How do you get your work?

[SRI Cleaning]

Hey guys, being relatively new to carpet cleaning, I am looking for new ways to grow my business. Maybe even find some markets that I may be missing. Any of you guys ever do business with car dealerships, movie theaters, hotels? Any other places? How did you drum up the business? Just stopping in and asking for a manager? Just looking for ideas.

 

[Greg Loe]

It's nice to get those kind of accounts but if ever new guy in the business went straight to the theaters, restaurants and such, and they were willing to give very low prices just to get the job, it would be bad for the industry and the commercial accounts.

Just kidding, every new guy in the business goes after those accounts and most try to lowball the price just to steal it from someone else. What happens is the commercial accounts get used to extreme low prices and very bad cleaning. Then the commercial accounts will look for the next cleaner to do a better job but at that same very low price.

Oh by the way, the new cleaners with the extreme low price don't usually last in the business because of extreme low pricing. They don't understand what profit margin is.

There is a lot of things you can learn here using the search feature and in the right section

Good luck

 

[diamond brian]

We do mostly residential, so I'm no expert at chasing commercial accounts. I can tell you that in our market, clinics and professional offices are tired of the $.09/sq ft hacks and will pay more for quality cc.

 

[B&BGaryC]

First you stake out a neighborhood, find a house you want to clean, and wait for the wife to leave for work. Pull up to the house and start unloading equipment. When the husband asks what you are doing say you are scheduled for a carpet cleaning. He will mutter something about his wife never telling him anything and let you in. Price it out, clean the carpets, and get the check before the Mrs. comes home.

Try this 6 times a day, it should get you 2-4 jobs per day and you're in like flint!

 

[TimP]

I suggest you get out and network. Find carpet dealers, commercial locations etc. Stop in multiple times, and remember people choose and want to do business with someone they know. Do good work and you'll grow by word of mouth.

 

[DevilDog]

Get some cosmetic surgery. Look like me. And the jobs come.

Of course Mikey and Rampage blow that theory out of the water. But give it a try.

DevilDog

P.S.- Just let everyone know you are in business. Target areas you want to work in. Have a good referral program. And stick with it. Nothing scientific about this.

 

[bob vawter]

Ya, pester 'em ta death...!

 

[DevilDog]

Ya, that works also!

Not much different than someone looking for a job and going back to the places they want to work time after time until they get a chance.

Don't get me wrong. Marketing pieces and things like that can really help get the message out, but in the end run getting the message out period is what you need to do.

DevilDog

 

[Ed Hartman]

Uhh Todd, after my surgery, should I wear a baseball hat like yours or go with the natural look? Should I have them remove any moles on my face that might be distracting while I'm extracting?

 

[Dolly Llama]

"How do you get your work?"

for the most part, by schmoozing contacts


..L.T.A.

 

[Johnny]

Never done any advertising or marketing other than YP a few years ago. Somehow, despite my best attempts to hide, people find me.

 

[Mikey P]

Get some cosmetic surgery. Look like me. And the jobs come.

Of course Mikey and Rampage blow that theory out of the water. But give it a try.

DevilDog

P.S.- Just let everyone know you are in business. Target areas you want to work in. Have a good referral program. And stick with it. Nothing scientific about this.

Yeah sure but Dave and I dont have to go to a shrink every week and sedate ourselves with meds to get over the fact that we clean floors for a living.

 

[hogjowl]

He's going off the Europe soon Mike, and leave all this behind.

 

[Steve Toburen]

OR you can e-mail me at stoburen@homefrontsuccess.com , Anthony and ask me to send you my Special Report very elegantly titled "How to Sell Commercial Work". Be sure to include your credit card number, expiration date and name as it appears on your credit card.

JUST KIDDING! JUST E-MAIL ME AND ASK- NO CHARGE!

Steve Toburen CR
Director of Traiing
Jon-Don's Strategies for Success

PS Actually Bob's tactic works pretty well, "Pester them to death." I just spend 12 pages getting to the point.

 

[hogjowl]

That was a classic Freudian slip.

 

[Mikey P]

When did the Philippinos move to Europe??

 

[hogjowl]

It's all "out there" somewhere and ain't here.

And Tod needs to go there.