What do you do when you need work ASAP?

[Moser Bros.]

I need to add at least another $1,000 a week to my business. It's pretty slow out here in Sacramento, and I need to make so money fast. I've been trying to get some commercial accounts for months now, but they almost all have a janitorial company clean their carpets and it's hard to get an appointment with the interior building maintance person. I haven't tried going to the jaintorial companies yet to see if they'd subcontract the work out to me.

I stay away from low paying apartments and hotels.

Anyone have any luck with roller staking ranks, bowling alleys, restaurants and kiddie places like Chuck E Cheese, and daycare centers.

And what is the quickest way to get you foot in the door and land work now.

I have a Cimex so if they are cheap, I can still make a profit.

 

[Dolly Llama]

I stay away from low paying apartments and hotels.

Anyone have any luck with roller staking ranks, bowling alleys, restaurants and kiddie places like Chuck E Cheese, and daycare centers.

well now, those options sure seem like some "high paying" prospects in general ... :roll:

How long you been n biz, dude?

And what is the quickest way to get you foot in the door and land work now.

.

Take a shower, shave, brush your teefs, comb your hair, put on deodorant and clean cloths (preferably something other than a Megadeath concert tee shirt) and simply walk in introduce yourself.


..L.T.A.

 

[Brian R]

Your quickest way is this

Go around and visit all the networking groups in your area.
Hand out your business cards, uphold your image, speak clearly with decent English, wear nice clothes and just be friendly as hell.

If you are not doing work, you should be working on getting work.

 

[bob vawter]

Ya but when our dollar goes belly up....what will they PAY us in........?


I know....barter!

 

[Bob Foster]

Demos in bars. Go about 2 hours before they open as per Larry's advice.

 

[packfancjh]

Go talk to realtors, property managers and business groups (like Brian said). Be prepared, dress and talk like you know what you are doing.

 

[Mikey P]

and for gawds sakes sit down when you wipe your ass in public restrooms.

 

[Kevin. McCreary]

go to voiceshot.com set up a telemarketing campaign, give a great offer and your phones will
be ringing faster that you can answer them. Just make sure they set you up with the right
people who are not on the do not call list. When I first started on my own and had no work
or I was slower I would spend 500-600 bucks and bring 3-6k off the campaign. After awhile
you wear out the lists though. You have to have a great message too!

 

[Moser Bros.]

Your quickest way is this

Go around and visit all the networking groups in your area.
Hand out your business cards, uphold your image, speak clearly with decent English, wear nice clothes and just be friendly as hell.

If you are not doing work, you should be working on getting work.

I found that when I visited other Letip chapters that I'd occasionally would get a small job, but unless I joined there group there is little chance of getting much work from it.

I've had my current business for 3 years, and have cleaned carpets professionally for over 10 years. I have one good property management company that gives me over $1,000 a month in work and pays my vacent rate which is a lot higher than most guys could get. and I have a few client with few rentals.I lost a good account when the property management company switched managers. I made a mistake of waiting several months to find out why they stopped calling me. Most property managers want to pay about half of my rate, and I'm not a slave so I'd rather look for people that want to spend over $200.

The bar idea sound good, but most of the bars around here don't have much or no carpet.

 

[FLYERMAN]

Knock on doors, in answer to your question. Which doors you knock on will determine what kind of work you get.

Second to knocking on doors is working the phones. Call all the janitorial service companies in your area and offer them a free demo. Around here they get a kick out of it because I do either their house or their office or the lobby of their best customer.

If you need work right effing now then go out and knock doors in strip malls. Tell them you're giving free estimates and giving the best prices to those that can go NOW or at least when they close today. Give them a regular price then say this to them... "here is my offer you can't refuse, but is only if you clean tonight." and slash the price as deep as you can.

With that said if you give enough estimates in a day you'll get work and even a full price job that wants to go that same night/day. I've done it but it was before I learned the efficacy of flyers.

Good luck friend. Hey if you need some door to door sales tips call me 801-712-1654. I already like you more than that freak Jimmy Ladwig so I will give you free tips. There are real big differences in effectiveness in the first few words you say when you go in a business. Once you learn them you'll never go long inbetween sales.

Ken Raddon.

 

[Steve Toburen]

Knock on doors, in answer to your question ... if you give enough estimates in a day you'll get work.
Ken Raddon.

Ken and others make some great points above. However, the words I pulled out of Ken's post above really resonated to me. I call it "working the law of large numbers." The problem is most of us (myself included) don't really like "selling". So we invent a million other things to avoid making concentrated sales calls. I call these tasks "Displacement Activities" and they are a killer to sales and even worse if you do not recognize them for what they are.

Another trap is to just make enough sales calls to book enough work to get busy and then you stop your sales efforts. So you get into this "peak and valley" effect. Here are two solutions to this all too common problem:

1. Every single time you give a sales quote give them three options: a) An "as-needed" price where you assume it will be just as filthy as it is now, b) a substantially lower monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly price (depending on traffic) and c) a maintenance package price where you interview the prospect and tailor a package for them cleaning some areas monthly or even every two weeks, others less often and maybe the entire facility yearly. You can also work in some areas using your Cimex. Add up the entire year cleanings and then divide by 12 for a monthly contract price. This approach takes more time and effort but wow does it do away with the "up and down sales volume blues". When I sold our business almost 30% of our total sales volume consisted of this regular contract work. This meant my entire payroll was "guaranteed" for each month. It also meant my business was much more attractive to potential buyers.

