All I’m hearing is no…

[AlienAgent]

Do you have a website? The reason I ask is that I am in an area similar to yours and a high ranking website has been my bread and butter for residential. I don't do any Adwords or anything.

Also, your residential pricing may be too high if the median income is really that low. Surely there are some rich people somewhere nearby?

Sounds like you are chasing mostly commercial, but don't overlook the homes. In a market like that you may have to charge a little less, but leave out the dog and pony show. No tarps and cornerguards, just get the open areas looking good and get onto the next one. All these guys charging .60 a ft. don't live in little hick towns like some of us.

Yes, I have a website and for my area rank high on Google.

I’m not going any lower on my residential pricing, the drive time and fuel is too much for these little $100-200 resi jobs. An hour plus round trip to the other side of the county for a 400ft2 job is common. Most of my residential clients aren’t from around here, but moved here after retirement or work from home and moved here.

There’s no way I’m cleaning without laying tarps and corner guards. Those steps are to protect myself. Skipping prevac is only an option about a third of the time. I would guess most people here never have their carpets cleaned and never do it themselves either. Those that do, have it done once every 5 to 10 years.

I’m sure you can relate, these rural areas are very different from a more developed location. I often think cleaners from more developed communities have a hard time wrapping their minds around the unique dynamics at play. Low income, low population density, the cronyism and nepotism from generations of people in isolation from the real world, etc.

 

[Trip Moses]

A couple of weeks ago, there was a couple of Stanley Steemer techs at the gas station. We were comparing my busy to their busy. They said it is becoming regular for them to be called off of work because of low volume in customers.

 

[Mr Brightside]

Yes, I have a website and for my area rank high on Google.

I’m not going any lower on my residential pricing, the drive time and fuel is too much for these little $100-200 resi jobs. An hour plus round trip to the other side of the county for a 400ft2 job is common. Most of my residential clients aren’t from around here, but moved here after retirement or work from home and moved here.

There’s no way I’m cleaning without laying tarps and corner guards. Those steps are to protect myself. Skipping prevac is only an option about a third of the time. I would guess most people here never have their carpets cleaned and never do it themselves either. Those that do, have it done once every 5 to 10 years.

I’m sure you can relate, these rural areas are very different from a more developed location. I often think cleaners from more developed communities have a hard time wrapping their minds around the unique dynamics at play. Low income, low population density, the cronyism and nepotism from generations of people in isolation from the real world, etc.

Who answers your phone? How many missed calls do you have a week?
Do you have a database?
How often do you market them?
Do you have a drip campaign setup for reminding them it’s time for service?
Do you keep track of your roi on these marketing channels?
What are the best methods?

 

[Papa John]

Maybe your prices are too low, and it is scaring people away.

My business began to increase once I changed my mindset and goals.
"Rich Dad Poor Dad" teaches that, If you work for money, you will never be rich.

So My goal was to turn every customer into an unpaid educated salesman/CHEERLEADER for my business, without having to ASK for referrals. Referrals Should be earned.
The way to do this is to:
Show respect and care for the customer's property by using corner guards, walk-off mats and using Soft shackles for hose hooks
Being trained in the Science and chemistry of textile care.-- Many cleaners at MF have poor wand skills.
Taking the time to get their carpets as clean and dry as possible.
And making them feel valued so that you will be considered a pseudo-friend or family member.

 

[Dolly Llama]

Many cleaners at MF have poor wand skills

91.38% of CC'ers do
They "saw away" back and forth with spray on like the wand scrubbing, soap dispensing method needed in the 70s/80s

with quality pre-sprays available today, forward wet stroke only makes the carpet wetter...not cleaner.
If they'd slow the damn wand down with a key'd back stroke they'd get a better flush AND extract
(because the vac slot is on the fiber longer)

note..The above assumes they use quality pre-spray in sufficient quantity and dwell.
and aren't the "value based" wand scrubbing, wand soap dispensing outfits

..L.T.A.

 

[AlienAgent]

Who answers your phone? How many missed calls do you have a week?
Do you have a database?
How often do you market them?
Do you have a drip campaign setup for reminding them it’s time for service?
Do you keep track of your roi on these marketing channels?
What are the best methods?

I answer the phone, zero missed calls. If I can’t get the phone in my hands fast enough, I call back as soon as it stops ringing.

I have records of who I have reached out to and done business with.

I reach out as often as I possibly can, without being annoying.

I’m a one man show with nearly zero support from family or anyone else. Sometimes the level of support is in the negative digits.

No drip/reminders. I just reach out when it’s appropriate. For some it’s quarterly, for most it’s every year or two.

No real tracking of ROI.

The best methods of marketing for me in years past has been door to door to churches. As soon as the Covid situation happened that evaporated and never came back.

