Want to get started in the business
- Thread starter DonTravs
- Start date
renegade_cowboy
Member
What is your budget to start your business?
A truckmount is the way to go, takes less time to do the job along with many other benefits. Unless you have the extra cash to spend, you should avoid buying the roto tools, that money will be used better in a marketing program vs equipment.
Write a business/marketing plan to avoid any potential issues. Starting your business is like building a house, you have to start with a good foundation.
Focus on your company image, get uniforms, keep your van clean and keep a professional appearance.. Steve T will tell you this job is 80% customer service and 20% cleaning.
How long have you been cleaning carpets?
A truckmount is the way to go, takes less time to do the job along with many other benefits. Unless you have the extra cash to spend, you should avoid buying the roto tools, that money will be used better in a marketing program vs equipment.
Write a business/marketing plan to avoid any potential issues. Starting your business is like building a house, you have to start with a good foundation.
Focus on your company image, get uniforms, keep your van clean and keep a professional appearance.. Steve T will tell you this job is 80% customer service and 20% cleaning.
How long have you been cleaning carpets?
Dolly Llama
Number 5
DonTravs said:
what's your budget allow, Don?
Do you intend to be a full time biz or pt time side gig?
what market are you "primarily" targeting?
commercial ? residential? rathOle rentals ?
I'd caution you about listening to "equipment salesmen" too.
They're certainly not all bad, but few have actually cleaned carpets for a living in the "real" world .
and unfortunately, more than a few wipe their azz like this (hand wiping across mouth)
give a us an equipment budget number, target market and whether full time or pt time
..L.T.A.
J Scott W
Member
Larry makes a good point. You have to define your market and what you want to do with the equipment before you can choose the right equipment.
Your high end residential customer might expect a truckmount and not be happy if you wheel in a little portable. But if you are cleaning high rise buildings, buildings (bank for example) that need to be secured and don't want the door open with a hose running from outside or if you are working for the high volume low price crowd then a portable may be just the ticket.
Don't try to be everything to everyone. Have a goal and then work toward getting there. If you are trying to get every job that comes along you won't be happy and you won't be taking the direct path to where you want your business to be. Define goals and a target market first.
Salesman
Your high end residential customer might expect a truckmount and not be happy if you wheel in a little portable. But if you are cleaning high rise buildings, buildings (bank for example) that need to be secured and don't want the door open with a hose running from outside or if you are working for the high volume low price crowd then a portable may be just the ticket.
Don't try to be everything to everyone. Have a goal and then work toward getting there. If you are trying to get every job that comes along you won't be happy and you won't be taking the direct path to where you want your business to be. Define goals and a target market first.
Salesman
Bob Foster
Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2006
- Messages
- 8,870
Don all good advice so far especially Scot's.
Use the search button and look up some information, keep asking LOTS of questions and until you have been on here for at least a month, don't buy a damn thing.
Get a ride-a-long in a neighboring town that will be out of your service area with a carpet cleaner that has a truckmount . Make it at least 3 days.
Use the search button and look up some information, keep asking LOTS of questions and until you have been on here for at least a month, don't buy a damn thing.
Get a ride-a-long in a neighboring town that will be out of your service area with a carpet cleaner that has a truckmount . Make it at least 3 days.
daniel@procarpet
Member
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2008
- Messages
- 3,797
I own two decent truck mounts.
If I were you, I would get a regular job first and foremost.
Buy some low moisture equipment like Brian Robison and target nicer high end homes with a dry cleaning method.
Buy a small portable for jobs that need it, but keep overhead low and whatever your competitors are charging double that amount. Just try to do a few jobs here and there and grow through referrals and targeted marketing.
That's what I would do.
I would not buy a tm to do 89 dollar specials.
It's getting harder and harder to make a buck with the high overhead.
You can make really good money, but make sure you have a decent amount of cash before you invest in a setup.
And most rich folks really prefer a low moisture method if their carpets are not too dirty.
This is coming from a guy that steam cleans EVERYTHING.
If I were you, I would get a regular job first and foremost.
Buy some low moisture equipment like Brian Robison and target nicer high end homes with a dry cleaning method.
Buy a small portable for jobs that need it, but keep overhead low and whatever your competitors are charging double that amount. Just try to do a few jobs here and there and grow through referrals and targeted marketing.
That's what I would do.
I would not buy a tm to do 89 dollar specials.
It's getting harder and harder to make a buck with the high overhead.
You can make really good money, but make sure you have a decent amount of cash before you invest in a setup.
And most rich folks really prefer a low moisture method if their carpets are not too dirty.
This is coming from a guy that steam cleans EVERYTHING.
Sorry for the lack of detail.
1) $12-15K start-up cash
2) High end residential (day)
3) Commercial restaurants and offices (night)
4) Full time business
5) New to the business
6) Target area is Northern Washington DC suberbs.
