Marketing tip for slow time of year

[Chris Howell]

Here's a little marketing tip for those of you who are interested:

Churches are a great source of business. They typically have high volumes of traffic and a limited budget for maintaining their carpets (since they depend on charitable contributions to survive).

Remember that many churches are flush with money this time of year as people tend to be more generous during holidays such as Christmas, New Years, and Easter.

You can approach a church and determine how much you want to complete the job. Say the price that you want to charge is $700 to clean the sanctuary and hallways. You can quote them $1,200.00 to do the entire job and tell them that you would like to give a $500 donation back to the church toward whatever ministry they would like to apply it to. That way you're getting the price that you want for the job, the church is getting their carpet cleaned for a fair price AND getting a contribution back toward their ministries, and you're getting a tax write-off. And it's totally legit.

We've used this strategy many times, though we do it [of course] with dyeing and color restoration services, not cleaning services.

 

[Mikey P]

Don't bother soliciting Kingdom Halls or Tabernacles...

 

[Willy P]

So you lie to churches? Be a liar! Make more money! You asked what makes me better than the competition - honesty and integrity leap to mind. Totally legit? Totally underhanded.

 

[Bruce Humphrey]

Why stop at $500 ? If the carpet cleaning job cost $700 then charge $10,700 and tell the church you will donate $10,000 back? sounds like a win win

Chris please explain this better so it doesn't sound like it does.

 

[wilpath]

i dont think he can,,lol

 

[Bob Pruitt]

I tried to tell him in the original thread. Seems like a kick back. Doesn't seem better because you get a tax advantage.
Definitely would want to run this by your Tax Advisor IMO.

 

[WillS]

Make a deal with them. Whatever they collect in the church coffer for the whole month will be the price of the cleaning. It'll be a gamble, but so is religion.

 

[Chris Howell]

So you lie to churches? Be a liar! Make more money! You asked what makes me better than the competition - honesty and integrity leap to mind. Totally legit? Totally underhanded.

Nope. Don't lie to churches.

C'mon. You can do better than that.

 

[Willy P]

Bullshit to cover the other bullshit. You want $700 to do the job but you tell them 1200 so you can appear to be generous and give them back the $500 you overcharged and told fairy tales about in the first place. Maybe you have another definition of being a liar, but that fits right in my description.

 

[D Luke]

So you're getting $1,200 in revenue that will be subjected to both income and SE tax and then getting a $500 deduction that will reduce only income tax (and that's if and only if you itemize on Schedule A).

Bad strategy.

 

[D Luke]

So you're getting $1,200 in revenue that will be subjected to both income and SE tax and then getting a $500 deduction that will reduce only income tax (and that's if and only if you itemize on Schedule A).

Bad strategy.

 

[Willy P]

Lie -a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth; a falsehood


So that doesn't fit the , um, STRATEGY?

 

[BIG WOOD]

I had some good strategies in marketing with Churches last year. The 40% donation is a little on the dramatic side, and churches aren't stupid.

But 10% donations is more legit, and offering a free demo on one of their rooms is all they need, because they either have a tiny portable in their closet or a buffer with a few bonnets with one of their members doing the work.

Hand donating a nice brochure get a lot more feedback than a mailout. I found out that when you meet the people that run the church, and chat it up with them a bit, you'll get work in no time

 

[Jimmy L]

As if churches and religion in general don't lie?

 

[Chris Howell]

Works for me.

What strategies do you employ that work well for you?

 

[Willy P]

The funny part is it started at $900 an hour, then it was "corrected" to just him that earns that, then the $250 an hour techs only earn $1000 a day , then tell whoppers to churches..... Try telling the truth because all I see is someone telling so much horse manure that they can't keep the story straight. How do you expect to build trust when there's so many conflicting stories?

 

[WillS]

As if churches and religion in general doesn't lie?

I knew there was something deep down I liked about Jimmy.

...we all must be a little slow this week to be on the board on a Wednsday at Noon discussing over charging churches

 

[Willy P]

I knew there was something deep down I liked about Jimmy.

Are you sure its not diarrhea?

 

[WillS]

Are you sure its not diarrhea?

LOL. Where is that crying emoticon at?

