As I'm waiting for my Releasit CMS CD I must say I'm a little nervous about attacking the commercial market. I must say that I am not exactly the fastest cc out there. Honest in a way that may hurt me a little, simply for the fact that I'll clean to my standards in which are higher then the actual consumer standards IMO.

I hope to be successful in the commercial side of business. I have a Cimex, 15" Defender, CX 20, small recoil and a porty. All paid in full. I just have a mortgage and a truck payment. I still have a FT job as head guy in a mold remediation co. but I'm looking for a better life my wife and child.

I know it's going to be a rocky road and I'm planning on adding another Cimex and a Recoil 3 or a TM soon along with a PT helper (my brother).

I just hope this fear doesnt hang around much.

Well just trying to blow off the jitters, Thanks for reading.

I have to go to work. Putting a sump in today and treating a basement for mold.

You are in a killer position to have that much equipment and it be paid for. You have NOTHING to be nervous about. I purchased my Cimex on credit card and had NO jobs lined up and figured out how to pay it off in less than 1 month. I found that I could go after accounts that no one else in my market could afford to do. I have no problem getting jobs at .10 to .15 while all other bids come in at .18 to .25

Rich.....you have done something right if you own the equipment you do so without payments to make. Why add equipment at this time....use what you have add equipment in the future. Last time I checked honesty was a good thing and dont think that it will hinder you. In the long run it pay dividends. Start off with small commercial accounts you can handle yourself. Pick a market and stick with it....do not go after every type of commercial cleaning. Maybe start with a DR's office and build from there. Get to know expectations of a Dr's office take on another, then add another. Before you know it you will build your clientel and you will have references. Start off with a small office.....1000 or 1500 sq/ft or so and when you are comfortable, your speed increases go after something bigger. Put them on a maint program so that you do them on a regular rotation with spotting inbetween. I think Ricks program will help you with this. Good luck...I think you will do fine....

Rich,

Try not to be nervous. It's a little awkward to speak to a person that you don't know. But bear up, once you get into the groove it becomes a little easier. Remember the people you talk to are just people. They're honestly no different than you. They have homes and cars and families - just like you. They put their pants on the same way you do. So try not to be intimidated.

Gradually build your momentum. Start slow. Go for easier accounts at first. And then as you gain a couple of smaller accounts 2 things will happen. First you'll begin to build a list of clients and referrals that can be used to leverage into larger accounts.

The second thing that happens as you start accumulating accounts is that you will become energized. You will gain confidence. In other words, as you land an account, stay out and sell some more, you're now on a roll. Conversely, when you're having an off day - STOP. Trying to sell when you're in the dumps is counter-productive, not to mention humiliating.

If you want to jump start your selling engine pick up "The Little Red Book of Selling" by Jeffrey Gittomer. It's an easy to read fun book that will help motivate you to sell and encourage you to get rockin.

The strongest bit of advice I can give you is this. You have just wasted $149 if you don't get SERIOUS and put the CMS to work. You will be in exactly in the same place a year from now unless you get the inirtia in motion. The stuff in the CMS will work if you apply some effort to it. So don't leave it on the shelf!

I know it is a challenge to get out there - but you've gotta pry yourself up and get out there and do it. The hardest door to go through is your own. To borrow a line from The Little Red Book of Selling --- "Kick Your Own Butt". Get out there and do it.

You can do this Rich! Commit yourself and devote at least a half day a week for sales. It won't take long to see results. If you land just 1 account a week that will spend $2000 over the course of an entire year (and that really isn't that much) - you will add $104,000 to your sales for the year.

I hope this gives you some food for thought. This ain't rocket science. Use the tools in the CMS program and go for it! And keep in mind that I'm here to help, as well as the sharp folks on this forum.

Wishing you success!





Rick Gelinas
rick@excellent-supply.com

The one great thing about going after commercial accounts is this------most of your so called competitors do not like commercial work, and so they do not go after that work.
Another great source for commercial work would be through some of your local ma and pa janitorial services they are often asked to clean the carpets in their accounts and for some reason they hate doing carpets and are quite willing to sub the work out. One word of caution with doing work for Janitorial service contractors is make sure up front about your terms for payment of your invoices. Good luck before you know it you will have more work than you can handle!

I'm just a babe at this.
I've had just a few experiences but they were recent.
I learned that a good percentage of the nevousness comes from lack lack of knowledge of the commercial area.
In my case it was lack of knowledge in the cc industry as a whole.

Stay crashing this board and using the search. Informing yourself of everything possible about the commercial read every article researching continuously. Although you won't immediately use everything you're taking in. Youre confidence raises to the next level. You're NERVOUSNESS now becomes EAGERNESS!

Eager to serve, eager to get in front of these head honchos (as it were) to share what you KNOW.
The reality is you'll find that you know more then you think.

PREPERATION is key to knocking down nervousness.
Before going on that presentation, concider the needs of the customer and how you can help him to better his situation.

My mistake was, I was focusing on how i would look, sound,and act before my audiance rather than focusing on the knowledge that i had obtained that could help them.

1. GAIN THE KNOWLEDGE
2. PREPARE BEFORE PRESENTATION
3. FOCUS NOT ON YOURSELF, BUT THE INFORMATION THAT WILL BENEFIT THE CUSTOMER.


Thanks
The Mask Man

Cultivate the "OCCD" you had at first for the industry!

oh!

And beware of those Property Management co. They like to sing the BUDGET song. They have cleaners they use all the time. But most times can't get rid of recurring stains.

Do a demo and never go down on your price. I found that it is important to them that the carpet stay clean. If the tenants complain about anything it comes back on them. Those Prop Mangmnt co. I've com across are cheapos. I had to learn the hard way here in the last year or so.

Thanks
The Mask Man

Cultivate the "OCCD" you had at first for the industry!

I tried calling you,need your new number

Hey Mike, tried calling you on your home number. We'll get in touch. Mike has always been a big help to me. Great guy to know.

Thank you all for the great info as usual. Just waiting for the CD and the a couple other little things I need before I go into this full speed ahead.

Rich

Am I the only one around here that thinks your name is amazingly similar to Rick Gelinas? Maybe you'll be amazingly similarly successful as well.

Sheesh!

My name is pronounced with a soft G - as in "Gelinas"

And his name is pronounced with a hard G - as in "Gallina"

I thought that would have been obvious without my having to explain it to you.










Rick Gelinas
rick@excellent-supply.com

Thomas, you're not the first one to say that. I remember back when there was a little tention between John G. and Rick G. I called John up for an order I almost got the cold shoulder until I said No, this is Rich Gallina form NY. Anyway, maybe having a similer name will bring me a little luck... LOL!