Anti Groupon

[gavin]

Groupon might work for some,

The real question is how much are you willing to spend on advertising for 1 job? if you can tell yourself that you are okay with spending $50 per job on advertizing, groupon might be right up your alley. Sometimes I have spend about that much on phone book ads, or direct mailing.....

it then comes down to converting that job into more.... and up selling isn't my cup of tea, so I would go for the referrals.

if groupon was in my area I think I might at least give it a shot once. you might have to spend a lot of time making not much,,, but it would get your name out there, and if you do quality work and get referrals, and names, addresses and e-mails for future marketing,, and maybe even good yelp reviews if you are a good cleaner.

just my thoughts.

 

[scottpeterson83]

Yes it was a $1000 job AND a $260 job. On Saturday we had one with no upsells but she booked us to come back in July for her downstairs carpet where her tenant was moving out and had us give her a bid for cleaning and color sealing tile and grout. After that we did another job for $95 extra for a couple extra rooms and minor urine.
Like I said, I am trying to help SOME people out. Maybe its not for everyone but I tried it and it is working GREAT for us. All the info on this is one sided for the most part by a group of people who havent tried it and are just assuming it is going to be bad. Im just hear to say to the people that are up in the air about that trying it may be worth it to them.

 

[Bee Busy]

I'm still very against Groupon and LivingSocial while I live here in a highly populated city in CA. But after talking with my friend Scott a few days ago, I must say that maybe this type of advertising could work great in a medium to small town. I lived in the Reno/Sparks area for 1 1/2 years and it's very easy to drive around out there, the houses are a bit smaller in terms of sq footage and there's not much traffic, so I can see booking 5-6 jobs in 1 day...here in Sacto...that's a major PITA or in SF or LA. So for all you guys in medium to small markets.....GO FOR IT!! I hope it works out for u guys.....but in my opinion...it's a major PITA/headache doing it in highly populated/traffic congested areas

 

[KaraK]

Hi All,

Edited for content
Brian R>

 

[Brian R]

Unfortunately if you're not a participant in the threads, we can't let you advertise your product/service here.

The banner ads are for sale.

 

[lust1kiddo]

i looked and thought and did research and while i love to see people succeed and make money..I don't want groupon or craigslist customers..its almost never that I have to haggle with customers on price..I mean like 95% i don't. Its not because I am cheap..its because I sell the job before I give them the price, and the type of people I deal with know they are getting value and will have to pay.
Just my opinion..but I'm happy for Brian and whomever else makes money how they do, even if they bait and switch and rip people off..they make it easier for an honest guy like me.

 

[Brian R]

There are surely different ways to advertise....and each should do his own.

I haven't had 1 person haggle me on my prices from Groupon or Living Social. If they did, I would probably walk and tell them to return the voucher considering the deal they are getting.

Yes, the deals start out pretty low but most get more and are happy to pay it.

I don't mind giving a discount to earn the trust of a new customer.

My experience with the deal of the days have been really good when it comes to customers.



The reps can be a pill......But that's just the nature of the beast.

 

[Bee Busy]

looking at the competition in my area on Yelp and most of the complaints come from people that mention the groupon deal like usual.

 

[XTREME1]

why couldn't the guy show a groupon alternative?

 

[Chris A]

Looks like we'll be doing one, 3 travel areas for $49, and a sofa/chair for $49. I'm pumped, it will be out right in time for holiday cleaning which is gonna make things nuts but it should sell well because of it. We'll probably have both trucks out bangin them out in between our regular resi work. We'll see...

 

[rhino1]

Local guy sold 200 of the.m at 49 each for 3 areas The fine print said up too 300 sf total. I just don't get it, this will be the busiest time if the year, he's going to lose big if he can't sell to most of these folks, and man will they be pissed when he tries to charge extra for an actual room!

 

[Chris A]

That's why I want to do it now, when people WANT to have stuff cleaned, no use doing it in January when things are dead.

 

[rhino1]

Don't you run the risk of being booked with grouping jobs when you would have a full schedule anyways? Customers that would have used you at normal prices will be buying those and keeping you busy with unprofitable jobs when you would normally be making real coin.

 

[Chris A]

I never think that far ahead...




Actually we've got a second truck, and an available tech, if we need to we'll split it up between my tech and my wife/me.

 

[lust1kiddo]

I just cant work for less than 100 dollars an hour..I'm a spoiled bitch.

 

[rhino1]

Maybe u wouldn't mind keeping us informed with the progress of how things go with your groupon?

 

[Brian R]

I've found that about 1/4 of the customers call right away....The holiday could change that.

Another variable is the exp date....6 months calls quicker than 1 year exp date.


If you're good at offering your extra products and services you'll do fine on the making money part.

Don't let the customer push you around either. Have a certain amount of spots open for just the deal jobs and leave time open for your regular customers.

Customers know that there will be an influx of calls and appointments because of the deal...For the most part they are savvy.....Probably more savvy than most guys running the deals.

I schedule out about a month or so at about 2 jobs per day...Sometimes 3 depending. The deal is so good....that they need to give a bit....and they understand that.


There is no such thing as a "carpet emergency"

If you have any question, just ask....PM or live...either way.

PS. Of course if you can schedule the daily jobs in the same area...That helps a ton....Of course that's something that should be done anyway...If possible.

 

[Chris A]

Thanks Brian, we will be trying to do exactly those things. The deal is running Friday as the featured deal, will post progress.

 

[Chris A]

I just cant work for less than 100 dollars an hour..I'm a spoiled bitch.

Not really, I'm used to more myself. I'm going to schedule these as conveniently to me as possible and, ahem, "offer" the shit out of our other services. I probably won't have Steph schedule more than 2 a day unless they're all real close, the rest will be our regular, uber-profitable repeat/referral work...