Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleaning

[Bee Busy]

I'm doing some new advertising online and decided to throw in carpet clean and repair along with the tile and stone cleaning, which is giving me no problems since all jobs are estimated in person at first. The carpet stuff has been a clusterf&*$# with people booking jobs then inevitably cancelling with some of the lamest excuses....I decided to see what the "competition" is doing and saw some of the most disgusting lowball stuff. The scrubs that used to advertise in the Pennysaver and coupons are headling on Google in my area now. Groupon/LS and all that gargage is what it is, but it's frustrating constantly getting calls from tirekickers on Google. I feel for any of you other guys that may be dealing with this crap.

Thank god I saw this shit coming years ago and went into hard surface and sticked with my property mangement carpet cleaning accts. Residential carpet cleaning (in my area) has been taken over by sleazy used car salesmen and scam artists. I feel for anyone starting up in carpet cleaning right now, this once great industry is becoming a joke.

 

[Hoody]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

I'm doing some new advertising online and decided to throw in carpet clean and repair along with the tile and stone cleaning, which is giving me no problems since all jobs are estimated in person at first. The carpet stuff has been a clusterf&*$# with people booking jobs then inevitably cancelling with some of the lamest excuses....I decided to see what the "competition" is doing and saw some of the most disgusting lowball stuff. The scrubs that used to advertise in the Pennysaver and coupons are headling on Google in my area now. Groupon/LS and all that gargage is what it is, but it's frustrating constantly getting calls from tirekickers on Google. I feel for any of you other guys that may be dealing with this crap.

Thank god I saw this shit coming years ago and went into hard surface and sticked with my property mangement carpet cleaning accts. Residential carpet cleaning (in my area) has been taken over by sleazy used car salesmen and scam artists. I feel for anyone starting up in carpet cleaning right now, this once great industry is becoming a joke.

And folks wonder why every time I feel like dropping the cash to get started I hold off. I'm waiting for these parasites to die off, and they will, and there will be easy market share to take. Although more and more will start doing this type of low ball advertising, those that don't know how to really make it work, and know their margins will die off sooner than later. Just stick to your guns and wait it out!

 

[Goomer]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

I can understand the frustration, but just because another company is cheaper than you, or is trying Groupon/LS does not mean they are "sleazy used car salesmen and scam artists".

Competition will always be at your throat.
You don't think it's going anywhere do you??

 

[Bee Busy]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

I can understand the frustration, but just because another company is cheaper than you, or is trying Groupon/LS does not mean they are "sleazy used car salesmen and scam artists".

Competition will always be at your throat.
You don't think it's going anywhere do you??

my problem is the headling price at the very top of Google...everyone should be frustrated, no one's making money at $55 for 3 rooms and a hall...while I dont agree with Groupon/LS it is what it is...u have to go be a cheapass and go thru the trouble to go there...when it's headling on the very top of Google it's a problem

 

[Royal Man]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

Like said above low ballers are not going to die off and go away and if they did more just takes their place.

Just emphasize all the great things you have to offer that are far more important than price and it takes price off the table.

Let the others at the bottom fight over price.

You just have to decide to not participate in that game.

It's a losing game for the companies that do it and their clients.



Or you can remind prospects to see that companies one and only client review.

0ne star-Bait and Switch, Was quoted a price very detailed, when rude technician arrived was quoted different. Will never use again. Next Time I will use Stanley Steamers

 

[Bee Busy]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

I feel I cant win that battle in carpet Dave...I can win it with tile and stone, there's a board member here advertising $99 to clean 150 sq ft which is a fooking joke!! It's one thing to lowball to get jobs on estimates...I get it... but to DUMB down the price online for everyone on the internet to see is a horseshit hack operation and needs to be called out

 

[Vivers]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

I completely agree and companies that do this profession of ours correctly cannot charge so little and stay afloat. Unfortunately these lowballer hacks will be around forever as I have been at this for 17 years and there still around. I can't stand prices on google, I can't stand L.S. groupon, etc...We have one of the worst around here called M_____s carpet care and they are those 3 rooms and hall for $19 guys or whatever.

