Ga Ga for realtors???

[Russ T.]

I'm not.

How many times is the Carpet cleaner the 1st one to find out a house is about to go on the market? A few times already for me, since it's been nice out.

They need us more than we need them. Don't get it backwards.

 

[jcooper]

They need us more than we need them. Don't get it backwards.

In my case I definitely need them(actually, their clients) more than they need me. I was lucky enough a while back to do some work for the owner of the largest office/firm in the county next to us. Over time the whole office is now on "the team" and send us work. No special deals or discounts, just make their client happy.

Things have picked up huge for them the last year plus, which helps us also. Screw the realtor, get their boss! Imo, It would definitely make sense to market to the boss!

Few other small time places. They don't bother me, I'll help if I can.




Russ, hows biz? You getting a spring?

 

[Russ T.]

We are doing well. It helped to get away to FL this Winter.

Spring seems to mean lots of big, empty houses to clean. Those are my favorite!

Going to Clearwater Jerry?

 

[Russ T.]

Jerry,

Do you refer your customers to that big RE company?

7% of 300K is 21K. That's in 1 hypothetical sale. That's A LOT of carpet cleaning...

If the boys didn't need Mel so much...she'd be a realtor!


How's tha RotoVac working out for you?

 

[jcooper]

Do you refer your customers to that big RE company?

I don't do poop, Russ! If they are cleaning because of selling, most already have someone.

If the boys didn't need Mel so much...she'd be a realtor!

Who's going to answer the phone!!! Molly(the boss) is straight up killing it for us, she's getting greedy! Which is exactly what we/I need, I'm way too generous and tend to give shat away

How's tha RotoVac working out for you?

Haven't used it much, winter was soooo cold I don't want to bring it on jobs if I don't need it. Just sitting in the van during a job it would freeze. I also broke it like three weeks in! Put it back together wrong and screwed up the foam part. Ugggggggg.

It definitely works.

 

[Russ T.]

Our situations seem SO similar Jerry!

We totally need Mel. She's great over the phone and has pushed our pricing UP, where it belongs!

Leaving my full time job almost 3 years ago was the scariest and BEST thing we have done for our biz. It used to be something I did on the side, by myself.

 

[Doug Cox]

I have the mindset that they need me as much as I need them, but I won't let them push me around.

 

[Russ T.]

Has anyone here ever had a Realtor falling all over themselves, just dying to give you a couple cards and have your ear for 30 seconds?

I can't understand why not.

Many CC's seem to be ga ga over them. I've just never gotten a ton of work from them that's all.

I'm glad you do Jerry. Seriously.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Sounds like a topic in tom kings wheel house.

Not huge for me either but thats MY fault. Takes a different mindset to develop referral sources, have to make friends and build relationships.
Hard for someone to become a big source of referrals for you if they dont know you on a personal level.

 

[Papa John]

I use to get referrals from REs... but the RE's told me that it became too Expensive for them... the home seller would say to them-- "You should pay for the carpet cleaning as a gift since ya gona be making high 5 figures on this sell!"
My experience has been that most REs can barely market their own services let alone someone else's.

 

[Jim Martin]

I do great with reality jobs....I have a large amount of agents that I do work for....
they send me out to clean homes that the people still live in to get it market ready..
they send me out to clean the empties that are on the market or about to be put on the market....
or when a buyer wants it cleaned before move in...then those clients become repete and sometimes I get referrals from them....

I also clean 2 of there main offices and some of there homes.......

Targeting reality is no different then anything else......you can chose to work for the ones that sell the homes in the ghetto that are only looking for a cheap price....or you can target the high end reality that have no problems paying for a good job......

most the time it is pretty easy....here is the lock box code or the garage code...send me a bill......

 

[GeneMiller]

Same as Jim. Never had one ask for a favor other than can you get it done this week.

Gene

 

[Jim Martin]

Same as Jim. Never had one ask for a favor other than can you get it done this week.

Gene

correct...and you do everything you can to get it in for them...even if it is the last minute.....good realtors don't forget things like that and will gladly throw work your way.........

 

[Russ T.]

I really wanted to make the case that a good carpet cleaner is an extremely valuable contact FOR THEM.

