How Come It Is So Difficult To Have Marketing/Business Discussions?

Shane Deubell

Supportive Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
4,052
How Come It Is So Difficult To Have Marketing/Business Discussions with carpet cleaners?
Most of us are not that big or clever that we we are divulging some super secret campaign to solve the JFK conspiracy...

Always found it weird that the smallest companies in the country {including mine} are the most secretive about this subject. Why is this such a taboo subject among carpet cleaners?

Richard talks about it everyday, Greg gave a whole hour presentation, Everything Ken does is out in the public to see.
 

smastio

Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2010
Messages
414
Location
St. Charles IL
Name
Steve Mastio
Shane - Excellent topic. the late Steve Jobs of Apple said it this way early in his career with Apple... "There are two type of thinkers - scarcity and abundance thinkers".
He went on to describe the difference as people with scarcity mentalities think that everything they know and experience has been by their own doing, and guard the knowledge as a golden egg; only to be divulged to their "inner circle" in secret meetings under the cloak of darkness for fear others would find out.
Abundance thinkers believe that more can be accomplished with group sharing and thinking. More open-source if you will.
People today are scared and trying to hang on to what they think they know as the secret sauce of their businesses. It's a shame. Communications is the key to every "successful" business and personal relationship and industry growth.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Newman

Chris A

Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2007
Messages
5,475
Location
OH
Name
Chris
I completely agree. I would love to hear some real world results from folks and not just "It worked" or it didn't work. I also imagine many guys just don't do much marketing, like me, and have little to share. But if it gets a conversation going, even at my expense, here's my marketing budget (approximately) and return on investment

Postcards, 6-12-18-24 month reminders- $100/month 10+:1 return
Postcards, In between reminders @250/month ?
Website promotion (SEO+Hosting) $240 5:1
Networking Group $50 10:1

Those are the ones I can track anyway. Never had someone say they called us because of our van (we ask everyone) but I'm sure its jogged some memories when I've cut them off or the fresh tank overflow dumped water onto the road. Other stuff we do includes thank you cards after the job, referral rewards cards (we don't really push that one we just do it when they come in). That's my little one truck shitshow anyway.
 

hogjowl

Idiot™
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
48,418
Location
Prattville, Alabama
Personally, I have always thought the real reason everybody seems so secretive about their marketing and advertising information is because they don't have any, don't do any, and are afraid to reveal that their public persona is not supported by fact.

Show me a marketer who knows what he's doing and I will show you a person who is either too busy to post, or who is trying to sell his system.
 

Chris A

Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2007
Messages
5,475
Location
OH
Name
Chris
Personally, I have always thought the real reason everybody seems so secretive about their marketing and advertising information is because they don't have any, don't do any, and are afraid to reveal that their public persona is not supported by fact.

Show me a marketer who knows what he's doing and I will show you a person who is either too busy to post, or who is trying to sell his system.

Yeah, and that.
 

Hoody

Supportive Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
6,358
Location
Bowling Green, Ohio
Name
Steven Hoodlebrink
Personally, I have always thought the real reason everybody seems so secretive about their marketing and advertising information is because they don't have any, don't do any, and are afraid to reveal that their public persona is not supported by fact.

Show me a marketer who knows what he's doing and I will show you a person who is either too busy to post, or who is trying to sell his system.

My first thought when Shane asked the question was, that every one dreams of being some guru and not really working after 50. They want to pack up their ideas and sell them as the greatest and latest marketing scheme.
 

Shane Deubell

Supportive Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
4,052
LOL
Who dreams of becoming a carpet cleaner guru, haha.

Actually marty if your marketing is working well you are probably sitting in front of a computer or on a phone, not out in the field.
 

hogjowl

Idiot™
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
48,418
Location
Prattville, Alabama
If my marketing was working well, I'd be cleaning all day. After awhile, I'd be off the truck and managing the estimates and the phone.

Only way I'd be able to be on the computer all day is if I had a brother to do the work, like Taco does.
 

ruff

Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
11,010
Location
San Francisco, CA
Name
Ofer Kolton
Shane - Excellent topic. the late Steve Jobs of Apple said it this way early in his career with Apple... "There are two type of thinkers - scarcity and abundance thinkers". ....

Abundance thinkers believe that more can be accomplished with group sharing and thinking. More open-source if you will.
May be a good point "smastio" though Steve Jobs' example may not be the best one. Apple never shared or opened its source and Mr. Jobs (and Apple) were very secretive and he pretty much was a perfectionist control freak.
Brilliant marketer though.
 
Last edited:

Dan

Supportive Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2006
Messages
979
Location
Beaumont, Ca
Name
Dan
Great topic. I would love to hear fron the guys who are where everyone wants to be to some degree. I always value the opinion of the successful and thats why I ask them the questions...
 

Mikey P

Administrator
Joined
Oct 6, 2006
Messages
114,116
Location
The High Chapperal
Is it really that much of a mystery on how to keep a couple of trucks busy?
-employ doughy homogenous, white women pleasing employees.
-pre vacuum when needed.
- freely hand out suggestions to help the home owner keep their shit cleaner.
Do a few extra dry strokes and our leave a fan
- send them a thank you card


And be a better spouse.





Do that and you are 1000% ahead of all the dopey unemployable retards in your town who think they are real business owners.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Ken Snow

Dan

Supportive Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2006
Messages
979
Location
Beaumont, Ca
Name
Dan
Is it really that much of a mystery on how to keep a couple of trucks busy?
-employ doughy homogenous, white women pleasing employees.
-pre vacuum when needed.
- freely hand out suggestions to help the home owner keep their shit cleaner.
Do a few extra dry strokes and our leave a fan
- send them a thank you card


And be a better spouse.