NOTE: If anyone wants the Commercial Carpet Analysis form I used to guide my conversation with the facility manager of the property just write me at stoburen@StrategiesForSuccess.com and put the phrase "CCA" in the subject line. Include your mailing address if you want the free companion DVD.

2. Set up one Dedicated Sales Morning (DSM) a week, dress up and make a firm resolve to do nothing else till you have walked through the doors of 20 commercial establishments, handed them your card and asked to see the person in charge of their carpet maintenance. Each week work a different market sector (for example medical offices one week, Realtors the next) and route them geographically for maximum face time and lower travel costs. Never stop this routine. My SFS members who STICK to this plan report incredible results. The problem is you get a few jobs, get busy/complacent and/or lazy and then stop.

NOTE: If anyone wants the step by step procedure on how to actually put this program into effect just write me at the above address and put the phrase "DSM" in the subject line.

BTW, Ken, I'd appreciate knowing what those few opening words that make a big difference are.

Steve
http://www.StrategiesForSuccess.com

PS The very best advice to avoid getting in this tough pickle of desperation selling? I like Chuck Violand's phrase, "Luck favors a body in motion".

 

[FLYERMAN]

Or put another way I heard was "Chance favors the prepared mind" Corey Green, but I bet he was quoting someone else.

Ken.

 

[Brian R]

Can't depend on commercial although it is really good while you have them.
No loyalty in change overs.

everytime I visit Letip chapters I get something. They all need Carpet Cleaners and are willing to try you out before you join.

Are you wearing shorts and black socks to the meetings?

You need to suit up whenever you are selling your business and are not there to actually do the work.

It is a powerful sight when they see you come in dressed for success. They will feel inlclined to use your company.
Hair combed, don't be all stinky after a job and show up.

It's all about Image which includes..
Appearance....first impression
Speaking....First chance to impress
Giving...when you give your 30 second commercial let them know how YOU can help THEM..not vice versa
IE; "I am looking for a group to join so that I have some business professionals to refer to all my clients. I am constantly being asked about a good..." fill in the blank.

Make damn sure that you have awesome cards with all your info.
don't drive up in a beater mobile...if you do...park far away and walk...or get dropped.

Speak with everyone there, shake everyones hands and talk about them...NOT YOU.

This works, I swear it does.

These people know I am not joining (I'm in another group) and they still send work my way.

Although I do tell them that I am checking out all the Letip groups to put a salesman in once I have one...and that IS being honest.

 

[bob vawter]

Brian...that's good an' all.......but honestly....

i've seen one little old black lady "cheerleader" do MORE than ANY other venue........some of yous all should re-evaluate yor target........customer!
But only if you can DELIVER....cuz they WILL beat you wit a broom...if you can't!

 

[Brian R]

I hear ya Bob.

I think what Bobber is trying to say is work on your client list and try to get them and their referrals.
Work on your other services...not just carpet cleaning.

Get on the phone and call them "just to check up" or "just wanted to let you know that we also do (or now do)...fill in the blank"

Is that about right right Bobby?

 

[bob vawter]

My line de Jour is...Hi Mrs Phiff...

this is Bob The Carpet Cleaner.......
i'm calling ta see if you MAY be MAD at me for some reason........my computer is tellin' me that yous may be jus a LITTLE overdue...on yor carpet cleaning...........

stop.........next one to talk loses....!

Do not speak next under any circumstances....Let them speak next.......

You'll get the job!

 

[Chris A]

g'job Bawb.

 

[-JB-]

stop.........next one to talk loses....!

Do not speak next under any circumstances....Let them speak next.......

That my friends is money in the bank. :wink:

 

[Al]

stop.........next one to talk loses....!

Do not speak next under any circumstances....Let them speak next.......

I concur



:wink:

 

[Brian R]

My line de Jour is...Hi Mrs Phiff...

this is Bob The Carpet Cleaner.......
i'm calling ta see if you MAY be MAD at me for some reason........my computer is tellin' me that yous may be jus a LITTLE overdue...on yor carpet cleaning...........

stop.........next one to talk loses....!

Do not speak next under any circumstances....Let them speak next.......

You'll get the job!

Just used it this morning and scored a $500.00 job....you're a genius.

 

[Jeremy]

My 12 Step Program...
1.) Call on existing clients.
2.) Flyers... Lots of them.
3.) Networking... Lots of it.
4.) Cold calling commercial... Lots of it.
5.) Follow up with past pospects. All of them.
6.) Swallow your pride & take the work you normally wouldn't, even at a lower margin as long as it is profitable.
7.) If you're running into a lot of "The Janitor does that..." find the BSC & offer your services to them. Then make the same offer to their competition.
8.) Cash NOW will most likely come from residential work, fin some & fast.
9.) Hire a commissioned sales person & have them do this on a regular basis.
10) Make sure the individual you have doing this is actually doing this. When things are slow, HELP HIM OUT.
11.) Do all of these things & get started right now.
12.) Keep doing them.

 

[Able 1]

Flyers tomorrow... wind here looks like Larry B's avitar. I'm walking door to door and rubber band them to the door knobs in the walkable only areas I usually don't hit.

 

[XTREME1]

I volunteer in my town and golf with a big group so I have a large email database and when I am slow I will send an email out and say "hey guys I have some openings I didn't expect this week I have 8:30 on weds and 8:30 and 11:30 on friday does anyone want to get their carpet, tile or upholstery cleaned?"

works everytime

 

[Axeman]

Some great new ideas for me, and some I had forgotton and needed reminding of.

Most people could do some of these things but are held back by the way they think, the 'well that won't work/ for me' Just do it as they say.