Hi Dash,
I have now been in business for 12 years or so. I originally worked for large blue chip companies as a Programme Analyst. MCSE and many more.
With regards to Estate Agents yes we do work for estate agents in EOTS, Landlords and we even clean estate agents on regular contracts daily.
Do I think working for estate agents is the way forward? Mmmm No. Not if you are doing New builds, EOTS. If you were cleaning their offices on a contractual basis then Yes I think its the way forward.
Any place that is commercialy run and if you are cleaning it you are earning. There is a difference in earning a wage and running a business.
Understand your market. residential work is great and can pay well. But ask yourself the big question. Is it regular?
Also research your prices. Not just asking on here. I mean real research. Find out what companies are charging. Again not on this forum. Get out there a research even if it means get someone to get quotes for you.
Also consider where you want to go with your business. In most cases people want to grow a business. Once you have a plan, you put it into action. Over time it will either grow, have flat spots, gain customers and grow if priced correctly. Or disaster. Fail.
Commercially you enter into a world of regular work. Continuous regular work. Thats is worth something. So if you have contracts that are say tied in for 12 months, 3 years, or are rolling contracts, you have something of worth.
Eventually you need staff, you also need to pay them on a regular basis. This is where commercial work really pays off.
I a few months ago purchased a cheap CC machine to do the odd CC for domestic work. It does not pay enough. But commercially we add it on as a service. It works well.
Our website generates about 70 - 130 enquires a month. Both via email and telephone. How do we know this? We ask. Its that simple.
Cold calling.
We started out using YP. Not a bad idea. But not great. Consider paying for leads. They get sent to you in an xcel spread sheet. has all the details on. You can even select areas, company size etc.
As Derek says you could get a company to do it for you. If you cannot spend the time doing it, dont bother. Its is a good few days possibly of No, and No oh and more No.
As for the success rate. I would say its a 25 to 1 ratio. By that I mean you call 25 companies. You perform 5 presentations and get 1 sale.
You could go as calling 1000 companies all say No. As for targeting new companies. Not bad either. But consider this. They are new, do they require your sevice just yet. Yes I agree with get in there first.
You will recieve alot of No's. Also you must understand especially if you are competing with large companies some work you will not get. Why you ask? back handers take place. Thats the truth of it. Not many if any admit it.
Be prepared to be an employer. Otherwise there is no point in cold calling. Better than cold calling on the phone is in person.
Aslo you have to get the person to think about what you say or have said. Once you are in. Pitching the sale its about convincing them. Its about getting past the "I need to think about it" If they need to think about it they have doubts wether you can deliver.
Dave