[Jason Hedges]

Hi Mike,

Did you get the email?

[Doug Holloway]

Hi Guys

Can't really see where the the part time argument comes from.

We have an unregualted industry so a free market applies and the best will come out on top, nothing wrong with that.

As for the orginal question I too would suggest internet or very local as Jason has said using magazines.

Cheers

Doug

[Jamie Wiles]

Thanks for all the input guys. Just to make it clear I have done some training (IICRC cct) and have full treatment risk insurance from McGregor LLoyd, and have always charged a fair price for my services. And I am certainly not in it for beer money. I have substantial debts that need to be paid every month and the money that I earn from full time employment just about covers my outgoings but things are tight. I do actually NEED the extra cash not just want it. So for me its either bring in some more CC work or go and stack shelves at night in Tescos....

That said I do appreciate all of your comments...
Thanks
J

[Mike Osbourne]

Jamie

Where there's a will there's a way.

Try to find inventive ways to market your services on the cheap.

Use your network. Family, work, social and give out cards with a small discount.

Do work for free for those who are likley good referral sources and carry some weight for testimonials etc.

I think you will have to invest some money in your business and it will cost before it starts making a profit. I like you thought it would get me out of a short term hole but unfortunately will probably deepen it at first. Oh and you will be knackered all the time.

Good luck.

Mike 

[spindle]

i have a f/t job................1week i work early shift...then a week of lates.....

i do the cc in between................. it was difficult starting out with inital outlay for machine, chems and training...........etc

on this forum you will get lots and lots of solid good advice from the old pro's and the not so old(len)

and then u will get the odd ****** who will tell you to throw in the white towel
at the first hurdle.........( especially if you are working"their" patch)

imho
you should do what ever it takes to get the work in. if that means working cheaper than you normally would then do it ........untill you can get a good database of customers.

but take care not to burn yourself out.....all work and no play

when your cc work starts to increase then so do your prices......at this stage you need to get the work. then word of mouth will start to do the work for you....imo this is the best form of advertising....

you will need to advertise but dont get yourself into debt because of it......most cc whose business's fail ...........fail because of over spending on advertising.

ask some of the guys who does their printing of b.cards/ flyers......they are not as expensive as you may think..........when you are not working your day job  go posting your flyers.
its a great way to meet potential clients and its good exercise!!


GORON
how did you find you way into carpet cleaning

did you go and buy a t/m and van then start cleaning??
what was your 1st year profit??

not being spiteful just an honest question.....

everybody must start somewhere!!









 

[CARPET KNIGHTS]

Yes i bought myself a tm and van and got on with it. didn't make a profit in first year but that didn't matter as i had loads in the bank!

Cheers Goron

[spindle]

some are more fortunate than others

[Dave_Lee]

Goron,
Similar, I came out of 9 years in the army, during which I researched Carpet cl;eaning for the last 4 of them. I started up full time during a bad recession. Of course lots of walking the streets putting flyers through and initially getting very little out of it. I was on maximum Family income supplement and my son got free school dinners and milk, we were also on maximum housing benefit. All this time and extremely humiliating it was, I walked those streets pushing flyers through whenever I wasnt actually cleaning, and that was most days. When things started to happen after two years, one evening on my way back home I popped into an off licence and bought a four pack of lager, the first since I had left the army. My wife thought I must have won the pools, we hadnt been on holiday or even had a single night out in all that time. After that first horrible two years things rapidly picked up and they got better. Another two years and we able to get a mortguage.
All this was 28 years ago, the reason I am putting it down in this post is in a way an answer to the original question - if you want it badly enough you have to be prepared to put up with bad to get to the good, keep focussed and you will win through.
I suppose my experience is one reason why I am unhappy with part time self employed (Not only carpet cleaners). I have nothing against them personally, as obviously they do it for a reason and I know some great lads who are part time CCs, I have even had some of them spend a day with me, but I cant help feeling that if an EMPLOYEE wants a part time job, fine get a part time EMPLOYED job, just like part time firemen.
Dave.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I agree with Dave, if you are employed by someone you have a safety net and never really get your business off the ground it becomes a bit like overtime, you take it when you want something and not bother when you don't.

Although in your position youy have no choice but if you want to become full time you will have to work the 40 hr job and anothe 20 hrs getting it running again but this will take longer as you will be part time and you can't answer your calls at work. My advice would be to plough everything back in the first 2 years and you'll be on course to go fulltime then.

Shaun