Greg Cole....Let's hear it

[Brian R]

Hey Greg,
I would like to hear how you do it...You don't have to give away secrets (unless you want to) but I would sure like to hear your point of view on getting more business etc.

Any attacks on Greg will be deleted. Constructive questions and comments are fine but I would like to give Greg the room for a bit.

I would really appreciate NOT attacking Greg in this thread even though they'll be deleted. Thanks


Whattya say?
Would you like to share how it's done?

Thanks Greg.

 

[Greg Cole]

Sure,
Ill post some. although, I have to be careful as to how much I share as I am in the process of completing a book on marketing.

Marketing is simple if you go at it with the intention of marketing rather than advertising. I have posted numerous times on here about the difference so feel free to search in archives.
1. Know your audience. - who are they? specifically by demographic.
2. develop a product/service that you can deliver over and over again for a high profi margin with consistency. Make sure this product/service meets the needs of your audience
3. make absolutely sure there s a need for your service.
4. know your strengths. Outsource what you are weak at. Don't just find someone you "know" that sas they can do it- interview multiple people and pick the best person for the job.
5. Decide what ONE thing is going to make people remember you. Market the living heck out of that one thing.
6. Decide on a growth strategy and be prepared to work like mad to achieve sucess.
7. Pay attention to your competitors and adjust accordingly.
8. Realize that a marketing plan take weeks to devlop and years to implement. If you simply want more work- go contract it from someone. If you want MORE LIFELONG CUSTOMERS: realize that you have to take yourself out of the equation. Most cleaners build jobs for themselves. They build their "job" based on how good they are. They often brag to customers about their skills or the power of their truck. HUGe MISTAKES. When the newness of the new relationship with their carpet cleaner wears off- they stop refering people and eventually shop elsewhere. Develop a marketing plan that focuses on what you TRULY can bring to the table.

go take a SFS class.


alas i must cut this short, tonight is particularly tough foer me . a guy that worked with us on and off for almost 10 years ( left us about a year ago) was found dead today due to a gunshot to the chest. they found the body today. you can read more on my ics post. Howard Partridge has offerred to help put together a fundraiser of sorts for his family who is hurting financially. if youd like to help email me

 

[Brian R]

Wow, thanks Greg...sorry to hear about your friend.


1. Know your audience. - who are they? specifically by demographic--- Who is our audience...is it the same for every cleaner?

5. Decide what ONE thing is going to make people remember you. Market the living heck out of that one thing. ---What is that one thing for you Greg?

7. Pay attention to your competitors and adjust accordingly. ---What do we look for?

This needs repeating

If you want MORE LIFELONG CUSTOMERS: realize that you have to take yourself out of the equation. Most cleaners build jobs for themselves. They build their "job" based on how good they are. They often brag to customers about their skills or the power of their truck. HUGe MISTAKES

I think this is for the guy or company that wants to grow...if a local guy wants to stay that "local guy" then I see no harm in promoting their talent etc.
I don't think you can grow to more than a few trucks.....this has been my "problem'. I focus so much on quality that I take my business out of some of the game. The quality can still be there...but I don't need to worry about it so much.


This also needs repeating

go take a SFS class.

It's a game changer and life changer.

 

[Ken Snow]

We have not had a problem with the local perception Brian and we have lots of trucks.

Well said Greg, thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Brian the audience for carpet cleaning varies just like it does in every business from retail to service.

There are ultra high end furniture stores like Roche' Bubois where a decent sofa can be $10,000 Costco where you can buy a nice looking sofa for $300-400. And how about beef? You can have a 6 pack of great tasting sliders from White Castle for $2 or get the same amount of beef at Capital Grill for about $40.

The audience for the 2 extremes are quite different on average with some crossover (I have eaten at both multiple times). There are plenty of prospects to go around and I will take as many of them from the 2 extremes for our business as I can and like Greg says deliver them a product they want and that fits in to our business philosophy.

Ken

 

[Greg Cole]

Wow, thanks Greg...sorry to hear about your friend.