My biggest issue is that before Covid, my business was growing and things were great. In 2019 I had planned on buying a new van and wrapping it and my other trucks for 2020. Now the people and places in my area appear to not have the extra money to waste on frivolous things like cleaning the floors. Hierarchy of needs I guess.

 

[AlienAgent]

Think about this old classic and imagine running a carpet cleaning business in the town of Red Bud.

 

[BIG WOOD]

I answer the phone, zero missed calls. If I can’t get the phone in my hands fast enough, I call back as soon as it stops ringing.

I have records of who I have reached out to and done business with.

I reach out as often as I possibly can, without being annoying.

I’m a one man show with nearly zero support from family or anyone else. Sometimes the level of support is in the negative digits.

No drip/reminders. I just reach out when it’s appropriate. For some it’s quarterly, for most it’s every year or two.

No real tracking of ROI.

The best methods of marketing for me in years past has been door to door to churches. As soon as the Covid situation happened that evaporated and never came back.

My biggest issue is that before Covid, my business was growing and things were great. In 2019 I had planned on buying a new van and wrapping it and my other trucks for 2020. Now the people and places in my area appear to not have the extra money to waste on frivolous things like cleaning the floors. Hierarchy of needs I guess.

My ROI has been great with sending reminders every 9, 12, 18 months. I think quarterly is too soon because my 6month reminder cards got very little response. So every 3monts doesn't seem like it'd be any better

 

[Jim Williams]

Wow, it sounds like the recession may be hitting your area. My business is down 20% compared to last year. I was turning down 7 or 8 jobs a week all summer last year. This summer I've been booked out no more than a week and a half, so I'm guessing that the areas like ours are feeling it.

Customers who are living at the edge of their budget are feeling the pinch from high gas and food prices. As far as commercial, I'm sure that many businesses are slower now and having to watch their money.

 

[Chris A]

I'm on the other side of the state from you between Cleveland and Akron but things have been a little soft for us too, especially compared to the last couple years

 

[Papa John]

I answer the phone, zero missed calls. If I can’t get the phone in my hands fast

No drip/reminders. I just reach out when it’s appropriate. For some it’s quarterly, for most it’s every year or two.

No real tracking of ROI.

I recommend you start using Service Monster and Their "Fill My Schedule" option; which you can DIY or have them take care of it.

 

[Mr Brightside]

I answer the phone, zero missed calls. If I can’t get the phone in my hands fast enough, I call back as soon as it stops ringing.

I have records of who I have reached out to and done business with.

I reach out as often as I possibly can, without being annoying.

I’m a one man show with nearly zero support from family or anyone else. Sometimes the level of support is in the negative digits.

No drip/reminders. I just reach out when it’s appropriate. For some it’s quarterly, for most it’s every year or two.

No real tracking of ROI.

The best methods of marketing for me in years past has been door to door to churches. As soon as the Covid situation happened that evaporated and never came back.

My biggest issue is that before Covid, my business was growing and things were great. In 2019 I had planned on buying a new van and wrapping it and my other trucks for 2020. Now the people and places in my area appear to not have the extra money to waste on frivolous things like cleaning the floors. Hierarchy of needs I guess.

we can't control the economy and I don't know your challenges to your area but I mean this only in a positive way but

If your records are anything but a crm software with all your customers in it and what they have done in the past than they have very little benefit to you.

If you can't track roi how would you know where to spend your hard earned money on advertising what if your wasting that money paying for leads and doing work and actually loosing money or just breaking even? Start tracking everything
You can't improve something without measuring it first

I would start a crm right away
I would look at the local companies in your area and before you tell me there isn't any work or a lack of money look to see who is doing the best and what are they doing?
are there any multi truck operations near you?
where are they advertising?
are they better than you?

I don't claim to know anything but I have seen huge growth once I started marketing my existing customers and tracking my money

 

[Papa John]

91.38% of CC'ers do
They "saw away" back and forth with spray on like the wand scrubbing, soap dispensing method needed in the 70s/80s

with quality pre-sprays available today, forward wet stroke only makes the carpet wetter...not cleaner.

A good CC will adjust their wand technique based on the condition and type carpet being cleaned.
The stroke is also different for portables vs TMs.
I Excell in overweting/Over drying when needed. The color justs Pops like new with 5 wet strokes with the 370. 2 passes was fine with the Vortex. or 2-3 passes with an 870 TM.

 

[Mr Brightside]

Alien if you decide to go with a crm I will help you get started if you ever want I am familiar with servicemonster and Markate

 

[AlienAgent]

we can't control the economy and I don't know your challenges to your area but I mean this only in a positive way but

If your records are anything but a crm software with all your customers in it and what they have done in the past than they have very little benefit to you.

If you can't track roi how would you know where to spend your hard earned money on advertising what if your wasting that money paying for leads and doing work and actually loosing money or just breaking even? Start tracking everything
You can't improve something without measuring it first

I would start a crm right away
I would look at the local companies in your area and before you tell me there isn't any work or a lack of money look to see who is doing the best and what are they doing?
are there any multi truck operations near you?
where are they advertising?
are they better than you?