I have an in-law who has a window washing firm that does residential and commercial and is willing to send referrals my way.
Thanks again for your patience with a newbee shiteatinggrin
1) $12-15K start-up cash
2) High end residential (day)
3) Commercial restaurants and offices (night)
4) Full time business
5) New to the business
6) Target area is Northern Washington DC suberbs.
I have an in-law who has a window washing firm that does residential and commercial and is willing to send referrals my way.
Thanks again for your patience with a newbee shiteatinggrin
You can get all kinds of bad advice here. But in the end this place could save you a TON of money. Finding carpet cleaning boards can turn a Hack into one of the best carpet cleaners in town. There are a few regulars here that will lead you the right way. Search and read every one of their posts. Im not kidding about this shit either: Fred Boyle, Erksin Allen, Art, Doug Cox, Kevin Leach this guys will lead you the right way plus they will watch out for the Credit Card Takers who hang out here. Take their advice and you will make a good living.
Golden Boy
Golden Boy
alazo1
Member
At first, spend as little on equipment. Keep it clean, wear a uniform. The rest spend on advertising. 15k may get you a used truckmount and equipment but you won't have any left to market. Unless you think your friend will keep you busy.
Bob Foster
Member
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2006
- Messages
- 8,870
1) $12-15K start-up cash
used TM reachable maybe with some terms from the owner
2) High end residential (day)
Good - cuz it appears like you already know how to clean for them but do you know how to treat them?
3) Commercial restaurants and offices (night)
Great now go back and sub from them because they (your boss) likely hate them and would be glad to hand them over to a reliable subcontractor - just don't steal the accounts.
4) Full time business
Not quite yet but in a year you should be steady
5) New to the business
Read the forums and avoid the expensive mistakes - especially marketing ones
6) Target area is Northern Washington DC suberbs.
Good $$$ see # 2
I have an in-law who has a window washing firm that does residential and commercial and is willing to send referrals my way.
Great but they have to be approached a certain way = See #2
Get on Jim Pemberton's CleanChat
Get on Steve Toburen's mailing list
Thanks again for your patience with a newbee shiteatinggrin
Work hard and spend even less
used TM reachable maybe with some terms from the owner
2) High end residential (day)
Good - cuz it appears like you already know how to clean for them but do you know how to treat them?
3) Commercial restaurants and offices (night)
Great now go back and sub from them because they (your boss) likely hate them and would be glad to hand them over to a reliable subcontractor - just don't steal the accounts.
4) Full time business
Not quite yet but in a year you should be steady
5) New to the business
Read the forums and avoid the expensive mistakes - especially marketing ones
6) Target area is Northern Washington DC suberbs.
Good $$$ see # 2
I have an in-law who has a window washing firm that does residential and commercial and is willing to send referrals my way.
Great but they have to be approached a certain way = See #2
Get on Jim Pemberton's CleanChat
Get on Steve Toburen's mailing list
Thanks again for your patience with a newbee shiteatinggrin
Work hard and spend even less
Steve Toburen
Supportive Member
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2006
- Messages
- 1,912
- Name
- Steve Toburen
You are going to do GREAT in this business, Donald. Do you know why? Because you have absolutely charmed this group of hard-bitten carpet cleaners. Not ONE snarky, nasty, venom filled flame in your entire thread. Believe me, if you can make it on MikeysBoard, you can make it anywhere!
Steve Toburen
www.SFS.JonDon.com
PS Bob mentioned getting to know Jim Pemberton, a long time industry expert and all-around nice guy. You can access his regular emails here: http://www.jimscleanchat.com/
And if you want Steve Toburen's stuff (well, actually a weekly QuickTIP email from the Strategies for Success team) you can sign up for free and with no-spam here: http://sfs.jondon.com/3720/resources/qu ... -quicktips
Actually, Donald, while you are there you can look over our archive of over 100 different tips on how to make more money in this industry. (You can also see our weekly QuickTIP in Mikeys blog on the above topic bar.)
Steve Toburen
www.SFS.JonDon.com
PS Bob mentioned getting to know Jim Pemberton, a long time industry expert and all-around nice guy. You can access his regular emails here: http://www.jimscleanchat.com/
And if you want Steve Toburen's stuff (well, actually a weekly QuickTIP email from the Strategies for Success team) you can sign up for free and with no-spam here: http://sfs.jondon.com/3720/resources/qu ... -quicktips
Actually, Donald, while you are there you can look over our archive of over 100 different tips on how to make more money in this industry. (You can also see our weekly QuickTIP in Mikeys blog on the above topic bar.)
Mikey P
Administrator
Don, I made you a Supportive Member here, you can now use the search feature.
With great power comes great responsibility.
even if it is a pita to use at times..
