[james roffey]

Are you being facetious Pete!

I am definately not including myself in the category of great carpet cleaners i am not quite a virgin but still a novice, strangley you were one of the people i was thinking about and a guy named pierre de wet of art of clean who i spent some practical learning with who is pretty amazing  at the whole business side (with all due respect to all the other successful guys on here) but i did quickly realise these guys know there stuff and if you copy them you wont go far wrong.

  they say that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"

[Ricky M]

sat here just shaking my head in shear disbelief, some of the older guys ripping the the crap out the newbie and even some newbies ripping too , Sad just sad
Mind you Ive come to belive that everybody is really hard (UFC tough) and completely fearless behind a key board  :

I can be myself but theres some right tossers in this game 

 

[Peter Sweeney]

Jim

I am serious mate, someone to take that view of this industry in such a short space of time is very sharp. Good luck to you fella.

Be careful what you say about making a successful business though, it's really not allowed

And yes that is me being facetious, but not at you mate

You coming up in April? You owe me a beer  

Pete

[james roffey]

Being a newbie or not has nothing to do with it!  Its ethics
 

I never ever considered for one moment that i was going to go into someones home and clean carpets for them without some basic knowledge of what i was doing you dont have to be a carpet cleaner at all to have an opinion on this question what i was also saying was what training there is is helpful but could be more in depth.

[james roffey]

Jim

I am serious mate, someone to take that view of this industry in such a short space of time is very sharp. Good luck to you fella.

Be careful what you say about making a successful business though, it's really not allowed

And yes that is me being facetious, but not at you mate

You coming up in April? You owe me a beer  

Pete

Seems i already upturned the applecart Pete!

Yes i will be up in April dont know if someone else near to me want s to share the travel etc   i missed last year wont miss this time and will buy you that beer   

Cheers                                                               

[richy27]

From a newbies point of view.

Just completed year 1 and i am happy the way things have gone. I like you came on here looking for advice and from many learnt a great deal. You have to use the forums as a pool of information not as gospel.

In my opinion start off with some training i did the ncca 2 day course and then did some training with a supplier cleansmart, prochem etc etc. Do your training before plunging in and buying equipment because you may end up filling your van with a load of stuff you dont need.

Marketting is where you need to concentrate try everything in a small way review after 3 months and chop was does not work and try something new.

work on getting referals offer rewards scheme eg ms voucher.

working capital is essential in first few years because you need a relative degree of financial freedom to market what your going to do. And dont think sticking an ad in the local rag will make the phone ring off the hook you have to get out there and find the work.

work on building a prof looking image decent van ( does not have cost a fortune) 2-3k i have a trafic + 4 quid for sign writting . wear a uniform .

above all do a good job as this is the best form of marketting you can do. see every custy as a new string of custys .

as far as all your other services i think it maybe quite hard to combine all together as you run the risk of looking like a jack of all trades not a prof.

[clinton]

Richard

Good post mate and its good to hear how as yo a newbie gets work.

Think by the sounds of it is your are getting a nice client base up and running..

[richy27]

Richard

Good post mate and its good to hear how as yo a newbie gets work.

Think by the sounds of it is your are getting a nice client base up and running..

its coming on clinton been really busy for fews months now. although having to travel around for jobs a bit generally the price ticket is higher in the sticks bigger areas to clean. looking forward to putting my feet up between xmas and new year. been pushing loads of leather restoration work into january so to keep things flowing in the short month.

rich

[clinton]

Richard you might even be busy in between xmas

[richy27]

i am expecting to be quite slow just after xmas as its still early days for me but unlike last year at least i have some previous jan custys to market and a few small comercials booked in. but will just have to wait and see what the new year brings. must admit its been the hardest year of my life but def the most rewarding . sitting back and seeing how far i have come.

is there a ccdo this year might attend take the big drive up to the cold north

[daysdeepclean]

I'll be up for the CCDO too...... April 12th I think

[richy27]

I'll be up for the CCDO too...... April 12th I think

share the lift col

[daysdeepclean]

No problem Richard! Any other takers?

[Ricky M]

April sunday 11th at Fenton Manor sports center Stoke-on-Trent ( Middle of the country to be fair to all)
its been run on a wkd so we can get back to work for the Monday if we choose.

 

[derek west]

and how do i get tickets, i need 2 now ive got an apprentice with a girls name
derek

[Doctor Carpet (Ret'd)]

Richard

Good post mate and its good to hear how as yo a newbie gets work.

Think by the sounds of it is your are getting a nice client base up and running..

Quite agree