[Mike Halliday]

Some of us had the opportunity to attend a 2 day event with Howard Partridge on Wednesday & Thursday, It's taken me a couple of days to fully process what I learnt to be able to make a post about it.

Even now I'm finding it hard to put into words how good it was and how impressive HP is, I've got to say he did'nt say much that I didn't already know or had'nt read before but he said it in a way that made so much sense it was like he brought together all the best bit of everything I had read on running a business and put it in one place.

 The funny thing is it only now after a couple of days of reading the notes I took during the days that I've realised how good it really was.

In a nutshell he sells a system of relationship/ referral  marketing built around creating a phenomenal cleaning experiance backed up by a phenomenal system of running a business.

 It was a great  2 days and will effect how I run my business, I'm on holiday tomorrow for a week, when I get sick of sunbathing and drinking cocktails I'm going to use my time to start writing down the systems I need to put in place in my business, and when I get back I will implement some of the things I learnt.

I won't recommend buying his course as it will fall onto deaf ears but I believe anyone who is ready to move thier business to a higher level will find him,

Like what  was said to Zorro....... "when the student is ready the master will appear"
( ohhh.....I'm getting all silysofical)

[Brendan (chem2clean)]

Hey mike,enjoy your cocktails.What are the first things you are going to start doing that you have not done before?

[benny d]

I saw a Seminar with Howard Partridge on TV years ago. It was total chaos. He upset the guests, he was late on, the music was cr*p, people got up & left during it. There was a terrible atmosphere there.


UPDATE

Woops it was Alan Partridge, not Howard. Sorry for the confusion 

[garry22]

In a nutshell he sells a system of relationship/ referral  marketing built around creating a phenomenal cleaning experiance backed up by a phenomenal system of running a business.

I hope this does not sound sarcastic because it's not meant to be. Surely in one sentence, this is the essence of running a successful cleaning business? In fairness to Simon Gerrard, he's been saying this for years. I wish I had applied this to one of my online ventures four years ago. I'd have been much wealthier now.

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Is it about making the customer feel special or is it adding special things to your cleaning?

Shaun

[Mike Halliday]

In a nutshell he sells a system of relationship/ referral  marketing built around creating a phenomenal cleaning experiance backed up by a phenomenal system of running a business.

I hope this does not sound sarcastic because it's not meant to be. Surely in one sentence, this is the essence of running a successful cleaning business? In fairness to Simon Gerrard, he's been saying this for years. I wish I had applied this to one of my online ventures four years ago. I'd have been much wealthier now.

Garry you are correct,     but knowing it to be true does not mean you have the skills to do it, everybody knows that the key to a healthy life is good nutrition & exercise but we still have an obesity epidemic , people know what they need to do but don't have the skills, knowledge or motivation to achieve it, just like running a successful business.

Shaun it's about have a system in place that makes you and your employees do everything right every time,  from beginning to end

[Shaun_Ashmore]

That's in theory the idea of a franchise, I guess its systematic motivation.

Shaun

[Dean Haywood]

Even now I'm finding it hard to put into words how good it was and how impressive HP is, I've got to say he did'nt say much that I didn't already know or had'nt read before but he said it in a way that made so much sense it was like he brought together all the best bit of everything I had read on running a business and put it in one place.

I won't recommend buying his course as it will fall onto deaf ears but I believe anyone who is ready to move thier business to a higher level will find him,

Like what  was said to Zorro....... "when the student is ready the master will appear"
( ohhh.....I'm getting all silysofical)

Great post Mike, glad you enjoyed it.

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

I second everything Mike has said.

There were about 30 of us lucky enough to hear HP speak - there should of been hundreds !!

Unfortunately the majority of our trade seems more concerned with who uses what machine and how much their "competition" charges 

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I certainly agree but at this time of year some are on holiday for myself it was my sons birthday and we'd already planned something bit of a shame as Howard would be right up my street I understand his value but family comes first.

Shaun

[Simon Gerrard]

In a nutshell he sells a system of relationship/ referral  marketing built around creating a phenomenal cleaning experiance backed up by a phenomenal system of running a business.

