12:40am |
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Never meant to belittle Steamer with my "that's a crock" response.
but it was in response that ONLY Americans will pay for good service....which I still believe to be untrue.
then again,my competition is only aboot 15-20 other CC's not 100's |
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gmoney
Groupie 
Joined: 03/September/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 78 |
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Posted: 26/October/2004 at 9:03am |
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Steamer you can build a successful business without mass advertising and spending tens of thousands. Yes advertising is important but not the be all and end all. If you have deep pockets and name recognition like Sears then you can throw tons on money into Valpack advertising. It seems to attract the lowest common denominator if you ask me. I have used this form of advertising before. The name of the game is referalls and by getting on the phone and exhausting your warm market, your business will build steadily. For example, success can be achieved by aligning yourself with a company that already has a database of customers and offering a complimentary service and a small percentage. By focussing on a niche market and refusing to get down in the trenches with the bargain hunters, your life will be easier. And if you ever choose to expand beyond a one man show then the margins are there to pay someone so they remain happy and loyal. Grout cleaning can be lucrative. It pays much more than carpet cleaning and in my opinion is usually easier. Edited by gmoney |
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If you know what is good for you get it dry as quickly as possible
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MR. STEAMER
True Patriot
Only in the GTA Joined: 03/March/2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 14549 |
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Posted: 26/October/2004 at 2:46pm |
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Niche niche niche... thats all I can here...who or where is this niche market. I can tell you right now in the GTA... there are customers out there that don't know who to call... the don't know the GMONEYS... they don't know the Splash n Dashes... they only know the Co. with the big ad. niche is everyone who wants their carpet cleaned for me... referrals are nice but that alone will not keep food on the table... Starting a business from the ground... you have no customers so where are the referrals going to come from...???? how are you going to get the exposure you need??? You can only get referrals if you have customers. you can only get customers if you advertise...For the part time or weekend cleaner referrals are great but for those that need the calls to put gas in the tank and food on the table you have to think bigger. Truthfully sometimes word of mouth falls on def ears |
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doug
King of the One Liners
Just My opinion Joined: 31/January/2004 Status: Offline Points: 32711 |
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Posted: 26/October/2004 at 3:35pm |
Mr. Steamer: Very good responce. Living in a smaller market people startup everyday. People jump ship and try them. "new broom sweeps cleaner" they say. But for how long? I think in some cases you are only as good till a cheaper price comes along. Loyalty is not like it was 10 or 15 yasr ago. Things have changed. I have had calls asking if it was my company was coming to do their cleaning as they could not remember who the called? I stated we have done your cleaning in the past. Their responce" someone in the office used this company and they did a good job and they are cheap. No sence going on as I will have to listen to the cleaners who will say their clients would kill their first born rather than call another carpet cleaner. |
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Just My opinion
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MR. STEAMER wrote:
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