[Mike Cottam]

Hello everyone

What marketing did you do to secure your first customers?

I have two months to market my carpet cleaning business before I finish my full time job and embark on my new venture.

I have done some free cleaning gigs in exchange for reviews on my Facebook page, does anyone have any advice on what else I should be doing?

Thanks

[Mike Halliday]

Your first customer will be easy to find

It's getting the next 20,000 that will be a nightmare

In the next 2 months get your website up and running, open a YouTube account and start making videos, start wearing polo shirts with your company name (and 'carpet cleaning' written on them) get some leaflets printed (20k) and some 5-around cards printed.

Start visiting carpet shops and examining carpets and start building up your knowledge of different carpets....maybe Introduce your self to the owner.

If you are a glutton for punishment then visit letting agents and inturduce yourself or send them a letter

[Marius Alexandru]

My first costumer was from a friend,  same like you, i did a few free carpet cleaning for friends, it will not be easy believe me, buying the equipment was so easy, finding costumers is hard and it will cost you money to find them believe me.

What marketing strategy do you have? Facebook, adwords?

[Mike Cottam]

My website is up and running, I also have Facebook and Twitter accounts and have just created a YouTube channel.

Adwords in my experience are costly with little ROI, my locale places a lot of emphasis on word of mouth, so that's what I need to be concentrating on I think.

[Mike Halliday]

Let's see your website

[Mike Cottam]

http://www.mccarpetcleaning.im is the link.

Not quite happy with the design just yet and there's more content to be added in the next few days.

[Mike Halliday]

That's a nice looking website, did you do it yourself or get it done  by a company ?

[Mike Cottam]

I did it myself Mike, using WordPress.

[elliott cleaning]

I can only go by what I did myself.     Get out and market yourself.  There are hundreds or maybe thousands of websites out there - endless businesses stuffing leaflets through peoples doors.   
It's obvious that the quality of your work has to be top level to suceed but more important in this business is can you sell yourself to people. They are not just buying carpet cleaning - they are buying 'you'

[Ian Harper]

Mike Cottam

keep in mind two types of prospects, one looking and they other not but open to a great offer, one you market to the other you sell to

Good Luck