Is the Recession affecting anyone? The answer is yes yes yes! Now the real question is: If it is not affecting you, how are you making it in the CARPET CLEANING business? I know much of you have contracts for the year and beyond but tell us how you are making it work? I know you will send a letter that the ENCAP MAN and I have read it and it just is not working for me. Maybe its my face or underarm deodorant, I dont know. The Recession is hurting my small business and forcing me to look for a sales job or something like that. I love cleaning carpets with the Cimex and never liked anything as much as cleaning carpets.

Carpet Cleaner in need


Thanx :~}
MA

Afterglow Carpet Care

Deversify!
Stay busy doing something to promote your business even when its slow.
Mail specials out to customer data base monthly.
I started offering chem free and green cleaning for upholstery, tile,carpet.
I work 7 days per week as needed to accomadate schedules.
I work the off hours and off days other companys do not want.
I force myself to get out and solicit commercial and residential business.
Do some charity cleaning, good for the soul, always someone worse off,takes your mind off your woes.

Lets face it, yes we are in a recession. You can take in all the advise that you will receive on this board, and lord knows you will get a lot of it here.

Most will make it sound like you are doing something wrong. Some will tell you to buy books others will tell you to go face to face with contacts and some will tell you its your bad breath.

Take it all with a grain of salt.

I dont think anyone here will say its a recession and I know that nobody here will say they have to been hit, lord knows they are all to proud to admit it.

Times are tough now and you might make it and you might fail, but remember each time you fail you will get stronger and you will come out on top, it may take a while.

You might need to get a part time job to help you through, no shame in that.

I gave up my business for a full time job with great bennys and two weeks paid vac for Christmas. Was I wrong, I dont think so.

And even my only resi customer that I have left, had to cancel this month because of money.

People and business are hurting. But things will get better.

Good luck.

Don't take this the wrong way...the news says we are in a recession, economy sucks, bailout, all this negativity...if we want to sit infront of the tv and get depressed about all that crap so be it, i sure don't...i only have one job, which is my company...i will focus on positive energy not the negativity that the news slams us w/ everyday.



If you just can't afford to pay your bills, than by all means get a job, part time or full time, you decide, nothing wrong w/ that, but i still think there is hope. Try to see what you could be doing different to get more clients. You don't have to buy marketing books unless you don't have a marketing/sales background.



Listen to what Jeff says. Thanks to Jeff, i've had 2 of my best months thus far, and i am a new business, less than 6 months in business.



Thank you Jeff.

I like that last one Jeff. Can't go wrong with that one. The measure that you are measuring out they will measure out to you.

Also There is a principle called RECIPROCITY.



If you give some courtesy cleanings to the right customers or people during this time of hardships and tell them you understand what they are going through cause you affected by it too, they will reciprocate in one way or another. You gain or maintain a customer and refferrals.



People like to talk about the gifts they recieve.



Good suggesstion Jeff

Thanks

Your Servant Alex



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

What other services besides carpet cleaning do you offer?
DO you do commercial and residential?

What programs are in place to have all existing clients want to refer you to all their friends family and co workers, do you offer a discount programs for employees of the companies you now clean for?

Have you forged relationships with industry related business that would love to send business your way if they knew you existed.

ARE YOU THE BEST KEPT SECRET IN TOWN? If you are the opposite needs to be true.Be a marketing maniac, everyone you meet should know who you are what you do, a business card and referral rewards card in hand after you part ways.

As weird as it may sound find people you want to build a working relationship with and start sending referrals.

Tons of things you can do to jump start your business, one of the best things I did for my business is to stop looking at my self are a cleaner or having a cleaning company and looking at my self as a professional whose business happens to sell cleaning service. No one out side my house/ family ever sees me where I am at least in nice dockers pressed shirt with company logo on it, unless I am on the beach or some vacation spot or in a suit or sports jacket.

best advice i have found and i tell others is what Jeff said:

I force myself to get out and solicit commercial and residential business.

i talk to 1 or 2 guys a year and they typically do not put the time on the pavement in.

if you live in a metro area, or near a decent sized city, have you spent hours and days combing over all the commercial facilities therein? if not and i was in your shoes, that is all i would do...offer that free commercial demo to every1 and any1.






and I know that nobody here will say they have to been hit, lord knows they are all to proud to admit it.

u sound a bit angry towards all of us "here" on this forum Joe. do u blame the majority of us and our advice for something that happened to you in the past??

i for 1 have been hit, and i will be so bold as to say that most here have to...and they'll readily admit it.

i hope you calm down bud.



thanx --- Derek.

Tough times, we all have had them, maybe never like the one we now face. Some good advice on above posts. In past recessions we have always found that people/companies will look to cleaning instead of replacing floors, so knocking on doors is the best way to find work. We will all need to do it us old timers as well as the new people in the business. Good luck!

Face it guys this business were in is not a needed service its a wanted item, after 18 years i've come to realize that our service is one of the first things that get cut in the budget. Normally this time of year we do about 5 to 15 houses a week this year its probaly about 3 to 8.Diversify the services you offer try insurance restoration its not a need its a nessecity, freebies i'll do some but not a lot. One last thing is there a recession or not does'nt matter you still gotta eat, so as the young folks say make sure "you do you" happy holidays guys.

However if he is not pulling in $$$, he can give all the work away for free and do demos out the butt. If a business is not spending they arnt spending.

You might need to get a part time job to tied you over till things get better, or sad to say maybe even a full time job such as I have and do cc'ing part time.

It might be your area that you live in. I know my area has a lot of so called carpet cleaners, some list as 3 rms for 50.00

I no longer compete with them guys. Not worth it. I no longer worry if I get the job or not as I have a full time income and only do this when some one calls.

The last poster hit the nail on the head, we are not a needed service. We are not law firms, doctors, plumbers or ins companys, we are carpet cleaners. We are a luxury service, we are not needed to make a business function. Period.

When things get tough we get cut, you can give all these great ideas but when money is tight business stop buying or go in house, I know from when I had my janitorial service.

Its easier to hire Juan and pay him 6.00 and hour let him cut grass, clean johns and rent him a rug doctor. It happened to me in the past.

Like I said, maybe a part time job will hold you over. Dont give up, just find a way to make some extra money. No shame in it.

And Derek, what makes you think I am not calm, bud?

Good luck and you will come out on top, it may take a while but you will make it if your heart is there.

you stated that all of us here are too proud to admit we are affected by the economy.

i didn't know it was a compliment heh.

LOL,

Derek, I know that you knew that I know you better then that.

And we will leave it at that.

Merry Christmas