Marketing

Joined
Oct 29, 2020
Messages
13
Location
Deltona, Florida
Name
David Melo
Hey everyone my name is David I am new to this forum. After 20 yrs working for my dads carpet cleaning business I decided on starting my own in Florida last year. I tried google adwords but it's pricey. My dad was known in the area and he started in the days of word of mouth and yellow pages. I have a website and extensive knowledge in SEO which I have applied to my site. Now waiting for it to work. What are you all doing to get new business?
 

Jim Williams

Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2006
Messages
1,462
Location
Bynum N.C.
Name
Jim Williams
Most of these old farts have been in business since the Earth cooled and are mostly repeats and referrals with a website. When I started 16 years ago I did YP ads, newspapers, val-pak, postcard mailing to nice areas. They all brought in customers and created a snowball effect of referrals.

Once you start getting some business people will put you on neighborhood list serves and Nextdoor and it will eventually snowball if you do a great job and charm the middle age mommas..
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cleanworks

sassyotto

Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2013
Messages
1,096
Location
Wisconsin
Name
Paul
ok, so Im an old timer that started back in the yellow pages days. BUT, if I were to start over again, this is what I would do (which is opposite of what every other newbie carpet cleaner will do)

First you have to understand that Marketing isnt just paying for advertising. Google ads, Yelp and every other kind. Marketing is also going out to meet people that can funnel the work to you.

My favorite is REALTORS! I work with several realtors and they provide a ton of work. plus I cant pass up cleaning a vacant house. (did one today) Go meet them at their office. the largest Real Estate office in my city has monthly staff meetings where they bring in a vendor to speak. What an opportunity! my son bought a house and his realtor has a list of preferred vendors she endorses. Id talk to her about being on her list but already have more business than I can handle.

Then visit carpet stores. Yes many wont be interested but you only need one to make a lot of money. There is a family owned carpet store in my area that has referred me for years.

Make a list of trades that can funnel people to you. Then market to them every month whether your busy cleaning or not.

People buy from people. Since you dont have referrals from customers, find the people that can refer people to you.

Or just waste your money on ads.
 
Joined
Oct 7, 2006
Messages
18,834
Location
Benton KY USA
Name
Lee Stockwell
1976-83 bright factory green with sign.

Then off, 83-99 two white vans with full Bane signage (felt invisibly generic)

2000 to present, 5 vans, back to bright (Dupont gs100) green.

Going to paint two more later this winter,
 

Old Coastie

Supportive Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2015
Messages
7,504
Location
Heart of Dixie
Name
Stephen
My van is eye-popping. Hired two ladies last week to help with a job. During lunch one commented that the van looks like a rapist van.
I suspect that she is related to A certain someone who shall remain nameless. But apparently they were both much surprised not to be offered candy and a ride.
 

Nomad74

Boy Sprout
Joined
Feb 4, 2016
Messages
23,461
Location
Redding
How old are you, can you carry on a conversation? And don't tell me you can because everyone thinks they can and everyone thinks they are a people person, when in actuality they suck. Do you breath through your mouth or nose? Word of mouth is still very effective and in my opinion stronger than it was in the old days. Now every noob and rocket scientist is trying to out social media each other with adwords and FaceBook ads. There is a gap in the face to face marketing. No one does it anymore. Your strength is your ability to get up close and personal with your customers. Stinky Steamer can't do that.
 

Mikey P

Administrator
Joined
Oct 6, 2006
Messages
112,308
Location
The High Chapperal
ok, so Im an old timer that started back in the yellow pages days. BUT, if I were to start over again, this is what I would do (which is opposite of what every other newbie carpet cleaner will do)

First you have to understand that Marketing isnt just paying for advertising. Google ads, Yelp and every other kind. Marketing is also going out to meet people that can funnel the work to you.

My favorite is REALTORS! I work with several realtors and they provide a ton of work. plus I cant pass up cleaning a vacant house. (did one today) Go meet them at their office. the largest Real Estate office in my city has monthly staff meetings where they bring in a vendor to speak. What an opportunity! my son bought a house and his realtor has a list of preferred vendors she endorses. Id talk to her about being on her list but already have more business than I can handle.

Then visit carpet stores. Yes many wont be interested but you only need one to make a lot of money. There is a family owned carpet store in my area that has referred me for years.

Make a list of trades that can funnel people to you. Then market to them every month whether your busy cleaning or not.

People buy from people. Since you dont have referrals from customers, find the people that can refer people to you.

Or just waste your money on ads.



this.
 

Mikey P

Administrator
Joined
Oct 6, 2006
Messages
112,308
Location
The High Chapperal
How old are you, can you carry on a conversation? And don't tell me you can because everyone thinks they can and everyone thinks they are a people person, when in actuality they suck. Do you breath through your mouth or nose? Word of mouth is still very effective and in my opinion stronger than it was in the old days. Now every noob and rocket scientist is trying to out social media each other with adwords and FaceBook ads. There is a gap in the face to face marketing. No one does it anymore. Your strength is your ability to get up close and personal with your customers. Stinky Steamer can't do that.


this too



DO NOT RUSH through 1st time customers.
 
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
1,144
Location
cape coral fl.
Name
jack zerkie
Hey everyone my name is David I am new to this forum. After 20 yrs working for my dads carpet cleaning business I decided on starting my own in Florida last year. I tried google adwords but it's pricey. My dad was known in the area and he started in the days of word of mouth and yellow pages. I have a website and extensive knowledge in SEO which I have applied to my site. Now waiting for it to work. What are you all doing to get new business?
Try using your Dads company name if possible use his list of customers. They should know you from working for them. Just use them as a start. jz.
 

BIG WOOD

MLPW
Joined
Feb 4, 2016
Messages
13,157
Location
Georgia
Name
Matt w.
Word of mouth was and is the best way. But unlike the old days that didn’t have social media, word of mouth can multiply hundreds upon hundreds of viewers in only 24 hrs if you get the right facebookers as your customers.
 

Acp

Member
Joined
May 15, 2017
Messages
1,093
Location
Seattle
Name
Bjorn Marshall
facebook - booked out a month consistently and good customers, nothing super high end which rarely comes from ads anyways (usually word of mouth) but the jobs are fun as so many of these people have never used a professional carpet cleaner before or they have used some floor buffer bum.

google ad words your marketing to a certain "pool" of customers who are actively looking for carpet cleaning and thats competitive, with facebook your hitting people who arent actively looking

the best part, someone can talk to their friend in a room and use the words carpet cleaning... or on the phone and then they can get hit with your Ad. How crazy is that?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lee Stockwell

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom