If you had 1-2 years to build it?
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Category: Carpet Cleaners Discussion
Forum Name: Carpet Cleaners Hangout
Forum Description: General discussion on anything related to carpet cleaning
URL: https://www.kleenkuip.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2909
Printed Date: 05/July/2025 at 3:45am
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Topic: If you had 1-2 years to build it?
Posted By: jtuseo
Subject: If you had 1-2 years to build it?
Date Posted: 19/September/2006 at 3:22pm
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How would you guys do it? As if this were a reality Tv Show. Here is the task. You have 2 years to build up a a Carpet , upholstery, tile & grout cleaning business in less than two years. How would you go about it from the start. You bought a used truck and truck mount you have all of the cleaning chemicals you have all portable machines. You have everything you need to do the labor. Now go out and get the customers.Let's hear it .
Also you have no more than $20,000 to get it up running for a profit. ------------- WWW.PREFERREDCARPETCLEANING.COM |
Replies:
Posted By: MR. STEAMER
Date Posted: 19/September/2006 at 3:27pm
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only 20 grand....??
whats the population???
what type of people...rich poor middle class????
you have to know your area to know how to target your marketing.. ------------- www.mr-steamer.com |
Posted By: doug
Date Posted: 19/September/2006 at 3:51pm
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I would sell everything invest the $20,000 and live happily ever after? ------------- Just My opinion |
Posted By: HeartlandSteam
Date Posted: 19/September/2006 at 5:28pm
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$20,000 is a big number to have available AFTER you've purchased all
equipment and chemicals needed. I wouldnt recommend what I did, but I
only had about $500 in the bank when I walked into my first job :D Most people do not like the yellowpages, but they DO work, even though they are kind of a rip off. I recommend like a 1/4 page or a 1/2 page ad. I myself have been targeting customers on the internet. Post your business on every single free business listing out there, and then choose wisely on the ones you are willing to pay for. Attend as many seminars as you can. Get certified in everything. Pass out cards to everyone you come across, make sure your always enthusiastic about your business. Hang door hangers, pass out flyers, send offers in a professional letter form offering to clean at a discount for the first time. You probably wont get much business at the beginning from doing that, but keep sending them that same letter. Remember its not always about getting that business immidiatley, its about getting them to remember your name, so when they do need a carpet cleaner they will remember you. When you do start getting business, HIRE PROFESSIONALS. Do not hire a buddy that just needs a job. I've found that you'll save in the long run by spending a little more on a good employee, instead of hiring some nobody for $10 an hour. Im sure there are many other things you could do that I have failed to mention. Just remember, DOING GOOD WORK IS YOUR BEST MARKETING TOOL! wow i didnt mean to type that much...  ------------- http://www.heartlandsteamcleaning.com |
Posted By: dennis_is_ok
Date Posted: 19/September/2006 at 9:44pm
| I would take the 20K, go to school and get a degree in Marketing! |
Posted By: jtuseo
Date Posted: 19/September/2006 at 9:58pm
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$20,000 is peanuts in this day in age. Lets get some real responses. Population 6 million people. Lower class up to high class. ------------- WWW.PREFERREDCARPETCLEANING.COM |
Posted By: John L
Date Posted: 19/September/2006 at 10:38pm
Ask nightrider, He would know for sure........
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Posted By: HeartlandSteam
Date Posted: 19/September/2006 at 10:45pm
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$20,000 is not peanuts for a start-up company...and 5 or 6 million people? I live in KC only 2.3 mil here :-(
------------- http://www.heartlandsteamcleaning.com |
Posted By: nightrider
Date Posted: 20/September/2006 at 12:36am
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All I can say is " WHAT A BORING REALITY T.V SHOW THAT WOULD BE " The advertisers would pull the plug after the first episode .........The question here is very simple but requires a complex answer....Soooooo.......to boil it down would be this........
Most of you out there already experienced this very same test, most of you bought a used truck to start, had chemicals, and did the labour and paid for hired help from time to time...............the only factor would be the 20,000 dollars.......so let's say you would have 5,000 dollars to get it running & 8 years to make it a success story.............the answer is......................
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE UNTIL NOW, AND LOOK AT HOW SUCCESSFUL YOU ARE TODAY............IF YOU ARE NOT A SUCCESS , THEN IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHAT YOU WOULD DO WITH 20,000 DOLLARS YOU WOULD JUST GET TO WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW 6 YEARS AGO.........WHICH MEANS ......YOU CAN PUT ALL THE ICING AND DECORATIONS ON THE CAKE.........BUT IF IT TASTES LIKE sh*t...........YOUR EFFORTS WERE ALL IN VAIN..........SEE YA
NIGHTRIDER
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Posted By: HeartlandSteam
Date Posted: 20/September/2006 at 6:52am
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I thought he was just wanting to know how to allocate $20,000 in marketing for a startup company, of course that is boring.