 

[Chris Howell]

The funny part is it started at $900 an hour, then it was "corrected" to just him that earns that, then the $250 an hour techs only earn $1000 a day , then tell whoppers to churches..... Try telling the truth because all I see is someone telling so much horse manure that they can't keep the story straight. How do you expect to build trust when there's so many conflicting stories?

Probably best if you come see for yourself.

 

[Nomad74]

I'm cleaning my church this week. I'm way overcharging........... Free

 

[BIG WOOD]

I'm cleaning my church this week. I'm way overcharging........... Free

No offense Damon, but, unless that church is a little poor church with only a few members, it can afford to pay one of it's members to clean their carpet. I know it makes you look good in front of the leaders of the church and all, but, I feel that if the church really cares about their members, they would and should want them to succeed by helping you in your business, just like you help them in your Sunday Donations.

I was like this at one time in my ignorant life. If they cared enough about you, they would pay you, and realize that you or them will reap what they sow. I'm certain that you would feel grateful to them supporting your business and you'd want to be generous in your donation.

But they don't think on terms like that, which is why it really bothers me. They want everyone to "donate" their time. Nowadays...churches are a Business, not a religion. And all the members need to start thinking along that.

I'm off my soapbox now. I'll shut up

 

[Nomad74]

No offense Damon, but, unless that church is a little poor church with only a few members, it can afford to pay one of it's members to clean their carpet. I know it makes you look good in front of the leaders of the church and all, but, I feel that if the church really cares about their members, they would and should want them to succeed by helping you in your business, just like you help them in your Sunday Donations.

I was like this at one time in my ignorant life. If they cared enough about you, they would pay you, and realize that you or them will reap what they sow. I'm certain that you would feel grateful to them supporting your business and you'd want to be generous in your donation.

But they don't think on terms like that, which is why it really bothers me. They want everyone to "donate" their time. Nowadays...churches are a Business, not a religion. And all the members need to start thinking along that.

I'm off my soapbox now. I'll shut up

Heathen

 

[WillS]

There goes Matt's get out of hell free card.

 

[Willy P]

Probably best if you come see for yourself.

Why would I do that? You've proven yourself to , well, not be a friend of truth or there wouldn't be so many glaring holes ( or outright fibs to churches) in your narratives. I can get all the horse manure I need here for free.

 

[Chris Howell]

No offense Damon, but, unless that church is a little poor church with only a few members, it can afford to pay one of it's members to clean their carpet. I know it makes you look good in front of the leaders of the church and all, but, I feel that if the church really cares about their members, they would and should want them to succeed by helping you in your business, just like you help them in your Sunday Donations.

I was like this at one time in my ignorant life. If they cared enough about you, they would pay you, and realize that you or them will reap what they sow. I'm certain that you would feel grateful to them supporting your business and you'd want to be generous in your donation.

But they don't think on terms like that, which is why it really bothers me. They want everyone to "donate" their time. Nowadays...churches are a Business, not a religion. And all the members need to start thinking along that.

I'm off my soapbox now. I'll shut up

Totally agree. I'm willing to donate my time to my church to help with landscaping, carpentry, plumbing, electrical, etc. But when it comes to anything to do with carpeting, they need to pay as that's my livelihood. I'm happy to give them a reduced rate, however.

 

[Bob Savage]

We clean a few churches, even a Kingdom Hall, and charge them all a fair price, including our own church (.14 sq. ft.).

We do not give them money back from our work done there, but we do tithe to our church, and also volunteer at our church by being on the ministry team for Celebrate Recovery (a 12 Step recovery program) for the past 6 years.

 

[Chris Howell]

We clean a few churches, even a Kingdom Hall, and charge them all a fair price, including our own church (.14 sq. ft.).

We do not give them money back from our work done there, but we do tithe to our church, and also volunteer at our church by being on the ministry team for Celebrate Recovery (a 12 Step recovery program) for the past 6 years.

Very cool. I've been playing keyboards on a praise team since 2001. I also have attended quite a few Celebrate Recovery meetings myself. Thought about playing keys in them, but really can't take on any additional time commitments right now.

Very cool that you do that.

 

[BIG WOOD]

Heathen

Don't thump that bible at me.

 

[Jimmy L]

Nothing like doing it for free................and buying your way into heaven.