I went out cold calling today... Spring is here!

[Jeremy]

I hit 10 commercial places (in my area that's all over town twice). Booked 1 meeting/estimate & 1 ($) cleaning both are assisted living homes. We'll have to see how the other 8 places turn out since I didn't get past the gate keepers. I got a couple compliments on my flyers & business cards too. One guy I had called on before said "Nicer flyers now, huh?"..." I like the cards too.". Any way, it was good to get out there again. It was even better to book some actual work in the process.

It seems (at least to me) like all the little things like Logo'd Polo Shirts, complimentary/matching marketing materials, private labeled spotter etc. make a difference in the customers eyes. What do you think?

I also got my post cards (second batch of basically the same card only resized to 4" x 6" & a slightly different offer) in today. I took a few hundred up to the video store I'm cleaning Sunday morning for them to hand out. I also took a few to a couple of Dog Grooming shops to "grace there counter"... I'll probably take them to the vets tomorrow.

The good news is: I won't be spending a ton of $ at the printers for a while & the cards, flyers & sales letters should pay off nicely. I have little hope for the year book ad... LOL I even got a 2 calls from my YP ad today. Spring is here! Lets hope that we all make a freakin' pile of $$.

 

[Guest]

Jeremy,

Go see those people every four weeks. Go the same time of the day. Don't stop going there until you have the work.

Dave

 

[Steve Toburen]

Good for you, Jeremy. Carpet cleaners will go to almost any length to avoid just going out there, sticking your hand out, looking the manager in the ye and saying, "I'm Steve Toburen with Jon-Don Cleaning and I would like to give you a proposal for your regular carpet care maintenance." (Actually I suggest you use your own name and company in place of mine but you are welcome to use my name if you want.)

"Face to face, belly to belly"- the fastest, easiest, most effective and certainly the cheapest marketing you will ever do. The problem? We do it once or twice and then one of two things happen: a) we get discouraged and quit or b) we get busy and quit.

The key is one DEDICATED SALES MORNING per week where you set the solemn goal of calling on 20 businesses. Get in- get out using the above statement. 2 or more of the 20 will ask for a proposal- 50% of these will sign on the dotted line. One morning per week- at least fifty new commercial accounts per year. (I'm giving you two weeks vacation!)

This is called "working the law of large numbers" and it works. OR a person can stay home and wait for the phone to ring ... As usual, we all make choices.

Respectfully submitted,

Steve Toburen CR
Director of Training
Jon-Don's Strategies for Success

PS One more reminder. ALWAYS give the customer the option of a regular maintenance contract at a reduced price. When we sold our company we had a stack of contracts that brought in over 20K per month. this added substantially to the sales price and the appeal of the business.

NOTE: I do have a short "Alabama style" Special Report on the above commercial work concepts and am working on a longer one. If anyone wants an e-mailed copy just write me at stoburen@homefrontsuccess.com and I wil lsend you one. If you wish, I will also put you on a list to received the new one when I am done with it. No charge.

 

[Charlie Lyman]

Steve,
Just your input here alone is worth $5.00 a month. Thanks.

 

[Steve Toburen]

Thanks, Charles. But just 5 bucks a month? If my boss Nick Paolella reads this a reduction in my salary may be coming up!

Steve

PS I try to make every post contain something of value. But if I ramble on then Sutley nails me. Therefore the Special Report offers which allow me to expound at length!

OK, WHO STUCK THIS BOOK IN HERE ON ME? EVERYBODY WHO KNOWS ME KNOWS THAT I DO NOT REMOTELY HAVE THE TECHNICAL SKILLS OR INTEREST TO DO SUCH A THING. NOT TOO MENTION HOW CRUEL THIS HAS TO BE FOR DEAR MARTY'S TENDER SENSIBILITIES!

 

[Larry Cobb]

Steve;

If it is indeed Alabama style,

then it should only be one sentence...


Larry Cobb

 

[danpauselius]

Anybody have a good commercial cleaning contract they wouldn't mind sharing?

 

[Jeremy]

 

[danpauselius]

Jeremy, what do I tell them when they ask what is behind all the black lines?

 

[danpauselius]

Seriously, can you e-mail that to me.

I can't read it too well.

danpauselius@yahoo.com

Thanks

 

[Jeremy]

Check your email.

 

[floorguy]

hahah dan....and i NEEDED a good laugh today...

 

[danpauselius]

Thanks Jeremy.

When you really need a good laugh, just imagine you naked friend getting arrested.

Your friends are as bad as mine.

 

[steve r]

i went to two churches one day one said theyre partitioners or whatever did it the other said he gave me respect for going out and knocking on doors. i measured it up and he is taking to theyre meeting to have me clean. no competition just mine. should hear in a couple weeks when i need to clean it.