------------- http://www.heartlandsteamcleaning.com |
Posted By: dennis_is_ok
Date Posted: 20/September/2006 at 7:21am
| how long would you slave over your wand only to make 30,000 a year before you throw in the towel and look for a union job at Canada Post? |
Posted By: HeartlandSteam
Date Posted: 20/September/2006 at 7:25am
only $30,000 would hurt  But never the union!!!
------------- http://www.heartlandsteamcleaning.com |
Posted By: nightrider
Date Posted: 20/September/2006 at 12:51pm
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My point is directed exactly on the 20,000 dollars..........I simply replaced the $ 20,000 with $ 5,000.................if you can't make anything happen with $ 5,000..........then that's it...........you're not going to do any better with $ 20,000.........you'll just make the same mistakes with a multiple of 4
Nightrider
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Posted By: MR. STEAMER
Date Posted: 20/September/2006 at 3:28pm
Here is what would happen......even with all the equipemnt. 20 grand wouldn't go anywhere...
you'd have to make up your mind as to how you would advertise.
6 Million people would probally be approx 1 million or so households...there goes your 20 grand one shot...so you got to make it good...
are you gonna go for the quick hit??? 2 rooms and a hall 29.95 and hope for volume
or
Your going to go top of the line .40 to .50 cents a sq ft...
So right off the bat YP is out you don't have enough
direct mail is an option but you are going to get the coupon clipper cheap quick fix customer....at 1.5 to 4.5 cents 20 grand will give you one mailing.
There goes the Higher class customer...why because they throw direct mail in the garbage...even if you target them good luck..lol
Post cards...ALOT MORE EXPENSIVE...but the High end customer will sooner read something addressed to them with their name on it. you can more effectively target the areas you want (bonus)....and if the post card looks good you might have it made.
Radio Time....if you can get on the right station....I would always go talk radio or news/talk...reaches a lot of people but might not be people in you service area...
News paper...I would say local...but then you risk the chance of getting the cheapy....
what ever plan you have 20 grand doesn't last long and you have to make this first 20 grand work for you and make you more money...
I personally could spend 20 grand a month on advertising easy...to service 6 million people...
you got one shot don't blow it  ------------- www.mr-steamer.com |
jtuseo wrote:Posted By: jtuseo
Date Posted: 20/September/2006 at 6:19pm
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Steemer good feedback. Now here is how I did it in less than one year.
Started out with buying the rotovac start up package and website $4,000. I used their finace program.
I used free internet Classified Ad websites. Did very well about 400 per week in gross sales.
I advertized in the local newspapers they cost about $70 per week and I average 1 job per week ( its two different newspapers) So 2 jobs a week.
I did val pak ( Waste of money lost money)
Door hangers ( alot of leg work but I made money off of it)
register tape at super markets (not bad 3 months for $550)
In April I bought a van and a Prochem Blazer
I am now starting to get repeat customers and referrals. I started the business Dec 1st 2005. I also landed a deal subcontracting for a water damage company. I make about $800 per week with them. ------------- WWW.PREFERREDCARPETCLEANING.COM |
Posted By: nightrider
Date Posted: 20/September/2006 at 6:37pm
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Posted By: dennis_is_ok
Date Posted: 20/September/2006 at 8:27pm
You can't survive in the T-DOT on less than a six figure income!
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Posted By: MR. STEAMER
Date Posted: 20/September/2006 at 8:36pm
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wow...I want 4 to 5 jobs a day....at least 20 for the week.....I get 4 to 5 jobs a day... maybe I should aim lower??? ------------- www.mr-steamer.com |
Posted By: jtuseo
Date Posted: 20/September/2006 at 8:43pm
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This is the way I work it 3 jobs a day @ $200 per job x 365 days per year. I do live in Nyc so I have a un fair advantage over the rest of you guys. In terms of population & phone traffic. ------------- WWW.PREFERREDCARPETCLEANING.COM |
Posted By: nightrider
Date Posted: 20/September/2006 at 9:00pm
NOT TO MENTION THE MUGGINGS, HIGH CRIME RATE, BREAK-INS, THEFT, 911, HIGH RENT & HAVING TO PUT UP WITH DONALD TRUMP 
NIGHTRIDER
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Posted By: HeartlandSteam
Date Posted: 20/September/2006 at 9:52pm
sooo loud in nyc 
------------- http://www.heartlandsteamcleaning.com |
Posted By: John L
Date Posted: 20/September/2006 at 10:44pm
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The City that NEVER sleeps "The BIG APPLE".... No Thanks.......
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Posted By: MR. STEAMER
Date Posted: 21/September/2006 at 6:49am
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plus tons of carpet cleaning...lol ------------- www.mr-steamer.com |