It's really very simple: Work hard at putting your customers in a position where they can't, or don't think they can get what you do anywhere else. Do that and they will come to think of you as their carpet cleaner and you will be well on your way to becoming and remaining a successful business.


Simon

[Mike Halliday]

Sorry chemtoclean didn't see your question ....

What did I learn that I will be implementing first...

From what I learnt from HP.......While I'm on holiday One of the things I will be doing is writing a phone script. Howards' staff prices most of their jobs over the phone and still get very high prices......something I always thought was very difficult, but he uses a very detailed and precise phone script. after listening to him do a mock phone call with an audience member I can see how it can be done.

Another thing I will be doing is having a good talk with my wife about what we want to achieve in our lives in the coming years, then writing down specific goals for the future. (This is from what Tom Ziglar spoke about)

[Shaun_Ashmore]

The phone conversation is the biggest thing I have been trying to hone for 26 years it's not just a sales script it's a question and answer documentary, will this mean that you're changing the leaflet design? And other aspects of advertising/marketing?

The latter of personal goals is very personal I have written one but it's not a fixed point because as I see people around me retire or move on etc I think to myself, why should I stop I can just slow down although things may change the focal point may alter.

Shaun

[ian harper]

Mike

did you know that the Guy Jim wolverton who wrote the pink flyer was making $125k in six months of starting up in the USA, My point is we have very different markets.  I meet him at a JP bootcamp

Its fact that lots of self employed people don't spend as much time on marketing as they should because they reach a level of income where they are comfortable and available time. you have to stop working in your business and start working on it. I learnt this with my maid service.

Having staff brings with it a lot of new issues like quality, staff issues, marketing, and cash flow. plus the thing that got me. was again the devil makes work for idle hands. if you have always worked hard and then you have an income that is higher than you have ever needed and you have to do very little to get it. it brings with it problems   sex, cars, drugs, and rock and roll  

I am much happier working for myself than having 20 people working for me as i did. so you have to make a choice which you really want. working for yourself has many upsides. if you find that sweet spot of the right amount of work for the right amount of reward its well worth working for yourself and not having staff.

People moan about economic migration but its what fuels cleaning with cheap labour. problem for us that you could just be training the new local competition.

Mike dont waste your money on these guys. You only have to look at JP and he admits this he was not very successful at working as a carpet cleaner (one van, again i met the guy he sold his business to) but much more successful teaching others how to market with lots of vans. what he teaches he paid Dan Kennedy to ghost write. he has move on and made it his own now, and respects for that.

Mike its all really about numbers at the end of the day. That is where you should spend time on education. these people cant get inside you business and see the numbers. you only have to view these TV shows that fix businesses or are competitions. numbers are what the success hinges on. thats why they make them do silly tasks as once they lean about scale then you can work at any level be it selling hot dogs on a street corner to running a chain of restaurants.

I just hate the BS about numbers, price profit, turnover etc without the proof that backs them up as this is what separates BS from truth. FT is a great case in point, never did a see a profit and loss

If you worked as hard as you do in the USA as you do in hull you would be so much richer mike. Jim proves that fact.

Anyway good luck with what you have learnt Mike I hope I am wrong and wish you every success.

Respects Ian


See you all on G+

https://plus.google.com/+IanHarper/

[ian harper]

Mike  & Shaun

The phone script is just "carpet cleaning audit" the old you have two ears and one month so you should listen twice as much as you speak.

Get hold of a JP audit.

See You On G+

https://plus.google.com/+IanHarper/

[Shaun_Ashmore]

I agree with that you have to listen but it's a matter of changing the content of the conversation for each individual caller a personal visit would yield more but that can take time, ideally the HP version of building a relationship with one customer then getting other new customers to accept you telephone estimate/quote is the very best way to go.

Shaun

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

I think I will listen to the advice given by a man that runs a 3 million dollar a year carpet cleaning company, rather than ............................. well you can guess the rest

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Not sure what you're meaning Steve ?

It's only a discussion.

Shaun

[Steve Barnett (Carpet Care Plus)]

It wasn't aimed at you Shaun

[SteveAllan]

Howard's latest book is a good read chaps, well worth the tenner.