Interview with Steve Cameron 1-31-07

Mikey P

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Well it's that time again.



First a little about our Hot Seater tonight.


Mr Steve Cameron.



I started my business in 1977 at the age of 20. I got my first tm installed one year later on my 21st birthday. The next year I got another tm. We were doing alot of apartments and. restaurants while trying to build the residential side thru yellow pages and Valpak. The problem was that I was in the coupon world, and could not get out of it. I spent the next 10 or so years this way, but I was real strong on the technical side. I was fortunate to have learned from some of the very best. Flood work from Lloyd Weaver, Furniture and Drapery cleaning from Murray Cramer, Jeff Bishop, Ron Toney, Ed York, and others. I was a Master cleaner in the early 80's.

After struggling for another 5 years are so, I started to realize that being the best cleaner did not matter all that much .By this Pointe, I was pretty much burned out and just went thru the motions for another 5 to 7 years while we raised our kids, and spent alot of time with that. {the best time of my life, I might add }

Then, around 2001, out of desperation I sent off for Joes package. Once we started implementing the strategies, the business took off like a rocket.
 

Mikey P

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Steve,

I think you'd probably agree that marketing to your current clients is the absolute best way to gain business.

But, what have you had the best luck with in gaining new clients? What advertising media, offer, and leading benefit did you use?

John Braun
 

Mikey P

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Yes that’s right John, your current client base is an absolute goldmine.

We have a couple good things going on right now. First, the on line service web sites are pulling well…. There are several in our market and we average about 10 on line jobs per month. Referrals are our next best revenue generator. We are fortunate in that any time a client wants to do research our name keeps popping up. Plus, we drive everyone to our own website.

Also, our own direct response marketing to targeted areas is and has always pulled well.
We use several of the Piranha Marketing strategies to accomplish this.

Steve
 

Mikey P

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"Did you also consider Howard Partridges program?"

After I had so much success with Joe's materials, I did go to Howard's round table meeting in 2005. Had a great time and learned alot.


"Care to guess where your biz would be today if not for Joe?"

Well, I am pretty sure that my wife would have gone back to work, and I would be a one man show. Still trying to figure it all out.




Steve Cameron
 

Mikey P

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And


How does it work when you have more then one Joe faithful using his Yellow Page ad format in the same book?


Same recorded message, same verbiage....
 

Cameron1

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Caryn and I have been to the last 5 Boot Camps. Each one is different and has its own personality. Always different speakers, new ideas, and plenty of new marketing themes.

...Its a great way to re-energize and keep your fingers on the pulse of the industry.
 

Cameron1

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To be honest with you Mike, it has never really been a problem. There is just not the exposure here in the south that there is in other parts of the country. The ones who have tried it usually fade pretty fast. They don't know how to market the USP they claim.
 

KC OHanlon

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Hi Steve, how about a snapshot of where your company is now.
Target market
How many trucks
Residential/commercial/restoration blend
 

Mikey P

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We had a one "Joe" guy here who lasted one phone book then sold off his client base to one of the members here.


He was newcomer who didn't know this biz, ran crews from the get go and his claims of "we live and breath Carpet Cleaning" didn't quite sound true..



My question is, how much do you think did he pay Joe for the failed council?
 

Cameron1

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Yes there are many. That's the beauty of Jose 105 marketing strategies. You can pick and choose the ones you want to use. You can also try each one and eliminate or tweak the ones that don't work as well.

The main one that comes to my mind is the client counsel. That is were you invite your top clients to dinner and let them tell you why they love you so much.

It has worked well for others but not for me.
 

Cameron1

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We have 4 trucks, and this year we grossed 478,000. Our average job for the year was $345.00. We lost well over $100,000 this past year. My problem was finding help. From Sept Thur Dec of 2006 we were booked 3 weeks out


Yes I won the hummer in 2003.


I don't know what he paid Joe for the council, but with anything you always get out what you put in. And Joe has a money back guarantee
 
F

FB7777

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I heard the truly faithful followers are moving on to real estate sales and quitting carpet cleaning
 
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What good ideas has Joe received from you?

(I ask that because I think the value many get from Pirhana is actually rubbing elbows with successful cleaners, certainly not from the "genius" himself.)
 

Cameron1

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That's the beauty about marketing. It will apply to any industry. The same things that I use for my business will work for Realtors as well
 
G

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How many chimps do you have..and how many jobs do you book for a work day?



Chad
 

Cameron1

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Yes Lee, the synergy produced from brainstorming with marketing minded individuals will produce results that will benefit everyone. Joe has always stated that he learns as much from us as we do from him. But Joe is not just about marketing. He tries to get people to think like an entrepreneur and provides tools to expand your business planning and life long goals.
 
G

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If you grossed $478,000. How much of that went back into advertising?

What do you feel is your biggest bang for the buck regarding advertising?
 

Cameron1

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No I did not see it coming. We were all prepared and then the chimps stopped chimping. I have 3 full timers now and need 3 more. I went through 6 this past year. My lead chimp has been with me 8 years.

We try to average 3 jobs per truck per day. I am the fall back guy on the 4th truck. And I try to do all the inspections.
 

Cameron1

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Yes, bad math Mike. WE have 4 trucks , but we did not run all 4. Could not find the help
 

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