 

[Goomer]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

I can understand the frustration, but just because another company is cheaper than you, or is trying Groupon/LS does not mean they are "sleazy used car salesmen and scam artists".

Competition will always be at your throat.
You don't think it's going anywhere do you??

my problem is the headling price at the very top of Google...everyone should be frustrated, no one's making money at $55 for 3 rooms and a hall...while I dont agree with Groupon/LS it is what it is...u have to go be a cheapass and go thru the trouble to go there...when it's headling on the very top of Google it's a problem

I can't see too many people using these services a second time around, and I think it will soon be common knowledge to most consumers that using "Deal a Day" type sites to secure "In-Home" contractor services are bad news. I'm sure there will be exceptions on the consumer side as well as the service providers side, but we all know that one unhappy cheerleader is equal to ten positive ones. The web is already piling up with horror story reviews from review sites from companies that offered these deals.

Best I find I can do when someone references one of these deals is to politely explain to them why cheaper is not always better, and to be sure to save my number if they are not satisfied with their decision.....I think the odds will eventually be in my favor.

 

[Bee Busy]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

I can understand the frustration, but just because another company is cheaper than you, or is trying Groupon/LS does not mean they are "sleazy used car salesmen and scam artists".

Competition will always be at your throat.
You don't think it's going anywhere do you??

my problem is the headling price at the very top of Google...everyone should be frustrated, no one's making money at $55 for 3 rooms and a hall...while I dont agree with Groupon/LS it is what it is...u have to go be a cheapass and go thru the trouble to go there...when it's headling on the very top of Google it's a problem

I can't see too many people using these services a second time around, and I think it will soon be common knowledge to most consumers that using "Deal a Day" type sites to secure "In-Home" contractor services are bad news. I'm sure there will be exceptions on the consumer side as well as the service providers side, but we all know that one unhappy cheerleader is equal to ten positive ones. The web is already piling up with horror story reviews from review sites from companies that offered these deals.

Best I find I can do when someone references one of these deals is to politely explain to them why cheaper is not always better, and to be sure to save my number if they are not satisfied with their decision.....I think the odds will eventually be in my favor.

yeah I totally agree with ya....but when they flake out and screw up the schedule is another issue...

 

[sam miller]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

I completely agree and companies that do this profession of ours correctly cannot charge so little and stay afloat. Unfortunately these lowballer hacks will be around forever as I have been at this for 17 years and there still around. I can't stand prices on google, I can't stand L.S. groupon, etc...We have one of the worst around here called M_____s carpet care and they are those 3 rooms and hall for $19 guys or whatever.

PS they are not Your competition You are!

The real question is what type of equipment do they use mostlly portable compared to what.

What do You included compared to said competitor????

We Pre vac, Pre spot, pre spray, aggitate, rinse extract with a 20k machine with really hot water. move most furniture speed dry

with a dryer carpet raked afterwards and shoecovers for the customer convience.

to explain the difference take's away the guess work.

I had a lady come across the street and say how much I told her $30 per room she ran back over showed me a PS and said

everyone else charges $15.00 how can You charge so much? I explained what I do and encouraged her to give them a try.

she decide to go with us.

The funny thing is the idea everyone charges that much, call SS COIT Chemdry they charge alot more!

What do they give You???

 

[Goomer]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

yeah I totally agree with ya....but when they flake out and screw up the schedule is another issue...

That sucks.
Not sure there's any realistic way to stop that.

 

[Bee Busy]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

all i have to say is...the bottom feeders can advertise on Google for say $6.99 a room? then what's everyone gonna do?

 

[sam miller]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

80 to 90 percent of what I do is repeat. When a customer goes away to save I always hear and I'm sure You guys do to "I'll never do that again."

They left it to wet, the spots didnt come out, and they were in and out to fast.

PS if google isnt working try a refferal program that others use.

send reminder cards to your repeats hook up with realtors.

Or stick with tile and grout.

Ps your right its crap the low ball ads.

 

[Larry B]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

Do your job and do it well, the low ballers wouldn't be a problem.




