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How long did it take for your business to take off once you opened your van’s for business? We have been in business since June and are not having much success even after lowering our prices from $99.00 to $79.00
for 3 areas. Our van just got the logos added and the phone book was just delivered this past week. We have sent out newspaper flyers and advertised on the coupon page of the local tv guide, visited the apartment complexes around town and been to the real estate offices twice. We have also hooked up with a carpet installation store and the local area chamber of commerce. We do not live in a large metro area but didn’t think it would be this hard. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
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Visit every Church you can. If you drive by one that has a car parked out front, stop in and say HI!. I have cleaned for about 30 churches and the referrals are outstanding. I offer a 30% discount from my commercial rate to churches and 12 month interest free financing. If you clean in a nieghborhood that you would like to continue business in, look for people outside watering flowers and say HI!.
i have been in business for 7 years now. i still remeber them first few months real well. i come from small towns. One of the things i did was pick up a phone book and started writing names and addresses down of anyone i had ever met even once. i sent them all a letter. I also cold called all the business’s downtown. I didn’t stop until i booked at least one job. sometime it would be there store and sometimes they needed something in their home. Walk the streets and put door hangers out. when you see someone out in there yard introduce yourself. It was a lot of hard work that first year, but it has paid off. my 6th month I did over $6000.stick to it. it is well worth it in the long run.
Thank you both for your input–we will look into it–we do have the door hangers-we are just waiting for some nice weather to deliver them-do you have any suggestions on who we can get to help us deliver? We also have a money page ad (only direct mail in Bay City) coming out in September offering 20% off any service and a free 8 oz spotter bottle with 100.00 minumum. Hope this will help. Everyone we talk to says it wil be slow until school starts in the fall. Will keep you all posted.
I would agree with the personal letters w/flyer idea! We sent out 100 more to people we know in June & have easily raked in (no pun intended!) over 3k from that one mailing! Personal contacts are always the best! If you’ve got extra time, I also have found it successful (and good for exercise) to walk a neighborhood and leave a flyer on every door. You often meet people that way also. It may seem like an annoying thing to do – but it works!
Gary,
Hang in there!I recommend you do not keep dropping your prices. I don’t think there is any one particular issue holding you up. I honestly believe that dropping your prices any further is not the answer and will probably hurt you in the long run.
I don’t know your advertising budget, but you might consider doing something for this fall as the holiday season approaches. That it usually a busy time. I know that is a while off, but some advertising has a long lead time.
Good luck!
Mike
I was in the same position that you were in the first couple of months. Join your local chamber of commerce. That was huge for me. I like the letter to friend’s idea too. I remember Joann Loveland (California operator) told me to hit the road and MAKE it happen and don’t expect it to happen all by itself. Just because we buy into the company and go to training doesn’t mean that the phone will start ringing when were “officially” open for business.
Whatever you do, stay away from door hangers…waste of $$ in my opinion. The ROI is sadly low. When I first started I created an 8.5×11 flyer on white paper and had 2k printed and inserted into the local small newspaper. That was huge for me.
Don’t be discouraged as you have a very bright future with HB.
Gary,
You have dont the right thing by asking for help on the bulletin board. There is an unbelievable amount of information that you can get from here. If you use these resources, you cannot fail. Here’s what I did to get started:1. Design a good family and friends letter. Tell about your new business and what a great comapany Heaven’s Best is. Send it to everyone you know. Offer a Grand opening discount as well. I would be glad to share my letter if you’d like.
2. Contact your local newspaper. Ask them to run an article on your new business and Heaven’s Best. This may cost you a little for the reciprocal ad. I would be glad to share the articles that were run when we first got in business.
3. Run a “Grand Opening” ad. Offer a Grand Opening ‘Special.’
4. Create a Flyer. When you have idle time, distribute anywhere and shake as many hands as possible. I made a pact with myself when I first started to never waste a mile. Your flyer may not produce a lot right away, but it’s all about getting your name out.
5. Do great work on the jobs you do get, and ask them to please pass your name and business card along.
You will make this a great business for yourself. Have fun with it. Good luck.
thank you all–i am starting to feel a little better–everyone i have spoken with locally says not to worry things will pick up when kids go back to school but the waiting is very difficult.
Gary,
Yes, back to school time is very good in Iowa. Actually, Sept. October and Nov. end up being some of our best months. Start thinking about how you will promote yourself during that time.
FYI
The second half of the year has been very consistant 20% more revenue over the 1st half, with the 4th q 45% more revenue than the 1st q
Hey Gary you might try hittin up some schools. They usually have huge areas of carpet and now is the perfect time to get in there. The regular maintanence things they do in summer are almost finished and they will normally do carpets last. The clocks tickin on that idea though.
Someone once said
If you keep doing what you are doing, you will keep getting what you are getting
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Don’t wait, get some brochures and business cards,, pick on an upscale development, and go knocking on doors. Go door to door, giving them a brochure, business card and a 20 second spiel about what you do and who you are and are looking for an opportunity to provide an excellent service for them.
If anyone in this bulletin board says this does not work, ask the men in Washington what they did when they started out ….. in December!
It beats the heck out of sitting and waiting for August or September to roll around. And anyway you will be seen by potential customers, your van will be seen, be prepared to write some quotes and to business….be prepared!
You might also pray for business…that also works very well
Just my 2 cents worth.. wish you the best.
Dave
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