Trade Show

[SRI Cleaning]

My partner and I started our business 2 years ago. To drum up business, we marketed to apartment complexs. I know the money is not good, but it got us rolling and keeps us busy while we build up our resi side. Plus i am learning by cleaning the worst of the worst.

Anyway we joined an apartment owners asociation, and yesterday they had a trade show, so we got a booth. The response I got was incredible!! Not only from apartment owners, but you would be suprised how many "small time" apartment owners have other small businesses. I already am sceduling peoples own homes as well. We even had 2 restoration companies talk to us about partnering up when they are slammed with work. It was a great experience all around and i just wanted to let everyone know.

 

[D.Layman]

Use to be a member of the AAOGO.. Apartment Association of Greater Orlando. I concur, it was a very worthwhile networking opportunity.
Ofcourse, as you probably know or will know soon enough, there not called "apartments". They are called "multi family housing units".. :wink:

 

[KBRENNY]

would that make it the M.F.H.U.A.O.G.O. ?

 

[Contemporary Carpet Clean]

We have done one of those up here in Rochester New York and it did not work out well. When the leasing agents whom usually attend the shows kept asking me how do you get cigarette burns out (with a straight face) I nearly lost it about the third time that question was asked. Hell we even told the people (apartment complex owners/managers) we would do a free sample cleaning (clean one whole apartment that was in their eyes a mess) for FREE. NO CALLS. I even had one current member (he invited me to go to the meeting) who I clean some inner city properties for speak for about a minute how good we are and how much money we save them on carpet replacement every year.....NOT ONE BITE. Even had before and after pics....NOTHING

I am not discouraging anyone from trying, because this meeting was only about 20 or 30 bucks to go to. Its a good way to get your companies name out there cheaply and a face to face type sales approach. If you get one job which is probable you pay for an time and expense incurred.