I don't claim to know anything but I have seen huge growth once I started marketing my existing customers and tracking my money

Mr. Brightside, I appreciate your advice.

There are no multi truck operations within an hour of me. There are 2 or 3 other small time, owner operators about 40 minutes away in another small city to the north.

One of them was busted a few years ago for exposing himself to women on the sidewalk. Another is a decent guy close to 70 that does a good job. I see their vans around maybe once every 2 or 3 years.

The closest multi truck op is Teasdale Fenton an hour away in Cincinnati.

I’ll get started on some of the suggestions this weekend.

 

[Mike J]

91.38% of CC'ers do
They "saw away" back and forth with spray on like the wand scrubbing, soap dispensing method needed in the 70s/80s

with quality pre-sprays available today, forward wet stroke only makes the carpet wetter...not cleaner.
If they'd slow the damn wand down with a key'd back stroke they'd get a better flush AND extract
(because the vac slot is on the fiber longer)

note..The above assumes they use quality pre-spray in sufficient quantity and dwell.
and aren't the "value based" wand scrubbing, wand soap dispensing outfits

..L.T.A.

My wand skills suck in theory, but works for me. I dont let go of the trigger when im in the groove. I just vac more than I spray. Now with the Greenglide I can vacuum over a whole room after cleaning aggressively with not much effort. I actually was experimenting on this one yesterday. I grid cleaned this room with 2 different wand setups. First very aggressively long ways with the lip glide, then grabbed the other wand with the real glide cross the other way, more of a vac stroke with moderate spray.







Hit it Hard, Vac it Harder.

 

[Dolly Llama]

wand sawers

..L.T.A.

 

[AlienAgent]

My ROI has been great with sending reminders every 9, 12, 18 months. I think quarterly is too soon because my 6month reminder cards got very little response. So every 3monts doesn't seem like it'd be any better

Quarterly is way too soon, unless it’s a phone call to schedule the quarterly cleaning for a commercial account on a maintenance program.

I reach out by phone or letter once a year. Some of these residential clients could use a quarterly cleaning, but it ain’t happenin’.

 

[AlienAgent]

My wand skills suck in theory, but works for me. I dont let go of the trigger when im in the groove. I just vac more than I spray. Now with the Greenglide I can vacuum over a whole room after cleaning aggressively with not much effort. I actually was experimenting on this one yesterday. I grid cleaned this room with 2 different wand setups. First very aggressively long ways with the lip glide, then grabbed the other wand with the real glide cross the other way, more of a vac stroke with moderate spray.

View attachment 118454

View attachment 118455

View attachment 118456

Hit it Hard, Vac it Harder.

I tried the hammer down, non stop spray style once in an empty rental about 8 years ago. After 200 ft2, the carpet was way too wet and I never tried it again.

 

[Trip Moses]

wand sawers




















View attachment 118457


..L.T.A.

What other groups are you a member of where you aren’t actually in the group’s industry?

 

[Dolly Llama]

What other groups are you a member of where you aren’t actually in the group’s industry?

you mean actively working or instructing blind mice?

..L.T.A.

 

[Trip Moses]

instructing blind mice

“Those who can’t do, teach.”

You don’t even teach…

 

[Dolly Llama]

You don’t even teach…

You can lead a horse to water, but they'll pee in it regardless.
pack animals..

..L.T.A.

 

[Trip Moses]

You can lead a horse to water, but they'll pee in it regardless.
pack animals..

..L.T.A.

 

[Dolly Llama]

..L.T.A.

 

[hogjowl]

Lar is grandfathered in
By Vawter

 

[Mr Brightside]

Mr. Brightside, I appreciate your advice.

There are no multi truck operations within an hour of me. There are 2 or 3 other small time, owner operators about 40 minutes away in another small city to the north.

One of them was busted a few years ago for exposing himself to women on the sidewalk. Another is a decent guy close to 70 that does a good job. I see their vans around maybe once every 2 or 3 years.

The closest multi truck op is Teasdale Fenton an hour away in Cincinnati.

I’ll get started on some of the suggestions this weekend.

What other services do you offer besides carpet tile and upholstery is there anyway to add more services?

 

[Cleanworks]

Carpet repairs and water damage is always a good add on in rural areas.

 

[thecarpetcleaningxperts]

I don't know man, you may want to check with God about that.

Sounds like his country is chock full of Broke Dick carpet cleaners

Lol first year in business and I represent a broke dick carpet cleaner lol.

 

[Dolly Llama]

Lol first year in business and I represent a broke dick carpet cleaner lol.

how are you and Dave Melo related?
(you're like 5 miles apart)

#steammasterflorida


..L.T.a.