One veteran professional carpet cleaner in California has been debating the pros and cons of offering the credit card payment option to his clients. Steve helps him realize he has already sub-consciously decided …
OK, a good marketing strategy trivia question for all you carpet cleaners. Which sound associated with a brand name is rated #1 in the world? Most of you hear this sound several times a day. Have everyone in your family guess and then we’ll see who wins …
Remember the old expression, “under promise, over deliver”? In other words, IF you’ve already got the Scotchgard protector sale, it is now time to lower the no doubt unreasonably high expectations of a typical residential cleaning customer. Steve shares how to NOT oversell carpet cleaning products.
Nobody likes misunderstandings or arguments and especially with a testy customer who feels like she has been “betrayed” on her carpet cleaning pricing. Here is a very simple way to keep all your advertised price promotions straight and heading off ugly confrontations before they start …
Chuck loves sailboats and he loves business too! So it is only natural that he would draw parallels between the two in when teaching the opening day of Jon-Don’s Strategies for Success. For example, Chuck says that money and sales are the “wind” that not only move your business forward but even help keep it afloat …
As Chuck reflects on how the typical carpet cleaning or restoration business is much like a boat he focuses on your business wind- MONEY! No money? Then as a business you are “dead in the water”. A simple concept? Yes. But at times agonizingly difficult to implement. Read on for Chuck’s meditations …
Sometimes the best quickTIPS focus on the little things. For example, how much money are you “leaving on the table” simply because your client doesn’t know everything that your company offers?
All of us brag about our “imagined percentages” of repeat clients. Comments like this are common at every SFS seminar: “Yeah, over 90% of my clients are repeat business.” But honestly, have you ever put a magnifying glass on this claim? (Steve confesses he was guilty of this empty bragging too!) One very capable SFS member did and here is what they found out …
Does panic strike your cleaning company when the phone rings? Or even worse, have you lost your “sense of urgency” on the phone? Read how one multi-truck SFS graduate deals with the phone …
This probably won’t come as a surprise but the Yellow Pages are dead! So what tools can you use to fill the gap? Do NOT fall prey to the YP rep when she says “Can you exist a full year without any customers?” Options exist that will replace the YP and do a much better AND cheaper job at the same time …
One perplexed cleaning newbie confesses that pricing is just one big confusing mess. Steve shares a few quick principles on setting prices and gives a “charge more” pep talk at the same time …
Google’s motto is “Do No Evil”. They should add a subtitle: “Do Plenty of Good”! Google continues to bring out free tools to improve the productivity of carpet cleaner’s websites everywhere. Bill Yeadon shares the tools you need to level the playing field …
Who doesn’t love the profits available in emergency water damage restoration? Now its time to get more water damage restoration jobs.
Everyone wants carpet retailers to refer them and yet very few do. Steve explains why plus gives the “big picture” on how you can get retailers to enthusiastically promote your company. Plus Steve also puts out a call for help to all SFS members …
Check out these 10 questions that just may keep you from joining the 80% of start-up businesses that fail within their first decade. Then share with your fellow board members other vital questions that have kept you safe, sane and profitable …