1. Know your audience. - who are they? specifically by demographic--- Who is our audience...is it the same for every cleaner?NOT THE SAME for every cleaner. White, black, hispanic, residential, commercial, homeowner, apartment buildings, rich, poor, middle class

5. Decide what ONE thing is going to make people remember you. Market the living heck out of that one thing. ---What is that one thing for you Greg?i change it up on a regular bais but the message I have been sending since the recession started is: "YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY ALOT OF $ TO GET YOUR CARPETS CLEANED"

7. Pay attention to your competitors and adjust accordingly. ---What do we look for?message, share of voice, trends, pricing variances, weaknesses, buy out opportunities,

This needs repeating
Quote:
If you want MORE LIFELONG CUSTOMERS: realize that you have to take yourself out of the equation. Most cleaners build jobs for themselves. They build their "job" based on how good they are. They often brag to customers about their skills or the power of their truck. HUGe MISTAKES

I think this is for the guy or company that wants to grow...if a local guy wants to stay that "local guy" then I see no harm in promoting their talent etc.
I don't think you can grow to more than a few trucks.....this has been my "problem'. I focus so much on quality that I take my business out of some of the game. The quality can still be there...but I don't need to worry about it so much.
I disagree. NO-ONE wants to work forever. Owning a business means it is something worth OWNING. Meaning it could and should be sold when the owner is ready to retire. If the reason theya re using your company is simply the cleaner- it is a going out of business plan. The thought process behind this is: you talk all about your skills, eventually you get a helper or another truck? When and if you add a couple of trucks- is the emphasis is going to be on their skill set? How do you stay in business when those cleaners leave? Particularly if they try to steal your customer base? The owner can still clean but the marketing message shouldn't be about your skill set. It should be about the benefit of using your company. Even if you are small, you need to focus on what you want to become. Build all your systems with your ultimate goal in mind. For instance, I started my company with 3 contractors. I only wanted to grow it to 5-7. BUT, I built systems that could easily be reproduced and little adjustment was needed to accomodate growth. Eventually I had 10. Then 15, 23,30, 50, and now well over 60. It's not about what you want, rather it is about what the business wants. I have always lived professionally by a moto: "GROW it or CLOSE it" Quality isnt your problem in growing, its the fact that you need to develop systems to accomodate growth.

I loved the analogy in SFS of the 3 boats. THe first being the 1 man sailboat. The second being a racing sailboat (skipper + 10-15 crew members) The third being a large ship with a captain, 1st mate, dozens of crew members, etc.. The one they left off is the admiral in the flag ship with the smaller vessels running behind it. The flag ship plows the way making it easier for the smaller vessels to travel and survive. This is the model I have created. However I have modified it. We use contractors (esentially the one man boat) that are able to coast behind the smaller vessels and the flag ship. It's a win win for everyone. As many here likely recognize: Franchises also run a similar operation. I have always believed that if you don't possess the wits to build all the systems from the ground up (or you just don't want the headaches) you should buy a franchise. Just make sure it is a proven one

 

[Brian R]

Makes sense.
I fell into that trap of getting everyone to fall in love with "me the cleaner" and then when I jumped off the truck...I didn't have that anymore.
Some have accused me of deceiving my customer base into making them think it's me coming to clean....which is why I did my video with a couple of Techs cleaning.
But I'm sure some of my customers still expected me.

I've done my best to set up systems and it's working out OK...it needs to get better...and it will.

After reading your posts Greg...and I will need to read them a couple of times. lol ...I've again decided to change my strategies for success. shiteatinggrin
Not huge changes at a glance but huge changes in the effects...hopefully.

Thanks for playing...keep it going...if not for any other reason than for my reading enjoyment. :mrgreen:

Brian

PS. Let us know when the book is out....We'll do a Mikey's Board book of the month club. lol

 

[Art Kelley]

**Anyone attacking Cole in this thread will have the post deleted.**
-Brian

 

[Lee Stockwell]

only from THIS thread Art

 

[Greg Cole]

I appreciate it too. It's rather annoying to have people ask for my opinions and help only to have naysayers personally attack me and hijack threads. Makes people NOT want to post

 

[Brian R]

I know you have to expect that on this board...sometimes it's part of the fun...I just wanted to make an exception so we can get the whole story or picture.
Anything else to add would be great Greg.