We meet so many new people every day and many times someone is getting ready to sell. I'm a little surprised by the number of them who haven't chosen a realtor.

I think a lot of homeowners want the house looking really good before a realtor ever darkens their doorstep.

I'd like to find one who I could refer. 10% of their commission sounds reasonable for a finders fee.

 

[Russ T.]

Real Estate is HOT right now in central IA, if you can believe that.

We have considered selling and getting onto an acreage with some SPACE.

 

[Jim Martin]

I really wanted to make the case that a good carpet cleaner is an extremely valuable contact FOR THEM.

We meet so many new people every day and many times someone is getting ready to sell. I'm a little surprised by the number of them who haven't chosen a realtor.

I think a lot of homeowners want the house looking really good before a realtor ever darkens their doorstep.

I'd like to find one who I could refer. 10% of their commission sounds reasonable for a finders fee.

first impression is the most important thing when selling a home...although some realtors know this...it will surprise you how many don't and that is a good selling point...there is nothing you can really offer a agent.. although some do...it is unethical for them to accept anything....but you can offer all there clients a discount for using you and the agent involved.....another thing that helped me when I first started targeting reality is to offer the agents free touch ups on empty homes that you clean that are on the market every 2 months ....it is rare that you will touch one up...but it is a good service for them.......

 

[PrimaDonna]

the home seller would say to them-- "You should pay for the carpet cleaning as a gift since ya gona be making high 6 figures on this sell!"

Which is why we offer a 10% referral fee to the Realtor that refer us. When we introduce the program, we tell them they can take it in cash, use it as credit for their cleaning for themselves, pass the 10% on directly to their customer (I'll tell the customer they get a special 10% off because they are a client of XYZ Realtor).

For situations like you describe, they can save all their referral $$ and use them to clean a clients house, or apply what ever they have to clean the clients house (sometimes they do pay part of it out of pocket). Client is happy, Realtor looks like a rock star because the client thinks that they DID pay for it. Usually they do this for an elderly couple, new young couple that doesn't have much money. Sometimes they do it for their client who is a seller and needs it but doesn't have the money to pay to get it done (the smart Realtors know it will look better and house is likely to sell quicker if the carpets are clean). Other's do it as a "gift" for a client moving into a new home. Again, money is tight and they do it as a "gift" for the new homeowner. Mostly tho, they take the cash or have us clean their own homes or rental properties.

Our phones were ringing off the hook this week with sellers booking appointments. They are prepping their homes for sale and want us to clean. Bunch of calls too from buyers who just got there settlement date and want us to clean before they move in.

 

[Papa John]

Good point Meg... but SF is a little strange. .. paying referral $$ doesn't seem to work here. Even when I tried the 1 room free thing it didnt work. I have nearly over 500 FBug online account customers and only 1 has sign up for SAFE referral credits n discounts.

 

[steve_64]

first impression is the most important thing when selling a home...although some realtors know this...it will surprise you how many don't and that is a good selling point...there is nothing you can really offer a agent.. although some do...it is unethical for them to accept anything....but you can offer all there clients a discount for using you and the agent involved.....another thing that helped me when I first started targeting reality is to offer the agents free touch ups on empty homes that you clean that are on the market every 2 months ....it is rare that you will touch one up...but it is a good service for them.......

Clean sells!!!

but convincing home owners of that is a tough sell around here. i have a couple realtors who know this but too often the homeowners want to do it themselves to save money. then they complain about the house not selling fast enough.

every one Genny or i have cleaned sold fast. a couple within 3 days on the market this last year.

Genny and i have been looking for a house and OMG are their some dirty homes on the market.

 

[WillS]

most the time it is pretty easy....here is the lock box code or the garage code...send me a bill......

Or charge my credit card on file. Love the same day pay. The investment realtors here are the best. Buying/Flipping houses, always empty, no one ever there, willing to pay whatever price to make it sellable. Wear headphones and clean. Repeat.

We also have a big vacation home rental market here, where homes are rented for a week to a month at a time. After the registered guest goes out, we go in clean, charge CC on file, and done. We have 2 of these accounts and they are great$$.