Do that and you are 1000% ahead of all the dopey unemployable retards in your town who think they are real business owners.

true but I'm more curious about what does and doesn't work as far as tactics to develope and deploy working mottos.
 

Shane Deubell

Supportive Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
4,052
Is it really that much of a mystery on how to keep a couple of trucks busy?
-employ doughy homogenous, white women pleasing employees.
-pre vacuum when needed.
- freely hand out suggestions to help the home owner keep their shit cleaner.
Do a few extra dry strokes and our leave a fan
- send them a thank you card


And be a better spouse.





Do that and you are 1000% ahead of all the dopey unemployable retards in your town who think they are real business owners.

Exactly!

None of this stuff is a "secret" but cleaners sometimes seem to act like it is. Their is no way special/secret way to advertise with $200 month...
 

Desk Jockey

Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2006
Messages
64,833
Location
A planet far far away
Name
Rico Suave
Only way I'd be able to be on the computer all day is if I had a brother to do the work, like Taco does.
Really? I work twice as hard as he does. He comes in late, takes three hour lunches and leaves early, when he is here he is doing everything but business, unless I snag him to approve some of my marketing sttthuff.

employ doughy homogenous, white women pleasing employees.
-pre vacuum when needed.
- freely hand out suggestions to help the home owner keep their shit cleaner.
Do a few extra dry strokes and our leave a fan
- send them a thank you card
Mike is right that will work well, not a bad plan if you're looking at slow but steady growth and minimal investment.

However if you want to grow you business faster it's going to take more concentrated effort and.....a little bit of cash depending on how rapid you want to grow. One word of caution, rapid growth isn't all it's cracked up to be, we have done it a couple of times in our history and it's tough to go though and still come out alive. It can truly knock you out of the game and I would suggest it unless you have all the people on the bus and all sitting in the right position.

Lots of avenues to get your message out there, from easy on the budget networking with centers of influence, to high profile marketing like Ken, where he is all over the media.

If you have some personality and are not that ugly (we can't all be Ken Snow) one of the best things you can do is network marketing. No that doesn't mean you go to the after hours chamber meeting and handout cards. They've seen that over and over and most likely your card will go right in the can. This is going to be a much slower process, if you've already been to these things you know how people cluster together. I've done it, you've probably done it too. We think we are "Networking", we are not, you're going to have to get out of your comfort zone and actually meet these people that can and will refer you once they get to know you, trust you and like you.

It takes time with this approach I give a step by step in my New Marketing Package,

Yes in my new package "Total Erection" you will learn how to build your business from scratch to something standing tall you can be proud of. Step by step of what to do and how to do it. No not 6-DVD's no not even 12 DVD's, but 18-DVD's on how to build your business!

I know sounds too good to believe? It is, yes once only available in Europe but though this special offer you can purchase this package that will not only make you rich rich but could give you a stiffie that might last more than four hours and cause you to seek medical help.

Only $1,595.00 but wait if you order now I'll throw in my 10-best closing lines, that's right TEN closer that will bring you boat loads of work and make this system almost free. (RIGHT :shifty:, I'm going to milk you like a cow for the next several years until you either grow or run out of money to pay me!)

BUY NOW operators are on duty!!!

:p


P.S.
Endless Referrals does have a step by step for you and it has a lot more great book and won't break your budget.
http://www.amazon.com/Endless-Referrals-Third-Bob-Burg/dp/0071462074
 

Steve Toburen

Supportive Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2006
Messages
1,912
Location
Durango, Colorado/Santiago, Dominican Republic
Name
Steve Toburen

Mikey P

Administrator
Joined
Oct 6, 2006
Messages
114,116
Location
The High Chapperal
He posted that from home on the toilet on his sMarty phone , so it only cost him the feeling in his legs for a few minutes.

Rich is one of the top five assets/features of this board
 

Desk Jockey

Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2006
Messages
64,833
Location
A planet far far away
Name
Rico Suave
It's Saturday. I work for free on Saturday mornings! ;)

Marty-3_zps7dce382f.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:

ruff

Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
11,010
Location
San Francisco, CA
Name
Ofer Kolton
I know sounds too good to believe? It is, yes once only available in Europe
Coming from the Middle East, we are pretty close to Europe and I can personally attest to Sir Richard's superior marketing prowess (not the side effects).

The Israelis bought his plan in 67 and kaboom, we now own the Sinai Desert, Golan Heights, West Bank and the clincher - the Gaza Strip.

Buy Richard's plan and good things are guaranteed to follow :winky:

And don't let the cheap toilet and hairy legs mislead you. Sir Richard is a dedicated professional.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Desk Jockey

The Great Oz

Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Messages
5,288
Location
seattle
Name
bryan
How Come It Is So Difficult To Have Marketing/Business Discussions with carpet cleaners?

Ken's response to hosting a MikeyFest said it; he didn't need dozens of guys that didn't know anything telling him what he was doing wrong. Or maybe sorting through worthwhile and worthless opinions is too time consuming. Or maybe everyone's business model or region is just different enough that much much more information is needed to give a valid response.

And without regard to any of these, Chavez will come along and force you to start an entirely new thread.
 

Shane Deubell

Supportive Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2011
Messages
4,052
Ken's response to hosting a MikeyFest said it; he didn't need dozens of guys that didn't know anything telling him what he was doing wrong. Or maybe sorting through worthwhile and worthless opinions is too time consuming. Or maybe everyone's business model or region is just different enough that much much more information is needed to give a valid response.

And without regard to any of these, Chavez will come along and force you to start an entirely new thread.

Sorting through worthless opinions doesn't seem to stop us on other topics....
 
Back
Top Bottom