Or


OR


or


Or


OR


or


Blame the lack of business on others and enjoy your shortfalls.


:shock:

 

[dgargan]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

I guess it's all relitave but here low ballers are $30-35 a room. We live in a small market with most cleaners charging by the room. We choOse to go with sq foot pricing years ago and target people that want quality. There is very little competition in that market.

 

[Chris A]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

I feel I cant win that battle in carpet Dave...I can win it with tile and stone, there's a board member here advertising $99 to clean 150 sq ft which is a fooking joke!! It's one thing to lowball to get jobs on estimates...I get it... but to DUMB down the price online for everyone on the internet to see is a horseshit hack operation and needs to be called out

Wow, thats higher than my standard price to clean t/g. Stanley around here does 250 square feet for $99. No biggie, we just do what we do.

 

[Ken Snow]

Re: Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cle

Do your job and do it well, the low ballers wouldn't be a problem.




Or


OR


or


Or


OR


or


Blame the lack of business on others and enjoy your shortfalls.


:shock:

X2

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[FB7777]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

I'm doing some new advertising online and decided to throw in carpet clean and repair along with the tile and stone cleaning, which is giving me no problems since all jobs are estimated in person at first. The carpet stuff has been a clusterf&*$# with people booking jobs then inevitably cancelling with some of the lamest excuses....I decided to see what the "competition" is doing and saw some of the most disgusting lowball stuff. The scrubs that used to advertise in the Pennysaver and coupons are headling on Google in my area now. Groupon/LS and all that gargage is what it is, but it's frustrating constantly getting calls from tirekickers on Google. I feel for any of you other guys that may be dealing with this crap.

Thank god I saw this shit coming years ago and went into hard surface and sticked with my property mangement carpet cleaning accts. Residential carpet cleaning (in my area) has been taken over by sleazy used car salesmen and scam artists. I feel for anyone starting up in carpet cleaning right now, this once great industry is becoming a joke.

And folks wonder why every time I feel like dropping the cash to get started I hold off. I'm waiting for these parasites to die off, and they will, and there will be easy market share to take. Although more and more will start doing this type of low ball advertising, those that don't know how to really make it work, and know their margins will die off sooner than later. Just stick to your guns and wait it out!

Damn Hoody, I thought you were way smarter than that , you can't wait out something that will always exist

But if you run your business well and do great work you'll discover that the perceived obstacle ain't the lowballers ....

It's you

 

[Newman]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

Do what you do best, forget what the rest of them do. There is and always will be a market for all levels of service.

 

[Bee Busy]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

Do your job and do it well, the low ballers wouldn't be a problem.




Or


OR


or


Or


OR


or


Blame the lack of business on others and enjoy your shortfalls.


:shock:[/quote booking 4 jobs in the past week totaling over $1k and having them basically disappear and fooking up the schedule is beyond frustrating....I would usually call this bad luck, but these calls are coming from the internet

 

[Jimbo]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

booking 4 jobs in the past week totaling over $1k and having them basically disappear and fooking up the schedule is beyond frustrating....I would usually call this bad luck, but these calls are coming from the internet






Maybe it is one of your friendly competitors, Bill




And I have to agree with the repeat/referral opinions above...and when folks DO LEAVE...try some other service...they come back at current rack rates!

 

[safeclean]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

Interesting as we are seeing prices on google adwords going back to the 1980`s, If you are doing google adwords than try this in your ad text " we fix the $50 jobs " or " we fix the cheapy jobs " we tried it and it has worked well.

Craig

 

[Bee Busy]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

Interesting as we are seeing prices on google adwords going back to the 1980`s, If you are doing google adwords than try this in your ad text " we fix the $50 jobs " or " we fix the cheapy jobs " we tried it and it has worked well.

Craig

that's great!! I like that...turn a negative into a positive.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

Like said above low ballers are not going to die off and go away and if they did more just takes their place.

Just emphasize all the great things you have to offer that are far more important than price and it takes price off the table.

Let the others at the bottom fight over price.

You just have to decide to not participate in that game.

It's a losing game for the companies that do it and their clients.



Or you can remind prospects to see that companies one and only client review.