 

[TomKing]

Sounds like a topic in tom kings wheel house.

Not huge for me either but thats MY fault. Takes a different mindset to develop referral sources, have to make friends and build relationships.
Hard for someone to become a big source of referrals for you if they dont know you on a personal level.

I will be talking about it in Fl.
Get your plane tickets now and be apart of a fantastic event. Not my small part the whole thing.

 

[Mark Saiger]

I do great with reality jobs....I have a large amount of agents that I do work for....
they send me out to clean homes that the people still live in to get it market ready..
they send me out to clean the empties that are on the market or about to be put on the market....
or when a buyer wants it cleaned before move in...then those clients become repete and sometimes I get referrals from them....

I also clean 2 of there main offices and some of there homes.......

Targeting reality is no different then anything else......you can chose to work for the ones that sell the homes in the ghetto that are only looking for a cheap price....or you can target the high end reality that have no problems paying for a good job......

most the time it is pretty easy....here is the lock box code or the garage code...send me a bill......

Same for me as Jim.....

We have very good luck being referred by the realtors, because (as I was just told by 2 realtors today at the home show) we make them look fantastic with the service we provide....

And I am not the cheap guy in town...the more expensive guy

They all appreciate the quality and service.....

 

[NobleCarpetCleaners]

Many jobs per/year here from agents. Their industry is no different then ours, really good agents, really bad ones, some are flaky, some are goofy, many are just plain stupid and shouldn't have a license. Discount, oh that still cracks me up, like from a new one who's never talked to me. Price is the price, credit cards over the phone or check/cash in person. Chanced down my last payment way last year. I'm always thankful with them, let them know every time and move on......

 

[Papa John]

Ok Maybe I should Be GA GA for realtors Now!!

While doing job for RE---- the Home Stagers where there and now we have a Warehouse Of Rugs To do!

 

[Wing It]

Realtors have been huge for my business. They talk and spread the word. If you do a good job and charge reasonably, you should be an all star to them. I recently saved one realtors clients $3000 by making their rental look good for a $350 cleaning. Not to mention they can give me an honest assessment over the phone on sf, cleanliness, etc. They understand our capabilities. Not that it's a bad idea but I don't give anything to the realtors for referrals at this point. Many referrals are moving to bigger homes and plan on calling me from now on.

 

[Russ T.]

It's still a part of the market that's elusive to me.

I'm still relatively new to our market, @ 3 years. I'm not from IA.

I love what Mark and Chavez do at those Home Show deals but I haven't tried it yet.

Those BNI meetings make me a little nauseous.

 

[Jim Martin]

Those BNI meetings make me a little nauseous.

you hit the nail on the head with that one....

 

[D&G Carpet Cleaning]

Carpet cleaners and relaters always need each other.

 

[jcooper]

It's still a part of the market that's elusive to me.

Doesn't have to be some big thing. Find out who's big around you and send that owner an intro type letter and some cards. Then do it again.

I love what Mark and Chavez do at those Home Show deals but I haven't tried it yet.
Those BNI meetings make me a little nauseous.

I went to a bni meeting, ONCE.

 

[Shane Deubell]

It's still a part of the market that's elusive to me.

I'm still relatively new to our market, @ 3 years. I'm not from IA.

I love what Mark and Chavez do at those Home Show deals but I haven't tried it yet.

Those BNI meetings make me a little nauseous.

It's still a part of the market that's elusive to me.

I'm still relatively new to our market, @ 3 years. I'm not from IA.

I love what Mark and Chavez do at those Home Show deals but I haven't tried it yet.

Those BNI meetings make me a little nauseous.

Gotta start somewhere russ....

Ask mel to put together a list of 20 realtors. You can find them in the free real estate mags and google, plus start writing down names on signs as you drive around.

She can call them with a soft introduction, find out what groups/events they attend, mailing address, email is probably listed somewhere. Mail some business cards and short intro letter.
Then set up a routine to contact quarterly or whatever.

Tell them to call/email if their clients run into any cleaning problems. You have a lot of experience and can help them, plus you have some free spot cleaner if they need it.
Become a resource...

Best case is you make friends with a couple and then it will be easier to attend the events where others are.