 

[Greg Cole]

If you haven't read already, one of our longterm contractors : Yevgeniy (Eugene) Semenikhin was found dead Wednesday due to an apparent gunshot to the chest. He was 28! His family is in really rough shape and simply don't have the money needed for the funeral. Howard and I are doing a free webinar on building a marketing plan in hopes of raising money to help them. (We simply as that you make a contribution)

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/389436465

Or if you'd just like to help someone in our industry you can donate here: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?c ... MPGH8XCWL&
lc=US&item_name=Memorial%20Fund%20for%20Yevgeniy%20Semenikhin¤cy_code=
USD&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF%3abtn_donateCC_LG%2egif%3aNonHosted

Thanks for reading this and GOD BLESS

 

[Jerry]

Thanks Greg and Brian for posting these questions and answers,I appreciate it!

 

[Brian R]

Hopefully more to come.

 

[Greg Cole]

if you have questions. feel free to ask them

 

[Bjorn]

how exactly does the buffet pricing work

 

[Mikey P]

Greg, are you coming the mikefest?

Maybe we can put you on stage with some other biz owners like Harper to discuss differnet ways to run a multi truck biz, Corky and Ken too

 

[Mikey P]

Steve Cameron too

 

[Greg Cole]

Greg, are you coming the mikefest?

Maybe we can put you on stage with some other biz owners like Harper to discuss differnet ways to run a multi truck biz, Corky and Ken too

LOL- I cant get Harper to meet me in Tampa. Certainly NOT going to TN to meet him.
but seriously, my schedule is packed

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Greg I would pay top dollar to hear you speak if you could bring along a couple contractors and let us pick their brains a part.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

His worst nightmare. Thus he's not coming...

 

[Greg Cole]

Greg I would pay top dollar to hear you speak if you could bring along a couple contractors and let us pick their brains a part.

$20k and it is a deal

 

[Mikey P]

Cole wont come because he cant answer every question that would come from this group.


But I understand.

 

[XTREME1]

unfortunately as much I personally like my man greg cole he was the silent partner in this webinar, I guess because he was the architect and the reason for helping he gets props

 

[Greg Cole]

Cole wont come because he cant answer every question that would come from this group.


But I understand.

Daniel offerred to pay top dollar. My price is $20k. I will donate every penny to the charitable fund I set up for he family of : Yevgeniy Semenikhin. <read the story on other posts>

I'll pay my own way and bring 2 contractors with me. You can grill the shit out of me all day! Obviously the contractors will likely quit so make sure you time your questions early! lol
For $20k to this guys family, I can take a good roasting shiteatinggrin AND feel free to film it!

So? Put up or shut up?
Linkage for the paypal is all over this and ICS. Mikey - you are rich - pony up?

 

[Greg Cole]

unfortunately as much I personally like my man greg cole he was the silent partner in this webinar, I guess because he was the architect and the reason for helping he gets props

It Howards show. He was a class act for doing it. I contributed as much as I could. Regretably: No-one asked any hard questions.
I would have gladly answered them. Either way, thanks for listening! I know my voice is pretty nasally! lol Thanks for NOT hanging up!

Anyways, hopefully you can throw the poor kids family a few bucks?

 

[XTREME1]

I certainly will, I was the one posting saying don't let these broke fucks leave without paying. You did bob and weave Greg

 

[Greg Cole]

I certainly will, I was the one posting saying don't let these broke fucks leave without paying. You did bob and weave Greg

Cool- thanks Crowley! So far we have one donation......
Did I? didn't realize! what question did I dodge you want answered?

 

[XTREME1]

we don't want to open this up you ducked alot of numbers and howard was very kind. I would be insulted by the description of your business, so I see both sides

 

[XTREME1]

and I still didn't get the donation email

 

[Greg Cole]

and I still didn't get the donation email

Strange,

Here is the link direct:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?c ... MPGH8XCWL&
lc=US&item_name=Memorial%20Fund%20for%20Yevgeniy%20Semenikhin¤cy_code=
USD&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF%3abtn_donateCC_LG%2egif%3aNonHosted">"Donation
Page"</a>