Advice for a Start up

Ivan Turner

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Apr 19, 2007
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Jefferson City Missouri
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Ivan Turner
Startup advice accepted from the MB Brain Trust



My wife and I along with another family member are launching a new carpet and upholstery cleaning and duct cleaning business, officially starting on March 1st, 2020.



We are planning a soft launch on February 1st, through the end of the month to work out any unforeseen or overlooked bugs in the system. The business will go live, locked and ready on the first of March, 2020.



Currently our business deals exclusively in non-vendor related Disaster Restoration work. I have no intention of changing the business model regarding restoration.



The startup carpet, upholstery and duct cleaning business will be designed to cater to the affluent customers. I have experience working in that vertical of customers, so I don’t anticipate any major obstacles as far as being able to communicate with them.



Operational Strategy;



1. Year 1, one truck, one man with one back up. Not counting myself of course.

2. Business is already systemized from A-Z, with Marketing Strategies, business plan, SOP manuals, etc.

3. Work out of home. I already have a very nice home office that has served me well and do not anticipate having to have an outside shop during the first year.

4. Deal exclusively with residential, affluent properties owners for the first year. No hotels, apartment communities, restaurants, offices or nursing homes during this period. (Perhaps in a year or two later I might explore that space).

5. Stay within a 30 mile operational area.

6. Employ a slide in truck mount.

7. Utilize nothing less than the best regarding chemicals, equipment, etc.

8. Pricing model – we will not be offering room pricing. Everything will be priced based on the onsite inspections. Of course, there will be times when it be necessary to give an educated guesstimate for call ins, but if the plan works right, the vast majority of our customers will be by way of referral and should already know of the type of service we offer. We are going for High Ticket Sales.



Marketing & Sales



Lead Generation


1. FB - ads

2. Interior Designers. Already have a handful that I have good relationships with.

3. Floor covering retailers. (Limited. Only a handful have been targeted that I know already work with interior designers).

4. My already established customer base through email campaigns (opt in type of course).

5. Two homes shows for 2020 (Proven effective in my businesses).

6. Direct mail to targeted high end neighborhoods.

7. Vehicle wrap.

8. eBook/book being released in January to assist in promoting the business.

Book will be distributed by;

  • HVAC Companies
  • Floor Covering Retailers
  • Real Estate pros
  • Home inpsectors
  • Allergist and other medical professionals who deal in asthma, allergies, etc.
  • At our home shows


Client Fulfillment



1. Exceptional communications with each client from the time they become prospect through the time they have been serviced.

2. Service will include the usual’s;

  • Pre-inspection letter
  • Iron Clad money back guarantee
  • What to do to get your home prepared for our service
  • What you thought about our service card upon completion
  • Asking for and getting referrals from satisfied customers
  • Asking for and getting 5 star reviews from satisfied customers
  • Life time supply of spotter
  • Upon completion of the service, our automated process will generate;
  • Order of Mrs. Fields products; cookies, brownies, etc. to be sent to raving customers
  • Birthday cards, anniversaries, dogs birthdays, etc. will receive an automated hand written card (outside vendor) to keep the customer in the system.
There you have it. Our initial plan for a start up business.
 

Bob Pruitt

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earth
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Robert Pruitt
Minty fresh breath.
Doubt Facebook will be effective in that demographic. spotter bottle needs instructions in English and Spanish. a simple hand written thank you note without any sales pitch included. No cookies... they are eating healthy and working out.
Leave lots of time. If you are speaking face to face with wealthy you need to listen patiently to all their concerns. Could add 30 minutes or more...it will be worth it. Be prepared to add upholstery and on location rugs... or take them and return the rugs if you have a place to do them. Point is they will expect you to be able to clean their rugs and uphplstery.
They don’t need free stuff. They expect exceptional service. Leave 2 cards and let them know how much you appreciate their trust and say I hope you let your friends know about me. They will.
Not for the faint of heart.
 
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Mikey P

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I agree with Bob, the single most important ingredient in your recipe has to be your 1st tech's personality.

He or she, better be a younger you or Deb.

How much will a trustworthy, charismatic, engaging, authoritative, hard working, detail oriented employee cost you in that part of the country?
 
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Trip Moses

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Savannah GA
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Trip Moses
I agree with Bob, the single most important ingredient in your recipe has to be your 1st tech's personality.

He or she, better be a younger you or Deb.

How much will a trustworthy, charismatic, engaging, authoritative, hard working, detail oriented employee cost you in that part of the country?
45000
 
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Ivan Turner

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Apr 19, 2007
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Location
Jefferson City Missouri
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Ivan Turner
I agree with Bob, the single most important ingredient in your recipe has to be your 1st tech's personality.

He or she, better be a younger you or Deb.

How much will a trustworthy, charismatic, engaging, authoritative, hard working, detail oriented employee cost you in that part of the country?

I would say anywhere between 18 - 24 per hr.
 
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clean image

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who is doing the estimates? Is the production truck doing the estimates or separate vehical?

Where is the wrapped truck being stored, and is technician coming to your house every morning?
 

Ivan Turner

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Jefferson City Missouri
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Ivan Turner
I'll do estimating initially. Separate vehicle for estimating vs. production. I have an outside office that I'll be using at that time for peeps to work out of.
 

Mikey P

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I asked you this on the phone but can't recall your answer..

If this all pans out and you have two weeks of premium customers lined up for deluxe carpet cleaning and a major storm hits and you need Mr Minty Breath to suck water, what do you do about his route?
 

Ivan Turner

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Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
421
Location
Jefferson City Missouri
Name
Ivan Turner
Won't happen....hopefully! will be fully staffed to handle similar contingencies. Bear in mind that I do not do program work and this allows me just a pussy hair more on the scheduling side of things.
 
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