chez6996

Dan,
When I was in the business everyday, I did many a boat (Sleepers) and motor homes almost on a weekly basis. Being in Fl. you have an advantage to many of the above.
Ron

Welcome to the Heaven’s Best Family Frank,
Please read my article in the June newsletter on advertising, it is geared toward new owners. Two days is not near enough time for newspaper ad to work. The ad must be consistent week after week. Also most all of my people have joined C.ofC. and go to monthly meetings.
Hope this helps
Ron

Hi Gordon,
Your timing of the question, How many owner/operators can you support a month? is perfect for me. I just got off phone with Cody on this very subject. I feel everybody is charging forward, with trying to make as many sales as possible, while that may be good, I worry about us as State owners and Corporate Headquarters being able to support that growth. I had a customer 30 years ago that became a fortune 500 company in less than 10 years and then filed for the big “B” because of to fast growth they could not manage. I personally feel that the most I can handle with comfort to get them off to a good start is 1 every other month, for a total of 6 per year. I think that with Cody’s growth plan, he is expecting a lot more than that from the 4 th largest Pop. state in the country. I’m hoping people will help me with those concerns.
Thanks
Ron

Greg,
I could not agree more, I stay real close with Advertising cost on most all my people. After a few years they seam to “get it” a lot better than when they are a new franchise. (main reason for my article in June newsletter).
I had 1 operator with me over 12 years said: I don’t want to grow anymore! He canceled yellow page ad a few years back and put the cost in his pocket. (Ad cost Appx. $800.00 per month). He told me his business did not suffer at all.
Ron
PS I would like to have an Advertising cost “break down” on monthly report. Yellow page, newspaper, Radio, TV, Etc. Etc. It would help me track costs.

That’s good Dennis, you keep cleaning and I will keep selling!!!!!! (I paid my dues, I know how to clean carpets and upholstery).
Ron

Hi Gordon,
100% internet leads, but what I do is similar to what Brian was talking about. The minute that lead comes across my computer I E-mail that lead thanking them for their interest in Heaven’s Best, A pkg. will be mailed in the morning with a follow-up call in three days. I do this because I’m sure they are requesting information from many other Franchises and I want my name on their front burner! I think we need to realize that in this business there are going to be many,many more leads than sales. I wish I knew what that number was, I’ve asked Corporate with no real answer but I think it can be between 50 and 100, just a guess, does anyone have a real number of leads before sale? As far as quality of people go they are excellent, young and old with a fare amount of capital, I did not have to Finance. I make sure they spend 1-2 days with an existing operator and then if I get good feed back, I hit them with everything I can think of! I also feel working at it full time is key and has helped me a lot, The years after the Hurricane I was full time in construction, I had NO sales, since getting back full time last summer I have made 5 sales, It takes a lot of effort and time to make a sale and that’s why I feel YOU can sell more Franchises in your State, or States, or Country than Corporate can because they do not have enough time with all of the others things they have to do. I’m in the process of starting color ads in certain newspapers, The Ads that Corporate has put on line for all of us.
Ron

Good going Bryan, I don’t think you can put into words what a difference it has made with ALL operators in my state. Their attitude and loyalty to Heaven’s Best has gone from 5, to 9 or 10 on a scale of 10. All state owners need to try it once and see for themselves! It will (for sure) pay rewards. One of the neat things was I made it a three way evaluation, I evaluated them, and then gave them the chance to evaluate State and Corporate. We altogether learned a lot.
Ron