Welcome!
With great power comes great responsibility.
even if it is a pita to use at times..
Welcome!
C
cucu
Guest
DonTravs said:
you must find the one they call koko. .he will be your light
but never look in his eye
you can start with a used porty(we did 1500$) some tools(500$), so for like 2k and some chems your good to go.
But keep in mind a porty is slow, heavy, always needs refilling & very loud.
We used a porty for 5 years, got to a point where I started to hate going to work because the porty was sooooo much work. Even a small job(like 3 rooms and a hall) will take 3 hours!
With a TM that job would take half the time.
We put down like 4k and our tm cost about 380(including 50 bucks insurance) a month and I enjoy my biz again.
There will come a point when you have clients and cant do them all because the porty takes to long(and is too much work). I would still get the porty, but as soon as you can get a TM.
Also make sure to take some classes(cct).
But keep in mind a porty is slow, heavy, always needs refilling & very loud.
We used a porty for 5 years, got to a point where I started to hate going to work because the porty was sooooo much work. Even a small job(like 3 rooms and a hall) will take 3 hours!
With a TM that job would take half the time.
We put down like 4k and our tm cost about 380(including 50 bucks insurance) a month and I enjoy my biz again.
There will come a point when you have clients and cant do them all because the porty takes to long(and is too much work). I would still get the porty, but as soon as you can get a TM.
Also make sure to take some classes(cct).
handdi
Supportive Member
Don, i agree with save and budget a lot for advertising
bigchuckie
Member
- Joined
- Jul 10, 2010
- Messages
- 65
First find your niche. Nothing against TM guys but they have nothing different to offer due to the fact they have the market saturated. The only thing that you could offer is price. Starting off Being priced low aint gonna cut it for you. ust my 02 cents for what is worthDonTravs said:
ruff
Member
Lots of good advise.
I'd emphasize:
1) Decide exactly what market you are seeking and stick with it. Low price/high volume; middle of the way; top notch service/high price/lower volume; are all legitimate ways to run your business and can all be successful, if done right.
What style is your personality most suitable for?
Changing course in the middle is very hard. Quite difficult to convert low paying clients to high paying clients.
In other words do a lot of thinking in advance- it's free and will pay great dividends.
2) Once done- Work on what exactly is the image you want to project.
It costs you nothing to think it over and plan in advance. And it will save you a bundle of $$.
I would work with a professional if you want to project a professional image- very important. (Do a search, there are cheaper ways to do it.)
Most cleaners do not have a good sense of aesthetics. Get professional help and run the results by your potential clients. Everybody here have strong opinions and preferences but we are not your clients. Get feedback from your potential clients- they are the people you are out to please. That image and everything your business projects (in all its aspects,) will help you get the clients you seek.
Be consistent.
I'd emphasize:
1) Decide exactly what market you are seeking and stick with it. Low price/high volume; middle of the way; top notch service/high price/lower volume; are all legitimate ways to run your business and can all be successful, if done right.
What style is your personality most suitable for?
Changing course in the middle is very hard. Quite difficult to convert low paying clients to high paying clients.
In other words do a lot of thinking in advance- it's free and will pay great dividends.
2) Once done- Work on what exactly is the image you want to project.
It costs you nothing to think it over and plan in advance. And it will save you a bundle of $$.
I would work with a professional if you want to project a professional image- very important. (Do a search, there are cheaper ways to do it.)
Most cleaners do not have a good sense of aesthetics. Get professional help and run the results by your potential clients. Everybody here have strong opinions and preferences but we are not your clients. Get feedback from your potential clients- they are the people you are out to please. That image and everything your business projects (in all its aspects,) will help you get the clients you seek.
Be consistent.
BradFenstermaker
Member
Great advice above Don. I started with a used van and tm for $7,000 8 yrs ago. It lasted me 4.5 yrs.
With this economy a used setup should be attainable.
Never did the bucket brigade with a portable. Budget a used 175rpm rotary with a pad driver. Be tools you can have besides the carpet wand.
Be careful not to rely on refferals right of the gate. It sounds like it could be great from the window cleaner, but his customers don't know you or your repitation yet.
DO NOT start charging cheap prices, its hard to get more money later down the road if they expect cheap.
Good luck and work hard everyday even if you don't clean carpets that day. Cold calling, marketing, learning.
With this economy a used setup should be attainable.
Never did the bucket brigade with a portable. Budget a used 175rpm rotary with a pad driver. Be tools you can have besides the carpet wand.
Be careful not to rely on refferals right of the gate. It sounds like it could be great from the window cleaner, but his customers don't know you or your repitation yet.
DO NOT start charging cheap prices, its hard to get more money later down the road if they expect cheap.
Good luck and work hard everyday even if you don't clean carpets that day. Cold calling, marketing, learning.