0ne star-Bait and Switch, Was quoted a price very detailed, when rude technician arrived was quoted different. Will never use again. Next Time I will use Stanley Steamers

Yea listen to Dave because he is a whole 20 dollars more expensive than the cheap guys.

 

[Royal Man]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

Yea listen to Dave because he is a whole 20 dollars more expensive than the cheap guys.

My average job is over $300 and I have a $100 minimum.

The cheap guys are cleaning 2 bedroom apts for $49.

Whatever?

Works for me and my clients.

Isn't that all that matters?


As far as the the Internet is concerned Daniel.
Don't put much stock in it. It's just a passing phase.

 

[Bee Busy]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

booking 4 jobs in the past week totaling over $1k and having them basically disappear and fooking up the schedule is beyond frustrating....I would usually call this bad luck, but these calls are coming from the internet






Maybe it is one of your friendly competitors, Bill




And I have to agree with the repeat/referral opinions above...and when folks DO LEAVE...try some other service...they come back at current rack rates!

yeah totally agree Jim...I have another avenue I'm looking into that seems more solid...I still think the internet is important but it's becoming a cluster f of coupon/pennysaver/yellow page types rolled into one fugly monster

 

[Steve in Omaha]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

Like said above low ballers are not going to die off and go away and if they did more just takes their place.

Just emphasize all the great things you have to offer that are far more important than price and it takes price off the table.

Let the others at the bottom fight over price.

You just have to decide to not participate in that game.

It's a losing game for the companies that do it and their clients.



Or you can remind prospects to see that companies one and only client review.

0ne star-Bait and Switch, Was quoted a price very detailed, when rude technician arrived was quoted different. Will never use again. Next Time I will use Stanley Steamers

Yea listen to Dave because he is a whole 20 dollars more expensive than the cheap guys.

How do you know that.......or might you be talking out yer a$$.

 

[idreadnought]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

THere will always be cheaper people than you. Matter of fact it is the only marketing strategy that some companies have. The problem is that the customers you really want to target are not motivated by price alone.

I get a good return on my online marketing. I do adwords and it works for me. The difference is that my website highlights a high quality service that attracts the right kind of customer. The wrong customers don't tend to call. Of in home estimates I do I book 95% of them.

I use the example that you get what you attract, if a women is wearing a short skirt and a low top what kind of man is she going to attract? Probably not the type that is looking to settle down and start a family. However if she is looking for a man that will give her some immediate affection then she is probably going to get what she is attracting.

Promote a high quality service and you will get high quality customers that want to use it.

so lets say a new chemical company is offering a wonder cleaning detergent for 75% off of what you are paying now. Are you going to be skeptical? Are you going to believe the product either requires way to much dilution ratio or doesn't work the way you need it too? I probably will and you probably will too because your inteligent enough to know that something that sounds too good to be true is.

Offer something more than price, promote the quality in your service and the right customers will call.

 

[Ron Werner]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

I try to prequalify that they can get a cheaper price but that they will get what they pay for, explaining what they can expect.
If they do flake out I usually find that there is someone else will phone requiring an "ASAP" cleaning. I can tell them that it just so happens I do have an opening I could fit them into.

Too many cheap cleaners out there to try to "compete" with them. If I know a fairly decent cleaner and the custy still doesn't want to use my service even after I explain I can clean Just Like Them But Better, I'll recommend them; they need to eat too.

 

[Royal Man]

Re: Frustration with internet advertising for carpet cleanin

I explain I can clean Just Like Them But Better.quote]

The problem is that EVERY cleaner the prospect just called said they were the best.

So, saying you are the best or better. Just becomes complete bullshit to the prospect and they don't even hear it.

Don't say you are better, best or any other crap on the phone, the web or in other advertising. Your prospect will give it little or no credibility what so ever.

A far better approach, is to let your former clients do your bragging for you.

By using or referring to your testimonials. Your selling becomes much easier, It takes price off the table,You'll get more profitable clients and don't have to play price shopping games.


If you are getting an abundance of price shoppers. Don't blame the prospect. It's your fault because of your advertising and positioning.